The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 39
CHAP. 39. A Reply to his 39. Chap.
Diſcuſſer.
BƲt from this place in Timothy (2 Tim. 2.25.) in particular, I argue thus
1. If the Civill Magiſtrates be Chriſtians or Members of the Church, able to propheſie to the Church of Chriſt; then they are bound by this command of Chriſt, to ſuffer oppoſition to their Doctrine, with meekneſſe and gentleneſſe, waiting if God peradventure will give them Repentance.
So alſo it pleaſeth the Anſwerer to acknowledge in theſe words: It becometh not the ſpirit of the Goſpel to convert Aliens to the Faith (ſuch as the Samaritans and unconverted perſons, whether in Epheſus, or Creete) with Fire and Sword.
Defender.
The Anſwerer is ſtill of the ſame mind, though he might ſtrike in upon the advantage, that if the Magiſtrate be alſo a Prophet, he may doe ſome things as a Magiſtrate, which he may not doe as a Prophet: yet he willingly acknowledgeth, that if a Magiſtrate be alſo a Prophet (yea, whether he be a Prophet, or no) he ought not to ſeeke to ſubdue, and convert Aliens to the Faith, by Fire and Sword.
Diſcuſſer.
Secondly, if the Oppoſitions be within, and the Church-members become ſcandalous in Doctrine (I ſpeake not of ſcandalls in the Civill State, which the civill Magiſtrate ought to puniſh.) It is the Lord onelyonly (as the Scripture in Timothy implyeth) who is able to give them Repentance, and to recover them out of Satans ſnare, &c. It is true, the civill Sword may make a whole Nation of Hypocrites, as the Lord complaineth, Iſay 10. and as befell our Native Country in a few ſcores of yeares, in the ſeverall Reignes of Henry 7. Henry 8. King Edward, Queen Mary, Queene Elizabeth; under whom our Nation was as ready to change the faſhion of their Religions, as of their Suits of Apparell, which hath been their ſinfull ſhame.
Defender.
If Oppoſition riſe from within, from the Members of the Church, I doe not beleive it to be lawfull for the Magiſtrate to ſeeke to ſubdue, and convert them to be of his mind by the civill Sword: But rather to uſe all ſpirituall meanes for their conviction, and converſion. But if the Oppoſition ſtill continue in Doctrine and Worſhip, and that againſt the vitals, and Fundamentalls of Religion (whether by Hereſie of Doctrine, or Idolatry in Worſhip) and ſhall proceed to ſeeke the Seduction of others, I doe beleive the Magiſtrate is not to tolerate ſuch oppoſion againſt the Truth in Church-members, or in any Profeſſours of the Truth after due conviction from the word of Truth. Nor is it an Objection of any weight, that neither the Magiſtrate, nor his Sword can give Repentance unto ſuch.
For neither can he give Repentance unto ſuch perſons as are ſcandalous to the civill State, whom yet notwithſtanding the Diſcuſſer himſelfe acknowledgeth the civill Magiſtrate ought to puniſh. Though the civill Sword ſhould not make the oppoſers Hypocrites, yet better tolerate Hypocrites and Tares, then Bryars and Thornes. In ſuch caſes the civill Sword doth not ſo much attend the converſion of wicked Seducers, as the prevention of the ſeduction of honeſt minds by their meanes.
What the Kings and Queens of England have done in former, or later times, either by violent Perſecution of the Truth, or in prepoſterous maintenance of the Truth, we have cauſe rather to bewaile it: (and ſo hath the Diſcuſſer too, if he be an Engliſh man) then to juſtifie it: as alſo bewaile the like vanity juſtly complained of in ſundry of our Engliſh Nation, to be as ready to change the faſhion of their Religion, as of their Rayment. And yet he cannot be ignorant, that the Lord hath choſen to himſelfe ſundry faithfull witneſſes out of that Nation, who have continued ſtedfaſt unto the death in the Profeſſion of the Truth, and have not been carried away, either with the feare of civill Sword, or with the deceitfull inſinuations of unſtable but ſeducing Teachers, to depart from the ſimplicity and Truth of the Goſpel. But howſoever wofull, and wonderfull changes have been made of Religion in England, in the Reigne of foure or five Princes, yet it is no more then befell the Church of Judah, in the dayes of Ahaz and Hezekiah, Manaſſeh, and Joſiah; yet the Prophets never upbraided them with the civill Magiſtrater Power in cauſes of Religion, as the cauſe of it. Better ſome viciſſitudes in Religion, then a conſtant continuance in Idolatry, and Popery, by Princes referring all cauſes of Religion to Church-men. The Prophecie of Englands Revolt againe to Popery, wanteth Scripture Light.