Saints No Smiters, Imprimatur – Table of contents
Ex AEd. Lamb. Feb. 29. 1663.
Imprimatur
Geo. Stradling S. T. P. Rever. in Christo Pat. D. Gilb. Archiep. Cant. à Sac. Domest.
Saints no Smiters: OR, SMITING CIVIL POWERS Not the Work of SAINTS.
BEING A TREATISE, Shewing the Doctrine and Atempts of QUINTO-MONARCHIANS, OR, FIFTH-MONARCHY-MEN About Smiting Powers, to be damnable and Antichristian.
By JOHN TOMBES, B. D.
Matth. 26. 52.
Then said Jesus unto him; Put up again thy Sword into his place: for all they that take the Sword, shall perish with the Sword.
LONDON, Printed by R. D. for Henry Eversden at the Greyhound in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1664.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, EDWARD EARL of CLARENDON, LORD CHANCELLOR OF ENGLAND.
BY Divine Providence declared in my Writings upon His Majesties return into this Kingdom, I was engaged in the asserting the Oath of His Majesty's Supremacy, which drew upon me a necessity of arguing the point of taking any Oath at all, in somewhat an ample Treatise about Swearing, which being presented to him it pleased His Majesty to accept of. Since which time I have employed much of my study in a Treatise of the Kingdom of God, and the seeking it: But having made some entrance into it, and finding it likely to become too large for the end intended, to wit, the undeceiving of those, who under pretence of setting up the Kingdom of God, think it their duty to demolish all present Powers as Antichristian, they being persons averse from reading any thing that is prolix, I have chosen rather to cut this part out of the whole piece, than to stay the finishing of the rest. Such as it is I presume to present it to your Honour, (in humble gratitude for that voluntary unthought of favour towards me, which moved you of your own accord and goodness to insinuate to His Majesty your ancient knowledge, and later apprehensions of me, by which means I have enjoyed that peace, which is through His Majesties goodness yet vouchsafed me) which I humbly crave your Honour to accept of from
Your Honours devoted, and deeply obliged Servant in our Lord, JOHN TOMBES.
The Contents.
§ 1. THe Occasion of this Treatise is declared.
§ 2. The words of Quinto-Monarchians expressing their opinions about seeking Christs Kingdom in this Age are recited.
§ 3. Their Doctrine about smiting Civil powers is proved from Scripture precepts to be wicked.
§ 4. The exceptions of Fifth-Monarchy-men and others against the first Argument are refelled.
§ 5. Suppositions implied in the Quinto-Monarchians exceptions about the stone and its smiting, Dan. 2. 34, 35, 44, 45. are shewed to be mistakes, or uncertainties.
§ 6. Quinto-Monarchians Hypotheses about the Civil Governments being from the 4th Monarchy, Rome and the Dragon are shewed to be groundless.
§ 7. More Arguments are urged against Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine from precepts and examples of holy persons.
§ 8. More Arguments are urged from Censures and determinations in the New Testament.
§ 9. Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine of smiting Civil Powers inciteth to resisting of evil and self-revenging, forbidden by Christ and his Apostles.
§ 10. Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine tends to Murder and ruine of humane Society.
§ 11. The 9th and 10th Arguments from the meekness, peaceableness and patience of Saints are urged, against the smiting work of Quinto-Monarchians.
§ 12. The 11th and 12th Arguments from the contrariety of the Martyrs example and agreement with Papists Doctrine and practice, are urged against the Quinto-Monarchians.
§ 13. The smiting work of Quinto-Monarchians is grounded on falsities or uncertainties concerning the Agents, means, and time of the smiting, Dan. 2. 34, 35, 44, 45.
§ 14. Many things are groundless and false, which the Quinto-Monarchians suppose and take for Articles of their faith, concerning the Fifth Monarchy and its setting up.
§ 15. The claim which the Quinto-Monarchians make to Civil Government on earth in the Saints afore Christ's coming is false.
§ 16. The Reasons and Arguments of Fifth-Monarchy Men for their separation and engaging against Civil powers, are shewed to be vain.