The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 109 – Chapter 110
CHAP. CIX.
Peace.
DEare Truth, What darke and dismall bloudy paths doe we walke in? How is thy name and mine in all ages cried up, yet as an English Flag in a Spanish bottome, not in truth but dangerous treachery and abuse both of Truth and Peace?
We are now come to the 11 Head11 Head. which concernes the Magistrates power in worship.
First, they have power (say they) to reforme things in the worship of God in a Church corrupted, and to establish the pure worship of God, defending the same by the power of the sword against all those who shall attempt to corrupt it.
For first, the reigning of Idolatry and corruption in Religion is imputed to the want of a King, Iudges 17. 5, 6.
Secondly, Remissenes in Reforming Religion, is a fault imputed to them who suffered the High Places in Israel and in Gallio, who cared not for such things, Acts 18.
Thirdly, Forwardnesse this way is a duty not only for Kings in the Old Testament, but for Princes under the New, 1 Tim 2. 2. Rom. 13. 4. Esay 49. 23. Neither did the Kings of Israel reforme things amisse as types of Christ, but as Civill Magistrates, and so exemplary to all Christians. And here Reformation in Religion is commendable in a Persian King, Ezra 7. 23. And it is well knowne that remissenes in Princes of Christendome in matters of Religion and Worship (divolving the care thereof only to the Clergy, and so setting the Hornes thereof upon the Churches head) hath been the cause of Antichristian inventions, usurpations and corruptions in the Worship and Temple of God.
Secondly, they have not power to presse upon the Churches, stinted Prayers, o… set Liturgies, whether New or Old, Popish, or others under colour of uniformity of Worship, or morall goodnesse of them both for matter and forme, conceiving our arguments sent to our Brethren in England concerning this Question to evince this Truth.
Thirdly, they have no power to presse upon the Churches, neither by Law (as hath been said before) nor by Proclamation and command, any sacred significant ceremonies, whether more or lesse, Popish or Jewish rite, or any other device of man, be it never so little in the worship of God, under what colour soever of indifferencie, civility, using them without opinion of s…nctity, publicke peace or obedience to righteous Authority, as Surplice, Crosse, kneeling at Sacrament; Salt and Spitle in Baptisme, Holy dayes: They having beene so accursed of God, so abused by man, the imposing of some ever making way for the urging of more, the receiving of some making the conscience bow to the burthen of all.
Fourthly, they have not power to governe and rule the acts of worship in the Church of God.
It is with a Magistrate in a State, in respect of the acts of those who worship in a Church, as it is with a Prince in a Ship, wherein, though he be governour of their persons (else he should not be their Prince) yet is not governour of the actions of the Ma…iners (then he should be Pilot:) Indeed if the Pilot shall manifestly erre in his action, he may reprove him, and so any other passenger may: Or if he offend against the life and goods of any, he may in due time and place civilly punish him, which no other passenger can doe: For, it is proper to Christ, the Head of the Church, as to prescribe, so to rule the actions of his own worship in the wayes of his servants, Esay 96, 7. The government of the Church is upon his shoulder, which no Civill officer ought to attempt: And therefore Magistrates have no power to limit a Minister either to what he shall preach or pray, or in what manner they shall worship God, lest hereby they shall advance themselves above Christ, and limit his Spirit.
Truth.
In this generall Head are proposed two things.
First, what the Magistrate ought to doe positively concerning the worship of God.
Secondly, what he may doe in the worship of God.
What he ought to doe is comprised in these particulars.
First, he ought to reforme the worship of God when it is corrupted.
Secondly, he ought to establish a pure worship of God.
Thirdly, he ought to defend it by the sword: he ought to restrain Idolatry by the sword, and to cut off offendours, as former passages have opened.
For the proofe of this positive part of his duty are propounded three sorts of Scriptures.
First, from the practice of the Kings of Israel and Iudah.
Secondly, some from the New Testament.
Thirdly, from the practice of Kings of other Nations.
Unto which I answer.
First,The argument from the Babylonian and Persian kings re-minded. concerning this latter, the Babylonian and Persian Kings, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius, Artaxerxes: I conceive I have sufficiently before proved, that these Idolatrous Princes making such Acts concerning the God of Israel, whom they did not worship nor know, nor meant so to doe, did onelyonly permit and tolerate, and countenance the Iewish worship, and out of strong convictions that this God of Israel was able to doe them good (as well as their owne gods) to bring wrath upon them and their Kingdomes, as they beleeved their owne also did, in which respect all the Kings of the world may be easily brought to the like: but are no president or patternes for all Princes and Civill Magistrates in the World, to chalenge or … the power of ruling or governing the Church of Christ, and of wearing the spirituall Crowne of the Lord, which he alone weareth in a spirituall way by his Officers and Governours after his owne holy appointment.
