The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 124
CHAP. CXXIII.
Peace.
YOu have (deare Truth) as in a glasse presented the face of Old and New Israel, and as in water, face answereth to face, so doth the face of typicall Israel to the face of the Antitype, between whom, and not between Canaan and the Civill Nations and Countries of the World now, there is an admirable consent and harmony: But I have heard some say, was not the civill state and Judicialls of that people presidentiall?
Truth.
I have in part,Whether the Civill state of Israel was presidentiall. and might further discover, that from the King upon his Throne, to the very Beasts, yea the excrements of their bodies (as we see in their going to War, Deut 23. 12…) their civills, moralls, and naturalls were carried on in types: and however I acknowledge that what was simply morall, civill, and naturall in Israels state, in their constitutions, Lawes, punishments, may be imitated and followed by the States, Countries, Cities and Kingdomes of the World: Yet who can question the lawfulnesse of other formes of Government, Lawes and punishments which differ, since civill constitutions are mens Ordinances (or creation, 2. Pet. 2. 13.) unto which Gods people are commanded even for the Lords sake to submit themselves, which if they were unlawfull they ought not to do?
Peace.
Having thus far proceeded in examining whether God hath charged the Civill State with the establishing of the Spirituall and Religious, what conceive you of that next assertion, viz, It is well knowne that the remissenes of Princes in Christendome in matters of Religion and Worship, divolving the care thereof only to the Clergie, and so setting the… Ho…es upon the Churches head, hath been the cause of … invention, usurpation and corruption in the Worship and Temple of God.
Truth.
It is lamentably come to passe by Gods just permission, The true ChristendomeSathans policie, the peoples sinne, and the malice of the wicked against Christ, and the corruption of Princes and Magistrates, that so many inventions …, and corruptions are … in the Worship and Temple of God throughout that part of the World which is called Christian, and may most properly be called the Popes Christendome, in opposition to Christ Iesus his true Christian Common-weale, or Church the true Christendome: But that this hath arisen from Princes remissenesse in not keeping their watch, to establish the Purity of Religion, Doctrine and Worship, and to punish (according to Israels patterne) all false Ministers, by rooting them and their worships out of the World, that, I say, can never bee evinced; and the many thousands of glorious Soules under the Altar, (whose blood hath beene spilt by this position) and the many hundred thousand soules, driven out of their bodies by Civill Warres, and the many millions of soules forced to hypocrisie and ruine eternall, by inforced Vniformities in Worship, will to all Eternity proclaime the contrary.
Indeed it shewes a most injurious idlenes and unfaithfulnes in such as professe to be Messengers of Christ Iesus, Great unfaithfulnesse in Ministers to c…st the …hiefest burden of judging and establ…sh…ng true Christi…nity upon the Commonweal or worl… it selfe.to cast the heaviest weight of their care upon the Kings and Rulers of the Earth, yea, upon the very Common-weales, Bodies of People, (that is, the World it selfe) who have fundamentally in themselves the Root of Power, to set up what Government and Governours they shall agree upon.
Secondly, it shewes abundance of carnall diffidence and distrust of the glorious power and gracious presence of the Lord Iesus, who hath given his promise and Word, to bee with such his messengers to the end of the world, Matth. 28.
That Dog that feares to meet a man in the path, runnes on with boldnes at his masters comming and presence at his backe.
Thirdly,To governe & judge in civill aff…es load enough on the Civill Magistrate. what imprudence and indiscretion is it in the most common affaires of Life, to conceive that Emperours, Kings and Rulers of the earth must not only be qualified with politicall and state abilities to make and execute such Civill Lawes which may concerne the common rights, peace and safety (which is worke and businesse, load and burthen enough for the ablest shoulders in the Commonweal) but also furnished with such spirituall and heavenly abilities to governe the Spirituall and Christian Commonweale, the flocke and Church of Christ, to pull downe, and set up Religion to judge, determine and punish in Spirituall controversies, Magistrates can have no more power then the common consent of the people shall betrust them with.even to death or banishment: And beside, that not only the severall sorts of civill Officers, (which the people shall choose and set up) must be so authorised, but that all respective Commonweales or Bodies of people are charged (much more) by God with this worke and busines, radically and fundamentally, because all true civill Magistrates, have not the least i…ch of civill power, but what is measured out to them from the free consent of the whole: even as a Committee of Parliament, cannot further act then the power of the House shall arme and enable them.
Concerning that Objection which may arise from the Kings of Israel and Iudah, Thousands of lawfull Magistrates who never heare of the true church of God.who were borne members of Gods Church, and trained up therein all their dayes, (which thousands of lawfull Magistrates in the world, possibly borne and bred in false Worships, Pagan or Antichristian, never heard of) and were therein types of the great anointed, the King of Israel, I have spoken sufficiently to such as have an eare to heare: and therefore
Lastly,The Spirituall and Civill Sword cannot be managed by one and the same person. so unsutable is the commixing and intangling of the Civill with the Spirituall charge and Government, that (except it was for subsistence, as we see in Paul and Barnabas, working with their owne hands) the Lord Iesus, and his Apostles, kept themselves to one: If ever any in this world was able to manage both the Spirituall and Civill, Church and Commonweale, it was the Lord Jesus, (wisedome it selfe:) Yea hee was the true Heire to the Crowne of Israel, being the Sonne of David: yet being sought for by the people to be made a King,The Lord Jesus refused so manage both. Joh. 5. he refused, and would not give a president to any King, Prince, or Ruler, to manage both swords, and to assume the charge of both Tables.
Now concerning Princes,Nero and the persecuting Emperours not so injurious to Christianity, as Constantine and others who assumed a power in Spirituall things. Under Constantine Christianity fell into corruption, and Christians fell asleep. I desire it may bee remembred, who were most injurious and dangerous to Christianity, whether Nero, Domitian, Iulian &c. Persecuters, or Constantine, Theodosius, &c. who assumed this Power and Authority, in and over the Church in Spirituall things: It is confest by the Answerer and others of note, that under these later, the Church, the Christian State, Religion, and Worship, were most corrupted: under Constantine, Christians fell asleepe on the beds of carnall ease and Liberty: insomuch that some apply to his times, that sleepe of the Church, Cant. 5. 2. I sleep though mine heart waketh.