Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	authority_n	new_a	testament_n	2,897	5	7.9529	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83437	The casting down of the last and strongest hold of Satan. Or, A treatise against toleration and pretended liberty of conscience: wherein by Scripture, sound reason, fathers, schoolmen, casuists, Protestant divines of all nations, confessions of faith of the Reformed Churches, ecclesiastical histories, and constant practice of the most pious and wisest emperours, princes, states, the best writers of politicks, the experience of all ages; yea, by divers principles, testimonies and proceedings of sectaries themselves, as Donatists, Anabaptists, Brownists, Independents, the unlawfulnesse and mischeif [sic] in Christian commonwealths and kingdoms both of a vniversal toleration of all religions and consciences, and of a limited and bounded of some sects only, are clearly proved and demonstrated, with all the materiall grounds and reasons brought for such tolerations fully answered. / By Thomas Edvvards, Minister of the Gospel. The first part.; Casting down of the last and strongest hold of Satan. Part 1	Edwards, Thomas, 1599-1647.	1647 (1647)	Wing E225; Thomason E394_6; ESTC R201621	211,214	231

Evangelists and Apostles are now alive by this arguments because they were alive some of them thousands and others of them many hundred yeares agoe Thirdly besides this false consequence t is evident upon many grounds that Doctrines are alive doe bind when the Publishers and writers of them are dead yea they are written for that end that they may teach and bee a rule when the men who writ them are dead that being dead by these they may yet speak as the Apostle ●om 15. 4. tells us yea many things are spoken and written to be a rule of direction to the Church intended to take place rather after their death then in their life time as the Prophecies of the Prophets and some Prophecies also of the Apostles so that it may be said as Z●ch chapter 1. verse 6. Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever But my words and my Statu●● which I commanded my servants the Prophets did they no● take hold of your Fathers though Pen-men and writers of Scripture die yet their words and Doctrine take hold and place when they are dead Fourthly by this reason of holding Moses is now alive if the law of God in the old Testament binds it will follow that all Moses Doctrine the ten commandements and all he writ in the Pentatench Genesis c. are void as well as these commands about punishing false Prophets c. for they were made known and written by Moses when hee was alive and to bee found in his Books together with these lawes termed judiciall So that the Antinomian may as well say the same against the morall law under the Gospell when the ten Commandements are pressed and the Socinian and Anabaptist against those commands to put to death murtherers which now Master John Goodwin doth against these lawes in Deut. 13. c. that men may as well prove the man Moses is now alive by these commands because he was alive under the old Testament as bring those places of Scripture written by Moses to prove the morall law in force and those commands who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud bee shed Fifthly whatever Hagiomastix by way of scoffe hath spoken thus of proving as well Moses may be now alive t is evident besides the new Testaments Confirmation in many places of the Evangelists and Epistles of the old Testament being in force in the dayes of the Gospell of which I shall speak in the 18. THESIS and so will pare the Reader here it by name particularly ratifies the Doctrine and Authority of Moses writings and proves and urges severall things upon men under the Gospell from texts taken out of the five Books of Moses as these places in the new Testament unanswerably show Matth. 23. 2 3. Matth. 28 29 31 32. Mark 12. 26. Luke 16. 29 30 31. Luke 24. 27. John 1. 45. Acts 3. 22. Act. 26. 22. Acts 28. 23. Rom. 9. 7 9 15 16 17. Rom. 10. 6 8. Rom. 13. 8. 9. Ephes 6. 2. 3. yea severall particulars of the judiciall lawes are brought to prove duties required in the new Testament as page 56 57 60. of this Book showes and lastly Moses Authority and writings are of such sacred account under the new Testament that in the P●●lation the Book that concludes and shuts up the Canon of the new Testament the Book that speaks of things that shall be in the Church of the new Testament till the end of the world Moses his name and writing are joyned with the Lamb and that to be made use of by the most eminent and faithfull servants of God that have gotten the victory ever the beast and over his Image and over his marke and over the number of his name these standing on the sea of glasse having the harp of God sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying great and marvellous are thy works Lord God almighty c. So that all these things being laid together I suppose by this time every ingenuous Reader must needs see that by this Answer to Deut. 13. c. Hagiomastix intended rather to spread a table of mirth for himselfe and his Church to feast on then to give any satisfaction to the Reverend Author of the Vindication of the printed Paper entituled an Ordinance for the preventing of Heresies c. and the rest of the Presbyterians Fourthly as to that answer of Hagiomastix p. 48. 49. they that will have the ancient law for putting Blasphemers Idolaters to death to be now in force must consequently hold t is in force not simply only as to the inflicting of death upon the offenders but in all other particulars commanded by the same Authority as not be killed after any māner nor with any kind of death but with stones not only the seducer but the seduced themselves though whole cites not only the inhabitants but the cattel also with divers other particulars named in that of Deut. 13. For if men will urge this law as being still in force they make themselves debters to urge the execution of the whole in all the particularities and circumstances thereunto belonging For who hath any power to make an Election or Reprobation amongst the Commandements of God where God himself hath made none I reply it followes not t is no good consequence that all circumstances accessories particularities must bind because the substance of a command binds or that the substance and summe of a command must be taken away because some circumstances formes and particularities are not in force To argue a thing it selfe abolished because the modus of it binds not alwayes or that the substance and essentials must cease because divers accessories circumstantials and formes wherewith it was clothed most suitable to such a time Countrey condition of such a people are ceased is a fallacie a dicto sec●ndum quid ad dictum simpliciter which all Logitians know is no good reasoning If I or any other Presbyterian had argued thus such a mans bond binds not now or this is not such a man hee is dead because his apparell haire place of abode with some other such accessories are changed antiquite altered we should certainly have spread a table of mirth for the Independents and therfore I judge for Hagiomastix thus to reason shows no great strength and I doe desire Mr. John Goodwin but to rub up his old Logick of the nature and difference of Substance and Accidents and then I know he will confesse though for him to confesse any thing as manifest as the light wherein he is mistaken in writing is as rare as a black Swan that Accidents may be varied and taken away salva substantia And that I may show the weaknes of this reasoning that this 13. of Deut. is therfore not in force because then the manner of punishing with stones and the person tempted to Idolatry though never so deare stoning him with divers other

