The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 71
CHAP. 71. A Reply to his Chap. 74. Touching the Teſtimony of the Papiſts againſt Perſecution.
Diſcuſſer.
AS for the Teſtimony of the Popiſh Booke (ſaith the Anſwerer) wee veigh it not: as knowing what ever they ſpeake for toleration of Religion, where themſelves are under Hatches: yet when themſelves come to ſit at Sterne, they Judge and practiſe quite contrary: as both their writings, and judiciall proceedings have teſtified to the world theſe many yeares.
But (for Anſwer to him) though both their writings and practiſes have been ſuch: yet the Scriptures, and expreſſions of Truth alledged by them, doe ſpeake loudly and fully for them, that where they are under the Hatches they ſhould not be ſmothered, but ſuffered to breath and walk upon the Decks in the aire of civill Liberty.
Defender.
Reply. 1. When the Author of the Letter calleth that Popiſh Booke (out of which he quoteth that Teſtimony) a wicked Book, why may not that Teſtimony be a wicked Teſtimony, (as by his owne Judgement) the Booke, a wicked Booke?
Reply. 2 It is true, which they ſay, the meanes which Almighty God appointed for the converſion of Kingdomes, was Humility, Patience and Charity: neither doe wee allow any meanes of rigour for Converſion of ſoules, but onelyonly the power of Spirituall Armour.
It is true alſo which they alledge out of Matth. 10.16. That Chriſt ſent his Apoſtles as ſheep into the midſt of Wolves: He did not ſend Wolves amongſt ſheep, to kill, impriſon, ſpoyle, &c. But this onelyonly ſheweth, what the condition and Commiſſion, and worke of Miniſters is, when they are ſent among Pagans, and Perſecutors. But this is no prohibition to Miniſters, when they live in a Church of Chriſt, to drive away Wolves from the Sheepfolds of Chriſt, as knowing they come to kill and to deſtroy. And drive them away they may, not onelyonly by Church-cenſures, if they be of the Church (Tit. 3.10, 11.) but alſo if they be out of the Church, by miraculous vengeance, (in caſe they have ſuch a gift, as Paul had, and uſed it againſt Elymas, Acts 13.9, 10, 11.) or by their Prayers, (though the Diſcuſſer deny it, chap. 27. as Paul did againſt Alexander, 2 Tim. 4.14. or by ſtirring up the civill power againſt them, as Elijah did Ahab and the people, againſt the Prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18.40.
Reply. 3. That which they alledge out of Matth. 10.7. (they meane 17.) is as farre wide from the purpoſe, as the former. It is true, the Apoſtles ought not to deliver the People (whom they are ſent to convert) unto Councels, or Priſons, or to make their Religion Felony, or Treaſon.
But what is this to ſuch as being converted to the Profeſſion of the Faith, doe Apoſtate from the Faith, and ſeeke to ſubvert the Faith, which they have profeſſed? Or what is this to ſuch, as doe ſeeke alſo to ſubvert the civill State, to kill Kings, or dethrone them, and to diſpoſe of their Kingdomes? may not ſuch (Religion ſhall I ſay, or Rebellion:) be made Felony or Treaſon? But ſee here the partiality both of the Letter, and of the Diſcuſſer: if a Chriſtian King ſet not up the Popiſh Religion, but make Lawes for the eſtabliſhment of the Truth, this ſhall be condemned in him as Hereticall pravity, himſelfe preſcribed, dethroned, killed, and his Kingdome alienated to a ſtranger. And this ſhall paſſe with Toleration. But if a Prince ſhall make Lawes for the ſecurity of himſelfe and his Kingdome, and condemne ſuch ſeditious, and rebellious Attempts for Felony and Treaſon, this ſhall be taxed as unchriſtian Perſecution, and contrary to the way of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles.
Reply. 4. It is true likewiſe, what they quote out of verſe 32. When ye enter into an Houſe Chriſt had them ſalute it, ſaying, Peace be to the Houſe; he doth not ſay, ſend Purſevants, to ranſack and ſpoile it.
For Chriſt ſent not his Apoſtles with civill power: nor doth he allow Princes, to ſend Purſevants to ranſack Houſes, that ſo they might convert the Houſholders, or ſojourners therein. But if Seducers to Idolatry be found there, and Rebels, and Conſpirators againſt the civill State be found there, though that Commiſſion to the Apoſtles ſpeake not to ſuch caſe: yet it is enough, the Magiſtrates Commiſſion from God, Rom. 13.4. Armeth him to take vengeance on evill doers.
