The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 3 · Chapter 16 – Chapter 24
CHAP. XVI.
Peace.
THe third Conclusion is;The third Conclusiō discussed. In points of lesser moment, there ought to be a Toleration.
Which though I acknowledge to be the Truth of God, yet 3 things are very observable in the manner of laying it down;Sathans policie. for Sathan useth excellent arrowes to bad markes, and sometimes beyond the intent, and hidden from the eye of the Archer.
First (saith he) such a person is to be tolerated,The Answerer granteth a Toleration. till God may be pleased to reveale his Truth to him.
Truth.
This is well observed by you; for indeed this is the very ground why the Apostle calls for meekenesse and gentlenesse toward all men, and toward such as oppose themselves, 2 Tim. 2. because there is a peradventure or it may be; Patience to be used toward the opposite.It may be God may give them Repentance. That God that hath shewen mercy to one, may shew mercy to another: It may be that eye-salve that anointed one mans eye who was blinde and opposite, may anoint another as blinde and opposite: He that hath given Repentance to the husband, may give it to his wise, &c.
Hence that Soule that is lively and sensible of mercy received to it selfe in former blindnesse, opposition and enmitie against God, cannot but be patient and gentle toward the Iewes, who yet deny the Lord Iesus to be come,The cariage of a Soule sensible of mercy, toward other sinners in their blindnesse and opposition. and justifie their Fore-fathers in murthering of him: Toward the Turkes, who acknowledge Christ a great Prophet, yet affirme lesse than Mahomet. Yea to all the severall sorts of Antichristians, who set up many a false Christ in stead of him. And lastly to the Pagans and wildest sorts of the sons of men, who have not yet heard of the Father, nor the Son. And to all these sorts, Iewes, Turkes, Antichristians, Pagans, when they oppose the light presented to them; In sense of its ow… former opposition, and that God peradventure may at last give repentance: I adde, such a Soule will not onelyonly be patient, but earnestly and constantly pray for all sorts of men, that out of them Gods elect may be called to the fellowship of Christ Iesus, And lastly, not only pray, but endeavour (to its utmost abilitie) their participation of the same grace and mercy.
That great Rock upon which so many gallant Ships miscarrie, viz. That such persons, false Prophets, Hereticks, &c. were to be put to death in Israel, I shall (with Gods assistance) remove: as also that fine silken covering of the Image, viz. that such persons ought to be put to death or banished, to prevent the infecting and seducing of others, I shall (with Gods assistance) in the following discourse pluck off.
Secondly, I observe from the Scriptures he quoteth for this Toleration, (Phil. 3. & Rom. 14) how closely, yet I hope unadvisedly, he makes the Churches of Christ at Philippi and Rome, The Answerer cō founds the Churches in Philippi and Rome with the Cities Philippi and Rome.all one with the Cities Philippi and Rome, in which the Churches were, and to whom onelyonly Paul wrote. As if what these Churches in Philippi and Rome must tolerate amongst themselves, that the Ci…ies Philippi and Rome must tole rate in their citizens: and what these Churches must not tolerate, that these Cities Philippi and Rome must not tolerate within the compasse of the City, State and Jurisdiction.
Truth.
Upon that ground, by undeniable consequence, these Cities Philippi and Rome were bound not to tolerate themselves, that is, the Cities and Citizens of Philippi and Rome, in their own Civill life and being, but must kill or expell themselves from their own Cities, as being Idolatrous worshippers of other gods then the true God in Iesus Christ.
But as the Lilie is amongst the Thornes, so is Christs Love among the Daughters: Difference between … the Church and the World.and as the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Forrest, so is her Beloved among the Sons: so great a difference is there between the Church in a Citie or Country, and the Civill state, City or Country in which it is.
No lesse then (as David in another case, Psal. 103. as far as the Heavens are from the Earth) are they that are truly Christs (that is, anointed truly with the Spirit of Christ) from many thousands who love not the Lord Iesus Christ, and yet are and must be permitted in the World or Civill State, although they have no right to enter into the gates of Ierusalem the Church of God.
