The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 99
CHAP. XCIX.
Peace.
AGaine (say they) the Magistrate should send him first to the Church to heale his Conscience.
Truth.
Is not this as the Prophet speakes, Like mother, like daughter? Like mother like daughter.So the mother of whoredomes the Church of Rome teacheth and practiseth with all her Hereticks: First let the holy Church convince them, and then deliver them to the Secular power to receive the punishment of Hereticks.
Peace.
Me thinks also they approach neere that Popish Tenent, Ex opere operato: for their Exhortations and Admonitions must necessarily be so operative and prevalent, that if the Heretick repent not,Conscience not so easily healed and cared. he now sins against his Conscience: not remembring that Peradventure, 2 Tim. 2. If peradventure, God will give them repentance: and how strong delusions are, and believing of lies, and how hard it is to be undeceived, especially in Spirituals?
Truth.
And as it may so prove, when an Heretick indeed is brought to this Colledge of Physitians to have his conscience healed, and one Heretick is to cure another: So also when any of Christs Witnesses (supposed Hereticks) are brought before them, how doth the Lord Iesus suffer whippings and stabs, when his Name, and Truths, and Witnesses, and Ordinances are all prophaned and blasphemed?
Besides, suppose a Man to be an Heretick, and yet suppose him brought as the Magistrates Prisoner, though to a true Church, to heale his Conscience: Wounding instead of healing of Consciences.What promise of Presence and Blessing hath the Lord Iesus made to his Church and Spouse in such a way? and how common is it for Hereticks either to be desperately hardned by such cruell courses (yet pretending Soule-healing) or else through feare and terrour to practice grosse hypocrisie even against their consciences? So that these Chir…rgions and Physitians pretending to heale Consciences, by such a course wound them deeper, and declare themselves Chir…rgions and Physitians of no value.
Peace.
But what thinke you of the Proviso added to their Proposition, viz. Provided, the Church bee able and willing?
Truth.
Doubtles this proviso derogates not a little from the nature of the Spouse of Christ. For she, like that gracious woman, Prov. 31. 26.Christs Spouse able and willing to be …e wounded cons…nces. openeth her mouth with wisedome, and in her tongue is the Law of Grace: she is the pillar and ground of Truth, 2. Tim. 2. The golden candlestick from whence true light shineth: the Angels or Ministers thereof able to try false Apostles (Rev. 2.) and convince the Gainsayers, Tit. 1.
Againe (according to their principles of suppressing persons and Churches falsely worshipping) how can they permit such a blind and dead Church not able and willing to heale a wounded Conscience?
Peace.
What should be the reason of this their expression?
Truth.
Doubtles their Consciences tell them how few of those Churches (which they yet acknowledge Churches) are able and willing to hold forth Christ Iesus the Sun of Righteousnes, healing with his wings the doubting and afflicted conscience.
Lastly, their conscience tells them, that a Servant of Christ Iesus may possibly be sent as an Heretick to be healed by a false Church, which Church will never be willing to deale with him, or never be able to convince him.
Peace.
Yea, but they say, by such a course the Magistrate shall convince such an ones conscience; that hee seekes his good, &c.
Truth.
If a man thus bound be sent to a Church to be healed in his conscience, either he is an Heretick, or he is not.
Admit he be: yet he disputes in feare, as the poor theefe: the Mouse disputes with a terrible persecuting Cat: A persecuting Church disputes with an Heretick as a Cat with the Mouse; and with a true Witnes as a Lyon with a Limbe in his paw.who while she seemes to play and gently tosse, yet the conclusion is a proud insulting and devouring crueltie.
If no Heretick but an innocent and faithfull witnes of any Truth of Jesus; disputes he not as a Lambe in the Lyons paw, being sure in the end to be torne in pieces?
Peace.
They adde: The censure this way proceeds with more power and blessing.
Truth.
All power and blessing is from that blessed Son of God, unto whom all power is given from the Father, in Heaven and Earth. He hath promised his presence with his Messengers, preaching and baptizing to the worlds end, ratifying in Heaven what they blinde or loose on Earth.
But let any man shew me such a commission, instruction and promise given by the Son of God to Civill powers in these spirituall affaires of his Christian Kingdome and Worship?
Peace.
Lastly they conclude, This course of first sending the Heretick to be healed by the Church, takes away all excuse; for none can say that he is persecuted for his Conscience, but for sinning against his Conscience.
Truth.
Iesabel placing poore Naboth before the Elders as a blasphemer of God and the King, and sanctifying the plotted and intended murther with a day of humiliation, Persecutours endure not so to be called.may seeme to take away all excuse, and to conclude the Blasphemer worthy to be stoned: But Iehovah the God of Recompences ( …er. 51.) when he makes Inquisition for blood, will find both Iesabel and Ahab guilty, and make the Dogs a feast with the flesh of Iesabel, and leave not to Ahab a man to pisse against the wall; for (as Paul in his owne plea) there was nothing committed worthy of death: and against thee, O King, saith Daniel, I have not sinned (Dan. 6.) in any Civill fact against the State.