Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bear_v	flesh_n	kingdom_n	6,050	5	7.3681	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56215	The sword of Christian magistracy supported, or, A vindication of the Christian magistrates authority under the Gospell, to punish idolatry, apostacy, heresie, blasphemy, and obstinate schism, with corporall, and in some cases with capitall punishments ... by William Prinne of Lincolns Inne, Esquire.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing P4099; ESTC R15969	222,705	186

Mothers for man-slayers c. and ANY OTHER THING CONTRARY TO SOUND DOCTRINE Whereas against the fruits of the Spirit there is no Law Gal. 5. 22 23. that is to punish them or any Christians for them Whence I thus argue If Heresies Idolatry Schisms Blasphemies too as Christ resolves Mat. 15. 19 Mar. 2. 22. be works of the flesh not Spirit as wel as Witchcraft Murders deserving death as wel as they and the Law of God is made for the punishment of the disobedient ungodly unholy and prophane and whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine as wel as for Murderers of Fathers and Mothers and Man-slayers then the Christian Magistrate under the Gospel when he sees just cause may and ought by the Law of God to punish men with corporal and capital punishments for Heresies Idolatry Blasphemies and dangerous Schismes being works of the flesh as well as for Murther Witchcraft and such as murther and destroy mens souls as wel as those who only murther their bodies since no reason can be rendred out of Scripture why they should punish some works of the flesh only and not others But the Supposition is true and ratified by the forecited texts Ergo the Sequel cannot be gainsaid but must be granted If any Object That the Subjects of Christs Kingdom are a spiritual people born of the Spirit and therefore without the reach of any outward force and beyond not only the power but cognizance of the Magistrate secular powers which are but a carnal and worldly Institution I answer First that the Heresies Errors Schisms Blasphemies of such as are pretended to be a spiritual people and Subjects of Christs Kingdom born of the Spirit are meerly carnal and works of the flesh not Spirit as Paul expresly resolves therefore admit the Magistrate and secular power to be but a carnal Ordinance they are yet within the reach and cognizance both of their power and censure as well as Treasons Murthers and other Felonies of such Saints and spiritual people Secondly The Argument is but a meer fallacy Flesh and blood and the Civil Magistrate hath nothing to do with them that are born of the Spirit in things of the Spirit Ergo It hath nothing to do with them in the fruits and works of their flesh which deserve both punishment and censure Thirdly This Objection casts a scandal reproach upon Magistrates and their Authority in calling them the power of the world flesh and blood a car●●l Ordinance outward and secular power as if they were not Gods Ordinance as wel as Ministers of the Word for the good of men and punishment of all Malefactors as wel Saints as others as is resolved Row 13. 1. to 6. Fourthly It is a meer Popish Argument used by the Pope and Popish Clergy in former times to exempt themselves from all secular power abusing that text of 1 Cor. 2. 15. But he that is spiritual judgeth all thing● yet hee himself is judged of no man which I wonder Mr Dell forgot to quote as those who now object it may read at large in Antiqu. Ecclesiae Brit. p. 245. and sundry Popish Authors De Immunitate et Exemptione Clericorum So that these New-Lights who pretend themselves most opposite to Popery do but in truth revive it among us in an higher degree then ever by giving to all those they please to stile Saints spiritual people or the faithful the very same yea a greater exemption from the civil Magistrates power then ever the Papists gave unto their Clergy only and no others My eleventh Argument is this Private Christians are strictly and frequently enjoyned to beware of avoyde turn away from and not to receive or admit into their houses any Hereticks Apostates Schismaticks or false Teachers Matth. 7. 15. Rom. 16. 17 18. Phil. 3. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 16. 17. c. 3. 5 6. c. 4. 15. 2 Pet. c. 3. 17. 2 John 10. 11. Yea when and where there were no Christian Magistrates to restrain and punish them the Apostles themselves delivered them unto Satan 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. Wished that they were even cut off for troubling the Church Gal. 5. 12. Willed Ministers to stop their mouthes rebuke them sharply and after the first and second admonition to reject because they subverted whole houses and overthrew the faith of many Tit. 1. 11. 13. c. 3. 