f Excommunication cannot be extended further than
to the end for which the Apostles and Pastors of the Church have
their Commission from our Saviour; which is not to rule by Command and
Coaction, but by Teaching and Direction of men in the way of Salvation
in the world to come. And as a Master in any Science, may abandon his
Scholar, when hee obstinately neglecteth the practise of his rules; but
not accuse him of Injustice, because he was never bound to obey him:
so a Teacher of Christian doctrine may abandon his Disciples that
obstinately continue in an unchristian life; but he cannot say, they doe
him wrong, because they are not obliged to obey him: For to a Teacher
that shall so complain, may be applyed the Answer of God to Samuel in
the like place, (1 Sam. 8.) "They have not rejected thee, but mee."
Excommunication therefore when it wanteth the assistance of the Civill
Power, as it doth, when a Christian State, or Prince is Excommunicate
by a forain Authority, is without effect; and consequently ought to
be without terrour. The name of Fulmen Excommunicationis (that is, the
Thunderbolt Of Excommunication) proceeded from an imagination of the
Bishop of Rome, which first used it, that he was King of Kings, as the
Heathen made Jupiter King of the Gods; and assigned him in their Poems,
and Pictures, a Thunderbolt, wherewith to subdue, and punish the Giants,
that should dare to deny his power: Which imagination was grounded on
two errours; one, that the Kingdome of Christ is of this world, contrary
to our Saviours owne words, "My Kingdome is not of this world;" the
other, that hee is Christs Vicar, not onely over his owne Subjects,
but over all the Christians of the World; whereof there is no ground in
Scripture, and the contrary shall bee proved in its due place.

Of The Interpreter Of The Scriptures Before Civill Soveraigns

Became Christians

St. Paul coming to Thessalonica, where was a Synagogue of the Jews,
(Acts 17.2, 3.) "As his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath
dayes reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, Opening and alledging,
that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead; and
that this Jesus whom he preached was the Christ." The Scriptures here
mentioned were the Scriptures of the Jews, that is, the Old Testament.
The men, to whom he was to prove that Jesus was the Christ, and risen
again from the dead, were also Jews, and did beleeve already, that
they were the Wo