Princes to give their Judges power only to enquire of and punish offences against their Subjects but not at all to enquire after or punish Treasons Conspiracies and Rebellions against their own Persons Crowns Kingdoms and shall wee deem the most wise and just God guilty of such a Solecism Doubtless as God himself under the Old Testament commanded Idolaters Blasphemers Seducing Prophets and Achan himself to be stoned to death by all Israel and after that burnt with fire for breaking his covenant and medling with the accursed thing and thereby troubling and bringing Gods wrath upon all Israel so as they fled and fell before the men of Ai Josh 7. 25. 27. So by the like reason justice equity commands Christian Princes Magistrates and people under the Gospell to punish obstinate Heretickes Idolaters Blasphemers False Teachers and pernicious Schismaticks who dishonor his name despite his Spirit subvert his Truth corrupt seduce and destroy others trouble the States and Churches wherein they live and bring Gods wrath upon them with like capital punishments when milder remedies wil not prevail and these recited Texts wil be a sufficient Commission to justifie such their proceedings as all the subsequent Authors as wel ancient as modern Protestants as Papists assert My seventh Argument shal be from our Saviors own words Math. 12. 3â— 32. Whosoever speaketh a word against the son of man it shal be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost and the BLASPHEMY against the Holy Ghost SHAL NOT BE FORGIVEN IN THIS WORLD nor in the World to come I have formerly proved from Levit. 24. 10. to 17. and other Texts That Blasphemy was to be punished with death by the Civil Powers under the Law Our Savior by this Expression Shall not be forgiven in this World which cannot be thought superfluous implies if not asserts That Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost should be thus punished by Christian Magistrates under the Gospel even in this world whence some conceive S. John in his first Epistle c. 5. v. 16. phraseth it in this respect among others A sin VNTO DEATH that is a sin to be punished with temporal as wel as eternal death And that our Saviors words Shal not be forgiven him neither in this world c. imply that the Christian Magistrates must not pardon such Blasphemy but punish it with death in this world as is clear by the next words Neither in the world to come So as the plain sense of these words is That Blasphemy and speaking of words against the Holy Ghost shall not bee forgiven by the Magistrates nor Ministers but punished by temporal death and delivery over to Satan the case of Hymenaeus and Alexander in part in this world nor yet pardoned by God but punished by him with eternall death in the world to come Which being the soundest Exposition of these Words in learned mens opinions which no ways prove a Popish Purgatory as the Papists dream will sufficiently warrant the punishment of such Blasphemy by the Christian Magistrate even with death under the Gospel as wel as under the Law My eighth Argument is drawne from Hebrewes 10. 26. to 31. For if wee sinne wilfully after wee have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a certaine fearefull looking for of Judgement and fiery Indignation which shall devoure the Adversary Hee that despised Moses Law DYED WITHOUT MERCY under two or three witnesses and that in case of Idolatry Apostacy and Blasphemy to which this Text relates Deutronomy 13. Verse 6 7 8 9. Chap. 17. 8 9 10. Leviticus 24. Verse 10. to 17. OF HOW MVCH SORER PVNISHMENT suppose yee SHALL HE BE THOVGHT WORTHY Who hath TRODEN VNDER FOOT the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant where with he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace For we know him that hath said Vengeance is mine I wil recompence saith the Lord And again The Lord wil judge his people It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God From this text as likewise from Heb. 2. 1 2. and cap. 6. 1. to 9. which are in some sort paralelled with it it is most apparent First that the sins of Apostacy Blasphemy Heresy contempt of Christ and his blood and despiting of his Spirit by Christians are far more heinous great and more unpardonable under the Gospel then they were under the Law Secondly that they are worthy of much sorer punishment under the Gospel then under the Law Wherefore since those who were guilty of them and despised Moses Law dyed without mercy by the hand of the Magistrate and people under two or three witnesses under the Law those who are guilty of them under the Gospel deserving much sorer punishment may likewise be put to death by the Christian Magistrate without mercy and punished with more severe temporal punishments then any were under the Law because their sin is more hainous and deserves much sorer punishment as the text expresly resolves which I wish our Opposites and all Christian States Magistrates would seriously consider who deem the times of the Gospel times of greater indulgence connivance and mercy towards such capital Transgressors then the times of the Law Thirdly that if Magistrates and others neglect or refuse to punish such enormious Transgressors under the Gospel God himself wil take vengeance on judge and recompence them and they shal fall into the hands of the living God which is a more fearful thing then to fall into the hand of men Now if any should hence infer as our Opposites do that such must be left wholy to the hands judgement and vengeance of God himself who reserves such for his own Tribunal and hath exempted them from the inferior Magistrates Jurisdiction by this text I answer that the text wil warrant no such inference For first it is but a bare recital of Gods own Words in the Old Testament Deut. 32. 35. 39 40 41 42 43. Now in the Old Testament the vengeance punishment inflicted by God himself upon Apostates Idolaters as on the Israelites Midianites Canaanites and others did not exclude but include the Temporal Magistrates Censures and the use of secondary Instruments as is most apparent by Exod. 32. 26. to the end Where Moses SLEW about three thousand men for worshipping the Golden calf and yet God plagued the people for the same sinn too and Numb 25. 3. to 16. Where Moses for the sin of Peor hanged up the heads of the people before the Lord against the Sun the Judges of Israel slew every one his men that were joyned unto Baal Peor and Phineas slew Zimri and Cozbi with a Javelin and yet God himself at the same time slew twenty four thousand more of the people with the Plague for the same sin And by Josh chap. 9. to 13. and Acts 13. 19. Where God himself useth the Israelites to destroy his
what he commands a doing of that which is right in his eyes Certainly it was so under the Old Testament I doubt not but it is and wil be the like under the New which no ways contradicts nor revokes this text or the severe proceedings enjoyned by the Old Thirdly Deut. 18. 18. to 22. I wil raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and I wil put my words into his mouth and he shal speak unto them all that I shal commond him c. But the Prophet which shal presume to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak or that shal speak in the name of other gods even that Prophet SHAL DYE he hath spoken presumptuously thou shalt not be affraid of him From whence I infer First that false Prophets who presume to preach any dangerous Errors or Heresies contrary to the Word of God to draw men unto Error Heresie or False-Worship are by the express Command of God to be put to death by the civil Magistrate as wel as such prophets who speak in the name of other gods For this phrase SHAL DYE here is not intended of a NATURAL DEATH COMMON TO ALL MEN for then it were no special Punishment threatned unto and to be inflicted upon such but a PENAL DEATH judicially inflicted by men as is clear by comparing it with Deut 13. 5. c. 17. 5. Zech. 13. 3. Ier. 26. 8. 11. 16. 23. Exod. 21. 12. 14. Num. 35. 30. Secondly this precept relates principally to false Teachers and Prophets under the Gospel and is not confined only to the times of the Law since the next Verses preceding to which it is subjoyned relate only to Christ himself and his Prophesying in the Flesh as is evident by comparing them with Ioh. 1. 45. Act. 3. 22. 7. 37. and because it is seconded by Zech. 3. 2 3 c. which relates only to the times of the Gospel as I shal prove anon under which False Prophets are to be put to death as wel as under the Law These three Precepts we find seconded with exemplary Executions approved and commanded by God himself The first Example is that we read of Exod. 32. viz. That when the Israelites had committed Idolatry in worshipping the golden calf Vers 26 27 28 29. Moses stood in the Camp and said who is on the Lords side let him come unto mee and all the sons of Levy gathered unto him And he said unto them thus saith the Lord God of Israel put every man his sword by his side and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the Camp and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbor And the children of Levy did according to the word of Moses and there fel of the people that day about three thousand men For Moses had said consecrate your selves to day to the Lord every man upon his son and every man upon his brother that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day Whence observe these two Conclusions First that three thousand Idolatrous Israelites for worshipping the golden calf were upon Gods special command slain by the direction of Moses the chief temporal Magistrate in one day even by the sons of Levi for want of other Executioners and that they spared neither son nor brother nor neighbor guilty of this sin Secondly that this severe execution of Justice upon these Offendors was so pleasing unto God that it pacified his wrath and procured a blessing upon the Executioners and residue of the people as this Chapter and Deut. 33. 8 9. 10. infallibly evidences The second Example is registred in Numb 25. 1. to 15. where we find That the Daughters of Moab called the people of Israel unto the sacrifices of their gods and that the people did eat and bowed down to their god And Israel ioyned himself unto Baal PeoÌ„r and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and the Lord said unto Moses Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the Sun that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel And Moses said unto the Iudges of Israel slay ye every one his men that were â—joâ—ned unto Baal Peor And behold one of the children of Israel even Zimri the son of Salu a Prince of the chief house among the Simionites came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman to wit Coâ—bi the daughter of Zur head over a people and of a chief house in Midian in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the Congregation of the children of Israel who were weeping before the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And when Phineas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest saw it he rose up from among the Congregation and took a Iavelin in his hand and he went after the man of Israel into his tent and thrust both of them through the man of Israel and the woman through the belly for Peors sake Verse 18. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel And those that dyed of the plague were about twenty four thousand And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Phineas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the Priest hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel when he was zealous for my sake among them that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousie wherefore behold I give unto him my Covenant of peace and he shal have it and his seed after him even the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood because he was zealous for his God and made an attonement for the children of Israel The first part of this history is thus amplified Deut. 4. 3. Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal Peor for all the men that followed Baal-Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you to wit by the plague and the Sword of Iustice too in the Magistrates hand From which memorable history there are these considerable observations naturally deduceable First that Apostates from Gods true Worship to Idolatry and false Worship are to be executed slain and put to death by the Judges and Civil Magistrate by Gods own special Command Secondly that the Apostacy of Gods own people to Idolatry and the Magistrates connivance thereat is an immediate cause of provoking Gods wrath and bringing down publick plagues and other judgements upon that whole Nation or Kingdom wherein they are not punished Thirdly that Gods own immediate punishing and cutting off Idolaters with a plague is no argument nor excuse at all for the temporal Magistrates sparing or not punishing such with death whose execution is here said to bee stiled Gods own act since they are but his Ministers herein but rather an argument to excite them to the more speedy exemplary punishing of them even with death it self which answers and refels
shal be ashamed of his vision and no more wear a rough garment to deceive but give over his false Teaching So that the Magistrates and others severe proceedings by corporal and capital censures against Idolaters and False Prophets is a principal means predicted and ordained by God even under the Gospel to extirpate Idolatry Heresie Errours False Prophets and reclaim such as have been seduced by them I wonder therefore how any man who pretends himself a Chistian a SAINT much more a transcendent NEW LIGHT should dare publikely oppose or privately deny the exercise of such corporall and capitall censures against Hereticks Fals-Teachers Blasphemers c. by Christian Princes and Magistrates under the Gospel which this prophesie so plainly both allows and prescribes upon meer whimâ—icall crotchets of their own warranted by no text We read Josh 1. 18. That the officers of the people with the Reubenites Gadites and half tribe of Manasseh spake thus to Joshua when God had appointed him to succeed Moses in the Government Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy Commandment and will not hearken unto thy words to do all that thou commandest him HE SHAL BE PVT TO DEATH If he who thus wilfully rebelled against the command of Joshua was to be put to death by the verdict of all the people much more then may such Idolaters Hereticks Apostates Blasphemers and obstinate Schiâ—maticks be put to death who rebell so publickly against the Command and Word of God himself by warrant of all the forecited Texts But some perchance wil object that these Arguments are all drawn from texts in the Old Testament to satisfie them I answer that all the Texts forecited are stil in force under and some of them relate only to the times of the New and so the objection is but frivilous yea exceeding derogatory to the Old Testament of which it seems they make no more account then of an old Almanack out of date Therefore to take away this cavil formerly Answered I shal propound this fifth Argument Apostacy Idolatry Heresie Blasphemy obstinate Schism False Teachers together with false Prophets who are guilty of them are as odious unto God as execrable to all godly Christians as infectious dangerous destructive to peoples souls as apt to provoke Gods wrath and bring down his severe judgements upon whole Churches Nations Kingdoms where they are tolerated perpetrated and are as carefully to be suppressed prevented under the Gospel as they were under the Law Yea Christian Princes Magistrates Republicks power under the Gospel is the same or as large as the authority of godly Kings and Magistrates under the Law Therefore consequently they are to be as severely punished with corporal if not capital punishments under the Gospel by Christian Princes Magistrates Republicks as they were by godly Kings and Magistrates under the Law The sequel is clear from its own light for where there is the self same reason there is ever the self-same law and equity both under the Law and Gospel See Mat. 7. 11 12. Luke 6. 30. to 35. Jam. 2. 10 11. as I have formerly proved p. 2. 3. 5. The Antecedent is undeniable First because the Gospel doth no ways mitigate but rather aggravate the hainousnes of these sins as being committed against greater light and mercy therefore certainly they are as odious as provoking unto God as execrable damnable destructive unto men as pernicious unto whole Churches Nations Kingdomes now as then and in some sence more now then formerly under the Law as is clear by Rom. 1. 