his other wicked Opinions M. Goodwin what Answer wil you make to God for these pretences brought against Scripture can you think against such expresse texts such poor shifts wil serve or wil hold water in the day of judgement what if these then prove but Adams fig-leaves meer shifts and tricks of wit to put off the word and bee not real what wil you then doe for all the dishonour of God ruine of precious souls occasioned by your means wil not Gods wrath sweepe away these Cobwebs I say no more thinke upon it Master Goodwin and be not deceived God is not mocked 18. THESIS Whereas the Patrons of Toleration commonly plead that all places of Scripture both of examples and commands for Magistrates punishing in matters of Religion are only from the old Testament and t is confessed by them that under the Law before Christs comming good Magistrates both did and might exercise coercive power on false Prophets Apostates Blasphemers but now since the new Testament t is otherwise It being the Will and Command of God that since the coming of his Son the Lord Jesus a Permission of the most Paganish Jewish Turkish or Anti-Christian Consciences and Worships be granted to all men in all Nations and Countries and they only to be fought against with that sword which is only in soule matters able to conquer to ●it the sword of Gods Spirit the word of God I lay downe this Thesis That all things concerning Religion and pietie constantly practised by the godly and by God commanded under the old Testament and by him never declared to be repealed bind as firmely under the new Testament although there be no particular command nor example a new approving them as they did under the old and that in such cases the comming of Christ into the world and his death are so far from giving any dispensation or Libertie that quite contrary some things before permitted to the Jewes are by Christ now taken away and all matters in reference to Religion and Holinesse upon the comming of Christ into the world are spoken of by the Scriptures as to be kept and done with greater exactnesse and strictnesse For proof of which I lay downe these following grounds First That the Scripture of the old Testament is the Canon and Rule of faith and Practice as well as the Scripture of the New and that it equally belongs to Christians as the Books of the New which point besides that it hath been held by the Orthodox in the Church of God in all times since Christ and denied only by Hereticks as the Simoniani the Maniches Socinians Antinomians Anabaptists I shall give these reasons 1. That Christ and the Apostles all along in the new Testament prove their Doctrine by the Scriptures of the old Testament Moses and the Prophets still referring the People in all Controversies of Faith and Practice to the Scriptures of the old Testament as is evident by these places Luk. 16. 29. John 5. 39. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 2 Pet. 1. 19. cum multis aliis which are all understood of the Scriptures of the old Testament as besides many things in those texts showing as much no Scriptures of the new Testament being then extant when Christ gave those exhortations to search the Scriptures and when Timothy was a child of which Scripture the Apostle speaks which Timothy learned of a child as Chrysostome well expounds Now that was the Scripture of the old Testament because the new was not as yet committed to writing then when Timothie was a child Nay further all the texts by way of Scripture proo●e brought in the new Testament to prove any thing in matter of faith and manners are all quoted out of the old Testament and not the new whereupon wee see how frequently Moses the Psalms and Prophets are cited by Christ and his Apostles but to my best remembrance I doe not find in all the new Testament any place of Scripture brought to prove any thing from the new Testament but that one passage out of Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 3. 15 16. 2. The Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 3. 16. saith All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproofe for Correction for instruction in righteousnesse Now if all Scripture be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the Scripture of the old Testament is so to and as given by inspiration is with all reverence to be acknowledged and received by Christians Againe if all Scripture be profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for Correction for instruction of righteousnesse therefore Doctrines of faith and Practises of life may be profitably fetched from thence and when things are laid downe in the old Testament they are commanded in the Scriptures they being the Scriptures too although not mentioned in the new But who so desires to be further satisfied in this question of the Scripture of the old Testament being of the same Authoritie with Christians as that of the new let him consult Bullingers Books against the Anabaptists lib. 4. cap. 4. 5 6 and Spanhemius his Disputations against the Anabaptists De usu Script V. Testaments in Ecclesia Christiana Secondly every command of God made knowne in the old Testament and never afterwards repealed nor revoked by him nor expiring in the nature of it is perpetual and in force whatever God once commands til he declares either particularly that t is not his will such a Law should any longer bind or at least generally in equivalencie obliges So that t is no good argument to say against a Practice as long as t is commanded in the old this cannot be proved out of the new Testament and therefore may not be done but rather on the contrary wee may inferre that the silence of the new Testament concerning a Law expresly and clearly delivered in the old Testament is a confirmation rather then an abrogation of it or an intimation that it is expired There are many particulars might be instanced in some expressely commanded and others forbidden in the old Testament which are not spoken of at all in the new Testament unlesse in general that yet are held by Orthodox Divines and I suppose by Hagi●mastix too binding under the new as many degrees of Marriages forbidden usury as Magistrates putting to death murderers and some other Malefactors with divers others that might be named Upon which occasion Master Cotton answers Master Williams If it be true that Christ g●ve no expresse Ordinance Praecept or President of killing men by material Swords for Religion sake It is as true that neither did he for any Breach of Civil Justice no not for murder nor Adultery And so supposing there were no new Testament proofes for the Magistrates punishing Apostates Blasphemers c. yet the old Testament affording such a cloud of witnesses is testimony abundant especially remembring what I have at large proved in divers pages of the last Thesis concerning

