requires many other things of us, after we are members of his body,
which, if we knowingly or maliciously refuse, may be the cause, not
only of excommunication, but damnation. But yet these are such
things as relate to the well-being and not to the being of churches;
as laying on of hands in the primitive times upon believers, by
which they did receive the gifts of the Spirit: This, I say, was
for the increase and edifying of the body, and not that thereby they
might become of the body of Christ, for that they were before. And
do not think that I believe laying on of hands was no apostolical
institution, because I say men are not thereby made members of
Christ's body, or because I say that it is not essential to church-
communion. Why should I be thought to be against a fire in the
chimney, because I say it must not be in the thatch of the house?
Consider, then, how pernicious a thing it is to make every doctrine
(though true) the bond of communion; this is that which destroys
unity, and by this rule all men must be perfect before they can be
in peace: for do we not see daily, that as soon as men come to a
clearer understanding of the mind of God (to say the best of what
they hold), that presently all men are excommunicable, if not
damnable, that do not agree with them. Do not some believe and see
that to be pride and covetousness, which others do not, because (it
may be) they have more narrowly and diligently searched into their
duty of these things than others have? What then? Must all men
that have not so large acquaintance of their duty herein be
excommunicated? Indeed it were to be wished that more moderation in
apparel and secular concernments were found among churches: but God
forbid, that if they should come short herein, that we should say,
as one lately said, that he could not communicate with such a
people, because they were proud and superfluous in their apparel.