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

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?

5. But the Core of your erroneous reasoning is behind; you say, they were—without any Universal innovation or degenerating in those Essentials of Order as well as doctrine which they fell into in the ages after, &c. An Universal degenerating in the Essentials even of Doctrine and Order too, is a big and a sad word: And the time pointed at by you being so early, if I can understand you, you do (as the Seekers) unchurch the universal Church of Christ. For if it Degenerated Universally in the Essentials of doctrine, it Universally apostatized from Christianity: For where any Essential part is lost, the Essence ⟨p. 131⟩and just Name is lost.¹