Secondly, for those of the New Testament I have (as I beleeve) fully and sufficiently answered.
So also that prophesie of Isa. 49.
Lastly,The president of the Kings and Governo…s of Israel and Iudah examined. however I have often touched those Scriptures produced from the practice of the Kings of Israel and Judah. yet because so great a waeight of this controversie lyes upon this president of the Old Testament, from the duties of this nature enjoyned to those Kings and Governours, and their practices, obeying or disobeying, accordingly commended or reproved. I shall (with the helpe of Christ Iesus, the true King of Israel) declare and demonstrate how weake and brittle this supposed Pillar of Marble is, to beare up and sustain such a mighty burthen and waight of so many high concernments as are laid upon it.The state of Israel relating to spirituall matters proved typicall. In which I shall evidently prove that the state of Israel as a Nationall State made up of Spirituall and Civill power, so farre as it attended upon the spirituall, was meerly figurative and typing out the Christian Churches consisting of both Iewes and Gentiles, enjoying the true power of the Lord Iesus, establishing, reforming, correcting, defending in all cases concerning his Kingdome and Government.
CHAP. CX.
Peace.
BLessed be the God of Truth, the God of Peace, who hath so long preserved us in this our retired conference without interruptions: His mercy still shields us while you expresse and I listen to that so much imitated, yet most unimitable State of Israel.
Yet before you descend to particulars (deare Truth) let me cast The Persian Kings make evidently against such as produce them for maintenance of the doctrine of persecution.one Mite into your great Treasury concerning that Instance (just now mentioned) of the Persian Kings.
Me thinkes those presidents of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes are strong against New Englands Tenent and practice. Those Princes professedly gave free permission and bountifull incouragement to the Consciences of the Iewes, to use and practise their Religion, which Religion was most eminently contrary to their owne Religion and their Countries worship.
Truth.
I shall (sweet Peace) with more delight passe on these rough wayes, from your kinde acceptance and unwearied patience in attention.
In this discovery of that vast and mighty difference betweene that State of Israel and all other States (onelyonly to bee matched and parallel'd by the Christian Church or Israel) I shall select some maine and principall considerations concerning that State wherein the irreconciliable differences and disproportion may appeare.
First,The Land of Canaan chosen by God to be the seat of the Church, but under the New Testament all Nations alike. I shall consider the very Land and Country of Canaan it selfe, and present some considerations proving it to be a None… such.
First, this Land was espyed out and chosen by the Lord out of all the Countries of the World to be the seat of his Church and people, Ezek. 20…6.
But now there is no respect of Earth, of Places or Countries with the Lord: So testified the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe to the woman of Samaria (Iohn 4.) professing that neither at that Mountaine nor at Ierusalem should men worship the Father.
While that Nationall State of the Church of the Iewes remained, the Tribes were bound to goe up to Ierusalem to worship, Psal. 122. But now, in every Nation (not the whole Land or Country as it was with Canaan) he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him, Act. 10. 35. This then appeared in that large Commission of the Lord Jesus to his first Ministers: Goe into all Nations, and not onelyonly into Canaan, to carry tidings of Mercy, &c.
Secondly, the former Inhabitants thereof, seven great and mightie Nations (Deuter. 7.) were all devoted to destruction by the Lords owne mouth, which was to bee performed by the impartiall hand of the Children of Israel, without any sparing or shewing Mercy.
But so now it hath not pleased the Lord to devote any people to present Destruction,The inhabitants of Canaans Land every soule to be put to death that the Israelites might enjoy their possessions: not so now. commanding his people to kill and slay without Covenant or Compassion, Deuteronomy 7. 2.
Where have Emperours, Kings, or Generals an immediate call from God to destroy whole Cities, City after City, Men, women, Children, Old and Young, as Ioshua practised? Ioshua 6. and 10. Chapters, &c.
This did Israel to these seven Nations, that they themselves might succeed them in their Cities, Habitations, and Possessions.
This onelyonly is true in a spirituall Antitype, when Gods people by the Sword (the two-edged Sword of Gods Spirit slay the ungodly and become Heires, yea fellow Heires with Christ Iesus, Romanes 8. Gods meeke people inherit the earth, (Matthew 5.) They mystically like Noah (Hebrewes 11) condemne the whole unbeleeving World, both by present and future sentence, 2 Corinth. 6. 2.