The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 82 – Chapter 83
CHAP. LXXXII.
Truth.
VVHat hast thou there?
Peace.
Here is a combination of thine owne Children against thy very life and mine:A strange Modell of a Church and Commonweale, after the M…s…call and Jewish pattern H…re is a Modell (framed by many able learned and godly hands) of such a Church and Common-weale as wakens Moses from his unknown Grave, and denies Iesus yet to have seene the Earth.
Truth.
Begin (sweet Peace) read and propound. My hand shall not be tyred with holding the ballances of the Sanctuarie: doe thou put in, and I shall weigh as in the presence of Him whose pure eyes cannot behold iniquitie.
Peace.
Thus then speakes the Preface or Entrance.Mat. 16. 19. with …oh: 20. 23. Rom. 13. 1. Mat. 10. 18. Tit 3. 1. Acts 15. 20. Seeing God hath given a distinct power to Church and Common-weale, the one Spirituall (called the Power of the Keyes) the other Civill called the Power of the Sword) and hath made the members of both Societies subject to both Authorities, so that every soule in the Church is subject to the higher powers in the Commonweale, Isa. 49. 2…. Gal. 3. …8.and every member of the Commonweale (being a member of the Church) is subject to the Lawes of Christs Kingdome, and in him to the censures of the Church; the Question is, how the Civill State and the Church may dispence their severall Governments without infringement and impeachment of the power and honour of the One or of the Other, and what bounds and limits the Lord hath set betweene both the Administrations.
Truth.
From that conclusion (deare Peace) that every mem… of the Commonweale,Christs power in his Church confest to be above all Magistrates in … all things. being a member of the Church, is subject to the Lawes of Christs Kingdome, and in Him to the censure of the Church; I observe that they grant the Church of Christ in Spirituall causes to be superiour and over the highest Magistrates in the World, if members of the Church.
Hence therefore I infer, may she refuse to receive, and may also cast forth any, yea even the highest (if obstinate in Sin) cut of her Spirituall society.
Hence in this Spirituall society, that soule who hath most of Christ, most of His Spirit, is most (spiritually) honourable, according to the Scriptures, quoted Acts 15. 20. Isa. 49. 23. Gal. 3. 28.
And if so, how can this stand with their common tenent, that the Civill Magistrate must keep the first Table set up, reforme the Church, and be Iudge and Governour in all Ecclesiasticall as well as Civill causes?
Secondly, I observe the lamentable wresting of this one Scripture, Isa. 49. 23. lamentably wrested.Sometimes this Scripture must prove the Power of the Civill Magistrates, Kings and Governours, over the Church in Spirituall causes &c. Yet here this Scripture is produced to prove Kings and Magistrates (in Spirituall causes) to be censured and corrected by the same Church. …Tis true in severall respects, he that is a Governour may be a subject but in one and the same spirituall respect to judge and to be judged: to sit on the Bench, and stand at the Bar of Christ Iesus, is as impossible as to reconcile the East and West together.
CHAP. LXXXII.
The first head, That both Iurisdictions may stand together.
Peace.
VVHereas divers affecting transcending power to themselves over the Church have perswaded the Princes of the World,The first head examined. that the Kingdome of Christ in His Church cannot rise or stand, without the falls of those Commonweales wherein it is set up,John 18. 36. we do beleeve and professe the contrary to this suggestion; the government of the one being of this World,J…r. 29. 7. the other not; the Church helping forward the prosperity of the Commonweale by meanes only Ecclesiasticall and Spirituall; the Commonweale helping forward her owne and the Churches felicity by meanes politicall or temporall;Ezta 7. 23. Rom. 1. 2. 3. & Tim. 2. 2. the falls of Commonweales being knowne to arise from their scattering and diminishing the power of the Church, and the flourishing of Commonweales with the well ordering of the people (even in morall and civill virtues) being observed to arise from the vigilant administration of the holy Discipline of the Church, as Bodin, (a man not partiall to Church Discipline) plainely testifieth. The vices in the free estate of Geneva, quae legibus nusquam vindicantur, by meanes of Church Discipline, sine vi & tumultu coercentur; the Christian liberty not freeing us from subjection to Authority, but from inthrallment and bondage unto sinne.
Truth.
Ans. From this confession, The Civill Commonweal and the Spirituall Commonweale the Church, not inconsistent, though independent the one on the other.that the Church or Kingdome of Christ may be set up without prejudice of the Commonweale, according to Iohn 18. 36. My Kingdome is not of this World, &c. I observe that although the Kingdome of Christ, the Church and the Civill Kingdome or Government be not inconsistent, but that both may stand together; yet that they are independent according to that Scripture, and that therefore there may be (as formerly I have proved) flourishing Commonweales and Societies of men… where no Church of Christ abideth; and secondly, the Commonweale may be in perfect peace and quiet, notwithstanding the Church, the Commonweale of Christ be in distractions… and spirituall oppositions both against their Religions, and sometimes amongst themselves, as the Church of Christ in Corinth troubled with divisions, contentions, &c.
Secondly, I observe it is true the Church helpeth forward the prosperity of the Commonweale by spirituall meanes Ier. 29. 7. The prayers of Gods people procure the peace of the City, where they abide, yet that Christs Ordinances and administrations of Worship are appointed and given by Christ to any Civill State, Towne or City as is implied by the instance of Geneva, that I confidently deny.
The Ordinances and Discipline of Christ Iesus, Christs Ordinances put upon a whole City or Nation, may more civilize and moralize, but …ever Christianize them.though wrongfully and prophanely applied to naturall and unregenerate men may cast a blush of civillity and morality upon them as in Geneva and other places (for the shining brightnesse of the very shadow of Christs Ordinances casts a shame upon barbarisme and incivillity yet withall I affirme that the misapplication of Ordinances to unregenerate and unrepentant persons hardens up their soules in a dreadfull sleep and dreame of their owne blessed estate, and sends millions of soules to hell in a secure expectation of a false salvation.