The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 11
CHAP. 11. A Reply to his eleventh Chapter touching Perſecution for Conſcience rightly informed.
Diſcuſſer.
AFter explication of the Point in theſe former Diſtinctions, the Anſwerer of the Letter giveth his Reſolution to the Queſtion in foure particulars.
1. It is not lawfull to perſecute any for Conſcience ſake rightly informed, for in perſecuting ſuch, Chriſt himſelfe is perſecuted, Acts 9.4.
A man may as ſoone finde darkeneſſe in the bright Beames of the Sunne, as in this cleare Beame of Truth, that Chriſt Jeſus in his Truth muſt not be perſecuted.
Yet this I muſt aske, (for it will be admired by all ſober men) what ſhould be the Cauſe or Inducement to the anſwerers minde to lay downe ſuch a Poſition or Theſis as this is, It is not lawfull to perſecute the Lord Jeſus.
Search all Scriptures, Hiſtories, Records, Monuments, conſult with all experiences; Did ever Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, Jezebel, Scribes and Phariſees, the Jewes, Herod, the bloudy Neroes, Gardiners, Bonner, Pope or Devill himſelfe profeſſe to perſecute the Sonne of God, Jeſus as Jeſus, Chriſt as Chriſt, without Maske or Covering?
Defender.
It may ſeeme though the Truth be as cleare as the Beames of the Sunne, yet the Diſcuſſer can eſpie a moate of admirable weakeneſſe in the delivering of ſuch a Poſition, though never ſo true or cleare. But let him ceaſe his Admiration, unleſſe it be to admire his owne Fancy.
For I doe not lay it downe as a Poſition, that it is not lawfull to perſecute the Lord Jeſus: or that Chriſt in his Truth muſt not be perſecuted. But my Poſition was, It is not lawfull to perſecute any for Conſcience ſake, rightly informed: And for a reaſon hereof, I give this Principle, for in perſecuting ſuch, Chriſt is perſecuted: Is it now become an admirable ſtrange thing to give a Principle of Religion, not for a Poſition, (and yet if it were ſo, what ſtrange thing were it?) but for the proofe of a Poſition? Let me give you a like inſtance, Gamaliel layeth it downe for a Poſition, that the Doctrine of the Apoſtles, if it be of God, the Prieſts and Elders cannot overthrow it: and he gives this principle for a reaſon of it, leſt in ſo doing, ye be found (ſaith he) to fight againſt God, Acts 5.38, 39. Now is this ſuch a matter as will be admired of all ſober men, that ſo wiſe a man as Gamaliel ſhould lay downe this as a Poſition, That men ſhould not be found fighters againſt God? May not a man rather admire and adore the ſtrange hand of God, that ſhall leave a man ſoberly to admire at ſuch a thing, and to thinke all ſober men will in like ſort wonder at the ſame? But the truth is, Neither Gamaliel, nor my ſelfe, laid downe that Principle for a Concluſion, nor for a Poſition: nor if we had, had we done any thing for ſober men to admire at.
2. Though it were true, (which the Diſcuſſer makes the Ground of his Admiration,) That no Pharaoh, or Herod, or Nero, did ever profeſſe to perſecute the Sonne of God, Chriſt as Chriſt, &c. yet it will not make it an admirable Point, that Chriſt as Chriſt is not to be perſecuted. For though they doe not profeſſe to perſecute Chriſt as Chriſt: yet they doe it. And it is no admirable matter for all ſober men to admire at, to tell men that perfecute the Lord Jeſus, That it is not lawfull for them ſo to doe: Did not Chriſt himſelfe (the wiſedome of the Father) tell Saul as much? Acts 9.5.
