The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 95
CHAP. XCV.
Peace.
IN that fifth head they further say thus:
Thirdly, in matters Ecclesiasticall we beleeve, first, That Civill Magistrates have no power to make or constitute Lawes about Church affaires which the Lord Jesus hath not ordained duplicate page duplicate page in his Word for the well ordering of the Church; for the Apostle solemnely chargeth Timothy, and in him all Goverours of the Church, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ (who is the only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords) that the Commandement given by him for the ordering of the Church be kept without spot unrebukeable to the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Tim. 6. 14. 15. And this Commandement given in the Word, the Apostle faith is able to make the man of God perfect in all Righteousnesse, 2 Tim. 3. 17. And indeed the adminstration of all Christs affaires doth immediately aime at spirituall and divine ends (as the worship of God and the salvation of mens soules:) and therefore no Law nor meanes can be devised by the wisdome or wit of man that can be fit or able to reach such ends, but use must be made of such onelyonly as the divine Wisdome and holy Will of God hath ordained.
Secondly, We beleeve the Magistrates power in making Lawes about Church affaires, is not only thus limited and restrained by Christ to matters which concerne the substance of Gods worship and of Church government, but also such as concerne outward order, as in Rites and Ceremonies for uniformities sake: For we finde not in the Gospell that Christ hath any where provided for the uniformity of Churches, but onelyonly for their unity.
Paul in matters of Christian libertie commendeth the unity of their Faith in the holy Spirit, giving order that wee should not judge nor condemne one another in difference of judgement and practice of such things where men live to God on both sides, even though there were some errour on one side, Rom. 14. to the 6. How much lesse in things indifferent, where there may be no etrour on either side.
When the Apostle directeth the Church of Corinth that all things be done decently and in order, he meant not to give power to Church Officers, or to Civill Magistrates to order what ever they should thinke meet for decencie and order; but only to provide that all the Ordinances of God be administred in the Church decently without unnaturall or uncivill uncomelinesse (as that of long haire, or womens prophe…ying, of the like) and orderly without confusion or disturbance of edification, as the speaking of many at once in the Church.
Thirdly, we doe neverthelesse willingly grant that Magistrates upon due and diligent search what is the counsell and will of God in his Word concerning the right ordering of the Church, may and ought to publish and declare, establish and ratifie such Lawes and Ordinances as Christ hath appointed in his Word for the well ordering of Church affaires, both for the gathering of the Church, and the right administration of all the Ordinances of God amongst them in such a manner as the Lord hath appointed to edification. The Law of Artaxerxes, Ezra 7. 23. was not usurpation over the Churches liberty, but a Royall and just confirmation of them: Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven: For why should there be wrath against the King and his Sonnes?
Truth.
Deare Peace. me thinkes I see before mine eyes a wall daubed up (of which Ezekiel speakes) with untempered morter: Here they restraine the Magistrate from making Lawes either concerning the substance or ceremony of Religion, but such only as Christ hath commanded, and those, say they, must publish and declare after the example of Artaxerxes.
I shall herein performe two things: First, examine this Magistrates duty to publish, declare, &c. such Laws and Ordinances as Christ hath appointed.
Secondly, I shall examine that proofe from Artaxerxes, Ezra 7. 23.
In the first,Gods Israel des…o…s of Saul…arme of flesh. me thinks I heare the voice of the people of Israel, 1 Sam. 8. 5. Make us a King that may rule over us after the manner of the Nations, rejecting the Lord ruling over them by his holy Word in the mouth of his Prophets, and sheltring themselves under an Arme of Flesh; which Arme of Flesh God gave them in His Anger, and cut off againe in His Wrath, after he had persecuted David the figure of Christ Iesus who hath given his people the Scepter and Sword of his Word and Spirit, and refused a temporall Crowne or Weapons in the dispensation of his Kingdome.
Where did the Lord Jesus or his Messengers charge the Civill Magistrate, or direct Christians to petition him, to publish, declare or establish by his Arme of Flesh and Earthly weapons the Religion and worship of Christ Jesus?
I finde the Beast and false Prophet (whose rise and doctrine is not from Heaven, but from the Sea and Earth) dreadfull and terrible by a Civill Sword and dignitie, Rev, 13. 2.
I find the Beast hath gotten the power and might of the Kings of the Earth,The 7 headed Beast, and the Lambe differ in their weapons. Revel. 17. 13.
But the Lambes weapons are Spiritually mighty, 2 Cor. 10. &c. his Sword is two-edged comming out of his mouth, Revel. 1. His preparations for War are white Horses and white Harnesse, which are contest by all to be of a spirituall nature, Revel. 19.
When that whore Iesabel stabbed Naboth with her Pen,Naboths case typicall. in stirring up the people to stone him as a Blasphemer of God and the King, what a glorious maske or vaile of Holines put she on? Proclaime a Fast, set a day apart for humiliation; and for confirmation, let all be ratified with the Kings Authoritie, Name, and Seale, 1 1 Kings, 21. 8.
Was not this recorded for all Gods Naboths, standing for their Spirituall interests in heavenly things (typed out by the typicall earth and ground of Canaans land) that they through patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, Rom. 15… 4.?
Againe, I demand who shall here sit Judge, whether the Magistrate command any other Substance or Ceremonie but what is Christs?
By their former Conclusions, every Soule must judge what the Magistrate commandeth, and is not bound, even in indifferent things, to the Magistrates Law, further then his own Soule, Conscience and judgement ascends to the Reason of it: Here the Magistrate must make Lawes for that Substance and Ceremony which Christ appointed: But yet he must not doe this with his eyes open, but blindfold and hoodwinkt; for if he judge that to be the Religion of Christ, and such to be the order there in which their Consciences judge otherwise, and assent not to, they professe they must submit only to Christs lawes, and therefore they are not bound to obey him.
O… what is this but to make use of the Civill Powers and Governours of the World, Civill Powers abused as a Guard about the Bed of Spirituall whoredomes.as a Guard about the Spirituall Bed of Soulewhoredomes, in which the Kings of the Earth commit Spirituall fornication with the great Whore, Rev. 17. 2? as a Guard while the Inhabitants of the Earth are drinking themselves drunke with the wine of her fornication.
But oh what terrifying, what allurings are in Iereinies Curse and Blessing 1 Ier. 17. Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, that maketh Flesh his Arme (too too common in spirituall matters) and whose heart departeth from Jehovah: He shall be as an Heath in the Wildernes (even in the spirituall and mysticall wildernes) and shall not see when comfort comes, but shall abide in drouth in the wildernesse in a barrenland, &c.