Five disputations of church-government and worship

The Major is undoubted. The Minor is before proved as to the work it self. And as to the quality and consequents, experience putteth it past all doubt, that the work of Government and Oversight, is incomparably more troublesome then the preaching of a Sermon, Baptizing, administering the Lords Supper, and praying with them. When we come to touch men by personal reproof, and make that public, and that for disgraceful sins, and suspend or excommunicate them if they be obstinate, usually we do not only turn their hearts against us, but they rage against us, and could even be revenged on us with the cruellest revenge. We find that all the Preaching in the world doth not so much exasperate and enrage men, as this Discipline. I can Preach the most cutting and convincing truths, in as close a manner as I am able, to notorious wicked livers, and they will bear it patiently, and say it was a good Sermon, and some of them say ⟨p. 47⟩that they care not for hearing a man that will not tell them of their sins. And yet call them to an open confession of these sins in the Congregation, or proceed to censure them, and they will rage against us as if we were their mortal enemies. The Bishops let all these men (almost) alone; and therefore never exasperated them: and so now they rage the more against us, and love the Bishops the better, because they were never so troubled by them.

The Major is undoubted. The Minor is before proved as to the work it self. And as to the quality and consequents, experience putteth it past all doubt, that the work of Government and Oversight, is incomparably more troublesom then the preaching of a Sermon, Baptizing, administring the Lords Supper, and praying with them. When we come to touch men by personal reproof, and make that publike, and that for disgraceful sins, and suspend or excommunicate them if they be obstinate, usually we do not only turn their hearts against us, but they rage against us, and could even be revenged on us with the cruellest revenge. We find that all the Preaching in the world doth not so much exasperate and enrage men, as this Discipline. I can Preach the most cutting and convincing truths, in as close a manner as I am able, to notorious wicked livers, and they will bear it patiently, and say it was a good Sermon, and some of them say ⟨p. 47⟩that they care not for hearing a man that will not tell them of their sins. And yet call them to an open confession of these sins in the Congregation, or proceed to censure them, and they will rage against us as if we were their mortal enemies. The Bishops let all these men (almost) alone; and therefore never exasperated them: and so now they rage the more against us, and love the Bishops the better, because they were never so troubled by them.