The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 115 – Chapter 116
CHAP. CXV.
Peace.
BY these waights wee may try the waight of that commonly received and not questioned opinion, viz. Five demonstrative arguments proving the unsoundnesse of that Maxime: The Church and Commonwealth are like Hypocrates twins.That the civill state and the spirituall, the Church and Commonweale, they are like Hippocrates twinnes, they are borne together, grow up together, laugh together, weepe together, sicken and die together.
Truth.
A witty, yet a most dangerous Fiction of the Father of …ies, who hardned in Rebellion against God, perswades Gods people to drinke downe such deadly poison, though he knowes the truth of these five particulars, which I shall reminde you of.
First, many flourishing StatesMany flourishing States without a true Church. in the World have beene and are at this day, which heare not of Iesus Christ, and therefore have not the presence and concurrence of a Church of Christ with them.
Secondly,Many of Gods people … from a true Church state. there have beene many thousands of Gods people, who in their personall estate and life of grace were awake to God, but in respect of Church estate they knew no other then a Church of dead stones, the Parish Church; or though some light be of late come in through some cranny, yet they seeke not after, or least of all are joyned to any true Church of God, consisting of living and beleeving stones.
So that by these New English Ministers principles, not onelyonly is the doore of calling to Magistracy shut against naturall and unregenerate men (though excellently …itted for civill offices) but also against the best and ablest servants of God, Yet …it for civill services.except they be entred into Church estate; so that thousands of Gods owne people (excellently qualified) not knowing, or not entring into such a Church estate, shall not be accounted fit for civill services.
Thirdly, admit that a civill Magistrate be neither a member of a true Church of Christ (if any bee in his dominions) nor in his person feare God, yet may he (possibly) give free permission without molestation, yea and sometimes incouragement and assistance to the service and Church of God. Gods people permitted and favoured by Idolaters.Thus wee finde Abraham permitted to build and set up an Altar to his God wheresoever hee came amongst the idolatrous Nations in the Land of Canaan. Thus Cyrus proclaims liberty to all the people of God in his Dominions, freely to goe up and build the Temple of God at Ierusalem, and Artaxerxes after him confirmed it.
Thus the Romane Emperours and Governours under him permitted the Church of God the Iewes in the Lord Christs time, their Temple and Worship, although in Civill things they were subject to the Romanes.
Fourthly,Christs church gathered and governed with out the helpe of an arme of flesh. the Scriptures of Truth and the Records of Time concurre in this, that the first Churches of Christ Iesus, the lights, patternes and presidents to all succeeding Ages, were gathered and governed without the aid, assistance or countenance of any Civill Authoritie, from which they suffered great persecutions for the name of the Lord Iesus professed amongst them.
The Nations, Rulers, and Kings of the Earth tumultuously rage against the Lord and his Anointed, Psal. 2. 1. 2. Yet vers. 6. it hath pleased the Father to set the Lord Iesus King upon his holy Hill of Zion.
Christ Iesus would not be pleased to make use of the Civill Magistrate to assist him in his Spirituall Kingdome: nor would he yet be daunted or discouraged in his Servants by all their threats and terreurs: Christs true …pouse … and faithfull to Christ J…sus in the … or … from the World.for Love is strong as death, and the coales thereof give a most vehement flame, and are not quenched by all the waters and flouds of mightiest opposition, Cant. 8.
Christ Church is like a chaste and loving wife, in whose heart is fixed her Husbands love, who hath found the tendernesse of his love towards her, and hath been made fruitfull by him, and therefore seekes she not the smiles, nor feares the frownes of all the Emperours in the World to bring her Christ unto her, or keep him from her.
Lastly,The 10 horns, Revel. 13. & 17. we finde in the tyrannicall usurpations of the Romish Antichrist, the 10 hornes (which some of good note conceive to be the 10 Kingdomes, into which the Romane Empire was quartred and divided) are expresly said Revel. 17. 13. to have one minde to give their power and strength unto the Beast, yea (ver. 17.) their Kingdome unto the Beast, untill the Words of God shall be fulfilled: whence it followes, that all those Nations that are guilded over with the name of Christ, have under that mask or viz…rd (as some Executioners and Tormentors in the Inquisition use to torment) persecuted the Lord Iesus Christ, either with a more open, grosse and bloody, or with a more subtle, secret and gentle violence.