And this is the more carefully to bee minded,The Church and Civill Scare confusedly made all one. because when ever a toleration of others Religion and Conscience is pleaded for, such as are (I hope in truth) zealous for God, readily produce plenty of Scriptures written to the Church, both before and since Christs comming, all commanding and pressing the putting forth of the uncleane, the cutting off the obstinate, the purging out the Leaven, rejecting of Heretickes. As if because brians, thornes, and phistles may not be in the Garden of the Church, therefore they must all bee pluckt up out of the Wildernesse: whereas he that is a Briar, that is, a Iew, a Turke, a Pagan, an Antichristian to day, may be (when the Word of the Lord runs freely) a member of Iesus Christ to morrow cut out of the wilde Olive, and planted into the true.
Peace.
Thirdly, from this toleration of persons but holding lesser errours, Persecutors have forgotten the blessednesse promised to the mercifull, Math. 5.I observe the unmercifulnesse of such doctrines and hearts, as if they had forgotten the Blessednesse, Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy, Math. 5. He that is sleightly and but a little hurt, shall be suffered, and meanes vouchsafed for his cure. But the deepe wounded sinners, and leprous, ulcerous, and those of bloudy issues twelve yeares together, and those which have been bowed down 38. years of their life, they must not be suffered untill peradventure God may give them repentance; but either it is not lawfull for a godly Magistrate to rule and governe such a people (as some have said) or else if they be under government, and reforme not to the State Religion after the first and second admonition, the Civill Magistrate is bound to persecute, &c.
Truth.
Such persons have need, as Paul to the Romanes, Chap. 12. 1. to be besought by the mercy of God to put on bowels of mercy toward such as have neither wronged them in body or goods, and therefore justly should not be punished in their goods or persons.
CHAP. XVII.
Peace.
I Shall now trouble you (deare Truth) but with one conclusion more, which is this: viz. That if a man hold forth errour with a boysterous and arrogant spirit, to the disturbance of the civill Peace, he ought to be punished, &c.
Truth.
To this I have spoken too, confessing that if any man commit ought of those things which Paul was accused of (Act. 25. 11.) he ought not to be spared, yea he ought not, as Paul saith, in such cases to refuse to dye.
But if the matter be of another nature, a spirituall and divine nature, I have written before in many cases,What persons are guilty of breach of civil peace and might in many more, that the Worship which a State professeth may bee contradicted and preached against, and yet no breach of Civill Peace. And if a breach follow, it is not made by such doctrines, but by the boysterous and violent opposers of them.
Such persons onelyonly breake the Cities or Kingdomes peace,The most peaceable wrongfully accused of peacebreaking. who cry out for prison and swords against such who crosse their judgement or practice in Religion. For as Iosephs mistris accused Ioseph of uncleannesse, and calls out for civill violence against him, when Ioseph was chaste, and her selfe guilty: So commonly the meeke and peaceable of the earth are traduced as rebells, factious, peace-breakers, although they deale not with the State or State-matters, but matters of divine and spirituall nature, when their traducers are the onelyonly unpeaceable, and guilty of breach of Civill Peace.
Peace.
We are now come to the second part of the Answer, which is a particular examination of such grounds as are brought against such persecution.
The first sort of grounds are from the Scriptures.
CHAP. XVIII.
FIrst,The examination of what is meant by the Tares, and the command of the L. Jesus to let them alone. Matth. 13. 30, 38. because Christ commandeth to let alone the Tares to grow up together with the Wheat, untill the Harvest.
Unto which he answereth: That Tares are not Bryars and Thornes, but partly Hypocrites, like unto the godly, but indeed carnall (as the Tares are like to Wheat, but are not Wheat,) or partly such corrupt doctrines or practices as are indeed unsound, but yet such as come very near the truth (as Tares do to the Wheat) and so neer that good men may be taken with them, and so the persons in whom they grow cannot bee rooted out, but good Wheat will be rooted out with them. In such a case (saith he) Christ calleth for peaceable toleration, and not for penall prosecution, according to the third Conclusion.
