them but not invest them with office amongst them Secondly the Maintenance of Church-officers being to arise from all those who are ordinarily taught thereby Gal. 6. 6. hence it is the dutie of the Civill Magistrate to contend with the people as Nehemiah did chap. 13. ver 10. 11. who doe neglect and forsake the due maintenance of the Church of God and to command them to give such portions for the maintenance of Church officers as the Gospell commandeth to be offered to them freely and bountifully 2. Cor. 9. 5 6 7. According as Hezekiah commanded the people to give to the Priests and Levites the portions appointed by the Law that they might be incouraged in the Law of the Lord 2 Chron. 31. 4. Thirdly the furnishing the Church with set officers depending much upon erecting and maintenance of Schooles and good education of youth and it lying chiefly in the hand of the Magistrate to provide for the furthering thereof they may therefore and should so farre provide for the Churches as to erect Schooles take care for fit Governours and Tutours and commend it to all the Churches if they see it meet that in all the Churches within the Jurisdiction once in a yeare and if it may be the Sabbath before the Generall Court of Election there be a Free-will offering of all people for the maintenance of such Schooles And the monies of every Towne so given to be brought on the day of Election to the Treasurie of the Colledge and the monies to be disposed by such who are so chosen for the disposing thereof Truth In the choice of officers it is very obscure what they mean by this supreme power of Christ Jesus sending to preach We know the Commission of the Lord Jesus to his first Messengers to goe into all Nations to preach and gather Churches and they were immediately sent forth by him but Mr. Cotton elswhere boldeth that there is now extant no immediate Ministry from Christ but mediate that is from the Church Let us first see how they agree with themselves and secondly how they agree with the Magistrate in this busines First if they hold a sending forth to preach by Christs supreme power according to Math. 28. Mark 16. Rom. 10. they must necessarily grant a time when the Church is not but is to be constituted out of the Nations and Peoples now converted by this preaching whence according to the course of Scripture the nature of the Worke and their own Grant in this place it is apparent that there is a Ministery before the Church gathering and espousing the Church to Christ and therefore their other Tenent must needs be too light viz. that there is no Ministry but that which is mediate from the Church Peace Blessed Truth this doctrine of a Ministry before the Church is harsh and deep yet most true most sweet Yet you know their Ground that two or three Godly persons may joyne themselves together become a Church make officers send them forth to preach to convert baptize and gather New Churches Truth I answer first we find not in the first institution and pasterne that ever any such two or three or more did gather and constitute themselves a Church of Christ without a Ministrie sent from God to invite and call them by the Word and to receive them unto fellowship with God upon the receiving of that Word and Message And therefore it may very well be quaeried how without such a Ministry two or three become a Church and how the power of Christ is conveyed unto them Who espoused this people unto Iesus Christ as the Church at Corinth was espoused by Paul 2 Cor. 11. If it be said themselves or if it be said the Scriptures let one instance be produced in the first patternes and practices of such a Practice It hath been generally confest that there is no comming to the Mariage feast without a Messenger inviting sent from God to the Soules of men Matth. 22. Luc. 14. Rom. 10. We finde when the Thessalonians turned to God from their Idolls to serve the living and true God 1 Thessal 1. 9. it pleased God to bring a Word of Power unto them by the mouth of Paul in the same place Peace You know deare Truth it is a common plea that Gods people now are converted already and therefore may congregate themselves c. Truth Two things must here be cleered First doth their conversion amount to externall turning from Idolls I Thess. 1. 9. beside their internall Repentance Faith Love c. Secondly who wrought this conversion who begot these Children for though the Corinthians might have ten thousand Teachers yet Paul had begotten them by the Word 'T is true as Mr. Cotton himselfe elsewhere acknowledgeth God sendeth many Preachers in the way of his providence even in Babel mysticall though not according to his Ordinance and Institution So even in the wildernesse Rev. 12. God provideth for the sustentation of the woman Rev. 12. by which provision even in the most Popish times and places yea and by most false and Popish callings now in this lightsome Age confest so to be God hath done great things to the personall conversion consolation and salvation of his people But as there seems yet to be desired such constitution of the Christian Church as the first institution and patterne calls for So also such a calling and converting of Gods people from Antichristian Idols to the Christian Worship And therefore such a Ministry according to the first patterne sent from Christ Iesus to renew and restore the Worship and Ordinances of God in Christ. Lastly if it should be granted that without a Ministry sent from Christ to gather Churches that Gods people in this Country may be called converted from Antichristian Idolls to the true worship of God in the true Church estate and Ordinances will it not follow that in all other Countries of the World Gods Elect must or may be so converted from their severall respective false worships and Idolatries and brought into the true Christian Church estate without such a Ministry sent unto them Or are there two wayes appointed by the Lord Iesus one for this Country and another for the rest of the World Or lastly if two or three more without a Ministry shall arise up become a Church make Ministers c. I ask whether those two or three or more must not be accounted immediately and extraordinarily stirred up by God and whether this be that supreme power of Christ Iesus which they speake of sending forth two or three private persons to make a Church and Ministers without a true Ministry of Christ Iesus first sent unto themselves Is this that commission which all Ministers pretend unto Mat. 28. 19. c. first in the hands of two or three private persons becomming a Church without a mediat call from which Church say they there can be no true Ministry and yet also confesse that Christ sendeth
doubtlesse so farre as they have gone they bid the most and make the fairest plea for the puritie and power of Christ Iesus let the rest of the Inhabitants of the World be Judges Let all the former well be viewed in their externall State pomp riches conformitie to the World c. And on the other side let the latter be considered in their more through departure from sinne and sinfull Worship their condescending generally to the lowest and meanest contentments of this life their exposing of themselves for Christ to greater sufferings and their desiring no Civill sword nor Arme of Flesh but the two-edged sword of Gods Spirit to try out the matter by and then let the Inhabitants of the World judge which come neerest to the doctrine holines povertie patience and practice of the Lord Jesus Christ and whether or no these later deserve not so much of Humanitie and the Subjects Libertie as not offending the Civill State in the freedome of their Soules to enjoy the common aire to breath in CHAP. CXX Peace DEare Truth you have shewne me a little draught of Zions sorrowes her children tearing out their mothers bowels O when will Hee that stablisheth comforteth and builds up Zion looke downe from Heaven and have mercy on her c. Truth The Vision yet doth tarry saith Habacuk but will most surely come and therefore the patient and believing must wait for it But to your last Proposition whether the Kings of Israel and Judah were not types of Civill Magistrates now I suppose by what hath been already spoken these things will be evident First that those former types of the Land of the People of their Worships were types and figures of a spirituall Land spirituall People and spirituall Worship under Christ. Therefore consequently their Saviours Redeemers Deliverers Iudges Kings must also have their spirituall Antitypes and so consequently not civill but spirituall Governours and Rulers lest the very essentiall nature of Types Figures and Shadowes be overthrowâ—e Secondly although the Magistrate by a Civill sword might well compell that Nationall Church to the externall exercise of their Naturall Worship yet it is not possible according to the rule of the New Testament to compell whole Nations to true Repentance and Regeneration without which so farre as may be discerned true the Worship and holy Name of God is prophaned and blasphemed An Arme of Flesh and Sword of Steele cannot reach to cut the darknesse of the Mind the hardnesse and unbeleefe of the Heart and kindely operate upon the Soules affections to forsake a long continued Fathers worship and to imbrace a new though the best and truest This worke performes alone that sword out of the mouth of Christ with two edges Rev. 1. 3. Thirdly we have not one tittle in the New Testament of Christ Iesus concerning such a parallel neither from Himselfe nor from his Ministers with whom he conversed fourty dayes after his Resurrection instructing them in the matters of his Kingdome Acts 1. Neither find we any such commission or direction given to the Civill Magistrate to this purpose nor to the Saints for their submission in matters spirituall but the contrary Acts 4. 5. 1 Cor. 7. 23. Coloss. 2. 18. Fourthly we have formerly viewed the very nature and essence of a Civill Magistrate and find it the same in all parts of the World where ever people live upon the face of the Earth agreeing together in Townes Cities Provinces Kingdomes I say the same essentially Civill both from 1. the rise and fountaine whence it springs to wit the pâ—â—ples choice and free consent 2. The Object of it viz. the common-weale or safety of such a people in their bodies and goods as the Authours of this Modell have themselves confessed This civill Nature of the Magistrate we have proved to receive no addition of power from the Magistrates being a Christian no more then it receives diminution from his not being a Christian even as the Common-weale is a true Common-weale although it have not heard of Christianitie and Christianitie professed in it as in Pergamus Ephesus c. makes it ne're no more a Commonweale and Christianitie taken away and the candlestick removed makes it ne're the lesse a Commonweale Fifthly the Spirit of God expresly relates the worke of the civill Magistrate under the Gospel Rom. 13. expresly mentioning as the Magistrates object the duties of the second Table concerning the bodies and goods of the subject 2. The reward or wages which people owe for such a worke to wit not the contribution of the Church for any spirituall work but tribute toll custome which are wages payable by all sorts of men Natives and Forreigners who enjoy the same benefit of publick peace and commerce in the Nation Sixthly Since the civill Magistrate whether Kings or Parliaments States and Governours can receive no more in justice then what the People give and are therefore but the eyes and hands and instruments of the people simply considered without respect to this or that Religion it must inevitably follow as formerly I have touched that if Magistrates have received their power from the people then the greatest number of the people of every Land have received from Christ Iesus a power to establish correct reforme his Saints and servants his wife and spowse the Church And she that by the expresse word of the Lord Psal. 149. binds Kings in chaines and Nobles in links of iron must her selfe be subject to the changeable pleasures of the people of the World which lies in wickednesse 1 Iohn 5. even in matters of Heavenly and spirituall Nature Hence therefore in all controversie concerning the Church Ministrie and worship the last Appeale must come to the Bar of the People or Commonweal where all may personally meet as in some Commonweales of small number or in greater by their Representatives Hence then no person esteemed a beleever and added to the Church No Officer chosen and ordained No person cast forth and excommunicated but as the Common-weale and people please and in conclusion no Church of Christ in this Land or World and consequently no visibly Christ the Head of it Yea yet higher consequently no God in the World worshipped according to the institutions of Christ Jesus except the severall peoples of the Nations of the World shall give allowance Peace Deare Truth Oh whither have our Forefathers and teachers led us higher then to God himselfe by these doctrines driven out of the World you cannot rise and yet so high must the inevitable and undeniable consequences of these their doctrines reach if men walke by their owne common Principles Truth I may therefore here seasonably adde a seventh which is a necessary consequence of all the former Arguments and an Argument it selfe viz. we finde expresly a spirituall power of Christ Iesus in the hands of his Saints Ministers and Churches to bee the true Antitype of those
of God to make the Ministry one of the foundations of the Christian Religion Heb. 6. 12. and also to make the Ministrie of the Word and Prayer in the Church to be two speciall works even of the Apostles themselves Acts 6. 2. I shall desire it may be well considered in the feare of God First concerning the Ministery of the Word The New-English Ministers when they were new elected ordained Ministers in New EnglaÌ„d must undeniably grant that at that time they were no Ministers notwithstanding their profession of standing so long in a true Ministry in Old England whether received from the Bishops which some have maintained true or from the People which Mr. Cotton others better liked and which Ministrie was alwayes accounted perpetuall and indelible I apply and aske Will it not follow that if their new Ministry and Ordination be true the former was false and if false that in the exercise of it notwithstanding abilities graces intentions labours and by Gods gracious unpromised extraordinary blessing some successe I say will it not according to this distinction follow that according to visible rule Fellowship with God was lost Secondly concerning Prayer The New English Ministers have disclaimed and written against that worshipping of God by the Common or set formes of Prayer which yet themselves practised in England notwithstanding they knew that many servants of God in great sufferings witnessed against such a Ministrie of the Word and such a Ministrie of Prayer Peace I could name the persons time and place when some of them were faithfully admonished for using of the Common prayer and the Arguments presented to them then seeming weake but now acknowledged sound yet at that time they satisfied their hearts with the practice of the Author of the Councell of Trent who used to read only some of the choicest selected Prayers in the Masse-booke which I confesse was also their own practice in their using of the Common-Prayer But now according to this distinction I ask whether or no fellowship with God in such prayers was lost Truth I could particularize other exercises of Worship which cannot be denied according to this distinction to be of the waightier points of the Law to wit What God we Worship and with what kind of worship wherein fellowship with God in many of our unclean and abominable Worships hath been lost Only upon these premises I shall observe First that Gods people even the standard-bearers and leaders of them according to this distinction have worshipped God in their sleepy ignorance by such a kind of Worship as wherein fellowship with God is lost yea also this it is possible for them to do after much light is risen against such Worship and in particular brought to the eyes of such holy and worthy persons Secondly there may be inward and secret fellowship with God in false Ministeries of Word and Prayer for that to the eternall prayse of Infinite Mercy beyond a word or promise of God I acknowledge when yet as the distinction saith in such worship not being right fellowship with God is lost and such a service or ministration must be lamented and forsaken Thirdly I observe that Gods people may live and die in such kindes of worship notwithstanding that light from God publikely and privately hath beene presented to them able to convince yet not reaching to their conviction and forsaking of such wayes contrary to a conclusion afterward exprest to wit That fundamentals are so cleere that a man cannot but be convinced in Conscience and therefore that such a person not being convinced he is condemned of himselfe and may be persecuted for sinning against his conscience Fourthly I observe that in such a maintaining a clearnesse of fundamentals or waightier points and upon that ground a persecuting of men because they sinne against their consciences Mr. Cotton measures that to others which himselfe when he lived in such practices would not have had measured to himselfe As first that it might have beene affirmed of him that in such practices he did sinne against his conscience having sufficient light shining about him Secondly that hee should or might lawfully have beene cut off by death or banishment as an Hereticke sinning against his owne conscience And in this respect the Speech of King Iames was notable to a great Non-conformitant converted as is said by King Iames to conformity and counselling the King afterward to persecute the Non-conformists evâ—n unto death Thou Beast quoth the King if I had dealt so with thee in thy non-conformity where hadst thou beene CHAP. VI. Peace THe next distinction concerning the manner of persons holding forth the aforesaid practices not onely the waightier duties of the Law but points of doctrine and worship lesse principall Some saith he hold them forth in a meeke and peaceable way some with such arrogance and impetuousnesse as of it selfe tendeth to the disturbance of civill peace Truth In the examination of this distinction we shall discusse First what is civill Peace wherein we shall vindicate thy name the better Secondly what it is to hold forth a Doctrine or Practice in this impetuousnesse or arrogancy First for civill peace what is it but pax civitatis the peace of the Citie whether an English City Scotch or Irish Citie or further abroad French Spanish Turkish City c. Thus it pleased the Father of Lights to define it Iorem. 29. 7. Pray for the peace of the City which peace of the City or Citizens so compacted in a civill way of union may be intire unbroken safe c. notwithstanding so many thousands of Gods people the Iewes were there in bondage and would neither be constrained to the worship of the Citie Babell nor restrained from so much of the worship of the true God as they then could practice as in plaine in the practice of the 3 Worthies Shadrach Misach and Abednego as also of Daniel Dan. 3. Dan. 6. the peace of the City or Kingdome being a far different Peace from the Peace of the Religion or Spirituall Worship maintained professed of the Citizens This Peace of their Worship which worship also in some Cities being various being a false Peace Gods people were and ought to be Nonconformitants not daring either to be restrained from the true or constrained to false Worship and yet without breach of the Civill or Citie-peace properly so called Peace Hence it is that so many glorious and flourishing Cities of the World maintaine their Civill peace yea the very Americans wildest Pagans keep the peace of their Towns or Cities though neither in one nor the other can any man prove a true Church of God in those places and consequently no spirituall and heavenly peace The Peace spirituall whether true or false being of a higher and farre different nature from the Peace of the place or people being meerly and essentially civill and humane Truth O how lost are the
