90 OF THE PACIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. 



not deny, but this judgment is, as I said before, of 

 the nature of God s judgments ; of the which it is a 

 model. For as the judgment of God taketh hold of 

 the least sin of the impenitent, and taketh no hold of 

 the greatest sin of the convert or penitent ; so ex 

 communication may in case issue upon the smallest 

 offence, and in case not issue upon the greatest : but 

 is this contumacy such a contumacy as excommuni 

 cation is now used for ? For the contumacy must 

 be such as the party, as far as the eye and wisdom of 

 the Church can discern, standeth in state of repro 

 bation and damnation : as one that for that time 

 seemeth given over to final impcnitency. Upon this 

 observation I ground two considerations : the one, 

 that this censure be restored to the true dignity and 

 use thereof ; which is, that it proceed not but in 

 causes of great weight ; and that it be decreed not 

 by any deputy or substitute of the bishop, but by 

 the bishop in person ; and not by him alone, but by 

 the bishop assisted. 



The other consideration is, that in lieu thereof, 

 there be given to the ecclesiastical court some ordi 

 nary process, with such force and coercion as apper- 

 taineth ; that so the dignity of so high a sentence 

 being retained, and the necessity of mean process 

 supplied, the Church may be indeed restored to the 

 ancient vigour and splendour. To this purpose, 

 joined with some other holy and good purposes, was 

 there a bill drawn in parliament, in the three-and- 

 twentieth year of the reign of the queen deceased ; 

 which was the gravest parliament that I have known ; 