seven Precepts Juris Noachidarum seu Naturalis as they are called among which Idolatry and Blasphemy De Cultu extraneo De maledictione Nominis sanctissimi seu Numinis were the first Nay further he proveth that every Gentile which had not received those seven Precepts was to be punished with death if he stayed in the Jewes Territories and particularly in divers places of that Book showes that Idolatry and Blasphemy were punished by death upon all that lived in the Iewish Common-wealth though they were not Proselyti Justiciae and on those words Levit 24. And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord he shall surely be put to death writes thus Id est sive fuerit Proselytus sen peregrinus sive indigena aut civis ex eo quod blasphemaverit nomen Domini morte plectendus est yea he saith that the Gentiles or Proselytes Domicilii were punished more severely then the Iewes in this case of Blasphemy not only for blaspheming the proper name of God but the Cognomen All which showes clearly these punishments were not inflicted upon the Iewes qua Iewes and qua a typicall people in a typicall Land c. but upon them as the nature of such crimes calling for such punishments and that 't is the Magistrates duty to restraine in Iews or Gentiles in all under their jurisdiction Idolatry blasphemie c. Thirdly the reasons and grounds of these Lawes and commands with the use and end of them upon which they are inforced are of common reason and equity that concern us under the New Testament as well as the Iewes I doe not finde one Ceremoniall or properly Iudiciall reason given of any one but all of them are laid downe either absolutely and simply without any reasons at all or else upon such reasons as are morall and perpetuall and I judge that in all commands which are not typicall and ceremoniall and so some other thing apppointed to come in upon the abolishment to make good their perpetuall end and use assigned that rule of Divines holds universally true Ratio immutabilis facit praeceptum immutabile which by the way may serve to answer the Evasions of Minus Gelsus Senensis and of Hagiomastix bringing instances in Circumcision and such like which the Scriptures declare expressely to be abolished having substituted Baptisme and other ordinances in their roome but have not said one word in the like kind of the commands in question besides that Christ the substance of those shadows is come and so they are of no further use at all And indeed Acontius though a great Libertine doth confesse that Law in the 13th of Deuterenomy of the stoning of the false Prophet and Seducer is not confined only to the time before Christ having no place at all under the Gospel and to the ground and conjecture as Acontius calls it of that opinion he saith that the reason set downe in the same is against it viz. All Israel shall beare and feare and shall do no more any such wickednesse as this is among you which reason certainly abides alwayes so that although this Law had exspired yet notwithstanding by vertue of it the Magistrate hath a right and power of making another like it as he hath of making Lawes against Murtherers Adulterers and other flagitious persons Fourthly Before these Lawes in Deut. 13. and Deut 17. for punishing Idolaters were given by Moses yea before Moses time or any Common-wealth among the Iewes was erected in other Countries remote from the Land of Canaan Idolatry in worshipping creatures deserved punishing by the Magistrate as I have showed already fully in page 13 14. of this Book yea the particular kind of Idolatry instanced in Deut. 17. 3. of worshipping the Sunne or Moone which among the Israelites was to be punished by death if it had been found in Job in the Land of Vz he had beene worthy of punishment from the Iudges for it Job 31. 26 27. 28. And other Princes not Iewes as Artaxerxes Nebuchadonezar c. made Lawes and Edicts for punishing those that blasphemed the God of heaven and transgressed his Lawes as the Scriptures testifie Now the Lawes properly judiciall that were the Iewes civill Lawes simply belonging to them as such a people in such a Countrey were in use only among themselves and not practised by other Nations and Countries but such Lawes and Customes used among them that were observed universally among all Nations or by divers Nations though not of all strictly speaking were not Iudiciall Lawes but the Lawes of Nature and Nations though according to the Discipline of the Iewes that is what was received in the Church and Common-wealth of the Iewes and accordingly accounted by them as the Law of the world of all men and ages or the Law of many Nations common to them with those Nations of all which the Reader may be further satisfied in that learned Peece of Mr. SELDEN'S De jure Naturali Gentium juxta disciplinam Ebraeorum and particularly in the Preface of that Book where he sheweth the reason of that Title and gives the summe of his work and undertaking and in his first Book And among the Iawes of Naturall right as distinguished from the civil lawes of the Jews or simply Israeliticall those commands of punishing for strange worship and Blasphemie are reckoned by the Jewes themselves as the Reader may find in the first book de Jure Naturali Gentium cap. 10. 2 book cap. 1. 12. 3 book cap. 1. Fifthly The Spirit of God under the New Testament Hebr. 10. 28 29. speaking according to the common equity and justice of the matter and not according to a Politicall law peculiar to one Nation saith of the despisers of Moses law that died without mercy under two or three witnesses that they were worthy of it as appears by the comparative Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought warthy Every comparative implying a positive The sorer punishment that he is worthy of who hath trodden under foot the Son of God supposes the other worthy of the sore punishment inflicted upon them by Moses law for despising it Now by Moses law in this place the breach whereof deserved capitall punishment must needs be meant sins against the first Table rather then against the second and that because the scope of the Apostle is to warne the Hebrews against Apostasie and falling off from the Christian religion for which end he brings these words among others and therefore would speak ad idem Beza upon 〈◊〉 place saith that the Apostle speaks not of the transgression of any one command but of the apostasie and totall defection from the true Religion of which Moses in Deut. 17. 2. had spoken So Calvin upon this text The law under Moses did not punish with death all sins or transgressions committed but Apostasie The Apostle had an eye to that of Deut. 17. 2. of stoning him that served strange gods And Pareus

