The Civil Magistrates Power in Matters of Religion, Answer 18 – Object 4
Anſ. 1.
We eſpecially intend the Concluſion, of a Magiſtrate regulated according to the rules of the Word of God, whoſe Miniſter he is; and ſo the Civill Magiſtrate is no Heathen, or Ignorant of Religion, or out of the Church. If he be otherwiſe, it is his ſin that way. See more pag. 48.
2. Although the Civill Magiſtrate fail in that part of his duty, that he knoweth not the Lord who girdeth him with that Princely girdle, yet that ſin in that particular doth not wholly Iſ. 45. 1. 4. 5.excuſe another ſin of omiſſion of another duty, namely Authoritatively to keep the firſt, ſecond, third, or fourth Commandement. Rulers may be Ignorant of many matters of the ſecond Table, and diſabled ſo far, from making good coerſive Laws about them, yet both are ſins of omiſſion. In both he hath a right eſſentially, and actu primo; but in reſpect to the execution of that Nomothetique right in reference to matters of the firſt or ſecond Table, he hath that power virtually onelyonly.
3. Heathen Kings not of the Church, and not cenſurable by the Church, may give out Laws to the Churches under their juriſdiction, touching matters of Righteouſneſs and Honeſty; yet that maketh them not King-Popes, no more doth the other. Nebuchadnezzar might as commendably make a coerfive Law upon civill penalty againſt the Jewiſh Church Officers or Members under his juriſdiction, as execute any ſuch corporall puniſhment upon them both for falſe Doctrines vented by them under pretence of Gods name (a ſin againſt the firſt Table) as alſo for committing Adultery; for a Law made that way, doth leave the ſubject more inexcuſable, and had been no other than a politicall Legiſlative Sanction of the Laws of God, whoſe Miniſter (conſidered as a civill Magiſtrate) he was; the Lord himſelf by law having made ſuch ſins capitall, Deut. 13. 5. Lev. 20. 10. Now that exemplary act of Juſtice in Nebuchadnezzar upon a member of the Jewiſh church under his juriſdiction, as well for falſe Doctrine as for Adultery, is renowned, and a form of Imprecation thence borrowed, Ier. 29. 22, 23. The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the King of Babylon roſted in the fire, becauſe they committed adultery with their neighbours wives, and have ſpoken lying words in my name, which I commanded them not, even I know, and am a witneſs, ſaith the Lord.
4. When Heathen Kings come to know their duty in matters of the firſt, or ſecond Table, and accordingly they eſtabliſh Laws about Religion, they doe it not now by any new right, when Chriſtians and knowing Chriſt, no more than a Parent becoming Chriſtian, and knowing Chriſt, giveth out parentall commands to his children, with reſpect to bodily corrections, if they do not ſuch and ſuch Religious duties, doth this, by any new Parentall right which he had not intrinſically when Pagan: The caſe is alike in thoſe Fathers of the Commonwealth.
5. Heathen Kings, whilſt Heathen, may and muſt make Laws about the matters of God and his Religion, ſo far as their right guiding light extendeth; elſe ſhould they hold the truth of God in unrighteouſneſs; now its certainer, that they whilſt Heathen have, or may have much light, ſo as to ſee into matters of the true God, and of his Religion.
1. By the light of Nature Heathens know, and have known that there is a God, that he is one God, that he hath made all men as his Offspring, that he is to be worſhipped according to his ſpirituall nature, that he is to be called upon, that he is not to be blaſphemed, nor belyed, nor called to witneſs in a falſe thing, that images of him are not to be made, that men are not to take his name in vain by raſh, or falſe Oaths, that ſome time is to be ſet apart for his Worſhip, and the like, Rom. 2. 14, 15. By the work of the Law within their hearts, many things contained in the Law, may be, and have been done.
2. The light of Gods Works, both of Creation and Providence, may help them much this way, Rom. 1. 18, 19, 20. ſee more Ezek. 36. 23. 36. & 38. 16. & 39. 21. 28. The notable Providence of God reſcuing by his Angel, Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego from Nebuchadnezzars fury, for not worſhiping his Idoll of gold, made him make that coerſive Law mentioned Dan. 3. 28, 29. Therefore I make a Decree, that whoſoever ſhall ſpeak amiſs of the God of Shadrach, &c. ſhall he cut in pieces, &c.
3. They may have ſome common light of the Spirit that way, communicated by means of ſome of their godly ſubjects, whence ſuch expreſſions of that Darius mentioned in Ezra 6. 10, 12. and no wonder then he make that penall Decree, ver. 11. Alſo I have made a Decree, that whoſoever ſhall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his houſe, and being ſet up, let him be hanged thereon, and let his houſe be made a Dunghill.