18. to the end 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. cap. 10. 7. 9. 11. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Eph. 5. 5 6. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16 17 18. Heb. 2. 2 3. cap. 6. 4. to 9. cap. 10. 26 27 28 29. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. 12 13. 17. Rom. 2. 10. to 28. Rev. 2. 14 15. 21 22. cap. 17. 16. c. 18. 4. c. 19. 20. compared together Secondly because that Hereticks False Prophets Teachers Schismaticks Seducers are as diligently to be avoyded suppressed under the Gospel as Law they being alike nay more infectious dangerous seducing and pernicious to mens souls now then under the Law as is apparent by all these serious admonitions to beware of them and their seducements which deceive the greatest part of the world and if possible would seduce the very Elect as you may read at leisure in these ensuing texts Mat. 7. 15. cap. 11. 14. cap. 24. 11. 23 24 25. Mar. 13. 21. Luke 17. 23 24. Rom. 16. 17 18. Acts 20. 28. to 32. 2 Thes 2. 3. to 16. EPH. 6. 13. to 19. PHIL. 3. 2. COL 3. 18 19. 1 TIM 4. 1. to 7. 2 TIM 2. 15. 16 17. c. 3. 1. to 10. TIT. 1. 9. to the end HER. 4. 1. 1 PET. 5. 2. 8. 2. COR. 11. 13 14 15. 2 PET. 2. 1. to 22. c. 3. 2 3. 17 18. 1 JOH 2. 18 19. c. 4. 1 2 3. 2 JOH 8. to 12. 3 JOH 10. 11. JUDE 3. to 24. REV. 13. 1. to 18. c. 16. 13 14. c. 17. throughout cap. 18. 9. to 24. c. 19. 20. c. 20. 8. 9. 10. 1 COR. 11. 19. TIT. 3. 10 11. These notable Texts so frequently so earnestly admonishing us to beware of Antichrists Hereticks False Teachers Wolves in sheeps clothing as also forewarning us of their extraordinary diligence power cunning stratagems to deceive and seduce men to their damnable Errors of the multitudes of men they shal seduce and of the extraordinary perilousnesse of the last times under the Gospel when many more erroneous spirits and seducing Hereticks transforming themselves into the Angels of light should arise and spring up every where then did in all former ages under the Law where we read of no such variety of Heresies Blasphemies Errors and dangerous Schisms as have sprouted up and over-spread the whole world under the Gospel is an unanswerable Argument to satisfie all mens consciences who have any care of their own or others souls that not only all godly Ministers and Christians by instruction and admonition but all Christians Princes Magistrates States by severe Laws yea corporal and capital Censures where need is should more diligently suppresse and cut off Heresie Hereticks False Teachers Blasphemers obstinate Schismaticks and Apostates under the Gospel then ever godly Magistrates Princes People did under the Law when these were not so dangerous so numerous so contagious and pernicious as now For as God in the Old Testament is most copious in admonishing men to beware of Idolatry and such False Prophets and Idolaters who would seduce them to worship Idol-gods which then abounded and as godly Princes Magistrates were then most diligent in punishing Idolaters and seducers even with death according to Gods Law which frequently enjoyns them to punish such with death because the sin of Idolatry which then over-spread the heathen world was at that time most common most dangerous and that to which Gods own people most frequently revolted by reason
enemies the Canaanites and other Idolatrous Nations Therefore this sentence under the New Testament Vengeance is mine c. no more exempts such Malefactors as the text speaks of from the capital punishments of the Magistrates and others under the Gospel then it did under the Law Secondly The Gospel informs us Rom. 13. 4. That every Christian Ruler and Magistrate is the Minister of God and his REVENGER to execute wrath upon him that doth evil And their Vengeance and Judgement is not their own but Gods on whose Tribunal they sit and whose Person they represent as is evident by Deut. 1. 17. Ye shal not respect persons in Judgement for THE JUDGEMENT IS GODS 2 Chron. 19. 6. And Jehoshaphat said to the Judges take heed what ye do for ye iudge not for men but FOR THE LORD who is with you in the Judgement Prov. 29. 26. Many seek the face of a Ruler but every mans Judgement COMETH FROM THE LORD 2 Chron. 9. 8. Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee ON HIS THRONE to be KING FOR THE LORD THY GOD because the Lord loved Israel therefore made he thee King over them to do Justice and Judgment Prov. 8. 15. By me Kings reign and Princes DECREE JUSTICE And Dan. 4. 24. The most high RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN and giveth it to whomsoever he will As God and Christ are said to preach the Gospel in and by the Ministers of it as our Antagonists themselves wil grant So they are likewise said to execute wrath and vengeance in and by the Magistrates Therefore this fond Objection whereon our Opposites much insist must needs evaporate into smoak and this Text remain an unanswerable proof for the Christian Magistrates power to punish Apostates Hereticks Blasphemers Contemners of Christ his blood his Covenant and the Spirit of Grace with more grievous corporal and capital punishments under the Gospel then under the Law My ninth Argument shal be from the 2 Pet. 2. 1. to 14. But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shal be false Teachers among you who privily shal bring in DAMNABLE HERESIES even denying the Lord that bought them and shall BRING UPON THEMSELVES SWIFT DESTRUCTION And many shal follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shal be evil spoken off And through covetousnesse shal they with fained words make merchandize of you whose judgement now of a long time lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not For if God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down into hell and delivered them into chains of darknesse to be reserved unto Judgement And spared not the old World but saved Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnesse bringing in the Flood upon the world of the ungodly And turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly c. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse and despise government presumptuous are they self-willed they are not affraid to speak evill of dignities Whereas Angels which are greater in power and might bring not rayling accusations against them before the Lord But these as natural bruite beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of the things they understand not and shal utterly perish in their own corruption And shal receive the reward of unrighteousnesse c. The very same expressions in substance if not in words we have repeated in Jude v. 4. to 23. From these considerable texts I shal Observe First That False Teachers under the New Testament are in the same rank and condition as false Prophets under the Old therefore liable to the like Capital Punishment under the Gospel as false Prophets under the Law which I have formerly proved Secondly That these False Teachers shal privily at first but more openly afterwards bring in Damnable Heresies or as the Greek phrase renders it Heresies of Perdition or Destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Heresies deserving a Sentence of Destruction because they bring Perdition to the souls and bodies of those who broach and embrace them yea to the Churches States wherein they are vented and tolerated Rev. 2. 14 to 24. Thirdly That such false Teacheâ—â— shal bring upon themselves SWIFT DESTRUCTION The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we English Destruction is oft times in the New Testament â—ied for the cutting off or destruction of a mans person by a violent and unnaturall death by men or other creatures through the just Judgement of God aâ— Luk 17. 27. 29. The flood came and destroyed them all It rained firâ—… heaven and destroyed them all 1 Cor. 10. 9. They were 〈…〉 Matth. 21. 41. He wil miserably destroy those wicked 〈…〉 Barrabas and destroy Jesus And sometimes for a jâ—… way of Censure as Jam. 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who 〈…〉 save and to DESTROY Matth. 10. 28. Fear him who is able 〈…〉 both soul and body in hell From this acception of the word 〈…〉 destroy in the New Testament I conceive the meaning of Peter 〈…〉 false Teachers who bring in damnable and destructive Heresies â—…n themselves by these their Heresies when detected SWâ—…JCTION in a two-fold sense First from the Christian 〈…〉 out of zeal to God and the peoples souls whom they would seduce shall 〈…〉 proceed against and destroy their persons with capital punishments Secondly From God himself in mans default who by some exemplary Judgments wil destroy their persons here yea their souls and bodies in hel for ever hereafter 2 Thes 1. 8 9. Fourthly That such false Teachers Destruction by the Magistrate cannot be called Persecution no more then a Traytors or Murderers because they bring it upon themselves by their Damnable Heresies and obstinate perseverance in them Fifthly That many shal in the last times follow the ways and damnable Heresies of False Teachers and therefore it is no wonder that such multitudes follow after such seducing New-Lights and false Teachers now Sixthly That by reason of these false Teachers calumnies and Heresies the very way of truth shall be evil spoken of and cryed down among their followers as now it is more then ever in our memory by New-Lights and Sectaries who stile all others but themselves The carnal and Antichristian Church The Clergy Antichristian c. and themselves The Saincts The Faithful Gods peculiar Portion the anointed ones c. Seventhly That false Teachers are for the most part exceeding covetous and make Merchandise of mens souls Eighthly That they are very Lascivious and usually walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness as many of our Anabaptists and Dippers of naked women both in the night and day time proclaim themselves to be Ninthly That they are
out his Vineyard to other husbandmen which shal render him the fruits in due season which Parable was experimentably verified in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jews by the Romans And it is added Whosoever shal fall on this stone Christ shal be broken but on whomsoever it shal fal IT SHAL GRIND HIM TO POWDER Mat. 22. 2. to 8. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain King which made a marriage for his son and sent his servants to cal them that were bidden to the wedding but they would not come c. And the remnant took his servants and intreated them spitefully and slew them But when the King heard thereof he was wroth and sent forth his armies and DESTROYED THOSE MURDERERS and burnt up their City Really verified in the Jews too To which I shal subjoyn Rev. 11. 17 18. We give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken unto thee thy great power and hast reigned And the time is come thou shouldest DESTROY THEM WHICH CORRUPT THE EARTH Compared with Rev. 17. 5. 16. where it is thus prophecyed of the destruction of the whore of Babylon the great the mother of fornications abominations of the earth The ten horns which thou sawst upon the beast which are 10. Kings these shal hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and SHAL EAT HER FLESH BURN HER WITH FIRE for God hath put it into their hearts TO FULFIL HIS WIL. And Rev. 19. 19 20 21. And I saw the beast and the Kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sate on the horse And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast them that worshipped his image These both were cast into A LAKE WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE BRIMSTONE And the remnant WERE SLAIN WITH THE SWORD of him that sate upon the horse which sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fouls were filled with their flesh From all these Parabolical Expressions in the New Testament it self of things to be acted by God the Father by Jesus Christ himself his servants the Magistrates under the Gospel I shal draw these Conclusions necessarily flowing from them First That God the Father and Jesus Christ are altogether as rigorous and severe if not far more ridged and mercilesse against their professed Enemies Antichristian Opposers Persecuters and false Prophets under the Gospel as they were under the Law which these Texts together with Heb. 2. 1 2. and c. 10. 26. to 32. and Rev. 6. 10. to the end undeniably manifest Secondly That such as those shall be punished with capital and corporal punishments even under the Gospel by Christ his Ministers Soldiers Revengers who bear his Sword who are principally orthodox Christian Kings and Magistrates as these several expressions manifest Slay them before my face He will miserably destroy these wicked men and murderers burn up their City grind them to powder thou shalt destroy them which corrupt the earth The ten hornes shal make the whore desolate and naked and shal eat her flesh and burn her with fier And the beast and false prophet were taken and cast into a lake which burneth with fier and brimstone the ground of the ancient Writ De Haeretico comburendo and of burning Hereticks and the rest were slain with the sword and all the fouls were filled with their flesh If any Object that the sword wherewith those last are said to be slain is nothing else but the sword of the Spirit and preaching of the Word because it is said that this sword proceeded out of the mouth of him that sate upon the horse which they further confirm by Isa 11. 4. He shal smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and by the breath of his lips shal he slay the wicked 2 Thes 2. 3. And then shal that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shal consume with the Spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his comming concluding hence That God doth all by the power of his Word even his punishments and destructions he executes by the Word I answer That the Sword proceeding out of the mouth of him that sate upon the horse in this Text is not the meer preaching of the Word and Gospel as is pretended but Christs denouncing of Sentence of Judgement and executing the same upon them not as a Preacher but as a Judge this is clear by Rev. 17. 2. Come hither and I wil shew thee the Judgment of the great whore c. Rev. 18. 8. Shee shall bee utterly burnt with fier for strong is the Lord who JVDGETH her Rev. 16. 21 22. Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the sea saying Thus with violence shal the great City Babylon be thrown down and shal be found no more at all c. Rev. 20. 1 2 4 5. I heard a voyce of much people in heaven saying Allelujah salvation honor and power unto the Lord our God That SAT ON THE THRONE as a Judge For true and righteous are his JVDGEMENTS for he hath JVDGED the great where which did corrupt the earth with her fornications and hath avenged the blood of his Saints at her hands c. It follows in the very next words to those objected And I saw an Angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chain in his hand And he layd hold on the Dragon the old serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up c. And I saw THRONES and they sate upon them and JUDGEMENT was given unto them c. And Verse 10 11 12 c. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false Prophet are and shal be tormented day and night for ever and ever And I saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it c. And I saw the dead smal and great stand before God And I saw the Books opened and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works c. By all which it is undeniable that the sword of the mouth wherewith those were slain was only Christs Sentence of Judgement and Execution passed upon the whore the false Prophet beast c. by himself sitting as a Judge or King upon his Throne of Judgment and his executioners not the preaching of the Word by himself or his Ministers as a Prophet preaching out of a Pulpit And in this sense Judges and Magistrates when they passe sentence of death