Reply. 5. To John, 10. verſe 10, 11. The Anſwer is as eaſie as to the former. The Paſtor giveth his Life for the ſheep: he cometh not to kill, or to deſtroy the ſheep. But what if he ſee the Wolfe coming? or what if he ſee the Thiefe coming? both of them, to ſteale, and kill, and to deſtroy? Shall the Paſtor now ſit ſtill, and not hazard his life in their defence, contrary to verſe 11, 12, 13? Or ſhall he betake himſelfe onelyonly to ſpirituall cenſures, when it may be they are not capable of ſuch ſtroakes? Or ſhall it be an hainous and unchriſtian carriage in him, to ſeeke ayde againſt ſuch Thieves and Wolves from them who ſhould ſee that the ſheep of Chriſt may lead a quiet, and peaceable Life in all Godlineſſe and Honeſty? 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. The Apoſtles themſelves, and the Churches planted by them, they doe not ſo much as deſire it of God from their Magiſtrates, that they may live a quiet and peaceable life in a way of ungodlineſſe, no more then a way of diſhoneſty. So Paul himſelfe profeſſeth, Acts 25.8.11. But in a way of Godlineſſe and Honeſty, they deſire of God, they may find by the protection of their Magiſtrates, a quiet and peaceable life, in that Text of Timothy.
Thus to ſatisfie the Diſcuſſers mind, and to prevent any pretence of exception, I have runn… over the Scriptures, and expreſſions of Truth alledged in the Popiſh Booke, which he ſaith, ſpeake loudly, and fully for their Toleration: but how truly, let the ſervants of God judge.
Diſcuſſer.
But Proteſtants herein ſhew themſelves partiall, and practiſe that themſelves which they taxe in Papiſts. For though they cry out of Perſecution when themſelves are under Hatches, yet when they come to ſit at Helme, they runne the ſame courſe both in Doctrine and Practiſe.
When Mr. Cotton and others have formerly been under Hatches, what ſad and true complaints have they poured out againſt Perſecution? But coming to the Helme, how doe they themſelves both by Preaching, Writing, Printing, practiſe unnaturally, and partially expreſſe towards other, the cruell Nature of ſuch Lyons, and Leopards, as ſome of them have opened out of Cant. 4.8.
Defender.
What we have opened out of Cant. 4.8. againſt Perſecution, when (as he ſaith) wee were under the Hatches, amounted to this, That it was lawfull for the ſheep of Chriſt, to follow Chriſt, and and to come along with him, and flye away from perſecution. Did any of us then teach, that it was unlawfull for Magiſtrates to purſue with juſt revenge Apoſtate Seducers unto Idolatry, Hereſie, or blaſphemy? or turbulent ſubverters of civill or Church-Order? And ſince we are come hither, where he is pleaſed to honour us with ſitting at Helme (which is farre from us) what have we taught or practiſed more, then our ſelves allowed in times of our owne reſtraint? But men that can allow themſelves a Liberty of calumny, it may well become them to plead for a Liberty of impunity for all Religions.
We keep not a weight and a weight (as he calumniateth) a meaſure and a meaſure: what we meaſure out to others, wee ſhould never thinke it hard meaſure to have the ſame returned to our ſelves in the like caſe, OnelyOnly this meaſure we deſire of all hands to be kept (that which Abraham the Father of the faithfull, and God the Judge of all the Earth, thought equall, Gen. 18.25.) that the Righteous ſhould not be as the wicked: nor that Truth, and Fidelity, ſhould ſuffer as Hereſie and Apoſtacy.
Diſcuſſer.
Yea, but it is not confidence of being in the Truth (which they judge the Papiſts and others are not in) no nor the Truth it ſelfe that can priviledge them to perſecute others, and to exempt themſelves from perſecution, for three Conſiderations.
Firſt, becauſe it is againſt the nature of true ſheep, to perſecute, or hunt the Beaſts of the Forreſt, no not the Wolves, who have perſecuted themſelves.
Defender.
It is a feeble kind of reaſoning, from a ſimilitude in ſome things, to preſſe a reſemblance in every thing: Sheep doe fitly reſemble Chriſtians in many proprieties: but he that ſhall therefore preſſe them to be like in all, ſhall not ſuffer a Magiſtrate (if he be a ſheep of Chriſt) to puniſh Robbers, Adulterers, Murderers: why? for it is againſt the Nature of true ſheep, to perſecute any Beaſts of the Forreſt.
