to performe ungodly actions nor for ungodly persons for wicked ends to act what in it selfe is good and righteous Abraham Iacob David Salomon c. as well as Lamech Saul c. lived in constant transgression against the institution of so holy and so ratified a Law of Mariage c. and this not against the light and checks of conscience as other sinnes are wont to be recorded of them but according to the dictate and perswasion of a Resolved Soule and Conscience David out of zeale to God with 30 thousand of Israel and Majesticall solemnity carries up the Arke contrary to the Order God was pleased to appoint the issue was both Gods and Davids great offenceâ— 2 Sam. 6. David in his zeale would build an house to entertaine his God what more pious and what more in shew serioâ—sly consulted when the Prophet Nathan is admitted Councellour 2 Sam. 7. And probable it is that his slaughter of Vriiah was not without a good end to wit to prevent the dishonour of Gods name in the discoverrie of his Adulterie with Bathsheba yet David was holy and precious to God still though like a jewell fallen into the dirt whereas K. Ahab though acting his fasting humiliation was but Ahab still though his Act in it selfe was a duty and found successe with God CHAP. LXIV Peace I Have often heard that Historie reports and I have heard that Mr. Cotton himselfe hat affirmed it that Christianitic fell asleep in Constantines bosome and the laps and bosomes of those Emperours professing the name of Christ. Truth The unknowing zeale of Constantine and other Emperours did more hurt to Christ Iesus his Crowne and Kingdome then the raging fury of the most bloody Neroes In the persecutions of the later Christians were sweet and fragrant like spice pounded and beaten in morters But those good Emperours persecuting some erroneous persons Arrius c. and advancing the professours of some Truths of Christ for there was no small number of Truths lost in those times and maintaining their Religion by the materiall Sword I say by this meanes Christianity was ecclipsed and the Professors of it fell asleep Cant. 5. Babel or confusion was usher'd in and by degrees the Gardens of the Churches of Saints were turned into the wildernesse of whole Nations untill the whole World became Christian or Christendome Revel 12. 13. Doubtlesse those holy men Emperours and Bishops intended and aimed right to exalt Christ but not attending to the Command of Christ Iesus to permit the Tares to grow in the field of the World they made the Garden of the Church and Field of the World to be all one and might not onely sometimes in their zealous mistakes persecute good wheat in stead of Tares but also pluck up thousands of those precious stalkes by commotions and combustions about Religion as hath been since practised in the great and wonderfull changes wrought by such Wars in many great and mighty States and Kingdomes as we heard even now in the Observation of the King of Bohemia CHAP. LXV Peace DEare Truth before you leave this passage concerning the Emperours I shall desire you to glance your eye on this not unworthy observation to wit how fully this worthy Answerer hath learned to speake the roaring language of Lyon-like Persecution far from the purity and peaceablenesse of the Lambe which he was wont to expresse in England For thus he writes More and greater Princes then these you mention saith he have not tolerated Hereticks and Schismaticks notwithstanding their pretence of Conscience and their arrogating the Crown of Martyrdome to their suffâ—ings Truth Thy tender eare and heart sweet Peace endures not such language 'T is true that these termes Hereticks or wilfully obstinate and Schismaticks or Renders are used in Holy Writ 't is true also that such pretend conscience and challenge the crowne of Martyrdome to their suffrings Yet since as King Iames spake in his Marke of a false Church on Revel 20. the Wicked persecute and besiege and the Godly are persecuted and besieged this is the common clamour of Persecuters against the Messengers and Witnesses of Iesus in all Ages viz. You are Hereticks Schismaticks factious seditious rebellious Have not all Truths witnesses heard such reproaches You pretend conscience You say you are persecuted for Religion You will say you are Martyrs Oh it is hard for Gods children to fall to opinion and practice of Persecution without the ready learning the language thereof And doubtlesse that Soule that can so readily speake Babels language hath cause to fear that he hath not yet in point of Worship left the Gates or Suburbs of it Peace Againe in blaming Iulian and Valens the Arrian for tolerating all weeds to grow he notes their sinfull end that thereby they might choake the vitals of Christianity and seemes to consent in this and other passages foregoing and following on a speech of Ierome that the weeds of false