upon Traytors Rebels or other Capital Malefactors are and may properly be said to slay them with the breath of their lips with the sword that goeth out of their mouth because this their sentence makes them liable to death and brings death upon them by the hand of the Executioner who hath no power to slay or behead them but only by the Judges sentence the original cause of their execution And in this sense are the other objected Texts to be taken By the breath of his mouth shal he slay the wiched Not by the preaching of the Word and Gospel as Mr Dell mistakes it but by passing inflicting a sentence of Death and Destruction upon them as a Judge sitting upon his Throne In which relation the Christian Magistrates rather theâ— the Ministers are his Vicegerents to whom he hath delegated the condemning and executing power of capital Malefactors of all sorts Rom. 13. 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. Hence Rev. 17. 10. The ten horns interpreted to be ten Kings v. 12. are those that shal hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and eat her flesh and burn her with fier and the Army of him that sate on the Throne are said to take the beast and false prophet and cast them into a lake of fire and brimstone From these Texts therefore Christian Princes and Magistrates have sufficient warrant to punish Apostates Hereticks False Teachers Blasphemers and other open Enemies of God and his truth with corporal and capital penalties under the Gospel as wel as anciently under the Law Many other Arguments might be deduced from other Texts of Scripture to this purpose but these I trust are sufficient to give satisfaction for the present I shal only add to these Arguments the constant practise of many godly Emperors Kings States who in all ages since they became Christian have enacted Laws and prescribed several pecuniary corporal and capital Punishments and sometimes banishment against Hereticks false Teachers obstinate Schismaticks Apostates and Blasphemers To recite all their Laws at large would swel this Pamphlet into a large Volume I shal give you for the most part but an Epitome of the chiefest of them which the studious may peruse at leisure in the Authors out of which I quote them I shal begin with Laws and Punishments only against Hereticks Apostates false Teachers or obstinate Schismaticks and then proceed to Laws and Punishments against Blasphemy and Blasphemers Constantine the great the first Christian Emperor banished the grand Heretick Arrius and his six followers burned his Books commanding those who concealed them to be put to death and protested he would banish all those who would not subscribe the Decrees of the Councel of Nice made against him After which he made a notable Edict against the Novatians Valentinians Marcianists Paulians Phrygians with all other Hereticks and Schismaticks of his time which being the first formal Law against Hereticks that I find and very ful and seasonable for our present time and Isle wherein this Emperor was both born and crowned I shal transscribe Verbatim out of Eusebius who records it and informs us of the good effects it then produced VICTOR CONSTANTINUS MAX. AVG. HAERETICIS COgnoscite jam per legem quae a me sancita est ô Novatiani Valentiniani Marcionistae Pauliani quique Cataphrygum nomen usurpatis omnes omnino qui per conspirationes a vobis conflatas haereses sectas etiam atque etiam augere conamini cognoscite inquam quibus mendaciis vestrae doctrinae inanitas implicata teneatur quatenus pestiferis quibusdam venenis vestâ—d usque eo inficiatur disciplina vt per eam integri ac valentes ad morbum vivi dutem ad sempiternum interitum abstrahantur O veritatis inimici hostes vitae internecionis authores conciliarii omnia apud vos veritati contraria turpibus consentientia maleficiis ineptiis commenticiis fabulis exultantia Quibus certe mendacia struitis premitis insontes fidelibus veritatis lucem denegatis Nam falsa visione et specie pietatis semper delinquentes omnia contagione vestra contaminatis conscientias integras labe vacuas lethalibus plagis vulneratis ipsum diem poenâ— dixerim hominum oculis adimitis At quid attinet singula persequi cum de vestris flagitiis sicut eorum natura postulat dicere neque temporis angustia neque occupationes quibus districti sumus sinunt Nam scelera vestra adeo grandia adeo immensa sunt adeo etiam turpia omni crudelitate redundantia ut dies integer ad ea explicanda non sufficeret Imo vero ad hujusmodi rebus aures abducere oculosque avertere convenit ne singulorum explanatione syncera incorrupta fidei nostrae professio commaculetur Quid ergo partiemurne ejusmodi malorum contagionem longius serpere praesertim cum longa dilatio faciat ut sani ac valentes ea tanquam pestifero morbo inficiantur Cur igitur non cum maxima celeritate ejusmodi pravitatis ut ita dicam radices animadversione poena publica amputamus Atque quò ista vestrae pestis pernicies longius grassari impediatur per hanc legem mandamus ne quis vestrûm posthac conventus cogere audeat Et propterea etiam jubemus vt universae aedes vestrae in quibus congressus illos celebrare consuevistis penitus evertantur haec cautio eò vim suam porrigat vt non modo non in publicis sed ne in privatis quidem aedisiciis aut in locis ullis separatis hujus vestrae superstitiosae amentiae factiones coeant At verò quod multo praestabilius est si qui vestrum verae syncerae religionis curam habeant ad Catholicam Ecclesiam revertantur ejus sanctitatis sint participes per quam poterunt ad veritatem pervenire fraudulenta vestrae perversae mentis astutia hoc est scelerata perdita Haereticorum Scismaticorum seditio omnino ab hac prospera temporum nostrorum conditione sejungatur Nostrae enim prosperae ac beatae vitae rationi qua dei benificio frumiur est admodum consentaneum vt qui aetatem bona spe sustentatam degant ab omni vago caeco errore ad rectam viam a tenebxis ad lucem ab inscitia ad veritatem a morte denique ad salutem traducantur ac quo provisio haec in curandis erroribus robur firmitatem sibi necessariam assequatur mandavimus ut supra dictum est ut omnia superstitionisvestrae loca in quibus convenire soleatis omnia dico haereticorum templa si modo templa appellare convenit sine recusatione aut controversia diruantur et diruta absque mora catholicae tradantur ecclesiae reliqua loca publico Reip. usui addicantur ne ulla in posterum vobis conventus celebrandi relinquatur faoultas Sit igitur hoc ratum statumque ut post hunc diem in nullo loco vel publico vel
willing and minding to maintain and defend the holy Church and the Lawes and Statutes of the same TO ROOT ALL SVCH ERRORS and HERESIES OUT OF OUR KINGDOME OF ENGLAND as much as in us lies and the hereticks so convicted to punish WITH CONDIGNE PUNISHMENT and considering that such hereticks convicted and condemned in forme aforesaid both ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF GOD AND MAN AND THE CANONICALL INSTITUTIONS IN THIS CASE ACCUSTOMED OUGHT TO BE BURNED WITH FIRE We command you as straitly as we may or can firmely injoyning you that you do cause the said William being in your custody in some publike and open place within the Liberties of your City aforesaid the cause aforesaid being published to the people TO BE PVT INTO THE FIRE and IN THE SAME FIRE REALLY TO BE BVRNED to the great horror of his offence and the manifest example of other Christians and this upon the perill that will fall thereupon you may by no means omit Teste Rege apud Westm 26. Febr. Anno Regni sui 2. This condemnation of Sautry and writ for his burning was in time before the Statute of 2. H. 4. passed in Parliament and was made by advise of the Lords Temporall in Parliament only without the Commons as the Parliament roll demonstrates Soone after which one John Badby was likewise burned by vertue of a like writ and sundry others after him From this writ I shall observe First that by the Canonicall Law and Sanctions generally used and received in England and in forraign parts Bishops both in their Synods and Consistories usurped authority to convict condemn Hereticks and deliver them over to the secular power to be corporally punished which is further cleared by the expresse words of the Statute of 2. H. 4. cap. 15. but they could neither attach nor imprison them before that Act in this Kingdome 2. That the burning of Hereticks with fire was not introduced by the Statute of 2. H. 4. or this writ then first made by advise of the Temporall Lords but was a punishment accustomed in this case according to the Law of God and man and canonicall institutions used in this Realme long before this Act made as the very words of the writ compared with this Statute of 2. H. 4. made in Parliament in the same yeare soone after this Writ attest 3. That this writ framed in Parliament for Sautry onely not others made in time somewhat before this Statute the same Parliament makes no recitall at all of this Statute as it ought to do if grounded on it therfore not ordained by it What alterations then did this Statute make of the Law in former times used in this case only these First it gave power to Ordinaries and Diocesans to cause to be arrested and kept in safe custody such who were suspected or defamed of Heresy or keeping hereticall Bookes and writings till they did canonically purge themselves or abjure their heresies 2. It gave them power to fine such persons to the King 3. If any person convicted before them of heresie refused to abjure his Heresy or relapsed againe into it after abjuration it gave them Authority to turne him over to the secâ—lar Court and after sentence of Heresie passed against him in the presence of the Sheriffe of the Shiere or Mayor or Sheriffes and Bayly of the Corporation where such Heretick was proceeded against whom this Act enacted the Diocesan or his Commissary to summon to be personally present at the sentencing of Hereticks it enjoyned these secular Officers to give assistance to the Diocesan of the same place and his Commissaries in this case and without any further Inditement triall or judgement at common Law formerly used in cases of heresie when capitally proceeded against after such sentence pronounced without any writ de Haeretico Comburendo to receive the same person so sentenced into their custody and to cause him to be burnt in an high place before the people that such punishment might strike feare into the minds of others to deterre them from such wicked Doctrines and hereticall erroneous opinions and the said Sheriffs Majors and Bayliffs of Counties Citties Burroughs and Townes were to be attending ayding and assisting to the Diocesans and Commissaries in such cases which they were not bound to be before as appeares by the expresse words of the Act. 4ly It gave every Bishop and his Commissary power to question and condemne Hereticks in their Consistories and then to deliver them over to the secular powers to be burned which none but a Synod or Convocation for ought appeares by any Presidents could do before So as the maine alteration wrought by this Act was That these temporall Officers were to be â—…ending ayding and assisting to the Ordinaries and their Commissaries and present at their sentence given against Hereticks and after sentence passed by them alone without any indictment Iudgement verdict at Common Law or Writ of the Kings to burne them to Ashes by which the lives of all were made subject to the Convocations yea to every Ordinaries and Commissaries power alone and that without and before any lawfull triall by their Peers or any legall indictment or conviction â—ccording to the Law of the Land contrary to Magna Charta ch 29. 5. Ed. 3. â— 9. 25. E. 3. Stat. 5. c. 4. 28. E. 3. c. 3. 15. E. 3. Stat. 1. c. 3. 4. 37. E. 3. c. 18. 42. E. 3. c. 3. This was the great grievance introduced by this Act and the cause of its repeale and of all other Statutes of this kinde by 1. Eliz. c. 1. So as this Statute of Hen. the fourth was no â—â—tâ—oduction of a new Law but only a confirmation of the Common Law as to the punishment it selfe of burning Hereticks as is evident by the premiâ—e though introductive of a new Law in the manner of proceeding and other precedeâ—t reâ—pect And in this sence Mr. Fox his words are tâ—â—e That hithe to â— till the making of 5. R. 2. 2 H. 4. The Popish Clergie had not authority sufficient by any Politick Law or Statute of this Land to proceed unto death against any person whatsoever in case of Religion but only by the usurped tyranny and example of the Court of Rome But yet the King and his Iudges had power to proceed against imprison and burne Hereticks to death by the Common Law though the Ordinary had not as I have proved This law gave the Ordinaries and Clergy a new power in this respect to condeme and burn such as they held Herticks which they had not before Hence the Pope sent his Letters to King Richard the second to suppresse Wiccliffe and his followers and bring them to condigne punishment and to be assistant to the Bishops herein qui in prosecutione istius negotij noscuntur favore AVXILIO TVAE CELSITVDINIS INDIGERE Whereupon the King writ Letters to the Vniversity and Chauncellor of Oxford to apprehend imprison and convict them
Hereticks and Apostates to be burnt the rather because the Bishops power is abolished cortrary to the opinion of 27. P. 8. 14. delivered when those Lawes were in force and of Sir Edward Cooke in his third Institutes p. 40. That at this day no person can be indicted or impeached for Heresie before any temporall Iudge or other that hath temporall Iurisdiction as upon the perusall of the Statutes of 5. R. 2. c. 5. 2. H. 4. c. 15. 2. H. 5. c. 7. 25. H. 8. c. 14. 2. Phil. and Mary c. 6. appeareth For these Acts being repealed as he there grants the old common Law of England is thereby revived as to Hereticks and Apostates and so at this day any person may be indicted impeached condemned before the temporall Iudges of the Kings Courts for apparent reall Heresie contrary to the Word of God and 4. first Generall Councels in such sort as they were and might be before these Statutes 4ly That since the repeale of these Statutes no man upon a bare conviction of Heresie before the Ordinary or Commissary justly may or ought to be put to death or burnt by the Writ De Haeretico comburendo unlesse he were likewise first legally indicted and convicted by a Iury in the Kings Courts as all other capitall Malefactors Felons and Traytors are My reasons are Fâ—â—st because it is directly contrary to Magna Charta c. 29. the Petition of Right 5. E. 3. c. 9. 25. E 3. c. 4. and other forecited Statutes of Edward the 3d. and contrary to the right order of Iustice good equity and the Lawes of the Realme as is resolved in the Stat. of 25. H. 8 c. 14. 2ly Because the Sheriffe could not execute any man by vertue of this Writ or without it before the Statute of 2. H. 4. c. 5. nor after it without this Writ unlesse he were actually present at the sentence as is resolved 2. Mariae Brooke Heresie 1. Therefore this Statute and all others in pursuance of it being totally repealed this Writ and the proceedings on it upon a bare sentence of the Ordinary is as I humbly conceive meerely void in Law and contrary to Magna Charta And therefore it is considerable whether the resolution of the Iudges in Legates case forecited be not erronious though seconded by Sir Edward Cooke For though the Ordinary of every Diocesse both before and after these Acts might convict any person for Heresie and excommunicate or degrade him by the common Law yet the Sheriffe could not execute him by any such convictions either without or by vertue of a Writ De Haeretico comburendo but by power of those Acts now all repealed as is resolved by 25. H. 8. c. 1. 4 Yet that an Hereticke or Blasphemer convicted and condemned of Heresie or notorious Blasphemy by a whole Nationall Synod or Convocation may by Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament without any previous Indictment be lawfully executed by a Writ De Heretico comburendo even at this day seemes probable to me since it was usual before any Statute made by the connivance of the common Law 5ly That an Hereticke and Apostate legally indicted and convicted in the Kings Courts before the Iudges for Heresie or Apostacy and adjudged to be burnt may at this day by the common Law be executed without such a Writ by vertue of the judgement only by the Sheriffe who is an Officer to the Court as well as other Felons may be and are usually executed in other cases without a Writ And if the Parliament will be pleased by a Law to declare what are Heresies in particular and what Heretickes and Apostates in speciall shall be indicted and proceeded against at the common Law as they did heretofore in case of Treasons by the Stat. of 25. E. 3. c. 2. there will be as great benefit and no more danger of Tyranny or Persecution in permitting commanding the Iudges to proceed against Hereticks and Apostates who are Traytors unto God and Religion according to the ancient Rules of the common Law then there now is in their proceedings against Traytors to the King and Kingdome upon the Statute of 25. E. 3. c. 2. a very good president as I humbly conceive for framing a new capitall Law against Heresies and Blasphemies Now the reasons which confirme me in this opinion That all Heresies Blasphemies Schismes Apostacies Idolatries are triable and punishable in a criminall or Capitall manner only by an indictment and legall Tryall at the common Law but not upon any sentence given by the Clergy in Convocation or the Bishops in their Consistories are these First because the Priests under the Law were neither appointed to condemne nor execute such unlesse upon extraordinary occasions in default of the Majestrat but only the Majestrates and people as Deut. 13. with other precepts and precedents forecited manifest especially Iob. 31. 26. 27. 28. If I behold the Sunne when it shined or the Moone walking in brightnesse or my heart hath beene secretly enticed to worship them or my mouth hath kissed my hand this also were an iniquity TO BE PVNISHED BY THE IVDGE for I should have denyed the God that is above Secondly Because all such under the Gospell since Christs time were anciently punished with imprisonment confiscation of goods disinherison banishment death only by the civill Lawes Edicts of Godly Emperours Kings and civill Majestrates and by their sentences and Iudgements in pursuance of them as is apparant by the premised and subsequent Lawes and Histories No Prelats Councells Synods anciently having power to passe any such civill corporall or capitall sentence against them but the civill Iudges and Majestrate only Hence Lucas Tudensis about 350. yeares since writing of the Albigenses reputed for Hereticks records that a judice Regionis capti sunt Et ut digni erant flaminum ignibus traditi confessing it to be the civill Magistrates duty both to restraine and punish them concluding thus Regum Principum est hoc ministerium scilicet fidei rebelles occidere per se vel per ministros suos Quod nisi sollicite fecerint rationem reddent Domino de his quae eorum dissimulatione vel negligentia ab impijs perpetrantur Remunerabuntur autem si illorum ministeriocultus fidei conservetur Hence Iulius Firmicus writes thus to the Emperors Constans and Constantius vobis sacratissimi Imperatores ad vindicandam puniendam Idololatriam necessitas imperatur hoc vobis Dei summi lege praecipitur 3ly Because all the godly Councells Bishops Fathers in former ages yea Popes themselves have written to and importuned Godly Emperors Kings Magistrates to apprehend suppresse punish Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers and Apostates informing them it was their duty to do it to which all Orthodox Protestant Churches Writers at this day subscribe yea and the Papists too From whence Paeraeus Dr. Willet Bishop Davenant and generally all Protestant Divines thus argue against the Popish Prelates and Clergie who will not