contemned Fourthly Whereas punishment by the Magistrate and cutting off by death under the old Testament in cases of Apostasie Blasphemie c is made a Ceremonie and type of excommunication under the new Testament cutting off of casting out and of eternal damnation I may truly Answer this is gratis dictum said but not proved and therefore might deny it without giving any reason and bid the Patrons of Toleration prove it but that the Civill Magistrates punishing delinquents under the old Testament was no Ceremonie nor Type I shall give these reasons 1. Ceremonies shadowes Typical things under the old Law were either of things past or things to come the remembrances of things already done or the Praesignifications of future things but Ceremonies and Types were not the signification of things present and existent Now excommunication and eternal damnation were at that time under the old Law when those commands of punishing with death the Apostate faise Prophet c were given and in use That excommunication and cutting off from the Church were in the Church of the Iewe● in the times of the good Kings and Magistrates punishing Idolaters c with the Civil sword let the Reader Consult Aarons Rod blossoming 1 Book 4. 5 6 7. chapt That there was Hell and eternall damnation under the old Law as well as the new both before those commands in Deut. 13. 17. were given and all along after many places of Scripture show as Isaiah 30. 33. 2 Pet. 4. Jude 5. 6 7 that mention Hell for the evil Angels Sodomites the unbeleeving Israelites that came out of Egypt and the wicked Kings of Israel and Judah and therefore that which Hagiomastix saith that cutting off from his People under the Law it exchanged for casting out from his people under the Gospel is very false for there was casting out from the Church as well then as now yea cutting off spoken of in the old Testament in many places means nothing else but casting out of the Church by excommunication for full proofe of which I referre the Reader to Aarens rod blossoming 1. Book cap. 5. pag. 55. 56 57 58 59 As also that passage is not true that the expression of cutting off where ever t is found in the Gospel is m●tephorical and allusive only for cutting off is used in the new Testament for cutting of by bodily death as in Gal. 5. 12. and else where the proof of which I referre to the 20. Thesis where I shall handle it fully Secondly The same things may be said with as much reason against bodily outward punishments for breaches of the second Table Adultery Murder Theft as against outward punishing for Apostasie c and if they hold not good against the second Table neither do they against the first Thirdly The Civil Magistrates punishing for moral transgressions is no Ceremonie nor Type acts of morall justice though they may sometimes be extraordinary yet they never were accounted Typical or Figurative but by such as would transforme all the Scriptures into an Allegory and Master Cotton answering such a like evasion in the Bloudy Tenet saith Did ever any Apostle or Evangelist make the judicial Laws of Moses concerning life and death ceremonial and Typical Time was when humane inventions in Gods worship were accounted superstition But now humane inventions in Doctrine may passe for currant Evangelical Divinity And in another place To make a judicial Law a figure without some light from some Scripture is to make a mans selfe wise above that which is written Fifthly the making these expresse commands of God concerning punishing Idolaters false Prophets Blasphemers types and figures of spiritual and eternal punishments of excommunication damnation c is by turning the Scriptures into an Allegory and forsaking their literal sense against the rules of interpretation given by the most Orthodox Divines as Augustine and others a making them utterly void and as opening a wide doore to all errors and foolish conceits that as often as men know not how to answer the Scriptures that crosse their Opinions and lusts and yet have a mind to keepe their Opinions they may still fly to this and say This Scripture is not to be taken litterally but mystically and Allegorically Beza in that judicious Tractate of his De Haereticis a Magistratu puniendis in Answer to Montfortius a grand Patron of Toleration in those times who in many places of his writings made use of this Invention that corporall punishment under the old Law as stoning was no figure of any bodily punishment to be now inflicted but of eternal to which we ought to leave Hereticks or else of that punishment which is inflicted not by a corporal sword but a spiritual the lively word of God writes thus For this was the speciall subtiltie of Sathan of old which yet not one almost of the ancient Fathers observed that when he could not cast the Scripture out of the Church wholly yet by vaine Allegories he made the whole Scripture unprofitable and fabuloùs so as truely there was not one peice of Scripture left free of being contaminated with these Allegories which very course also the Anabaptists and Libertines take at this day But this I would that they should at length show us out of what place of Scripture they have learned that invention and device of the shadowes and figures of the judiciall Lawes Per in Ceremonies and so in some Histories from the Authoritie of Scripture I acknowledge these things But of judicial Lawes or corporall Idolatrie which might shadow out spirituall I remember not that I have ever read any thing But for further satisfaction in this particular I refer the Reader to the Tractate of Beza page 156. 167. Sixthly supposing all Hagiomastix saith were true that those bodily punishments commanded by God under the old Law to be inflicted upon false Prophets Idolaters Seducers Blasphemers had been in some sense typical and Praesignificative of those greater and more spiritual under the Gospel yet it followes not that they are ceased now and may not be lawfully practised for they may remaine and be made use of though the other sense intended be fulfilled too there is a compound sense of some Places of Scripture litteral and historical figurative and spirituall as Weems in his Christian Synagogue second Book page 223. 224 225 226 227 228 showes in which cases when the spiritual is fulfilled eminently the literal is not abolished of which I might give many instances but shall onely name one viz. that of Deut. 25. 4. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out the Corne. Now though the spiritual sense of that place be the not muzling the mouth of the Ministers who labour in the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 9. yet the litteral sense holds stil that a man should forbeare to muzzle the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out the Cor●● or at least t is not unlawfull to forbeare besides by the

