A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Chapter 10 · Section 12
Sect. 12. The Magistrates command to hear, the present Mininisters is to be obeyed.
Object. 8. But the Magistrate commands us, and ought we not to obey Magistrates.
Answ. 1. That Magistrates have no power to command in matters of instituted worship, where Christ is silent, or to govern in his Church is affirmed by many.
2. The commands of Magistrates, when contrary to the will and way of Christ, are not to be subjected to. This case is long since stated and resolved by the Apostle (Acts 4.19, 20. and 5.29) and Spirit of the Lord, breathing long before in his renouned witnesses, Dan. 3.16, 17. and 6.10. nor is it denyed by any that are sober, and judicious. Whether the hearing of the present Ministers of England be contrary to the word of God, the will and way of Christ, we leave from what hath been offered, to the considerate reader to judge; And shall only add what was long since asserted by Augustin de verb Domini Serm. 6. in this matter, who was herein fully of the same mind with us; Sed timeo inquies ne offendas majorem, time prorsus ne offendas majorem, & non offendes Deum. Quid enim times ne offendas majorem? Vide ne forsan major sit isto qu…m times offendere. Majorem certe noli offendere—quis est inquies major eo qui me genuit? an ille qui teipsum creavit? — qui enim resistit potestati, Dei ordinationi resistit: sed quid si illud jubeat quod non debes facere? — timendo potestatem ipsos humanarum rerum gradus advertite: si aliquid jusserit Curator, nonne faciendum est? Tametsi contra Proconsul jubeat, at non utique contemnis potestatem, sed eligis majori servire, nec hinc debet minor irasci, si major praelata est. Rursum si aliquid ipse Proconsul jubeat, & aliud jubeat Imperator, numquid dubitatur in illo contemptu illi esse serviendum? Ergo si aliud Imperator & aliud Deus quid judicatis? Solve tributum, est mihi in obsequio recte▪ Sed non in Idolio, in Idolio prohibet, quis prohibet? major potestas. Da veniam! tu carcerem, ille gehennam minatur. He tells us plainly that such as fear to offend their Superiours, should much more fear to offend God, who is greater than all. The Emperours and Monarchs of the world, threaten us with a Prison if we disobey them; the Lord threatens us with Hell upon our disobedience of him.
I reply, The Brownists in their Confession of faith, art. 39. say, Princes and Magistrates by the Ordinance of God are Supreme Governours under him over all persons, and in all causes within their Realms and Dominions, and that it is their duty to enforce all their Subjects whether Ecclesiastical or Civil to do their duties to God and men, protecting and maintaining the good, punishing and restraining the evil, according as God hath commanded, whose Lieutenants they are here on earth; and to prove this many Texts are cited by them, of which confession Mr. Ainsworth said to be of the fame apprehension with this Author in this matter, was a principal composer. In the Apology of the Non-conformists by Irenaeus E…eutherius in the admonition to the Reader, the Kings Supremacy is acknowledged. Which hath been more largely proved before in this Answer to the 5th. Chapter of this book, Sect. 11, 12, 13, 14. And though it be not yeilded, that Princes should exercise Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, or determine Doctrines of faith, or impose what worship they will on the Subjects, yet it is allowed by all I know except Papists, that when the Magistrate commands men to be present at the true worship of God, and to hear them that preach truth, he doth what he ought, and is to be obeyed therein. This Author where in this Chapter, p. 86. he supposeth Christ enjoyning his Disciples to attend upon the Scribes and Pharisees acting as Magistrates, and conform to what is justly and righteously prescribed them as such, must yield this, that the Saints are to obey the Magistrate in this, unless he can shew, that it is an unlawfull thing to hear the present Ministers, which he pretends he hath done, but how vainly is shewed by this Answer, and so his Answer here to this Objection to be insufficient. And indeed it tends to the gratifying of Popish Recusants▪ who alledge, for their not hearing, the non-conjunction with the Pope and Church of Rome, as this Author, doth the non-election and non-membership of the present Ministers in a Congregational Church, to be in which as the only Instituted Church of Christ, is made necessary, as Papists do to be in Communion with the Church of Rome: And therefore if it be unlawful to hear the present Ministers, the Papists have a just plea for their not coming to Church; which evacuates all the Laws and Government requiring it. It is added,