3. It is as cleare, (to uſe his phraſe) as the Sunne beames, both in Scripture and other hiſtories, and frequent experience, That Tyrants and Apoſtates have often perſecuted Jeſus as Jeſus, Chriſt as Chriſt. The Scribes and Phariſees they knew that Chriſt was the Sonne of God, the Lord, and Heire of the Church: And therefore they ſaid among themſelves, This is the Heire, come let us kill him, Matth. 21.38. Nor could they be ſaid, in perſecuting Chriſt, to have ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt: if they had not beene enlightened to know him who he was, and yet leavened with ſuch malice, as to perſecute him, as they did. Hiſtories tell us, that Julian the Apoſtate perſecuted Jeſus as Jeſus, and Chriſt as Chriſt, yea and profeſſed ſo to doe. And experience telleth, That if a Chriſtian ſhall in Turkey ſeeke to gaine Turkes from the ſervice of Mahomet, to the Faith of Jeſus: they will perſecute ſuch a Chriſtian to death, and in him Jeſus, as Jeſus.
4. Let Tyrants and Perſecutours profeſſe what they will, that they doe not perſecute Jeſus as Jeſus, but under ſome other pretence: yet that varieth not the Truth, nor impeacheth the wiſedome of this Poſition, That it is not lawfull to perſecute any for Conſcience rightly informed, or to perſecute any for profeſſing the Truth of Chriſt.
Diſcuſſer.
One thing I ſee apparently in the Lords overruling of the pen of this Anſwerer, viz. a ſecret whiſpering from Heaven to him, That yet he hath never left the Tents of ſuch who thinke they doe God good ſervice in killing the Lord Jeſus in his ſervants, and yet ſay if we had been in the dayes of our Fathers in Queen Maryes dayes, we would never have conſented to ſuch Perſecution &c.
Defender.
Verily this is a ſtrange ſight indeed, (and which all ſober minds may well wonder at) to ſee apparently, That he who layeth downe this for a Poſition, That it is not lawfull to perſecute any for Conſcience rightly informed, hath had a ſecret whiſpering from Heaven, that himſelfe never yet left the Tents of Perſecutors.
Surely it muſt needs be a ſtrange and ſtrong ſight, even the fight of ſuch as make themſelves equall with God; that can ſee a man hath not left the Tents of Perſecutors, (that is, the Communion with Perſecutors) when he openly profeſſeth it, to be utterly unlawfull to Perſecute any for the Truths ſake. It is true, God may ſee that in a mans heart which is contrary to the Profeſſion of his mouth and Pen. And ſo may this Diſcuſſer ſee as much, if he be equall with God. But yet herein I dare be bold to ſay, he exalteth himſelfe, not onelyonly equall with God, but above God, to ſee one contradictory in another, which God himſelfe cannot ſee. It is contradictory to Perſecution, to beleive it unlawfull to perſecute any for the Truths ſake. He then that can ſee, yea & ſee apparently, & that out of the Faith & Profeſſion of this truth, that it is unlawfull to perſecute any for the Truth, he that can ſee (I ſay) fellowſhip with perſecution in the faith, or Profeſſion of the unlawfulnes of Perſecution, verily he can ſee darkneſſe in light, evill in good, Falſhood in Truth, which God himſelfe (Such is the perfection of his Truth) cannot doe.
Diſcuſſer.
Let me alſo add a ſecond, So farre as the Anſwerer (by Preaching for Perſecution) hath been a guide to others in perſecuting any of the Servants of Chriſt witneſſing to his Truth, ſo farre his own mouth and hands ſhall judge (I hope not his perſon, but) his actions, that the Lord Jeſus hath ſuffered by him.
Defender.
If any Doctrine Preached by me have Guided any to perſecute any of the Servants of Chriſt for witneſſing to any Truth of Chriſt, then I confeſſe I muſt lay my hand upon my mouth, and acknowledge that the Lord Jeſus hath ſuffered by me. But if the Diſouſſer can never be able to produce any ſuch Doctrine broached by me that hath guided any to perſecute any of Gods Servants for witneſſing to any Truth of his, (as I truſt in the grace of Chriſt, he ſhall never be able) then the Diſcuſſer may know (and the Lord help his ſpirit to know it) that his own mouth and hands, ſhal one day judge (if not his perſon, yet) his actions, that the Lord Jeſus hath ſuffered in his poore Servants, even bitter perſecutions by his unjuſt ſlanders.