A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort…

Ans. He may do what he can that way, when necessity hindereth him from doing better, but not with any true satisfaction to God, the Church or Conscience to discharge the office of a particular Church Bishop. In case of title to lands or goods a civil Judicature may judge of persons that are unknown: Because the title dependeth not on the moral qualities of the persons: And in criminal cases where the question to be judged or resolved is, whether the person shall live or die, or shall be fined, imprisoned, banished or not, the case may be judged of unknown persons secundum allegata & probata: For outward punishments must go upon outward proved crimes, and the Judges can possibly do no more, because about twelve must judge a whole Kingdom. And yet even there they greatly regard qua mente, with what mind and intent the deed was done, and they greatly regard the moral qualifications of a Witness as to his credibility, as far as they can find it out. But in Church cases, it is mens consciences that are to be wrought upon. The first intention of the Pastor is to bring the sinner to repentance; yea though he continued in penitent never so long before, he is not to be▪ excommunicated till at the present also he show impenitency. Therefore it is more necessary to be acquainted with the person, and many an admonition or exhortation (ordinarily) should go before. And when it cometh to excommunication, the principal part of that Act is to acquaint the Congregation that the impenitent person is unfit for Church communion, and to charge and exhort them to avoid him And to do this it is necessary that the Church be taught to abhor the sin, and to do it in abhorrence ⟨p. 136⟩of the sin, and therefore that they be convinced that the person is such a one indeed. For seeing God commandeth them to Love all the faithful and to live with them in the exercises of that Love in peace, if Godly men be unjustly excommunicated, by a Diotrephes, who receiveth them not and excommunicateth such as do receive them, the Church must not disobey God in obeying such a wicked excommunicator. And though its true, that for order sake, they must oft rest satisfied in the Pastors judgment, when they have no reason to question it;

Ans. He may do what he can that way, when necessity hindereth him from doing better, but not with any true satisfaction to God, the Church or Conscience to discharge the office of a particular Church Bishop. In case of title to lands or goods a civil Judicature may judge of persons that are unknown: Because the title dependeth not on the moral qualities of the persons: And in criminal cases where the question to be judged or resolved is, whether the person shall live or die, or shall be fined, imprisoned, banished or not, the case may be judged of unknown persons secundum allegata & probata: For outward punishments must go upon outward proved crimes, and the Judges can possibly do no more, because about twelve must judge a whole Kingdome. And yet even there they greatly regard qua mente, with what mind and intent the deed was done, and they greatly regard the moral qualifications of a Witness as to his credibility, as far as they can find it out. But in Church cases, it is mens consciences that are to be wrought upon. The first intention of the Pastor is to bring the sinner to repentance; yea though he continued in penitent never so long before, he is not to be excommunicated till at the present also he shew impenitency. Therefore it is more necessary to be acquainted with the person, and many an admonition or exhortation (ordinarily) should go before. And when it cometh to excommunication, the principal part of that Act is to acquaint the Congregation that the impenitent person is unfit for Church communion, and to charge and exhort them to avoid him And to do this it is necessary that the Church be taught to abhor the sin, and to do it in abhorrence