Religions tolerated in the world have a power to choake and kill true Christianity in the Church Truth I shall more fully answer to this on Ieromes speech and shew that if the weeds be kept out of the Garden of the Church the Roses and Lilies therein will flourish notwithstanding that weeds abound in the Field of the Civill State When Christianity began to be choaked it was not when Christians lodged in cold Prisons but Downe beds of ease and persecuted others c. CHAP. LXVI Peace HE ends this passage with approbation of Q. Elizabeth for persecuting the Papists and a reproofe to King Iames for his persecuting the Puritans c. Truth I answer if Queene Elizabeth according to the Answerers Tenent and Conscience did well to persecute according to her conscience King Iames did not ill in persecuting according to his For Mr. Cotton must grant that either King Iames was not fit to be a King had not the essentiall qualifications of a King in not being able rightly to judge who ought to be persecuted and who not or else he must confesse that King Iames and all Magistrates must persecute such whom in their Conscience they judge worthy to be persecuted I say it againe though I neither approve Queen Elizabeth or K. Iames in such their persecutions yet such as hold this Tenent of persecuting for Conscience must also hold that Civill Magistrates are not essentially fitted and qualified for their function and office except they can discerne clearly the difference betweene such as are to be punished and persecuted and such as are not Or else if they be essentially qualified without such a religious spirit of discerning and yet must persecute the Hereticke the Schismaticke c. must they not persecute according to their conscience and perswasion And then doubtlesse though he bee excellent for Civill Government may he easily as Paul did ignorantly persecute the Son of God in stead of the Son of perdition Therefore lastly according to Christ
Iesus his command Magistrates are bound not to persecute and to see that none of their subjects be persecuted and oppressed for their conscience and worship being otherwise subject and peaceable in Civill Obedience CHAP. LXVII IN the second place I answer and aske what glory to God what good to the soules or bodies of their subjects shall Princes did these Princes bring in persecuting c. Peace Mr. Cotton tells us in his discourse upon the third Violl that Queene Elizabeth had almost fired the world in civill combustions by such her peâ—secuting For though hee bring it in to another end yet he confesseth that it raised all Christendome in combustion raised the Warres of 88. and the Spanish Invasion and he addes both concerning the English Nation and the Dutch that if God had not born witnesse to his people and their Laws in defeating the intendments of their enemies against both the Nations it might have beene the ruine of them both Truth That those Lawes and Practices of Queene Elizabeth raised those combustions in Christendome I deny not That they might likely have cost the ruine of English and Dutch I grant That it was Gods gracious worke in defeating the Intendments of their enemies I thankfully acknowledge But that God bore witnesse to such persecutions and lawes for such persecutions I deny for First event and successe come alike to all and are no Arguments of love or hatred c. Secondly the Papists in their warres have ever yet had both in Peace and War victory and dominion and therefore if successe be the measure God hath borne witnesse unto them It is most true what Daniel in his 8. and 11. and 12. Chapters and Iohn in his Revel 11. 12. and 13. Chapters write of the great successe of Antichrist against Christ Iesus for a time appointed Successe was various betweene Charles the fift and some German Princes Philip of Spaine and the Low Countries The French King and his Protestant Subjects sometimes losing sometimes winning interchangeably But most memorable is the famous history of the Waldâ—nses and Albingenses those famous Witnesses of Iesus Christ who rising from Waldâ— at Lyons in France 1160. spread over France Italy Germany and almost all Countries into thousands and ten thousands making separation from the Pope and Church of Rome These fought many Battels with various successe and had the assistance and protection of divers great Princes against three succeeding Popes and their Armies but after mutuall slaughters and miseries to both sides the finall successe of victory fell to the Popedome and Romish Church in the utter extirpation of those famous Waldensian witnesses Gods servants are all overcommers when they war with Gods weapons in Gods cause and Worship and Revel 2. and 3. Chapters seven times is it recorded To him that overcommeth in Ephesus To him that overcommeth in Sardis c. and Revel 12. Gods servants overcame the Dragon or Devill in the