And if a breach follow it is not made by such doctrines but by the boysterous and violent opposers of them Such persons onely breake the Cities or Kingdomes peace who cry out for prison and swords against such who crosse their judgement or practice in Religion For as Iosephs mistris accused Ioseph of uncleannesse and calls out for civill violence against him when Ioseph was chaste and her selfe guilty So commonly the meeke and peaceable of the earth are traduced as rebells factious peace-breakers although they deale not with the State or State-matters but matters of divine and spirituall nature when their traducers are the onely unpeaceable and guilty of breach of Civill Peace Peace We are now come to the second part of the Answer which is a particular examination of such grounds as are brought against such persecution The first sort of grounds are from the Scriptures CHAP. XVIII FIrst Matth. 13. 30 38. because Christ commandeth to let alone the Tares to grow up together with the Wheat untill the Harvest Unto which he answereth That Tares are not Bryars and Thornes but partly Hypocrites like unto the godly but indeed carnall as the Tares are like to Wheat but are not Wheat or partly such corrupt doctrines or practices as are indeed unsound but yet such as come very near the truth as Tares do to the Wheat and so neer that good men may be taken with them and so the persons in whom they grow cannot bee rooted out but good Wheat will be rooted out with them In such a case saith he Christ calleth for peaceable toleration and not for penall prosecution according to the third Conclusion Truth The substance of this Answer I conceive to be first negative that by Tares are not meant persons of another Religion and Worship that is saith he they are not Briars and Thornes Secondly affirmative by Tares are meant either persons or doctrines or practices persons as hypocrites like the godly doctrines or practices corrupt yet like the truth For answer hereunto I confesse that not onely those worthy witnesses whose memories are sweet with all that feare God Calvin Beza c. but of later times many conjoyne with this worthy Answerer to satisfie themselves and others with such an Interpretation But alas how darke is the soule left that desires to walke with God in holy feare and trembling when in such a waighty and mighty point as this is that in matters of conscience concerneth the spilling of the bloud of thousands and the Civill Peace of the World in the taking up Armes to suppresse all false Religions when I say no evidence or demonstration of the Spirit is brought to prove such an interpretation nor Arguments from the place it selfe or the Scriptures of truth to confirme it but a bare Affirmation that these Tares must signifie persons or doctrines and practices I will not imagine any deceitfull purpose in the Answerers thoughts in the proposall of these three persons doctrines or practices yet dare I confidently avouch that the Old Serpent hath deceived their precious soules and by Tongue and Pen would deceive the soules of others by such a method of dividing the word of truth A threefold Cord and so a threefold Snare is strong and too like it is that one of the three either Persons Doctrines or Practices may catch some feet CHAP. XIX Peace THe place then being of such great importance as concerning the truth of God the bloud of thousands yea the bloud of Saints and of the Lord Iesus in them I shall request your more diligent search by the Lords holy assistance into this Scripture I shall make it evident that by these Tares in this Parable are meant persons in respect of their Religion and way of Worship open and visible professours as bad as briars and thornes not onely suspected Foxes but as bad as those greedy Wolves which Paul speakes of Acts 20. who with perverse and evill doctrines labour spiritually to devoure the flocke and to draw away Disciples after them whose mouthes must be stopped and yet no carnall force or weapon to be used against them but their mischiefe to bee resisted with those mighty weapons of the holy Armoury of the Lord Iesus wherein there hangs a thousand shields Cant. 4. That the Lord Iesus intendeth not doctrines or practices by the tares in this Parable is cleare for First the Lord Iesus expresly interpreteth the good seed to be persons and those the children of the Kingdome and the tares also to signifie Men and those the children of the Wicked one ver 38. Secondly such corrupt doctrines or practices are not to bee tolerated now as those Iewish observations the Lords owne Ordinances were for a while to be permitted Rom. 14. Nor so long as till the Angels the Reapers come to reape the Harvest in the end of the world For can we thinke that because the tender Consciences of the Iewes were to be tendred in their differences of meats that therefore persons must now bee tolerated in the Church for I speake not of the Civill State and that to the worlds end in superstitious forbearing and forbidding of flesh in Popish Lents and superstitious Fridayes c. and that because they were to be tendred in their observation of Iewish Holidayes that therefore untill the Harvest or Worlds end persons must now be tolerated I meane in the Church in the observation of Popish Christmas Easter Whitsontide and other superstitious Popish Festivals I willingly acknowledge that if the members of a Church of Christ shall upon some delusion of Sathan kneele at the Lords Supper keep Christmas or any other Popish observation great tendernesse ought to bee used in winning his soule from the errour of his way and yet I see not that persons so practising were sit to be received into the Churches of Christ now as the Iewes weake in the Faith that is in the Liberties of Christ were to be received Rom. 14. 1. And least of all as before that the toleration or permission of such ought to continue till Doomes day or the end of the world as this Parable urgeth the Toleration Let them alone untill the Harvest CHAP. XX. AGaine Hypocrites were not intended by the Lord Iesus in this famous Parable First the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying all those Weeds which spring up with the Corne as Cockle Darnell Tares c. seemes to imply such a kinde of people as commonly and generally are knowne to bee manifestly different from and opposite to the true worshippers of God here called the children of the Kingdom as these weeds tares cockle darnell c. are commonly and presently knowne by every husbandman to differ from the wheat and to be opposite and contrary and hurtfull unto it Now whereas it is pleaded that these tares are like the wheat and so like that this consimilitude or likenesse is made the ground of this interpretation
Unto both these Scriptures it pleaseth him thus to answer Both these are directions to Ministers of the Gospel how to deale not with obstinate offendors in the Church who sin against conscience but either with men without as the Samaritanes were and many unconverted Christians in Creet whom Titus as an Evangelist was to seek to convert Ot at best with some Iewes or Gentiles in the Church who though carnall yet were not convinced of the errour of their way And it is true it became not the Spirit of the Gospel to convert Aliens to the Faith such as the Samaritanes were by fire and brimstone nor to deale harshly in publicke Ministery or private conference with all such severall minded men as either had not yet entred into Church fellowship or if they had did hitherto sin of ignorance not against Conscience But neither of both these Texts doe hinder the Minister of the Gospel to proceed in a Church way against Church members when they become scandalous offenders either in life oâ— doctrine much lesse doe they speake at all to the Civill Magistrate CHAP. XXXVII Truth THis perplexed and ravelled Answer wherein so many things and so doubtfull are wrapt up and intangled together I shall take in pieces First concerning that of the Lord Iesus rebuking his Disciples for their rash and ignorant bloudy zeale Luc. 9. desiring corporall destruction upon the Samaritanes for refusing the Lord Iesus c. the Answerer affirmeth that hindreth not the Ministers of the Gospell to proceed in a Church way against scandalous offenders which is not here questioned but maintained to bee the holy will of the Lord and a sufficient censure and punishment if no civill offence against the Civill State be committed Secondly saith hee Much lesse doth this speake at all to the Civill Magistrate Where I observe that he implyes that beside the censure of the Lord Iesus in the hands of his spirituall governours for any spirituall evill in life or doctrine the Civill Magistrate is also to inflict corporall punishment upon the contrary minded whereas First if the Civill Magistrate be a Christian a Disciple or follower of the meeke Lambe of God he is bound to be far from destroying the bodies of men for refusing to receive the Lord Iesus Christ for otherwise hee should not know according to this speech of the Lord Iesus what spirit he was of yea and to be ignorant of the sweet end of the comming of the Son of Man which was not to destroy the bodies of Men but to save both bodies and soules vers 55. 56. Secondly if the Civill Magistrate being a Christian gifted prophesie in the Church 1 Corinth 1. 14. although the Lord Iesus Christ whom they in their owne persons hold forth shall be refused yet they are here forbidden to call for fire from heaven that is to procure or inflict any corporall judgement upon such offenders remembring the end of the Lord Iesus his comming not to destroy mens lives but to save them Lastly this also concernes the conscience of the Civill Magistrate as he is bound to preserve the civill peace and quiet of the place and people under him he is bound to suffer no man to breake the Civill Peace by laying hands of violence upon any though as vile as the Samaritanes for not receiving of the Lord Iesus Christ. It is indeed the ignorance and blinde zeale of the second Beast the false Prophet Rev. 13. 13. to perswade the civill Powers of the earth to persecute the Saints that is to bring fiery judgements upon men in a judiciall way and to pronounce that such judgements of imprisonment banishment death proceed from Gods righteous vengeance upon such Hereticks So dealt divers Bishops in France and England too in Queene Maries dayes with the Saints of God at their putting to death declaiming against them in their Sermons to the people and proclaiming that these persecutions even unto death were Gods just judgements from heaven upon these Heretickes CHAP. XXXVIII Peace DOubtlesse such fiery spirits as the Lord Jesus said are not of God I pray speake to the second place out of Timothy 2. Epist. 25. 26. Truth I acknowledge this instruction to be meeke and patient c. is properly an instruction to the Ministers of the Gospel Yet divers Arguments from hence will truly and fairly be collected to manifest and evince how farre the civill Magistrate ought to bee from dealing with the civill sword in spirituall cases And first by the wayâ— I desire to aske What were these unconverted Christians in Crete which the Answerer compareth with the Samaritanes whom Titus saith he as an Evangelist was to seek to convert and whether the Lord Iesus have any such Disciples and Followers who yet are visibly in an unconverted estate O that it may please the Father of mercies the Father of lights to awaken and open the eyes of all that feare before him that they may see whether this be the Language of Canaan or the Language of Ashdod What is an unconverted Christian but in truth an unconverted Convert that is in English one unturned turned unholy holy Disciples or Followers of Iesus not following of him In a word that is Christians or anointed by Christ Antichristians not anointed with the Spirit of Iesus Christ. Certaine it is such they were not unto whom the Spirit of God gives that name Act. 11. And indeed whither can this tend but to uphold the blasphemy of so many as say they are Iewes that is Christians but are not Rev. 2. But as they are not Christians from Christ but from the Beast and his Picture so their proper name from Antichrist is Antichristians How sad yet and how true an evidence is this that the soule of the Answerer I speake not of his inward soule and person but of his worship hath never yet heard the call of the Lord Iesus to come out from those unconverted Churches from that unconverted Antichristian Christian world and so from Antichrist Belial to seeke fellowship with Christ Iesus and his converted Christians Disciples after the first patterne Againe I observe the haste and light attention of the Answerer to these Scriptures as commonly the spirits of Gods children in matters of Christs Kingdome are very sleepy for these persons here spoken of were not as he speakes unconverted Christians in Crete whom Titus as an Evangelist was to convert but they were such opposites as Timothy to whom Paul writes this Letter at Ephesus should meet withall CHAP. XXXIX Peace BUt what is there in this Scripture of Timothy alledged concerning the civill Magistracy Truth I argue from this place of Timothy in particular thus First if the civill Magistrates hee Christians or members of the Church able to prophesie in the Church of Christ then I say as before they are bound by this command of Christ to suffer opposition to their doctrine with meeknesse and gentlenesse and to
Fifthly Prayer and patience in suffering any evill from them that be without who disturbe their peace So that Magistrates as Magistrates have no power of setting up the Forme of Church Government electing Church officers punishing with Church censures but to see that the Church doth her duty herein And on the other side the Churches as Churches have no power though as members of the Common-weale they may have power of erecting or altering formes of Civill Government electing of Civill officers inflicting Civill punishments no not on persons excommunicate as by deposing Magistrates from their Civill Authoritie or withdrawing the hearts of the people against them to their Lawes no more then to discharge wives or children or servants from due obedience to their husbands parents or masters or by taking up armes against their Magistrates though he persecute them for Conscience for though members of Churches who are publique officers also of the Civill State may suppresse by force the violence of Usurpers as Iehoiada did Athaliah yet this they doe not as members of the Church but as officers of the Civill State Truth Here are divers considerable passages which I shall briefly examine so far as concernes oâ—r controversie First whereas they say that the Civill Power may erect and establish what forme of civill Government may seeme in wisedome most meet I acknowledge the proposition to be most true both in it self and also considered with the end of it that a civill Government is an Ordinance of God to conserve the civill peace of people so farre as concernes their Bodies and Goods as formerly hath beene said But from this Grant I infer as before hath been touched that the Soveraigne originall and foundation of civill power lies in the people whom they must needs meane by the civill power distinct from the Government set up And if so that a People may erect and establish what forme of Government seemes to them most meete for their civill condition It is evident that such Governments as are by them erected and established have no more power nor for no longer time then the civill power or people consenting and agreeing shall betrust them with This is cleere not only in Reason but in the experience of all common-weales where the people are not deprived of their naturall freedome by the power of Tyrants And if so that the Magistrates receive their power of governing the Church from the People undeniably it followes that a people as a people naturally considered of what Nature or Nation soever in Europe Asia Africa or America have fundamentally and originally as men a power to governe the Church to see her doe her duty to correct her to redresse reforme establish c. And if this be not to pull God and Christ and Spirit out of Heaven and subject them unto naturall sinfull inconstant men and so consequently to Sathan himselfe by whom all peoples naturally are guided let Heaven and Earth judge Peace It cannot by their owne Grant be denied but that the wildest Indians in America ought and in their kind and severall degrees doe to agree upon some formes of Government some more civill compact in Townes c. some lesse As also that their civill and earthly Governments be as lawfull and true as any Governments in the World and therefore consequently their Governors are Keepers of the Church or both Tables if any Church of Christ should arise or be amongst them and therefore lastly if Christ have betrusted and charged the civill Power with his Church they must judge according to their Indian or American consciences for other consciences it cannot be supposed they should have CHAP. XCIII Truth AGaine whereas they say that outward Civill peace cannot stand where Religion is corrupted and quote for it 2 Chron. 15. 3. 5. 6 Iudges 8. I answer with aamâ—ration how such excellent spirits as these Authors are furnished with not only in heavenly but earthly affaires should so forget and be so fast asleep in things so palpably evident as to say that outward civill peace cannot stand where Religion is corrupt When so many stately Kingdomes and Governments in the world have long and long enjoyed civill peace and quiet notwithstanding their Religion is so corrupt as that there is not the very Name of Iesus Christ amongst them And this every Historian Merchant Traveller in Europeâ— Asia Africa America can testifie for so spake the Lord Iesus himselfe Ioh. 16. The world shall sing and rejoyce Secondly for that Scripture 2 Chron. 15. 3 c relating the miseries of Israel and Iudah and Gods plaâ—es upon the people for corruption of their Religion it must still have refereâ—ce 〈◊〉 peculiar state unto which God called the seed of one man Abraham in a figure dealing so with them as he dealt not with any Nation in the World Psal. 1. â—6 Rom. 9. The Antitype to this State I have proved to be the Christian Church which consequently hath been and is â—fflictâ—d 〈◊〉 spirituall plagues desolations and captivitiâ—s for corâ—upting of that Religion which hath been revealed unto them This appeares by the 7 Churches and the people of God now so many â—uâ—dreâ— yeares in wofull bondage and slaverte to the mysticall Babel untill the time of their joyfull deliverance Peace Yea but they say that such Lawes as are conversant about Religion may still be accountâ—d Civill Lawes as on the contrary an Oath doth still remaine Religious though conversant about Civill matters Truth Lawes respecting Religion are two-fold First such as concerne the acts of Worship and the Worship it self the Ministers of it their fitnes or unfitnes to be suppressed or established and for such Lawes we find no footing in the New Testament of Jesus Christ. Secondly Lawes respecting Religion may be such as meerly concerne the Civill State Bodies and Goods of such and such persons professing these and these Religions vizâ— that such and such persons notorious for Mutinies Treasonsâ— Rebellions Massacres be disarmed Againe that no persons Papists Iewes Turkes or Indians be disturbed at their worship a thing which the very Indians abhor to practice toward any Also that imanitie and freedome from Tax and Toll may be granted unto the people of such or such a Religion as the Magistrate pleaseth Ezra 7. These and such as are of this nature concerning only the bodies and goods of such and such Religious persons I confesse are meerely Ciâ—ill But now on the other hand that Lawes restraining persons from such and such a Worship because the Civill state judgeth it to be false That Laws constraining to such such a worship because the Civill State judgeth this to be the only â—rue way of worshipping God That such and such a Reformation of Worship be submitted unto by all Subjects in such a Iurisdiction That such and such Churches Ministers Ministries be pullâ— downe and such and such Churches Ministries and Ministrations set up That such
former figures in all the Prophecies concerning Christ his spirituall power Isa. 9. Dan. 7. Mich. 4. c. compared with Luc. 1. 32. Act. 2. 30. 1 Cor. 5. Math. 18. Marc. 13. 34. c. CHAP. CXXI Peace GLorious and conquering Truth mee thinkes I see most evidently thy glorious conquests how mighty are thy spirituall weapons 2 Cor. 10. to breake downe those mighty and strong Holds and Castles which men have fortified themselves withall against thee O that even the thoughts of men may submit and bow downe to the captivity of Jesus Christ Truth Your kinde incouragement makes mee proceed more cheerfully to a fourth difference from the Lawes and Statutes of this Land different from all the Lawes and Statutes of the World and parallel'd onely by the Lawes and Ordinances of spirituall Israel First then consider we the Law-maker or rather the Law-publisher or Prophet as Moses calls himselfe Deut. 18. and Act. 3. he is expresly called that Prophet who figured out Christ Iesus who was to come like unto Moses greater then Moses as the son is greater then the servant Such Law-givers or Law-publishers never had any State or People as Moses the type or Christ Iesus miraculously stirred up and sent as the mouth of God betweene God and his people Secondly concerning the Lawes themselves It is true the second Table containes the Law of Nature the Law Morall and Civill yet such a Law was also given to this people as never to any people in the World such was the Law of worship Psal. 147. peculiarly given to Iacob and God did not deale so with other Nations which Lawes for the matter of the worship in all those wonderfull significant Sacrifices and for the manner by such a Priesthood such a place of Tabernacle and afterward of Temple such times and solemnities of Festivals were never to be parallel'd by any other Nation but onely by the true Christian Israel established by Iesus Christ amongst Iewes and Gentiles throughout the World Thirdly the Law of the tenne Words Deut. 10. the Epitome of all the rest it pleased the most high God to frame and pen twice with his owne most holy and dreadfull finger upon Mount Sinai which he never did to any other Nation before or since but onely to that spirituall Israel the people and Church of God in whose hearts of flesh he writes his Lawes according to Ier 31. Heb 8. and 10. Peace Such promulgation of such Lawes by such a Prophet must needs be matchlesse and unparallel'd Truth In the fift place consider we the punishments and rewards annexed to the breach or observation of these Lawes First those which were of a temporall and present consideration of this life Blessings and Curses of all sorts opened at large Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. which cannot possibly be made good in any State Countrey or Kingdome but in a spirituall sense in the Church and Kingdome of Christ. The reason is this such a temporall prosperity of outward peace and plenty of all things of increase of children of cattell of honour of health of successe of victory suits not temporally with the afflicted and persecuted estate of Gods people now And therefore spirituall and soule blessednesse must be the Antitype viz. In the midst of revilings and all manner of evill speeches for Christs sake soule blessednesse In the midst of afflictions and persecutions soule blessednesse Math. 5. and Luc. 6. And yet herein the Israel of God should enjoy their spirituall peace Gal. 6. 16. Out of that blessed temporall estate to be cast or caried captive was their excommunication or casting out of Gods sight 2 King 17. 23. Therefore was the blasphemer the false Prophet the idolater to bee cast out or cut off from this holy Land which punishment cannot be parallel'd by the punishment of any State or Kingdome in the world but onely by the excommunicating or outcasting of person or Church from the fellowship of the Saints and Churches of Christ Iesus in the Gospel And therefore as before I have noted the putting away of the false prophet by stoning him to death Deut. 13. is fitly answered and that in the very same words in the Antitype when by the generall consent or stoning of the whole Assembly and wicked person is put away from amongst them that is spiritually cut off out of the Land of the spiritually living the people or Church of God 1 Cor. 5. Galat. 5. Lastly the great and high reward or punishment of the keeping or breach of these Lawes to Israel was such as cannot suit with any State or Kingdome in the World beside the Reward of the Observation was Life Eternall Life The Breach of any one of these Lawâ— was death Eternall death or damnation from the presence of the Lord. So Rom. 10. Iam. 2. Such a Covenant God made not before nor since with any State or People in the world For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10. 4. And he that beleeveth in that Son of God hath eternall life hee that beleeveth not hath not life but is condemned already John 3. and 1 John 5. CHAP. CXXII Peace DEare Truth you have most lively set forth the unparallel'd state of that typicall Land and people of the Iewes in their peace and quiet government Let mee now request you in the last place to glance at the difference of the wars of this people from the wars of other Nations and of their having no Antitype but the Churches of Christ Iesus First all Nations round about Israel more or lesse sometime or other had indignation against this people Aegyptians Edomites Moabites Ammonites Midians Philistians Assyrians and Babylonians c. as appeares in the History of Moses Samuel Iudges and Kings and in all the Prophets You have an expresse Catalogue of them Psal. 83. sometimes many hundred thousand Enemies in pitcht field against them of Ethiopians ten hundred thousand at once in the dayes of Asa 2 Chron. 14. and at other times as the sand upon the Sea shoare Such Enemies the Lord Iesus foretold his Israel The World shall hate you Iohn 16. You shall be hated of all men for my Names sake Matth. 24. All that will live godly in Christ Iesus must be persecuted or hunted 1 Tim. 4. And not only by flesh and bloud but also by Principalities Powers Spirituall wickednesse in high places Ephes. 6. by the whole Pagan World under the Roman Emperours and the whole Antichristian World under the Roman Popes Rev 12. 13. Chap. by the Kings of the Earth Rev. 17. And Gog and Magog like the sand upon the Sea shoare Rev. 20. Peace Such Enemies such Armies no History no experience proves ever to have come against one poore Nation as against Israel in the type and never was nor shall be knowne to come against any State or Country now but the Israel of
