The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 42
CHAP. 42. A Reply to his Chap. 42.
Defender.
IN this Chapter the Diſcuſſer maketh himſelfe worke to diſcourſe upon the Wolves, which Paul foretold to the Elders of Epheſus) ſhould come in amongſt them, not ſparing the flock, Acts 20.29. A place which I quoted not, nor did apply to the cauſe in hand. (But he as a full veſſell) abounding and running over in wit, and words, (and it ſeemeth in leaſure) he propoundeth, and diſcuſſeth three Queſtions about theſe Wolves in this Chapter: and two more in the next.
Diſcuſſer.
As 1. What Wolves were thoſe Paul warneth of? not literally meant: nor Perſecutors of the Flock, ſuch as the Romane Emperours: But ſuch as brought in other Religions and Worſhips, ſuch as amongſt themſelves ſhould ſpeake perverſe things, as many Antichriſts did. And I aske whether or no ſuch as may hold forth other Worſhips, or Religions, (Jewes, Turkes, Antichriſtians) may not be peaceable and quiet Subjects, loving and helpfull neighbours, faire and juſt dealers? &c. It is cleare, they may, in all experience, and yet in ſpirituall and Myſticall Account, they are ravenous, and greedy Wolves.
Defender.
It hath been declared above, that we doe not hold it lawfull, to conſtraine by Civill Sword, Jewes, or Turkes, or Antichriſtians to be of our Religion, whether they be good Subjects, loving Neighbours, faire dealers, yea or no. Nor doth the Apoſtle in that Text, (which the Diſcuſſer hath in hand) ſpeake of men out of the Church, Jewes, Turkes, or Antichriſtians, but of ſuch as enter into the Church, and are of themſelves.
Now if Church-members ſhould Apoſtate from Chriſt, and of Chriſtians become Jewes, and Turkes, and Antichriſtians, and draw away Diſciples after them, I would demand of any man (whoſe Conſcience is not paſt feeling of the danger of damnable Hereſies) whether ſuch Members may goe for peaceable and quiet Subjects, for loving and helpfull Neighbours, for faire and juſt dealers, for true and Loyall to the civill Government? If thoſe be peaceable, and quiet Subjects, that withdraw Subjects from Subjection to Chriſt: if they be loving and helpfull Neighbours, that help men on to perdition: If they be faire and juſt dealers, that wound the ſoules of the beſt, and kill and deſtroy the ſoules of many, if ſuch be true and loyall to Civill Government, that ſubject it to the Tyranny of a forraine Prelate, then it will be no advantage to civill States, when the Kingdomes of the Earth ſhall become the Kingdomes of our Lord: and they may doe as good ſervice to the civill State, who bring the wrath of God upon them by their Apoſtacie, as they that bring downe bleſſings from Heaven by the Profeſſion and Practiſe of the true Religion in Purity.
Diſcuſſer.
I querie ſecondly, to whom Paul gave this charge, to watch againſt them? ver. 31.
They were not the Magiſtrates of the City of Epheſus, but the Elders of the Church of Epheſus.
Defender.
Who doubteth of it?
Diſcuſſer.
Many of theſe charges and Exhortations given by Chriſt to the Shepheards and Miniſters of the Churches, be commonly attributed and directed (by the Anſwerer in this Diſcourſe) to the Civill Magiſtrate.
Defender.
Cujus contrarium verumeſt. For looke the Anſwer through, and you ſhall find, not one of theſe charges or Exhortations, given to Miniſters, were ever directed by the Anſwerer, to civill Magiſtrates: the falſhood of the Diſcuſſer in this charge upon the Anſwerer, is palpable and notorious. And this exhortation in this place, the Anſwerer doth not ſo much as mention at all either as directed to Magiſtrates, or to Elders.
Diſcuſſer.
I deſire it may be inquired into, whether in all the will, or Teſtament of Chriſt, there be any ſuch word of Chriſt by way of Command, Promiſe, or Example, countenancing the Governours of the Givill State to meddle with theſe wolves, if in civill things peaceable and obedient.
Defender.
This Condition if (in civill things peaceable and obedient) implyeth a contradiction to the nature and practice of wolves. How can Wolves be peaceable, and obedient, unleſſe they be reſtrained? and how can they be reſtrained, and not medled with? What Peace (ſaid Jehu) ſo long as the whoredomes of Jezabel, and her witchcrafts are ſo many, 2 Kings 9.22.
