The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 3 · Chapter 49 – Chapter 52
CHAP. XLIX.
Peace.
IT is said by some, Why then did Paul himselfe, Act. 25. appeale to Caesar, unlesse that Caesar (though he was not, yet) he ought to have beene a fit Iudge in such matters?
Truth.
I answer, if Paul in this Appeale to Caesar, Pauls appeale to Caesar discussed.had referred and submitted simply and properly the cause of Christ, his Ministry and Ministration to the Romane Emperours Tribunall, knowing him to be an Idolatrous stranger from … true God, If Paul had appealed to Caesar in spirituall things, he had committed 5. evils.and a Lion-like bloody persecutor of the Lord Iesus, the Lambe of God, I say let it be considered whether or no he had committed these 5. Evils.
The first against the dimmest light of Reason in appealing to darknesse to judge light, to unrighteousnesse to judge righteousnesse, the spiritually blinde, to judge and end the controversie concerning heavenly colours.
Secondly, against the cause of Religion, which if condemned by every inferiour Idolater, must needs bee condemned by the Caesars themselves, who (Nabuchadnezzar-like) set up their State-images or Religions, commanding the Worlds uniformity of worship to them.
Thirdly, against the holy State and Calling of the Christians themselves, who (by virtue of their subjection to Christ) even the least of them are in spirituall things above the highest Potentates or Emperours in the world, who continue in enmity against, or in an ignorant naturall state without Christ Iesus. This honour or high exaltation above all his Holy ones, to binde (not literally but spiritually) their Kings in Chaines, and their Nobles in Linkes of Iron, Psal. 49.
Fourthly, against his owne Calling, Apostleship, or office of Ministery, unto which Caesar himselfe and all Potentates (in spirituall and soule matters) ought to have submitted: and unto which in controversies of Christs Church and Kingdome, Caesar himself ought to have appealed, the Church of God being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Ephes. 2. 20.
And therefore in case that any of the Romane Governours, Imperours than them selves if, Christians, subject to the Apostles and Churches in spirituall things.or the Emperour himselfe had beene humbled and converted to Christianity, by the preaching of Christ, were not they themselves bound to subject themselves unto the power of the Lord Iesus in the hands of the Apostles and Churches, and might not the Apostles and Churches have refused to have baptized or washed them into the profession of Christ Iesus, upon the apprehension of their unworthinesse?
Or if received into Christian Fellowship, were they not to stand at the Bar of the Lord Iesus in the Church, concerning either their opinions or practices, were they not to be cast out and delivered unto Sathan by the power of the Lord Iesus, if after once and twice admonition they persist obstinate, as faithfully and impartially, as if they were the meanest in the Empire: Yea, although the Apostles, the Churches, the Elders or Governours thereof were poore and meane despised persons in civill respects, and were themselves bound to yeeld all faithfull and loyall obedience to such Emperours and Governours in Civill things.
Were they not (if Christians) bound themselves to have submitted to these spirituall decrees of the Apostles and Elders, as well as the lowest and meanest members of Christ, Act. 16? And if so, how should Paul appeale in spirituall things to Caesar, or write to the Churches of Iesus to submite in Christian or Spirituall matters?
Fifthly, if Paul had appealed to Caesar in spirituall respects, hee had greatly prophaned the holy name of God in holy things, in so improper and vaine a prostitution of spirituall things to carnall and naturall judgements, which are not able to comprehend spirituall matters, which are alone spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2.
And yet Caesar (as a civill supreme Magistrate) ought to defend Paul from Civill violence, Lawfull appeales in civill things to Civill Magistrates.and sta…derous accusations about sedition, mutiny, civill disobedience, &c. And in that sense who doubts but God's people may appeale to the Romane Caesar, an Egyptian Pharach, a Philistian Abimelecke, an Assyrian Nabuchadnezzar, the great M…gol, Prester Iohn, the great Turke, or an Indian Sachim?
CHAP. L.
Peace.
WHich is the third Argument against the civill Magistrates power in spirituall and soule matters out of this Scripture, Rom. 13?
Truth.
I dispute from the nature of the Magistrates weapons, vers. 4. He hath a sword (which hee beares not in vaine) delivered to him, as I acknowledge from Gods appointment in the free consent and choice of the subjects for common good.
We must distinguish of swords.
We finde foure sorts of swords mentioned in the New Testament.Foure sorts of swords mentioned in the New Testament.
First, the sword of persecution, which Herod stretched forth against Iames, Act. 12.
Secondly, the sword of Gods Spirit, expresly said to be the Word of God, Ephes. 6. A sword of two edges caried in the mouth of Christ, Rev. 1. which is of strong and mighty operation, piercing betweene the bones and the marrow, betweene the soule and the spirit, Heb. 4.
Thirdly, the great sword of War and Destruction, given to him that rides that terrible Red Horse of War, so that he takes Peace from the Earth, and men kill one another, as is most lamentably true in the slaughter of so many hundred thousand soules within these few yeares in severall parts of Europe, our owne and others.