Cor. 5. CHAP. CXXVII Peace DEare Truth you have uprightly and aptly untied the knots of that 11 Head let me present you with the 12 Head which is Concerning the Magistrates power in the Censures of the Church First say they he hath no power to execute or to substitute any Civill officer to execute any Church censure under the notion of Civill or â—cclesiasticall men Secondly Though a Magistrate may immediately Civilly censure such an offender whose secret sinnes are made manifest by their casting out to be injurious to the good of the State yet such offences of excommunicate persons which manifestly hurt not the good of the State he ought not to proceed against them sooner or later untill the Church hath made her complaint to him and given in their just Reasons for helpe from them For to give libertie to Magistrates without exception to punish all excommunicate persons within so many moneths may prove injurious to the person who needs to the Church who may desire to God who cals for longer indulgence from the hands of theÌ„ Thirdly for persons not excommunicate the Magistrate hath no power in mediately to censure such offences of Church members by the power of the Sword but onely for such as doe immediately hurt the peace of the State Because the proper end of Civill Government being the preservation of the peace and welfare of the State they ought not to breake downe those bounds and so to censure immediately for such sins which hurt not their peace Hence first Magistrates have no power to censure for secret sinnes as deadnesse unbeleefe because they are secret and not yet come forth immediately to hurt the peace of the State we say immediately for every sinne even originall sinne remotely hurts the Civill State Secondly hence they have no power to censure for such private sinnes in Church members which being not hainous may be best healed in a private way by the Churches themselves For that which may be best healed by the Church and yet is prosecuted by the State may make a deeper wound and greater rent in the peace both of Church and State the Magistrates also being members of the Church are bound to the rule of Christ viz. not to produce any thing in publike against a brother which may bee best healed in a private way Now we call that private First which is only remaining in Families not knowne of oothers and therefore a Magistrate to heare and prosecute the complaint of children against their parents servants against masters wives against their husbands without acquainting the Church first transgresseth the rule of Christ. Secondly that which is between members of the same Church or of divers Churches for it was a double fault of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. first to goe to Law secondly to doe it before an Infidell seeing the Church was able to judge of such kinde of differences by some Arbitratours among themselves So that the Magistrates should referre the differences of Church members to private healing and try that way first By meanes whereof the Churches should be free from much scandall and the State from much trouble and the hearts of the godly from much griefe in beholding such breaches Thirdly such offences which the Conscience of a Brother dealing with another privately dares not as yet publish openly comming to the notice of the Magistrate accidentally he ought not to make publique as yet nor to require the Grand Jurie to present the same no more then the other private brother who is dealing with him untill hee see some issue of the private way Thirdly hence they have no power to put any to an oath ex officio to accuse themselves or the brethren in case either criminis suspecti or praetensi because this preserves not but hurts many wayes the peace of the State and abuseth the ordinance of an Oath which is ordained to end controversies not to begin them Heb. 6. 16. Fourthly hence they have no power to censure any for such offences as breake either no Civill Law of God or Law of the State published according to it for the peace of the State being preserved by wholesome Laws when they are not hurt the peace is not hurt Truth In this passage as I said before I observe how weakly and partially they deale with the soules of Magistrates in telling them they are the Guardians of both Tables must see the Church doe her duty punish c. and yet in this passage the Elders or Ministers of the Churches not only sit Iudges over the Magistrates actions in Church affaires but in civill also straitning and inlarging his commission according to the particular interests of their owne ends or at the best their Conscâ—ences I grant the Word of the Lord is the only rule light and lanthorn in all cases concerning God or Man and that the Ministers of the Gospell are to teach this way hold out this Lanthorne unto the feete of all men but to give such an absolute power in Spirituall things to the Civill Magistrate and yet after their owne ends or Consciences to abridge it is but the former sporting with holy things and to walk in Contradictions as before I noted Many of the particulars I acknowledge true where the Magistrate is a Member of the Church yet some passages call for Explication and some for Observation First in that they say the Civill Magistrate ought not to proceed against the offences of an Excommunicate person which manifestly hurt not the good of the state untill the Church hath made her complaint for helpe from them I observe 2 things First a cleare grant that when the Church complayneth for helpe then the Magistrate may punish such offences as hurt not the good of the state and yet in a few lines after they say the Magistrates have no power to censure such offences of Church members by the power of the civill sword but only such as doe immediately hurt the peace of the civill state and they adde the Reason because the proper end of the civill Government being the preservation of the peace and welfare of the state they ought not to breake downe those bounds and so to censure immediately for such sinnes which hurt not their peace And in the last place they acknowledge the Magistrate hath no power to punish any for any such offences as breake no civill Law of God or Law of the state published according to it For the peace of the state say they being preserved by wholesome Lawes when they are not hurt the Peace is not hurt CHAP. CXXVIII Peace DEare Truth here are excellent confessions unto which both Truth and Grace may gladly assent but what is your second Observation from hence Truth I observe secondly what a deepe charge of weaknes is layd upon the Church of Christ the Lawes Government and Officers thereof and consequently upon the Lord Iesus himselfe to wit that the Church is not enabled with all
the Church constituted and gathered but to such Ministers or Messengers of Christ Iesus whom he is pleased to imploy to gather and constitute the Church by converting and baptizing unto which Messengers if Christ Jesus will be pleased to send such forth that passage Acts 15. will be presidentiall Peace The 14. generall head is this viz. What power particular Churches have particularly over Magistrates First say they they may censure any Member though a Magistrate if by sinne he deserve it First because Magistrates must be subject to Christ but Christ censures all offenders 1 Cor. 5. 45. Secondly Every Brother must be subject to Christs censure Mat. 18. 15 16 17. But Magistrates are brethren Deut 17. 15. Thirdly They may censure all within the Church I Cor. 5. 12. But the Magistrates are within the Church for they are either without or within or above the Church not the first nor the last for so Christ is only above it Fourthly The Church hath a charge of all the Soules of the members and must give account thereof Heb. 13. 17. Fifthly Christs censures are for the good of Soules I Cor. 5. 6. but Magistrates must not be denied any priviledge for their Soules for then they must lose a priviledge of Christ by being Magistrates Sixthly In Church priviledges Christians are all one Gal. 2. 28. Col. 3. 11. 2. Magistrates may be censured for apparent and manifest sinne against any Morall Law of God in their judiciall proceedings or in the execution of their office Courts are not Sanctuaries for sin and if for no sin then not for such especially First because sinnes of Magistrates in Court are as hatefull to God 2. And as much spoken against Isa. 10. 1. Mic. 3. 1. Thirdly God hath no where granted such immunity to them Fourthly what a brother may doe privately in case of private offence that the Church may doe publikely in case of publike scandall But a private brother may admonish and reprove privately in case of any private offence Mat. 18. 15. Luc. 19. 17. Psal. 141. 5. Lastly Civill Magistracy doth not exempt any Church from faithfull watchfulnesse over any member nor deprive a Church of her due power not a Church member of his due priviledge which is to partake of every Ordinance of God needfull and requisite to their winning and salvation Ergâ— CHAP. CXXXV Truth THese Arguments to prove the Magistrate subject even for sinne committed in judiciall proceeding I judge like Mount Zion immoveable and every true Christian that is a Magistrate will judge so with mee Yet a Quaerie or two will not be unseasonable First where they name the Church in this whole passage whether they meane the Church without the Ministry or Governours of it or with the Elders and Governours joyntly and if the latter why name they not the Governours at all since that in all administrations of the Church the duty lies not upon the body of the Church but firstly and properly upon the Elders It is true in case of the Elders obstinacy in apparent sinne the Church hath power over him having as much power to take down as to set up Col. 4. Say to Archippus c. Yet in the ordinary dispensations and administrations of the Ordinances the Ministers or Elders thereof are first charged with duty c. Hence first for the Apostles who converted gathered espoused the Churches to Christ I question whether their power to edification was not a power over the Churches as many Scriptures seem to imply Secondly for the ordinary Officers ordained for the ordinary and constant guiding feeding and governing the Church they were Rulers Shepheards Bishops or Overseers and to them was every letter and charge commendation or reproofe directed Revel 2. 3. Acts 20. And that place by them quoted for the submission of the Magistrates to the Church it mentions only submission to the Rulers therof Heb. 13. 17. Those excellent men concealed not this out of ignorance and therefore most certainly in a silent way confesse that their doctrine concerning the Magistrates power in Church causes would too gâ—osse if they should not have named the whole Church and but silently implyed the Governours of it And is it not wonderfull in any sober eye how the same persons Magistrates can be exalted over the Ministers and Members as being bound to establish reforme suppresse by the civill sword in punishing the body or goods and yet for the same actions if the Church and Governours thereof so conceive be liable to a punishment ten thousand times more transcendent to wit excommunication a punishment reaching to their soules and consciences and eternall estate and this not only for common sins but for those actions which immediately concerne the execution of their civill office in judiciall proceeding Peace The Prelates in Q. Elizabeths dayes kept with more plainnesse to their principles for acknowledging the Queen to be Supreme in all Church causes according to the Title and Power of Henry the 8. her Father taken from the Pope and given to him by the Parliament they professed that the Queen was not a sheepe but under Christ the chiefe Shepheard and that the Church had not power to excommunicate the Queen Truth Therefore sweet Peace it was esteemed capitall in that faithfull witnesse of so much truth as he saw even unto death Mr. Barrow to maintaine before the Lords of the Councell that the Queen herselfe was subject to the power of Christ Iesus in the Church which Truth overthrew that other Tenent that the Queene should be Head and Supreme in all Church causes Peace Those Bishops according to their principles though bad and false dealt plainly though cruelly with Mr. Barrow but these Authors whose principles are the same with the Bishops concerning the power of the Magistrate in Church affaires though they wave the Title and will not call them Heads or Governors which now in lighter times seems too grosse yet give they as much spirituall power and authoritie to the civill Magistrates to the full as ever the Bishops gave unto them although they yet also with the same breath lay all their honour in the dust and make them to lick the dust of the feet of the Churches as it is prophesied the Kings and Queens of the Earth shall doe when Christ makes them nursing fathers and nursing mothers Isa 49. The truth is Christ Jesus is honoured when the civill Magistrate a member of the Church punisheth any member or Elder of the Church with the civill sword even to the death for any crime against the civill State so deserving it for he beares not the sword in vain And Christ Iesus is againe most highly honoured when for apparent sinne in the Magistrate being a member of the Church for otherwise they have not to meddle with him the Elders with the Church admonish him and recover his Soule or if obstinate in sin cast him forth of their Spirituall and
for with a word to his Father he could have 12 legions of Angels 3 The councell of God to be fulfilled in the Scripture Thus it ought to be Peace It is much questioned by some what should be the meaning of Christ Iesus in that speech All that take the sword shall perish by the sword Truth There is a threefold taking of the sword First by murtherous crueltie either of private persons or secondly publike States or Societies in wrath or revenge each against other Secondly a just and righteous taking of the sword in punishing offenders against the Civill peace either more personall private and ordinary or more publike Oppressors Tyrants Ships Navies c. Neither of these can it be imagined that Christ Iesus intended to Peter Thirdly There is therefore a 3. taking of the sword forbidden to Peter that is for Christ and the Gospels cause when Christ is in danger which made Peter strike c. Peace It seemes to some most contrary to all true Reason that Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 it selfe should not be defended Truth The foolishnes of God is wiser then the wisedome of Man It is not the purpose of God that the Spirituall battailes of his Son shall be fought by carnall weapons and persons It is not his pleasure that the World shall flame on fire with civill combustions for his Sons sake It is directly contrary to the nature of Christ Iesus his Saints and Truths that throats of men which is the highest contrarietie to civill converse should be torne out for his sake who most delighted to converse with the greatest sinners It is the councell of God that his servants shall overcome by 3 weapons of a spirituall nature Revel 12. 11. And that all that take the sword of steele shall perish Lastly it is the Councell of God that Christ Iesus shall shortly appeare a most glorious Iudge and Revenger against all his Enemies when the Heavens and the Earth shall 〈◊〉 before his most glorious presence Peace I shall propose the last Scripture much insisted on by many for carnall weapons in spirituall cases Revel 17. 16. The 10 hornes which thou fawest upon the Beast these shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and shall burne her with fire Truth Not to controvert with some whether or no the Beast be yet risen and extant Nor secondly whether either the Beast or the Hornes or the Whore may be taken literally for any corporall Beast or Whore Or thirdly whether these 10 Hornes be punctually and exactly 10 Kings Or fourthly whether those 10 Hornes signifie those many Kings Kingdomes and Governments who have bowed down to the Popes yoake and have committed fornication with that great Whore the Church of Rome Let this last be admitted which yet will cost some work to cleer against all opposites Yet First can the Time be now cleerly demonstrated to be come c Secondly how will it be proved that this â—atred of this Whâ—re shall be a true chaste Christian hatred against Antichristian whorish practices c Thirdly or rather that this hating and desolating and making naked and burning shall arise not by way of an ordinance waranted by the institution of Christ Iesus but by way of providence when as it useth to be with all whores and their lovers the Church of Rome and her great lovers shall fall out and by the righteous vengeance of God upon her drunke with the blood of Saints or holy Ones these mighty fornicators shall turne their love into hatred which hatred shall make her a poore desolate naked Whore torne and consumed c. Peace You know it is a great controversie how the Kings of the Earth shall thus deale with the Whore in the 17 Chap. and yet so bewaile her in the 18 Chapter Truth If we take it that these Kings of the Earth shall first hate and plunder and teare and burne this Whore and yet afterward shall relent and bewaile their cruell dealing toward her Or else that as some Kings deale so terribly with her yet others of those Kings shall bewaile her If either of these two answers stand or a better be given yet none of them can prove it lawfull for people to give power to their Kings and Magistrates thus to deale with them their subjects for their conscience nor for Magistrates to assume a title more then the people betrust them with nor for one people out of conscience to God and for Christ his sake thus to kill and slaughter and burne each other However it may please the Righteous Judge according to the famous types of Gideous and Iehosaphats battells to permit in Iustice and to order in Wisdome these mighty and mutuall slaughters each of other Peace We have now deare Truth through the gracious hand of God clambered up to the top of this our tedious Discourse Truth O 't is mercy unexpressible that either Thou or I have had so long a breathing time and that together Peace If English ground must yet be drunk with English blood O where shall Peace repose her wearied head and heavy heart Truth Deare Peace if thou finde welcome and the God of peace miraculously please to quench these all-devouring flames yet where shall Truth finde rest from cruell persecutions Peace Oh will not the Authority of holy Scriptures the Commands and Declarations of the Sonne of God therein produced by thee together with all the lamentable experiences of former and present slaughters prevaile with the Sons of Men especially with the Sons of Peace to depart from the dens of Lyons and mountaines of Leopards and to put on the bowels if not of Christianitie yet of Humanitie each to other Truth Deare Peace Habacacks Fishes keep their constant bloody game of Persecutions in the Worlds mighty Ocean the greater taking plundring swallowing up the lesser O happy he whose portion is the God of Iacob who hath nothing to lose under the Sun but hath a State a House an Inheritance a Name a Crowne a Life past all the Plunderers Ravishers Murtherers reach and furie Peace But loe Who 's here Truth Our Sister Patience whose desired company is as needfull as delightfull 'T is like the Wolfe will send the scattered Sheep in one the common Pirate gathers up the loose and scattered Navie the slaughter of the Witnesses by that bloody Beast unite the Independents and Presbyterians The God of Peace the God of Truth will shortly seale this Truth and confirme this Witnes and make it evident to the whole World That the Doctrine of Persecution for cause of Conscience is most evidently and lamentably contrary to the doctrine of Christ Iesus the Prince of Peace Amen FINIS Errata PAge 23. line 28. for this reâ—d that p. 31. l. ult his soule p. 32. l. 12. read month â—bid r. person p. 35. l. 16. r. turned off or loosed from p. 37. l. 8. for to read doc p. 38. l. 2. dele affirme p. 41.