Let us cast our eyes about,The great mysterie of Persecution unfolded. turne over the Records, and examine the experience of past and present Generations, and see if all particular observations amount not to this summe, viz. that the great whore hath committed fornication with the Kings of the Earth, and made drunke thereof Nations with the cup of the wine of her fornications: In which drunkennes and whoredome (as whores use to practice) she hath robbed the Kings and Nations of their power and strength,Christian Naboths slaughtered. and (Iesabel like) having procured the Kings names and seales, she drinks drunk, Revel. 17. with the blood of Naboth, who (because he dares not part with his rightfull inheritance in the land of Canaan, the blessed land of promise and salvation in Christ) as a Traitour to the civill State, and Blasphemer against God, she (under the colour of a day of humiliation in Prayer and Fasting) stones to death.
CHAP. CXVI.
Peace.
DEare Truth, how art thou hidden from the eyes of men, in these mysteries? how should men weep abundantly with Iohn, that the Lambe may please to open these blessed seale… unto them?
Truth.
O that Men more prized their makers feare … then should they be more acquainted with their Makers councells, for his Secret is with them that feare him, Psal. 25.
I passe on to a second Difference.2. Difference.
The Kings of Israel and Iudah were all solemnly annointed with oyle,The mysterie of the anointing the Kings of Israel and Judah. Psal. 39. 20. I have found David my servant, with my holy … have I annointed him. Whence the Kings of Israel and Iudah were honoured with that mysticall and glorious Title of the Anointed, … Christ of the Lord, Lam. 4. 20. the Breath of our Nostrils, the Anointe… of Iehovah was taken in their pits, &c.
Which anoynting and title, however the Man of Sinne, together with the Crowne and Diademe of Spirituall Israel, the Church of God, he hath given to some of the Kings of the Earth, that so he may in lieu thereof dispose of their Civill Crownes the easier: yet shall we finde it an incommunicable priviledge and prerogative o… of the Saints and people of God.
For as the Lord Iesus himselfe in the Antitype was not annointed with materiall but spirituall oyle, Psal. 45. with the oyle of Gladnes, and Luke 4. 14. from Isa. 61. 1. with the spirit of God. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings,The Name Christian or Anointed. &c. So also all his members are annointed with the holy spirit of God, 2 Cor. 1. 21. & 1 John 2.
Hence is it that Christians rejoyce in that name, as carrying the very expresse title of the Anointed of the Lord; which most superstitiously and sacrilegiously hath been applied only unto Kings.
Peace.
O deare Truth, how doth the great Searcher of all Hearts finde out the thefts of the Antichristian World?A Sacrilegious Monopolie of the Name Christian. how are men caried in the darke they know not whither? How is that heavenly charge, Touch not mine Anointed, &c. (Psal. 105.) common to all Christians (or anointed with) Christ their Head, by way of Monopoly or priviledge appropriated to Kings and Princes?
Truth.
It will not be here unseasonable to call to minde that admirable Prophecie, Ezek. 21. 26, 27. Thus saith Iehovah God, Remove the Diadem, take away the Crowne, this shall not be the same, exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high:The Crown of Christs Kingly power. I will overturne, overturne, overturne, untill he come whose right it is, and I will give it him. The matter is a Crown and Diadem to be taken from an Vsurpers head, and set upon the head of the right Owner.
Peace.
Doubtlesse this mystically intends the spirituall Crowne of the Lord Jesus, for these many hundreth yeares set upon the heads of the C…mpetitours and Corrivals of the Lord Iesus, upon whose glorious head in his Messengers and Churches, the Crown shall be established; The anointing, the title, and the crown and power must returne to the Lord Iesus in his Saints, unto whom alone belongs his power and authoritie in Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall cases.