the nature of those commands and examples recorded in the old Testament and indeed considering how clearly largely and importunately the Magistrates power and dutie in punishing in matters of Religion is set down and pressed by the Holy-Ghost in the old Testament it had been no wonder if nothing had been said of the new the abundant urging in the old serving for a reason of silence in the new But because this rule is so fully and judiciously handled in a late Book cald Sabbatum Redivi●●um viz. A Law instituted in the old Testament not abrogated in the new is of perpetuall obligation though it have not expresse ●atification in the Gospel I shall referre the Reader thither where he shall find many grounds brought to prove it extracting only one passge out of the Book Whatsoever Law in once delivered to the Church and accordingly recorded in the Law Booke the holy Scriptures even of the old Testament whosoever would claim exemption from it whether particular Person or Church must produce some what to prove that that Law is now under the Gospel repealed or at least expired more then bare saying that it is no longer in force It is so in the statute Law of our Kingdome and of all Kingdomes if a man can alledge for himselfe in point of Right or Priviledge or the Kings Councell for the Kings Rights and P●erogatives any statute that was once made it stands good for all purposes unlesse they who would gainsay it can alledge and prove that such a Statute is out of date by expiration or repeale So that the proofe lies originally upon the refuser of the Law and they that would maintaine it and urge it need plead nothing more then the enacting of it once till the abrogation of it can be verified and if it be so in the Statutes of men and the positive Lawes of Kingdomes much more in those of God whose Authority in unquestionably more absolute and whose wisedome Holinesse Justice and Goodnesse is infinitely beyond that of all Princes and States in the world 3. T is granted Princes and Magistrates under the old Law before Christs comming had a coercive power in matters of Religion and did punish Blasphemers c Now 1. seeing they long had it can any proofe be brought how and upon what occasion it was taken from them can any man shew any text out of the new Testament where Christ and his Apostles took away this power from Princes or declared that however under the old Seducers and false Prophets were to be dealt with by the Civil powers yet not under the new but only with the word of God Bullinger in his fifth Book against the Anabaptists chapter 3. page 169. pleading for Magistrates power in matters of Religion speaks thus to them Are Princes and Magistrates of the new Testament endorred with lesse Spirit and power then those of the old Or in what place have Christ and his Apostles removed Christians Princes from this power of Magistrates Whatever reasons or grounds any way or in any kind there were under the old for this power of Magistrates the very same remaine now were errors and Heresies then deadly and damnable so they are now were they then spreading as a Gangrene and corrupting many so they do now were they then hateful to God so they are still were false Teachers in those times unreasonable perverse obstinate not to be convinced by words behold they are as froward and desparate in these were Princes and Magistrates then to be zealous of Gods honor and to serve the Lord not only as private persons but as Magistrates so they ought to be now and t is by the Spirit of God foretold they should Now where there is the selfe same reason there is ever the selfe same Law and Equity both under the Law and Gospel for the further proofe of which the Reader may consult Master Prynn● Sword of Christian Magistracy supported pag. 21. 22 23 2. It cannot seem reasonable that all other relations Parents Masters Husbands should have the same authority over their children servants wives under the Gospel as they had under the Law and that in spiritual things and the Christian Magistrate should not nay that the Power of Parents Masters Husbands should be confirmed strengthned and more largely set forth Ephes 5. 22 23 33. Ephes 6. from verse 1. to 10. Col. 3. from verse 18. to 23. 1 Pet. 2. 18 19. and the Power of Magistrates only taken away Musculus in his common places De Magistratibus speaking of the power that Fathers have over their children in matters of Religion reasons from thence that to the Magistrate the supreme Father of all his subjects whose Power is far greater then that of a Father the care of religion more belongs then to Fathers In Magistrates there is an Authoritie of supereminencie excelling all then which there cannot be a greater on earth Therefore shall not that be lawfull for such an Authority and Power which is lawfull for every Father in his owne House yea by that divine command is it not required that that should belong to the greater which belongs to the lesse that to the publick Father of the people which belongs to the private 3. God under the new Testament allowes and approves of the calling of Princes and Magistrates giving many expresse commands to Christians of subjection and obedience to them Rom. 13. from verse 1. to 6. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13 14 17. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. the ends and uses also for which Magistrates were instituted are the same under the new Testament and old besides there is not any one text in the new Testament limiting or restraining the Power given them by God in the old and therefore their calling and Power must needs be the same Learned Bilson in his true Difference between Christian subjection and unchristian Rebellion proving the Princes power and charge by Gods Law of Deut. 17. 18 19. and by the example of the godly Kings of Israel and Judah reaching as well unto matters of Religion as other things that the sword is given them to provide that as well true Religion be maintained in their Realms as civill justice ministred that they forbid prevent and punish in all their subjects not only murders thefts and such like breaches of the second Table but also Schismes Here●ies Idolatries and other offences against the first Table pertaining only to the service of God and matters of Religion answers thus the Jesuits objection the very same evasion the Sectaries have now This charge concerned none but the Kings of Israel and Iudah That refuge doth rather manifest your folly then satisfie my reason Did I pray you Sir the comming of Christ abolish the Vocation of Princes I trow not Then their office remaining as before per consequens both the same precept of God to them still dureth and also the like power to force their subjects to serve