Romane Emperours by three weapons The blood of the Lambe The word of their Testimony and The not loving of their lives unto the death CHAP. LXVIII Peace THe Answerer in the next place descends to the third and last Head of Arguments produced by the Authour taken from the judgement of ancient and later Writers yea even of the Papists themselves who have condemned persecution for conscience sake some of which the Answerer pleaseth to answer and thus writeth You begin with Hilarie whose testimony without prejudice to the Truth we may admit For it is true the Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted But to excommunicate an Hereticke is not to persecute that is it is not to punish an innocent but a culpable and damnable person and that not for conscience but for persisting in errour against light of conscience whereof he hath beene convinced Truth In this Answer here are two things First his confession of the same Truth affirmed by Hilarius to wit that the Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted suâ—ing wiâ—h that foâ—egâ—ing observation of King Iames from Rev. 20. Peace Yet to this he addes a colour thus which saith he wee may admit without prejudice to the truth Truth I answer if it bee a marke of the Christian Church to bee persecuted and of the Antichristian oâ— false Church to persecute then those Churches cannot be truly Christian according to the first institution which either actually themselves or by the Civill power of Kings and Princes given to them or procured by them to fight for them doe persecute such as dissent from them or be opposite against them Peace Yea but in the second place he addeth that to excommunicate an Heretick is not to persecute but to punish him for sinning against the light of his own conscience c. Truth I answer if this worthy Answerer were throughly awaked from the Spouses spirituall slumber Cant. 5. and had recovered from the drunkennesse of the great Whore who intoxicateth the Nations Revel 17. It is impossible that he should so answer for First who questioneth whether to excommunicate an Heretick this is an obstinate Gainsayer as we have opened the word upon Tit. 3. I say who questioneth whether that be to persecute Excommunication being of a spirituall nature a Sentence denounced by the Word of Christ Iesus the Spirituall King of his Church and a Spirituall killing by the most sharpe two-edged Sword of the Spirit in delivering up the person excommunicate to Sathan Therefore who sees not that his Answer comes not neere our Question Peace In the Answerers second conclusion in the entrance of this Discourse he proves persecution against an Heretick for sinning against his conscience and quotes Tit. 3. 10. which only proves as I have there made it evident a Spirituall rejecting or excommunicating from the Church of God and so comes not neer the question Here again he would prove Churches charged to be false because they persecute I say he would prove them not to be false because they persecute not for saith he Excommunication is not Persecution Whereas the Question is as the whole discourse and Hilaries own amplification of the matter in this speech and the practice of all Ages testifies whether it be not a false Church that doth persecute other Churches or Members opposing her in Spirituall and Church matter not by Excommunications but by imprisonments stocking whipping sining banishing hanging burning c. notwithstanding that such persons in Civill obedience and subjection are unreproveable Truth I conclude this passage with Hilarius and the Answerer That the Christian Church doth not persecute no more then a Lilie doth scratch the Thornes or a Lambe pursue and teare the â—olves or a Turtle dove hunt the Hawkes and Eagles or a chaste and modest Virgin fight and scratch like whores and harlots And for punishing the Heretick for sinning against his conscience after conviction which in the second conclusion he affirmeth to be by a
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
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
of State policy tolerate what suits not with Christianity and out of State necessity tolerate â—s David did Ioab against their wils To which I answer First that although with him in the first I confesse that Princes may tolerate that out of State policy which will not stand with Christianity yet in the second he must acknowledge with me that there is a necessity sometime of State Toleration as in the case of Ioab and so his former affirmation generally laid downe viz. that it is evill to tolerate seducing Teachers or scandalous livers was not duly waighed in the Balance of the Sanctuary and is too light Secondly I affirme that that State policy and State necessity which for the peace of the State and preventing of Rivers of civill Blood permits the Consciences of men will bee found