BEfore I give the Solution , I must crave leave to premise these things . 1st , That I intend not all this time to concern my self with those , whose Eyes the God of this World has blinded ; and if I neglected them altogether , perhaps I had a good warrant from him , who was best able to give it , who bids us Not cast Pearls before Swine , adding a cautionary reason to this effect , That all the reward from them for such profuseness will be to cause them to turn again and rent us . My design is to give some satisfaction to those , who do not approve of some of the Prayers , and yet think that not to be a sufficient cause to break off from their Communion , and therefore I shall spare the pains of proving the thing ( though if there be any Rules of right or wrong , nothing admits a clearer proof ) and shall only argue upon their own Concessions . 2dly , I shall proceed purely upon Ecclesiastical grounds , not at all intermedling with Secular affairs . 3dly , That they would not at first sight fore-judge me as a man in my opinion inclinable to the extreams , till they have considered upon my Reasons , whether I have not Truth and Justice on my side the Apostacy of a multitude , which few have courage to stand against , may make that seem to be an extream , which is none in it self ; and to allow it so , were to give up a Righteous Cause : and if the very mention of some things seem so harsh and grating , consider what are the Evils themselves .

Sol . These things thus premised , I answer plainly and directly , That it is not lawful , as matters now stand , to joyn in Communion in our Parish-Churches . The Personal faults of men , though they may give too great cause of disgust , and chill the zeal of Communicants , yet they do not directly affect Communion , nor afford a Sufficient ground of Seperation : But then I add , that wherein any part of the matter , wherein they Communicate , is unlawful and sinful ; and the Persons present at such Communion do either actually joyn , or by the nature of the thing are supposed and required to joyn in Communion , there it is necessary to depart , and come out from among such , if you will not be pertakers in their Sins . I need not insist upon the proof of this Proposition : it is so self-evident , that not only he , who writes Measures of Obedience , but also he , who discourseth of the Unreasonableness of a new Seperation , will grant it ; they both and their whole Party have ever ( and truly not without cause ) exploded sinful Terms of Communion : It only remains therefore to prove , that there is such unlawful or sinful matter , and that by the nature of the thing all Persons there present for Communion in Worship are required and supposed to joyn in it , and then the Conclusion will unavoidably follow , That as matters now stand , it is not lawful to frequent our Parish-Churches for Communion in Divine Worship : And as to the Persons , with whom I am concerned , the readiest way to clear this point , will be to answer their Objections or Doubts , which I shall state as fully and fairly as I can ; and if I neglect any thing , I hope they will not think much to give me fuller Information , it being only their good and satisfaction which I design .

Obj. 1st . Those , with whom I have to do , will say , That the former Member of my Proposition they readily grant , and do think it contrary to Truth and Justice to Communicate in some of the Prayers : But then they add , That they neither do , nor ought to be supposed to joyn in those Prayers . And to prove this , They say , That their Opinion and Judgment herein is notoriously known , That their behaviour at the reciting such Prayers is not as at other times , but such as gives sufficient Testimony to all Persons , that they joyn not in them ; Nay , further some urge , That they have made their open Protestations and Declarations , That they neither do , nor will joyn in them as matters now are ; and that their Intention is to joyn no further in the Prayers , then as they are approved on both sides . And all this I believe they speak unfeignedly ; but lest good men unawares should be led away with the Error of the Wicked , I beseech them impartially to consider these several things , which I shall return in answer .

Answ . 1st . It is rarely thought adviseable for men to forsake their Friends , that they may run into the Mouthes of their Enemies : and therefore it may be worth their while to consider , whom they desert , and upon whom they cast themselves . They leave those , against whose Principles and Communion they Object nothing , and they joyn with those , whose Principles they disallow , and who are contrary to them in this very thing : for they are of opinion , ( and so far they are in the right ) That Communion ought to be entire ; and therefore for your singular Behaviour and Testimonies of dissent they look upon you with an ill Eye , plainly condemn you , and call you hard Names ; and though they forbear further proceedings at present , to the end , that they may draw you off , and break us ; yet you may assure your selves , that as soon as ever opportunity presents , they will suffer you no longer , but force you at least to a visible and seeming compliance and consent , which will have this effect , either to necessitate you to a departure from them too late , or by yielding contrary to your declared judgment , to become worse hypocrites then themselves . And if this be not a good Argument against your present Practice , I am consident it can be no strong motive to it .