Zerubbabel would not let the Priests that knew not their genealogies eat of the most holy things so that some Priviledges are denied for want of Vrim and Thummim in a case of Geneologie and birth after a confusion and mixture of marriages for the space of about 70. yeares being a matter of fact of what genealogie verse 62. not a matter of Law but no restraints of punishments upon Prophaners of the Sabbath those who married strange wives c for want of Vrim and Thummim And long after the losse of Vrim and Thummim we find Artaxerxes Darius the King of Niniveh and Nebuchadnezzar making Lawes for punishing men in cases of Blasphemie and other matters of the first Table and the places of Scripture relating such Edicts and Lawes speak of them by way of approbation as I have shown before in the 15. and 16. pages of this Treatise whereunto I refer the Reader and shall only adde one passage out of Calvin upon that Edict of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. 29. For this Edict Daniel celebrates and sets forth in which capitall punishment is denounced against any man that shall speake amisse of the God of Israel Truely t is no common honor that is given to a cruell Tyrant when God assignes his Prophet as the Preacher to publish the Lawes he made and puts those Lawes among his acts and numbers them among his holy Oracles What whether is Nebuchadnezzar praised by the Testimoniall of the Holy Spirit and of the Prophet for taking upon him according to his Power and Authoritie the defence of the glory of the true God that holy Magistrates should beare with the wicked prophanation of his glory and does not the Lord rather under the Person of a Prophane King showe what becomes them to doe And certainly what is more preposterous then in the bosome of the Church to foster unpunished wicked contumelies against God which was in Babylon enacted to be punished with capital punishment Fifthly this cleere Reason of Gods immediate and infallible declaring his own mind and pleasure under the old Testament even according to Hagiomastix Principles is so far from being any reason why Magistrates might then punish Blasphemers Idolaters false Prophets c but not now as that the contrary seems more reasonable for in cases of immediate and infallible Answers from Heaven God declaring who was an Idolater and what was Idolatrie c convincing men so powerfully as leaving them without all subterfugies one would think there should need the Magistrates Power a great deale lesse then in a time when there are no such immediate Answers from God nor discoveries of men from heaven For it cannot be thought but that very bad men when they certainly knew that if they prophecied falsly entised persons to Idolatrie c could not upon any Pretences whatsoever escape from being convicted but should by God himself from heaven be judged Idolaters false Prophets and thereupon bee but to death they would either wholly forbeare the outward acts or if committed any such they would confesse them repent and do no more so whereas when men know there is no such way of finding them out of God from heaven naming persons and things this is the man and this is Idolatrie Blasphemie c they would be incouraged both to doe such things and to maintaine them when they have done to bring Scripture against Scripture and Reason against Reason as knowing all immediate Answers and Discoveries to be ceased Unto which if that be added that under the old Testament God himselfe inflicted more outward bodily punishments upon persons for Idolatrie wil-worship Scisme c then hee does now under the new the judgements under the Gospel being more spirituall as many examples in the old Testament show being a more Immediate Iudge and Inflicted of bodily punishments on the Jewes as he was to them a more Immediate Legislator of which I have spoken before in page 64. of this Booke there appears lesse reason for those coercive commands being in force under the old Testament then now there being in both these respects now named without the Magistrates coercive Power greater means for awing and restraining Violators of the first Table viz. Gods immediate discovering and inflicting of punishment then in our times And for illustrating this wee may observe that in the Primitive times when there were extraordinary gifts in the Church of Miracles c and immediate Answers and Revelations by Apostles and Prophets then the Church needed not so much the helpe of the Magistrates and the civill sword God giving no Christian Magistrate all that time but the Magistrates that were in those dayes were Persecutors and enemies of the Christians but after the Planting of the Gospel and watering it and the extraordinary Gifts and Offices in the Church ceasing then God gave Kings and Princes to be nursing Fathers to defend the Church and the truth by their Laws and Power and hath continued such ever since as a great helpe to the Church as a wall to the weak Vine So when under the old Testament there was according to this Reason of Master Goodwin such immediate and infallible Answers from the Mouth of God himselfe in all difficult cases of Religion and such immediate visible judgements by the immediate hand of God upon Idolaters false Prophets especially upon Despisers of the glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God amongst them except men had been desperately and outragiously wicked and had with a high hand despised God himselfe speaking and presently striking dead in case of disobedience they could not have been obstinate Seducers to Idolatrie false Prophets Blasphemers should neither so much have needed Magistrates armed with commission from God to execute those commands of the 13. and 17. chapters of Deut. c as in these dayes we doe wherein both these are wanting according to Hagiomastixs own confession and so much for the fifth Answer Sixthly If this bee a cleer Reason why that old Testament Law for the putting of false Prophets Blasphemers c to death should not be now in force because in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion the Jewes to whom this Law was given had the opportunitie of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe who could and did from time to time infallibly declare what his owne mind and pleasure was in them So that except those that were to give sentence in cases of Religion had been desparately wicked and set upon bloud and had despised that glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God among them they could not do injustice because God himselfe was alwayes at hand to declare unto them what was meet to be done whereas now the best Oracles that Magistrates and Iudges have to direct them in doubtfull cases about matters of Religion are men of very fallible judgements and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake then t is as cleer a Reason why the old Testament Law for punishing Murtherers and other

