PAR T H. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. ¢03 in any three Parifhes in it, if in one Bitliop Edward Reignolds of Norwich was one that wentalong withus to the laft inour Deure, and Treaties for Difcipline and Reformation : And whohearethofany filch Difcipline exercifed by him? who doubelefs woulddo it if he could. Nay, I am conhdenc that he will fay himfelf, that he hash not exerci(éd it on a tenth part that are the due Obje&sof it, in any two Parilhes in his Diocefs : Nay, in his Diocefi there are as many hundreds of godly People Excommunicated or troubled (by Sentence at leaft) for Nonconfor- mity, as in any Diocefi that I hear of in England ; and the poor Bishop looks en, and cannot hinder it. Could it be done, fome.one would do it : But none (loth it. Ergo- 332. 8. The eighth Charge againft our Prelacy is,That having cart out Christ's Church -Difcipline, prefcribed in the Gofpel, it fetteth up, intlead of it, anunlaw- ful kind of Church.Difcipline t And the unlawfulnefs they (hew in there Particu- lars. §33;. r. In that the Judges of the Courts, as well as the tell, are meerLay-men ( the BithopsChancellors ) who ordinarily Admonifh, Excommunicate and Ab- folve : For though the King's Declaration concerning Ecciefiallical Affairs, did fpeak againft this, yet that was dead-before it took place, and the. old Conde isnow taken in all their Courts : And what the Tongue ofMan can rationally fay, for Lay-wens exercifing the Power of the Keys, molt effential to the Sacred Paftoral Office, it is beyond my reach to know. - The commonAnfwer is: that Lay-Elders are as bad : As ifone Man's fin would juftifie anthers, and warrantall Men to Sub- fcribe toit. But yet they know,r.That Church-Elders are not accountedLay-men, but Sacred Officers, by thofe that are for them. z. That they meddle but with one Parifh, and that but as Afffhtants to the Pallors ; whereas the Chancellors med- dle with many hundred Parifhes, and that as the foie Judges in the. Court ( when the Bithop is not there, which is the ordinary Cafe). .Indeed, I hear that pro for- ma they ufe toget tome Priefl or other, to pats theSentence in Court, when the Lay - Chancellor hath determinedit. But thisa meer ¡ogling mockery : And if they were ferious, it would confute themfelves ; who fay,That a Presbyter bath not the power of Excommunication : And they jultifie the Caufe of the Presbyterians who claim it (as is aforefaid). § 334. z. As to the Matter of the Englifh Difcipline, it contïfleth not in the fore- described Convidlions, Reproofs, Exhortations to Repentance, praying for th4 Sinner's Repentance, telling him before two or three, or telling the Church; but in a Citation, and filch a Courfe of Procefs as is in Civil Secular Courts. 5 335. 3. And for the Manner; it is not with holy Serioufnefs.and Patience as may tend to the meltingof a Sinner's heart into true Contrition, no as may tend to awake him from his Securitywith the Terrours of the Lord, nor is it at all fit- ted to work upon the Confcience: (who can expe& that Lay-men, and filch Men, in a Publick Court, and filch a Court, fhould do it ) : Nor do I believe that any Subfcribing confcionableMinifter will.fay that he ever heard a Chancellor con- vert a Sinner, or fay that which was like or apt tobring him to true Repentance. Eta on the contrary, they work on them by Terrour of Corporal Penalties and Mulch, and harden them into a hatredof thole that thus vex them : lb that a Pa- llor that ever hopeth todo good on his Parilhioncrs, will takeheed how he prefén- tech them to one of thefe Courts, left by fo much he Teem to be their; Enemy, and theynever regard his Dodirine more : whereas Chrill's Difcipline is Paternal, by Love and convincing Realist], and to the very tall extremity, is to be done with lb machFatherly Kindnefs and Compaflion, as tended] to melt and win the Sin- ner. § 336. 4. And for the Adjuntis; your Difciplineof Excommunication is all en. forced with Imprifonment and the utter ruine of the Excommunicate, upon a Writ. de Excommunicate capiendo : If you fay that is is the Magiftrate's. Adtion, and not ours,. I anfiver, . t. You are the Judges, and make the Magistrate your Execution- ers. z. You take the very Life of your Difcipline to lye in it Now ordinarily do you fay,,That were it not for the Sword andCorporal Penalty,who would care for Excommunication? And your Confeflion bath in it much of Truth, as toyour Excommunications : But hereby you corrupt the Difcipline of the Church, and lamentably corrupt the Churchit Pelf. It is a great Tauthwhich the Churches wel- fare lieth on, That no Man is fit for the Communion of the Church , that lo far defpifeth it, as not to be moved by a meer Excommunication. Shall he have the Communionof theChurch, who will rather be calf out of it than repent ?.,when, ofold, Penitents keg begg'd the Churches Communion prottrate,or at the Church F ff a Door
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