in His Church His spirituall judicature and executes this sentence in part at present and hereafter to all eternity Such a sentence no Civill Iudge can passe such a Death no Civill sword can inâ—lict I answer secondly Dead men cannot be infected the civill state the world being in a naturall state dead in sin what ever be the State-Religion unto which persons are forced it is impossible it should be infected Indeed the living the beleeving the Church and spirituall state that and that onely is capable of infection for whose helpe we shall presently see what preservatives and remedies the Lord Iesus hath appointed Moreover as we see in a common plague or infection the names are taken how many are to dye and not one more shall be strucke then the destroying Angel hath the names of So here what ever be the soule infection breathed out from they lying lips of a plague-sicke Pharisee yet the names are taken not one elect or chosen of God shall perish Gods sheep are safe in His eternall hand and counsell and he that knowes his materiall knows also his mysticall stars their numbers and calls them every one by name none fall into the Ditch on the blinde Pharises backe but such as were ordained to that condemnation both guid and followers 1 Pet. 2. 8. Iude 4. The vessells of wrath shall breake and split and only they to the praise of Gods eternall justice Rom. 9. CHAP. XXXIV Peace BUt it is said be it granted that in a common plague or infection none are smitten and dye but such as are appointed yet it is not only every mans duty but the common duty of the Magistrate to prevent infection and to preserve the common health of the place likewise though the number of the Elect be sure and God knowes who are His yet hath He appointed meanes for their preservation from perdition and from infection and therefore the Angel is blamed for suffering Balaams doctrine and Iesabel to seduce Christ Jesus His servants Rev. 2. Tit. 3. 10. Rom. 16. 17. Truth I answer Let that Scripture and that of Titus reject an Hereticke and Rom. 16. 17. avoid them that are contentious c. let them and all of like nature be examined and it will appeare that the great and good Physitian Christ Iesus the Head of the Body and King of the Church hath not been unfaithfull in providing spirituall antidotes and preservatives against the spirituall sicknesses sores weaknosses dangers of his Church and people but he never appointed the civill sword for either antidote or remedy as an addition to those spiritualls which he hath left with his wife his Church or People Hence how great is the bondage the captivity of Gods owne People to Babylonish or confused mixtures in Worship and unto worldly and earthly policies to uphold State Religions or Worships since that which is written to the Angel and Church at Pergamus shall be interpreted as sent to the Governour and City of Pergamus and that which is sent to Titus and the Church of Christ at Creet must be delivered to the civill officers and City thereof But as the Civill Magistrate hath his charge of the bodies and goods of the subject So have the spirituall Officers Governours and overseers of Christs City or Kingdome the charge of their souls and soule safety Hence that charge of Paul to Tim. 1 Tim. 5. 20. Them that sinne rebuke before all that others may learne to fear This is in the Church of Christ a spirituall meanes for the healing of a soule that hath sinned or taken infection and for the preventing of the infecting of others that others may learne to feare c. CHAP. XXXV Peace IT is said true that Titus and Timothy and so the Officers of the Church of Christ are bound to prevent soule infection But what hinders that the Magistrate should not be charged also with this duty Truth I answer many things I have answered and more shall at present I shall only say this If it be the Magistrate duty or office then is he both a Temporall and Ecclesiasticall officer contrary to which most men will affirme and yet we know the policie of our owne Land and Country hath established to the Kings and Queens thereof the supreme heads or governours of the Church of England That doctrine and distinction that a Magistrate may punish an Heretick civilly will not here availe for what is Babel if this be not confusedly to punish corporall or civill offences with spirituall or Church censures the offendour not being a member of it or to punish soule or spirituall offences with corporall or temporall weapons proper to Delinquents against the temporall or civill state Lastly woe were it with the civill Magistrate and most intolerable burthens do they lay upon their backs that teach this doctrine if together with the common care and charge of the Commonwealth the peace and safety of the Towne City State or Kingdome the bloud of every soule that perisheth should cry against him unlesse he could say with Paul Acts 20. in spirituall regards I am clear from the blould of all men that is the bloud of soules which was his charge to looke after so far as his preaching went not the bloud of bodies which belongeth to the civill Magistrate I acknowledge he ought to cherish as a foster-father the Lord Iesus in his truth in his Saints to cleave unto them himselfe and to countenance them even to the death yea also to breake the teeth of the Lions who offer Civill violence and injury unto them But to see all his Subjects Christians to keepe such Church or Christians in the purity of worship and see them doe their duty this belongs to the Head of the Body Christ Iesus and such spirituall Officers as he hath to this purpose deputed whose right it is according to the true paterne Abimelech Saul Adonijah Athalia were but usurpers David Salomon Ioash c. they were the true heires and types of Christ Iesus in His true Power and Authority in His Kingdome CHAP. XXXVI Peace THe next Scripture brought against such persecution is Luke 9. 54 55. where the Lord Jesus reproved His Disciples who would have had fire come downe from Heaven and devoure those Samaritanesâ— that would not receive Him in these words You know not of what spirit you are the Son of Man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them With this Scripture Mr. Cotton joynes the fourth and answers both in one which is this 2 Tim. 2. 24. The servant of the Lord must not strive but must be gentle toward all men suffering the evill men instructing them with meeknesse that are contrary minded and oppose themselves proving if God peradventure will give them repentance that they may acknowledge the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Divell who are taken captive by him at his will
that terme Evill viz that the Magistrate is to punish Evill urge it strictly eo nomine because Heresie Blasphemie false Church false Ministerie is evill as well as Disorder in a Civill State Secondly I observe how they take away from the Magistrate that which is proper to his cognisance as the complaints of servants children wives against their parents masters husbands c. Families as families being as stones which make up the common building and are properly the object of the Magistrates care in respect of Civill Government Civill order and obedience CHAP. LIV. Peace I Pray now lastly proceed to the Authours Reason why Christs Disciples should be so far from persecuting that they ought to blesse them that curse them and pray for them that persecute them because of the freenesse of Gods grace and the deepenesse of his Councels calling them that are Enemies Persecutors No people to become meeke Lambes the sheep and people of God according to 1 Pet. 2. 20. You which were not a people are now a people c. and Matth. 20. 6. Some come at the Last houre which if they were cut off because they came not sooner would be prevented and so should never come Unto this Reason the Answerer is pleased thus to reply First in generall We must not doe Evill that Good may come thereof Secondly in particular he affirmeth that it is evill to tolerate seditious evill doers seducing Teachers scandalous livers and for proof of this he quotes Christs reproofe to the Angel of the Church at Pergamâ—s for tolerating them that hold the doctrine of Balaam and against the Church of Thiatyra for tolerating Iesabel to teach and seduce Revel 2. 14. 20. Truth I answer first by assenting to the generall Proposition that it is most true like unto Christ Jesus himselfe a sure foundation 1 Cor. 3. Yet what is built upon it I hope by Gods assistance to make it appeare is but hay and stubble dead and withered not suiting that golden foundation nor pleasing to the Father of mercies nor comfortable to the Soules of men It is evill saith he to tolerate notorious evill doers seducing Teachers scandalous livers In which speech I observe 2 evills First that this Proposition is too large and generall because the Rule admits of exception and that according to the will of God 1. It is true that Evill cannot alter its nature but it is alway Evill as darknesse is alway darknesse yet 2. It must be remembred that it is one thing to command to conceale to councell to approve Evill and another thing to permit and suffer Evill with protestation against it or dislike of it at least without approbation of it Lastly this sufferance or permission of Evill is not for its ownsake but for the sake of Good which puts a respect of Goodnesse upon such permission Hence it is that for Gods owne Glorie sake which is the highest Good he endures that is permits or suffers the Vessels of Wrath Rom. 9. And therefore although he be of pure eyes and can behold no iniquitie yet his pure eyes patiently and quietly beholds and permits all the idolatries and prophanations all the thefts and rapines all the whoredomes and abominations all the murthers and poysonings and yet I say for his glory sake he is patient and long permits Hence for his peoples sake which is the next Good in his Son he is oftentimes pleased to permit and suffer the wicked to enjoy a longer reprive Therefore he gave Paul all the lives that were in the ship Acts 27. Therefore he would not so soone have destroyed Sodome but granted a longer permission had there been but 10 righteous Gen. 19. Therefore Ierem. 