to be violated urged or constrained And whensover men have attempted any thing by this violent course whether openly or by secret meanes the issue hath beene pernicious and the cause of great and wonderfull innovations in the principallest and mightiest Kingdomes and Countries c. It cannot be denied to be a pious and prudentiall act for Your Honours according to your conscience to call for the advice of faithfull Councellours in the high debates concerning Your owne and the soules of others Yet let it not be imputed as a crime for any suppliant to the God of Heaven for You if in the humble sense of what their soules beleeve they powre forth amongst others these three requests at the Throne of Grace First That neither Your Honours nor those excellent and worthy persons whose advice you seek limit the holy One of Israel to their apprehensions debates conclusions rejecting or neglecting the humble and faithfull suggestions of any though as base as spittle and clay with which sometimes Christ Iesus opens the eyes of them that are borne blinde Secondly That the present and future generations of the Sons of Men may never have cause to say that such a Parliament as England never enjoyed the like should modell the worship of the living eternall and invisible God after the Biâ—â— of any earthly interest though of the highest concernment under the Sunne And yet saith that learned Sir Francis Bacon how ever otherwise perswaded yet thus he confesseth Such as hold pressure of Conscience are guided therein by some private interests of their owne Thirdly What ever way of worshipping God Your owne Consciences are perswaded to walke in yet from any bloody act of violence to the consciences of others it may bee never told at Rome nor Oxford that the Parliament of England hath committed a greater rape then if they had forced or ravished the bodies of all the women in the World And that Englands Parliament so famous throughout all Europe and the World should at last turne Papists Prelatists Presbyterians Independents Socinians Familists Antinomians c. by confirming all these sorts of Consciences by Civill force and violence to their Consciences To every Courteous Reader VVHile I plead the Cause of Truth and Innocencie against the bloody Doctrine of Persecution for cause of conscience I judge it not unfit to give alarme to my selfe and all men to prepare to be persecuted or â—â—nted for cause of conscience Whether thou standest charged with 10 or but 2 Talents if thou huntest any for cause of conscience how canst thou say thou followest the Lambe of God who so abhorr'd that practice If Paul if Iesus Christ were present here at London and the question were proposed what Religion would they approve of The Papists Prelatists Presbyterians Independents c. would each say Of mine of mine But put the second question if one of the severall sorts should by major vote attaine the Sword of steele what weapons doth Christ Jesus authorize them to sight with in His cause Doe not all men hate the persecutor and every conscience true or false complaine of cruelty tyranny c. Two mountaines of crying guilt lye heavie upon the backes of All that name the name of Christ in the eyes of Iewes Turkes and Pagans First The blasphemies of their Idolatrous inventions superstitions and most unchristian conversations Secondly The bloody irreligious and inhumane oppressions and destructions under the maske or vaile of the Name of Christ c. O how like is the jealous Iehovah the consuming fire to end these present slaughters in a greater slaughter of the holy Witnesses Rev. 11. Six yeares preaching of so much Truth of Christ as that time afforded in K. Edwards dayes kindles the flames of Q. Maries bloody persecutions Who can now but expect that after so many scores of yeares preaching and professing of more Truth and amongst so many great contentions amongst the very best of Protestants a fierie furnace should be heat and who sees not now the â—ires kindling I confesse I have little hopes till those flames are over that this Discourse against the doctrine of persecution for cause of conscience should passe currant I say not amongst the Wolves and Lions but even amongst the Sheep of Christ themselves yet liberavl animam meam I have not hid within my breast my souls belief And although sleeping on the bed either of the pleasures or profits of sinâ—e thou thinkest thy conscience bound to smite at him that dares to waken thee Yet in the middest of all these civill and spirituall Wars I hope we shall agree in these particulars First how ever the proud upon the advantage of an higher earth or ground or ' clooke the poore and cry out Schismatickes Hereticks c. shall blasphemers and seducers scape unpunished c. Yet there is a sorer punishment in the Gospel for despising of Christ then Moses even when the despiser of Mâ—ses was put to death without mercie Heb. 10. 28 29. He that beleeveth not shall bee damned Marke 16. 16. Secondly what ever Worship Ministry Ministration the best and purest are practised without faith and true perswasion that they are the true institutions of God they are sin sinfull worships Ministries c. And however in Civill things we may be servants unto men yet in Divine and Spirituall things the poorest pesant must disdaine the service of the highest Prince Be ye not the servants of men 1 Cor. 14. Thirdly without search and triall no man attaines this faith and right perswasion 1 Thes. 5. Try all things In vaine have English Parliaments permitted English Bibles in the poorest English houses and the simplest man or woman to search the Scriptures if yet against their soules perswasion from the Scripture they should be forced as if they lived in Spaine or Rome it selfe without the sight of a Bible to beleeve as the Church beleeves Fourthly having tried we must hold fast 1 Thessal 5. upon the losse of a Crowne Revel 13. we must not let goe for all the â—lea bitings of the present afflictions c. having bought Truth deare we must not â—ell it cheape not the least graine of it for the whole World no not for the saving of Soules though our owne most precious least of all for the bitter sweetning of a little vanishing pleasure For a little puffe of credit and reputation from the changeable breath of uncertaine sons of men For the broken bagges of Riches on Eagles wings For a dreame of these any or all of these which on our death-bed vanish and leave tormenting stings behinde them Oh how much better is it from the love of Truth from the love of the Father of lights from whence it comes from the love of the Sonne of God who is the way and the Truth to say as he Iohn 18. 37. For this end was I borne and for this end came I into the World that I might be are witnesse to the Truth A Table of
imbraced and not by constraint for as much as the offerings were required of those that freely and with good will offered and not from the contrary Ierom. in proaem lib. 4. in Ieremiam Heresie must be cut off with the Sword of the Spirit let us strike through with the Arrowes of the Spirit all Sonnes and Disciples of mis-led Heretickes that is with Testimonies of holy Scriptures The slaughter of Heretickes is by the word of God Brentius upon 1 Cor. 3. No man hath power to make or give Lawes to Christians whereby to binde their consciences for willingly freely and uncompelled with a ready desire and cheerfull minde must those that come run unto Christ. Luther in his Booke of the Civill Magistrate saith The Lawes of the Civill Magistrates government extends no further then over the body or goods and to that which is externall for over the soule God will not suffer any man to rule onely he himselfe will rule there Wherefore whosoever doth undertake to give Lawes unto the Soules and Consciences of Men he usurpeth that government himselfe which appertaineth unto God c. Therefore upon 1 Kings 5. In the building of the Temple there was no sound of Iron heard to signifie that Christ will have in his Church a free and a willing People not compelled and constrained by Lawes and Statutes Againe he saith upon Luk. 22. It is not the true Catholike Church which is defended by the Secular Arme or humane Power but the false and feigned Church which although it carries the Name of a Church yet it denâ—es the power thereof And upon Psal. 17. he saith For the true Church of Christ knoweth not Brachium saeculare which the Bishops now adayes chiefly use Againe in Postil Dom. 1. post Epiphan he saith Let not Christians be commanded but exhorted for He that willingly will not doe that whereunto he is friendly exhorted he is no Christian wherefore they that doe compell those that are not willing shew thereby that they are not Christian Preachers but Worldly Beadles Againe upon 1 Pet. 3. he saith If the Civill Magistrate shall command me to believe thus and thus I should answer him after this manner Lord or Sir Looke you to your Civill or Worldly Government Your Power extends not so farre as to command any thing in Gods Kingdome Therefore herein I may not heare you For if you cannot beare it that any should usurpe Authoritie where you have to Command how doe you thinke that God should suffer you to thrust him from his Seat and to seat your selfe therein Lastly the Papists the Inventors of Persecution in a wicked Booke of theirs set forth in K. Iames his Reigne thus Moreover the Meanes which Almighty God appointed his Officers to use in the Conversion of Kingdomes and Nations and People was Humilitie Patience Charitie saying Behold I send you as Sheepe in the midst of Wolves Mat. 10. 16. He did not say Behold I send you as Wolves among Sheepe to kill imprison spoile and devoure those unto whom they were sent Againe vers 7. he saith They to whom I send you will deliver you up into Councells and in their Synagogues they will scourge you and to Presidents and to Kings shall you be led for my sake He doth not say You whom I send shall deliver the people whom you ought to convert unto Councells and put them in Prisons and lead them to Presidents and Tribunall Seates and make their Religion Felony and Treason Againe he saith vers 32 When ye enter into an House salute it saying Peace be unto this House he doth not say You shall send Pursevants to ransack or spoile his House Againe he said Iohn 10. The good Pastour giveth his life for his Sheep the Thiefe commeth not but to steale kill and destroy He doth not say The Theefe giveth his life for his Sheep and the Good Pastour commeth not but to steale kill and destroy So that we holding our peace our Adversaries themselves speake for us or rather for the Truth To answer some maine Objections And first that it is no praejudice to the Common wealth if Libertie of Conscience were suffred to such as doe feare God indeed as is or will be manifest in such mens lives and conversations Abraham abode among the Canaanites a long time yet contrary to them in Religion Gen. 13. 7. 16. 13. Againe he so journed in Gerar and K. Abimelech gave him leave to abide in his Land Gen. 20. 21. 23. 24. Isaack also dwelt in the same Land yet contrary in Religion Gen. 26. Iacob lived 20 yeares in one House with his Unkle Laban yet differed in Religion Gen 31. The people of Israel were about 430 yeares in that infamous land of Egypt and afterwards 70 yeares in Babylon all which time they differed in Religion from the States Exod. 12. 2 Chron. 36. Come to the time of Christ where Israel was under the Romanes where lived divers Sects of Religion as Herâ—dians Scribes and Pharises Saduces and Libertines Thudâ—ans and Samaritanes beside the Common Religion of the Iewes Christ and his Apostles All which differed from the Common Religion of the State which was like the Worship of Diana which almost the whole world then worshipped Acts 19. 20. All these lived under the Government of Caesar being nothing hurtfull unto the Common-wealth giving unto Caesar that which was his And for their Religion and Consciences towards God he left them to themselves as having no Dominion over their Soules and Consciences And when the Enemies of the Truth raised up any Tumultsâ— the wisedome of the Magistrate most wisely appeased them Acts 18. 14. 19. 35. THE ANSWER OF Mr. IOHN COTTON of Boston in New-England To the aforesaid ARGUMENTS against Persecution for Cause of Consciene Professedly mainteining Persecution for Cause of Conscience THe Question which you put is Whether Persecution for cause of Conscience be not against the Doctrine of Iesus Christ the King of Kings Now by Persecution for Cause of Conscience I conceive you meane either for professing some point of Doctrine which you believe in Conscience to be the Truth or for practising some Worke which in Conscience you believe to be a Religious ' Duty Now in Points of Doctrine some are fundamentall without right beliefe whereof a Man cannot be saved Others are circumstantiall or lesse principall wherein Men may differ in judgement without prejudice of salvation on either part In like sort in Points of Practice some concerne the waightier Duties of the Law as What God we worship and with what kinde of Worship whether such as if it be Right fellowship with God is held if Corrupt fellowship with Him is lost Againe in Points of Doctrine and Worship lesse Principall either they are held forth in a meeke and peaceable way though the Things be Erroneous or unlawfull â— Or they are held forth with such Arrogance and Impetuousnesse as tendeth and reacheth even of it selfe to the disturbance of Civill
Christians are to be exhorted not compelled But this hundreth not that Christians sinning against light of Faith and Conscience may justly be censured by the Church with Excommunication and by the Civill Sword also in case they shall corrupt others to the perdition of their Soules As for the Testimony of the Popish Book we weigh it not as knowing whatsoever they speake for Toleration of Religion where themselves are under Hatches when they come to sit at Sterne they judge and practise quite contrary as both their Writings and Iudiciall proceedings have testified to the World these many yeares To shut up this Argument from Testimonie of Writers It is well known Augustine retracted this Opinion of yours which in his younger times he had held but in after riper age reversed and refuted as appeareth in the second Book of his Retractations chap. 5. and in his Epistles 48. 50. And in his 1. Book against Parmenianus cap. 7. he sheweth that if the Donatists were punished with death they were justly punished And in his 11 Tractate upon Iohn They murther saith he Soules and themselves are afflicted in Body They put men to everlasting death and yet they complaine when themselves are put to suffer temporall death Optatus in his 3. book justifieth Macharius who had put some Hereticks to death that he had done no more herein then what Moses Phincas and Elias had done before him Bernard in his 66 Sermon in Cantica Out of doubt saith he it is better that they should be restrained by the Sword of Him who beareth not the Sword in vaine then that they should be suffred to draw many others into their Errour For he is the Minister of God for Wrath to every evill doer Calvins judgement is well knowne who procured the death of Michael Servetus for pertinacie in Heresie and defended his fact by a Book written of that Argument Beza also wrote a Booke de Haereticis Morte plectendis that Hereticks are to be punished with Death Aretius likewise tooke the like course about the Death of Valentinus Gentilis and justified the Magistrates proceeding against him in an History written of that Argument Finally you come to answer some maine Objections as you call them which yet are but one and that one objecteth nothing against what we hold It is say you no prejudice to the Common-wealth if Libertie of Conscience were suffred to such as feare God indeed which you prove by the examples of the Patriarchs and others But we readily grant you Libertie of Conscience is to be granted to men that feare God indeed as knowing they will not persist in Heresie or turbulent Schisme when they are convinced in Conscience of the sinfulnesse thereof But the Question is Whether an Heretick after once or twice Admonition and so after conviction or any other scandalous and heynous offender may be tolerated either in the Church without Excommunication or in the Common-wealth without such punishment as may preserve others from dangerous and damnable infection Thus much I thought needfull to be spoken for avoyding the Grounds of your Errour I forbeare adding Reasons to justifie the Truth because you may finde that done to your hand in a Treatise sent to some of the Brethren late of Salem who doubted as you doe The Lord Jesus lead you by a Spirit of Truth into all Truth through Jesus Christ. A REPLY to the aforesaid ANSWER of Mr. Cotton In a CONFERENCE betweene TRVTH and PEACE CHAP. I. Truth IN what darke corner of the World sweet Peace are we two met How hath this present evill World banished Me from all the Coasts Quarters of it and how hath the Righteous God in judgement taken Thee from the Earth Rev. 6. 4. Peace 'T is lamentably true blessed Truth the foundations of the World have long been out of course the Gates of Earth and Hell have conspired together to intercept our joyfull meeting and our holy kisses With what a wearied tyred Wing have I flowne over Nations Kingdomes Cities Townes to finde out precious Truth Truth The like enquiries in my flights and travells have I made for Peace and still am told she hath left the Earth and fled to Heaven Peace Deare Truth What is the Earth but a dungeon of darknesse where Truth is not Truth And what 's the Peace thereof but a fleeting dreame thine Ape and Counterfeit Peace O where 's the Promise of the God of Heaven that Righteousnes and Peace shall kisse each other Truth Patience sweet Peace these Heavens and Earth are growing Old and shall be changed like a Garment Psal. 102. They shall melt away and be burnt up with all the Works that are therein and the most high Eternall Creatour shall gloriously create New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwells Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. Our kisses then shall have their endlesse date of pure and sweetest ioyes till then both Thou and I must hope and wait and beare the furie of the Dragons wrath whose monstrous Lies and Furies shall with himselfe be cast into the lake of Fire the second death Revel 20. Peace Most precious Truth thou knowest we are both pursued and laid for Mine heart is full of sighes mine eyes with teares Where can I better vent my full oppressed bosome then into thine whose faithfull lips may for these few houres revive my drooping wandring spirits and here begin to wipe Teares from mine eyes and the eyes of my dearest Children Truth Sweet daughter of the God of Peace begin powre out thy sorrowes vent thy complaints how joyfull am I to improve these precious Minutes to revive our Hearts both thine and mine and the hearts of all that love the Truth and Peace Zach. 8. Peace Deare Truth I know thy birth thy nature thy delight They that know thee will prize thee farre above themselves and lives and sell themselves to buy thee Well spake that famous Elizabeth to her famous Attorney Sir Edward Coke Mr. Attourney goe on as thou hast begun and still plead not pro Domina Regina but pro Domina Veritate Truth 'T is true my Crowne is high my Scepter 's strong to breake down strongest holds to throw down highest Crownes of all that plead though but in thought against me Some few there are but oh how few are valiant for the Truth and dare to plead my Cause as my Witnesses in sack-cloth Revel 11. While all mens Tongues are bent like Bowes to shoot out lying words against Me Peace O how could I spend eternall dayes and endlesse dates at thy holy feet in listning to the precious Oracles of thy mouth All the Words of thy mouth are Truth and there is no iniquity in them Thy lips drop as the hony-combe But oh since we must part anon let us as thou saidst improve our Minutes and according as thou promisedst revive me with thy words which are sweeter then the honey and the honey-combe CHAP. II. DEare Truth I have two sad Complaints First The most sober
