The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 24 – Chapter 25
CHAP. 24. A Reply to his 24. Chapter, Still touching the Tares.
Diſcuſſer.
Though all Drunkards, Thieves, uncleane Perſons, &c. be oppoſite to Gods Children, yet the oppoſition of the Tares here againſt the Children of the Kingdome, is ſuch an oppoſition as fights againſt the religious ſtate and Kingdome of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
2. It is manifeſt, the Lord Jeſus intendeth no other ſort of ſinners in this Parable, (then Antichriſtians) unto whom here he ſaith, let them alone, in Church or State. For then he ſhould contradict other holy and bleſſed Ordinances, for the puniſhment of Offenders, both in Chriſtian and Civill State.
For 1. In the Civill State, God hath armed Parents, Maſters, Magiſtrates, to puniſh evill doers, Murderers, Quarrellers, uncleane Perſons, ſtealers, extortioners: ſuch ought not to be let alone, neither in leſſer nor greater Families, Townes, Cities, Kingdomes, Rom. 13. but ſeaſonably ſuppreſt, &c.
2. In the Kingdome of Chriſt, (whoſe Officers, Lawes, puniſhments, weapons, are all Spirituall and of a Soule-nature) he will not have Antichriſtian Idolaters, Extortioners, Covetous, &c. to be let alone, but the uncleane Lepers to be thruſt forth, &c.
Therefore if neither the Offenders againſt the Civill Lawes, State, and Peace, ought to be let alone, nor the Spirituall State, the Church ought to beare with them that are evill, Rom. 2.
I Conclude, that theſe Tares are ſinners of another nature, Idolaters, falſe Worſhippers, Antichriſtians, who without diſcouragement to true Chriſtians, muſt be let alone, and permitted in the world to grow up untill the great Harveſt.
Defender.
Anſw. 1. As all wicked Perſons be oppoſite to Gods children, (for the children of the Kingdome of Light, and the children of the Kingdome of darkneſſe, cannot but be oppoſite;) ſo the oppoſition that is in all the wicked againſt the children of God, doth fight againſt the religious ſtate and Kingdome of the Lord Jeſus. For ſuch as ſtand for the Kingdome of Satan, (as all wicked men doe) they ſtand in oppoſition to the Kingdome of Chriſt. No man can ſerve two Maſters; If he cleave to the one, he ſtandeth in enmitie to the other, Mat. 6.24.
Anſw. 2. It followeth not, that becauſe Chriſt biddeth his Miniſters, Let the wicked alone in Church or State, That therefore he intendeth no other then Antichriſtian Idolaters: Neither ſhould Chriſt contradict any Ordinance of his own for the puniſhment of Offenders, both in Chriſtian and Civill State, though he ſhould command other offenders to be let alone beſides Antichriſtians. For no Ordinance or Law of God, nor juſt Law of man, commandeth the rooting out of hypocrites, either by Civill, or Church-cenſure, though the Church be bound to endeavour as much (as in them lyeth) to heale their hypocriſie.
Anſw. 3. Neither is it true, that Antichriſtians are to be let alone by the Ordinance of Chriſt, till the end of the world. For what if the members of a Chriſtian Church ſhall ſome of them Apoſtate to Antichriſtian Superſtition and Idolatry, (as often falleth out by the ſeduction of the Emiſſaries of Babel) doth the Ordinance of Chriſt binde the hands of the Church (of which they are Members) to let them alone? In chapter 19. The Diſcuſſer himſelf would not have the ſuperſtitious obſervation of Lent-Faſts to be let alone; And ſurely, Chriſt ordained by his bleſſed Apoſtle Paul, that if any Brother proved an Idolater, (whether Pagan, or Antichriſtian) ſuch an one ſhould be caſt out by excommunication, 1 Cor. 5.11.
Beſides, What if any Antichriſtian Perſons out of zeale to the Catholick Cauſe, and out of conſcience to the command of their Superiours, ſhould ſeeke to deſtroy the King and Parliament, (as hath more then once or twice been attempted;) ſhould ſuch an one by any ordinance of Chriſt be let alone in the Civill State? Moreover, if Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuites be rightly expounded to be the Rivers and Fountaines of water which drive the dead Sea of Antichriſtian pollution up and downe all Nations in Europe: and if they by the Ordinance of Chriſt, be (in ſome caſes) to drinke bloud, (for they are worthy) then they are not to be let alone, but duely ſuppreſt, and cut off from conveying up and downe their Idolatrous, Hereticall, and Seditious wickedneſſe, Rev. 16.4. to 7.
CHAP. 25. A Reply to his 25. Chapter; Still diſcuſsing the meaning of the Tares.
THirdly, The Tares cannot be hypocrites, is as cleare as the Light, becauſe they, when they are diſcovered, and ſeene to be Tares, are not to be let alone to the Angels in the end of the world, but are to be purged out by the Governours of the Church, with the whole Church.
Defender.
This objection hath been anſwered above, and let it be againe denied (till the Diſcuſſer prove the contrary, which will never be) That hypocrites when they appeare to be hypocrites, (and yet no worſe then Tares) are to be purged out by the Government of the Church. It is true, if Hypocrites having a forme of Godlineſſe, and yet denying the power thereof, doe breake forth into ſuch notorious ſcandalous Fruits of Hypocriſie, as tend to the leavening of the whole lumpe, they may then juſtly be proceeded againſt by the Government of the Church. But otherwiſe, if the Church proceed againſt an Hypocrite, as ſuch, meerely for his hypocriſie, for want of life and power of Godlineſſe in his duties, they may ſoone roote out, ſometime or other, the beſt wheate in Gods Field, and the ſweeteſt Flowers in his Garden, who ſometimes looſe their fatneſſe and ſweetneſſe for a ſeaſon.
Diſcuſſer.
Every Brother that walketh diſorderly is to be with-drawen; and ſeparated from.
Defender.
True: But who is a Brother that walketh diſorderly? Not every Hypocrite, but onelyonly ſuch, who either walke inordinately without a calling (foreign,) or idely and negligently in his calling. For ſo the context carrieth it, in the words alluded to 2 Theſſ. 3.6. But that is not the caſe of every Hipocrite: of whom their are many that follow their callings, and are ſo farre from being burthenſome to others by their idleneſſe, that they are even choaked with the cares and buſineſſes of this world, and yet are not behinde in liberall contributions to pious uſes.