5. had he found some to have stood in the gap he would have spared others Therefore gave he Iesabel a time or space Revel 2. Therefore for his Glory sake hath he permitted longer great sinners who afterward have perished in their season as we see in the case of Ahab the Ninevites and Amorites c. Hence it pleased the Lord not onely to permit the many evills against his owne honourable ordinance of Mariage in the world but was pleased after a wonderfull manner to suffer that sin of many wives in Abraham Iacob David Salomon yea with some expression which seeme to give approbation as 2 Sam. 12. Peace It may be said this is no patterne for us because God is above Law and an absolute Soveraigne Truth I answer although wee finde him sometime dispensing with his Law yet we never finde him deny himselfe or utter a falshood And therefore when it crosseth not an absolute Rule to permit and tolerate as in the case of the permission of the soules and consciences of all men in the world I have shewne and shall shew further it doth not it will not hinder our being holy as hee is holy in all manner of conversation CHAP. LIV. Peace IT will yet bee said it pleaseth God to permit Adulteries Murthers Poisons God suffers men like fishes to devoure each other Habac. 1. the wicked to flourish Ier. 12. yea sends the Tyrants of the world to destroy the Nations and plunder them of their riches Isa. 10. Should men doe so the world would be a Wildernesse and beside we have command for zealous execution of Justice impartially speedily Truth I answer we finde two sorts of commands both from Moses and from Christ the two great Prophets and Messengers from the living God the one the type or figure of the later Moses gave positive Rules both spirituall and civill yet also hee gave some not positive but permissive for the common good So the Lord Iesus expoundeth it For whereas the Pharises urged it that Moses commanded to give a Bill of Divorcement and to put away the Lord Iesus expoundeth it Moses for the hardnesse of your heart suffered or permitted Math. 19. 17 18. This was a permissive command universall to all Israel for a generall good in preventing the continuall fires of Dissentions Combustions in families yea it may be Murthers Poysons Adulteries which that people as the wisedome of God foresaw was apt out of the hardnesse of their heart to breake out into were it not for this preventing permission Hence it was that for a further publike good sake and the publike safety David permitted Ioab a notorious malefactor and Shimei and Adonijah c. And civill States and Governours in like cases have and doe permit and suffer what neither David nor any civill Governour ought to doe or have done were it not to prevent the hazard of the whole in the shedding of much innocent blood together with the nâ—cent in civill combustions Peace It may be said Ioab Shimei Adonijah c. were only as it were reprived for a time and proves only that a season ought to be attended for their punishment Truth Answ. I answer I produce not these instances to prove a permission of Tares Antichristians Heretikes
toleration of conscience ibid. Protestant partiality in the cause of persecution 108 Pills to purge out the bitter humour of persecution ibid. Superstition and persecution have had many votes and suffrages from Gods owne people 109 Soul-killing discussed ibid. Phineas his act discussed 111 Eliah his slaughters examined ibid Dangerous consequences flowing from the civill Magistrates power in Spirituall cases 114 The world turned upside downe Page 114 The wonderfull answer of the Ministers of New England to the Ministers of Old ibid. Lamentable differences even amongst them that feare God 115 The doctrine of persecution ever drives the most godly out of the world 116 A Modell of Church and Civill power composed by Mr. Cotton and the Ministers of New England and sent to Salem as a further confirmation of the bloody doctrine of persecution for cause of conscience examined and answered 118 Christs power in the Church confest to be above all Magistrates in Spirituall things 119 Isa. 49. 23. lamentably wrested ibid. The civill Commonweale and the Spirituall Commonweale the Church not inconsistent though independent the one on the other 120 Christ ordinances put upon a whole city or Nation may civilize them and moralize but not Christianize before repentance first wrought 121 Mr. Cottons and the New English Ministers confession that the Magistrate hath neither Civill nor Spirituall power in Soul matters 122 The Magistrates and the Church by Mr. Cottons grounds in one and the same cause made the Iudges onthe Bench and delinquents at the Bar. 123 A demonstrative illustration that the Magistrate cannot have power over the Church in Spirituall or Church causes 124 The true way of the God of Peace in differences between the Church and the Magistrate 125. The tearms Godlinesse and Honesty explained 1 Tim. 2. x. and honesty proved not to signifie in that place the righteousnes of the second Table 127 The forcing of men to Gods worship the greatest breach of civill peace 129 The Roman Caesars of Christs time described ibid. It pleased not the Lord Iesus in the institution of the Christian Church to appoint and raise up any Civill Governours to take care of his worship 130 The true custodes utriusque Tabulae and keepers of the Ordinances and worship of Iesus Christ. ibid. The Kings of Aegypt Moah Philistia Assyria Niâ—â—vch were not charged with the worship of God as the Kings of Iudah were 131 Masters of families not charged under the Gospel to force all the consciâ—uces of their families to worship 132 Gods people have then shined brightest in Godlines when they have enjoyed least quietnesse pag. 134. Few Magistrates few Men spiritually good yet divers sorts of commendable Goodnes beside spirituall ibid. Civill power originally and fundamentally in the People Mr. Cotton and the New English give the power of Christ into the hands of thâ— Commonweale 137 Lawes concerning Religion of two sorts 138 The very Indians abhor to disturbe any Conscience at Worship 139 Canons and constitutions pretended Civill but indeed Ecclesiasticall ibid. A threesold guilt lying upon Civill powers commanding the Subjects Soule in Worship 143 Persons may with lesse sinne be forced to marry whom they cannot love then to worship where they cannot beleeve ibid. As the cause so the weapons of the Beast and the Laâ—â— be are infinitely different 146 Aâ—taxerxes his Dicree examined 147 The summe of the Examples of the Gentile Kings decrees concerning Gods worship in Scripture 149 The Doctrine of putting to death Blasphemers of Christ cuts off the hopes of the Iewes partaking in his blood 18â— The direfull effects of fighting for Conscience 151 Errour is confident as well as Truth 152 Spirituall prisons 153 Some Consciences not so easily healed and cured as men imagine 154 Persecuters dispute with Hereticks as a tyrann call Cat with the poore Mouse And with a true Witnes as a roaring Lyon with an innocent Lambe in his paw 155 Persecuters endure not tho name of Persecuters 156 Psal 101 concerning cutting off the wicked examined 158 No difference of Lands and Countries since Christ Iesus his comming ib. The New English seperate in America but not in Europe 159 Christ Iesus forbidding his followers to permit Leaven in the Church doth not forbid to permit Leaven in the World 160 The Wall Cant. 8. 9. discussed 161 Every Religion commands its professors to heare only its own Priests or Ministers 162 Ionah his preaching to the Ninevites discussed 162 â—â—aring of the Word discussed ibid. Eglon his rising up to Ehuds message discussed ibid. A two-fold Ministrie of Christ First Apostolicall properly converting Secondly Feeding or Pastorall pag. 162 The New English forcing the people to Church and yet not to Religion as they say forcing them to be of no Religion all their dayes 163 The Civill State can no more lawfully compell the Consciences of men to Church to heare the Word then to receive the Sacraments 164 No president in the word of any people converting and baptizing themselves 166 True conversion to visible Christianitie is not only from sins against the second Table but from false Worships also ibid. The Commission Mat. 28 discussed 167 The Civill Magistrate not be trusted with that Commission ibid. Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 1â— a figure of Christ Iesus in his Church not of the Civill Magistrate in the State 168 The maintenance of the Ministrie Gal. 6. 6. examined ibid. Christ Iesus never appointed a maintenance of the Ministrie from the iâ—penitent and unbelieving 169 They that compell men to heare compell them also to pay for their hearing and conversion ibid. Luc. 14. Compell them to come in examined ibid. Naturall men can neither truly worship nor mainteine it 170 The Nationall Church of the Iewes might well be forced to a setled maintenance but not so the Christian Church 171 The maintenance which Christ hath appointed his Ministrie in the Church 172 The Vniversities of Europe causes of universall sins and plagues yet Schooles are honourable for tongues and Arts. 173 The true Church is Christs Schoole and Believers his Scholars ibid. Mr. Ainsworth excellent in the Tongues yet no Vniversitie man 174 K. Henry the 8. set down in the Popes chaire in England 175 Apocrypha Homilies and Common Prayer precious to our forefathers ib. Reformation proved fallible 176 The president of the Kings of Israel Iudah largely examined 178 The Persian Kings example make strongly against the doctrine of Persecution 179 1. The difference of the hand of Canaan from all lands and countries in 7 particulars ibid. 2. The difference of the people of Israel from all other peoples in 7 particulars 183 Wonderfull turnings of Religion in England in twelve yeares revolution Page 185 The Pope not unlike to recover his Monarchy over Europe before his dowâ—fall ibid. Israel Gods only Church might well renew that Nationall Covenant and ceremoniall worship which other Nations cannot doe 187 â— The difference of the Kings and Governours of Israel from all Kings and Governours of the world
of thy Witnesses that dare to plead thy Cause how are they charged to be mine Enemies contentious tarbulent seditious Secondly Thine Enemies though they speake and raile against thee though they outragiously pursue imprison banish kill thy faithfull Witnesses yet how is all veâ—illion'd o're for Iustice 'gainst the Hereticks Yea if they 〈◊〉 and blow the 〈◊〉 of devouring Warres that leave neither Spirituall nor Civill State but burns up Branch and Root yet how doe all pretend an holy War He that kills and hee that 's killed they both cry out It is for God and for their conscience T is true nor one nor other seldome dare to plead the mighty Prince Christ Iesus for their Authour yet both both Protestant and Papist pretend they have spoke with Moses and the Prophets who all say they before Christ came allowed such holy persecutions holy Warres against the enemies of holy Church Truth Deare Peace to ease thy first complaint t is true thy dearest Sons most like their mother Peace-keeping Peace-making Sons of God have borne and still must beare the blurs of troublers of Israel and turners of the World upside downe And t is true againe what Salomon once spake The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out Water therefore saith he leave off contention before it be medled with This Caveat should keepe the bankes and sluces firme and strong that strife like a breach of waters breake not in upon the sons of men Yet strife must be distinguished It is necessary or unnecessary godly or ungodly Christian or unchristian c. It is unnecessary unlawfull dishonourable ungodly unchristian in most cases in the world for there is a possibility of keeping sweet Peace in most cases and if it be possible it is the expresse command of God that Peace be kept Rom. 13. Againe it is necessary honourable godly c. with civill and earthly weapons to defend the innocent and to rescue the oppressed from the violent pawes and jaws of oppressing persecuting Nimrods Psal. 73. Iob 29. It is as necessary yea more honourable godly and Christian to â—ight the â—ight of faith with religious and spirituall Artillery and to contend earnestly for the faith of Iesus once delivered to the Saints against all opposers and the gates of earth and hell men or devils yea against Paul himselfe or an Angell from heaven if he bring any other faith or doctrine Iude vers 4. Gal. 1. 8. Peace With the clashing of such Armes am I never wakened Speake once againe deare Truth to my second complaint of bloody persecution and devouring wars marching under the colours of upright Iustice and holy Zeale c. Truth Mine eares have long beene filled with a threefold dolefull Outcry First of one hundred forty foure thousand Virgins Rev. 14 forc'd and ravisht by Emperours Kings and Governours to their beds of worship and Religion set up like Absalems on high in their severall States and Countries Secondly the cry of those precious soules under the Altar Rev. 6. the soules of such as have beene persecuted and slaine for the testimony and witnesse of Iesus whose bloud hath beene spilt like water upon the earth and that because they have held fast the truth and witnesse of Iesus against the worship of the States and Times compelling to an uniformity of State Religion These cries of murthered Virgins who can sit still and heare Who can but run with zeale inflamed to prevent the destowring of chaste soules and spilling of the bloud of the innocent Humanity stirs up and prompts the Sonnes of men to draw materiall swords for a Virgins chastity and life against a ravishing murtherer And Piety and Christianity must needs awaken the Sons of God to draw the spirituall sword the Word of God to preserve the chastity and life of spirituall Virgins who abhorre the spirituall defilements of false worship Rev. 14. Thirdly the cry of the whole earth made drunke with the bloud of its inhabitants slaughtering each other in their blinded zeale for Conscience for Religion against the Catholickes against the Lutherans c. What fearfull cries within these twenty years of hundred thousands men women children fathers mothers husbands wives brethren sisters old and young high and low plundred ravished slaughtered murthered famished And hence these cries that men â—ling away the spirituall sword and spirituall artillery in spirituall and religious causes and rather trust for the suppressing of each others God Conscience and Religion as they suppose to an arme of flesh and sword of steele Truth Sweet Peace what hast thou there Peace Arguments against persecution for cause of Conscience Truth And what there Peace An Answer to such Arguments contrarily maintaining such persecution for cause of Conscience Truth These Arguments against such persecution and the Answer pleading for it written as Love hopes from godly intentions hearts and hands yet in a marvellous different stile and manner The Arguments against persecution in milke the Answer for it as I may say in bloud The Authour of these Arguments against persecution as I have beene informed being committed by som then in power close prisoner to Newgate for the witnesse of some truths of Iesus and having not the use of Pen and Inke wrote these Arguments in Milke in sheets of Paper brought to him by the Woman his Keeper from a friend in London as the stopples of his Milk bottle In such Paper written with Milk nothing will appeare but the way of reading it by fire being knowne to this friend who received the Papers he transcribed and kept together the Papers although the Author himselfe could not correct nor view what himselfe had written It was in milke tending to soule nourishment even for Babes and Sucklings in Christ. It was in milke spiritually white pure and innocent like those white horses of the Word of truth and meeknesse and the white Linnen or Armour of righteousnesse in the Army of Iesus Rev. 6. 19. It was in milke soft meeke peaceable and gentle tending both to the peace of soules and the peace of States and Kingdomes Peace The Answer though I hope out of milkie pure intentions is returned in bloud bloudy slaughterous conclusions bloudy to the souls of all men forc'd to the Religion and Worship which every civil State or Common-weale agrees on and compells all subjects to in a dissembled uniformitie Bloudy to the bodies first of the holy witnesses of Christ Iesus who testifie against such invented worships Secondly of the Nations and Peoples slaughtering each other for their severall respective Religions and Consciences CHAP. III. Truth IN the Answer Mr. Cotton first layes downe severall distinctions and conclusions of his owne tending to prove persecution Secondly Answers to the Scriptures and Arguments proposed against persecution Peace The first distinction is this By persecution for cause of Conscience I conceive you meane either for professing some point of doctrine which you