to agree most punctually with the Rules of the best Politician that ever the World saw the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in comparison of whom Salomon himselfe had but a drop of wisedome compared to Christs Ocean and was but a Farthing Candle compared with the All and Ever glorious Son of Righteousnesse That absolute Rule of this great Politician for the peace of the Field which is the World and for the good and peace of the Saints who must have a civill being in the World I have discoursed of in his command of permitting the Tares that is Antichristians or false Christians to be in the Field of the World growing up together with the true Wheat true Christians CHAP. LXI Peace HIs third Answer is this For those three Princes named by you who tolerated Religion we can name you more and greater who have not tolerated Heretickes and Schismatickes notwithstanding their pretence of Conscience and their arrogating the Crowne of Martyrdome to their sufferings Constantine the Great at the request of the Generall Councell at Nice banished Arrius with some of his Fellowes Sozom. lib. 1. Eccles hist. cap 19 20. The same Constantine made a severe Law against the Donatists and the like proceedings against them were used by Valentinian Gratian and Theodosius as Augustine reports in Ep. 166. Onely Iulian the Apostate granted liberty to Heretickes as well as to Pagans that he might by tolerating all weeds to grow choake the vitals of Christianity which was also the practice and sinne of Valens the Arrian Queene Elizabeth as famous for her Government as most of the former it is well knowne what Lawes she made and executed against Papists yea and K. Iames one of your owne Witnesses though he was slow in proceeding against Papists as you say for Conscience sake yet you are not ignorant how sharply and severely he punished those whom the malignant World calls Puritans men of more Conscience and better Faith then the Papists whom he tolerated Truth Unto this I answer First that for mine owne part I would not use an argument from the number of Princes witnessing in profession of practice against Persecution for cause of Conscience for the truth and faith of the Lord Iesus must not bee received with respect of faces be they never so high princely and glorious Precious Pearles and Iewels and farre more precious Truth are found in muddy shells and places The rich Mines of golden Truth lye hid under barren hills and in obscure holes and corners The most High and Glorious God hath chosen the poore of the World and the Witnesses of Truth Rev. 11. are cloathed in sackcloth not in Silke or Sattin Cloth of Gold or Tissue and therefore I acknowledge if the number of Princes professing persecution bee considered it is rare to finde a King Prince or Governour like Christ Iesus the King of Kings and Prince of the Princes of the Earth and who tread not in the steps of Herod the Fox or Nero the Lyon openly or secretly persecuting the name of the Lord Iesus such were Saul Ieroboam Ahab though under a maske or pretence of the name of the God of Israel To that purpose was it a noble speech of Buchanan who lying on his death-bed sent this Item to King Iames Remember my humble service to his Majestie and tell him that Buchanan is going to a place where few Kings come CHAP. LXII Truth SEcondly I observe how inconsiderately I hope not willingly he passeth by the Reasons and Grounds urged by those three Princes for their practices for as for the bare examples of Kings or Princes they are but like shining Sands or guilded Rockes giving no solace to such as make wofull shipwrack on them In K. Iames his Speech he passeth by that Golden Maxime in Divinity that God never loves to plant his Church by Blood Secondly that Civill Obedience may be performed from the Papists Thirdly in his observation on Revel 20. that true and certaine note of a false Church to wit persecution The wicked are besiegers the faithfull are besieged In K. Steven of Poland his Speech hee passeth by the true difference betweene a Civill and a Spirituall Government I am said Steven a Civill Magistrate over the bodies of men not a spirituall over their soules Now to confound these is Babel and Jewish it is to seek for Moses and bring him from his grave which no man shall finde for God buried him in setting up a Nationall state or Church in a land of Canaan which the great Messiah abolished at his comming Thirdly he passeth by in the speech of the King of Bohemia that foundation in Grace and Nature to wit that Conscience ought not to be violated or forced and indeed it it is most true that a Soule or spirituall Rape is more abominable in Gods eye then to force and ravish the Bodies of all the Women in the World Secondly that most lamentably true experience of all Ages which that King observeth viz. that persecution for cause of