the same being convict therof should without tarriance not only loose his head but his goods also which they should have that proved him perjured The Romans had a Law that all such as were found to be perjured should be throwne downe head-long from the top of a high Rock called Tarpejus Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Let not thy moâ—th be accustomed with swearing for in it there are many faults c. like as a servant which is oft punished cannot be without some sore even so whatsoever he be that sweareth and nameth God in vaine shall not be cleane purged from sin a man that useth much swearing shall be filled with wickednesse and the plague shall never go from his house The words of the swearer bringeth death God grant that it be not found in the house of Iacob but they that feare God eschew all such and lye not weltring in sin The Councell of Iosephus is this that he which blasphemeth God and unreverently useth his name should be stoned unto death and then hanged up by the space of one day and so taken downe and buried without all manner of honour Diverse other most noble Princes made divers other most holy Lawes for the eschewing of Cusâ—omable swearing and perjury Would God that these their most Godly Acts might either be renued among Christian men or else some other devised for the abolishing and putting away of the most wicked and detestable custome of swearing every Prince as he shall think most convenient for the state of his Realmâ— Lawes are made and penalties appointed for divers meane things which only concerne worldly matters why then do not Christan Princes also make Lawes Acts and Decrees for the glory of God that his name may be had in honour and reverence as most worthy of all it is Worldly matters may not so be esteemed that things pertaining to the glory of God and the salvation of Christian mens soules shall be neglected For Rulers are appointed of God not only to looke upon mundaine and worldly but also divine and spirituall matters And it is their duty no lesse to tender the glory of God and to make Acts concerning the same then to see to the publike tranquillity â— that all things decent comly for an honest outward Order be maintained preserved and kept And as they are the supreame head chiefe Rulers both of the spiritualtie and temporaltie so ought they to travaile no lesse in Spirituall then in Temporall matters Looke what enormities wickednesses ungodly Customes superstitious and unrighteous manners c. reigne in Realmes all these ought to be abolished and put away by the worldly Potentates and carthly Rulers God grant that we may see it shortly not only in this Realme but in the Kingdome of so many as professe Christ He concludes thus Let the Rulers of the Common Weale finde some honest remedy that the namâ— of God be no more blasphemed among their subjects Let them consider how loath they are that they themselves should be evill spoken of and blasphemed Let them weâ—â—h with themselves how much God excelleth them and how farre his dignity excelleth their dignity If any man defaceth their renowne they are punished stâ—aightwayes and not without a cause But how chanceth it that the Lord of aâ— Lords and King of all Kings is no more feared How comes it to passe that his most holy and blessed name is so universally blaspheamed yea and that freely and without punishment Were it not think you convenient that the Civill Majestrates should earnestly provide that the name of God might have his due honour and that it might no more be abused with abominable and unlawfull Oaths in their Realmes but praised and magnified seeing that by it we obtaine all our health and salvation God by his holy spirit might vouchsafe to breath into the hearts of all Princes Kings and Rulers that when they be Godly assembled together for matters concerning the glory of God and the publike weale they may also entreate of this thing in their Synods Congregations Parliaments Councells c. That God may be glorified and his most blessed name exalted of all Nations from the East to the West By this meanes shall they not only expulse vice and make their Realmes to fluorish with virtue unto the great glory of God and the high consolation of all the faithfull but also they shall acquire and get to themselvs a Crowne of immortall glory for ever and ever How Blasphemy and prophane swearing and cursing have beene punished by the Decrees of Councels and the Canon Law with excommunication penance deprivall of Christian Buriall the like you may read at large in Bochellus Decreta Ecclesiae Gallicanae lib. 8. Tit. 13. throughout Summa Angelica Summa Rosella Tit. Blasphemia Lyndewode Provi Const lib. 1. de Officio Archipresbyteri cap. 1. f. 40. â— Gratian Dist 22. Sylvester Tit. Blasphemia Tho. Zerula Praxis Episcopalis Pars. 1. verbo Blasphemia f. 38. â— pars 2. f. 15. Antonij Corset Repertorium in Abbatem Tit. Blaspemans Hostiensis Summa lib. 5. Tit. de maledicis fol. 460. c. who all accord likewise that this sinne may and ought to be punished not only by the Ecclesiasticall but also by the temporall Magistrate and that with imprisonment confiscation of goods fines branding and capitall punishments which sundry Councills and Canonists earnestly importune the temporall Magistrates to inflict upon Blasphemers Sir Ed. Cooke in his 5. Report f. 8. 9. of the Kings Ecclesiasticall Law concludes That Blasphemy Apostacy from Christianity Heresies and Schismes are to be decided and determined by Ecclesiasticall Iudges according to the Kings Ecclesiasticall Lawes of this Realme and no doubt they may be punished by the very Common Law it selfe by way of indictment as in the case of Hamant and Lewis forecited I shall close up this with the words of Isychius in Levit. l. 7. c. 25. x Audivimus quemadmodum de castris eduxit eum qui Blasphemavit lapidibus que eum opprimi praecepit Propterea indignationi et opus addidit et legem tibi etiam experimento ipso confirmatam ostendit ut et tu-blasphemare Deum timeres illam timens peccati magnitudinem cum non solum Principes sed et omnem multitudinem vindicatio praecepit Communis enim debet omnibus contra Blasphemâ—s pugna quia communi nostro benefactori communi nostrae vitae ex quo omnes esse et bene esse habemus detrahere tentant ejus quidem gloriae nihil nocentes nos autem ab eo seperare et expellere volentes You have now heard how Herely Apostacy Blasphemy Schisme and such who are guilty of them have bin restrained punished by Temporall Lewes and punishments in all ages I shall only adde these few considerations to set the greater lustre and
in them and all sorts of men besides a most pestilent fire-brand of sedition deserving a Tiburn-Saintship as well as Iack Straw or Iack Cade most justly censured imprisoned by the House of Peers for his unparallell'd Insolencies Contempts and Libels deserving a severer doom or his Disciple St. Overton imprisoned for the like offences his Anti-Parliamentary Libels or any other of his seditious sect it is the Parliaments lenity that they enjoy their lives and a man I fear may finde far better Saints in Newgate if not in Hell then these If he mean S. Best that horrible execrable Heretick and Blasphemer for whose impunity some of the Independent saints have both written and pleaded to the very amazement of all true Saints its certaily a greater crime to suffer such an impenitent blaspheming Atheistical saint to live so long then to imprison him and if any New-lights account him for a Saint I may without any breach of Christian charity repute them in this particular to be little better then Devils and no reall saints at all If he intend by Saints S Paul Hobson a preaching but never a fighting Captain formerly a Taylor now an Anabaptist imprisoned by Sir Samuel Luke for his schismaticall and seditious preaching contrary to the Ordinance of Parliament or his blasphemous Chirurgion Iohn Boggis or his companion S. Oates who openly defended maintained that there was no such power in any Christian Magistrate over any member of a Church unlesse first cast out and delivered over by the Church to the secular power to inflict any capitall punishments upon him whatsoever his offence was though MVRTHER OR TREASON oâ— S. Lambe S. Kiffin or any of that Anabaptisticall Dipping lewd fraternity mentioned by Mr. Edwards in his Gangraenaes who have enriched advanced themselves by their gainfull Schismes Heresies Errors Blasphemies fear our Magistrates who have already law and power enough to restrainâ— and punish such without praying aide from both or either Houses will deserve more blame from God the Parliament and all good men for suffering such black saints as these to ramble abroad from County to County preaching their Errors Blasphemies and re-baptizing seduced Proselytes without restraint then demerit any censure for any short restraint of their persons or selling any of their goods who were lately worse then nothing and had no goods to sell yet now are grown brave and wealthy And if our Magistrates imprison fine banish such Saints as these I am confident both Christ and his Apostles will justifie not condemne them for their doings His third Argument is this Is it not misery enough for men to refuse the good things of heaven except they also deprive them of the good things of this present life If there be any Logick or Divinity in this rhetoricall argumentation it is but formally this It is misery enough to wicked men his words are generall and extend to all wicked men of all sorts not Hereticks only that they refuse the good things of Heaven and Eternall Life Therefore the Magistrate ought not to deprive any wicked man whatsoever of the good things of this life nor to inflict upon him temporall death I answer that if this Argument be solid then the Magistrate must punish no wicked men for any offence whatsoever against God or man no not for Atheisme Treason Rebellion Murther Sodomy and the fowlest crimes because the losse of the good things of heaven and eternall life is a sufficient punishment for them as well as for Hereticks Schismaticks and Blasphemers And then how wil it stand with his own concession I fear not from the heart since the whole scope of his Arguments contradict it p. 27. As for those that are outwardly wicked as open professed Hereticks Schismaticks and Blasphemers are the Magistrate is to keep them in order for the quiet of the State he having power over their persons estates LIVES If so then he may deprive them for their wickednesse of the good things of this life and inflict upon them temporal death Let M. Del therefore assoyl his own contradiction here which he thus seconds p 40. Did you ever hear me say or hint that the Magistrate should not punish outward wickednesse Yes here you hint intimate and argue it too and therefore need to reconcile these your contradictions or renounce this Argument Secondly God himself the Fountaine and Rule of justice doth many times punish wicked men who refuse the good things of Heaven and eternall life with the losse of the good things of this life infliction of temporal and eternall death to boot witnesse Deut. 28. 15. to 68. Levit. 26. 14. to 44. and Rev. 18 19 instead of many other texts If God then the standard of justice doth usually this and threatens all wicked men that they shall thus be punished why may not Christian Princes and Magistrates who are his Deputies Ministers Revengers do the like without the least injustice or cruelty Thirdly the Lawes of all Kingdomes and of our own do punish Malefactors as Traytors Murderers and Hereticks among others with confiscation of goods imprisonment banishment and death too not thinking it punishment sufficient that they refuse the good things of heaven and eternall life M. Del then must be wiser then God then al States Lawgivers whatsoever then our own Lawes Parliaments Judges and tax them both of cruelty injustice and adding misery to the miserable if he dare maintaine this absurd Paradox which hath neither reason nor Religion in it His 4th Objection is much of the same straine Christ imposeth no other punishment on those that will not heare the Church then that he should be reckoned as an heathen Math. 18. And Paul Tit. 3. teacheth us after once and twice admonition to avoyd an Heretick but not to imprison him or kill him or banish him Ergo the christian Magistrate must neither imprison nor kill nor banish Hereticks Here Mr. Dell speaks plaine English and out of his aboundant zeale professedly pleads for the impunity even of Hereticks themselves by the civill Magistrate and if we compare this with his p. 29. Take heed you do nothing to the prejudice of the faithfull Gods owne people as he hath warned you by the spirit saying Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harme c. These anoynted ones are the Lords Prophets and the Lord Hath no Prophets but such as are anoynted with the Spirit Thus Christ was made the Lords Prophet and thus are All his Brethren made Prophets being fellowes with him in his unction And therefore take heed how you meddle with the Lords anoynted ones and with the Lords Prophets c. The Lord hath still the same care of the same people and will suffer no man to do them wrong but will reprove Kings and Parliaments and Kingdomes and Cities and Counties and Committees he will reprove them all for their sakes and say touch not mine anoynted and do