or unrighteous Ier. 37. 38. chapters and yet in Ieremy no Arrogance nor Impetuousnesse 6. Lastly Gods people by their preaching disputing c. have beene though not the cause yet accidentally the occasion of great contentions and divisions yea tumults and uproares in Townes and Cities where they have lived and come and yet neither their Doctrine nor themselves Arrogant nor Impetuous however so charged For thus the Lord Jesus discovereth mens false and secure suppositions Lukeâ— 1. 51. Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on the earth I tell you nay but rather division for from hence forth shall there be five in one house divided three against two and two against three the father shall be divided against the sonne and the sonne against the father c. And thus upon the occasion of the Apostles preaching the Kingdome and Worship of God in Christ were most commonly uproares and tumults where ever they came For instance those strange and nonstrous uproares at Iconium at Ephesus at Ierusalem Acts 14. 4. Acts 19. 29. 40. Acts 21. vers 30 31. CHAP. VIII Peace IT will be said deare Truth what the Lord Jesus and his Messengers taught was Truth but the question is about Errour Truth I answer this distinction now in discussion concernes not Truth or Errour but the manner of holding forth or divulging I acknowledge that such may bee the way and manner of holding forth either with railing or reviling daring or chalenging speeches or with force of Armes Swords Guns Prisons c. that it may not only tend to breake but may actually breake the civill peace or peace of the Citie Yet these instances propounded are cases of great opposition and spirituall hostility and occasions of breach of civill peace and yet as the borders or matter were of gold so the speckes or manner Cautic 1. were of silver both matter and manner pure holy peaceable and inoffensive Moreover I answer that it is possible and common for persons of soft and gentle nature and spirits to hold out falshood with more seeming meeknesse and peaceablenesse then the Lord Jesus or his servants did or doe hold forth the true and everlasting Gospell So that the answerer would be requested to explain what he means by this arrogant and impetuous holding forth of any doctrine which very manner of holding forth tends to breake civill peace and comes under the cognisance and correction of the Civill Magistrate Lest hee build the Sepulchre of the Prophets and say If we had been in the Pharises daies the Romane Emperours dayes or the bloody Marian dayes we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets Mat. 23. 30. who were charged with arrogance and impetuousnesse CHAP. IX 2. Ob. Peace IT will here be said Whence then ariseth civill dissentions and uproares about matters of Religion Truth I answer When a Kingdome or State Towne or Family lyes and lives in the guilt of a false God false Christ false worship no wonder if sore eyes be troubled at the appearance of the light be it never so sweet No wonder if a body full of corrupt humours be troubled at strong though wholsome Physick If persons sleepy and loving to sleepe be troubled at the noise of shrill though silver alarums No wonder if Adonijah and all his company be amazed and troubled at the sound of the right Heyre King Salomon â— King 1. If the Husbandmen were troubled when the Lord of the Vineyard sent servant after servant and at last his onely Sonne and they beat and wounded and kill'd even the Sonne himselfe because they meant themselves to seize upon the inheritance unto which they had no right Matth. 21. 38. Hence all those tumults about the Apostles in the Acts c. whereas good eyes are not so troubled at light vigilant and watchfull persons loyall and faithfull are not so troubled at the true no nor at a false Religion of Jew or Gentile Secondly breach of civil peace may arise when false and idolatrous practices are held forth yet no breach of civil peace from the doctrine or practice or the manner of holding forth but from that wrong and preposterous way of suppressing preventing and extinguishing such doctrines or practices by weapons of wrath and blood whips stockes imprisonment banishment death c. by which men commonly are perswaded to convert Heretickes and to cast out uncleane spirits which onely the finger of God can doe that is the mighty power of the Spirit in the Word Hence the Towne is in an uproare and the Country takes the Alarum to expell that fog or mist of Errour Heresie Blasphemy as is supposed with Swords and Guns whereas t is Light alone even Light from the bright shining Sunne of Righteousnesse which is able in the soules and consciences of men to dispell and scatter such fogges and darknesse Hence the Sons of men as David speakes in another case Psal. 39. disquiet themselves in vaine and unmercifully disquiet others as by the helpe of the Lord in the sequell of this discourse shall more appeare CHAP. X. Peace NOw the last distinction is this Persecution for Conscience is either for a rightly informed conscience or a blinde and erroneous conscience Answ. Truth Indeed both these consciences are persecuted but lamentably blinde and erronious will these consciences shortly appear to be which out of zeale for God as is pretended have persecuted either And heavie is the doome of those blinde Guides and Idoll Shepherds whose right eye Gods finger of jealousie hath put out who flattering the ten Homes or worldly Powers perswade them what excellent and faithfull service they performe to God in persecuting both these consciences either hanging up a rightly informed conscience and therein the Lord Jesus himselfe betweene two malefactors or else killing the erroneous and the blinde like Saul out of zeale to the Israel of God the poore Gibeonites whom it pleased God to permit to live and yet that hostility and cruelty used against them as the repeated judgement yeare after yeare upon the whole Land after told them could not be pardoned untill the death of the persecutor Saul his sons had appeased the Lords displeasure 2 Sam. 21. CHAP. XI Peace AFter explication in these Distinctions it pleaseth the Answerer to give his resolution to the question in foure particulars First that he holds it not lawfull to persecute any for conscience sake rightly informed for in persecuting such saith he Christ himself is persecuted for which reason truly rendred he quotes Act. 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Truth He that shall reade this Conclusion over a thousand times shall as soone finde darknesse in the bright beames of the Sunne as in this so cleare and shining a beame of Truth viz. That Christ Jesus in his Truth must not be persecuted Yet this I must aske for it will be admired by all sober men what should be the cause or
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
two Either the force of a material sword imprisoning the Soules of men in a State or Nationall Religion Ministery or Worship Or secondly Civill warres and combustions for Religion sake whereby men are immediately cut off without any longer meanes of Repentance Now againe for the Soules that are alive in Christ he hath graciously appointed Ordinances powerfully sufficient to maintaine and cherish that life Armour of proofe able to defend them against men and devils Secondly the Soule once alive in Christ is like Christ himselfe Revel 1. alive for ever Rom. 6. and cannot die a spirituall death Lastly Grant a man to be a false Teacher an Heretick a Balaam a Spirituall Witch a Wolfe a Persecuter breathing out blasphemies against Christ and slaughters against his followers as Paul did Act. 9. I say these who appeare Soule-killers to day by the grace of Christ may prove as Paul Soule-savers to morrow and saith Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 4. thou shalt save thy selfe and them that heare thee which all must necessarily be prevented if all that comes within the sense of these Soule-killers must as guilty of blood be corporally kill'd and put to death CHAP. LXVI Peace DEare Truth your Answers are so satisfactorie to Austins speech that if Austin himselfe were now living me thinkes he should be of your mind I pray descend to Optatus who saith the Answerer justifies Macharius for putting some Hereticks to death affirming that he had done no more herein then what Moses Phineas and Elias had done before him Truth Thâ—se are shafts usually drawne from the Quiver of the Ceremoniall and typicall state of the Nationall Church of the Iewes whose shadowish and figurative state vanished at the appearing of the Body and substance the Sun of Righteousnesse who set up another Kingdome or Church Heb. 12. Ministrie and Worship in which we finde no such Ordinance precept or president of killing men by Materiall Swords for Religion sake More particularly concerning Moses I quaerie what commandement or practice of Moses either Optatus or the Answerer here intend Probably that passage of Deut. 13. wherein Moses appointed a slaughter either of a person or a city that should depart from the God of Israel with whom that Nationall Church was in Covenant And if so I shall particularly reply to that place in my Answer to the Reasons hereunder mentioned Concerning Phineas his zealous Act First his slaying of the Israelitish man and woman of Midian was not for spirituall but corporall filthines Secondly no man will produce his fact as presidentiall to any Minister of the Gospel so to act in any Civill state or Commonweale although I believe in the Church of God it is presidentiall for either Minister or people to kill and slay with the two-edged sword of the Spirit of God any such bold and open presumptuous sinners as these were Lastly concerning Eliah There were two famous acts of Eliah of a killing nature First that of slaying 850 of Baals Prophets 1 Kings 18. Secondly of the two Captaines and their Fifties by fire