The Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters of Religion, Title page – To the reader
THE POWER OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE In matters of RELIGION, VINDICATED.
The Extent of his Power determined.
In a SERMON preached before the First PARLIAMENT on a Monthly Fast day.
BY The late faithfull and laborious servant of Christ, Mr. STEPHEN MARSHALL, B. D. and Minister of the Gospel for many yeers in Finchenfield, but the two last yeers of his life in Ipswich.
Published by G. FIRMIN Minister in Shalford, With Notes upon the Sermon.
Isa. 49.23.
And Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their Queens thy nursing mothers, &c:
Isa: 60:12:
For the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish, &c.
London, Printed for Nathaniel Webb, and William Grantham, at the sign of the Black Bear in St. Pauls Church-yard, neer the little North door. 1657.
To the Worshipful JOHN MEADE Esquire, dwelling in Finchingfield in Essex.
SIR,
THe exceeding love you bare to this Author [your dear friend and faithful Pastour] together with that respect which your love unto me hath Commanded from me, have caused the Dedication of what was his, and what is mine unto you. The Subject [though it may be not so profitable to you] is of great concernment in our dayes, wherein the old Serpent to the end he might have free passage for the Doctrines of Divels, hath by the mouths and pens of men Cryed downe the Civil Magistrates power in matters of Religion; which Stratagem of his may it prevail [and I wish it had not prevailed too much] then as Mr. Cotton saith, Rejoyce ye Hereticks, Idolaters, Seducers, Answ. to bloody Tenet c. 33.go on and make havock of the Sheep of Christ like ravenous wolves; you may now doe it [impunè] without fear or danger.
It had been well if this Author could have been prevailed with, to have published his many spirituall and practicall Sermons upon Prov. 4.23. in which worke and Preaching of Christ he tooke most content. I know boah your selfe and others urged him to it, and could he have wrought with his hand (by writing) as he could with his head and lungs, we had enjoyed them. A labourer he might well be called, few such Labourers hath he left behind him: we say men cannot worke that doe not eate, but he could worke when for many weekes (yea monthes) he could not eate, his worke was meate to him. a Christian was his profession, and Christianity was his practice; Bookes, he told me never taught him to preach Christ, but yet how well acquainted was he with Christ, his sermons declared, and that excellent sentence of his when we were discoursing with him about his death at your house. I cannot say as he, I have not so lived that I should now be afraid to dye: but this I can say, I have so Learned Christ that I am not afraid to dye. Faith he preached, by Faith he lived, by Faith he died; he answered the Apostles exhortation to Timothy, 1 epist. Cap· 4.12. Be thou an example of the Believers in Faith, &c. amongst all his other graces, this Gemme did shine most gloriously: what you have lost by the removal of such a friend you know best: I know he was an Instrument by whom the Lord conveyed much Comfort unto you in your pilgrimage: yet this is some comfort, that while you had him, the Lord gave you a heart to improve him, and so improved him, that I doubt not what is said of Abel in another case, He being dead yet speaketh;Heb. 11.4. it may be said of Mr. Marshal, though he be dead, he yet speaketh to you. It will not be long, but the people of God shall be freed also from this evil [which our honoured friend was wont to say, was one of the greatest outward evils] the loss of friends: you are hastening, and in a good way [I doubt not] to that place, where you shall meet with your dear and christian friend again, and with many others gone before you; the Lord hath kept you hitherto steady, sound, unshaken, in these times, holding fast to the old truths, [which I esteem an honour in these daies] hold there still [good Sir] for they must stand in stead when we come to dye. I shall add no more, but crave your acceptation of what I have presented,
Subscribing my selfe Your Servant, GILES FIRMIN.
To the Reader.
I Have heard it reported since this reverend Author died, that upon his death-bed he charged his Executors that none of his Notes should be printed: If any then should say to me, Why doe you publish these? I answer: First, These Notes I had from himselfe, and I know as perfect as any he hath left behind him. Secondly, I told him while he was Living, if he would not publish his Sermon, I would publish what Notes I had: The reason why he would not publish his Sermon, was this, because in some things [especially in his 4th Argument to prove the Magistrates power] he differed from some other Divines, which might Occasion some to write against him, and for him to Reply [writing being to him a most tedious work in his health, much more in his sickness] he would not doe it▪ but that reason being now taken away, I have taken this liberty to publish his Notes. Though they are but short, yet they containe the Substance of the Doctrinal part of his Sermon, which was preached in the Parliament House on one of the last Monthly Fast dayes, and gave great Content to the soundest part, professing they never heard so much before. For the application of his Doctrine, I did not desire it, the Doctrinal part [upon such a Subject as this] being the maine.
For the other Notes which I have added, I hope the Reader will not judge them either impertinent or uselesse, considering our times: I took Counsel of such, whom I know to be godly, judicious, and learned, before I would publish them, and they wishing me to it, I have presented them to your View, and Committed them to the Lord for his blessing.