beleeve in conscience to be the truth or for practising some worke which you beleeve in conscience to be a religious dutie Truth I acknowledge that to molest any person Iew or Gentile for either professing doctrine or practising worship meerly religious or spirituall it is to persecute him and such a person what ever his doctrine or practice be true or false suffereth persecution for conscience But withall I desire it may bee well observed that this distinction is not full and complete For beside this that a man may be persecuted because he holdeth or practiseth what he beleeves in conscience to be a Truth as Daniel did for which he was cast into the Lyons den Dan. 6. and many thousands of Christians because they durst not cease to preach and practise what they beleeved was by Goâ— commanded as the Apostles answered Acts 4 5. I say besides this a man may also be persecuted because hee dares not be constrained to yeeld obedience to such doctrines and worships as are by men invented and appointed So the three famous Iewes were cast into the fiery furnace for refusing to fall downe in a non-conformity to the whole conforming world before the golden Image Dan. 3. 21. So thousands of Christs witnesses and of late in those bloudy Marian dayes have rather chose to yeeld their bodies to all sorts of torments then to subscribe to doctrines or practise worships unto which the States and Times as Nabuchadnezzar to his golden Image have compelled and urged them A chaste wife will not onely abhorre to be restrained from her husbands bed as adulterous and polluted but also abhor if not much more to bee constrained to the bed of a stranger And what is abominable in corporall is much more loathsome in spirituall whoredome and defilement The Spouse of Christ Iesus who could not finde her soules beloved in the wayes of his worship and Ministery Cant. 1. 3. and 5. Chapters abhorred to turne aside to other Flockes Worships c. and to imbrace the bosome of a false Christ Cant. 1. 8. CHAP. IV. Peace THe second distinction is this In points of Doctrine some are fundamentall without right beleefe whereof a man cannot be saved others are circumstantiall and lesse principall wherein a man may differ in judgement without prejudice of salvation on either part Truth To this distinction I dare not subscribe for then I should everlastingly condemne thousands and ten thousands yea the whole generation of the righteous who since the falling away from the first primitive Christian state or worship have and doe erre fundamentally concerning the true matter constitution gathering and governing of the Church and yet farre be it from any pious breast to imagine that they are not saved and that their soules are not bound up in the bundle of eternall life We reade of foure sorts of spirituall or Christian foundations in the New Testaments First the Foundation of all foundations the Corner-stone it selfe the Lord Iesus on whom all depend Persons Doctrines Practices 1. Cor. 3. 2. Ministriall foundations The Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephel 2. 20. 3. The foundation of future rejoycing in the fruits of Obedience 1 Tim. 6. 4. The foundation of Doctrines without the knowledge of which there can be no true profession of Christ according to the first institution Heb. 6. The foundation or principles of Repentance from dead works Faith towards God the Doctrine of Baptisme Laying on of Hands the Resurrection and Eternall Iudgement In some of these to wit those concerning Baptismes Laying on of Hands Gods people will be found to be ignorant for many hundred yeares and I yet cannot see it proved that light is risen I mean the light of the first institution in practice Gods people in their persons Heart-waking Cant. 5. 2. in the life of personall grace will yet be found fast asleep in respect of publike Christian Worship Gods people in their persons are His most deare and precious yet in respect of the Christian Worship they are mingled amongst the Babylonians from whence they are called to come out not locally as some have said for that belonged to a materiall and locall Babell and literall Babell and Ierusalem have now no difference Iohn 4. 21. but spiritually and mystically to come out from her sins and Abominations If Mr. Cotton maintaine the true Church of Christ to consist of the true matter of holy persons call'd out from the World and the true forme of Vnion in a Church Covenant And that also neither Nationall Provinciall nor Diocesan Churches are of Christs institution how many Thousands of Gods people of all sorts Clergie and Laitie as they call them will they finde both in former and later times captivated in such Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Churches yea and so far from living in yea or knowing of any such Churches for matter and forme as they conceive now only to be true that untill of late yeares how few of Gods people knew any other Church then the Parish Church of dead stones or timber It being a late marvailous light revealed by Christ Iesus the Sun of Righteousnesse that his people are a Company or Church of living stones 1 Pet. 2 9. And however his own Soule and the soules of many others precious to God are perswaded to separate from Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Churches and to assemble into particular Churches yet since there are no Parish Churches in England but what are made up of the Parish bounds within such and such a compasse of houses and that such Churches have beene and are in constant dependance on and subordination to the Nationall Church how can the New-English particular Churches joyne with the Old English Parish Churches in so many Ordinances of Word Prayer Singing Contribution c. but they must needs confesse that as yet their Soules are farre from the knowledge of the foundation of a true Christian Church whose matter must not only be living stones but also separated from the rubbish of Antichristian confusions and desolations CHAP. V. Peace WIth lamentation I may adde How can their Soules be cleare in this foundation of the true Christian matter who persecute and oppresse their own acknowledged Brethren presenting Light unto them about this Point But I shall now present you with Mr. Cottons third distinction In point of Practice saith he some concerne the weightier duties of the Law as What God we worship and with what kind of Worship whether such as if it be Right fellowship with God is held if false fellowship with God is lost Truth It is worth the inquirie what kind of Worship he intendeth for Worship is of various signification whether in generall acceptation he meane the rightnesse or corruptnesse of the Church or the Ministry of the Church or the Ministrations of the Word Prayer Seales c. And because it pleaseth the Spirit
sonnes of men in this point To illustrate this The Church or company of worshippers whether true or false is like unto a Body or Colledge of Physitians in a Citie like unto a Corporation Society or Company of East-Indie or Turkie-Merchants or any other Societie or Company in London which Companies may hold their Courts keep their Records hold disputations and in matters concerning their Societie may dissent divide breake into Schismes and Factions sue and implead each other at the Law yea wholly breake up and dissolve into pieces and nothing and yet the peace of the Citie not be in the least measure impaired or disturbed because the essence or being of the Citie and so the well-being and peace thereof is essentially distinct from those particular Societies the Citie-Courts Citie-Lawes Citie-punishments distinct from theirs The Citie was before them and stands absolute and intire when such a Corporation or Societie is taken down For instance further The City or Civill state of Ephesus was essentially distinct from the worship of Diana in the Citie or of the whole city Againe the Church of Christ in Ephesus which were Gods people converted and call'd out from the worship of that City unto Christianitie or worship of God in Christ was distinct from both Now suppose that God remove the Candlestick from Ephesus yea though the whole Worship of the Citie of Ephesus should be altered yet if men be true and honestly ingenuous to Citie-covenants Combinations and Principles all this might be without the least impeachment or infringement of the Peace of the City of Ephesus Thus in the Citie of Smirna was the Citie it selfe or Civill estate one thing The Spirituall or Religious state of Smirna another The Church of Christ in Smirna distinct from them both and the Synagogue of the Iewes whether literally Iewes as some thinke or mystically false Christians as others called the Synagogue of Sathan Revel 2. distinct from all these And notwithstanding these spirituall oppositions in point of Worship and Religion yet heare we not the least noyse nor need we if Men keep but the Bond of Civility of any Civill breach or breach of Civill peace amongst them and to persecute Gods people there for Religion that only was a breach of Civilitie it selfe CHAP. VII Peace NOw to the second Quaerie What it is to hold forth Doctrine or Practice in an arrogant or impetuous way Truth Although it hath not pleased Mr. Cotton to declare what is this arrogant or impetuous holding forth of Doctrine or Practice tending to disturbance of Civill peace I cannot but expresse my sad and sorrowfull observation how it pleaseth God to leave him as to take up the common reproachfull accusation of the Accuser of Gods children to wit that they are arrogant and impetuous which charge together with that of obstinacie pertinacie pride Troublers of the Citie c. Sathan commonly loads the meekest of the Saints and Witnesses of Iesus with To wipe off therefore these fowle blurs and aspersions from the faire and beautifull face of the Spouse of Iesus I shall select and propose 5 or 6 cases for which Gods witnesses in all Ages and Generations of Men have been charged with arrogance impetuousnes c. and yet the God of Heaven and Iudge of all men hath graciously discharged them from such crimes and maintained and avowed them for his faithfull and peaceable servants First Gods people have proclaimed taught disputed for divers months together a new Religion and Worship contrary to the Worship projected in the Towne City or State where they have lived or where they have travelled as did the Lord Iesus Himselfe over all Galile and the Apostles after Him in all places both in the Synagogues and Market-places as appeares Acts 17. 2. 17. Acts 18. 48. Yet this no Arrogance nor Impetuousnesse Secondly Gods servants have been zealous for their Lord and Master even to the very faces of the Highest and concerning the persons of the Highest so far as they have opposed the Truth of God So Eliah to the face of Ahab It is not I but thou and thy Fathers house that troublest Israel So the Lord Iesus concerning Herod Goe tell that Fox So Paul God delivered me from the mouth of the Lion and to Ananias Thou whited wall and yet in all this no Arrogance nor Impetuousnesse Thirdly Gods people have been immoveable constant and resolved to the death in refusing to submit to false Worships and in preaching and professing the true worship contrary to expresse command of publicke Authority So the three famous Worthies against the command of Nobilchadnezzar and the uniforme conformity of all Nations agreeing upon a false worship Dan. 3. So the Apostles Acts 4 and 5 chap. and so the witnesses of Iesus in all ages who loved not their lives to the death Rev. 12. not regarding sweet life nor bitter death and yet not Arrogant nor Impetuous Fourthly Gods people since the comming of the King of Israel the Lord Iesus have openly and constantly profest that no Civill Magistrate no King nor Caesar have any power over the Soules or Consciences of their Subjects in the matters of God and the Crowne of Iesus but the Civill Magistrates themselves yea Kings and Keisars are bound to subject their owne soules to the Ministery and Church the Power and Government of this Lord Iesus the King of Kings Hence was the charge against the Apostles false in Civill but true in spiritualls that they affirmed that there was another King one Iesus Acts 17. 7. And indeed this was the great charge against the Lord Iesus Himself which the Iews laid against Him and for which he suffered Death as appears by the Accusation written over His Head upon the Gallows Iohn 9. 19. Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes This was and is the summe of all true preaching of the Gospell or glad newes viz. That God anointed Jesus to be the sole King and Governour of all the Israel of God in spirituall and soule causes Psal. 2. 6. Acts 2. 36. Yet this Kingly power of His he resolved not to manage in His owne Person but Ministerially in the hands of such Messengers which he sent forth to preach and baptise and to such as beleeved that word they preached Iohn 17. And yet here no Arrogance nor Impetuousnesse 5. Gods people in delivering the Minde and Will of God concerning the Kingdomes and Civill States where they have lived have seemed in all shew of common sense and rationall policie if men looke not higher with the eye of saith to endanger and overthrow the very Civill State as appeareth by all Ieremses preaching and counsell to King Zedechia his Princes and people insomuch that the charge of the Princes against Ieremiah was that he discouraged the Army from fighting against the Babylonians and weakned the Land from its own defence and this charge in the eye of reason seemed not to be unreasonable
and the redressing of evill and where it stops in any and runs nor cleere there the guilt like filth or mud will lie Thirdly had it been the holy purpose of God to have established the doctrine and kingdome of his Son this way since his comming he would have furnished Common-weales Kingdomes Cities c. then and since with such temporall Powers and Magistrates as should have been excellently sit and competent for he that could have had legions of Angels if he so pleased could as easily have been and still be furnished with legions of good and gracious Magistrates to this end and purpose CHAP. XXXI IT is generally said that God hath in former rimes and doth still and will hereafter stirre up Kings and Queenes c. I answer that place of Isa. 49. 23. will appeare to be far from proving such Kings and Queenes Iudges of Ecclesiasticall causes and if not Iudges they may not punish In Spirituall things themselves are subject to the Church and censures of it although in Civill respects superior How shall those Kings and Queenes be supreme Governours of the Church and yet lick the dust of the Churches feet as it is there exprest Thirdly Gods Israel of old were earnest with God for a King for an Arme of Flesh for a King to protect them as other Nations had Gods Israel still have ever been restlesse with God for an Arme of flesh God gave them Saul in his anger and took him away in his wrath And God hath given many a Saul in his Anger that is an Arm of Flesh in the way of his Providence though I judge not all persons whom Saul in his Calling typed out to be of Sauls spirit for I speake of a State and outward visible Power only I adde God will take away such stayes on whom Gods people rest in his wrath that King David that is Christ Iesus the Antitype in his own Spirituall power in the hands of the Saints may spiritually and for ever be advanced And therefore I conclude it was in one respect that the Lord Iesus said Let them alone because it was no Ordinance for any Disciple of Iesus to prosecute the Pharises at Caesars Bar. Beside let it be seriously considered by such as plead for present corporall punishment as conceiving that such sinners though they breake nor Civill peace should not escape unpunished I say let it be considered though for the present their punishment is deferred yet the punishment inflicted on them will be found to amount to an higher pitch then any corporall punishment in the World beside and that in these foure respects CHAP. XXXII FIrst by just judgement from God false teachers are starke blinde Gods sword hath strucke out the right eye of their minde and spirituall underderstanding ten thousand times a greater punishment then if the Magistrate should command both the right and left eye of their bodies to bee bored or pluckt out and that in so many fearfull respects if the blindenesse of the soule and of the body were a little compared together whether we looke at that want of guidance or the want of joy and pleasure which the light of the eye affordeth or whether we looke at the damage shame deformity and danger which blindenesse brings to the outward man and much more true in the want of the former and miseris of the latter in spirituall and soule blindenesse to all eternity Secondly how fearfull is that wound that no Balme in Gilead can cure How dâ—eadfull is that blindenesse which for ever to all eye-salve is incurable For if persons be wilfully and desperately obstinate after light shining forth let them alone faith the Lord. So spake the Lord once of Ephraim Ephraim is joyned to Idolls let him alone Hos. 7. what more lamentable condition then when the Lord hath given a poor sinner over as a hopelesse patient incurable which we are wont to account a â—orer affliction then if a man were torne and rack'd c. And this I speake not that I conceive that all whom the Lord Iesus commands His servants to passe from and let alone to permit and tolerate when it is in their power corporally to molest them I say that all are thus â—â—curaâ—le yet that sometimes that word is spoken by Christ Jesus to â—is servants to be patient for neither can corporall or spirituall 〈◊〉 or Physicke ever heale or cure â—â—em Thirdly their end is the Ditch that bottomlesse pit of everlasting separation 〈◊〉 the holy and sweet Presence of the Father of Lights Goodnesse and Mercy it selfe enalesse 〈◊〉 in extremity universality and eternity of torments which most direfull and lamenâ—able downefall should strike a â—oly fear trembling into all 〈◊〉 see the Pit whithâ—◠〈…〉 are â—umbling and cause us to strive so far as 〈…〉 by the spirituall eye-salve of the Word of God to heale and 〈…〉 â—heiâ— soule-destroying blindenesse 〈◊〉 of those that fall into this â—â—eâ—â—full Ditch both leader and followers how deplorable in more especiall manner is the leaders case upon whose necke the followers tumble the ruine not only of his owne soule being horrible but also the ruine of the followers soules eternally galling and tormenting Peace Some will say these things are indeed full of horrour yet such is the state of all sinners and of many Malefactours whom yet the State is bound to punish and sometimes by death it selfe Truth I answer The Civill Magistrate beareth not the sword in vaine but to cut off Civill offences yea and the offendours too in case But what is this to a blinde Pharisce resisting the Doctrine of Christ who happily may be as good a subject and as peaceable and profitable to the Civill State as any and for his spirituall offence against the Lord Iesus in denying Him to be the true Christ he suffereth the vengeance of a dreadfull judgement both present and eternall as before CHAP. XXXIII Peace YEa but it is said that the blinde Pharises misguiding the subjects of a Civill State greatly sinne against a Civill State and therefore justly suffer civill punishment for shall the Civill Magistrate take care of outsides only to wit of the bodies of men and not of soules in labouring to procure their everlasting welfare Truth I answer It is a truth the mischiefe of a blinde Pharises blinde guidance is greater then if he acted Treasons Murders c. and the losse of one soule by his seduction is a greater mischiefe then if he blew up Parliaments and cuts the throats of Kings or Emperours so pretious is that invaluable Jewell of a Soul above all the present lives and bodies of all the men in the world I and therefore a firme Justice calling for eye for eye tooth for tooth life for life calls also soule for soule which the blinde-guiding seducing Pharisee shall surely pay in that dreadfull Ditch which the Lord Jesus speakes of but this sentence against him the Lord Jesus only pronounceth
mouth will I judge thee For what can be said more heavenly by the tongues of Men and Angels to shew the heavenly meek temper of all the Souldiers of the Lambe of God as also to set forth what are the Spirituall weapons and ammunition of the holy war and battle of the Gospell and Kingdome of Iesus Christ for the subduing of the Nations of the World unto him Peace And yet out of the same mouth which should not be faith Iames proceeds good and evill sweet and sowre for he addes But this doth not forbid them to drive ravenous wolves from the sheepfold and to restraine them from devouring the sheepe of Christ. Truth In these words according to the judgement here maintained by him he fights against the former truth to wit that by spirituall weapons Christ Iesus will subdue the Nations of the Earth to the obedience of the Gospel for by driving away these Wolves hee intends not onely the resistance and violence which the Shepherds of Christ ought spiritually to make but the civill resistance of the materiall Swords Staves Guns c. Whenceâ— I argue that same power that forceth the evill or Wolves out forceth the good the Sheepe in for of the same or like things is the same or like reason as the same arme of flesh that with a staffe beats off a Wolfe with a Rod and Hooke brings in the Sheepe the same dog that assaulteth and teareth the Wolfe frighteth and forceth in the straggling Sheep CHAP. XLII Peace BVt for the clearer opening of this mystery I pray explicate that Scripture where the Spirit of God is pleased to use this similitude of Wolves Acts 20. 29. out of which keeping to the Allegory I shall propose these Quaeries First what Wolves were these Paul warnes of Truth Answ. Wolves literally he will not say Nor secondly persecutors of the Flock such as the Romane Emperours were Magistrates under him Therefore thirdly such as brought other Religions and Worships as the Spirit of God opens it vers 30. Such as amongst themselves should speake perverse things as many Antichrists did and especially The Antichrist And I aske whether or no such as may hold forth other Worships or Religions Iewes Turkes or Antichristians may not be peaceable and quiet Subjects loving and helpfull neighbours faire and just dealers true and loyall to the civill government It is cleare they may from all Reason and Experience in many flourishing Cities and Kingdomes of the World and so offend not against the civill State and Peace nor incurre the punishment of the civill sword notwithstanding that in spirituall and mysticall account they are ravenous and greedy Wolves Peace 2. I quaere to whom Paul gave this charge to watch against them vers 31. Truth They were not the Magistrates of the City of Ephesus but the Elders or Ministers of the Church of Christ his mysticall flock of sheepe at Ephesus Vnto them was this charge of watching given and so consequently of driving away these Wolves And however that many of these charges and exhortations given by that One Shepherd Christ Iesus to the Shepherds or Ministers of Churches be commonly attributed and directed by the Answerer in this discourse to the civill Magistrate yet I desire in the feare and holy presence of God it may bee inquired into whether in all the Will or Testament of Christ there bee any such word of Christ by way of command promise or example countenancing the Governors of the civill State to meddle with these Wolves if in civill things peaceable and obedient Peace Truly if this charge were given to the Magistrates at Ephesus or any Magistrate in the World doubtlesse they must bee able to discerne and determine out of their owne officiall abilities in these spirituall Law questions who are spirituall Sheep what is their food what their poison what their properties who their Keepers c. So on the contrary who are Wolves what their properties their haunts their assaults the manner of taking c. spiritually and this beside the care and study of the Civill Lawes and the discerning of his owne proper Civill Sheep obedient Sheepe c. as also wolvish oppressors c. whom he is bound to punish and suppresse Truth I know that Civill Magistrates in some places have declined the name of Head of the Church and Ecclesiasticall Judge yet can they not with good conscience decline the name if they doe the worke and performe the office of determining and punishing a meerly spirituall Wolfe They must be sufficiently also able to judge in all spirituall causes and that with their owne and not with other mens eyes no more then they doe in civill causes contrary to the common practice of the Governours and Rulers of Civill States who often set up that for a Religion or Worship to God which the Clergie or Churchmen as men speake shall in their Consciences agree upon And if this be not so to wit that Magistrates must not be Spirituall Iudges as some decline it in the title Supreme Head and Governour why is Gallio wont to be exclaimed against for refusing to be a Iudge in such matters as concerned the Iewish Worship and Religion How is he censured for a Prophane person without conscience c. in that he would bee no Iudge or Head for that is all one in point of Government Peace In the third place I quaerie whether the Father who gave and the Sonne who keepes the Sheepe bee not greater then all Who can pluck these Sheepe the Elect out of his hand which answers that common objection of that danger of devouring although there were no other weapons in the world appointed by the Lord Jesus But CHAP. XLIII FOurthly I ask Were not these Elders or Ministers of the Church of Ephesus sufficiently furnished from the Lord Iesus to drive away these mysticall and spirituall Wolves Truth True it is against the inhumane and uncivill violence of Persecutors they were not nor are Gods children able and provided but to resist drive away expell and kill spirituall mysticall Wolves by the word of the Lord none are fit to be Christs Shepherds who are not ableâ— Tit. 1. 9. 10. 11. The Bishop or Overseer must be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the Gainsayers which Gainsayers to be by him convinced that is overcome or subdued though it may be in themselves ever obstinate they were I say as greedy Wolves in Crete as any could be at Ephesus for so saith Paul vers 10. they were unruly and vaine talkers deceivers whose mouthes must bee stopped who subverted whole houses and yet Titus and every ordinary Shepherd of a flocke of Christ had ability sufficient to defend the flock from spirituall and mysticall wolves without the helpe of the Civill Magistrate Peace In this respect therefore me thinks we may â—itly allude to that excellent answer of Iob to Bildad the Shuhite Iob 26. How