to punish for Murther Adulterery Theft more then for Idolatrie Blasphemie Here●ie 2. Hagiomastix brings in the Church again as well as the State surely he is for a Toleration of all Heresies Blasphemies c in the Church as well as the State to have no man punished for his religion with any censure of Admonition Excommunication or Non-Communion In his M. S. he was for spiritual censures but in these 3. yeers last past the man is well improved belike to reason against any Church censure as well as State Punishment And by the way I desire the Reader to observe whatever reason in the wisedome of God there might be that nothing is set down in the Gospels of Christs charging the State with sin for not proceeding against the Sadduces c that cannot be the reason to show the unlawfulnes of Magistrates punishing Hereticks because Hagiom confesses the same of the Church that Christ charged not the Church nor the Officers with sin for not proceeding against the Sadduces and yet I suppose Hagiomastix will not openly professe t is a good Argument that no Church censures may be used against any Heretick however I am sure many of his Compeers in handling the question distinguish of a Toleration and censures granting Ecclesiastical censures though denying Civil And I am sure if Christs never charging the church nor those that bore office in her with sin for not proceeding against the Sadduces be no good argument to take away all Church censures neither is it to lay wast all Magistrates punishing in such cases 3. Christ did to the Scribes Pharisees Sadduces speak and reason against their errors yea reproved and threatned them for those errors which also is granted by Hagiomastix in doing of which he did equivalently and really presse upon them the suppressing and punishing of Heresies in persons under their power whilst he spake to men in Authoritie and denounced the judgements of God because of them He that preaches to a Prince against Idolatrie and showes the evils that will come upon a King and his Kingdome for it preaches to him to restraine Idolatrie though he doe not particularly in expresse words call upon him not to suffer any man to practice Idolatrie and therefore Christ speaking to the Scribes and Pharisees the Rulers and Elders that knew the Laws of God how Magistrates in Israel were to punish false Teachers in speaking so against false Prophets Hereticks and Sectaries as Sadduces c that was a charging them such a thing being spoken to such men to doe their duties against them which by the Law was more then if private persons and being spoken to qua such as Scribes c was a commanding them according to their places to proceed against them For t is a rule among Divines that in many things recorded in Scriptures which are delivered only in common and in general they are to be taken by every one according to their relations and places by the Magistrates according to their relation the Ministers according to theirs and the People according to their Sphere of which many instances may be given in the new Testament 4. Supposing it could be proved Christ never reproved the Jewish Church and State for suffering the Sadduces c yet it followes not Magistrates therefore should tolerate Hereticks and Sectaries and that both because Gods declaration of his mind in other parts of Scripture though not in the Gospel is a sufficient as also because there might be some particular reasons proper to the Iewish State as that Christ saw the Iewish State and Magistracie it selfe that then was to be leavened and corrupted with those errors and opinions to be either Sadduces Pharisees Scribes Herodians and such like so that to have spoken against Toleration and for punishing Sadduces c had been to have spoken to the State not to have suffered it selfe as if one should preach to the Parliament now not to tolerate but to punish themselves So was it for Christ to have urged those commands in Deut. 13. c and those examples of Iosiah Nehemiah c upon the Iewish State then 2. That in the times of Christs preaching the Civil Power of the Common-Wealth of the Jewes was much weakned if not wholly taken away from them by the Romans of which I have spoken something before page 30. and doe now adde that the Iewes had no power at all of capitall punishments then and therefore to what end should Christ charge them with those Lawes of putting false Prophets c to death for full proo●e of which I refer the Reader to Master Gillespies Aarons rod blossoming Book 1. chapt 3. page 29. 30 31 32 33 34 35. who learnedly proves that point both from Scripture and the Testimonies of many learned writers who have written of the Iewish Antiquities and Customes and Answers the contrary objections 3. Christ knew that Church and Common-wealth were to be certainly shortly dissolved the Christian Church to be set up and though he warned the People of those errors and wayes and denounced the judgements of God against them yet because he knew the purpose of God was to destroy the Iewish Common-wealth he might not speake for that and the other Reasons forenamed to the Magistrates as otherwise he would of which the Reader may read more in pag. 30. of this present Book And now for putting a Period to this 17. Thesis and to all the Answers given by me to those evasions brought against ●hose old Testament Lawes of Deut. 13. Deut. 17. and the rest I shall briefly adde 3 things First To cleare a little further some passages of Deut. 13. Secondly show the slightnesse and weaknesse of Hagiomast exceptions against those old Testament Laws Thirdly Show the excessive pride and folly of the man in boasting and glorying in such poor weak things as he brings against the Vindicator of the Ordinance for preventing the groth and spreading of Heresies in Sect. 34. 35 36 37 38 39 40 41. First As I shall adde two places more out of Moses Law before omitted in the beginning of the 17. Thesis to prove the Magistrates power of punishing in matters of the first Table viz Deut. 19. 16 17 18 19. and Numb 15. 30 31. the former in case of Aposta●ie the latter in case of blaspheming God so to all I have said of Deut. 13. I desire the Reader to observe that God having in the former chapter commanded the worshipping of the ture God and forbidden that of Idols which unquestionably is morall this 13. chap. is fitly added to it as an appendix in which God gives direction for removing the impediments opposite to his worship commanded particularly he commands the Authors of Apostasie not to be hearkned unto nor tolerated but to be punished with death and for that end that such who are obstina●e and will not be amended nor regard their own salvation may be hindred at least from being an impediment to the salvation of