2d . The Consequences also of this practice ought to be well considered : for if men may pick and choose , take and refuse in Communion at their own pleasure , we have lost one great Argument against the Romanists ; and you will be hard put to it to make your defence , either why you left the Mass at first , or do not go to it now . For the Common Reason all along alledged , was not , that there were not many excellent things in it , but that there were some so grosly bad , that we could not joyn in them ; which will be no Reason at all , if in Communion we can take the good , and leave the evil .

3d . The Scandal also of this Practice is not to be slighted ; for by your Example you draw many persons into that Communion , which they do not greatly approve , and in which otherwise they would not joyn . If you say , The Scandal is taken , not given : I answer , That if your practice be not justifiable ( which presently I shall directly prove ) then it is Scandal given , not barely taken ; and consequently their Sin will in a great measure lie at your doors .

4th . This Practice is very absurd and inconsistent with it self . For your Profession to God and your Protestation before men , are directly contrary to each other . To men you say peremptorily , that you neither approve nor joyn in some certain Prayers : and yet after those Prayers , and in the very conclusion of your Prayers , you profess to God , and give him thanks for it too , That with one accord you have made your common Supplications to him . I am unwilling to call this Lying to God , but it will concern you well to reconcile it .

5th . Your Protestation can here take no place ; because both it and your practice is against the very nature of Communion . A man may as lawfully take the Oaths with a Declaration , and communicate with a Protestation ; both are contra factum . For as a man's Declaration ( though he declare never so fully ) will not excuse him from Perjury in the matter of an Oath , if he deviate from the true Sense of it ; because , let his meaning be what it will , the nature of an Oath requires that it be taken in the sense of the Imposer , whose Security it is : So neither will any man's Protestation , where he appears as a Member of the Communion , avail him against any part of it ; because the nature of Communion requires that it be entire : But because the main stress in this perticular seems to relie on this Reason , I will not run away with it for granted , but confirm it with further Arguments .

First then ; The Minister is the Mouth of the People , and in theirs as well as his own Name , doth he put up the Prayers to God Almighty ; if therefore you be there as a Member of Communion , he is your Mouth , and you must be supposed to go along with him .

Secondly ; The Prayers are therefore formed and stated , that you may know wherein you communicate , and accept them as Terms of Communion ; and therefore if they will maintain their Communion , they must either exclude you , or you reject them , if you accept not their Terms : for otherwise I cannot conceive how Ecclesiastical Communion can be maintained . It is one great Reason , which we urge against the extempore men , that those of their Society can scarce be said to joyn in Communion with them ; for either they communicate not at all , or else in they know not what , and at all adventures in what ever comes next the Enthusiasticks Tongues end ; which is such an absolute Resignation of themselves , such a pinning their Faith upon the Sleeves of their pretended Minister , as I think cannot be truly charged on the most grosly ignorant Papist . And your way does not much mend the matter ; for if you take and leave as you list , no man can be certain what you communicate in .

Thirdly ; The Church declares and prescribes her Terms of Communion to her Members , not the Members to her : And therefore if you will be Members , you must come up to her Terms . It were the most absurd , unsteady , ridiculous thing in the world , if every man in a Communion may do what he list : nor can it be well called a Communion , where it may so fall out , that whilst one communicates in one thing , and another and another , yet perhaps amongst five hundred , not ten may communicate in the same thing ; it is indeed a contradiction in adjecto , a Communion without a Communion . I shall easily grant , what some alledge , That there are different degrees of Communion ; but that will do them no service , if they consider who makes and appoints those different degrees . Among the Ancients we read of some , who were auditores tantuin , only admitted to the Sermons , or Homilies , and the like ; and this I think did not properly make them Communicants , but was designed to fit and qualifie them to become such : Some were orantes , admitted to the Prayers , and these were really Communicants : Some were admitted to the Lord's Supper , and these were plenary Communicants . But still all these were not at the pleasure of the Members themselves , but prescribed or allowed by the Church , according to the capacity or condition of the Persons ; but what they were admitted to and present at , they were bound wholly to joyn in , and to every part of it . These things ( at least all considered together ) I think may be a sufficient Answer to this Objection .