None of these 3 swords are intended in this Scripture:
Therefore, fourthly, there is a Civill sword, The Civill Sword.called the Sword of Civill justice; which being of a materiall civill nature, for the defence of Persons, Estates, Families, Liberties of a City or Civill State, and the suppressing of uncivill or injurious persons or actions by such civill punishment, It cannot according to its utmost reach and capacitie (now under Christ, when all Nations are meerly civill, without any such typicall holy respect upon them, as was upon Israel a Nationall Church) I say, cannot extend to spirituall and Soul-causes, Spirituall and Soule punishment, which belongs to that spirituall sword with two edges, the soule-piercing (in soule-saving or soule-killing) the Word of God.
CHAP. LII.
Truth.
A Fourth Argument from this Scripture I take in the 6. verse,Tribute, Custome, &c. meerly civill recompences for civil work. from Tribute, custome, &c. which is a meerly civill Reward or Recompence for the Magistrates worke. Now as the wages are, such is the worke: But the wages are meerely civill, Custome, Tribute, &c. not the contributions of the Saints or churches of Christ (proper to the Spirituall and Christian state) and such work only must the Magistrate attend upon, as may properly deserve such civill wages, reward or recompence.
Lastly,Magistrates called by God Gods Ministers. that the Spirit of God never intended to direct or warrant the Magistrate to use his Power in spirituall affaires and Religious worship: I argue, from the terme or title it pleaseth the wisedome of God to give such Civill officers, to wit, (vers. 6.) Gods Ministers.
Now at the very first blush, no man denies a double Ministerie.
The one appointed by Christ Iesus in his Church, to gather, to governe, receive in, cast out, The spirituall Ministery.and order all the affaires of the Church, the House, Citie or Kingdome of God, Ephes. 4. 1 Cor. 12.
Secondly, a Civill Ministery or office, The civill Ministery or service.meerely humane and civill, which Men agree to constitute (called therefore an humane creation, (1 Pet. 2.) and is as true and lawfull in those Nations, Cities, Kingdomes, &c. which never heard of the true God, nor his holy Sonne Iesus, as in any part of the World beside, where the Name of Iesus is most taken up.
From all which premises, viz. that the scope of the Spirit of God in this Chapter is to handle the matters of the second Table (having handled the matters of the first in the 12.) since the Magistrates of whom Paul wrote, were naturall, ungodly, persecuting, and yet lawfull Magistrates, and to be obeyed in all lawfull Civill things.
Since all Magistrates are Gods Ministers, essentially civill, bounded to a civill work, with civill weapons or instruments, and paid or rewarded with civill rewards. From all which, I say, I undeniably collect, that this Scripture is generally mistaken, and wrested from the scope of Gods Spirit, and the nature of the place, and cannot truly be alleadged by any for the Power of the Civill Magistrate to be exercised in spirituall and Soule-matters.
CHAP. LII.
Peace.
AGainst this I know many object out of the 4. verse of this Chapter,What is to b… understood b… Evill, Rom. 13 4. that the Magistrate is to avenge or punish Evill: from whence is gathered, that Heresie, false Christs, false Churches, false Ministeries, false Seales, being evill, ought to be punished Civilly, &c.
Truth.
I answer, that the word foreign is generally opposed to Civill Goodnesse or Virtue in a Common-wealth, and not to Spirituall Good or Religion in the Church.
Secondly, I have proved from the scope of the place, that here is not intended Evill against the Spirituall or Christian Estate, handled in the 12 Chap. but Evill against the Civill State, in this 13. properly falling under the cognizance of the Civill Minister of God, the Magistrate, and punishable by that civill sword of his, as an incivilitie, disorder, or breach of that civill order, peace and civility, unto which all the Inhabitants of a City, Town, or Kingdome oblige themselves.
Peace.
I have heard that the Elders of the New-English Churches, (who yet out of this 13 Rom. maintaine Persecution) grant that the Magistrate is to preserve the peace and welfare of the State, and therefore that he ought not to punish such sinnes as hurt not his peace. In particular, they say, the Magistra…e may not punish secret sinnes in the Soule: Nor such sinnes as are yet handling in the Church in a private way: Nor such sinnes which are private in Families; and therefore they say, the Magistrate transgresteth to prosecute complaints of children against their parents, servants agai…st masters, wives against husbands, (and yet this proper to the Civill State) Nor such sinnes as are between the Members and Churches themselves.
And they confesse, that if the Magistrate punish, and the Church punish, there will be a greater Rent in their Peace.
Truth.
From thence (sweet Peace) may we well observe,Some give to the Magistrate what is not his, and take from him that which is proper to him.
First, the Magistrate is not to punish all Evill, according to this their confession.
The distinction of private and publike Evill will not here availe, because such as urge that terme Evill, viz, that the Magistrate is to punish Evill, urge it strictly, eo nomine, because Heresie, Blasphemie, false Church, false Ministerie is evill, as well as Disorder in a Civill State.
Secondly, I observe, how they take away from the Magistrate that which is proper to his cognisance, as the complaints of servants, children, wives, against their parents, masters, husbands, &c. (Families as families, being as stones which make up the common building, and are properly the object of the Magistrates care, in respect of Civill Government, Civill order and obedience.)