The divine right of church-government and excommunication

for the Parliament make war against Papists, for drawing the King on their side, and causing him make war against the Lamb and his followers, that is, against godly Protestants: Now suppose Priests and Jesuits, preach this to the Queen and other Papists, and they according to their conscience make war against the flock of Christ, and the Parliament according to their conscience make war against them: this Author sitteth down, and judgeth and condemneth both sides as bloody persecutors, for point of conscience: Now though the Author in his Bench with his pen condemneth and judgeth both according to his conscience; yet if the Papists or possibly the Parliament, had this Author in their fingers, might not they reciprocally judge and condemn him? I think he cannot deny; how justly they should reciprocally judge the Author, I cannot say. 3. This Author would have a contradiction, such as is to make East and West both one, that one and the same man both sit in the Bench, and stand at the bar, that the Church judge the Magistrate, and the Magistrate judge the Church: But I hope contradictions were no more under the Old Testament to be admitted, nor under the New. Now in the Old Testament the King might put to death the Prophet, who should prophecy blasphemies, and again the Prophet might judge the King, by denouncing the judgement of the Lord against the King; let the Author say how the King, both did sit in the Bench, and stand at the ba••e in divers respects: I think Ahab might judge and punish Micaiah unjustly, for prophesying that he should dye at Ramoth Gilead, and Micaiah might ⟨p. 576⟩in prophecy give out the sentence of death justly against him▪ but here be two contrary sentences, the like may fall out in Synodical constitutions. 2. To answer to his reasons. 1. It followeth not that in one and the same spiritual respect, one and the same person judgeth on the Bench, and is judged at the Bar; for the Churches judging is in a spiritual respect, as the officer ordained, may promote the building of Gods House, the Magistrates suppressing him is no spiritual respect; but as it disturbeth the peace of the State, that so unworthy a person is an officer in Gods House, and is hurtful to the Church of God in their edification, which the Magistrate is to promote not in spiritual, but in a civill coactive way, by the power of the sword. 3.

for the Parliament make warre against Papists, for drawing the King on their side, and causing him make warre against the Lambe and his followers, that is, against godly Protestants: Now suppose Priests and Iesuits, preach this to the Queen and other Papists, and they according to their conscience make warre against the flock of Christ, and the Parliament according to their conscience make warre against them: this Author sitteth downe, and judgeth and condemneth both sides as bloody persecutors, for point of conscience: Now though the Author in his Bench with his penne condemneth and judgeth both according to his conscience; yet if the Papists or possibly the Parliament, had this Author in their fingers, might not they reciprocally judge and condemne him? I think he cannot deny; how justly they should reciprocally judge the Author, I cannot say. 3. This Author would have a contradiction, such as is to make East and West both one, that one and the same man both sit in the Bench, and stand at the barre, that the Church judge the Magistrate, and the Magistrate judge the Church: But I hope contradictions were no more under the Old Testament to be admitted, nor under the New. Now in the Old Testament the King might put to death the Prophet, who should prophecy blasphemies, and again the Prophet might judge the King, by denouncing the judgement of the Lord against the King; let the Author say how the King, both did sit in the Bench, and stand at the bae in divers respects: I think Ahab might judge and punish Micaiah unjustly, for prophecying that he should dye at Ramoth Gilead, and Micaiah might