Five disputations of church-government and worship

§. 2. When Magistrates therefore are disposed to punish men for crossing their wills in the matters of God, it nearly concerns them to look about them, and take heed first what they punish them for, and then, with what kind of punishment they do it. If it be Good and not Evil that men are punished for, it is persecution. If it be really evil, either its great or small, public or private, &c. If it be an evil that endangereth the Commonwealth, or Church, or the souls of men, let them punish men in such a way as best tends to the security of the society or souls of men that are endangered. But if the person in his calling or station be useful to the Church, or Commonwealth, let him not be so punished as to be made unuseful. If the Bishops had punished Non-conformists as Recusancy was ⟨p. 430⟩punished, with paying twelve pence a day &c. I should, comparatively, scarce have blamed them: For it had been but to make Ministers fare harder, or live poorlier, or work for their livings, or to pay their penalties, and the Church might still have had their labours: but to silence and suspend them, and that when there were no better to supply the room (then such as were put in,) this was to punish the Church of Christ, and the souls of men (and that with everlasting punishment) for the (real or supposed) faults of the particular ministers: which was not just.

§. 2. When Magistrates therefore are disposed to punish men for crossing their wills in the matters of God, it neerly concerns them to look about them, and take heed first what they punish them for, and then, with what kind of punishment they do it. If it be Good and not Evil that men are punished for, it is persecution. If it be really evil, either its great or small, publick or private, &c. If it be an evil that endangereth the Commonwealth, or Church, or the souls of men, let them punish men in such a way as best tends to the security of the society or souls of men that are endangered. But if the person in his calling or station be usefull to the Church, or Commonwealth, let him not be so punished as to be made unusefull. If the Bishops had punished Non-conformists as Recusancy was ⟨p. 430⟩punished, with paying twelve pence a day &c. I should, comparatively, scarce have blamed them: For it had been but to make Ministers fare harder, or live poorlier, or work for their livings, or to pay their penalties, and the Church might still have had their labours: but to silence and suspend them, and that when there were no better to supply the room (then such as were put in,) this was to punish the Church of Christ, and the souls of men (and that with everlasting punishment) for the (real or supposed) faults of the particular ministers: which was not just.