Truth.
The substance of this Answer I conceive to be first negative, The Answerers fallacious exposition that Tares signifie either Persons, Doctrines or Practices.that by Tares are not meant persons of another Religion and Worship, that is (saith he) they are not Briars and Thornes.
Secondly, affirmative, by Tares are meant either persons, or doctrines, or practices; persons, as hypocrites, like the godly: doctrines or practices corrupt, yet like the truth.
For answer hereunto I confesse that not onelyonly those worthy witnesses (whose memories are sweet with all that feare God) Calvin, Beza, &c. but of later times many conjoyne with this worthy Answerer, to satisfie themselves and others with such an Interpretation.
But alas,The Answerer ba…ely affirming a most strange interpretation. how darke is the soule left that desires to walke with God in holy feare and trembling, when in such a waighty and mighty point as this is, that in matters of conscience concerneth the spilling of the bloud of thousands, and the Civill Peace of the World in the taking up Armes to suppresse all false Religions! when I say no evidence or demonstration of the Spirit is brought to prove such an interpretation, nor Arguments from the place it selfe or the Scriptures of truth to confirme it; but a bare Affirmation that these Tares must signifie persons, or doctrines and practices.
I will not imagine any deceitfull purpose in the Answerers thoughts in the proposall of these three,Sathans subtlet…e about the opening of Scripture. persons, doctrines, or practices, yet dare I confidently avouch that the Old Serpent hath deceived their precious soules, and by Tongue and Pen would deceive the soules of others by such a method of dividing the word of truth. A threefold Cord, and so a threefold Snare is strong, and too like it is that one of the three, either Persons, Doctrines, or Practices may catch some feet.
CHAP. XIX.
Peace.
THe place then being of such great importance as concerning the truth of God, the bloud of thousands, yea the bloud of Saints, and of the Lord Iesus in them, I shall request your more diligent search (by the Lords holy assistance) into this Scripture. I shall make it evident, that by these Tares in this Parable are meant persons in respect of their Religion and way of Worship, open and visible professours, as bad as briars and thornes; not onelyonly suspected Foxes, but as bad as those greedy Wolves which Paul speakes of, Acts 20. who with perverse and evill doctrines labour spiritually to devoure the flocke, and to draw away Disciples after them, whose mouthes must be stopped, and yet no carnall force or weapon to be used against them, but their mischiefe to bee resisted with those mighty weapons of the holy Armoury of the Lord Iesus, wherein there hangs a thousand shields, Cant. 4.
That the Lord Iesus intendeth not doctrines or practices by the tares in this Parable is cleare: for
First, the Lord Iesus expresly interpreteth the good seed to be persons, and those the children of the Kingdome; and the tares also to signifie Men, and those the children of the Wicked one, ver. 38.
Secondly,Toleration in Rom. 14. considered. Toleratiō of Jew…sh ceremonies for a time upon some grounds in the Jew…sh Church, proves not toleration of Popish and Anti christian Ceremonies in the Christian Church, although in the State. such corrupt doctrines or practices are not to bee tolerated now as those Iewish observations (the Lords owne Ordinances) were for a while to be permitted, Rom. 14. Nor so long as till the Angels the Reapers come to reape the Harvest in the end of the world. For can we thinke that because the tender Consciences of the Iewes were to be tendred in their differences of meats, that therefore persons must now bee tolerated in the Church (for I speake not of the Civill State) and that to the worlds end, in superstitious forbearing and forbidding of flesh in Popish Lents, and superstitious Fridayes, &c. and that because they were to be tendred in their observation of Iewish Holidayes, that therefore untill the Harvest or Worlds end, persons must now be tolerated (I meane in the Church) in the observation of Popish Christmas, Easter, Whitsontide, and other superstitious Popish Festivals?
