Certain Observations, Section 5
SECTION V.
FRom that juriſdiction which theſe men claim, we come now to their temporall ſword, the beſt weapon to defend a bad cauſe withall. In handling whereof we ſhall be the more ſparing; becauſe it is both more evident to all, and more largely ſtood upon by others. Herein the
1 Ground is our Saviour…. Refuſing to devide the inheritance betwixt two brethren, who was all-ſufficient, becauſe it was without the compaſſe of his calling, to leaue an example to his Miniſters to the end of the world what to doe. Though it may ſeeme profitable, and a great meanes of good, as this might, yet it proues contrary, for things proue not according to mans purpoſing, and intendment of them, but to the Lords inſtitution, and appointing of them.
2 Ground, Chriſts Kingdom is not of this world, Ioh. 18.36, not an externall kingdom, as learned Whitakers obſerues againſt Bellarmine, but internall. Theſe differences a… aſſigned by him, 1 outward Kingdoms hauehave certain and viſible Kings, Chriſt is a heavenly King, acknowledged not ſeen by the eyes. 2 in externall Kingdoms ſubjects a… governed civilly, Chriſt governes his ſpiritually. 3 Externall Kingdoms are grounded and upheld by power, riches, armies, and outward ſucceſſion, but Chriſt preſerues his Kingdom by a ſecret power and force. 4 Outward Kings are ordained for outward benefites of this preſent life, Chriſts kingdom is in ſpirit and inward bleſſings: Wherfore Chriſts Kingdom ſhould endure, …f all Princes in the world be againſt it. As …s there affirmed …n h s firſt Queſtion, Whether the government of the Church be Monarchicall?
3 Our Saviour Chriſt directly affirmes, that he ſent his Diſciples as he was ſent, being baptized with the ſpirit, and ſo the Apoſtles before they went their embaſſage, were ſent to preach, and therfore were to rule with the power of the ſpirit, not by any externall o… humane power.
4 Our Saviour forbids his diſciples to exerciſe authority over one an other, as Kings and Princes, as is ſhewed before This place is firm againſt the temporall ſword, ſo alledged by Mr. Whitakers. What hath a Biſhop to doe with Empire or government, a Prieſt with a Scepter? Chriſt leaues no ſuch power; nay, plainly forbids, they ſhould be temporall Princes. This is the voice of the ſpirit of God.
5 The Apoſtle Paul, 2 Tim. 2, ſaith, No man that goeth a warfare entangleth himſelfe with the buſineſſes of this life, that hee might pleaſe him that hath choſen him for a Souldier: whence it is plain, every man is bound to attend on that office, and bend himſelfe therunto, wh…ch the Lord hath aſſigned him. 2. That men that doe not ſo, cannot nor doe pleaſe the Lord; therfore to entangle themſelues with the buſineſſe of this life, is againſt all heavenly wiſedom.
6 1 Pet. 5.3, Miniſters are charged not to rule over the heritage of the Lord: To wh…ch place I doubt not, but if the adverſaries had the like for them, againſt Elders, they would not doubt to throtle that Ordinance of God. If any ſay, this place cannot be meant of temporall authority, becauſe they could not hauehave it in thoſe times, Princes being ſo adverſe to them. To this, the anſwer is eaſie: firſt, the Apoſtle wrot this for us alſo that ſhould come afterwards: ſecondly, then they might affect it, and ſeek it, and over the Church after a ſort uſurp it, the people ſtanding …n ſuch awe of the Miniſters in thoſe times. And there is in this place an excellent motiue to diſſwade from Lording …t over the people, for they are the inhe…tance of God and of Chriſt, and it is dangerous to challenge dominion over his poſſeſſion. 2 There is as excellent a way frewed whereby they might draw on the people, and b…ter then by compulſion, that is by g…ving good example unto them, which by taking th…s upon them, is left off.
7 The Apoſtles would not leaue their calling of the Miniſtery of the Word to provide for the poore, which is a duty very neceſſary in it ſelfe: therefore who is he that makes conſcience of profiting the people, and the diſcharge of his Miniſtery, that dares offer to take this charge upon him.
Beſides theſe plain grounds, plain reaſon evinceth the unlawfulneſſe hereof, For,
Reaſ. 1. To undertake ſuch another calling, as makes a man unfit for each, is meerly unlawfull and …nprofit…bl…: herein hee wrongs the Church and Common-wealth. So doe th…ſe men, For who is ſufficient for theſe things? ſaith the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of the Min…ſtery. And if theſe bee a burden great enough for any of the greateſt gifts to goe under: what if an other be laid upon the ſame mans ſhoulders? Sure hee can carry neither, but muſt n…ceſſarily e…ther caſt off the former, or quite ſincke under both.
2 It wrongeth Chriſt, as though hee could not, or would not defend his Church, except his ſervants, like Peter, ſhould fight for him, with an outward ſword. Cannot he ſtir up Magiſtrates, and the ſpirit of prudence, to be as nurſing Fathers, to his Church.
3 This makes the Ordinances of Chriſt, Excommunication, and other Cenſures, to be of none effect nor regard, when they adde ſuch corporall puniſhments themſelus. This is plain; for who reſpects their Excommunications now a daies.
4 This was not ſeen in the Church, till paſt 300 yeares.
Wherfore, as our Saviour ſaid to Peter: Put up thy ſword, he that taketh the ſword ſhall periſh with the ſword; ſo let all men be wiſe and learn well to uſe the ſword of the ſpirit againſt their own pride and ambition, and the ſinnes of the times in others, and no doubt they w…ll ſoon leaue off that temporal ſword. What that reverend Whitakers ſpeaks to the Biſhop of Rome, That if they had any ſpark or drop of piety and Rel gion, they would leaue this ſword. So ſay I to you brethren, (diſda…n not what was ſpoken by him) for Religions ſake leaue this to the civ…ll Magiſtrate, whoſe it s: Elſe know, you take from Ceſar, and the State, that which neither is nor can be yours. And though you th nk, l…ke Peter, to ſmite your enemies with this ſword, y…t you profit not Chriſt, nor w…ll he b… thus defended by you. And undoubtedly look, as the Kings of the earth ſ…all waken out of that ſlumber, wherin they a…e as drunk with the cup of the whore, and burn her up, and deſtroy her w…th thoſe ſwords that hauehave fought for her, and defended her: So though Proteſtant Princes ſuffer you, and giuegive you authority for a while, for the t…yall of his ſervants, yet the Lord will ra…ſe up the ſpirit of ſome (who knows how ſoon?) that ſhall require at your hands the hurt you hauehave done with th…s ſword, and take away your authority and honour, and make you naked.