Page:The reason of church-governement urg'd against prelaty - Milton (1641).djvu/56

 Church whose definitive decrees are to be speedy, but the execution of rigour slow, contrary to what in legal proceedings is most usual, and by how much the lesse contentious it is, by so much will it be the more Christian. And if the censor in his morall episcopy being to judge most in matters not answerable by writ or action could not use an instrument so grosse and bodily as jurisdiction is, how can the minister of Gospel manage the corpulent and secular trial of bill and processe in things meerly spiritual. Or could that Roman office without this juridical sword or saw strike such a reverence of it self into the most undaunted hearts, as with one single dash of ignominy to put all the Senate and Knighthood of Rome into a tremble, surely much rather might the heavenly ministery of the Evangel bind her self about with farre more pearcing beams of Majesty and aw by wanting the beggarly help of halings and amercements in the use of her powerful Keies. For when the Church without temporal support is able to doe her great works upon the unforc't obedience of men, it argues a divinity about her. But when she thinks to credit and better her spirituall efficacy, and to win her self respect and dread by strutting in the fals visard of worldly autority, tis evident that God is not there; but that her apostolick vertu is departed from her, and hath left her Key-cold. Which she perceaving as in a decay'd nature seeks to the outward fomentations and chafings of worldly help, and external flourishes, to fetch, if it be possible, some motion into her extream parts, or to hatch a counterfeit life with the crafty and arteficial heat of jurisdiction. But it is observable that so long as the Church in true imitation of Christ can be content to ride upon an Asse carrying her self and her government along in a mean and simple guise, she may be as he is, a Lion of the tribe of Iuda, and in her humility all men with loud Hosanna's will confesse her greatnes. But when despising the mighty operation of the spirit by the weak things of this world she thinks to make her self bigger and more considerable by using the way of civil force and jurisdiction, as she sits upon this Lion she changes into an Asse, and instead of Hosanna's every man pelts her with stones and dirt. Lastly, if the wisdom of the Romans fear'd to commit jurisdiction to an office of so high esteem and dred as was the censors, we may see what a solecism in the art of policy it hath bin all this while through Christendom to give jurisdiction to ecclesiastical Censure. For that strength joyn'd with religion abus'd and pretended to ambitious ends must of necessity breed