I willingly acknowledge, that if the members of a Church of Christ shall upon some delusion of Sathan kneele at the Lords Supper, keep Christmas, or any other Popish observation, great tendernesse ought to bee used in winning his soule from the errour of his way: and yet I see not that persons so practising were sit to be received into the Churches of Christ now, as the Iewes weake in the Faith, (that is, in the Liberties of Christ) were to be received, Rom. 14. 1. And least of all (as before) that the toleration or permission of such ought to continue till Doomes day, or the end of the world, as this Parable urgeth the Toleration: Let them alone untill the Harvest.
CHAP. XX.
AGaine,Tares proved not to signifie hypocrites Hypocrites were not intended by the Lord Iesus in this famous Parable.
First, the Originall word foreign, signifying all those Weeds which spring up with the Corne, as Cockle, Darnell, Tares, &c. seemes to imply such a kinde of people as commonly and generally are knowne to bee manifestly different from,Hence were the witnesses of Christ … and others in H. 4. his reigne called Lo… lards (as some say) from …, weeds known well enough, hen…e taken for signe of barrenesse: Ius…lix … & sterll… do…an…u… a v…a: others conceive they were so called from one Lolla…d, &c. but all Papis…s accounted them as Tares because of their profession. and opposite to the true worshippers of God, here called the children of the Kingdom; as these weeds, tares, cockle, darnell, &c. are commonly and presently knowne by every husbandman to differ from the wheat, and to be opposite, and contrary, and hurtfull unto it.
Now whereas it is pleaded that these tares are like the wheat, and so like that this consimilitude or likenesse is made the ground of this interpretation, viz. That tares must needs signifie hypocrites, or doctrines, or practices, who are like Gods children, Truth, &c.
I answer, first, The Parable holds forth no such thing, that the likenesse of the tares should deceive the servants to cause them to suppose for a time that they were good wheat, but that as soone as ever the tares appeared, ver. 26. the servants came to the housholder about them, ver. 27. the Scripture holds forth no such time wherein they doubted or suspected what they were.
Peace.
It may be said they did not appeare to be tares untill the co…ne was in the blade, and put forth its fruit.
Truth.
I answer,*The false and counterfeit Christians appeare as soon as the true and faithfull. The one appeared as soone as the other, for so the word clearly carries it, that the seed of both having been sowne, when the wheat appeared and put forth its blade and fruit, the tares also were as early, and put forth themselves as appeared also.
Secondly, there is such a dissimilitude or unlikenesse, I say such a dissimilitude, that as soone as tares and wheat are sprung up to blade and fruit, every husbandman can tell which is wheat, and which are tares and cockle, &c.
Peace.
It may be said true: So when the hypocrite is manifested, then all may know him, &c. but before hypocrites be manifested by fruits they are unknowne.
I answer, search into the Parable, and aske when was it that the servants first complained of the tares to the housholder, but when they appeared or came in sight, there being no interim, wherein the servants could not tell what to make of them, but doubted whether they were wheat or tares, as the Answerer implies.
Secondly, when was it that the housholder gave charge to let them alone, but after that they appeared, and were known to be tares, which should imply by this interpretation of the Answerer, that when men are discovered and knowne to be Hypocrites, Hypocriticall Christians.yet stil… …uch a generation of Hypocrites in the Church must be let alone and tolerated untill the harvest or end of the world, which is contrary to all order, piety and safety in the Church of the Lord Iesus, as doubtlesse the Answerers will grant; so that those Tares being notoriously knowne to be different from the Corne,The Tares cannot signifie Hypocrites. I conclude that they cannot here be intended by the Lord Iesus to signifie secret Hypocrites, but more open and apparent Sinners.
CHAP. XXI.
THe second reason why these tares cannot signifie hypocrites in the Church, Two sorts of Hypoc…ites: 1. In the Church as Iudas, St. …o… M…g…, and these must be to le…ated untill discovered, and no longer. 2. Hypocrites in the world which a…e false Christians, …a…e Churches, & these the Lord Iesus wi… have let alone unto Harvest.I take from the Lord Iesus His own Interpretation of the field (in which both wheat and tares are sowne, which saith he is the World, out of which God chooseth and calleth His Church.