God and Christ his Sonne standeth in as full strength under the Gospel as ever it did under the Law For Princes in the new Testament be Gods Ministers to revenge Malefactors as they were in the old and the greater the wickednesse the rather to be punished ergo the greatest as Heresies Idolatries Blasphemies are soonest of all other vices to be repressed by Christian Magistrates whose zeale for Christs glory must not decrease Christs care for their Scepters being increased and those monuments of former Kings left written for their instruction were not this sufficient as in truth t is to refute your evasion yet King David foreseeing in Spirit that Heathen Kings would ●and themselves and assemble together against the Lord and his Christ extendeth the same charge to the Gentiles which the Kings of Jurie received before and warned them all at once Be wise ye Kings understand ye● Judges of the world Serve the Lord. And so in another place of this Book the Jesuits saying these were Kings of the old Testament and they had the Law of God to guide them he answers Then since Christian Princes have the same Scriptures which they had and also the Gospel of Christ and Apostolick writings to guide them which they had not why should they not in their Kingdomes retaine the same power which yee see the Kings of Iudah ●ad and used to their immortall praise and joy Againe Christ came not to abolish or diminish the power of Kings and States but to save their souls they are no way loosers but gainers by Christs comming Christs Kingdome is not of this world it alters not the Power and Preeminence God once gave to them as Kings and Magistrates Lastly If Magistrates under the new Testament should have this power taken from them the Church of God should be in a farre worse condition and more uncomfortable then it was under the old Law the Church should lose a great helpe it sometimes enjoyned neither can that helpe the matter to say that we have now Excommunication and other spirituall weapons to supply that losse For the Church of the Jewes had excommunication and the word of God yea extraordinary Prophets many miracles answers by Vrim and Thummim in all difficult cases about religion as Hagiomastix faith which we have not and yet they had need of Magistrates coercive power in matters of religion for all that To conclude there can be no reason in the world showen or given why Magistrates under the new Testament should not have power to restraine and punish Aposta●ies Blasphemies c as well as under the old but many might be given why their power rather should be continued and enlarged under the new and in this wee have Master Burroughs himselfe a witnesse what a sad condition the Church of Christ would be in if we had no externall power to restraine from any kind of Blasphemie and Seducements which passage having quoted before and having spoken something on that occasion page 63. of this Treatise of Toleration I referre the Reader thither and to Master Burroughs Irenicum page 23. 24. Fourthly God is unchangeable the Covenant of life under the old and new Testament is one and the same for the essence and substance as our Divines show against the Socinians Antinomians Anabaptists and the rule of righteousnesse and holinesse is the same under the new that it was under the old and therefore God hating corruptions of Religion so as to command his Vice-gerents to punish them then and to prevent their spreading he being unchangeable and the punishing of violations of Religion and impieties being acts of holinesse and righteousnesse must needs stand firm● and bind Magistrates under the new Testament And if the Magistrates restraining and suppressing the dishonors of God ruine of souls by his sword be altered and changed by God in the times of the Gospel then that power of punishment was either truely Ceremonial or else judicial belonging properly to the Poli●ie and Paedagogie of the Jewes but it was neither First Not Ceremoniall it was no type of any thing which was to come as I have showen before page 168. 169. of this Treatise Secondly Not properly judiciall in the sense laid downe page 53. 54. of this Treatise but morall of common right used by other Nations and that both before the judicial Law was given and after of which having spoken so much in divers pages and places of this Booke I shall onely adde this viz. that Zepp●rus in his fourth Booke de Legibus mosaicis excellently showes these Lawes to be Appendixes of the Decalogue and in stead of a just Commentarie upon them particularly of the first commandement whereupon he handles that question of punishing false Prophets and Hereticks and showes how many Errors and Opinions be Blasphemies as Servetus Opinion against the Holy Trinitie and Opinions against the Attributes of God c which abominations whosoever denies ought to be punished capitally he overthrowes all pietie and showes himselfe to be a stranger to all Religion and faith where among other reasons brought by him why false Teachers and Hereticks should be punished by the Civil Magistrates as the expresse Lawes of God given by Moses and not antiquated he gives this No substantial sufficient reason can be brought why the Majesty of God and the Authoritie of the Church ought to be of lesse moment and waight among Christians then in times past it hath been amongst the Jewes Yea by how much God hath more clearely manifested himselfe by his Sonne then in times past by his Prophets by so much the lesse can that coldnesse and luke-warmenesse be excused if wee be carried with a lesse study of our Religion and do lesse defend it then they Fifthly It cannot upon any reasonable ground be presumed that Idolatries Heresies Blasphemies c commanded by God to be punished by the Civil Magistrate under the old Testament should by Christs comming be set at libertie and absolutely freed from punishment For 1. Besides that the old Testament prophecying of Christs comming speaks of those dayes as times of greater holinesse and strictnesse and that in reference to the commands of the first Table as these Scriptures show Isaiah 35. 8 9. there shall be a way and it shall be called the way of holinesse the uncleane shall not passe over it no Lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon that is no enemie of God hurtfull to the Church among which false Teachers are chief cald by Christ and Paul ravening Wolves and greivous Wolfes not sparing the flock Matth. 7. 15. Acts 20. 29. Zach. 13. 2 3. prophecies that in the day in which the Messiah shall come into the world he shall overthrow Idolatrie false Doctrine and whatsoever is contrary to the word of God and true Religion The Prophet comprehends all under three Heads 1. I will out off the names of the Idols out of the Land and they shall no more