hast thou helped him that is without power How savest thou the arme that hath no strength How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisedome how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is 5. Lastly I ask whether as men deale with Wolves these wolves as Ephesus were intended by Paul to be killed their braines dasht out with stones staves halberts guns c. in the hands of the Elders of Ephesus c Truth Doubtlesse comparing spirituall things with spirituall all such mysticall wolves must spiritually and mystically so be slain And the Witnesses of Truth Revel 11. speake fire and kill all that hurt them by that sierie Word of God and that two-edged sword in their hand Psal. 149. But oh what streames of the blood of Saints have been and must be shed untill the Lambe have obtained the Victorie Revel 17. by this unmercifull and in the state of the New Testament when the Church is spread all the World over most bloody doctrine viz. The wolves Hereticks are to be driven away their braines knockâ— out and killed the poore sheepe to be preserved for whom Christ died c. Is not this to take Christ Iesus and make him a temporall King by force Iohn 6. 15. Is not this to make his Kingdome of this world to set up a civill and temporall Israel to bound out new Earthly holy Lands of Canaan yea and to set up a Spanish Inquisition in all parts of the World to the speedy destruction of thousands yea of millions of Soules and the frustrating of the sweet end of the comming of the Lord Iesus to wit to save mens soules and to that end not to destroy their bodies by his own blood CHAP. XLIV Peace THe next Scripture produced against such Persecution is 2 Cor. 10. 4. The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and having in a readinesse to avenge all disobedience c. Unto which it is answered When Paul saith The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall he denieth not civill weapons of Iustice to the civill Magistrate Rom. 13. but only to Church-officers and yet the weapons of Church officers he acknowledgeth to be such as though they be spirituall yet are ready to take vengeance on all disobedience 2 Cor. 10. 6. which hath reference amongst other Ordinances to the censures of the Church against scandalous offenders Truth I acknowledge that herein the Spirit of God denieth not civill weapons of justice to the Civill Magistrate which the Scripture he quotes Rom. 13. abundantly testifie Yet withall I must aske why he here affirmeth the Apostle denies not civill weapons of Justice to the civill Magistrate of which there is no question unlesse that according to his scope of proving persecution for conscience he intends withall that the Apostle denies not civill weapons of justice to the Civill Magistrate in Spirituall and Religious causes The contrary whereunto the Lord assisting I shall evince both from this very Scripture and his owne observation and lastly by that 13 of the Romanes by himsefe quoted First then from this Scripture and his owne Observation The weapons of Church officers saith he are such which though they be spirituall are ready to take vengeance on all disobedience which hath reference saith he amongst other Ordinances to the Censures of the Church against scandalous offenders I hence observe that there being in this Scripture held forth a two-fold state a Civill state and a Spirituall Civill officers and spirituall civill weapons and spirituall weapons civill vengeance and punishment and a spirituall vengeance and punishment although the Spirit speakes not here expresly of Civill Magistrates and their civill weapons yet these States being of different Natures and Considerations as far differing as Spirit from Flesh I first observe that Civill weapons are most improper and unfitting in matters of the Spirituall state and kingdome though in the Civill state most proper and sutable CHAP. XLV FOr to keepe to the similitude which the Spirit useth for instance To batter downe a strong hold high wall fort tower or castle men bring not a first and second Admonition and after obstinacie Excommunication which are spirituall weapons concerning them that be in the Church nor exhortations to Repent and be baptized to beleeve in the Lord Jesus c. which are proper weapons to them that be without c. But to take a strong hold men bring Canons Culverins Saker Bullets Powder Musquets Swords Pikes c. and these to this end are weapons effectuall and proportionable On the other side to batter downe Idolatry false worship heresie schisme blindnesse hardnesse out of the soule and spirit it is vaine improper and unsutable to bring those weapons which are used by persecutors stocks whips prisons swords gibbets stakes c. where these seem to prevaile with some Cities or Kingdomes a stronger force sets up againe what a weaker pull'd downe but against these spirituall strong holds in the soules of men Spirituall Artillery and weapons are proper which are mighty through God to subdue and bring under the very thought to obedience or else to binde fast the soule with chaines of darknesse and locke it up in the prison of unbeleefe and hardnesse to eternity 2. I observe that as civill weapons are improper in this businesse and never able to effect ought in the soule So although they were proper yet they are unnecessary for if as the Spirit here saith and the Answerer grants spirituall weapons in the hand of Church officers are able and ready to take vengeance on all disobedience that is able and mighty sufficient and ready for the Lords worke either to save the soule or to kill the soule of whomsoever be the party or parties opposite in which respect I may againe remember that speech of Iob How hast thou helped him that hath no power Iob 26. Peace Offer this as Malachie once spake to the Governours the Kings of the Earth when they besiege beleagure and assault great Cities Castles Forts c. should any subject pretending his service bring store of pins sticks strawes bulrushes to beat and batter downe stone walls mighty Bulwarkes what might his expectation and reward be but at least the censure of a man distract beside himself c. Truth What shall we then conceive of His displeasure who is the chiefe or Prince of the Kings of the earth and rides upon the Word of Truth and meeknesse which is that white Horse Rev. 6. and Rev. 19. with His holy witnesses the white Troopers upon white horses when to His helpe and aid men bring and adde such unnecessary improper and weake munition Will the Lord Iesus did He ever in His owne Person practice or did he appoint
each others Church or Meeting CHAP. LXXIV Peace THe next passage in the Author which the Answerer descends unto is the testimony of the Papists themselves a lively and shining testimony from Scriptures alledged both against themselves and all that associate with them as power is in their hand in such unchristian and bloody both tenents and practices As for the testimony of the Popish booke saith he we weight it not as knowing what ever they speake for toleration of Religion where themselves are under Hatches when they come to sit at Stern they judge and practise quite contrary as both their writings and judiciall proceedings have testified to the world these many yeares Truth I answer although both writings and practices have been such yet the Scriptures and expressions of truth alledged and uttered by them speake loud and fully for them when they are under the Hatches that for their conscience and religion they should not there be choaked and smothered but suffered to breathe and walke upon the Deckes in the ayre of civill liberty and conversation in the Ship of the commonwealth upon good assurance given of civill obedience to the civill State Againe if this practice bee so abominable in his eyes from the Papists viz. that they are so partiall as to persecute when they sit at Helme and yet cry out against persecution when they are under the Hatches I shall beseech the Righteous Judge of the whole world to present as in a Water or Glasse where face answereth to face the faces of the Papist to the Protestant answering to each other in the samenesse of partiality both of this doctrine and practice When Mr. Cotton and others have formerly been under hatches what sad and true complaints have they abundantly powred forth against persecution How have they opened that heavenly Scripture Cant 4. 8. Where Christ Iesus calls his tender Wife and Spouse from the fellowship with persecutors in their dens of Lions and mountaines of Leopards But comming to the Helme as he speaks of the Papists how both by preaching writing Printing practice doe they themselves I hope in their persons Lambes unnaturally and partially expresse toward others the cruell nature of such Lions and Leopards O that the God of Heaven might please to tell them how abominable in his eyes are a waight and a waight a stone and a stone in the bag of waights one waight for themselves when they are under Hatches and another for others when they come to Helme Nor shall their confidence of their being in the truth which they judge the Papists and others are not in no nor the Truth it selfe priviledge them to persecute others and to exempt themselves from persecution because as formerly First it is against the nature of true Sheep to persecute or hunt the Beasts of the Forrest no not the same Wolves who formerly have persecuted themselves Secondly if it be a duty and charge upon all Magistrates in all parts of the World to judge and persecute in and for spirituall causes then either they are no Magistrates who are not able to judge in such cases or else they must judge according to their Consciences whether Pagan Turkish or Antichristian Lastly notwithstanding their confidence of the truth of their owne way yet the experience of our Fathers errours our owne mistakes and ignorance the sense of our own weaknesses and blindnesse in the depths of the prophesies mysteries of the Kingdom of Christ and the great professed expectation of light to come which we are not now able to comprehend may abate the edge yea sheath up the sword of persecution toward any especially such as differ not from them in doctrines of repentance or faith or holinesse of heart and life and hope of glorious and eternall union to come but only in the way and manner of the administrations of Iesus Christ. CHAP. LXXV Peace TO close this head of the testimony of Writers it pleaseth the Answerer to produce a contrary testimony of Austin Optatus c. Truth I readily acknowledge as formerly I did concerning the testimony of Princes that Antichrist is too hard for Christ at votes and numbers yea and beleeve that in many points wherein the servants of God these many hundred yeares have beene fast asleep superstition and persecution have had more suffrages and votes from Gods owne people then hath either been honourable to the Lord or peaceable to their owne or the soules of others Therefore not to derogate from the pretious memory of any of them let us briefly consider what they have in this point affirmed To begin with Austin They murther saith he soules and themselves are afflicted in body and they put men to everlasting death and yet they complaine when themselves are put to temporall death I answer This Rhetoricall perswasion of humane wisdome seems very reasonable in the eye of flesh and blood but one Scripture more prevailes with faithfull and obedient soules then thousands of plausiâ—le and eloquent speeches in particular First the Scripture useth soule-killing in a large sense not only for the teaching of false prophets and seducers but even for the offensive walking of Christians in which respect 1 Cor. 8. a true Christian may be guilty of destroying a soule for whom Christ died and therefore by this rule ought to be hanged burned c. Secondly That plausible similitude will not prove that every false teaching or false practice actually kills the soule as the body is slaine and slaine but once for soules infected or bewitched may againe recover 1 Cor. 5. Gal. 5. 2 Tim. 2. c. Thirdly for soule-killings yea also for soule-woundings and grievings Christ Iesus hath appointed remedies sufficient in his Church There comes forth a two edged sword out of his mouth Rev. 1. and Rev. 2 able to cut downe Heresie as is confest yea and to kill the Hereticke yea and to punish his soule everlastingly which no sword of steele can reach unto in any punishment comparable or imaginable and therefore in this case we may say of this spirituall soule-killing by the sword of Christs mouth as Paul concerning the incestuous person 2 Cor. 2. Sufficient is this punishment c. Fourthly Although no Soule-killers nor Soule-grievers may be suffred in the Spirituall State or Kingdome of Christ the Church yet he hath commanded that such should be suffered and permitted to be and live in the World as I have proved on Matth. 13. otherwise thousands and millions of soules and bodies both must be murthered and cut off by civill combustions and bloody warres about Religion Fifthly I argue thus The Soules of all men in the World are either naturally dead in Sin or alive in Christ. If dead in sinne no man can kill them no more then he can kill a dead man Nor is it a false Teacher or false Religion that can so much prevent the means of Spirituall life as one of these
from them according to their office as it pleased God alwayes to send to the Kings of Israel and Judah in the like case Peace Some will here object Pauls appealing to Caesar. Truth And I must refer them to what I formerly answered to that Objection Paul never appealed to Caesar as a Judge appointed by Christ Jesus to give definitive sentence in any spirituall or Church controversie but against that civill violence and murther which the Iewes intended against him Paul justly appealed For otherwise if in a spirituall cause he should have appealed he should have overthrowne his owne Apostleship and Power given him by Christ Iesus in spirituall things above the highest Kings or Emperors of the world beside CHAP. XC Peace BLessed Truth I shall now remember you of the fourth Quaerie upon this place of Timothy to wit whether a Church of Christ Iesus may not live in Gods worship and comelinesse notwithstanding that the civill Magistrate professe not the same but a contrary Religion and Worship in his owne person and the Country with him Truth I answer the Churches of Christ under the Roman Emperours did live in all godlinesse and christian gravity as appeares by all their holy and glorious practices which the Scripture abundantly testifies Secondly this â—lowes from an institution or appointment of such a power and authority left by the Lord Iesus to his Apostles and Churches that no ungodlinesse or dishonesty in the first appearance of it was to be suffered but supprest and cast out from the Churches of Christ even the little Leaven of doctrine or practice 1 Corinth 5. Gal. 5. Lastly I adde that although sometimes it pleaseth the Lord to vouchsafe his servants peace and quietnesse and to command them here in Timothy to pray for it for those good ends and purposes for which God hath appointed civill Magistracy in the world to keepe the world in peace and quietnesse Yet Gods people have used most to abound with godlinesse and honesty when they have enjoyed least peace and quietnesse Then like those spices Cant. 4. Myrrhe Frankincense Saffron Calamus c. they have yeelded the sweetest favour to God and man when they were pounded and burnt in cruell persecution of the Romane Censors then are they as Gods Venison most sweet when most hunted Gods Stars shining brightest in the darkest night more heavenly in conversation more mortified more abounding in love each to other more longing to be with God when the inhospitable and salvage World hath used them like strangers and forced them to hasten home to another Country which they professe to seeke CHAP. XCI Peace DEare Truth it seemes not to be unseasonable to close up this passage with a short descant upon that Assertion viz. A subject without godlinesse will not be bonus vir a good man nor a Magistrate except he see godlinesse preserved will not be bonus Magistratus Truth I confesse that without godlinesse or a true wâ—rshipping of God with an upright heart according to Gods Ordinances neither Subjects nor Magistrates can please God in Christ Iesus and so be spiritually or christianly good which few Magistrates and few men either come to or are ordained unto God having chosen a little â—lock out of the world and those generally poore and meane 1 Cor. 1. Iam. 2. Yet this I must remember you of that when the most High God created all things of nothing he saw and acknowledged divers sorts of goodnesse which must still be acknowledged in their distinct kindes a good Ayre a good Ground a good Tree a good Sheepe c. I say the same in Artificialls a good Garment a good House a good Sword a good Ship I also adde a good City a good Company or Corporation a good Husband Father Master Hence also we say a good Physitian a good Lawyer a good Sea-man a good Merchant a good Pilot for such or such â— shoare or Harbour that is Morally Civilly good in their severall Civill respects and imployments Hence Psal. 133. the Church or Citie of God is compared to a Citie compact within it selfe which compactnes may be found in many Townes and Cities of the World where yet hath not shined any spirituall or supernaturall goodnesse Hence the Lord Iesus Matth. 12. describes an ill state of an house or kingdome viz. to be divided against it selfe which cannot stand These I observe to prove that a Subject a Magistrate may be a good Subject a good Magistrate in respect of civill or morall goodnes which thousands want and where it is it is commendable and beautifull though Godlines which is infinitely more beautifull be wanting and which is onely proper to the Christian state the Commonweale of Israel the true Church the holy Nation Ephes. 2. 1 Pet. 2. Lastly however the Authors deny that there can be Bonus Magistratus a good Magistrate except the see all Godlines preserved yet themselves confesse that civill honesty is sufficient to make a good Subject in these words viz. He must see that Honestie be preserved within his jurisdiction else the Subject will not be Bonus civâ—s a good citizen and doubtlesse if the Law of Relations hold true that civill honestie which makes a good citizen must also together with qualifications sit for a Commander make also a good Magistrate CHAP. XCII Peace THe 4. head is The proper meanes of both these Powers to attaine their ends First the proper meanes whereby the Civill Power may and should attaine its end are onely Politicall and principally these Five First the erecting and establishing what forme of Civill Government may seeme in wisedome most meet according to generall rules of the Word and state of the people Secondly the making publishing and establishing of wholesome Civill Lawes not only such as concerne Civill Justice but also the free passage of true Religion for outward Civill Peace ariseth and is maintained from them both from the latter as well as from the former Civill peace cannot stand intire where Religion is corrupted 2 Chron. 15. 3. 5. 6. Iudg. 8. And yet such Lawes though conversant about Religion may still be counted Civill Lawes as on the contrary an Oath doth still remaine Religious though conversant about Civill matters Thirdly Election and appointment of Civill officers to see execution of those Lawes Fourthly Civill Punishments and Rewards of Transgressors and Observers of these Lawes Fifthly taking up Armes against the Enemies of Civill Peace Secondly the meanes whereby the Church may and should attaine her ends are only ecclesiasticall which are chiefly five First setting up that forme of Church Government only of which Christ hath given them a pattern in his Word Secondly acknowledging and admitting of no Lawgiver in the Church but Christ and the publishing of his Lawes Thirdly Electing and ordaining of such officers onely as Christ hath appointed in his Word Fourthly to receive into their fellowship them that are approved and inâ—licting Spirituall censures against them that offend