Obj. 2d . But if this be so , yet ( will some say ) our difficulty is not over . Were it ( say they ) in our power to chuse , it would go far : but we adhere to a Minister , who hath taken the Charge of our Souls , and that in such a time , in such a lawful way , as you your selves do not disallow . The Church assigned these Ministers to us , they are our lawful Pastors , we their Flock ; and therefore we are under an obligation not to forsake them .

Sol . The Answer to this Objection will start a fresh Reason , which ( if any regard be had to the sense and practice of the Primitive Times , and the purest and best Ages of the Church ) will clearly and undeniably prove , That as matters now stand , Communion in our Parish-Churches is unlawful . For by what ways or means soever they came to be your Ministers , though never so lawfully , they have now Forfeited their Right , cease to be your proper Ministers , and you ought to avoid them as Wolves , and not follow them as Pastors . To make this appear , you ought to consider , That the Head of every perticular Church , or the proper Pastor of the Flock , is the Bishop ; to several parts he assigns his Priests and Deacons , who are accountable to him ; and he himself is obnoxious to the Censure of the Canons of Provincial or National Synods , and they to Aemmenical . If a Priest or Deacon lawfully assigned to you , rebel against his Bishop , you ought with all speed to forsake him , and adhere to your Bishop , and expect his direction and assistance ; and if your Bishop himself break the Union of the Church , if you follow him therein , you follow him out of the Church ; and therefore in such case you are to leave him , and to apply your selves to other Bishops , who are in the Union and Communion of the Church . Now this is the very case . Our Bishops , who are thrust out of their Sees , are still the true and proper Bishops of those Sees , and to them their respective Flocks ought to pay Obedience . But you have put others in their places , set up Antibishops , and thus have erected Altar against Altar , the very Characteristical note of a Schismatick in all Antiquity ; And as the Intruders into their Sees are Schismaticks , so all who joyn with them and oppose the true Canonical Bishops , thereby make themselves Schismaticks . For those , who by joyning in Communion with Schismaticks , have made themselves one with those , who have cut themselves off from the Body ( which is the case of all Schismaticks ) by that very Act have cut themselves off from the Body also : And this all your Bishops , Clergy and Laity have done , by Seperating from the true Bishops , and joyning with the Antibishops in opposition to them : So that if your Prayers were never so justifiable , and the matter of your Communion never so unexceptionable , yet your Communion it self is sinful , as being not only destitute of lawful Authority , but maintained in opposition to it , and therefore Schismatical in the highest degree . As having cut off your selves from the Body , you can expect no Influence from Christ the Head ; but all your Ordinances are a Snare , and your Blessings are Cursed unto you ; and the only way to remove this , is to return to those lawful Canonical Bishops whom you have forsaken . I shall not here urge this further , because it is already sufficiently proved in Print , and would be done further beyond all possibility of any fair Reply , if we might plead our own Cause . But our Adversaries are well aware , that their greatest Strength and best Security lies in silencing our Pens , as well as our Tongues : But let them take heed , for though at present they out-face Men , and brave Heaven , yet God in his time can and will find them out .

Obj. 3d . But here some well disposed Persons reply ; What must we do ? if Communicate not with them , we have no opportunity of Communion at all ; and must we then cast off all Communion ?

Sol . 1st . To this I answer in the first place , That if this Argument be good in England , why not in Italy , or elsewhere ? Why may not a Protestant at Rome go to Mass , or in Cracovia communicate with Socinians , in Geoceia with Arrians , in Scotland with implacable Presbyterians , because there he has not opportunity of any other Communion ? The Reason is the same , why should the Practice be different , or less allowable in one place than another ?

2d . But to answer directly ; This objection shews indeed the difficulty some may lie under , and the sad pass the Wickedness of men hath brought matters to , but doth by no means justifie you in any sinful Communion , and therefore let us suppose the worst , that you were really destitute of all opportunity of lawful Communion ; why then your case would be much like that of a Christian cast upon an uninhabited Coast , only in this something worse , that there he hath no Communion either good or bad , but here you lie continually under the Temptation to a Sinful Communion : Where you have really no opportunity , God will dispense with the Obligation ; in such case the diligent performance of all Duties in your power , and the preparation of your Hearts and willingness of Mind to embrace . Lawful Church-Communion , when it can be had , will be acceptable to God ; but such defects of your state will not warrant you to joyn in any Sinful Communion : for that were to do Evil , that Good may come of it , whose Damnation is just , if we believe the blessed Apostle . When God's people , by the bloody Heathen Persecutors , were driven into Wildernesses , Dens , Caves , and all the hiding places they could imagine , you cannot thing that during the sharp Inquisition made after them , there was very much Communion in such places , and yet there were never better Christians then in those times .