The World lyes in wickednesse, is like a Wildernesse or a Sea of wilde Beasts innumerable, fornicators, covetous, Idolaters, &c. with whom Gods people may lawfully converse and cohabit in Cities, Townes, &c. else must they not live in the World, but goe out of it, In which world as soone as ever the Lord Iesus had sowne the good seed, the children of the Kingdome, true Christianity, or the true Church; the Enemy Sathan presently in the night of security, Ignorance and Errour (whilest men slept) sowed also these tares which are Antichristians or false Christians. These strange Professours of the Name of Iesus, the Ministers and Prophets of God, beholding they are ready to runne to Heaven to fetch fiery judgements from thence to consume these strange Christians, and to pluck them by the roots out of the world: But the Son of Man, the meek Lamb of God (for the Elect sake which must be gathered out of Iew and Gentile, Pagan, Antichristian, commands a permission of them in the World, The Field by most, generally, but falsely interpreted the Church.untill the time of the end of the World, when the Goats and Sheep, the Tares and Wheat shall be eternally separated each from other.
Peace.
You know some excellent Worthies (dead and living) have laboured to turne this Field of the World into the Garden of the Church.
Truth.
But who can imagine that the Wisdome of the Father, the Lord Iesus Christ, The Lord Iesus the great teacher by Parables, and the only expounder of them.would so open this Parable (as He professedly doth) as that it should be close shut up, and that one difficulty or locke should be opened by a greater and harder, in calling the World the Church? contrary also to the way of the Light and Love that is in Jesus, when he would purposely teach and instruct His scholars contrary to the nature of Parables and similitudes.
And lastly, to the nature of the Church or Garden of Christ.
CHAP. XXII.
IN the former Parable the Lord Iesus compared the Kingdome of Heaven to the sowing of Seed. The scope of the Parable.The true Messengers of Christ are the Sowers, who cast the Seed of the Word of the Kingdome upon foure sorts of ground,Fou…e sorts of ground or hearers of the word in the world and but one properly in the Church, the rest seldome come or acciden…ally to hear the word in the Church, which word ought to be …itted for the feed…ng of the Church or flocke: preaching for conversion is properly out of the Church. which foure sorts of ground or hearts of men, cannot be supposed to be of the Church, nor will it ever be proved that the Church consisteth of any more sorts or natures of ground properly, but one, to wit, the honest and good ground, and the proper worke of the Church concernes the flourishing and prosperity of this sort of ground, and not the other unconverted …ree sorts, who it may be seldome or never come … the Church unlesse they be forced by the Civill sword, which the patern… or first sowers never used, and being forced they are put into a way of Religion by such a course, if not so, they are forced to live without… Religion, for one of the two must necessarily follow, as I shall prove afterward.
In the field of the World then are all those sorts of ground, high way hearers, stony and thorny ground hearers, as well as the honest and good ground, and I suppose it will not now be said by the Answerer, that those three sorts of bad grounds were hypocrites or tares in the Church.
Now after the Lord Iesus had propounded that great leading Parable of the Sower and the Seed, He is pleased to propound this Parable of the Tares, The scope of the Parable of the Tares.with admirable coherence and sweet consolation to the honest and good ground, who with glad and honest hearts having received the word of the Kingdome, may yet seem to be discouraged and troubled with so many Antichristians and false Professours of the Name of Christ. The Lord Iesus therefore gives direction concerning these tares, that unto the end of the World successively in all the sorts and generations of them they must be (not approved or countenanced, but) let alone or permitted in the World.
Secondly, he gives to His owne good seed this consolation, The Lord Iesus in this …arable of the Ta…es gives direction and consolation to His servants.that those heavenly Reapers the Angells in the harvest or end of the World, will take an order and course with them, to wit, they shall binde them into bundles, and cast them into the everlasting burnings, and to make the cup of their consolation run over: He addes vers. 4. Then, then at that time shall the Righteous shine as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father.
