Page:The reason of church-governement urg'd against prelaty - Milton (1641).djvu/57

breed the heaviest and most quelling tyranny not only upon the necks, but even to the souls of men, which if Christian Rome had bin so cautelous to prevent in her Church, as Pagan Rome was in her state, we had not had such a lamentable experience thereof as now we have from thence upon all Christendom. For although I said before that the Church coveting to ride upon the Lionly form of jurisdiction makes a transformation of her self into an Asse, and becomes despicable, that is to those whom God hath enlight'nd with true knowledge; but where they remain yet in the reliques of superstition, this is the extremity of their bondage, and blindnes, that while they think they doe obeisance to the Lordly visage of a Lion, they doe it to an asse, that through the just judgement of God is permitted to play the dragon among them because of their wilfull stupidity. And let England here well rub her eyes, lest by leaving jurisdiction and Church censure to the same persons, now that God hath bin so long medcining her eyesight, she doe not with her overpolitick fetches marre all, and bring her self back again to worship this Asse bestriding a Lion. Having hitherto explain'd, that to ecclesiasticall censure no jurisdictive power can be added without a childish and dangerous oversight in polity, and a pernicious contradiction in evangelick discipline, as anon more fully; it will be next to declare wherin the true reason and force of Church censure consists, which by then it shall be laid open to the root, so little is it that I fear lest any crookednes, any wrincle or spot should be found in presbyterial government, that if Bodin the famous French writer though a papist, yet affirms that the Commonwelth which maintains this discipline will certainly flourish in vertu and piety, I dare assure my self that every true protestant will admire the integrity, the uprightnes, the divine and gracious purposes therof, and even for the reason of it so coherent with the doctrine of the Gospel, besides the evidence of command in Scripture, will confesse it to be the only true Church-government, and that contrary to the whole end and mistery of Christs comming in the flesh a false appearance of the same is exercis'd by Prelaty. But because some count it rigorous, and that hereby men shall be liable to a double punishment, I will begin somwhat higher and speak of punishment. Which, as it is an evil, I esteem to be of two sorts, or rather two degrees only, a reprobat conscience in this life, and hell in the other world. Whatever else men call punishment, or censure is not properly an evil, so it be not an illegall violence, but a saving