10 11. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. 2 Tim. 2. 18. And the Churches of Pergamus Thyatira and the Angels of them when they had no Christian Magistrates are particularly blamed by God for suffering such who held the doctrine of Baalam and of the Nicholaitans which Christ hated and for SUFFERING that woman Jezebel who called her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce his servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto Idols Threatning to cast her and those that committed fornication with her into great tribulation unlesse they repented Yea saying I WIL KIL HER CHILDREN WITH DEATH and all the Churches shal know that I am he which searcheth the reins and heart and I wil give unto every of you according to your works Rom. 2. 14. to 24. Therefore when and where there are Christian Magistrates they may and must by like reason expel reject banish such out of their Dominions not admit them into their territories cut them off for troubling the Church stop their mouthes and not suffer them to teach and seduce their people yea kil them and their children where there is just cause with death since Christ himself threatens to do it not only immediately by himself but also mediately by the Magistrates who are his Ministers Avengers and must not bear the Sword in vain but punish such evil doers with it Rom. 13. 3 4. and to render to them according to their works The Argument holds undeniably because Christian Princes and Magistrates are the Nursing fathers of the Church to defend protect it against these Seducers and devouring wolves to preserve the peace the unity of it and the purity of Doctrine and worship in it as the Scripture warrants and Divines have ever asserted in all ages of the Church til some New-Lights and Sectaries of late opposed it in others to procure impunity to themselves to vent their Errors without controle My twelfth Argument shal be deduced from these following Gospel Texts Luke 19. 27. Where Christ after the Parable of the Talents concludes thus But those mine Enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring hither AND SLAY THEM BEFORE MY FACE Christ doth not slay them immediately himself but the Magistrates who are his Ministers servants revengers they are to bring and slay them before his face for their Treason and Rebellion against him Mat. 21. 33. to 44. Mark 12. 1. to 12. Luke 20. 9 to 19. Where the Lord of the Vineyard who let it out to husbandmen who stoned his servants and killed his Son when he cometh he wil miserably DESTROY those wicked men and let

presumptuous self-willed despise Government speak evil of dignities and bring rayling accusations against them never so really verified as by our false Teachers Separatists Anabaptists and New-Lights at this present who despise and speak against all Church-government in a most presumptuous manner speaking evil and bringing rayling accusations against our Parliament Assembly Magistrates Ministers Church Laws Covenant Directory and what not both in Press and Pulpit Tenthly That these false Teachers damnation and their followers judgment now of a long time lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not and that these as natural bruite beasts made to be taken and destroyed shal utterly perish in their own corruption and receive the reward of unrighteousness at the last either from the hands of the Christian Magistrate who justly may yea ought to destroy and cut off such with the Sword of Justice or else by the avenging hand of that just God who spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hel drowned the Old World with a Flood and turned the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes who is as just as severe now as ever If any hence Object from Vers 9. That the Christian Magistrate hath no authority to punish such false Teachers who bring in damnable Heresies c. because God reserves the wicked to the day of Judgment to be punished I Answer that the Argument holds not First Because God forbearing his own immediate punishing of men till the day of Judgement is no supersedeas to the Magistrates punishment of them here for then no kind of impenitent Malefactors should be punished by the Magistrates in this life because God reserves his own punishing of them till the day of Judgement So that this position if admitted would wholy take away the Civil Christian Magistrates Judicatory Power contrary to Rom. 13. 