These tares then neither being erronious doctrines, The Tares proved properly to signifie Antichristians.nor corrupt practises, nor hypocrites in the true Church intended by the Lord Jesus in this Parable; I shall in the third place by the helpe of the same Lord Jesus) evidently prove that these tares can be no other sort of sinners, but false worshippers, Idolaters, and in particular properly, Antichristians.
CHAP. XXIII.
FIrst then, these Tares are such sinners as are opposite and contrary to the children of the Kingdome visibly so declared and manifest, ver. 38.Math. 8. 12 Mat. 21. 43 Gods kingdome on Earth the visible Church. Now the Kingdome of God below, is the visible Church of Christ Jesus, according to Matth. 8. 12. The children of the Kingdome which are threatned to be cast out, seeme to be the Iewes, which were then the onelyonly visible Church in Covenant with the Lord, when all other Nations followed other gods and worships. And more plaine is that fearefull threatning, Matth. 21. 43. The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you, and given to a Nation that will bring forth the fruits thereof.
Such then are the good seed, good wheat, children of the Kingdome, as are the disciples, members and subjects of the Lord Iesus Christ his Church & Kingdom: and therefore consequently such are the tares, as are opposite to these, Idolaters, Will-worshippers, not truly but falsly submitting to Iesus: and in especiall, the children of the wicked one, visibly so appearing. Which wicked one I take not to be the Devill; for the Lord Iesus seemes to make them distinct:The difference between the Wheat & the Tares, as also between these Tares and all other. He that sowes the good seed (saith he) is the Son of man, the field is the World, the good seed are the Children of the Kingdome, but the Tares are the children of the wicked, or wickednesse, the enemy that sowed them, is the Devill.
The Originall here, foreign, agrees with that, Luk. 11. 4. Deliver us foreign, from evill or wickednesse; opposite to the children of the Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof.
CHAP. XXIV.
Peace.
IT is true, that all drunkards, thieves, uncleane persons, &c. are opposite to Gods children.
Truth.
Answ. Their opposition here against the children of the Kingdome, is such an opposition as properly sights against the Religious state or Worship of the Lord Iesus Christ.
Secondly, it is manifest, that the Lord Jesus in this parable intends no other sort of sinners, unto whom he saith, Let them alone, in Church or State; for then he should contradict other holy and blessed ordinances for the punishment of offenders both in Christian and Civill State.
First, in Civill state, from the beginning of the World, God hath armed Fathers, Masters, Magistrates, to punish evill doers,Civill Magistracie from the beginning of the World. that is, such of whose actions Fathers, Masters, Magistrates are to judge, and accordingly to punish such sinners as transgresse against the good and peace of their Civill state, Families, Townes, Cities, Kingdomes: their States, Governments, Governours, Lawes, Punishments and Weapons being all of a Civill nature: Offenders against the Civill lawes not to be perpetually tolerated. Nor offenders in the Church of Christ Jesus to be su…red.and therefore neither disobedience to parents or magistrates, nor murther nor quarrelling, uncleannesse nor lasciviousnesse, stealing nor extortion, neither ought of that kinde ought to be let alone, either in lesser or greater families, townes, cities, kingdomes, Rom. 13. but seasonably to be supprest, as may best conduce to the publike safetie.
Againe secondly, in the Kingdome of Christ Iesus, whose kingdoms, officers, lawes, punishments, weapons, are spirituall and of a Soule-nature, he will not have Antichristian idolaters, extortioners, covetous, &c. to be let alone, but the uncleane and lepers to be thrust forth, the old leaven purged out, the obstinate in sinne spiritually stoned to death, and put away from Israel; and this by many degrees of gentle admonition in private and publique, as the case requires.
Therefore if neither offenders against the civill Lawes, State and peace ought to be let alone; nor the Spirituall estate, the Church of Iesus Christ ought to beare with them that are evill, Revel. 2. I conclude, that these are sinners of another nature, Idolaters, False-worshippers, Antichristians, who without discouragement to true Christians must be let alone and permitted in the world to grow and fill up the measure of their sinnes, after the image of him that hath sowen them, untill the great Harvest shall make the difference.