The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 125
CHAP. CXXIV.
Peace.
YEs, but some will say, this was not through their assuming of this power, but the ill managing of it.
Truth.
Yet are they commonly brought as the great Presidents for all succeeding Princes and Rulers in after Ages: and in this very controvesi…, their practices are brought as presidentiall to establish persecution for conscience.
Secondly,Who force the consciences of others, yet are not willing to be forced themselves. those Emperours and other Princes and Magistrates acted in Religion according to their consciences perswasion, (and beyond the light and perswasion of conscience can no man living walk in any feare of God.) Hence have they forced their subjects to uniformitie and conformitie unto their own consciences (what ever they were) though not willing to have been forced themselves in the matters of God and Conscience.
Thirdly,Constantine and others wanted not so much affection as information of conscience. Had not the light of their eye of conscience, and the consciences also of their Teachers been darkned, they could not have been condemned for want of heavenly affection, rare devotion wonderfull care and diligence, propounding to themselves the best patternes of the Kings of Iudah, David, Salomon, Asa, Iehosaphat, Iosiah, Hezekiah: But here they lost the path, and themselves, in perswading themselves to be the parallels and antytipes to those figurative and typicall Princes: whence they conceived themselves bound to make their Cities, Kingdomes, Empires new holy lands of Canaan, and themselves Governours and Iudges in spirituall causes, compelling all consciences to Christ, and persecuting the contrary with fire and sword.
Upon these rootes, Sad consequences of charging the Civill powers with the care of Spiritualls.how was, how is it possible but that such bitter fruits should grow of corruption of Christianitie, Persecution (of such godly, who happily see more of Christ then such Rulers themselves) their Dominions and Jurisdictions being overwhelmed with inforced dissimulation and hypocrisie, and (where power of resistance) with flames of civill combustion, as at this very day, he that runs may read and tremble at.
Peace.
They adde further, that the Princes of Christendome setting their Hornes upon the Churches head, have been the cause of Antichristian inventions, &c.
Truth.
If they mean that the Princes of Europe giving their power and authoritie to the seven-headed and ten-horned Beast of Rome, Civill Rulers giving and lending their Horns or Authority to Bishops, both dangerous to the truth of Christ.have been the cause, &c. I confesse it to be one concurring cause: yet withall it must be remembred, that even before such Princes set their hornes or authoritie upon the Beasts head, even when they did (as I may say but lend their hornes to the Bishops, even then rose up many Antichristian abominations. And though I confesse there is but small difference (in some respect) betweene the setting their hornes upon the Priests heads (whereby they are inabled immediately to push and gore whoever crosse their doctrine and practice) and the lending of their hornes, that is, pushing and gori…g such themselves, as are declared by their Bishops and Priests to be hereticall, as was and is practised in some Countries before and since the Pope rose: yet I confidently affirme, that neither the Lord Iesus nor his first ordained Ministers and Churches (gathered by such Ministers) did ever weare, or crave the helpe of such hornes in Spirituall and Christian affaires: The spirituall power of the Lord Iesus in the hands of his true Ministers and Churches (according to Balaams prophesie Num. 23.) is the horne of that Vnicorne or Rhinocerot (Psal 92.) which is the strongest horne in the world, The Spirituall power of the Lord Jesus compared in Scripture to the incomparable horne of the Rhinocerotin comparison of which the strongest hornes of the Bulls of Basan breake as sticks and reeds. Historie …ells us how that Vnicorne or one-horned Beast the Rhinocerot, tooke up a Bull like a Tennis ball, in the Theater at Rome before the Emperour, according to that record of the Post: Quant…s erat cornu cui pila Taurus erat?
Unto this Spirituall power of the Lord Iesus, the soules and thoughts of the highest Kings and Emperours must subject, Math. 16. & 18. 1 Cor. 5. & 10. chapters.