The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 3 · Chapter 47 – Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVII.
Peace.
ALthough the Scripture is sufficient to make the man of God perfect, Rom. 13 so interpreted even by them that held persecution for conscience.and the foole Wise to salvation, and our faith in God must be only founded upon the Rocke Christ, and not upon the sand of mens judgements and opinions: Yet as Paul alledgeth the judgement and sayings of unbeleevers for their conviction out of their owne tenets and grants: So I pray you to set downe the words of one or two (not unbeleevers in their persons, but excellent and prestious servants and witnesses of God in their times, whose names are sweet and pretious to all that feare God) who although their judgement ran in the common streame, viz. That Magistrates were keepers of the 2 Tables, defendors of the Faith against Hereticks, and notwithstanding what ever they have written for defence of their judgements, yet the light of truth so evidently shined upon their soules in this Scripture, that they absolutely denied the 13 of the Romanes to concerne any matter of the first Table.
Truth.
First, I shall produce that excellent servant of God, Calvins judgement of Rom. 13.Calvin, who upon this 13 to the Romanes writes; Tot a autem haec disputatio est de civilibus praefecturis: It a que , frustr á inde sacrilegam suam tyrannidem stabilire mosiuntur qui Dominatum in conscientias exerceant. But (saith he) this whole discourse concerneth civill Magistrates, and therefore in vaine doe they who exercise power over consciences, goe about from this place to establish their sacrilegious tyranny.
Peace.
I know how far most men (and especially the sheep of Iesus will …lie from the thought of exercising tyranny over conscience) that happily they will disclaime the dealing of all with mens consciences: Yet if the Acts and Statutes which are made by them concerning the worship of God be attended to; their profession (and that out of zeale according to the patterne of that ceremoniall and figurative state of Israel) to suffer no other Religion nor worship in their Territories,Gods people loath to be found, yet proved persecutors. but one; their profession and practice to defend their Faith from reproach and blasphemy of Hereticks by Civill weapons, and all that from this very 13 of the Romanes; I say if these particulars and others be with feare and trembling in the presence of the most High examined; the wonderfull deceit of their owne hearts shall appeare unto them, and how guilty they …ill appeare to be of wrestling this Scripture before the Tribunall of the most High.
Truth.
Again Calvin speaking concerning fulfilling of the Law by love, writes thus on the same place: Sed Pauls… in totam … respic… tantum de officiis lequitur, quae nobis erg… … demand…n…ur à lig…: That is, Paul hath not respect unto the whole Law, he speaks only of those duties which the Law commands towards our neighbours, and it is manifest, that in this place by our neighbours hee meanes high and low, Magistrates and subjects, unto whom we ought to walke by the rule of love, paying unto every one their due.
Againe, Caeterùm Paulus hic tantùm memînit secundae Tabulae quia de ea tantum erat quaestio. But Paul here only mentioneth the second Table, because the question was only concerning that.
And againe,Caelvin confesseth that the first Table concerning Gods worship, is not here in Rom. 13. touched. Quod autem repetit complementum legis esse dilectionem, intellige (ut prius) de ea legis parte quod hominum societatem spectat: Prior enim legis tabula quae est de cultu Dei minimé hic attingitur: But in that he repeateth that love is the fulfilling of the Law, understand as before, that he speakes of that part of the Law which respects humane society; for the first Table of the Law which concerneth the Worship of God is not in the least manner here touched.
After Calvin, his successour in Geneva that holy and learned Beza Beza upon Rom. 13.upon the word foreign, if there be any other Commandement it is summed up in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe, writes thus: Tota lex nihil aliud quám amorem Dei & proximi praecipit, sed tamen cum Apostolus hoc Ioco de mutuis hominum officiis disserat, legis vocabulum ad secundam Tabulam restringendam puto.
The whole Law (saith he) commands nothing else but the love of God, and yet neverthelesse since the Apostle in this place discourseth of the duties of men one toward another, I thinke this terme law ought to be restrained to the second Table.
CHAP. XLVIII.
Peace.
I Pray now proceed to the second Argument from this Scripture against the use of civil weapons in matters of Religion and spirituall worship.
Truth.
The Spirit of God here commands subjection and obedience to higher Powers, even to the Romane Emperours and all subordinate Magistrates; and yet the Emperours and Governours under them were strangers from the life of God in Christ, yea most averse and opposite, yea cruell and bloody Persecutors of the name and Followers of Iesus: and yet unto these is this subjection and obedience commanded. Now true it is, that as the civill Magistrate is apt not to content himselfe with the majesty of an earthly Throne, Crowne, Sword, Scepter, but to seat himselfe in the Throne of David in the Church: So Gods people (and it may be in Pauls time) considering their high and glorious preferment and priviledges by Iesus Christ, were apt to be much tempted to despise Civill Governours, especially such as were ignorant of the Son of God, and persecuted him in his servants.
Now then I argue,Paul writes not to the Romane Governors to defend the truth, and to punish hereticks. if the Apostle should have commanded this subjection unto the Romane Emperours and Romane Magistrates in spirituall causes, as to defend the truth which they were no way able to discerne, but persecuted, (and upon trust from others no Magistrate (not perswaded in his owne conscience) is to take it.)
Or else to punish Hereticks, whom then also they must discerne and judge, or else condemne them as the Iewes would have Pilate condemne the Lord Iesus upon the sentence of others, I say if Paul should have (in this Scripture) put this worke upon these Romane Governours, and commanded the Churches of Christ to have yeelded subjection in any such matters, he must (in the judgement of all men) have put out the eye of Faith and Reason and Sense at once.