“Thirdly, They may censure all within the church, 1 Cor. v. 11.
“But the magistrates are within the church, for they are either without, or within, or above the church: not the first, nor the last, for so Christ is only above it.
“Fourthly, the church hath a charge of all the souls of the members, and must give account thereof, Heb. xiii. 17.
“Fifthly, Christ’s censures are for the good of souls, 1 Cor. v. 6; but magistrates must not be denied any privilege for their souls, for then they must lose a privilege of Christ by being magistrates.
“Sixthly, In church privileges Christians are all one, Gal. iii. 28, Col. iii. 11.
“2. Magistrates may be censured for apparent and manifest sin against any moral law of God in their judicial proceedings, or in the execution of their office. Courts are not sanctuaries for sin; and if for no sin, then not for such especially.
“First, because sins of magistrates in court are as hateful to God. 2. And as much spoken against, Isa. x. 1, Micah iii. 1. Thirdly, God hath nowhere granted such immunity to them. Fourthly, what a brother may do privately in case of private offence, that the church may do publicly in case of public scandal. But a private brother may admonish and reprove privately in case of any private offence, Matt. xviii. 15, Luke xvii. 3, Psalm cxli. 5.
“Lastly, Civil magistracy doth not exempt any church from faithful watchfulness over any member, nor deprive a church of her due power, nor a church member of his due privilege, which is to partake of every ordinance of God, needful and requisite to their winning and salvation, ergo,—”