their Councils abridged. 23 conciled : And when theythreaten Princesand Magiftrates with Excommu- nication (ifnotDepofìtion) if they do but Communicate with thofe that the Bishop hath Excommunicated. 3. Or when they arrogate the power of theSword themfelves, as Socrates faith Cyril did : Or without neceffity joyn in one perfon theOfficeof Priefthood and Magistracy, when one is more than they can perform aright. §. 56. And it becomethmuchworfe by the tyrannical abufe, when (be- ing unable and unwillingto exercife true Difcipline on fo many hundred Parilhes) they have multitudes of Atheifts, Infidels, gross ignorants, and wicked livers in Church-Communion, yea, compel all in the Parilhes to Communicate on pain of Imprifonment and ruine, and turn their cen- lures cruellyagainst godly perlons, that dare not obey them in all their Formalities, Ceremonies,and Impofitions, for fear of finning againft God. And when conniving at ignorant ungodly Priefts that do but obey them, they silence and-ruine the molt faithful able Teachers, that obey not all their impofingCanons, and fwear not, and fubfcribe not what they bid them. §. 57. Undoubtedly Satan bath found it his molt fuccefsful way, to fight against Chrift in Chrifts ownname, and to fet upMinisters as theMi- nisters of Christ, to fpeak indireftly againft the Doftrine, Servants, and intereft of Chrift, and as Minifters of Light and righteoufnefs, and to fight againft ChurchGovernment, Order, Difcipline, and Unity, by the pretences of Church Government, Order, Difcipline, and 'Unity and to cry downSchifm to promoteSchifm, and to deprefs Believers by crying up Faith, andOrthodoxnefs, andcrying down Herefie and Errour: Yea, to plead God's Name and Word againft himfelf, and to fet upSin, by accufing Truth andDuty as Sin. 1. 58.. II. That which I take for Lawful Indifferent Episcopacy is such asHierome faith, was introduced for the avoiding,of divifions, though it was not from the beginning: When amongznany Elders in every fingle Church, one of molt wifdom and gravity is made their Prefident, yea, without whom no Ordinations or great matters (hall be done. The Churches began this fo early , and received it fo univerfally, and with.. out any confiderable disl'ent or oppofition, even before Emperours be- cameChriftians, that I dare not be one that shall set against it, or disho- nour fuch Epifcopacy. §. 59. Yea , if where it men are wanting to make Magiftrates, the King fhall make Bilhops Magiftrates, and joyn two Offices together, laying no morework on them than will conflit with theirEcclefiaftick work, though this will have inconveniencies, I !hall notbe one that fhall ditto. nounfuch, or difobey them. S. 6o. III. The Epifcopacy, which I dare not fay isnot of Gods iníti. tution, (betides that each Paftor is Epifco us Gregis,) is that which fucceed- eth the Apoftles in the Ordinarypart ofChurch-Government, while Tome Senior Paftors havea fupervifing careof many Churches, (as the Vifiters had
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