Saints No Smiters, Treatise · Section 12
§ 12. The Eleventh and Twelfth arguments from contrariety to the Martyrs agreement with Papists.
THIS also leads us to an eleventh argument, which is from the constant profession of the Saints and Martyrs, in all ages, that they were to suffer for the Kingdom of God, not to fight for it, so speaks St. John, Revel. 1. 9. I John who also am your Brother, and companion in Tribulation, and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ, was in the Isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ. Where he makes these conjunct the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ, and styles himself their Brother and companion in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ, therefore he took all that were Brethren to be companions therein, and these to be conjoyned together. This was the profession of the Saints, in the times of the ten great persecutions, as may be seen in the writings of Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Cyprian, and such as wrote Apologies for the Christians, and the Acts and monuments of the Church; which relate their practise suteable to their profession; even when they were armed, and were a considerable part of the Emperors Armies, yet exposed themselves rather to butchery, than they would attempt to fight. Yea when the Beast was risen, to whom the Dragon gave his power, and his seat and great authority, from which time, as is shewed before. Sect. 4. the Quinto-Monarchians make civil powers not to be the Ordinance of God, but Antichristian, and the Ordinance of Hell; yet the Holy Ghost foretels not the smiting work of the Stone, or turning their Plowshares into Swords, for the pulling down civil powers, and setting up the fifth Kingdom on earth, but saith, Revel. 13. 10 He that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword. Here is the patience, and the faith of the Saints. Which shewes that even they were not to set up the Kingdom of Christ by fighting, but by patience and faith. And Revel. 14. 12. after the prediction of the fall of Babylon, and the daughter of those who worship the Beast and his Image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name, it is added, Here is the patience of the Saints: Here are they that keep the Commandments of God, & the faith of J…sus, shewing that even in those times the Saints would patiently suffer, not avenge themselves by smiting, or by destroying civil powers seek to set up Christs Kingdom on earth, the contrary whereto is taught by the Quinto-Monarchians, and thereby the generation of the just even the holy Martyrs their profession and practise, is condemned, which is damnable and Antichristian.
On the other side (which yeilds a twelfth argument) these …enents of the smiting of civil powers to set up Christs Kingdom tend to the justifying, or countenancing of the Popish, former and later doctrine and practises, wherein they have challenged and usurped a power over Emperors, and Kings, to depose, and deprive them of life, when they have opposed the Popes Authority, or the Roman Church and Religion, which opposition was counted by them to be against the Kingdom of Christ, and thought in ordine ad spiritualia, as they spake, they might dispose of their Kingdoms as the Vicars of Christ, and visible Monarchs of the Universal Church. Which things these Fifth-Monarchy-Men count Antichristian; and therefore their teaching and doing the like upon pretence of setting up of Christs Kingdom on earth, is by parity of reason, there being not better proof for the one than for the other, damnable and Antichristian.