this proclaimes him a professed Anabaptist denying all Magistracy and the power of the sword under the Gospel yea contradicts his own concession p. 27. That the Magistrate hath power over the persons estates and lives of those who are outwardly wicked as open Hereticks Schismaticks and Blasphemers arâ— If no then his argument for not punishing Hereticks with imprisonment banishment death from Titus will no more hold nor satisfie then my objection for the not punishing of Traytors Blasphemers Murderers Theeves with corporall or capitall punishment from Timothy and the Proverbs since the word avoiding is used in all three Texts alike without any mention of corporall or capitall punishments fines death Wherefore they may inflict such punishments on them if they see cause as Tit. 3. 1. will sufficiently warrant compared with Rom. 13. 3 4. Fourthly there is no inhibition to Magistrates in any of these texts not to punish obstinate Hereticks with imprisonment fines death and expresse warrant to do it in others Therefore this objection is a meer absurdity His fifth Objection is more absurd Again Those that do these things shall not inherit the kingdome of God And again He that believeth not shall be damned but not one word of outward or corporall punishment in all the Gospel I shall adde nor yet one word against it Ergo Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers are not to be punished by the Christian Magistrate with outward or corporall punishment but only with the losse of Heaven and eternal damnation Learnedly argued Had Mr. Dell cited his first text fully and thus applyed it his auditory might well have hissed him out of the Pulpit and his very Saints if they had any Saintship or Sanctity in them blushed at such licentious and prophane Divinity wherefore to right the Truth and shame him out of his absurd wrestings of Scripture I shall quote the first text intirely and then apply his inference to it The text though it seemes he was afraid to quote it is Gal. 5. 19 20. 21. Now the workes of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication uncleanesse Lasciviousnesse Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred variance emulations Wrath strife seditions HERESIES Envyings MVRDERS Drunkennesse Revellings and such like of which I tell you before as also I told you in times past here comes in Mr. Dells quotation that they which doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Here saith Mr. Dell is not one word of outward or corporall punishment nor in all the Gospell Therefore Ministers must not goe to Magistrates nor ought Magistrates ex officio nor upon any complaint to punish all or any of these workes of the flesh with imprisonment sale of goods death banishment or any outward or corporall punishment but they must be punished only with the losse of the Kingdome of God This is the formall Argument in Blessed God what strange Divinity and New-light is this to be preached on a Fast day before a religious and learned Parliament and then printed and published after a manifestation of the house of Commons dislike FOR THE GOOD OF THE FAITHFVLL AND AT THEIR DESIRE and averred in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Commons house with infinite confidence and artogance to be the minde of God the doctrine of Iesus Christ the true Doctrine of the Gospell c. Will Mr. Dell with his Saints his faithfull and anoynted ones GODS PECVLIAR PORTION IN THE KINGDOME so he most arrogantly stiles them as if God had no portion Saints faithfull ones Church amongst us but those alone now proclaime to all the world in print even in a Fast Sermon that none of all these workes of the flesh No not Adultery Fornication uncleanesse Idolatry Witchcraft Seditions Heresies Drunkenesse Murder nor any other suppose Sodomy Treason Rebellion Atheisme Blasphemy or the most horrid outrages especially if the offendors therein think any of them lawfull in point of conscience are so much as once to be punished with any outward corporall or Capitall punishment whatsoever by any Christian Magistrate Master Tutor or Parent but only with the losse of heaven Is this the Reformation that these New-lights intend the Liberty of Conscience they preach for write for fight for the Kingdome and Discipline of the Lord Jesus Christ which these Saints ' these faithfull ones this peculiar portion of the Lord will set up among us ' as Mr. Dell at their desires and for their benefit here proclaimes it is without blushing If so then it is high time for us to looke after these Black-Saints designes to blow up all Magistracy Parliaments Lawes Divine and humane to introduce Anarchy Libertinisme impunity of all Hereticks Blasphemers Seducers Malefactors how pernitious soever to let corrupt Nature and gracelesse Heresies loose to take their full swing and plung men into all sorts of wickednesses crimes villanyes outrages with impunity in this world which could not once have entred into my heart to beleeve had not Mr. Dells words and Arguments enforced me thereunto Certainely if this bee the Liberty of Conscience they desire plead fight for the blessed Reformation they intend Heaven and Earth may judge what Saints they are and I may without breach of charity averre that the very worst of Presbiterians nay of Heathens are in this particular better Saints then they who never pleaded for out alwayes against the impunity of such workes of the flesh as these and have severel punished them with outward corporall punishments from the very light of nature only But to let this passe which I could not but take notice of ouâ— of zeale to God and our distracted Republike the force of Mr. Dells argument hence is only this Paul and all Ministers by and from this Text are to warne and informe men that those who doe the workes of the flesh forementioned shall not inherit the Kingdome of God since they name no outward punishment in this text he cites though he doth in sundry others forecited Ergo Magistrates under the Gospell cannot punish Heretickes Schismaticks Seducers Blasphemers or any work of the flesh with any outward or corporall punishment Did ever any man so confidently propound such shallow Independent Arguments before a most juditious Parliament in a Pulpit and then dedicate the same to them with such boldnesse in print before Mr. Dell What if Paul writing as an Apostle to the Galathians only as private Christians to beware of these workes of the flesh because those who commit them shall not inherit the Kingdom of God will it therefore follow that Magistrates may not punish any for these workes with corporall or capitall punishments If so then they must not punish Murther Witchcraft Sedition Adultery Drunkennesse no more then Heresie Schisme or Idolatry Had Paul writ this Epistle to Christian Kings Magistrates and told them that these workes of the flesh must â—…er the Gospell be punished only with losse of Heaver the objection had â—in considerable but writing here neither of nor
Christ for that they being his Disciples not Magistrares would themselves have commanded fire to come downe from heaven in a miraculous way to destroy the Samaritans onely for not receiving his person as he was travelling to Ierusalem because he was going up thither and for none other cause and that out of private malice and reveng Ergo Christian Kings Magistrates and the Powers of the world have no place at all in the Churchesreformation vnder the Gospell and may not parish any Hâ—riâ—ick Schismatick Blasphemer or Malefactor with death or corporall punishments and to do it is to change Christ from a Saviour to a Destroyer and is Antichrist Triumphant Was ever such a crasy Argument propounded by any man in his right sences before such a presence the conclusion having not the least Coherence with the Premises on which it is grounded When Ma. Dell can prooue that these very Disciples then had as much power to punish Malifactors as Majestrates that there was the same ground for them to use miraculous corporall punishments as for Majestrates to inflict ordinary ones upon offenders and the same reason for these Disciples to punish the least neglect of Christs person as a Traveller only with fire from heaven and extraordinary death for which there was no written Law of God at all as there were and are for Majestrates to punish Herisie Idolatry Blasphemy obstinate Schisme and other offences with ordinary corporall and capitall punishments for which there are written precepts then I shall give further answer to this obiection till then I shall forbeare and proceede to answere that which is most considerable in this text to wit Christs speech to these furious Disciples Whence the Argument stands thus The Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Lu. 9. 56. Ergo Christian Kings Majestrats under the Gospell must not destroy the lives of Haeretickes Blasphemers nor yet of Traytors Murderers or any Malefactors whatsoever as wel as of Heretickes Blasphemers c. as the Anabaptists usually presse it nor yet punish Hereticks or Blasphemers with any outward or corporall censures and if they do this is to make Christ no Saviour but a Destroyer and is Antichrist Triumphant Surely Mr. Dell is an excellent Chymist who can extract quodlibet ex quolibet and draw any conclusion out of whatsoever premises even by head and shoulders as here For first will it follow that because Christ himselfe in his owne person as a Saviour came not to destroy mens naturall lives but to save them Ergo the civill Christian Magistrate who is Gods owne avenger and is oft expresly commanded by Gods word to put Idolaters Blasphemers Murderers and other Malefactors to death is to punish no Malefactors at all with death now under the Gospell If Mr. Dell should preach such Doctrine in our Armies might not all our Souldiers of his New-way by like or better Logick conclude thus from this Text Christ came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Ergo we who are christian Souldiers who must imitate our Capt. Jesus Christ must now lay down our Armes repent of all the blood we have shed of all the Cavaliers lives wee have already destroyed and hence forth kill no more publike Enemies destroy no more Irish Rebells in the field neither by way of Defence nor Offence because Kings Magistrates themselves who have more authority then we Souldiers cannot inflict any corporall or capitall punishment of death on any Malefactors by Mr. Dells Argumentation hence though legally convicted of capitall Crimes especially if they fight for defence of their Religion as the Papists and Irish Rebells pretend they doe and Cavaliers too heretofore If Mr. Dell dare propose or presse no such Argument from this Text unto our Souldiers in the Campe I wonder he durst so boldly inforce the like with so much earnestnes upon our Parliament and Magistrates in the Church and present it to them in the Parliament house in print 2dly Will it follow hence that because Christ used this Speech as a Prophet a Saviour only not a Magistrate Ergo he came not to punish or destroy mens lives at all as a King when there is just cause for him to do it How then will Mâ— Dell reconcile or answer this expresse text to the contrary in the same Evangelist Luke 19. 17. But those mine Enemies that would not that I should raigne over them bring them hither AND SLAY THEM BEFORE ME together with Psal 89 23. Psal 110 5. 6. Rev. 17. 16. 17. c. 19. 17. 18. Math. 21. 41. to omit other quotations Or how can he justifie Peters extraordinary miraculous killing and destroying the Lives of Ananias and Saphyra under the Gospell only for lying to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 1. to 12 If then Christ himselfe as a King will slay and destroy his Enemies lives when they give him just occasion though he came to destroy no mans life as a Saviour may not Christian Kings and Magistrates by like reason kill and destroy the lives of capitall Heretickes and Malefactors in a legall manner though Christ as a Minister or Saviour came not to destroy their lives but save them If so then this grand argument is a meere inconsequent from this Text. Hence the Rhemists in their Annotations on the New-Testament have this Note on this very text Notjustice nor al rigorous punishment of sinners is here forbidden nor Elias fact reprehended nor the Church nor Christian Princes blamed FOR PVTTING HERETICKS TO DEATH but that none of these should be done for desire of particular revenge or without discretion or regard of their amendment or example to others Therefore Saint Peter used his power upon Ananias and Saphyra when he struck them even to death for defrauding the Church which Doctor Fulke and Mr. Cartwright both approve and reply not thereto 3ly If the objected words of our Saviour bee rightly qualified in his owne sence farre different from that Mr. Dell would thrust upon them the absurdity of the Argument will more visibly appeare To cleare therefore their true meaning I shall compare them with a like speech of his Iohn 12. 47. For I came not to judge the world but to save the world and Math. 18. 11. Luke 9. 10. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost From whence it is evident First that these words of Christ were principally meant of destroying and saving mens lives in a spirituall not Naturall sence and that for all eternity For to make the end of Christs comming only to save mens lives from temporall destruction and preserve men from temporall death by the hand of humane Justice especially when they offend as Mr. Dell interprets it is infinitely to derogate from the prime end of his comming the rather because Christ saved only a few diseased persons lives not any Malefactors no not the penitent Theefes crucified with him from temporall death but saved all his
Elect from eternall death and destruction 2ly They must be thus understood that the principall end of Christs comming was not to destroy mens lives with temporall or spirituall destruction but to save them or at least not to destroy them without just grounds or not in any extraordinary manner with fire from Heaven or upon so slight an occasion as the Apostles would have him here but not his only end For Christ hhmselfe is a Rock of offence a stumbling blocke yea a savour of death unto death unto many and will grind some unto pouder 1. Pet. 2. 7. 8. 2. Corinth 2. 15. 16. Lu. 2. 34. Math. 21. 44. yea the very Angell of the Lord smote Herod that he was eaten up of Wormes and gave up the Ghost Acts 12. 23. And Christ by Peters ministery smote Ananias and Saphyra with temporal death Acts 5. 1. to 10. Since then this Text is to be understood in these senses and like that of Paul 1 Cor. 1. 17. For Christ sent me NOT to baptize that is not simply not to baptize any for that he did v. 14 15 16. but chiefely and principally but to preach the Gospel which is my principall and main businesse it will no wayes warrant Mr. Dels Anabaptisticall sense of or conclusion from it to wit that Christ came so to saveâ—mens lives as that he exempts the lives and persons even of Hereticks Blasphemers yea all malefactors from the power of Kings and Christian Magistrates so as they may not justly put them to death for any offences though most capitall Finally admit that Christ came to preserve the naturall lives of Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers and the grossest malefactors from the sword of justice and the Christian Magistrates power yet this extends not to secure them from imprisonments fines banishments and such other corporall punishments which are not capitall as Mr Dell here infers Therefore it no wayes warrants his conclusion against all corporall and outward punishments And so I have scattered this Brigade of his for ever rallying again The 6 Objection is this made by Mr Del and others God hath appointed his Word and the Ministery of it to be the instruments of converting men and stopping the mouths of gainsayers Tit. 1. 9. 11. for the casting down of imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of Christ and for bringing every thought into captivity and into obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. Yea God hath appointed the Ministers in meeknesse to instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth 2 Tim. 2. 24. 25. and to edifie the body of Christ till they all come in the unity of the Spirit unto a perfectman unto the measure and stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4. 11. 