Conscience hath ever proved pernicious being the causes of all those wonderfull innovations of or changes in the Principalitiesâ— and mightiest Kingdomes of Christendome He that reads the Records of Truth and Time with an impartiall eye shall finde this to be the Launcet that hath pierc'd the veines of Kings and Kingdomes of Saints and Sinners and fill'd the streames and Rivers with their blood Lastly that Kings observation of his own time viz. that Persecution for cause of Conscience was practised most in England and such places where Popery raigned implying as I conceive that such practises commonly proceed from that great whore the Church of Rome whose Daughters are like their Mother and all of a bloody nature as most commonly all Whores be CHAP. LXIII NOw thirdly in that the Answerer observeth that amongst the Romane Emperours they that did not persecute were Iulian the Apostate and Valens the Arrian whereas the good Emperours Constantine Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius they did persecute the Arrians Donatists c. Answ. It is no new thing for godly and eminently godly men
Conviction and any other scandalous and heynous offender may be tolerated either in the Church without Excommunication or in the Common-weale without such punishment as may preserve others from dangerous and damnable infection CHAP. LXXIX Truth I Here observe the Answerers partiality that none but such as truly feare God should enjoy Libertie of Conscience whence the Inhabitants of the World must either come into the estate of men fearing God or else dissemble a Religion in hypocrisie or else be driven out of the World One must follow The first is only the gift of God the second and third are too commonly practised upon this ground Againe since there is so much controversie in the World where the name of Christ is taken up concerning the true Church the Ministrie and Worship and who are those that truly feare God I aske who shall judge in this case who be they that feare God It must needs be granted that such as have the power of suffring or not suffring such Consciences must judge and then must it follow as before I intimated that the Civill State must judge of the truth of the Spirituall and then Magistrates fearing or not fearing God must judge of the feare of God also that their judgement or sentence must be according to their conscience of what Religion soever Or that there is no lawfull Magistrate who is not able to judge in such cases And lastly that since the Soveraigne power of all Civill Authority is founded in the consent of the People that every Common-weale hath radically and fundamentally in it a power of true discerning the true feare of God which they transfer to their Magistrates and Officers Or else that there are no lawfull Kingdomes Cities or Townes in the World in which a man may live and unto whose Civill Government he may submit and then as I said before there must be no World nor is it lawfull to live in it because it hath not a true discerning Spirit to judge them that feare or not feare God Lastly although this worthy Answerer so readily grants that Libertie of Conscience should be suffred to them that feare God indeed yet we know what the Ministers of the Churches of New-England wrote in answer to the 3 Question sent to them by some Ministers of Old England viz. that although they confest them to be such persons whom they approved of far above themselves yea who were in their hearts to live and die together yet if they and other godly people with them comming over to them should differ in Church constitution they then could not approve their Civill cohabitation with them and consequently could not advise the Magistrates to suffer them to enjoy a Civill being within their Iurisdiction Heare O Heavens and give eare O Earth yea let the Heavens be astonished and the Earth tremble at such an Answer as this from such excellent men to such whom they esteeme for godlinesse above themselves CHAP. LXXIX Peace YEa but they say they doubt not if they were there but they should agree for say they either you will come to us or you may shew us light to come to you for we are but weak men and dreame not of perfection in this life Truth Alas who knowes not what lamentable differences have beene betweene the same Ministers of the Church of England some conforming others leaving their livings friends country life rather then conforme when others againe of whose personall godlinesse it is not questioned have succeeded by conformity into such forsaken so called Livings How great the present differences even amongst them that feare God concerning Faith Iustification and the evidence of it concerning Repentance and godly sorrow as also and mainly concerning the Church the Matter Forme Administration and Government of it Let none now thinke that the passage to New England by