The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter…

§ 4. You say [As to the Chancellor and his Office, it is less matter by whom Excommunication be done, so it be honestly and soundly done. He is a Christian, he is a man of Knowledge and Learning; he is authorized by the Laws of the Kingdom; his Office is incorporate into the Government of the Nation. Though he may not bind and loose as a Pastor, he may as a Christian, authorized by the King. See Matth. 18. 15, &c.

Ans. This is a great business. 1. Why said you before, that the Power of the Keys belongs to the Pastors, &c? But you meant [not only to them.] 2. Is it the same sort of Excommunication and Absolution which belongs to the Pastor and to a Lay-man? If not, you say nothing to our business. For our Laws, Canons and Church pretend here no difference. I confess that there are three acts of separation, which the Magistrate may do. 1. He, may command Bishops and Pastors to do their Office faithfully in excommunicating notorious impenitent criminals. 2. When they are excommunicated, he may forbid them intruding into the Church. 3. He may judge the flagitious to be stigmatized, or be taken as out-lawed, and forbid men to be familiar with them.

But the Power of the Church is a power of judging what individual persons are fit or unfit for Baptism, the Eucharist, Church Entrance, and Church Communion, is the Church is the Porch of Heaven, and as a preparation to the final judgment. And it is not another sort, but this sort which the Lay-Chancellor pretendeth to exercise in the Bishop's name.