3d . But then in Conclusion , I desire the Objectors to examine their Hearts seriously , whether many do not out of carnal Interest , or for fear of Danger , start this Objection : For to me it seems plain , that there is opportunity for more to Communicate then do . And therefore laying down this Advice , I shall give you no more trouble , unless any thing hereafter shall be further objected to me .

First ; That you would be cautious how you say all opportunity of Communicating is taken away unless in the Parish-Churches . For this is directly to charge all the deprived Clergy with a total neglect of their Duty ; and I think their Sufferings are hard enough already , and need not the augmentations of unjust Reproaches and Scandals ; and indeed this comes worst of all from them , who seem to be their Friends , and yet at the same time make such untrue Reproaches their own excuse . For if some forbear to exercise their Office , I believe it is more by reason of the backwardness of people to come at them , then for any unwillingness of theirs to receive them .

Secondly ; That you would well consider the Circumstances of things , and act as becomes Christians under such Circumstances . Perhaps dangers threaten : What then ? As he is not a wise Man who will run headlong into them ; So neither deserves he the Name of a Christian , who will baulk his Duty for fear of them . It will be therefore your part in such case to encourage Communion , and stand the Shock of threatning Dangers , as becomes good Christians : Perhaps the distance of place may be very great ; and indeed the number of those , who have stood fast in these apostatizing times , is not so many , and the inveterate malice of mad Zealots so desperately persecutes them in some places , that in many places this may be a material objection : but yet let not this discourage you , think not much of your pains for God ; the more labour you are put to , the more sincerity & affection you manifest for the Worship of God . Men can go to the Indies for gain , and yet not with any such certainty , but that sometimes they come home worse then they went , if they come home again at all ; and shall we think much to go a Mile or two or more to enjoy the true Worship of God , by which we are sure to gain his favour , and our further improvement in Spiritual Grace , Strength and Comfort . Beware of false , vain , or frivolous Excuses . But if you are really deprived of opportunity , be sure to keep up your desires after this Communion in Worship , and do what lies in you , and doubt not but that God will accept you at present , and provide better for you in time : For in such a case no Communion is more allowable than Sinful Communion .

As for my Brethren I have little to say , they are better able to give Advice then my self ; and indeed both they and I ought to observe the Directions of others , and not run hastily on our own Heads . For my own part I am willing to do my own Duty , and trust God with the event ; and I believe all my Brethren are of the same mind , though perhaps every one is not for the same method . If severer Persecutions come , I know no reason why they should surprize any : for I never yet read of any Schismaticks , but they were Cruel and Bloody ; and we have had already such a taste of the good nature of theirs , that I cannot think why any should expect them to be better then the rest of the same 〈◇〉 . Suppose some of us should be cut off ; yet the fall of those may prove the rise of more , for Martyrs Blood is rich and fruitful . And I cannot think God will suffer us to be totally destroyed , unless the crying Sins of these Nations have brought him to that resolution of executing Vengeance , that the Intercession of a Noah , a Daniel , or a Job , shall not prevail for such an incorrigible People : And if so , then no Good Man need fear how soon he is taken from the Evil to come . Let us not therefore be affraid to assemble for the Worship of God , having lawful Prayers wherein to communicate , and lawful Pastors to discharge the Ministerial function . Let us withal remember our Country , and not neglect even our Enemies , but heartily pray , that God would open the Eyes of this sinful People , to see the Error of their ways and Evil of their doings , and melt their Hearts into Repentance for all , but especially for those crying Sins of Perjury , Sacriledge , Schism , and more than barbarous Injustice , that the Hearts of the Disobedient being turned to the Wisdom of the Just , God may be merciful to us ; and prevent that Speedy Ruin , which otherwise seems to hang over this not long since flourishing Church and Kingdom .