12. Yea Christ addes Mr Dell doth ALL THAT EVER HE DOTH in his Kingdome by his Word and Christ sent forth his Apostles not with any power of swords or guns or prisons to reform the world or with any power of States or Armies but sent forth poor illiterate mechanick men and only armed them with the power of the Word and behold what wonders they wrought by that power alone They turned the world up-side down they changed the manners customes religions worship lives and natures of men c. And all this they did not with any earthly or secular power but by the ministery of the Gospel alone Christs great and only instrument for the conquering subduing and reforming of the Nations By it and his Spirit he reformes not only all sinnes in the Church but Heresies Errors and False-doctrines which it seemes he counts no sins because not included in the former general ALL SINNES Ergo Heresies False religions Sects and Schismes ought to be tolerated by the Magistrate and reformed only by the Word but not suppressed and punished by a strong hand as by fining imprisoning disfranchising banishment death or the like which being outward cannot reach to reform or convert the inner-man which is beyond not only the power but cognisance of the Secular powers This was the Donatists and Anabaptists objection of old from whom Mr Dell hath borrowed it To this I answere 1. that though the word and Ministry of it be the principall meanes of converting reforming and convincing Hereticks Blasphemers Errors Schismes as is objected yet it no wayes justles out or destroyes the coercive power the corporall and capitall punishments of the Christian Magistrate for suppressing Heresies Errors Schismes Blasphemies and punishing those who are guilty of them under the Gospel no more then it did their suppressing and punishing of Idolatry and Blasphemy under the Law with temporall death and censures as I have formerly proved To make this apparent I shall lay down these Positions First that the greatest part of such who professe themselves Christians and converted to the outward imbracing and profession of the Gospel are yet not really nor inwardly converted to the saving obedience and practise of it Secondly that inward imbracing or outward profession of the Gospel doth not exempt Christians either from the power or punishment of the Magistrate for any evill deeds nor from committing such crimes or evill actions as may deserve the Magistrates censure and fall under his coercive and avenging power as is clear by Rom. 13. 1. to 7. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. Tit. 3. 1. Thirdly that obstinate Hereticks false Teachers Blasphemers Schismaticks are evill doers and Heresie Blasphemy Errors Schismes meer works of the flesh are under the proper jurisdiction and subject to the censures and coercive power of the Magistrate as well as other malefactors and carnall crimes Fourthly that conversion of Infidels and Pagans to christianity and the reclaiming of Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers Idolaters Seducers or other Malefactors from their evill wayes is one thing usually wrought by one kinde of instrument to wit the Word and ministery of it and the punishing suppressing restraining of such as these from the publick practise or venting of their Heresies Errors Schismes Blasphemies Idolatries or other crimes to the provoking of Gods wrath the hurt infection disturbance of others a quite other thing wrought by different meanes and instruments to wit by the civill Magistrates Sword and corporall censures To argue then as the Objectors doe That the word and Ministry of it are the vsuall and principal meanes appointed by Christ inwardly to convert men from Paganisme Heresie Idolatry Error Schisme unto the orthodox truth and to inward piety and Sincerity Ergo the Magistrate may not punish nor suppresse these crimes sinnes to hinder their outward spreading infecting of others or to prevent or remove Gods judgements or preserve the peace of Church State is a most grosse Non sequitur since both of them are co-ordinate and consistent together not jusling out one another 2ly I answere That the Apostles were no Magistrates but Preachers nor yet illiterate mechanicks as
examination beleeving it as an Oracle sent from Heaven because they vent it though there be no ground in Sctipture for it and cry it up for NEW LIGHT when in truth it is onely OLD HERESIE revived or NEW BLASPHEMY or Error guilded over with the name of Gospel-Light How many poor souls Master John Goodwin Master Peters Master Dell Master Saltmarsh Paul Hobson the Taylor now a shining light and their Confederates have thus captivated and led away with blind obedience is too well knowne to the world Ergo by Master Dâ—i's owne Doctrine since they have brought men with their New light and Crotchets â—â— beleeve and doe even what they please or prescribed though they know not whether it be with the Word or against the Word they must be from henceforth quite exploded out of the Church as well as the Magistrates coercive power prisons banishments losse of Goods or death or if they deny this consequence they must still admit of these in the Church to suppresse and punish Herefies Hereticks Schismes Blasphemies though they bring some into blind obedience as Ministers and their erronious New lights daily doe who produce more and farre worse blind obedience then the Magistrates coercive Lawes or Punishments Fiftly it is most evident that there alwayes hath been and ever will be much blind obedience in the Church of God arising principally from the Ignorance Idlenesse want of love to the truth and inconstancy of men and till God himselfe by his Spirit shall fully open the eyes of mens understandings to behold and their hearts to receivâ— love and hold fast the Truth the happinesse of few or none but the Elect they will be still possessed more or lesse with such a Blindnesse This therefore being the misery and punishment of mankind for their originall disobedience to God in Adams sinne of two inevitable blind obediences it is farre better fafer for people to beleeve as the State and Councell shall please and what the Parliament Assembly after much fasting prayer seeking unto God studying and searching of the Scriptures settle then what Mr Dell shall decree who understood not the very meaning of his Text as Mr Love hath proved and scarce of any one Scripture he quotes as I have evidenced or what Master Goodwin Master Peters Master Saltmarsh Paul Hobson or any other New light shall prescribe and set up of themselves without and against Authority especially since they beleeve and prescribe all with a Sâ—epticall Faith and reserve to change and alter at their pleasure and not to be bound by their present judgment or practice which for ought men know may alwayes ring the changes till their knels be rung they having been so variable heretofore and yet not fixed at the last certainly such a blind obedience to the Parliament State Councell and supreame Powers to whom God enjoynes Obedience in all lawfull and indifferent things will be farre more acceptable to God and all good men and freer from the brand of Popish Obedience then blind obedience to Master Dell or any other New Comet whatsoever with wilfull disobedience both to our Church State Parliament Lawes established Religion and Government the practice of the best and purest Churches of ancient and latter times from which these New lights vary out of affected singularity or to maintain a faction to bring about their owne worldly designes Finally the blind obedience of Hereticks Schismaticks false Teachers Sectaries and the like to Lawes and Punishments which would both restraine and reclaime them is farre more acceptable to God more profitable lesse hurtfull lesse damnable to themselves lesse pernicious to others lesse hurtfull scandalous to the Church and State wherein they live and more pleasing unto both then their obstinate Heresies Errors Schismes blasphemies are or can be and may through Gods blessing prove an effectall meanes of their reformation if not of their reall conversion to the Truth therefore ex duobus malis minimum the danger of â—lind obedience must neither exempt such from the Magistrates jurisdiction nor from his corporall or capitall punishments which are just and lawfull in themselves and may prove beneficiall or at lest lesse hurtfull to them of the two Finally the Magistrates compelling Hereticks and Schismaticks seduced to blind Obedience by their blind Leaders to come to the publick Ordinances where they may be truly informed instructed and converted to the truth is so farre from working blind obedience in them that it brings them to true and solid obedience upon just grounds of Scripture reason conviction and so is quite contrary to what is here objected And thus I have blowne up this strong Hold of this great Man of Warre as well as the former His next Objection is this 〈◊〉 Reformation or suppressing Heresies false Doctrines Blasphemies Schismes by externall Censures causes disturbances and tumults in the world when men are caused by outward power to act against their inward principles in the things of God what disturbances this hath bred in States and Kingdomes who knowes not So that they who lay hold on the power of men and goe abovt to reforme hearts and consciences by outward violence are never the cause of Reformation but alwayes of tumult And this renders the cause of the Gospel grievous and odious to the world rather then commendable and therefore let all that love the Gospel of Christ abstaine from outward violence for they that use the Sword in this kind shall in the end perish by the Sword This Argument and misapplication of our Saviours words is borrowed from the old Donatists and late Anabaptists as is evident by August Cont. Lit. Petilian Donatist l. 2. c. 88. Epist 48 50. Lucas Osiander Enchirid. contr cum Anabaptistis c. 9. qu. 1. p. 188. I answer first That this Argument is grounded on deduced from no Text of Scripture but meerly on and from worldly policy which Master Dell tels us must have no place in the Church of God no more then worldly power Secondly as we must not do evil that good may come of it so the Magistrate must not neglect to do justice and punish Hereticks Schismatick Seducers Idolaters and Blasphemers though outward mischiefes seditions tumults which they cause may ensue thereupon Master Dell I hope never preached this Doctrine either to our Victorious General or the Army that the taking up Armes against the King and his Malignant Forces in defence of our Parliament Religion Lawes Liberties would cause very great disturbances tumults murders and distractions in the Kingdome farre more far greater then the suppression of obstinate Hereticks or Schismaticks Ergo it was utterly unlawfull for them to take up Armes or fight or draw blood in this cause as Doctor Ferne and other Royallists argue from this very ground if he had preached any such Doctrine to them no doubt they would have casheered sequestred him longere this for such Malignant Divinity
death as unlawfull in it self but admits it lawfull and that they may deserve it Secondly That he speaks here onely of making a Law to put false Teachers and Seducers to death in that Age which he would by no meanes then admit of not because it was unlawfull but onely inconvenient at that time because it was likely to be abused to the shedding of innocent blood Thirdly that he held it then sufficient and lawfull too for the Magistrates to banish Seducers and false Teachers though they did not put them actually to death and by consequence held it lawfull to imprison and fine them too which is lesse then banishment yea him selfe writ to Methusum very earnestly that they should not receive the Anabaptists into their City but expell them so that Luther is point blank against Master Dell in that for which he cites him and for the Magistrates suppressing banishing Hereticks Schismaticks and Seducers I shall onely adde one passage more out of Luther point-blank against Master Dels opinion and quotation * Postil Dominica 5. post Epiphaniam .44 where interpreting the Parable of the Tares he resolves That the Masters bidding the servants let them alone till the Harvest doth neither inhibit nor restraine Church-Officers or the Civill Magistrate from restraining and punishing of Hereticks and other Malefactors with Ecclesiastical and temporall punishments concluding thence in these words Reliquae deindè sunt scandalorum cohertiones poenes Magistratum familiarum Patres morum disciplinae Magistros Hic adeò nulla phohibitio in suis officiis per hoc Christi praeceptum statuitur ut sunt haec omnia cum acerimis sanctissimis mandatis à Deo sancita Custodit Magistratus non solum secundam verùm OMNIUM MAXIME PRIMAM TABULAM Idololatrias Blasphemias Execrationes Perjuria ULCISCITUR Oblatas HAERETICAS in verum Deum contumeliosas atque alias eas BLASPHEMIAS DOCENTES COERCET Praefractiores atque in errore pertexendo contumaciores cum certissimo plurimum EXITIO pro malificiis PUNIENDOS SUSCIPIT Nequè cum boc facit Zizania evellere intelligitur quia cum suo officio in eo regno non versatür ubi interdictum de evellendis Zizaniis positum est Non igitur Magistratus hujus generis vitae corporalis Officiales quùm se scandalis perturbantibus tranquilitatem severa vindicatione obviam eunt Zizania contra Christi mentem evellunt sed id praestant pro parte sua ut verum Triticum in Ecclesia à Zizaniis non prorsus opprimatur Regnum Dei in terris non penitus exolescat Master Dell therefore might in wisdome have forborne his extravagant quotation of Luther whose Works I presume he never read which he tels us not where we may find among his numerous Volumes as he should have done His next quotation is a saying of Augustine out of Polanus but Augustine is most expresse against him not onely in his forecited passages against Petilian and the Donatists but in many others mustred up by Gratian Causa 23. quest 4 5. where you may read them at large to which I shall adde this sentence in his 166. Epistle where thus he writes To whom is it said Serve the Lord with feare c. is it not to Kings But how doe Kings serve the Lord with feare unlesse it be by a religious severity in prohibiting those things which are done against the Lords commands For every one of them serves him after one manner as be is a man after another manner as he is a King For as he is a man he serves him in living faithfully but as he is a King he serves him in prescribing Lawes commanding just things and prohibiting the contrary CONVENIENTI RIGORE SANCIENDO with convenient rigor and punishments like as Hezekiah served him in destroying Idols Groves and high Places And as Josiah served him And he addes this as a Reason elswhere Rex a Regendo dicitur non autem regat QUI NON CORRIGIT If Kings then be Kings of Hereticks Schismaticks Seducers Blasphemers Idolaters or Apostates as well as of other Subjects they must not onely governe but correct and punish them too by enacting severe Lawes against them and seeing them put in execution as this Father informes us That the devout and orthodox Roman Emperours not onely made severe Lawes against the Donatists and other Hereticks and Schismaticks but likewise appointed Dulcitius an eminent Colonel and Notary to take speciall care to see them executed Unhappy Master Dell to quote such a Father out of Polanus who is so pointblank against him and refutes his whole Sermon in his Books against the Epistles of Parmenianus and Petilian the Donatist Contra Cresconium Gram. Epist 48 50 as those who will take paines to peruse them may discover I wish this learned Gentleman hereafter to peruse and read Authors well before he quotes them and not to take them upon trust with such disadvantage to his cause and reputation too His other Authority out of Master Tyndal is nothing to purpose who speaks not one word against Kings Emperours or Christian Magistrates suppressing or punishing Hereticks and reforming the Church by outward power but writes expresly for it at large in his Books Intituled THE OBEDIENCE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN and THE PRACTICE OF POPISH PRELATES where he asserts That Kings and Magistrates are in the room of God that their Lawes are Gods Lawes and that they are to punish all evill doers and any sinne that shall break out and though he blameth them for being the Popes and Bishops Hangmen in his dayes to kill whomsoever they condemned without more adoe vpon their bare commandement without any due examination of the cause Yet if upon their owne examination they shall find them to be Heretecks or false Teachers he then admits They may justly punish and put them to death without any danger exciting both Emperours and kings to reforme the Church and to shake off the Yoake both of the Pope and Prelates together with their Canons Superstitions and false Doctrines So that this holy Martyr oppugnes Master Dels opinion for which he quotes him and speaks only of forcing Infidels by the Sword of war without instruction to embrace the Christian Faith His last Authority is Vlricus Ab Hutten but where his words are recorded he makes no mention neither are they pertinent being spoken to a Councell of Priests as he confesseth not to Christian Magistrates which yet he foisteth into his English translation of his words not being in the Latin Surely as this foisting is unsufferable so I must acquaint Master Dell that this quotation was very unhappy and fatall to his cause since this very Author hath written a Book DE SCHISMATE EXTINGUENDO wherein he refutes that very opinion he would fasten on him And thus I have given you a briefe account of Master Dels great skill and learning in mistaking mis-citing perverting every Author which he cites whose