Beſides, I demand, whether Paul was a ſheep, or a Wolfe, when he ſmote Elymas with blindneſſe? If he were a Wolfe, how is he then ſaid, to be filled with the Holy Ghoſt; Acts 13.9. If he were a ſheep, why did he ſtrike ſuch a Beaſt of the Forreſt? ver. 10, 11.
Furthermore, when the Wolfe runneth ravenouſly upon the ſheep, is it againſt the nature of the true ſheep, to run to their Shepheard? And is it then againſt the Nature of the true Shepheard to ſend forth his Dogs to worry ſuch a Wolfe, without incurring the reproach of a perſecutor?
Diſcuſſer.
Secondly, if it be a Duty and charge upon all Magiſtrates in all parts of the world to judge and perſecute, in, and for ſpirituall Cauſes, then either they are no Magiſtrates, who are not able to judge in ſuch caſes: or elſe they muſt judge according to their Conſciences, whether Pagan, Turkiſh, or Antichriſtian.
Defender.
This hath been againe, and againe Anſwered above, though it be the Duty of all Magiſtrates in the world, to judge and puniſh Blaſphemers, Idolaters, and Seducers: yet not in ſenſu compoſite, whilſt they are ignorant of the Truth, and cannot judge of ſuch cauſes: but in ſenſu diviſo, they are bound to be wiſe, and inſtructed in the knowledge, and worſhip of Chriſt, (Pſal. 2.10.11, 12.) and then to judge accordingly.
But in the meane time, it doth not follow, that they are no Magiſtrates, who are not able to doe all the Duties of a Magiſtrate. Neither will it follow, that they muſt judge according to their Conſciences, when their Conſciences are blind, and erroneous, Pagan, Turkiſh, Antichriſtian. Let them firſt caſt Beames out of their owne eyes, and then they will better diſcerne between Beame, and motes in other men.
Diſcuſſer.
Thirdly, the Experience of our Fathers errours, and of our owne miſtakes and ignorance, the ſenſe of our owne weakneſſes, and blindneſſe in the depths of the Prophecies and myſteries of the Kingdome of Chriſt, and the great profeſſed Expectation of the Light to come, which wee are not now able to comprehend, may abate the edge and ſheath up the Sword of Perſecution againſt any, eſpecially ſuch as differ not from them in Doctrines of Repentance, or Faith, or Holyneſſe of heart, and life, but onelyonly in the way, and manner of the Adminiſtration of Jeſus Chriſt.
Defender.
I ſay, as Auguſtine ſometime ſaid in another caſe, Nunquid negandum quod certum eſt, quia comprehendi non poteſt, quod occultum eſt? There are depths of ſundry Prophecies, which we yet comprehend not: but ſhall we therefore be alwayes babes, and ignorant of the Fundamentall Principles of Chriſtian Religion? yea and ſuffer them to be ſhaken, and ruined, becauſe there are ſome Propheſies, and Myſteries, which wee yet underſtand not? ſhall the expectation of greater Light ſo dazle our eyes before wee ſee it, that we cannot be able to ſee, what wee doe ſee? It is not Light, but darkneſſe, that cloudeth the Light already revealed. Nor is it darkneſſe onelyonly, but blackneſſe of darkneſſe, that putteth Light for darkneſſe, and darkneſſe for Light, and would have both tolerated to live together in the ſame Hemiſpheare, becauſe ſome blinde Chriſtians cannot yet tell, which is whether?
It is true, the Experience of former Errours, and ſenſe of preſent weakneſſes, may juſtly abate the edge, and ſheath up the Sword of perſecution againſt any, that differ onelyonly in errours of weakeneſſe, and differ not in Doctrines of Faith, Repentance, and Holineſſe of heart, and life. Yea wee willingly grant more, then the Diſcuſſer requireth in ſuch a caſe. For though there ſhould bee ſome Difference in Doctrines of faith, or Repentance, or Holineſſe; Yet wee ſhould not approve the unſheathing of the Sword againſt ſuch, unleſſe the Doctrine were fundamentally ſubverſive to faith, or Repentance, or Holineſſe, and that obſtinately maintained againſt light, and conviction: and broached, and diſperſed to the Infection, and Seduction of others.
If the Difference be only in the way and manner of Adminiſtration of Chriſt Ieſus, and that Difference held forth in a Chriſtian and Peaceable way. God forbid a ſtaffe ſhould be ſhaken againſt ſuch, much leſſe a Sword unſheathed.