The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 88
CHAP. LXXXVIII.
THirdly, I quaerie whether the Civill Magistrate (which was then the Roman Emperour) was keeper or guardian of both Tables (as is affirmed.)
Scripture and all History tell us,The Roman Caesars described. that those Caesars were not only ignorant, without God, without Christ, &c. but professed worshippers or maintainers of the Roman gods or divells; as also notorious for all sorts of wickednesse, and lastly, cruell and bloudy Lions, and Tygers toward the Christians for many hundred yeares.
Hence I argue from the wisdome, love and faithfulnesse of the Lord Iesus in his house, Not appointed by Christ Jesus keepers and guardians of his Church.it was impossible that he should appoint such ignorant, such Idolatrous, such wicked and such cruell persons to be his chiefe Officers and Deputy Lieutenants under himselfe to keep the worship of God, to guard his Church, his Wife: No wise and loving father was ever knowne to put his childe, no not his beasts, dogs or swine, but unto fitting keepers.
Men judge it matter of high complaint, that the Records of Parliament, the Kings children, the Tower of London, the Great Seale should be committed to unworthy keepers! And can it be without high blasphemie conceived that the Lord Iesus should commit his Sheep, his Children, yea his Spouse, his thousand shields and bucklers in the Tower of his Church… and lastly, his Great and Glorious Broad Seales of Baptisme and his Supper, to be preserved pure in their adminstrations, I say that the Lord Iesus who is wisdome, and faithfulnesse it selfe, should deliver these to such keepers.
Peace.
Some will say, it is one thing what persons are in …act and practice: another what they ought to be by right and office.
Truth.
In such cases as I have mentioned, no man doth in the common eye of reason deliver such matters of charge and trust to such as declare themselves and sinnes (like Sodome) at the very time of this great charge and trust to be committed to them.
Peace.
It will further be said, that many of the Kings of Iudah who had the charge of establishing, reforming (and so consequently of keeping the first Table) the Church, Gods worship, &c. were notoriously wicked, Idolatrous, &c.
Truth.
I must then say, the case is not alike, for when the Lord appointed the Government of Israel after the rejection of Saul to establish a Covenant of succession in the type unto Christ, let it bee minded what patterne and president it pleased the Lord to set for the after Kings of Israel and Iudah, in David the man after His owne Heart.
But now the Lord Iesus being come Himselfe, and having fulfilled the former types, and dissolved the Nationall State of the Church, and established a more Spirituall way of worship all the World over,It pleased not the Lord Jesus in the first institution of his Church to furnish himselfe with any such Civill Governours, as unto whom hee might commit the care of his worship. and appointed a Spirituall government and governours, it is well knowne what the Roman Caesars were, under whom both Christ Iesus Himselfe and his Servants after him lived and suffered; so that if the Lord Iesus had appointed any such Deputies (as we finde not a tittle to that purpose, nor have a shadow of true reason so to thinke) he must I say in the very first institution, have pitched upon such persons for these Custodes utri… que Tabulae, ke…pers of both Tables, as no man wi…e, or faithfull or loving, would have cho…en in any of the former Instances or cases of a more inferiour nature.
Beside to that great pretence of Israel, I have largely spoken to…
Secondly, I aske how could the Roman Caesars or any Civill Magistrates be cust…des, keepers of the Church and worship of God, when as the Authours of these positions acknowledge, that their Civill power extends but to bodies and goods.
And for Spirituall power they say they have none, ad bonum temporale (to a temporall good) which is their proper end, and then having neither Civill nor Spirituall power from the Lord Iesus to this purpose, how come they to be such Keepers as is pretended?
Thirdly, If the Roman Emperours were Keepers,The true Keepers which Christ Jesus appointed, of his O…dinances and Worship. what Keepers were the Apostles, unto whom the Lord Iesus gave the care and charge of the Churches, and by whom the Lord Iesus charged Timothy, 1 Tim. 6. to keep those commands of the Lord Iesus without spot untill his comming.
These Keepers were called the foundation of the Church, Ephes. 2. 20. and made up the Crowne of 12 Stars about the head of the Woman, Rev. 12. whose names were also written in the 12 foundations of New Ierusalem, Rev. 21.
Yea what Keepers then are the ordinary Officers of the Church appointed to be the Shepherds or Keepers of the Flocke of Christ, appointed to be the Porters or Dore-keepers and to watch in the absence of Christ, Mark 13. 34. Acts 20.,
Yea what charge hath the whole Church it selfe, which is the pillar and ground of Truth, 2 Tim. 2. in the midst of which Christ is present with his Power, 1 Cor. 5. to keep out or cast out the impenitent and obstinate, even Kings and Emperours themselves from their Spirituall society, 1 Cor. 5. Iam. 3. 1. Gal. 3. 28.
4. I aske whether in the time of the Kings of Israel and Iudah (whom I confesse in the typicall and Nationall state to be charged with both Tables) I aske whether the Kings of the Assyrians, The Kings of the Assyrians &c. not charged with Gods worship as the Kings of Judah in that Nationall and typicall churchthe Kings of the Ammonites, Moabites, Philistims, were also constituted and ordained Keepers of the worship of God as the Kings of Iudah were (for they were also lawfull Magistrates in their Dominions?) or whether the Roman Emperours were custodes, or keepers more then they? or more then the King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar, under whose Civill government Gods people lived, and in his owne Land and City, …er. 29.