coarguitur eorum stultitia qui vellent neglectà Dei cura juri inter homines dicundo tantum intentos esse Quasi verò praefectos Deus suo nomine constituerit qui terrenas controversias deciderent quod verò longè gravioris momenti erat praetermiserit ut ipse purè coleretur exLegis suae praescripto Sed huc turbulentos homines impellit impius omnia novandi cupiditas vt omnes violatae pietatis vindices è medio sublatos cupiant c. In his Comentary on Rom. 13. and elswhere he asserts the like and that Christian Princes and Magistrates are to suppresse and punish Heresies Schismes Blasphemies refuting the Anabaptists opinions and objections to the contrary Yea Master Calvin caused the Anabaptisticall Heretick Servetus to be put to death by the Magistrates of Geneva for his obstinate Heresie and Blasphemy for which being blamed by some Anabaptists he writ a particular Treatise wherein he demonstrates to the world Licitum esse in Haereticos gladio animadvertere that it was lawfull for the Christian Magistrate to put Hereticks to death as Beza records in his life and Bellarmine cites it too lib. 3. de Laicis cap. 21. Finally Master Calvin in his Praelectiones in Daniel cap. 4. ver 1. fol. 43. asserts the lawfulnesse of punishing Hereticks and Blasphemers even with death informing us what manner of persons they are and what they aime at who hold the contrary in these words Certum est quod cupiant Nam si quis ipsos respiciat SUNT IMPII DEI CONTEMPTORES not Saints saltem nihil vellent certum esse in Religione ideo labefactare quantum in se est etiam convellere nituntur omnia pietatis principia Ut ergò liceat ipsis evomere virus suum inde tantâ—â—ere litigant pro impunitate negant poenas de Haereâ—icis Blasphemis sumendas esse c. Rodolphus Gualther in his 44. Homily in Epist ad Galatas c. 4. from these words of the Apostle I would they wâ—â—â— even cut off that trouble you proves at large That Magistrates may and ought to suppresse Hereticks with civill and corpor all punishments and the Ring-leaders of them with death and capitall censures even under the Gospel according to the Prophesie of Zech. 13. 2 3. meant onely of the times of the Gospel And in his 76 Homily in Epist ad Rom. cap. 13. he affirmes the same asserting That the Christian Magistrates under the Gospell ought to punish all those offences with the Sword which God himself hath thought worthy to he punished with capitall censures Inter quae cùm omnium gravissima sint quae adversus primam tabulam cum divini nominis contemptu cultus prophanatione multorum aliorum seductione designantur PROCUL DUBIO in eorum Authores quà m severissimè pro delicti ratione animadverti debet Minimè ergò illorum sententiam probamus qui adorandae Trinitatis hostes aeternae Jesu Christi Divinitatis blasphematores plectandos esse negant Dicunt illi Fidem donum Dei esse neque aliquem ad rectâ— sentiendum cogi posse Sed nos vicissim dicimus contineri posse poenarum metu impostores ne virus haeresium spargant pravis dogmatibus rudes imperitos rerum seducent He addes that by this reason no Malefactors whatsoever should be punished because they commit those crimes for want of faith and grace which are Gods gift Learned Peter Martyr not onely in his Common places Classis 2. cap. 4. sect 30 to 43 but in his Comentary on Rom. 13. asserts the like affirming That many wicked men and Hereticks have been by the force of lawes and punishements inflicted on them converted from their sinnes and errors and by degrees brought to a câ—â—diall love and embracing of Vertue and the true Religion and that upon this reason Saint Augustine who at first thought the Magistrate ought not to punish Hereticks changed his opinion Solid Paraeus in his Comentary on Rom. 13. asserts and proves at large That it is and alwayes hath been the chiefest care of godly Kings and Magistrates to abolish false worships take away Idols and all instruments of Idolatry and to preserve the purity of Religion and Gods worship That they ought not to suffer impurity in Religion or to give liberty to every one to teach and professe what Religion he like but onely to defend tolerate and establish the true Religion and that they ought Edictis poenis impedire Blasphemias Haereses Idola Sacrilegia c. by lawes and punishments to restraine Blasphemies Heresies Idolatries Sacriledges Schismes and the like Which he there proves at large quoting the Lawes of many Emperours to this purpose And also de Jure Principis circa Ecclesiastica The like in effect if not in terminis is asserted and proved at large by Bullinger Aretius Bucer Fayus Brentius Jacobus Grynaeus Musculuâ— Oleuian Piscator Scultetus and generally all Protestant Comentators on Rom. 13. and Papists too whose words for brevity I pretermit To these I might adde Brentius de Republ. administr Capito de Jure Magistratus in Religione Musculus Comment in Psal 2. cited by Master Beza as concurring in opinion with him Gerrardus Loci Com. de Magistratu Polit. num 5. 33. who are of the same opinion Benedictus Aretius in his Historia Valentini Gentilis asserts That Blasphemous obstinate Hereticks may justly be put to death by the civill Magistrate as Gentilis was at Berne and Problem Locus 59. de Scismatibus he asserts That the chiefe Ring-leaders of Schismes and obstinate Schismaticks may lawfully be suppressed and punished by the civill Magistate as the Donatists were and enforced to come to the publick Ordinances by penall lawes by which means many have been reformed and converted as experience manifests Phillip Melancton not onely in his forecited passages but in his Council de Officio Magistratus in Ecclesiarum Reformatione Loci Com. de Sacramentorum Numero where he makes the Magistracy a Sacrament in some sense Erit Magistratus hoc modo SACRAMENTUM quia est certum genus bonorum oâ—erum ornatum verbe Dei promissionibus Rom. 13. even for the punishment of evill doers in the Church Historia de Incendio Serveti by a namelesse Author Hartmannus Springelius de hodiernis Haeresibus Haereticis Joannis Wigandus de Exiliis Facinorosorum Pseudomartyrlis Cl. G. Praet de Regia potestate in Ecclesia Hadrianus Saravia de Imperandi authoritate Christiana obedientia l. 2. c. 52 53 54. Lu. Osâ—auder Enchir. Contr. Com. Anabap. c. 9. assert the Magistrates coercive power to restrain punish Idolaters Hereticks Schismaticks with corporal censuresand death Learned Zanchius affirmes Omnes ferè ex nostratibus hujus sunt sententiae QUOD HAERETICI SUNT GLADIO PUNIENDI That in his time almost all Divines were of this opinion That Hereticks were to be punished with the sword or put to death Of the same mind is learned
peoples punishing Idolatry Blasphemy with other eâ—rots under the Law as well as under the Gospel Secondly it utterly subverts all Magistracy whatsoever for as a Magistrate may possibly fight and sinne against God through error and mistake in punishing Heresie Schism Blasphemy c. so likewise he may through ignorance misinformation bribes affection feare hatred Superiours commands and the like wrest Judgment and judge punish men unjustly not onely criminally or civilly but capitally too and so draw upon him the guilt of innocent blood Ergo it is unlawfull for any man to be a Magistrate or Judge between man and man much more to be a King whose exercise of his supream authority is usually liable to more dangerous sinnes corruptions manifold temptations abuses and dangers of fighting against God then other inferiour Officers Secondly this reason militates against all other Callings and Professions whatever which have their proper sinnes temptations that attend them but especially against the Ministry who are far more apt to broach Errors Heresies Schismes to fight against God and his Truth then Magistrates as the Objector hath done for many yeers together both in the Presse and Pulpit Therefore this Cretensis if he credit his owne argument must henceforth give over his preaching writing conventicling for feare of fighting every day more and more against God his Truth People since like evill men and seducers he grow every day worse and worse more hereticall and erronious and at last is like to turne either Atheist or nothing Thirdly it fights against the performance of all holy duties there being a great deale of danger in performing them our prayecâ—s may be turned into sinne the Word it selfe may be the savour of death unto us and condemne us at the last yea we may eat and drink our owne damnation at the Lords owne Table as many doe Ergo by Master Goodwins Argument we must abandon all holy duties in regard there are such dangers in them to our soules and then farewell all Religion and the Scriptures too which many wrest to their owne confusion Fourthly the danger of any lawfull power or calling must not take away nor suspend the lawfull use thereof and this danger in the Magistrates calling must make him more cautious in doubtfull cases of Heresie Blasphemy Error Schisme but not more negligent or lesse zealous in such as are cleer and evident to his conscience by the light of Scripture and consent of all Ages Churches Fiftly for his assumption it holds onely in doubtfull cases not in plaine and apparent as most cases of Idolatry Blasphemy Heresie grosâ—e Error and Schisme are which the Magistrate may boldly proceed to punish without scruple and in doubtfull cases the Magistrate is to resolve his owne conscience fully the best he may and to proceed with more deliberation mildnesse and if at last he be throwly convinced that what the Delinquents deem to be truth and agreeable to the Word be apparent Heresie Error Idolatry Schisme his owne conscience then not theirs must be his rule to proceed by neither must he wound his owne conscience nor betray his liberty trust to spare them or their Heresies Errors Schismes Blasphemies Idolatries no more then he may spare Traytors Murderers Theeves Sorcerers who deem themselves innocent oâ— pretend conscience to justifie their crimes But I have already refuted this Argument more largely in my Answer to former Objections I therefore passe to the next The fifteenth Objection is this That power which was never attributed to any Christian Magistrate by any Christian but onely by those who had very good assurance that it should be used fer them and on their side is not like to be a power conferred on them by divine right or by God because it is no wayes credible that within the compasse of so many Ages as are by gone no one man of that conscientious generation of Saints which hath been wont so frequently to deny it selfe even unto death should acknowledge such a power in the civill Magistrate as did by divine right belong unto him onely because such an acknowledgment was like to make against himselfe But that coercive power in matters of Religion for the suppressing of Errors Schismes Heresies c. was never attributed to the civill Magistrate by any Christian but onely by those who were very confident that it would be used for their turnes and effect their desires Ergo he ought not to claime it To this I answer first that this very Argument is built upon meer humane reason without any shadow of Scripture to warrant it and is a meere surmise of a crazy atheisticall braine to elude yea contradict direct Texts of Scripture by which kind of argumentation both the Scripture and Deity it selfe may be subverted by luxuriant wits Secondly this Arguer playes the hypocrite against his owne judgment and conscience tacitely confessing that if the civell Magistrote would be for him to set up Independency and not against him he would plead as hotly for his authority and coercive power as any Presbyterian but because he conceives the Parliament and Magistraâ—es are against his way therefore he pleads against their coercive power to suppresse it as the Donatists did of old upon this very ground who made use of Julian the Apostates Edicts against the orthodox Christians to restraine them but condemned Constantines Lawes to restraine themselves as is evident by St Augustines forecited passages yea our Independents at first seemingly pleaded for the Parliaments and civill Magistrates coercive power whiles they had any hopes to make use thereof for the advancement of their owne Party as the Arminians did in Holland till the States declared against them and then they retracted what they had written in defence of their coercive corrective power and writ expresly against it Thus the g Independents and Anabaptists doe now God defend us from such grosse Hypocrites and Turn-coots as this changling Objector who will be sure to strike in and make use of the prevailing Party if he conveniently may Thirdly Theeves Wolves Foxes yea all kind of hurtfull men and creatures might make the very selfe same argument as this Objector doth no Theeves but onely true men who thought the Judges sure on their party did ever hold it lawfull for Judges to condemne and hang men for stealing a little money or goods to supply their wants Ergo no Judge ought to claime or execute such a power No Wolf or Fox did ever hold it lawfull for any Shepheard to hunt take or kill them for killing and devouring their Lambs or Sheep because they did it by an instinct of nature according to their naturall genious onely to fill their bellies and satissie hunger but only Shepheards and Sheep-masters Ergo it is unlawfull for any to hunt take or kill them No Adulterer Whoremaster or Drunkard will averre that it is lawfull for the Magistrate to punish them for Adultery
5. where you may at large peruse them for your satisfaction I shall begin with Melancton himselfe the first Author Master Dell quotes for him who writes thus point-blank against him in his Loci Communes dedicated to our King HENRY the VIII Printed Anno 1536. De Magistratibus Civilibus Dignitate rerum Politicarum where thus he writes against the Anabaptists and Master Del's fanatick Saints Plurimum prodest in Ecclesia extare veram firmam doctrinam de Magistratibus dignitate rerum civilium Saepe enim exorti sunt Fanatici spiritus qui negarunt Christianis licere Magistratus gerere exercere judicia tenere imperia denique interdixerunt Christianis omnia officia civilis vitae rerum dominia contractus damnaverunt leges politicas quibus nunc Respublica utitur Et haec delyramenta non solum pepererunt seditiones sed etiam obscuraverunt Evangelium offuderunt enim caliginem animis quasi Christiana justitia ac vita sit externa ac nova quaedam Barbarica politia dissimilis aliis politiis humaniter constitutis Ita confuderunt disc imen vitae spiritualis politicae Adversus hujusmodi errores muniendi sunt animi vera doctrina de discrimine spiritualis politicae vitae tenenda dignitas rerum politicarum illustranda est Id prodest ad pietatem ad publicam tranquilitatem c. Celsus Julianus plerique alii criminantur Evangelium quod cum prohibeat vindictam dissipat Respub tollat jura belli judicia poenas confirmat latrocinia concedat licentiam impunitatem omnium scelerum Et hac criminatione mirum in modum deformarunt Evangelium Tenere igitur Christianos oportet quid de dignitate civilium rerum sentiendum sit ut liberent Evangelium hacâ— injustissima venenatissima calumnia ut suas conscientias de Officiis civilibus recte instituant Christianis licet Magistratus imperia tenere judicia exercere poenas constituere juxta praesentes leges mores Magistratum custodem esse non solum secundae tabulae sed etiam primae tabulae quod attinet ad externam disciplinam Hoc est ad Magistratum pertinet non solum cura tuendae tranquilitatis civium seu depellendi injurias corporum fortunarum sed etiam disciplinae in Religione retinendae Etsi enim poenae corporales non efficiunt in animis pietatem tamen Magistratus prohibere debet disciplinae causa externas Contumelias Religionis manifestam Idololatriam Blasphemias impia dogmata perjuria sicut vidimus IN OMNIBVS REBVSPVBLICIS mediocriter constitutis severis exemplis punitas esse violationes Religionum perjuria Et probat hanc sententiam ipse decalogus Non vanè usurpabis nomen Dei David inquit Et nunc Reges intelligite erudimini qui judicatis terram servite Domino c. Prov. 25. Aufer impietatem de vultu Regis firmabitur justitia thronus ejus 1 Regum 2. Glorificantes me Glorificabo contemnentes me reddam contemptos Et ne sumam ab Israelitico Rege exemplum Nabogdonozor Darius Medus apud Danielem proponunt edicta in quibus vetant dici blasphemiam contra Deum populi Israel Postrenâ—ò Paulus inquit Lex est pofita impiis prophanis hoc est Vt coerceat homines ne facta impia ac sacrilega designent Cum autem Magistratus sit custos legis ac disciplinae profecto maximè hanc partem tueri debet de externa reverentia erga Deum quod haec pars maximè ad disciplinam peâ—tinet sicut constat omnium gentium legibus puniri perjuria Deinde hoc