the heart of the King viz. to restraine upon paine of Death all the millions of men under his Dominion from the Idolatties of their severall and respective Countries to constraine them all upon the like penaltie to conforme to the Worship of the God of Israel to build him a Temple erect an Altar ordaine Priests offer sacrifice observe the Fasts and Feasts of Israel yea did God put it into the Kings heart to send Levites into all the parts of his Dominion compelling them to heare which is but a naturall thing as some unsoundly speake unto which all are bound to submit Well however Ezra gives thankes to God for the Kings and so should all that feate God in all Countries if he would please to put it into the hearts of the Kings States and Parliaments to take off the yoakes of Violence and permit at least the Consciences of their Subjects and especially such as in truth make Conscience of their Worships to the God of Israel and yet no cause for Ezra then or Gods Ezra's and Israelites now to acknowledge the care and charge of Gods worship Church and Ordinances to lie upon the shoulders of Artaxerxes or any other Civill Prince or Ruler Lastly for the Confirmation or Ratification which they suppose Magistrates are bound to give to the Lawes of Christ I answer Gods cause Christs Truth and the two-edged sword of his Word never stood in need of a temporall Sword or an humane Witnes to confirme and ratifie them If we receive the witnesse of an honest man the witnesse of the most holy God is greater 1. Iohn 5. The result and summe of the whole matter is this 1. It may please God sometimes to stir up the Rulers of the Earth to permit and tolerate to favour and countenance Gods people in their worships though only out of some strong conviction of conscience or feare of wrath c. and yet themselves neither understand Gods worship nor leave their owne state Idolatry or Country worship For this Gods people ought to give thankes unto God yea and all men from this example may learne not to charge upon the Magistrates conscience besides the care of the Civill peace the bodies and goods of men the Spirituall peace in the worship of God and soules of men but hence are Magistrates instructed favourably to permit their subjects in their worships although themselves bee not perswaded to submit to them as Nebuchadnezzar Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes did CHAP. XCVII Peace THe sixt question is this How far the Church is subject to their Lawes All those say they who are members of the Commonweale are bound to be subject to all the just and righteous Laws thereof and therefore membership in Churches not cutting men off from the membership in commonweales they are bound to be subject even every soule Rom. 13. 1. as Christ himselfe and the Apostles were in their places wherein they lived and therefore to exempt the Clergy as the Papists do from Civill subjection and to say that generatio Clerici is corruptio subditi is both sinfull and scandalous to the Gospel of God and though all are equally subject yet Church members are more especially bound to yeeld subjection and the most eminent most especially bound not only because conscience doth more strongly binde but also because their ill examples are more infectious to others pernicious to the State and provoke Gods wrath to bring vengeance on the State Hence if the whole Church or officers of the Church shall sin against the State or any person by sedition contempt of Authority heresie blasphemy oppression slander or shall withdraw any of their members from the service of the State without the consent thereof their persons and estates are liable to Civill punishments of Magistrates according to their righteous and wholsome Lawes Exod. 22. 20. Levit. 24. 16. Deut. 13. 5. 18. 10. Truth What concernes this head in civill things I gladly subscribe unto what concernes heresie blasphemy c. I have plentifully before spoken to and shall here only say 2 things First those Scriptures produced concerne only the people of God in a Church estate and must have reference onely to the Church of Christ Jesus which as Mr. Cotton confesseth is not Nationall but Congregationall of so many as may meet in one place 1 Cor. 14 therefore no Civâ—ll State can be the antitype and parallell to which purpose upon the 11 Question I shall at large shew the difference betweene that Nationall Church and State of Israel and all other States and Nations in the World Secondly If the Rulers of the Earth are bound to put to death all that worship other gods then the true God or that blaspheme that is speake evill of in a lesser or higher degree that one true God it must unavoidably follow that the beloved for the Fathers sake the Jewes whose very Religion blasphemeth Christ in the highest degree I say they are actually sonnes of death and all to be immediately executed according to those quoted Scriptures And Secondly the Townes Cities Nations and Kingdomes of the World must generally be put to the sword if they speedily renounce not their Gods and Worships and so cease to blaspheme the true God by their Idolatries This bloody consequence cannot be avoided by any Scripture rule for if that rule be of force Deut. 13. 18. not to spare or shew mercy upon person or City falling to Idolatry that bars out all favour or partiality and then what heapes upon heapes in the slaughter houses and shambles of Civill Warres must the world come to as I have formerly noted and that unnecessarily it being not required by the Lord Jesus for his sake and the Magistrates power and weapons being essentially Civill and so not reaching to the impiety or ungodlinesse but the incivility and unrighteousnesse of tongue or hand CHAP. XCVIII Peace DEare Truth these are the poysoned daggers stabbing at my tender heart Oh when shall the Prince of peace appeare and reconcile the bloudy sons of men but let me now propose their 7 head viz. In what order may the Magistrate execute punishment on a Church or Church-member that offendeth his Lawes First grosse and publicke notorious sinnes which are against the light of conscience as Heresie c. there the Magistrate keeping him under safe ward should send the offendour first to the Church to heale his conscience still provided that the Church be both able and willing thereunto By which meanes the Magistrate shall convince such an ones conscience that he seeketh his healing rather then his hurt The censure also against him shall proceed with more power and blessing and none shall have cause to say that the Magistrate persecutes men for their consciences but that he justly punisheth such an one for sinning rather against his conscience Tit. 3. 0. Secondly in private offences how the Magistrate may proceed see Chap. 12. It is not materiall
whether the Church or Magistrates take it first in hand Only with this caution that if the State take it first in hand they are not to proceed to death or banishment untill the Church hath taken their course with him to bring him to Repentance provided that the Church be willing and ready thereunto Secondly in such sinnes wherein men plead Conscience as Heresie c. Truth Here I have many just exceptions and considerations to present First they propose a distinction of some sinnes some are against the light of conscience c. and they instance in Heresie Ans. I have before discust this point of an Heretick sinning against light of conscience And I shall adde that howsoever they lay this down as an infallible conclusion that all Heresie is against light of Conscience yet to passe by the discussion of the nature of Heresie in which respect it may so be that even themselves may be found hereticall yea and that in fundamentalls how doe all Idolaters after light presented and exhortations powerfully pressed either Turkes or Pagans Jewes or Antichristians strongly even to the death hold fast or rather are held fast by their delusions Yea Gods people themselves being deluded and captivated are strongly confident even against some fundamentalls especially of worship and yet not against the light but according to the light or eye of a deceived conscience Now all these consciences walke on confidently and constantly even to the suffering of death and torments and are more strongly confirmed in their beleefe and conscience because â—uch bloudy and cruell courses of persecution are used toward them Secondly speakes not the Scripture expresly of the Jew Isa. 6. Mat. 13. Acts 28. that God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see câ— all which must be spoken of the very conscience which he that hath the golden key of David can only shut and open and all the Picklocks orâ— Swords in all the Smiths shops in the World can neither by force or fraud prevent his time Is it not said of Antichristians 2â— Thessal 2. that God hath sent them strong delusions so strong and efficacious that they beleeve a Lie and that so Confidently and some so Conscientiously that Death it selfe cannot part betweene the Delusion and their Conscience Againe the Magistrate say they keeping him in safe ward that is the Heretick the Blasphemer Idolater c. Peace I here aske all men that love even the Civill Peace where the Lord Jesus hath spoken a tittle of a Prison or safe ward to this purpose Truth We find indeed a prison threatned by God to his irreconciled enemies neglecting to account with him Matth. 5. We finde a prison into which persecuters cast the Saints So Iohn so Paul and the Apostles Matth. 14. 10. c. were cast and the great Commander of and caster into prison is the Devill Revel 2. Wee finde a Spirituall prison indeed a prison for Spirits 1 P. â— 3. 19. the Spirits formerly rebellious against Christ Jesus speaking by Noah unto them now kept in safe ward against the judgement of the great day In Excommunication a Soule obstinate in sinne is delivered to Sathan his Jaylour and he keeps him in safe ward untill it pleaseth God to release him There is a prison for the Devill himselfe a thousand yeares Rev. 20. And a Lake of eternall fire and brimstone into which the Beast and False Prophet and all not written in the Lambes booke and the Devill that deceived them shall eternally be there secured and tormented But neither amongst these nor in any other passage of the New Testament doe we finde a prison appointed by Christ Jesus for the Heretick Blasphemer Idolater c. being not otherwise guilty against the Civill State 'T is true Antichrist by the helpe of Civill Powers hath his prisons to keep Christ Iesus and his members fast such prisons may well be called the Bishops prisons the Popes the Devils prisons These inquisition houses have ever been more terrible then the Magistrates At first persecuting Bishops borrowed prisons of the Civill Magistrate as now their successors doe still in the world but afterward they wrâ—ng the keyes out of the Magistrates hands and hung them at their own Girdles and would have prisons of their owne as doubtlesse will that Generation still doe if God prevent them not CHAP. XCIX Peace AGaine say they the Magistrate should send him first to the Church to heale his Conscience Truth Is not this as the Prophet speakes Like mother like daughter So the mother of whoredomes the Church of Rome teacheth and practiseth with all her Hereticks First let the holy Church convince them and then deliver them to the Secular power to receive the punishment of Hereticks Peace Me thinks also they approach neere that Popish Tenent Ex opere operato for their Exhortations and Admonitions must necessarily be so operative and prevalent that if the Heretick repent not he now sins against his Conscience not remembring that Peradventure 2 Tim. 2. If peradventure God will give them repentance and how strong delusions are and believing of lies and how hard it is to be undeceived especially in Spirituals Truth And as it may so prove when an Heretick indeed is brought to this Colledge of Physitians to have his conscience healed and one Heretick is to cure another So also when any of Christs Witnesses supposed Hereticks are brought before them how doth the Lord Iesus suffer whippings and stabs when his Name and Truths and Witnesses and Ordinances are all prophaned and blasphemed Besides suppose a Man to be an Heretick and yet suppose him brought as the Magistrates Prisoner though to a true Church to heale his Conscience What promise of Presence and Blessing hath the Lord Iesus made to his Church and Spouse in such a way and how common is it for Hereticks either to be desperately hardned by such cruell courses yet pretending Soule-healing or else through feare and terrour to practice grosse hypocrisie even against their consciences So that these Chirâ—rgions and Physitians pretending to heale Consciences by such a course wound them deeper and declare themselves Chirâ—rgions and Physitians of no value Peace But what thinke you of the Proviso added to their Proposition viz. Provided the Church bee able and willing Truth Doubtles this proviso derogates not a little from the nature of the Spouse of Christ. For she like that gracious woman Prov. 31. 26. openeth her mouth with wisedome and in her tongue is the Law of Grace she is the pillar and ground of Truth 2. Tim. 2. The golden candlestick from whence true light shineth the Angels or Ministers thereof able to try false Apostles Rev. 2. and convince the Gainsayers Tit. 1. Againe according to their principles of suppressing persons and Churches falsely worshipping how can they permit such a blind and dead Church not able and willing to heale a wounded
Conscience Peace What should be the reason of this their expression Truth Doubtles their Consciences tell them how few of those Churches which they yet acknowledge Churches are able and willing to hold forth Christ Iesus the Sun of Righteousnes healing with his wings the doubting and afflicted conscience Lastly their conscience tells them that a Servant of Christ Iesus may possibly be sent as an Heretick to be healed by a false Church which Church will never be willing to deale with him or never be able to convince him Peace Yea but they say by such a course the Magistrate shall convince such an ones conscience that hee seekes his good c. Truth If a man thus bound be sent to a Church to be healed in his conscience either he is an Heretick or he is not Admit he be yet he disputes in feare as the poor theefe the Mouse disputes with a terrible persecuting Cat who while she seemes to play and gently tosse yet the conclusion is a proud insulting and devouring crueltie If no Heretick but an innocent and faithfull witnes of any Truth of Jesus disputes he not as a Lambe in the Lyons paw being sure in the end to be torne in pieces Peace They adde The censure this way proceeds with more power and blessing Truth All power and blessing is from that blessed Son of God unto whom all power is given from the Father in Heaven and Earth He hath promised his presence with his Messengers preaching and baptizing to the worlds end ratifying in Heaven what they blinde or loose on Earth But let any man shew me such a commission instruction and promise given by the Son of God to Civill powers in these spirituall affaires of his Christian Kingdome and Worship Peace Lastly they conclude This course of first sending the Heretick to be healed by the Church takes away all excuse for none can say that he is persecuted for his Conscience but for sinning against his Conscience Truth Iesabel placing poore Naboth before the Elders as a blasphemer of God and the King and sanctifying the plotted and intended murther with a day of humiliation may seeme to take away all excuse and to conclude the Blasphemer worthy to be stoned But Iehovah the God of Recompences â—er 51. when he makes Inquisition for blood will find both Iesabel and Ahab guilty and make the Dogs a feast with the flesh of Iesabel and leave not to Ahab a man to pisse against the wall for as Paul in his owne plea there was nothing committed worthy of death and against thee O King saith Daniel I have not sinned Dan. 6. in any Civill fact against the State CHAP. C. Peace THeir eighth question is this viz. What power Magistrates have about the gathering of Churches First the Magistrate hath power and it is his duty to incourage and countenance such persons as voluntarily joyn themselves in holy Covenant both by his presence if it may be and promise of protection they accepting the right hand of fellowship from other neighbour Churches Secondly he hath power â—o forbid all Idolatrous and corrupt Assemblies who offer to put themselves under their patronage and shall attempt to joyne themselves into a Church-estate and if they shall not hearken to force them therefrom by the power of the Sword Psal. 101. 8. For our tolerating many Religions in a State in severall Churches beside the provoking of God may in time not only corrupt leaven divide and so destroy the peace of the Churches but also dissolve the continuity of the State especially ours whose wals are made of the stones of the Churches it being also contrary to the end of our planting in this part of the World which was not only to enjoy the pure Ordinances but to enjoy them all in purity Thirdly He hath power to compell all men within his grant to heare the Word for hearing the Word of God is a duty which the light of Nature leadeth even Heathens to The Ninivites heard Ionah though a stranger and unknowne unto them to be an extraordinary Prophet Ionah 3. And Eglon the King of Moab hearing that Ehud had a message from God he rose out of his seat for more reverent attention Iudg. 3. 20. Yet he hath no power to compell all men to become members of Churches because he hath not power to make them fit members for the Church which is not wrought by the power of the Sword but by the power of the Word Nor may he force the Churches to accept of any for members but those whom the Churches themselves can freely approve of Truth To the first branch of this head I answer That the Magistrate should encourage and countenance the Church yea and protect the persons of the Church from violence disturbance c. It being truly noble and glorious by how much the Spouse and Queene of the Lord Iesus transcends the Ladies Queens and Empresses of the World in glory beauty chastity and innocency 'T is true all Magistrates in the world do this viz. Incourage and protect that Church or Assembly of worshippers which they judge to be true and approve of but not permitting other consciences then their owne It hath come to passe in all ages and yet doubtlesse will that the Lord Iesus and His Queene are driven and persecuted out of the World To the second That the Magistrate ought to suppresse all Churches which he judgeth false he quoteth Psal. 101. 8. Betimes I will cut off the wicked of the Land that I may cut off all evill doers from the City of Jehovah unto which he addeth foure Reasons Peace Deare Truth first a word to that Scripture so often quoted and so much boasted of Truth Concerning that holy Land of Canaan concerning the City of Iehovah Ierusalem out of which King David here resolves to cut off all the wicked and evill doers I shall speake more largely on the 11 Head or Question in the differences between that and all other Lands At present I answer There is no holy Land or City of the Lord no King of Sion c. but the Church of Iesus Christ and the King thereof according to 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a holy Nation and Ierusalem is the holy people of God in the true profession of Christianity Heb. 12. Gal. 4. Rev. 21. Out of which the Lord Iesus by his holy Ordinances in such a government and by such governours as he hath appointed he cuts off every wicked person and evill doer If Christ Iesus had intended any difference of plate Cities or Countries doubtlesse Ierusalem and Samaria had been thought of or the Cities of Asia wherein the Christian Religion was so gloriously planted But the Lord Iesus disclaimes Ierusalem and Samaria forth having any respect of holinesse more then other Cities Iohn 4. And the Spirit of God evidently testineth that the Churches were in the Cities and Countries not that the whole Cities or Countries were Gods holy Land
and purgings Are not all the Nations of the Earth alike cleane unto God or rather alike uncleane untill it pleaseth the Father of mercies to call some out to the Knowledge and Grace of his Sonne making them to see their filthinesse and strangenesse from the Commonweale of Israel and to wash in the bloud of the Lambe of God This taking away the difference between Nation and Nation Country and Country is most fully and admirably declared in that great vision of all sorts of living creatures presented unto Peter Acts 10. whereby it pleased the Lord to informe Peter of the abolishing of the difference between Iew and Gentile in any holy or unholy cleane or uncleane respect Fifthly not only to speake of all but to select one or two more This people of Israel in that Nationall State were a type of all the Children of God in all ages under the profession of the Gospel who are therefore called the Children of Abraham and the Israel of God Gal. 3. Gal. 6. A Kingly Priesthood and holy Nation 1 Pet. 2. 9 in a cleare and manifest Antitype to the former Israel Exod. 19. 6. Hence Christians now are figuratively in this respect called Iewes Rev. 3. where lies a cleare distinction of the true and false Christian under the consideration of the true and false Iew Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Sathan that say they are Jewes and are not but doe lie Rev. 3. But such a typicall respect we finde not now upon any People Nation or Country of the whole World But out of all Nations Tongues and Languages is God pleased to call some and redeem them to Himselfe Rev. 5. 9. And hath made no difference betweene the Iewes and Gentiles Greekes and Scithians Gal. 3. who by Regeneration or second birth become the Israel of God Gal. 6. the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. and the true Ierusalem Heb. 12. Lastly all this whole Nation or people as they were of one typicall seed of Abraham sealed with a shamefull painfull Ordinance of cutting off the fore-skin which differenced them from all the World beside So also were they bound to such and such solemnities of figurative worships Amongst many others I shall end this passage concerning the people with a famous observation out of Numb 9. 1 3. viz. All that whole Nation was bound to celebrate and keepe the Feast of the Passeover in his season or else they were to be Put to death But doth God require a whole Nation Country or Kingdome now thus to celebrate the spirituall Passeover the Supper and Feast of the Lambe Christ Iesus at such a time once a yeare and that whosoever shall not so doe shall bee put to death What horrible prophanations what grosse hypocrisies yea what wonderfull desolations sooner or later must needs follow upon such a course T is true the people of Israel brought into covenant with God in Abraham and so successively borne in Covenant with God might in that state of a Nationall Church solemnly covenant and sweare that whosoever would not seeke Iehovah the God of Israel should be put to death 2 Chron. 15. whether small or great whether man or woman But may whole Nations or Kingdomes now according to any one title exprest by Christ Iesus to that purpose follow that patterne of Israel and put to death all both men and women great and small that according to the rules of the Gospel are not borne againe penitent humble heavenly patient c. What a world of hypocrisie from hence is practised by thousands that for feare will stoope to give that God their bodies in a forme whom yet in truth their hearts affect not Yea also what a world of prophanation of the holy Name and holy Ordinances of the Lord in prostituting the holy things of God like the Vessels of the Sanctuary Dan. 5. to prophane impenitent and unregenerate persons Lastly what slaughters both of men and women must this necessarily bring into the world by the Insurrections and Civill Warres about Religion and Conscience Yea what slaughters of the innocent and faithfull witnesses of Christ Jesus who choose to bee slaine all the day long for Christ his sake and to fight for their Lord and Master Christ onely with spirituall and Christian weapons CHAP. CXIV Peace IT seemes deare Truth a mighty Gulfe betweene that people and Nation and the Nations of the world then extant and ever since Truth As sure as the blessed substance to all those shadowes Christ Iesus is come so unmatchable and never to bee paralleld by any Nationall State was that Israel in the Figure or Shadow And yet the Israel of God now the Regenerate or Newborne the circumcised in Heart by Repentance and Mortification who willingly submit unto the Lord Iesus as their onely King and Head may fitly parallell and answer that Israel in the type without such danger of hypocrisie of such horrible prophanations and of firing the Civill State in such bloody combustions as all Ages have brought forth upon this compelling a whole Nation or Kingdome to be the antitype of Israel Peace Were this Light entertained some hopes would shine forth for my returne and restauration Truth I have yet to adde a third consideration concerning the Kings and Governours of that Land and people They were to be unlesse in their captivities of their Brethren members of the true Church of God as appeares in the History of Moses the Elders of Israel and the Iudges and Kings of Israel afterward But first who can deny but that there may be now many lawfull Governours Magistrates and Kings in the Nations of the World where is no true Church of Iesus Christ Secondly we know the many excellent gifts wherewith it hath pleased God to furnish many inabling them for publike service to their Countries both in Peace and War as all Ages and Experience testifies on whose soules hee hath not yet pleased to shine in the face of Iesus Christ which Gifts and Talents must all lye buried in the Earth unlesse such persons may lawfully be called and chosen to and improved in publike service notwithstanding their different or contrary Conscience and Worship Thirdly if none but true Christians members of Christ Iesus might be Civill Magistrates and publikely intrusted with civill affaires then none but members of Churches Christians should be Husbands of Wives Fathers of Children Masters of Servants But against this doctrine the whole creation the whole World may justly rise up in armes as not onely contrary to true Piety but common Humanity it selfe For if a Commonweale bee lawfull amongst men that have not heard of God nor Christ certainly their Officers Ministers and Governours must be lawfull also Fourthly it is notoriously knowne to be the dangerous doctrine profest by some Papists that Princes degenerating from their Religion and turning Heretickes are to be deposed and their Subjects actually discharged from their
