A53732:636
The true nature of a Gospel church and its government
The true nature of a Gospel church and its government ... by the late pious and learned minister of the Gospel, John Owen ...
London: printed for William Marshall, 1689
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Chapter 10: Of EXCOMMUNICATION.Chapter 10: Of EXCOMMVNICATION.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
AND all this evil ariseth from the neglect and contempt of this fundamental Rule of all Societies, apparent unto all in the Light of Nature it self; namely, that they have no Power in or over any Thing, Right, Privilege or Advantage, but what Men are made Partakers of by virtue of such Societies, their Rule and Laws whereunto they are obliged. But of this sort are not the Lives, the Liberties, the Houses and Possessions of Men, with respect unto the Church. They receive them not from the Church, and a Man would certainly think, that the Church could not take them away.
YEA, we live and subsist in Order, upon the good Nature and Wisdom of Men, who judge it best neither to exert their Power, nor act their Principles in this matter. For, whereas they esteem all the Inhabitants of the Land to belong unto their Church; if they should in the first place Excommunicate all that ought to be Excommunicated by the Rule and Law of the Gospel, and then all that ought to be so, according to their own Laws and Canons, both which a Man would think they were obliged in point of Conscience unto; and in pursuit of their ⟨p. 198⟩Sentence, send out the Capias for them all, I very much question whether any of them would go to Prison or no; and then in what a fine case would this Government be; and if they should all go to Gaol, I am persuaded the King would be in an ill State to defend his Realms against his Enemies.
YEA, we live and subsist in Order, upon the good Nature and Wisdom of Men, who judge it best neither to exert their Power, nor act their Principles in this matter. For, whereas they esteem all the Inhabitants of the Land to belong unto their Church; if they should in the first place Excommunicate all that ought to be Excommunicated by the Rule and Law of the Gospel, and then all that ought to be so, according to their own Laws and Canons, both which a Man would think they were obliged in point of Conscience unto; and in pursuit of their ⟨p. 198⟩Sentence, send out the Capias for them all, I very much question whether any of them would go to Prison or no; and then in what a fine case would this Government be; and if they should all go to Gaol, I am perswaded the King would be in an ill State to defend his Realms against his Enemies.