Sea or the nature of the Countrey can doe what onely the Key of David can doe to wit open and shut the Consciences of men Beside how can this bee a faithfull and upright acknowledgement of their weaknesse and imperfection when they preach print and practise such violence to the soules and bodies of others and by their Rules and Grounds ought to proceed even to the killing of those whom they judge so deare unto them and in respect of godlinesse far above themselves CHAP. LXXX Peace YEa but say they the godly will not persist in Heresie or turbulent Schisme when they are convinced in Conscience c. Truth Sweet Truth if the Civill Court and Magistracy must judge as before I have writâ—en and those Civill Courts are as lawfull consisting of naturall men as of godly persons then what consequences necessarily will â—ollow I have before mentioned And I adde according to this conclusion it must follow that if the most godly persons yeeld not to once or twice Admonition as is maintained by the Answerer they must necessarily be esteemed obseinate persons for if they were godly saith he they would yeeld Must it not then be said as it was by one passing sentence of Banishment upon some whose godlinesse was acknowledged that he that commanded the Iudge not to respect the poore in the cause of judgement commands him not to respect the holy or the godly person Hence I could name the place and time when a godly man a most desirable person for his trade c. yet something different in conscience propounded his willingnesse and desire to come to dwell in a certaine Towne in New England it was answered by the Chiefe of the place This man differs from us and wee desire not to be troubled So that in conclusion for no other reason in the world the poore man though godly usefull and peaceable could not be admitted to a Civill Being and Habitation on the Common Earth in that Wildernesse amongst them The latter part of the Answer concerning the Hereticke or obstinate person to be excommunicated and the scandalous offender to be punished in the Commonweale which neither of both come neere our Question I have spoken I feare too largely already Peace Mr. Cotton concludes with a confident perswasion of having removed the grounds of that great errour viz. that persons are not to be persecuted for cause of conscience Truth And I beleeve deare Peace it shall appear to them that with feare and trembling at the word of the Lord examine these passages that the charge of errour reboundeth backe even such an errour as may well bee called the bloody tenent so directly contradicting the spirit and minde and practice of the Prince of Peace so deeply guilty of the blood of soules compelled and forced to â—â—ypocrisie in a spirituall and soule rape so deeply guilty of the blood of the Soules under the Altar persecuted in all ages for the cause of Conscience and so destructive to the civill peace and welfare of all Kingdomes Countries and Commonwealths CHAP. LXXXI Peace TO this Conclusion deare Truth
I finde not a little in the Testament of Christ Iesus I finde the Church of Christ frequently compared to a Schoole All Beleevers are his Disciples or Scholars yea women also Acts 9. 36. There was a certaine Disciple or Scholar called Dorcas Have not the Universities sacrilegiously stole this blessed name of Christs Scholars from his people Is not the very Scripture language it selfe become absurd to wit to call Gods people especially Women as Dorcas Scholars Peace Some will object how shall the Scriptures be brought to â—ight from out of Popish darknesse except these Schooles of Prophets convey them to us Truth I know no Schooles of Prophets in the New Testament but the particular Congregation of Christ Iesus 1 Cor. 14. And I question whether any thing but Sinne stopt and dried up the current of the Spirit in those rare gifts of tongues to Gods sons daughters serving so admirably both for the understanding of the Originall Scriptures and also for the propagating of the name of Christ. Who knowes but that it may please the Lord againe to cloath his people with a spirit of zeale and courage for the name of Christ yea and powre forth those fiery streames againe of Tongues and Prophecie in the restauration of Zion If it be not his holy pleasure so to doe but that his people with daily study and labour must dig to come at the Originall Fountaines Gods people have many wayes besides the Universitie lazie and Monkish to attaine to an excellent measure of the knowledge of those tongues That most despised while living and now much honoured Mr. Ainsworth had scarce his Peere amongst a thousand Academians for the Scripture Originalls and yet he scarce set foot within a Colledge walls CHAP. CVIII Peace I Shall now present you with their 10. Head viz. concerning the Magistrates power in matters of Doctrine That which is unjustly