c. For the first of these it cannot figure or type out any materiall slaughter of the many thousands of false Prophets in the World by any materiall sword of Iron or Steele for as that passage was miraculous so finde we not any such commission given by the Lord Iesus to the Ministers of the Gospel And lastly such a slaughter must not only extend to all the false prophets in the World but according to the Answerers grounds to the many thousands of thousands of Idolaters and false worshippers in the Kingdomes and Nations of the World For the second Act of Eliah as it was also of a miraculous nature So secondly when the followers of the Lord Iesus Luc. 9. proposed such a practice to the Lord Iesus for injury offered to his owne person he disclaimed it with a milde checke to their angry spirits telling them plainly they knew not what spirits they were of and addeth that gentle and mercifull conclusion That he came not to destroy the bodies of men as contrarily Antichrist doth alledging these instances from the Old Testament as also Peters killing Ananiaâ— Acts 5. and Peters vision and voice Arise Peter kill and eat Acts. 10. CHAP. LXXVII Peace YOu have so satisfied these instances brought by Optatus that me thinks Optatus and the Answerer himself might rest satisfied I will not trouble you with Bernards argument from Rom. 13. which you have already on that Scripture so largely answered But what thinke you lastly of Calvin Beza and Aretius Truth Ans. Since matters of fact and opinion are barely related by the Answerer without their grounds whose grounds notwithstanding in this Discourse are answered I answer if Paul himself were joyned with them yea or an Angel from Heaven bringing any other rule then what the Lord Jesus hath once delivered we have Pauls conclusion and resolution peremptory and dreadfull Gal. 1. 8. Peace This passage finished let me finish the whole by proposing one conclusion of the Author of the arguments viz. It is no prejudice to the Commonwealth if Liberty of Conscience were suffered to such as feare God indeed Abraham abode a long time amongst the Cananites yet contrary to them in Religion Gen. 13. 7. 16. 13. Againe he sâ—journed in Gerar and King Abimelâ—ch 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 times 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 Herodians Scribes and Pharises Saduces and Libertines Theudaeans and Samaritanes beside the Common Religion of the Jews 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 Commonwealth 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 tumults the wisedome of the Magistrate most wisely appeased them Acts 18 14. 19. 35. Unto this the Answerer returnes thus much It is true that without prejudice to the Common-wealth Libertie of Conscience may be suffered to such as feare God indeed as knowing they will not persist in Heresie or turbulent Schisme when they are convinced in Conscience of the sinfulnes thereof But the question is whether an Heretick after once or twice Admonition and so after
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
Church make him a Delinquent at the Bar yet by their confession God hath made him a Iudge on the Bench. What blood what tumults hath been and must be spilt upon these grounds Peace Deare Truth No question but the Church may punish the Magistrate spiritually in spirituall cases and the Magistrate may punish the Church civilly in civill cases But that for one and the same cause the Church must punish the Magistrate and the Magistrate the Church this seemes monstrous and needs explication Truth Sweet Peace I illustrate with this Instance A true Church of Christ of which according to the Authors supposition the Magistrate is a member chooseth and calls one of her members to office The Magistrate opposeth The Church perswaded that the Magistrates exceptions are insufficient according to her priviledge which these Authours maintaine against the Magistrates prohibition proceeds to Ordaine her officer The Magistrate chargeth the Church to have made an unfit and unworthy choice and therefore according to his place and power and according to his conscience and judgement he suppresseth such an officer and makes void the Churches choice Upon this the Church complaines against the Magistrates violation of her priviledgesâ— given her by Christ Iesus and cries out that the Magistrate is turned Persecuterâ— and not prevailing with admonition she proceeds to Excommunication against him The Magistrate according to his conscience endures not such profanation of Ordinances as he conceives and therefore if no advice and admonition prevaile he proceeds against such obstinate abusers of Christs holy Ordinances as the Authors grant he may in Civill Court of justice yea and I adde according to the patterne of Israel cuts them off by the sword as obstinate usurpers and prophaners of the holy things of Christ. I demand what helpe hath any poore Church of Christ in this case by maintaining this power of the Magistrate to punish the Church of Christ I meane in spirituall and Soule-cases for otherwise I question not but he may put all the members of the Church to death justly if they commit crimes worthy thereof as Paul spake Acts 23. Shall the Church here slie to the Popes Sanctuarie against Emperours and Princes excommunicate to wit give away their crowns kingdomes or dominions and invite forraigne Princes to make War upon them and their Territories The Authors surely will disclaime this and yet I shall prove their Tenents tend directly unto such a practise Or secondly shall she say the Magistrate is not a true Magistrate ' because not able to judge and determine in such cases This their confession will not give them leave to say because they cannot deny unbelievers to be lawfull Magistrates and yet it shall appeare not withstanding their conâ—ession to the contrary their Tenents imply that none but a Magistrate after their own conscience is a lawfull Magistrate Therefore thirdly they must ingenuously and honestly confesse that if it be the duty of the Magistrate to punish the Church in spirituall cases he must then judge according to his conscience and perswasion whatever his conscience be and then let all men judge into what a wofull state they bring both the civill Magistrate and Church of Christ by such a Church-destroying and State-destroying Doctrine Peace Some will here say in such a case either the Magistrate on the Church must judge either the Spirituall or Civill State must be supreme I answer if the Magistrate be of another Religion First What hath the Church to judge him being without 1 Cor. 5. Secondly If he be a member of the Churchâ— doubtles the Church hath power to judge in spirituall and Soule-cases with spirituall and Church censures all that are within 1â— Cor. 5. Thirdly If the Church offend against the civill peace of the State by wronging the bodies or goods of any the Magistrate bears not the sword in vaine Rom. 13. to correct any or all the members of the Church And this I conceive to be the onely way of the God of Peace CHAP. LXXXVI The third head concerns the End of both these Powers FIrst the common and last end of both is Gods glory and Mans eternall felicitie Secondly the proper ends First of Commonwealth is the procuring preserving increasing of externall and temporall peace and felicitie of the State in all Godlines and Honestie 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. Secondly of the Church a begetting preserving increasing of internall and spirituall peace and felicity of the Church in all godlinesse and honesty Esay 2. 3 4. and 9. 7. So that Magistrates have power given them from Christ in matters of Religion because they are bound to see that ouâ—ward peace be preserved not in all ungodlinesse and dishonesty For such peace is Satanicall but in all godlinesse and honesty for such peace God aymes at And hence the Magistrate is custos of both the Tables of godlinesse in the first of Honesty in the second for Peace sake Hee must see that honesty be preserved within his jurisdiction or else the subject will not be bonus Cives Hee must see that godlinesse as well as honesty be preserved else the subject will not be bonus vir who is the best bonus cives Hee must see that godlinesse and honesty be preserved or else himselfe will not bee bonus Magistratus Truth In this passage here are divers particulars affirmed marvellous destructive both to godlinesse and honesty though under a faire maâ—ke and colour of both First it will appeare that in spirituall things they make the Garden and the Wildernesse as often I have intimated I say the Garden and the Wildernesse the Church and the World are all one for thus If the Powers of the World or Civill State are bound to propose externall Peace in all godlinesse for their end and the end of the Church be to preserve internall Peace in all godlinesse I demand if their end godlinesseâ— bee the same is not their power and state the same also unlesse they make the Church subordinate to the Common-wealths and or the Commonweale subordinate to the Churches end which being the governour and setter up of it and so consequently the Iudges of it it cannot be Now iâ— godlinesse bee the worshipping and walking with God in Christ is not the Magistrate and Commonweale charged more by this tenent with the worship and Ordinances of God then the Church for the Magistrate they charge with the externall peace in godlinesse and the Church but with the internall I aske further what is this internall peace in all godlinesse whether intend they internall within the Soule which onely the eye of God can see opposed to externall or visible which man also can discerne or else whether they meane internall that is spirituall soule matters maâ—ters of Gods Worship and then I say that peace to wit of godlinesse or Gods worship they had before granted to the civill State Peace The Truth is as I now perceive the best and most godly of
