It is therefore utterly impossible to separate them from the com- munion of the catholic church in faith, or to cast them from that Rock whereon they are built thereby.
They do also attend unto divine worship in their own assemblies: and herein they do practise all that is agreed on by all Christians in the world, and nothing else ; for they do not only make the Scripture the sole rule of their worship, so as to omit nothing prescribed therein to that purpose, nor to observe any thing prohibited thereby, but their Avorship is the very same with that of the catholic church in all ages; nothing do they omit that was ever used by it, nothing do they observe that was ever condemned by it. And this must be the principle and measure of catholic union in worship, if ever there be any such thing in the earth; to expect it in any other observances is vain and foolish Offering prayers and praises to God in the name of Jesus Christ, read-
A LETTER CONCERNING EXCOMMUNICATION. 219
ing the lioly Scripture and expounding of it, singing of psalms to God, preaching of the word, with the administration of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper, in a religious observation of the Lord's day unto these ends, all according as God doth enable them by his Spirit, is the sum and substance of the worship of the catholic church, wherein all Christians are agreed. These things the Scripture doth prescribe, and these things the church in all ages hath observed. All differences about this worship, which have filled the world with inhuman contentions, arose from men's arbitrary addition of forms, rites, modes, ceremonies, languages, cringings, adorations, which they would have observed in it; whereof the Scripture is silent and pri- mitive antiquity utterly ignorant. And it maybe it will be one day understood, that the due observance of this catholic worship, according as God enableth any thereunto (leaving others at liberty to use such helps imto their devotion as they shall think meet), is the only com- munion of worship in the church which the Scripture requires, or which is possible to be attained. About the imposition of other things, there ever were, since they were, and ever will be, endless contentions. Wherefore, these dissenters practising nothing in the worship of God but what is approved by all Christians, particularly by the church of England, omitting nothing that either the Scripture or catholic tradition directs unto, they are, notwithstanding this pre- tended excommunication, secure of communion with the catholic church in evangelical worship.
Moreover, they plead that their conversation is unblamable, — that they are peaceable in the civil government, and useful among their neighbours. If they do evil in these things, let them that prosecute them bear witness of the evil; but if they do well, why are they smitten? If they can be charged with any immoralities, with any disobedience unto the rule and precept of the gospel, those by whom they are thus prosecuted are highly concerned, if not in conscience, yet in honour and interest, to manage the charge against them, that some countenance may be given unto their proceedings : for " the law is not made," as penal, " for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane;" and if it be otherwise with the laws about these excom- munications, they neither belong to nor are derived from the law of God.
There are, indeed, great clamours against them that they are schis- matics and separatists, and things of the like nature, — that is, that they are dissenters ; but in this case the whole force of any inference from hence is built on this supposition, that it is the will of Christ that those who profess faith in him and obedience unto him un- blamably should be excluded from an interest in and participation
220 A LETTER CONCERNING EXCOMMUNICATION.
of those ordinances of divine worship which are of his own institu- tion, if they will not comply with and observe such rites and practices in that worship as are not so, but confessedly of human invention. But no colour of proof can be given hereunto ; for it is directly con- trary unto express Scripture rule, to the example of the apostolical churches, and unheard of in the world before the branded usurpation of Victor, bishop of Rome. An assertion of it is to prostitute the wisdom, authority, and love of Christ towards his disciples unto the wills of men, oftentimes prepossessed with darkness, ignorance, super- stition, and other lusts; as shall be more fully manifested if there be occasion. Let any colour be given unto this supposition from Scripture or antiquity, and the whole cause shall be given up. Yet thus is it, and no otherwise, in the matter of the present excommu- nications: Persons of all sorts, every way sound in the faith, unre- provable in the catholic worship of the gospel, professing love and obedience unto Jesus Christ, without blame, are excluded, — what lies in them who manage these ordinances of divine worship which the Lord Christ bath appointed and enjoined, — without pretence of any other cause or reason but only their not observance, in that worship, of what he hath not appointed. He that can believe this to be the will of Christ neither knoweth him nor his will, as it is revealed in his word; and the consciences of men are sufficiently secure from being concerned in that wherein such an open defiance is bid unto evangelical precepts and rules, with apostolical examples.