ascribed to the Pope is as unjustly ascribed to the Magistrates viz. to have power of making new Articles of Faith or Rules of Life or of pressing upon the Churches to give such publike honour to the Apocrypha writings or Homilies of men as to read them to the people in the roome of the Oracles of God Truth This Position simply considered I acknowledge a most holy truth of God both against the Pope and the Civill Magistrates challenge both pretending to be the Vicars of Christ Iesus upon the Earth Yet two things here I shall propose to consideration First since the Parliament of England thrust the Pope out of his chaire in England and set downe King Henry the 8. and his Successours in the Popes roome establishing them supreme Governours of the Church of England since such an absolute government is given by all men to them to be Guardians of the first Table and worship of God to set up the true worship to suppresse all false and that by the power of the Sword and therefore consequently they must judge and determine what the true is and what the false And since the Magistrate is bound by these Authours principles to see the Church the Church officers and members doe thair duty he must therefore judge what is the Churches duty and when she performes or not performes it or when she exceeds so like wise when the Ministers performe their duty or when they exceed it And if the Magistrate must judge then certainly by his owne eye and not by the eyes of others though assembled in a Nationall or Generall Councell Then also upon his judgement must the people rest as upon the minde and judgement of Christ or else it must be confest that he hath no such power left him by Christ to compell the soules of men in matters of Gods worship Secondly concerning the Apocrypha writings and Homilies to be urged by the Magistrate to be read unto the people as the Oracles of God I aske if the Homilies of England contain not in them much pretious and heavenly matter â— Secondly if they were not 〈◊〉 at least many of them by excellent men for learning holinesse and witnesse of Christs Truth incomparable Thirdly were they not authorised by that most rare and pious Prince Ed. 6. then head of the Church of England With what great solemnity and rejoycing were they received of thousands Yet now behold their children after them sharply censure them for Apocrypha writings and Homilies trust into the roome of the Word of God and so falling into the consideration of a false and counterfeit Scripture I demand of these worthy men whether a servant of God might then lawfully have refused to read or heare such a false Scripture Secondly if so whether King Edward might have lawfully compelled such a man to yeeld and submit or else have persecuted him yea according to the Authors principles whether he ought to have spared him because after the admonitions of such pious and learned men this man shall now prove an Hereticke and as an obstinate person sinning against the light of his owne conscience In this case what shall the conscience of the subject doe awed by the dread of the most High What shall the conscience of the Magistrate do zealous for his glorious Reformation being constantly perswaded by his Clergy of his Lieutenantship received from Christ Again what priviledge have those worthy servants of God either in Old or New England to be exempted from the mistakes into which those gloâ—ious Worthies in K. Edwards time did fall and if so what bloudy conclusions are presented to the World perswading men to plucke up by the Roots from the Land of the living all such as seem in their eyes hereticall or obstinate CHAP. CIX Peace DEare Truth What darke and dismall bloudy paths doe we walke in How is thy name and mine in all ages cried up yet as an English Flag in a Spanish bottome not in truth but dangerous treachery and abuse both of Truth and Peace We are now come to the 11 Head which concernes the Magistrates power in worship First they have power say they to reforme things in the worship of God in a Church corrupted and to establish the pure worship of God defending the same by the power of the sword against all those who shall attempt to corrupt it For first the reigning of Idolatry and corruption in Religion is imputed to the want of a King Iudges 17. 5 6. Secondly Remissenes in Reforming Religion is a fault imputed to them who suffered the High Places in Israel and in Gallio who cared not for such things Acts 18. Thirdly Forwardnesse this way is a duty not only for Kings in the Old Testament but for Princes under the New 1 Tim 2. 2. Rom. 13. 4. Esay 49. 23. Neither did the Kings of Israel reforme things amisse as types of Christ but as Civill Magistrates and so exemplary to all Christians And here Reformation in Religion is commendable in a Persian King Ezra 7.
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