consideret sapiens Magistratus unum hunc principalem finem esse quare ad societatem conditi sunt homines ut videlicet innotescat Deus ac glorificetur Homo eum ideo conditus est ut in eo illucescat Deus ut eum patefiat necessaria igitur fuit societas in qua alii docerent alios de Deo Constat autem Magistratum custodem esse humani societatis debet igitur fiuem societatis praecipuum etiam â—â—eri Et si vere volumus judicare hujus Pulcherrimi operis inter homines antistes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse debet ut optima discipline homines ad Religionem assuefiant ut Deus glorificetur Hic finis precipuè sapienti Gubernatori Respuâ— proposi us esse debet Ita veâ—è erunt beatae Respuâ— Deus enim viâ—issim defendet eas omnibus bonis cumulabit sicut dixit Glorificantes me Glorificabo DEBENT IGITUR MAGISTRATUS prohibere impios cultus impiorum Dogmatum professionem DEBENT PUNIRE HAERETICOS Sed viderint ut rectè judicent nec fiant Ministri alienae erndelitatis aut impiotatis Pertinet autem cognitio doctrinae ad Ecclesiam hoc est ad pios rectè doctos Estque Ecclesiae membrum ipse etiam Magistratus quem decet suis oculis maximè videre In hanc sententiam extant vetusti Canones de Synodis de cognitione doctrinae Deus ornat Reges honore nominis sui Ego dixi dii estis Videlicet Vt sciant sui officii esse vt res divinas intelligant conservant in mundo Religionem Justitiam Pacem Disciplinam By this it is most evident that Melancton is point-blank against that opinion for which Master Dell hath quoted him and for the Magistrates restraining punishing Hereticks and all false worship Master Dels next quotation in respect of Antiquity is Luther That Hereticks are not to be burned but cites not the place Indeed Luther being newly come out of Popery and beholding their cruelty in burning godly orthodox Christians under the name of Hereticks professeth his opinion to be against making any Law to put Hereticks to death for feare it should be wrested against those that were no Hereticks to their prejudice But yet he would have Hereticks banished his words are these in answer to this question An liceat Magistratui occidere Pseudoprophetas Ego ad judicium sanguinis TARDUS SUM Vbi etiam MERITUM abundat cum in hac tausa terret me exemplisequela quam in Papistis Antichristis in Judaeis videmus ubi cum statutum suisset Pseudoprophetas Judaeos occidi successu temporis factum est ut non nisi sancti prophetae innocentes truciderentur authoritate ejus statuti quo impii Magistratus freti Pseudoprophetas Haereticos fecerunt quosque voluerint Idem secuturum esse timeo apud noctros si semel uno exemplo probari potuit seductores esse occidendos cum adhuc apud Papistas videamus hujus staâ—nti innocentem sanguinem fundi pro nocente Quare nullo modo possum admittere falsos doctores occidi SATIS EST EOS RELEGARI qua poena si posteri abuâ—i volunt mitius tamen peccabunt fibi tantum nocebunt From which words it is evident First that Luther doth not simply condemne the putting of Hereticks to
Musculus Loc. Com. p. 1389. and Hugo Etherianus de Haeresibus Theodor Beza writes We teach that christian Magistrates ought to take speciall care that the pure and sincere worship of God may flourish and that they should RESTRAINE AND PUNISH Hereticks CAPITALI QUOQUI PENA SI NECESSITAS ET SCELERIS MAGNITUDO POSTUâ—ENT and that with capitall punishment if the necessity and the greatnesse of the crime so require rather then the Church should receive any dammage Which he elswhere asserts at large Operum Vol. 1. p. 83 to 171. in a particular learned Treatise De Haereticis a Civili Magistratu puniendis So Junius in Defensione 2. de Trinitate adversus Samotenianos Heidelb 1591. p. 40. Danaeus Ethicae Christianae l. 2. c. 13. elswhere are of the same judgment To whom I might adde Voetius de Tolerantia Anti-Trintariorum Becanus Locorum Com. Locus 49. the Professors of Leyden Censura Remonstr c. 24. sect 9. Spanhemius Diatribe Historica de Orig Progressu Sectis Num. Anabaptistarum with many other forraigne Divines whose names I spare all reformed Churches in forraigne parts concurring with me both in judgment and practice too Neither doe our owne Authors dissent but concurre jointly with these our Brethren witnesse Bishop Jewel and Master Perkins himself whose words I shall recite in the close of this Work Doctor Whitakers Adv. Campianum p. 234. Bishop Babington in his Comfortable Notes upon Exodus cap. 18. in his Works in Folio London 1622. p. 271 272 273. Doctor Fulke in his Answer to the Rhemist Testament on Apoc. sect 6. where he writes thus Though we allow the PUNISHMENT OF HERETICKS both in our owne and other Countries even with death yet we abhor the cruelty of Antichrist and his Church which condemne the Christians and murther them under the colour of Hereticks Doctor Robert Abbot de Suprema Potestate Regia Bishop Carlton of Jurisdiction Regall Episcopall and Papall John Bridges of the Kings Ecclesiasticall Supremacy Thomas Becon in his forecited works and Doctor Willet in his Sixfold Comentary on the Epistle to the Romans cap. 13. Controversie 4 5 6. Where thus he writes Princes ought not onely to take care about the affaires of the common-wealth and to be altogether carelesse of Religion but even unto Ecclesiasticall affaires and matters of Religion they ought to extend their Princely care and watchfulnesse First the Prince is the Minister of God for our good but the good of the Subject is not onely civill and temporall but spirituall concerning Religion Secondly Even the Heathen did ascribe unto their Kings a principal care even of Religion Wherupon the Emperors of Rome were stiled Pontifices Maximi the high Priests or Prelates and Aristotle writeth lib. 3. politic c. 10. that the Lacedemonian Kings had the command of War and rei divinae cultum exercuisse and did exercise divine worship unlesse they were such Sacrifices as were necessarily to be done by a Priest that therefore which by a common consent of Nations was given unto Kings ought not to be denied unto christian Princes Thirdly the care of Religion otherwise concerneth the Prince rather then private persons these onely are to wish well unto it and to accept of it but the Prince ought to be an Agent without whose power nothing can be effected publickly for the maintainance of Religion Secondly it belongeth to the Imperial power to maintain true Religion and see that no confused mixture of Religions be admitted for this is given as a reason in the time of the Judges why some followed Idolatry and strange worship because there was no King in Israel but every one did that which was good in his owne eyes Judges 17. 4. if there had been then a King they should not have been suffered every one to follow their owne fansies Thirdly Christian Princes are by their Lawes and Edicts to restraine all Blasphemy Idolatry Heresie Sacriledge and such like because Princes are to be feared for evill works their office is to restrain all evill works whatsoever such as these are and they are appointed to procure the good of their Subjects and consequently to take out of the way all impediments which may hinder their good such as these are The Romanists grant thus much that the Princes by their Lawes should provide against Heresie but they will exclude the Prince from all judgment of Heresie which must be in their opinion determined only by the Church c. Which all our Divines and Protestant Writers condemning is a strong evidence to me that Heretickes are properly triable onely by the Judges at the Common Law by way of Indictment not by the Clergy as their Heresie is criminall and capitall as well as Romish Priests and Jesuits This truth is very largely and learnedly asserted by Bishop Bilson in his True difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion by Bishop Davenant De Judice Norma Fidei cap. 15. p. 71 to 78. and other of the Episcopall Party whom I pretermit I shall conclude onely with such who have written since this Parliament The first of them is learned Master Samuel Rutherfurd in his Due Right of Presbyteries p. 352 to 370 where he propounds this Question Whether the Magistrate hath power to compell persons to a Church-profession For cleering whereof he layes downe and proves these five Conclusions I. The Magistrate may compell to the meanes and externall acts of worship and to restraine them from externall false worship of the false God or of the true God worshiped in a false way he cannot compell to internall acts of faith love and such like as hauing no power over the conscience II. There is one consideration of a Heathen or Pagan Nation which never received Christianity and the true Faith and another consideration of a Nation Baptized and professing Christ III. A Magistrate may compell a Heathen Nation to the negative reverence of Christ in an indirect way and that with the Sword though he cannot compell to the positive worshipping of him If a Christian Prince subdue a Pagan Nation he cannot force them with the Sword to a positive receiving of the Doctrine of the Gospel but if it be a Nation expresly blaspeming Christ as the Nation of the Jewes now doe he may compell them to an abstinence from a professed blaspheming of Christ because he is to use the sword against Blaspemy IIII. The compeling power of the Magistrate is terminated upon externall worship as abstracted from either hypocrisie or sincerity in worship V. Though no man resist the Magistrate in a matter of Religion except in a hypocriticall way save onely he who thinketh he hath reason to resist and is led by the judgment and inditement of conscience yet is not the judgment of conscience but onely the Word of God the rule of mans obedience or resisting in action purposes and conversation These five conclusions he there proves at large asserting That grosse Idolaters seducing Hereticks and universall
Apostales may and ought to be put to death and he cites Beza Junius Becanus Zanchius Perkins Danaeus Bullinger and the Professors of Leydon to be of this opinion That ringleading and seducing Hereticks are to be punished to death with many Popish Authors who are of the self same judgment Master Edwards in his Anti-Pologia and Gangraenaes asserts the like with our London Essex and Suffolk Ministers in their Petitions to both Houses for the punishing and suppressing of Heresies Schismes Blasphemies The Independents in New-England it selfe as Master Cotton Master Hooker and others are of the same judgment and de facto banished Master Williams Mistris Hutchinson and other Hereticks and Schismaticks out of their Plantation In few words John Goodwin himselfe in a Book intituled M. S. to A. S. p. â—0 Master Henry Burton in his Vindication of the Churches commonly called Independent p. 70. and Master Jeremy Burroughs of Heart-Divisions p. 20 21. three grand Independents conclude against Master Dell That the Magistrate may fight with and punish Superstition Heresie Schisme as well as with corruption of manners where there is no danger of fighting against God And Mastor Burroughs from Zech. 13. 3. grants That in the times of the Gospel of which this Text is a Prophesie all erronious or idolatrous Prophets or Teachers should be brought before the civill Magistrate to receive condigne punishment even to the taking away of life in some cases Finally even the very Ringleaders of the Anabaptists themselves who to propagate their owne errors without restraint first cryed doâ—me the Magistrates coercive power in matters of Faith asserting That they ought not by their Lawes and Edicts to compell men to come to the publick meetings or punish any man with corpopall or capitall punishments for any error or heresie and at last denied Magistracy it selfe Did afterwards when they got the power into their owne hands not onely make and proclaime themselves Magistrates and Kings exercising more barbarous bloody tyrannies then the worst of Tyrants ever did but professedly asserted and maintained That all those who would not be Re-baptized and embrace their fanatick opinions were to be slaine and put to death as wicked men and Infidels and their Lands and Goods to be confiscated to themselves the onely Saints and accordingly they murdered and put to death many of their owne Members and thousands of others in Suaben Munster and other parts of Germany violently seizing on their Lands Castles Houses Goods till they were themselves suppressed and dissipated by the sword and above an hundred thousand of them slaine and executed in sundry places of Germany as the Marginall Authors record at large Therefore their own pactice Doctrine subverts this their pretended Anti-Magistraticall position It did so heretofore in Germany and dotâ— so already even in New and Old England where they have any power and I pray God we feel not as sad effects and symptomes hereof ere long at home as ever they did in Germany All these Authorities will I hope overballance Master Dels opinion and mis-quotations to the contrary Having fully answered and totally routed all Master Dels forces against the coercive power of the civill Christian Magistrate in case of Heresie Schisme Blasphemy I shall next fall upon a few Reserves of some of his Saints in the Army and of their Champion Master John Goodwin which I shall quickly scatter and then conclude The twelfth Objection made by some Sectaries in the Army against the Magistates punishment of Blasphemy is thus expressed in a Letter written by a godly Minister June 3. 1646. who was then in the Army They would not have the old Military orders set forth by the Earle of Essex observed That BLASPEMERS should be boared through the Tongue The argument that they urged was That sinnes which are directly against God should be punished by God Upon which ground they hold that Heresie Atheisme c. should not be punished by the Magistrate because they are sinnes directly against God c. To this I shall answer first that if this ground were true then God the Fountaine of Justice being as able to punish sinnes directly against himselfe as well under the Law as Gospel would not have in positive tearmes commanded such who were guilty of open Blasphemy and Idolatry being sinnes directly against him to be stoned and put to death without any mercy as I have proved he did and those godly Magistrates and Princes wsto punished Idolaters with death under the Law had been Murderers and Delinquents This argument therefore which taxeth God himselfe and his precepts of direct injustice under the Law must be rejected by the Objectors as blasphemous or else they must make it appeare by Scripture that though these sinnes under the Law were by Gods owne command to be punished with death by the civill Magistrate and people yet now under the Gospel he hath resumed the power of punishing them onely to himselfe and deprived Christian Magistrates of it which they can never doe Secondly By this reason Magistrates must not punish direct Atheists openly professing there is no God nor such Hereticks who deny the Trinity or the Deity of Christ and the holy Ghost nor such as deny there is any Heaven or Hell since these sinne directly against God himselfe O the piety of Master Dels anointed faithfull Saints is this their zeale their piety their sanctity Thirdly they must by this reason punish no sinne at all no not Rebellion Murder Treason Sorcery Adultery for these sinnes are directly committed against God who prohibits and whose prohibition makes them sinnes but sinnes onely indirectly against men as they are Gods creatures and beare his image Fourthly if this paradox be true then by the self same reason God himselfe is not to punish any sinne committed imediatly against men as Murder Adultery c. nor may God nor man punish sinnes committed by beastly men with Beasts because not directly committed against God or man in the Objectors sense and then what becomes of the truth of Heb. 13. 4. Revel 21. 8. cap. 22. 15. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge and they shall have their Portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and Erimstone And of Levit. 18. 23. cap. 20. 15 16. If a man lye with a Beast he shall be surely put to death and he shall slay the Beast And if a woman approach unto any Beast and lye downe thereto thou shalt kill the woman and the Beast they shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them Fiftly the Magistrates are but Gods Ministers Avengers Deputies to execute wrath upon all evill doers whence in Scripture they are called Gods said to sit on Gods Throne and to judge for the Lord Therefore certainly they may and ought to punish all sins directly acted against God whose Deputies they are rather and more severely then any other as Judges and Kings