The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 84
CHAP. LXXXIV.
The second head, concerning Superiority of each Power.
Peace.
BEcause contention may arise in future times whichThe second head concerning superiority of each power. of these Powers under Christ is the greatest as it hath been under Antichrist, we conceive first, That the power of the Civill Magistrates is superiour to the Church policie in place, honours, dignity, earthly power in the World; Rom. 13. 1. 5. 6 Isa. 49. 23. Isa. 49. 23.and the Church superiour to him (being a member of the Church) Ecclesiastically, that is, in a Church way ruling and ordering him by Spirituall Ordinances according to God for his soules health, as any other member, so that all the power the Magistrate hath over the Church is temporall not spirituall, Luc. 12. 14. Joh. 8. 11. And that judicium of the church in law suits, 1 Cor. 62 is only arbitrarium not coasti…m.and all the power the Church hath over the Magistrate is spirituall not temporall: And as the Church hath no temporall power over the Magistrate, in ordine ad bonum spirituale: So the Magistrate hath no Spirituall power over the Church in ordine ad bonum temporale.
Secondly, the delinquencie of either party calleth for the exercise of the power of terrour from the other part; for no Rulers ordained of God are a terrour to good works, but to evill, Rom. 13. 3. So that if the Church offend, the offence of the Church c…lleth upon the Civill Magistrate, either to seeke the healing thereof as a nursing father by his owne grave advice, and the advice of other Churches; or else if he cannot so prevaile to put forth and exercise the superiority of his power in redressing what is amisse according to the quality of the offence by the course of civill Justice.
On the other side, if the Magistrate being a member of the Church shall offend, the offence calleth upon the Church either to seek the healing thereof in a brotherly way by conviction of his sinne; or else if they cannot prevaile, then to exercise the superiority of their power in removing of the offence and recovering of the offendour by Church censures.
If the end of Spirituall or Church power is bonum spirituale, a spirituall good;Ans. Truth. and the end of Civill or State power is bonum temporale, a temporall good: And secondly, if the Magistrate have no spirituall power to attaine to his temporall end, no more then a Church hath any temporall power to attaine to her Spirituall end,A contradiction to make the Magistrate supreme judge in spirituall causes, and yet to have no spirituall power. as is confest: I demand if this be not a contradiction against their owne disputes, tenents, and practices touching that question of persecution for cause of conscience: For if the Magistrate be supreme Iudge (and so consequently give supreme judgement, sentence and determination) in matters of the first Table, and of the Church, and be custos utrius que , Tabule, keepers of both Tables (as they speake) and yet have no Spirituall power as is affirmed, how can he determine what the true Church and Ordinances are, and then set them up with the power of the Sword? How can he give judgement of a false Church, a false Ministery, a false Doctrine, false Ordinances, and with a Civil Sword pull them down, if he have no Spiritual power, authority or commission from Christ Iesus for these ends and purposes?
Further I argue thus: If the civill officers of State must determine, judge and punish in Spiritual causes, his power, authority and commission must be either Spirituall or Civill, or else he hath none at all, and so acts without a commission and warrant from the Lord Iesus, The Civill Magistrate confest to have no Civill power over the soules of men.and so consequently stands guilty at the Bar of Christ Iesus to answer for such his practice as a transcendent Delinquent.
Now for civill power, these worthy Authors confesse that the Government of the civill Magistrate extendeth no further then over the bodies and goods of the Subject, and therefore hath no civill power over the Soule, and therefore (say I) not in Soule-causes.
Secondly, It is here confest in this passage, that to attaine his Civill end or Bonum temporale, he hath no Spirituall power, Nor spirituall.and therefore of necessitie out of their own mouths must they be judged for provoking the Magistrate, without either Civill or Spirituall power, to judge, punish and persecute in Spirituall causes; and to feare and tremble, lest they come neere those frogs which proceed out of the mouth of the Dragon and Beast and false Prophet, who by the same Arguments which the Authours here use stirre up the Kings of the Earth to make warre against the Lambe Christ Iesus, and his Followers, Revel. 17.