The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

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.

3. EVERY Society hath this Power towards those who are incorporated in it by their own consent, and not towards others. For whence should they have such a Power, or who should commit it unto them? Nor can any be cast out from those Privileges which they never had an Interest in, nor a Right unto. The Apostles Rule holds in this case, especially with respect unto Churches; What have we to do to judge them that are without. And as unto the exercise of this Power, they are all to be esteemed to be without, who are not rightly incorporated into that particular Church, by which they may be ejected out of it. A Power of Excommunication at Random towards all that those who exercise it can extend force unto, hath no foundation either in the Light of Nature or Authority of the Scripture. And it would be ridiculous in any Corporation to disfranchise such as never belonged unto it, who were never Members of it.