The works of Ephesus explained in a sermon before the honourable House of Commons…The workes of Ephesus explained in a sermon before the honovrable House of Commons…

As for those who are close and private offenders, they come not under any legal Cognizance, and though many offences of such may be insufferable in their own nature, yet there is a necessity of bearing them: For such as are weak and scrupulous, it was (a little before) proved a duty to bear them: For those who are only evil-doers, and seduced, they being willing to reform and be cured, in some cases (I say in some cases) Justice may bear them, and charity in all.

As for those who are close and private offenders, they come not under any legall Cognizance, and though many offences of such may be insufferable in their owne nature, yet there is a necessity of bearing them: For such as are weake and scrupulous, it was (a little before) proved a duty to beare them: For those who are onely evill-doers, and seduced, they being willing to reforme and be cured, in some cases (I say in some cases) Iustice may beare them, and charity in all.

For as it was in the Laws of Leprosy among the Jews: Many who had risings and scabs, or spots in ¹the skin of the flesh, were not yet to be judged unclean, and put out of the Camp. There were certain Criteria, signs or tokens given by God himself, on which the Priest was to ground his judgement. So now many have sins and errors (whereof those spots and risings were a figure) who yet must not be thrust away from us presently. Such indeed must, whose spiritual sores carry a proportion (if we can find it out) with those corporal. It is agreed on by all, that those leprous spots did note out our several malignities of soul-diseases; but what degrees or kinds of soul-diseases is not agreed. It were to be too much an Origenist, strictly to enquire about all, or confidently to conclude about any; yet there can be no danger in offering a conjecture suiting the rules before given.

For as it was in the Lawes of Leprosie among the Jewes: Many who had risings and scabs, or spots in ¹the skin of the flesh, were not yet to be judged unclean, and put out of the Camp. There were certaine Criteria, signes or tokens given by God himselfe, on which the Priest was to ground his judgement. So now many have sinnes and errours (whereof those spots and risings were a figure) who yet must not be thrust away from us presently. Such indeed must, whose spirituall sores carry a proportion (if we can find it out) with those corporall. It is agreed on by all, that those leprous spots did note out our severall malignities of soule-diseases; but what degrees or kinds of soul-diseases is not agreed. It were to be too much an Origenist, strictly to enquire about all, or confidently to conclude about any; yet there can be no danger in offering a conjecture suting the rules before given.