2. And I disliked the Course of some of the more rigid of them, that drew too near the way of Prelacy, by grasping at a kind of secular Power; not using it themselves, but binding the Magistrates to confiscate or imprison Men, merely because they were excommunicate; and so corrupting the true Discipline of the Church, and turning the Communion of Saints, into the Communion of the Multitude that must keep in the Church against their Wills, for fear of being undone in the World. When as a Man whose Conscience cannot feel a just Excommunication, unless it be backed with Confiscation or Imprisonment, is no fitter to be a Member of a Christian Church in the Communion of Saints, than a Corps is to be a Member of a Corporation. It's true they claim not this Power as Jure Divino (though some say that the Magistrate is bound to execute these Penalties on Men merely as excommunicate;) nor no more do the Prelates, when yet the Writ de Excommunicato ⟨p. 143⟩Capiendo, is the Life of all their Censures): But both Parties too much debase the Magistrate, by making him their mere Executioner; when as he is the Judge wherever he is the Executioner, and is to try each Cause at his own Barr before he be obliged to punish any; and they corrupt the Discipline of Christ by mixing it with secular Force; and they reproach the Keys or Ministerial Power, as if it were a Leaden Sword, and not worth a Straw unless the Magistrates Sword enforce it. (And what then did the Primitive Church for Three hundred Years?) And, worst of all, they corrupt the Church by forcing in the Rabble of the unfit and unwilling; and thereby tempt many Godly Christians to Schisms and dangerous Separations. In all this I deny not, but that the Magistrate must restrain all sorts of Vice: But not as a Hangman only, that executeth the Judgment of another; nor eo Nomine to punish a Man because he is Excommunicate (that is most heavily punished already by others): Till Magistrates keep the Sword themselves, and learn to deny it to every angry Clergyman that would do his own Work by it, and leave them to their own Weapons, the Word and Spiritual Keys; & valeant quantum valere possunt, the Church shall never have Unity and Peace; hucusque probatum est.
2. And I disliked the Course of some of the more rigid of them, that drew too near the way of Prelacie, by grasping at a kind of secular Power; not using it themselves, but binding the Magistrates to confiscate or imprison Men, meerly because they were excommunicate; and so corrupting the true Discipline of the Church, and turning the Communion of Saints, into the Communion of the Multitude that must keep in the Church against their Wills, for fear of being undone in the World. When as a Man whose Conscience cannot feel a just Excommunication, unless it be back'd with Confiscation or Imprisonment, is no fitter to be a Member of a Christian Church in the Communion of Saints, than a Corps is to be a Member of a Corporation. It's true they claim not this Power as Iure Divino (though some say that the Magistrate is bound to execute these Penalties on Men meerly as excommunicate;) nor no more do the Prelates, when yet the Writ de Excommunicato ⟨p. 143⟩Capiendo, is the Life of all their Censures): But both Parties too much debase the Magistrate, by making him their meer Executioner; when as he is the Iudge whereever he is the Executioner, and is to try each Cause at his own Barr before he be obliged to punish any; and they corrupt the Discipline of Christ by mixing it with secular Force; and they reproach the Keys or Ministerial Power, as if it were a Leaden Sword, and not worth a Straw unless the Magistrates Sword enforce it. (And what then did the Primitive Church for Three hundred Years?) And, worst of all, they corrupt the Church by forcing in the Rabble of the unfit and unwiling; and thereby tempt many Godly Christians to Schisms and dangerous Separations. In all this I deny not, but that the Magistrate must restrain all sorts of Vice: But not as a Hangman only, that executeth the Judgment of another; nor eo Nomine to punish a Man because he is Excommunicate (that is most heavily punished already by others): Till Magistrates keep the Sword themselves, and learn to deny it to every angry Clergyman that would do his own Work by it, and leave them to their own Weapons, the Word and Spiritual Keys; & valeant quantum valere possunt, the Church shall never have Unity and Peace; hucusque probatum est.