10. chapters CHAP. CXXV Peace DEare Truth You know the noyse is made from those prophecies Isa. 46. Kings and Queenes shall be nursing Fathers c. and Revel 21. the Kings of the Earth shall bring their Glory and Honour to new Ierusalem c. Truth I answer with that mournfull Prophet Psal. 74. I see not that man that Prophet that can tell us how long How many excellent Pen-men fight each against other with their pens like swords in the application of those prophecies of David Isa. Ier. Ezekiel Daniel Zacharie Iohn when and how those Prophecies shall be fulfilled Secondly When ever those prophecies are fulfilled yet shall those Kings not be Heads Governours and Judges in Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall causes but be themselves judged and ruled if within the Church by the power of the Lord Jesus therein Hence saith Isaiah those Kings and Queenes shall lick the Dust of thy feet c. Peace Some will here aske What may the Magistrate then lawfully doe with his Civill horne or power in matters of Religion Truth His horne not being the horne of that Vnicorne or Rhinocerot the power of the Lord Iesus in Spirituall caseâ— his sword not the two-edged sword of the Spirit the word of God hanging not about the loines or side but at the lips and proceeding out of the mouth of his Ministers but of an humane and Civill nature and constitution it must consequently be of a humane and Civill operation for who knowes not that operation followes constitution and therefore I shall end this passage with this consideration The Civill Magistrate either respecteth that Religion and Worship which his conscience is perswaded is true and upon which he ventures his Soule or else that and those which he is perswaded are false Concerning the first if that which the Magistrate believeth to be true be true I say he owes a threefold dutie unto it First approbation and countenance a reverent esteeme and honorable Testimonie according to Isa. 49. Revel 21. with a tender respect of Truth and the professours of it Secondly Personall submission of his owne Soule to the power of the Lord Iesus in that spirituall Government and Kingdome according to Mat. 18. 1. Cor. 5. Thirdly Protection of such true professours of Christ whether apart or met together as also of their estates from violence and injurie according to Rom. 13. Now secondly if it be a false Religion unto which the Civill Magistrate dare not adjoyne yet he owes First permission for approbation he owes not to what is evill and this according to Matthew 13. 30. for publike peace and quiet sake Secondly he owes protection to the persons of his Subjects though of a false worship that no injurie be offered either to the persons or goods of any Rom. 13. Peace Deare Truth in this 11 head concerning the Magistrates power in Worship you have examined what is affirmed that the Magistrate may doe in point of Worship there remaines a second to wit that which they say the Magistrate may not doe in Worship They say The Magistrate may not bring in set formes of prayerâ— Nor secondly bring in significant ceremonies Nor thirdly not governe and rule the acts of worship in the Church of God for which they bring an excellent similitude of a Prince or Magistrate in a ship where he hath no governing power over the actions of the mariners and secondly that excellent propheciâ— concerning Christ Iesus that his government should be upon his shoulders Isa. 9. 6 7. Truth Unto all this I willingly subscribe Yet can I not passe by a most injurious and unequall practice toward the Civill Magistrate Ceremonies Holy dayes Common Prayer and what ever else dislikes their consciences that the Magistrate must not bring in Others againe as learned as godly as wise have conceived the Magistrate may approve or permit these in the Church and all men are bound in obedience to obey him How shal the Magistrates conscience be herein between both torn and distracted if indeed the power either of establishing or abolishing in Church matters bee committed to him Secondly me thinkes in this case they deale with the Civill Magistrate as the Souldiers dealt with the Lord Iesus First they take off his owne clothes and put upon him a purple Robe plat a Crowne of Thornes on his head bow the knee and salute him by the name of King of the Iewes They tell him that he is the Keeper of both Tables he must see the Church doe her duty he must establish the true Church true Ministry true Ordinances he must keepe her in this purity Againe hee must abolish superstition and punish false Churches false Ministers even to banishment and death Thus indeed doe they make the blood run downe the head of the civill Magistrate from the thorny vexation of that power which sometimes they crowne him with whence in great States Kingdoms or Monarchies necessarily arise delegations of that spirituall power High Commissions c. Anon againe they take off this purple robe put him into his own clothes and tell him that he hath no power to command what is against their conscience They cannot conforme to a set form of prayer nor to Ceremonies nor Holy dayes c. although the civill Magistrate that most pious Prince Edw 6. â— and his famous Bishops afterwards burnt for Christ were of another conscienceâ— which of these two consciences shall stand if either Magistrate must put forth his civill power in these cases the strongest arme of flesh and most conquering bloody sword of Steele can alone decide the Question I confesse it is most true that no Magistrate as no other superiour is to be obeyed in any matter displeasing to God yet when in matters of worship we ascribe the absolute headship and government to the Magistrate as to keepe the Church pute and force her to her duty Ministers and People and yet take unto our selves power to judge what is right in our owne eyes and to judge the Magistrate in and for those very things wherein we confesse he hath power to see us doe our duty and therefore consequently must judge what our duty is what is this but to play with Magistrates with the soules of men with Heaven with God with Christ Iesus c. CHAP. CXXVI Peace PAsse on holy Truth to that similitude whereby they illustrate that Negative Assertion The Prince in the Ship say they is governour over the bodies of all in the Ship but hee hath no power to governe the Ship or the Mariners in the Actions of it If the Pilot manifestly erre in his Action the Prince may reprove him and so say they may any Passenger if hee offend against the life or goods of any the Prince may in due time and place punish him which no private person may Truth Although deare Peace wee both agree that civill powers may not
injoyne such devices no nor inforce on any Gods Institutions since Christ Iesus his comming Yet for further illustration I shall propose some Quaeries concerning the civill Magistrates passing in the ship of the Church wherein Christ Iesus hath appointed his Ministers and Officers as Governours and Pilots c. If in a ship at Sea wherein the Governour or Pilot of a ship undertakes to carry the ship to such a Port the civill Magistrate suppose a King or Emperour shall command the Master such and such a course to steere upon such or such a point which the Master knowes is not their course and which if they steere he shall never bring the Ship to that Port or harbour what shall the Master doe Surely all men will say the Master of the Ship or Pilot is to present Reasons and Arguments from his Mariners Art if the Prince bee capable of them or else in humble and submissive manner to perswade the Prince not to interrupt them in their course and duty properly belonging to them to wit governing of the ship steering of the course c. If the Master of the Ship command the Mariners thus and thus in cunning the ship managing the â—elme trimming the saile and the Prince command the Mariners a different or contrary course who is to be obeyed It is confest that the Mariners may lawfully disobey the Prince and obey the governour of the ship in the actions of the ship Thirdly what if the Prince have as much skill which is rare as the Pilot himselfe I conceive it will be answered that the Master of the ship and Pilot in what concernes the ship are chiefe and above in respect of their office the Prince himselfe and their commands ought to be attended by all the Mariners unlesse it bee in manifest errour wherein t is granted any passenger may reprove the Pilot. Fourthly I aske if the Prince and his Attendants be unskilfull in the ships affaires whether every Sayler and Mariner the youngest and lowest be not so farre as concernes the ship to be preferred before the Princes followers and the Prince himselfe and their counsell and advice more to be attended to and their service more to bee desired and respected and the Prince to bee requested to stand by and let the businesse alone in their hands Fifthly in case a wilfull King and his Attendants out of opinion of their skill or wilfulnesse of passion would so steere the course trim sayle c. as that in the judgement of the Master and Seamen the ship and lives shall bee indangered whether in case humble perswasions prevaile not ought not the Ships company to refuse to act in such a course yea and in case power be in their hands resist and suppresse these dangerous practices of the Prince and his followers and so save the ship Lastly suppose the Master out of base feare and cowardise or covetous desire of reward shall yeeld to gratifie the minde of the Prince contrary to the rules of Art and Experience c. and the ship come in danger and perish and the Prince with it if the Master get to shore whether may he not be justly questioned yea and suffer as guilty of the Princes death and those that perished with him These cases are cleare wherein according to this similitude the Prince ought not to governe and rule the actions of the ship but such whose office and charge and skill it is The result of all is this The Church of Christ is the Ship wherein the Prince if a member for otherwise the case is altred is a passenger In this ship the Officers and Governours such as are appointed by the Lord Jesus they are the chiefe and in those respects above the Prince himselfe and are to bee obeyed and submitted to in their works and administrations even before the Prince himselfe In this respect every Christian in the Church man or woman if of more knowledge and grace of Christâ— ought to be of higher esteeme concerning Religion and Christianity then all the Princes in the world who have either none or lesse grace or knowledge of Christ although in civill things all civill reverence honour and obedience ought to be yeelded by all men Therefore if in matters of Religion the King command what is contrary to Christs rule though according to his perswasion and conscience who sees not that according to the similitude he ought not to be obeyed yea and in case boldly with spirituall force and power he ought to be resisted And if any Officer of the Church of Christ shall out of basenesse yeeld to the command of the Prince to the danger of the Church and soules committed to his charge the soules that perish notwithstanding the Princes command shall be laid to his charge If so then I rejoyne thus How agree these truths of this similitude with those former positions viz. that the Civill Magistrate is keeper of both Tables That he is to see the Church doe her duty That he ought to establish the true Religion suppresse and punish the false and so consequently must discerne judge and determine what the true gathering and governing of the Church is what the dutie of every Minister of Christ is what the true Ordinances are and what the true Administrations of them and where men faile correct punish and reforme by the Civill Sword I desire it may be answered in the feare and presence of him whose eyes are as a flame of fire if this be not according to the similitude though contrary to their scope in proposing of it to be Governour of the Ship of the Church to see the Master Pilot and Mariners do their duty in setting the course steering the ship trimming the sailes keeping the watch c. and where they faile to punish them and therefore by undeniable consequence to judge and determine what their duties are when they doe right and when they doe wrong and this not only in manifest Errour for then they say every passenger may reprove but in their ordinary course and practice The similitude of a Physitian obeying the Prince in the Body politick but prescribing to the Prince concerning the Princes body wherein the Prince unlesse the Physitian manifestly erre is to be obedient to the Physitian and not to be Iudge of the Physitian in his Art but to be ruled and judged as touching the state of his body by the Physitian I say this similitude and many others suiting with the former of a ship might be alleadged to prove the distinction of the Civill and Spirituall estate and that according to the rule of the Lord Iesus in the Gospel the Civill Magistrate is only to attend the Calling of the Civill Magistracie concerning the bodies and goods of the Subjects and is himselfe if a member of the Church and within subject to the power of the Lord Iesus therein as any member of the Church is 1
roots and foundations of all common societie in the World to turne the Garden and Paradice of the Church and Saints into the Field of the Civill State of the World and to reduce the World to the first Chaos or confusion CHAP. CXXXVIII Peace DEare Truth thou conquerestâ— and shalt triumph in season but some will say How answer you those Scriptures alleadged Truth I have fully and at large declared the vast differences between that holy Nation of typicall Israel and all other Lands and Countries how unmatchable then and now and never to be parallel'd but by the true Israel and particular Churches of Christ residing in all parts and under the severall civill Governments of the world In which Churches the Israel of God and Kingdome of Christ Iesus such only are to be chosen spirituall Officers and Governours to manage his Kingly power and authoritie in the Church as are according to the Scriptures quoted not Pope Bishops or Civill powers but from amongst themselves Brethren fearing God hating coveâ—ousnesse or filthy lucre according to those golden Rules given by the Lord Iesus 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. The want of discerning this true parallel between Israel in the type then and Israel the antitype now is that rock whereon through the Lords righteous jealousie punishing the World and chastising his people thousands dash and make wofull Shipwrack The second branch viz. that all Freemen elected be only Church members I have before shewne to be built on that saudy and dangerous Ground of Israels patterns O that it may please the Father of Lights to discover this to all that fear his name I then would they not sin to save a Kingdome nor run into the lamentable breach of civill peace and order in the world nor be guilty of forcing thousands to Hypocrisie in a State worship nor of prophaning the holy name of God and Christ by putting their Names and Ordinances upon uncleane and unholy persons nor of shedding the blood of such Hereticks c. whom Christ would have enjoy longer patience and permission untill the Harvest nor of the blood of the Lord Iesus himselfe in his faithfull Witnesses of Truth nor lastly of the blood of so many hundred thousands slaughtred men women and children by such uncivill and unchristian wars and combustions about the Christian faith and Religion Peace Deare Truth before we part I aske your faithfull helpe once more to 2 or 3 Scriptures which many alleadge and yet we have not spoken of Truth Speake on here is some sand left in this our houre glasse of mercifull opportunitie One graine of Times inestimable sand is worth a golden mountaine let 's not lose it Peace The first is that of the Ninevites fast commanded by the King of Ninevie and his Nobles upon the preaching of Ionah succeeded by Gods mercifull answer in sparing of the Citie and quoted with honorable approbation by the Lord Iesus Christ Jonah 3. Math. 12. Truth I have before proved that even Iehosaphats fast he being King of that Nationall Church and people of Israel could not possibly be a type or warrant for every King or Magistrate in the World whose Nations Countries or Cities cannot be Churches of God now in the Gospel according to Christ Iesus Much lesse can this patterne of the King of Ninevie and his Nobles be a ground for Kings and Magistrates now to force all their Subjects under them in the matters of Worship Peace It will be said why did God thus answer them Truth Gods mercy in hearing doth not prove an action right and according to rule It pleased God to heare the Israelites cry for Flesh and afterward for a King given both in anger to them It pleased God to heare Aâ—abs prayer yea and the prayer of the Devils Luc. 8. although their persons and prayers in themselves abominable If it be said why did Christ approve this example I answer the Lord Iesus Christ did not approve the King of Ninevies compelling all to Worship but the men of Ninevies repentance at the preaching of Ionah Peace It will be said what shall Kings and Magistrates now doe in the plagues of sword famine pestilence Truth Kings and Magistrates must be considered as formerly invested with no more power then the people betrust them with But no People can betrust them with any spirituall power in matters of worship but with a Civill power belonging to their goods and bodies 2. Kings and Magistrates must be considered as either godly or ungodly If ungodly his own and peoples duty is Repentance and reconciling of their persons unto God before their sacrifice can be accepted Without Repentance what have any to doe with the covenant or promise of God Psal. 50. Againe if Godly they are to humble themselves and beg mercles for themselves and people Secondly upon this advantage occasion they are stir up their people as possibly they may to Repentance but not to force the consciences of people to worship If it be said What must be attended to in this example Two things are most eminent in this example First the great worke of Repentance which God calls all men unto upon the true preaching of his Word Secondly the nature of that true repentance whether Legall or Evangelicall The people of Ninevie turned from the violence that was in their hands And confident I am if this Nation shall turne though but with a Legall repentance from that violent persecuting or hunting each of other for Religion sake the greatest violence and hunting in the wildernesse of the whole World even as Sodome and Gomorrah upon a Legall repentance had continued untill Christs day so consequently might England London c. continue free from a generall destruction upon such a turning from their violence untill the Heavens and the whole World be with fire consumed Peace The second Scripture is that speech of the Lord Christ Luc. 22. 36. He that hath not a sword let him fell his coat and buy one Truth For the cleering of this Scripture I must propose and reconcile that seeming contrary command of the Lord Iesus to Peter Mat. 26. Put up thy sword into his place for all that take the sword shall perish by it In the former Scripture Luc. 22. it pleased the Lord Iesus speaking of his present trouble to compare his former sending forth of his Disciples without scrip c. with that present condition and triall comming upon them wherein they should provide both scrip and sword c. Yet now first when they tell him of two swords he answers It is enough which shewes his former meaning was not literall but figurative foreshewing his present danger above his former Secondly in the same case at the same time Mat. 26 commanding Peter to put on his sword he gives a threefold Reason thereof 1 vers 52. from the event of it for all that take the sword shall perish by it 2 The needlesnes of it