Wrath after he had persecuted David the figure of Christ Iesus who hath given his people the Scepter and Sword of his Word and Spirit and refused a temporall Crowne or Weapons in the dispensation of his Kingdome Where did the Lord Jesus or his Messengers charge the Civill Magistrate or direct Christians to petition him to publish declare or establish by his Arme of Flesh and Earthly weapons the Religion and worship of Christ Jesus I finde the Beast and false Prophet whose rise and doctrine is not from Heaven but from the Sea and Earth dreadfull and terrible by a Civill Sword and dignitie Rev 13. 2. I find the Beast hath gotten the power and might of the Kings of the Earth Revel 17. 13. But the Lambes weapons are Spiritually mighty 2 Cor. 10. c. his Sword is two-edged comming out of his mouth Revel 1. His preparations for War are white Horses and white Harnesse which are contest by all to be of a spirituall nature Revel 19. When that whore Iesabel stabbed Naboth with her Pen in stirring up the people to stone him as a Blasphemer of God and the King what a glorious maske or vaile of Holines put she on Proclaime a Fast set a day apart for humiliation and for confirmation let all be ratified with the Kings Authoritie Name and Seale 1 1 Kings 21. 8. Was not this recorded for all Gods Naboths standing for their Spirituall interests in heavenly things typed out by the typicall earth and ground of Canaans land that they through patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15â— 4. Againe I demand who shall here sit Judge whether the Magistrate command any other Substance or Ceremonie but what is Christs By their former Conclusions every Soule must judge what the Magistrate commandeth and is not bound even in indifferent things to the Magistrates Law further then his own Soule Conscience and judgement ascends to the Reason of it Here the Magistrate must make Lawes for that Substance and Ceremony which Christ appointed But yet he must not doe this with his eyes open but blindfold and hoodwinkt for if he judge that to be the Religion of Christ and such to be the order there in which their Consciences judge otherwise and assent not to they professe they must submit only to Christs lawes and therefore they are not bound to obey him Oâ— what is this but to make use of the Civill Powers and Governours of the World as a Guard about the Spirituall Bed of Soulewhoredomes in which the Kings of the Earth commit Spirituall fornication with the great Whore Rev. 17. 2 as a Guard while the Inhabitants of the Earth are drinking themselves drunke with the wine of her fornication But oh what terrifying what allurings are in Iereinies Curse and Blessing 1 Ier. 17. Cursed is the man that trusteth in man that maketh Flesh his Arme too too common in spirituall matters and whose heart departeth from Jehovah He shall be as an Heath in the Wildernes even in the spirituall and mysticall wildernes and shall not see when comfort comes but shall abide in drouth in the wildernesse in a barrenland c. CHAP. XCVI Peace O What mysteries are these to Flesh and Blood how hard for flesh to forsake the Arme thereof But passe on deare Trutly to their proofe propounded Ezra 7. 23. Wherein Artaxerxes confirmed by Law what ever was commanded by the God of Heaven Truth In this Scripture I mind first the people of God captivated under the dominion and government of the Kings of Babel and Persia. Secondly Artaxerxes his favour to these Captives 1. Of freedome to their Consciences 2. Or bountie towards them 3. Of exempting of some of them from common charges Thirdly Punishments on offenders Fourthly the ground that â—aries him on to all this Fifthly Ezra praising of God for putting this into the heart of the King Concerning the people of God the Iewes they were as Lambes and Sheep in the jawes of the Lyon the dearely beloved of his Soule under the devouring Tyrants of the World both the Babylonian and the Persian farre from their owne Nation and the Government of their own anointed Kings the figures of the true King of the Iewes the Lord Iesus Christ. In this respect it is cleere that the Iewes were no more subject to the Kings of Babylon and Persia in Spirituall things then the Vessels of the Sanctuary were subject to the King of Babels use Dan. 5. Concerning this King I consider first his person a Gentile Idolater an oppressing Tyrant one of those devouring Beasts Daâ— 7. 8. An hand of bloody Conquest set the Crown upon the lead of these Monarchs and although in Civill things they might challenge subjection yet why should they now sit down in the throne of Israel and governe the people and Church of God in Spirituall things Secondly consider his acts of Favour and they will not amount to a positive Command that any of the Iewes should goe up to build the Temple nor that any of them should practice his own worship which he kept and judged the best for his owne Soule and People 'T is true he freely permits them and exerciseth a bounteous assistance to them All which argues no more but that sometimes it pleaseth God to open the hearts of Tyrants greatly to favour and further his people Such favour found Nehemiah and Daniel and others of Gods people have and shall finde so often as it pleaseth Him to honour them that honour Him before the Sonnes of Men. Peace Who sees not how little this Scripture contributes to their Tenent but why say some should this King confirme all with such severe punishments and why for all thisâ— should Ezra give thankes to God if it were not imitable for after-times Truth The Law of God which he confirmed he knew not and therefore neither was nor could he be a Judge in the Case And for his Ground what was it but the common terrours and convictions of an affâ—ighted Conscience In such sits and pangs what have not Pharaohs Sauls Ahabs Herods Agrippa's spoken and what wonderfull decrees have Nabuchadnizzar Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes put forth concerning the God of Israel Dan. 3. 6. Ezra 1 7 c. and yet as farre from being charged with as they were from being affected to the Spirituall Crown of Governing the Worship of God and the Conscience of his people â—Tis true Ezra most piously and justly gave thankes to God for putting such a thing into the heart of the King But what makes this pattern for the Laws of Civil Governours now under the Gospell It suited well with that Nationall state of Gods Church that the Gentile King should release them permit them to returne to their own Land assist them with other favours and enable them to execute punishments upon offenders according to their Nationall State But did God put such a thing as this into
and Cities out of which all false worshippers and wicked persons were to be cut Rev. 2. 3. The Divells throne was in the City of Pergamus in respect of the state and persecution of it and yet there was also the Throne of the Lord Iesus set up in His Church of worshippers in Pergamus out of which the Balaamites and Nicholaitans and every false worshipper was to be cast though not out of the City of Pergamus for then Pergamus must have beene throwne out of Pergamus and the World out of the World CHAP. CI. Peace OH that my head were a fountaine and mine eyes Riverâ— of teares to lament my children the children of peace and light thus darkning that and other lightsome Scriptures with such darke and direfull clouds of bloud Truth Sweet Peace thy teares are seasonable and precious and botled up in the Heavens but let me adde a second consideration from that Scripture If that Scripture may now literally be applied to Nations and Cities in a parallel to Canaan and Ierusalem since the Gospel and this Psal. 101. be literally to be applied to Cities Townes and Countries in Europe and America not only such as assay to joyne themselves as they here speake in a corrupt Church estate but such as know no Church estate nor God nor Christ yea every wicked person and evill doer must be hanged or stoned c. as it was in Israel and if so how many thousands and millions of men and women in the severall Kingdomes and governments of the World must be cut off from their Lands and destroyed from their Cities as this Scripture speakes Thirdly since those persons in the New English plantations accounted unfit for Church estate yet remaine all members of the Church of England from which New England dares not separate no not in their Sacraments as some of the Independents have published what riddle or mysterie or rather fallacie of Sathan is this Peace It will not be offence to charity to make conjecture First herein New England