4. None will deny to Pagan Princes a right of Authoritative praiſing, and incouragement of ſuch as doe well, in regard of duties either of the firſt or ſecond Table, to which alſo God in ſpeciall wiſe ſtirred up the ſpirit of Cyrus the firſt, Ezra 1. 1, 2, 3, 4. Though he knew not the Lord ſavingly then, Iſaiah 45. 4. & 44. 28. compared. And why ſhall not Heathen Rulers have a right with like latitude of reſpect to firſt or ſecond Table, to be a terror to evill doers, by making coerſive Laws for that end, ſo far at leaſt as their right guided light extendeth; yea we have ſhewed before divers of them are in Scripture commended for this. So that the truth hereby is further ſtrengthened thus.
That which Heathen States, Kings and Princes remaining Heathen, have done, and been commended in Scripture for doing it, as Princes, or higher Civill powers, that muſt needs be eſſentiall to them as higher Civill powers, and imitable by others in like Civill power; but (as hath been formerly declared) ſuch uſe of Legiſlative power, by Heathen Higher powers, as Higher powers, making coercive Decrees in matters of the Religion of the true God, hath been commended in Scripture; therefore ſuch uſe of the Civill Legiſlative power is eſſentiall even to Heathen Rulers, and imitable by all others in like Civill power.
Obj. 3.
God hath left others to Govern and Feed his Church, 1 Cor. 12. 28. Eph. 4. 8, 11, 12, 13.who muſt give an account of their ſoules: And the Civill Magiſtrate is not among thoſe Officers which Chriſt hath left to edifie his Church; nor is he a Preacher or Expoſitor of the Scriptures: What ſhould the Civill Magiſtrate doe governing them, or ſeeking to edifie them, or expound Scriptures to them by ſuch Law-making in matters of Religion, or of the Church?
Anſ. 1.
Church Governours are in an Eccleſiaſticall way to watch over, and cenſure Church members for matters of the ſecond Table, as well as thoſe of the firſt Table; and by this Argument therefore Civill Rulers may not watch over, govern, and cenſure Church Members, in matters of the ſecond Table neither, becauſe there are others by Office to doe it Eccleſiaſtically, and he is not reckoned among them.
2. Civill Magiſtrates, as well as Church Officers are Rulers, Elders, Watchmen, Shepheards over Gods people and flock, and therefore in a Politicall way are to rule over, watch over, yea to feed the people of God, and to hold forth the ſame by their wholſom Laws, and Executions in matters reſpecting both Tables.
3. The Magiſtrates end being matters of Piety as well as Honeſty, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. And he being a Miniſter of God, even to Gentile Churches, Officers, and Members for their good, and ſo moſt of all for their beſt Spiritual good, as externally held forth, helped, exerciſed, or expreſſed, Rom. 13. 4. and being charged with the things of God and the Church, 2 Chron. 13. 10, 11. he is in his politicall way to attend his charge, to look to the externall fulfilling of it (at leaſt) yea in ſo far is he charged as a politicall Father and Shepheard with his incharged, or Chriſtian ſubjects, as his politicall children and flock commited to him, Ezek. 34. 9, 10. I will require my ſheep at the Shepheards hands; the Princes as well as the Prieſts; hence the ſins of Church Members in Church matters are charged upon their Civill Rulers, as their ſins, when the people neglect their Miniſters, Nehemiah 13. 10. he chid the Rulers, ver. 11. ſaying, why is the houſe of God forſaken? when there was ſuch buying and ſelling upon the Sabbath, ver. 15, 16. Nehemiah ſaith, ver. 17. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judah, and ſaid unto them, what evill thing is this that ye do, and prophane the Sabbath.
4. Their Laws are not Eccleſiaſticall expoſitions of Scripture, but the mind of God in the Scriptures, being in ordinary and orderly way firſt ſought and had from the body of the ableſt, and beſt guides, and lights in the Churches in their Juriſdiction, concluſively declaring the Law and rule of God, touching the queſtion, their Laws about matters of Religion, are Civill Sanctions, under Civill rewards or puniſhments, of ſuch Laws of God ſo declared and commended to them. And by the execution of ſuch Politicall Laws, others may and ſhould be edified, honour, and fear, and learn to do no more ſo wickedly, Deut. 13. 10, 11. Some delinquents themſelves, even ſome falſe teachers, ſhall acknowledge as much, thus was I wounded in the houſe of my friends. Zac. 13. 4, 5, 6.
4. Object.
The Church hath ſufficient power to attain her ends within her ſelf, what need Civill coercive power in matters of the Church?