Yes: may not ſpirituall whoredomes and witch-crafts ſtand with Civill Peace?
No verily: the whoredomes and witch-crafts of the Jezabel of Rome, tooke away civill peace from the earth, and brought in the Turks to oppreſſe the peace both of Chriſtian Churces and Common-wealths, as hath been ſhewed above, Revel. 9.15.21. That dreadfull example of Gods vengeance upon Civill States for tolerating and practiſing Image-worſhip, is a ſerious and loud warning to all Chriſtian States to beware of ſuch ſeducing ſpirits, as beare them in hand, they ſhall have peace, though they tolerate Idolatrous and falſe worſhips in their Territoryes.
Beſides for another example, and that approved, you find in the Lords Teſtament, Revel. 16.4, 5, 6, 7. of which before. And for a word of command from Chriſt, to meddle with wolves, that grand charter, whereby Magiſtrates are eſtabliſhed in the new Teſtament, may abundantly ſuffice, The Magiſtrate is the Miniſter of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill Rom. 14.4.
If the wolfe be an evill doer, let him looke at the Magiſtrate as appointed of God to be an avenger, and executor of wrath upon him. Say not, yea, if the wolfe be an evill doer againſt the ſecond Table, but not ſo, if againſt the firſt Table: or if an evill doer againſt the bodies and eſtates of men, not ſo, if againſt their ſoules.
For who gave any man commiſſion ſo to limit the word of God, or the power of the Magiſtrate? Beſides it hath been often ſaid, that he that goeth about to ſubvert Religion, and to deſtroy ſoules, is an evill doer againſt the peace of the Civill State.
Diſcuſſer.
If God had given charge to Magiſtrates to puniſh evill doers in matters of Religion, he would have given to Magiſtrates in the world, ability to diſcerne, and determine, who are ſheep, and who are wolviſh oppreſſors, whom he is bound to puniſh and ſuppreſſe. Yea they muſt be able to diſcerne this, not with others mens eyes, but with their owne &c.
Defender.
It hath been declared above, that Magiſtrates ought to be ſo well accquainted with matters of Religion, as to diſcerne the Fundamentall Principels thereof, and the evill of choſe hereſies and Blaſphemies, as doe ſubvert the ſame. Their ignorance thereof, is no diſcharge of their duty before the Lord. Such wolviſh oppreſſors, and Doctrines, and practiſes as they cannot diſcerne with their own eyes, It will be their ſin either to ſuppreſſe them, becauſe they cannot doe it of faith: or to tolerate them, becauſe they are deſtructive to the ſoules of the people, and enemies to the common ſalvation. Gallio is juſtly cenſured as a prophane man, not becauſe he refuſed to be a Judge in matters concerning the Jewiſh worſhip, and Religion: (for he had noe Law of Caeſar, whoſe Deputy he was, to judge of it:) but becauſe he rejecteth the cognizance of ſuch cauſes of Religion, as a Queſtion of words and Names. Which made him ſo …ame regardleſſe of cauſes of Religion, that though the Civill peace was broken by the Jewes (in purſuite of Paul) the Jewes laying violent hands upon Saſthenes, and that before the judgement Seate, yet Gallio cared for none of thoſe things, Acts 18, 15.16.17.
Diſcuſſer.
In the third place I Quere, Whether the Father who gave the ſheep, and the Sonne who keepeth them, be not greater then all? And who can plucke the Elect out of his hand? which Anſwereth the common objection of the danger of devouring ſoules.
Defender.
It doth not Anſwer that Objection. For the Father, and Sonne were greater then all in the old Teſtament, as well as in the New: And none could then pluck his Elect out of their hands, no more then now: yet the attempt to pluck them out of Gods hand was a Capitall crime then Deut. 13.5.10. For ſpeaking to turne away a ſoule from God. ver. 5. and ſeeking to thruſt away a ſoule from God, are but attempts. Beſides God putteth no difference of Elect and Reprobate in matter of murder either of foule, or Body. But the reſpect, which God hath in this caſe, is to his Covenant, which God made with the viſible members of his Church.
Now. if a man ſhall ſo farre violate his Covenant as to Apoſtate from God, and to draw others away to Apoſtate from him, the Lord avengeth this quarrell of his Covenant upon the lives of ſuch And therefore the hainouſneſſe of this crime is expreſſed, in that he ſpake, or ſought to turne away any of the people of God from the Lord their God, Deut. 13.5.10.