Churches secretly call their Mother whore not daring in America to joyne with their owne Mothers children though unexcommunicate no nor permit them to worship God after their consciences and as their Mother hath taught them this secretly and silently they have a minde to doe which publickly they would seem to disclaime and professe against Secondly If such members of Old England should be suffered to enjoy their consciences in New however it is pretended they would profane Ordinances for which they are unfit as true it is in that naturall persons are not fit for Spirituall worship yet this appears not to be the bottome for in Old England the New English joyne with Old in the ministrations of the Word Prayer singing contribution maintenance of the Ministrie c. if I say they should set up Churches after their conscience the greatnesse and multitudes of their owne Assemblies would decay and with all the contributions and maintenance of their Ministers unto which all or most have beene forced Truth Deare Peace These are more then conjectures thousands now espie and all that love the purity of the worship of the living God should lament such halting I shall adde this not only doe they partially neglect to cut off the wicked of the Land but such as themselves esteemed beloved and goldy have they driven forth and keep out others which would come unto them eminently godly by their owne confession because differing in conscience and worship from them and consequently not to be suffered in their holy Land of Canaan But having examined that Scripture alledged let us now weigh their Reasons First say they the not cutting off by the sword but tolerating many Religions in a State would provoke God unto which I answer first and here being no Scripture produced to these Reasons shall the sooner answer that no proofe can be made from the Institutions of the Lord Iesus that all Religions but one are to be cut off by the Civill Sword that Nationall Church in that typicall Land of Canaan being abolished and the Christian Commonweale or Church instituted Secondly I affirme that the cutting off by the Sword other Consciences and Religions is contrarily most provoking unto God expressely against his will concerning the Tares Matth. 13. as I have before proved as also the bloudy mother of all those monstrous mischiefes where such cutting off is used both to the soules and bodies of men Thirdly let conscience and experience speake how in the not cutting off their many Religions it hath pleased God not only not to be provoked but to prosper the state of the united Provinces our next neighbours and that to admiration Peace The second reason is such tolerating would leaven divide and destroy the peace of the Churches Truth This must also be denied upon so many former Scriptures Reasons produced proving the power of the Lord Iesus and the sufficiencie of his Spirituall power in his Church for the purging forth and conquering of the least evill yea and for the bringing every thought in subjection unto Christ Iesu 2 Cor. 10. I adde they have not produced one Scripture nor can to prove that the permitting to leaven of false doctrine in the World or Civill State will leaven the Churches only we finde that the permission of leaven in persons doctrines or practices in the Church that indeed will corrupt and spread 1. Cor. 5. Gal. 5. but this Reason should never have been alledged were not the particular Churches in New England but as so many implicite Parish Churches in one implicite National Church Peace Their third Reason is it will dissolve the continuity of the State especially theirs where the walls are made of the stones of the Churches Truth I answer briefly to this bare affirmation thus that the true Church is a wall spirituall and mysticall Cant. 8. 9. Then consequently a false Church or Company is a false or pretended wall and none of Christs The civill State Power and Government is a civill wall c. and Lastly the walls of Earth or stone about a City are the naturall or artificiall wall or defence of it Now in consideration of these foure wals I desire it may be proved from the Scripture of Truth how the false spirituall wall or company of false worshippers suffred in a City can be able to destroy the true Christian wall or company of beleevers Againe how this false spirituall wall or false Church permitted can destroy the civill wall the State and Government of the City and Citizens any more then it can destroy the naturall or artificiall wall of earth or stone Spirituall may destroy spirituall if a stronger and victorious but spirituall cannot reach to artificiall or civill Peace Yea but they feare the false spirituall wall may destroy their civill because it is made of the stones of Churches Truth If this have reference to that practice amongst them
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
honoured with that mysticall and glorious Title of the Anointed 〈◊〉 Christ of the Lord Lam. 4. 20. the Breath of our Nostrils the Anointeâ— of Iehovah was taken in their pits c. Which anoynting and title however the Man of Sinne together with the Crowne and Diademe of Spirituall Israel the Church of God he hath given to some of the Kings of the Earth that so he may in lieu thereof dispose of their Civill Crownes the easier yet shall we finde it an incommunicable priviledge and prerogative oâ— of the Saints and people of God For as the Lord Iesus himselfe in the Antitype was not annointed with materiall but spirituall oyle Psal. 45. with the oyle of Gladnes and Luke 4. 14. from Isa. 61. 1. with the spirit of God The spirit of the Lord is upon me the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings c. So also all his members are annointed with the holy spirit of God 2 Cor. 1. 21. 1 John 2. Hence is it that Christians rejoyce in that name as carrying the very expresse title of the Anointed of the Lord which most superstitiously and sacrilegiously hath been applied only unto Kings Peace O deare Truth how doth the great Searcher of all Hearts finde out the thefts of the Antichristian World how are men caried in the darke they know not whither How is that heavenly charge Touch not mine Anointed c. Psal. 105. common to all Christians or anointed with Christ their Head by way of Monopoly or priviledge appropriated to Kings and Princes Truth It will not be here unseasonable to call to minde that admirable Prophecie Ezek. 21. 26 27. Thus saith Iehovah God Remove the Diadem take away the Crowne this shall not be the same exalt him that is low and abase him that is high I will overturne overturne overturne untill he come whose right it is and I will give it him The matter is a Crown and Diadem to be taken from an Vsurpers head and set upon the head of the right Owner Peace Doubtlesse this mystically intends the spirituall Crowne of the Lord Jesus for these many hundreth yeares set upon the heads of the Câ—mpetitours and Corrivals of the Lord Iesus upon whose glorious head in his Messengers and Churches the Crown shall be established The anointing the title and the crown and power must returne to the Lord Iesus in his Saints unto whom alone belongs his power and authoritie in Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall cases CHAP. CXVII Truth I Therefore proceed to a third difference between those Kings and Governours of Israel and Iudah and all other Kings and Rulers of the Earth Looke upon the Administrations of the Kings of Israel and Iudah and well weigh the Power and Authoritie which those Kings of Israel and Iudah exercised in Ecclesiasticall and spirituall causes and upon a due search we shall not find the same Scepter of Spirituall power in the hand of Civill Authoritie which was setled in the hands of the Kings of Israel and Iudah David appointed the Orders of the Priests Singers he brought the Arke to Ierusalem he prepared for the building of the Temple the patterne whereof he delivered to Salomon yet David herein could not be a type of the Kings and Rulers of the Earth but of the King of Heaven Christ Iesus for First David as he was a King so was he also a Prophet Acts 2. 30. and therefore a type as Moses also was of that great Prophet the Son of God And they that plead for Davids Kingly power must also by the same rule plead for his Propheticall by which he swayed the Scepâ—er of Israel in Church affaires Secondly it is expresly said 1 Cron. 28. 11. 12. 13. verses that the patterne which David gave to Salomon concerning the matter of the Temple and Worship of God he had it by the Spirit which was no other but a figure of the immediate inspiration of the spirit of God unto the Lord Iesus the true Spirituall King of Israel John 1. 49. Rabbi thou art the Son of God Rabbi thou art the King of Israel Againe What Civill Magistrate may now act as Salomon a type of Christ doth act 1 King 2. 26. 