4. and 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. and condemn Gods proceedings against Idolaters c. in the O. Testament Secondly Because Gods own punishing of such here with Plagues and other temporal punishments no wayes impeacheth nor hindreth the executions of the Magistrates Censures on them as I have formerly proved Thirdly The Apostle here informs us that such mens damnation slumbreth not and their Judgment lingreth not and that they bring upon themselves swift destruction Therefore their punishment is not always to be respited to the generall day of Judgment but to be executed speedily on them here Fourthly The reserving such to the day of Iudgment to be punished is not to be understood here of the general day of Judgment to come hereafter but of the day of their particular Judgment here as is clear by the preceding Verses The day of Judgment to the Old World was the day when God brought the Flood upon them the day of Judgment to Sodom and Gomorrah was the day God turned them into ashes and condemned them with an overthrow and the day here meant to which God reserves such Fals Teachers is the day wherein he bringeth swift destruction upon them by the Magistrates Sword of Justice or his own immediate Judgments not the general day of Judgment for then their destruction so long deferred would not be swift and their Judgment and Damnation would justly be said to linger to slumber contrary to the Text Fifthly Admit it meant of the general day of Judgement yet God reserves not False Teachers and damnable Hereticks till that day to be punished with eternal damnation and destruction but where Magistrates neglect to punish them with temporal damnation and destruction which through Gods blessing might be a means to free them from eternal So that this Text duly considered is in my apprehension a sufficient warrant and commission for all Christian Magistrates under the Gospel speedily to punish all fals Teachers who privately or openly bring in damnable Heresies with swift destruction and capitall censures inflicted by them upon conviction in a way of Justice My ninth Argument is this Hereticks False Teachers Seducers and obstinate Schismaticks are stiled not only in the Old but New Testament Foxes litle foxes Wolves in sheeps clothing ravenous grievous Wolves who spoil and devour the Flock yea Theeves and Robbers who come only to steal kil and destroy Christs sheep and the like Cant. 2. 15. Math. 7. 15. John 10. 8. to 14. Acts 20. 29 30. And not only Ministers but likewise godly Magistrates are the Shepherds and Pastors of Christs flock to preserve defend them from and chase away take and if need be destroy and kil these Foxes Wolves Theeves Robbers 2 Chron. 18. 16. Psa 78. 76. 71 72 Isa 49. 23. Cant. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 2. 2. As therefore Shepherds lawfully may and ought to drive away Foxes Wolves Theeves Lyons Bears and other beasts of prey from their sheepfolds and take and kil them too for the preservation of their flocks as David did kil the Lyon and the Bear that devoured his Fathers sheep 1 Sam. 17. 34 35 36. Cant. 2. 15. Jer 31. 4. John 10. 12 13. So doubtlesse godly Christian Magistrates and Shepherds under the Gospel may yea ought to chase away and banish these pernicious Foxes these ravenous grievous Wolves Bears Lyons Theeves which devour their flocks and apprehend and kil them too where they see just cause to preserve Christs sheep from being devoured and his flock from being destroyed by them These very Titles wherewith the Scripture brands them being a sufficient warrant for such proceedings We read Exod. 21. 28 29. If an Ox gore a man or woman that they dye then the Ox shal be surely stoned and the owner quit But if the Ox were wont to push with his horn in time past and it hath been testified to his owner and he hath not kept him in but that he hath killed a man or woman the Ox shal be stoned and the OWNER ALSO SHAL BE PUT TO DEATH Certainly if an Ox that kils the body but of one man or woman with his horn must thus be stoned to death and his owner too for not restraining him if he formerly used pushing then much more may seducing Hereticks False Teachers Blasphemers Schismaticks who gore the souls of hundreds to death and those Magistrates who willingly countenance and keep them not in by Laws and Punishments from goring the souls of others that they dye be punished and put to death My tenth Argument shal be this The Apostle informes us Gal. 5. 19 20. That Idolatry Schisms Heresies are works of the flesh not Spirit and couples them with Witchcrafts and Murders adding that those who do such things shal not inherit the Kingdom of God Yea he informes us Rom. 1. 32. That those who commit such things ARE WORTHY OF DEATH And 1 Tim. 1. 9 10. The Law is not made for the righteous man that is to restrain and punish him but for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and prophane for murderers of Fathers and murderers of

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 save●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