A second admonition to Mr. Edward Bagshaw written to call him to repentance for…

3. But if they did not, the Power of Office is one thing, and the Liberty of exercising it is another: We have Power from Christ to preach: and if we be silenced and our liberty restrained by men, that proveth us not to be ⟨p. 130⟩no true Ministers. If you mean that no Church is to be communicated with where the Pastor is hindered by men from the full discharge of his Office, you mistake, and can never prove it.

4. They that voluntarily neglect their Office (without hinderance by the force of men) are more to be blamed than those that are so forced. But in the Primitive Churches Discipline was lamentably neglected voluntarily; as appeareth in the Case of most of the seven Churches, Rev. 2. & 3. for which they are threatened by Christ, and in the Corinthians case: yea, corrupted by such as Diotrophes. And do you think that the Church that hath Power to do well, and will not, is therefore to be communicated with because it can? that is, because it sinneth not through disability, but negligence or wilfulness?

4. They that voluntarily neglect their Office (without hinderance by the force of men) are more to be blamed than those that are so forced. But in the Primitive Churches Discipline was lamentably neglected voluntarily; as appeareth in the Case of most of the seven Churches, Rev. 2. & 3. for which they are threatned by Christ, and in the Corinthians case: yea, corrupted by such as Diotrophes. And do you think that the Church that hath Power to do well, and will not, is therefore to be communicated with because it can? that is, because it sinneth not through disability, but negligence or wilfulness?