27. Salomon thrust out Abiathar from being Priest unto Iehovah Peace Some object that Abiathar was a man of death ver 26. worthy to die as having followed Adonijah and therefore Salomon executed no more then Civill justice upon him Truth Salomon remits the Civill punishment and inflicts upon him a spirituall but by what right but as he was King of the Church a figure of Christ Abiathar his Life is spared with respect to his former good service in following after David but yet he is turned out from the Priesthood But now put the case suppose that any of the Officers of the New-England Churches should prove false to the State and be discovered joyning with a French Monsieur or Spanish Don thirsting after conquest and dominion to further their invasions of that Countrey yet for some former faithfull service to the State he should not be adjudged to Civill punishment I aske now might their Governours or their Generall Court their Parliament depose such a man a Pastour Teacher or Elder from his holy Calling or office in Gods House Or suppose in a partiall and corrupt State a Member or Officer of a Church should escape with his life upon the commission of marther ought not a Church of Christ upon repentance to receive him I suppose it will not be said that he ought to execute himselfe or that the Church may use a Civill sword against him In these cases may such persons spar'd in civill punishments for some reason of or by partialitie of State be punished spiritually by the Civill Magistrate as Abiathar was Let the very Enemies of Zion be Judges Secondly If Salomon in thrusting out of Abiathar was a pattern and president unto all Civill Magistrates why not also in putting Zaâ—â—k in his roome ver 35. But against this the Pope the Bishops the Presbyterians and the Independents will all cry out against such a practice in their severall respective claimes and challenges for their Ministries We find the Libertie of the subjects of Christ in the choice of an Apostle Act. 1. of a Deacon Act. 6. of Elders Act. 14. and guided by the assistance either of the Apostles or Evangelists 1 Tim. 1. Tit. 1. without the least influence of any civill Magistrate which shewes the beauty of their liberty The Parliaments of England have by right free choice of their Speaker yet some Princes have thus farre beene gratified as to nominate yea and implicitely to commend a Speaker to them Wise men have seene the evill consequences of those influences though but in civill things how much farre greater and stronger are those snares when the golden Keyes of the Sonne of God are delivered into the hands of civill Authority Peace You know the noise
the power of Christ to censure sufficiently an offendour on whom yet they have executed the deepest censure in the world to wit cutting off from Christ shutting out of Heaven casting to the Divell which offendours crime reacheth not to hurt the good of the civill state but that she is forced to make complaint to the civill state and the Officers thereof for their helpe O let not this be tole in Gath nor heard in Ashkalon and O! how dimme must needs that eye be which is blood shot with that bloâ—dy and cruell Tenent of Persecution for cause of Conscience Peace But what should be meant by this passage viz. That they cannot give liberty to the Magistrate to punish without exception all excommunicate persons within so many months Truth It may be this hath reference to a Law made formerly in New England that if an excommunicate person repented not within as I have heard three months after sentence of excommunication then the Civill Magistrate might proceed with him These worthy men see cause to question this Law upon good reasons rendred though it appears not by their words that they wholly condemne it only they desire a longer time implying that after some longer time the Magistrate may proceed and indeed I see not but according to such principles if the Magistrate himselfe should be cast out he ought to be proceeded against by the Civill state and consequently deposed and punished as the Pope teacheth yea though happily he had not offended against either bodies or goods of any subject Thirdly from this true confession that the Magistrate ought not to punish for many sinnes above mentioned I observe how they crosse the plea which commonly they bring for the Magistrates punishing of false Doctrines Heretiques c. viz. Rom. 13. The Magistrate is to punish them that doe evill and when it is answered True evill against the Second Table which is there onely spoken of and against the Bodies and Goods of the Subject which are the proper object of the Civill Magistrate as they confesse It is replied why is not Idolatry sinne Heresie sinne Schisme and false Worship sinne Yet heere in this passage many evils many sins even of Parents against their Children Masters against their Servants Husbands against their Wives the Magistrate ought not to meddle with Fourthly I dare not assent to that assertion That even originall sinne remotely hurts the civill State T is true some doe as inclinations to murther theft whoredome slander disobedience to Parents and Magistrates but blindnes of minds hardnes of heart inclination to choose or worship this or that God this or that Christ beside the true these hurt not remotely the civill state as not concerning it but the spirituall Peace Let me in the last place remind you of their charge against the Magistrate and which will necessarily turne to my wrong and prejudice They say the Magistrate in hearing and prosecuting the complaints of children against their parents of servants against their masters of wives against their husbands without acquainting the Church first transgresseth the rule of Christ. Truth Sweet Peace they that pretend to be thy dearest friends will prove thy bitter enemies First I ask for one rule out of the Testament of the Lord Iesus to prove this deepe charge and accusation against the Civill Magistrate Secondly This is built upon a supposition of what rarely falls out in the World to wit that there must necessarily be a true Church of Christ in every lawfull State unto whom these complaints must goe whereas how many thousand Common-weales have been and are where the name of Christ hath not or not truly been founded Thirdly The Magistrates office according to their own grant properly respecting the bodies and goods of their Subjects and the whole body of the Common-weale being made up of Families as the members constituting that body I see not how according to the rule of Christ Rom. 13 the Magistrate may refuse to heare and helpe the just complaints of any such petitioners Children Wives and Servants against oppression c. Peace I have long observed that such as have been ready to ascribe to the Civill Magistrate and his Sword more then God hath ascribed have also been most ready to cut off the skirts and in case of his inclining to another conscience then their owne to spoile him of the robe of that due Authoritie with which it hath pleased God and the People to invest and cloath him But I shall now present you with the 13. Head whose Title is CHAP. CXXIX What power Magistrates have in publike Assemblies of Churches FIrst say they the Churches have power to assemble and continue such Assemblies for the performance of all Gods Ordinances without or against the consent of the Magistrate renuente Magistratu because Christians are commanded so to doe Matth. 28. 18. 19. 20. Also because an Angel from God commanded the Apostles so to doe Acts 5. 20 Likewise from the practice of the Apostles who were not rebellious or seditious yet they did so Act. 4. 18. 19. 20. Act. 5. 27 28. Further from the practice of the Primitive Church at Jerusalem who did meet preach pray minister Sacraments censures Act. 4. 23. renuente Magistratu Moreover from the exhortation to the Hebrewes 10. 25. not to forsake their Assemblies though it were in dangerous times and if they might doe this under professed Enemies then we may much more under Christian Magistrates else we were worse under Christian Magistrates then Heathen therefore Magistrates may not hinder them herein as Pharaoh did the people from sacrificing for Wrath will be upon the Realme and the King and his Sons Ezâ—â— 7. 23. Secondly it hath been a usurpation of forraigne Countries and Magistrates to take upon them to determine times and places of Worship rather let the Churches be left herein to their inoffensive Libertie Thirdly concerning their power of Synod Assemblies First in corrupt times the Magistrate desirous to make Reformation of Religion may and should call those who are most fit in severall Churches to assemble together in a Synod to discusse and declare from the Word of God matters of Doctrine and Worship and to helpe forward the Reformation of the Churches God Thus did Iosiah Secondly in the reformed times he ought to give Libertie to the Elders of severall Churches to assemble themselves by their owne mutuall and voluntary agreement at convenient times as the meanes appointed by God whereby he may mediately reform matters amisse in Churches which immediately he cannot nor ought not to doe Thirdly Those meetings for this end we conceive may be of two sorts 1. Monthly of some of the Elders and Messengers of the Churches 2. Annuall of all the Messengers and Elders of the Churches First monthly of some First those members of Churches which are neerest together and so may most conveniently assemble together may by mutuall agreement once in a
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
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.
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
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