The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 43 – Chapter 44
CHAP. 43. A Reply to his Chap. 43.
Diſcuſſer.
FOurthly, I aske; were not theſe Elders and Miniſters of the Church of Epheſus ſufficiently furniſhed from the Lord Jeſus, to drive away theſe ſpirituall, and myſticall wolves?
Defender.
They were furniſhed with ſufficient power to caſt them out of the Church, but being caſt out, they had not ſufficient power to drive them away from conferring with, and corrupting the members of the Church, or other Godly ones out of the Church. It is no diſhonor to Chriſt, nor impeachment to th ſufficiency of the Ordinances left by Chriſt, that in ſuch a caſe, his Miniſters of Juſtice in the Civill State, ſhould aſſiſt his Miniſters of the Goſpel in the Church-State
Diſcuſſer.
Fiftly, laſtly I Aske, whether (as men deale with wolves) theſe wolves at Epheſus were intended by Paul to be killed, their braines daſht out with ſtones, ſtaves, Halberts, Gunns &c. in the hands of the Elders of Epheſus?
Defender.
No: nor was it alledged by me for any ſuch end, nor indeed alledged by me at all: but onelyonly the Diſcuſſer is pleaſed to ſet up a marke, to ſhoot at for his owne recreation. Elders muſt keepe within the bounds of their calling: But killing, and daſhing out of Braines (which is all one with ſtoning) was expreſly commanded, in ſuch a caſe, to the People of God (by order from the Judges:) Deut. 13.10.
Diſcuſſer.
But comparing ſpirituall things with ſpirituall things, ſpirituall & myſticall wolves, ſhould be ſpiritually and myſtically ſlaine.
Defender.
So they ſhould be by the ſpirituall Officers, and members of the Church. But in deſtroying Religion they are alſo diſturbers of the Civill State, and accordingly are to be dealt withall by Civill Juſtice. Achan diſturbed the Common-wealth, as well as the Church of Iſrael, by bringing a Babyloniſh garment into the Tents of Iſrael: and was therefore troubledhimſelfe, for troubling the People of the Lord, Joſh. 7.25.
Diſcuſſer.
It is a moſt bloudy Doctrine, The wolves (Hereticks) are to be drivenaway, their braines knockt out, and killed, the poore ſheep to be perſecuted for whom Chriſt died.
Defender.
Belike it is a milkey, and peaceable, and Goſpel like Doctrine, The wolves (Hereticks) are to be tolerated, not an haire to be ſtruck off from their heads, but for the poore ſheep, for whom Chriſt died, let them periſh, unleſſe Chriſt mean to preſerue them himſelfe alone, with his own immediate hand: no care of preſerving them belongeth to the Civill Magiſtrate.
Diſcuſſer
Is not this to take Chriſt, and to make him a temporal King by force? Joh. 6.15. Is not this to make his Kingdome of this world? to ſet up a Civill and Temporall Iſrael? to bound out new earthly holy lands of Canaan? yea and to ſet up a Spaniſh Inquiſition in all parts of the world, to the ſpeedy deſtruction of millions of ſoules, and to the fruſtrating of the ſweet end of the comming of the Lord Jeſus, which was to ſave mens ſoules (and to that end, not to deſtroy their bodyes) by his owne bloud?
Defender.
Now of all theſe: when the Kingdomes of the earth become the Kingdomes of the Lord (Rev. 11.15.) It is not, by making Chriſt a temporall King, but by making temporall Kingdomes nurſing Fathers to his Church. In the dayes of Chriſts Fleſh it was Incompatible to his Miniſtery to make him a King (as they went about to doe Joh. 6.15.) Chriſt hath injoyed (even as Mediator) an everlaſting Kingdome, not onelyonly in the Church, but in the Government of all the Kingdomes of the earth, by his glorious power, and righteouſneſſe. But the Kingdomes of the earth are then ſaid to be the Kingdomes of our Lord, when they ſubmit their lawes to the lawes of his word. But that neither maketh him a temporall King, nor his Kingdome in the Church to be a Kingdome of this world. The Church and Common-wealth are ſtill diſtinct Kingdomes, the one of this world, the other of Heaven: and yet both of them from Chriſt; unto whom the Father hath committed all Judgement, Iob. 5.22.
Neither will this ſet up a Civill and temporall Iſrael, an holy Canaan, unleſſe all the members of the Common-wealth were called to be members of the Church, and ſubject to all the ceremoniall, and all the judiciall Lawes of Moſes (not onelyonly thoſe of Morall, and perpetuall equity,) but peculiar to that State, as the Brother to marry his deceaſed Brothers wife.
Nor is it a Spaniſh Inquiſition, to preſerve the ſheep of Chriſt from the raven of wolves: but this rather, (ſuch is the practiſe of the Diſcuſſer) to promote the principal end of the ſpaniſh Inquiſition, to advance the Romiſh tyranny, Idolatry, and Apoſtacy, by proclaiming impunity to all their whoriſh and wolviſh Emiſſaries.
Nor is it a fruſtrating of the ſweet end of Chriſts comming, which was to ſave ſoules, but rather a direct advancing of it, to deſtroy (if need be) the bodies of thoſe wolves, who ſeeke to deſtroy the ſoules of thoſe, for whom Chriſt died, and whom he bought with his owne bloud.
CHAP. 44. A Reply to his Chap. 44. Diſcuſsing 2 Cor. 10.4.
Diſcuſſer.
The next Scripture produced againſt ſuch perſecution was 2 Cor. 10.4. The weapons of our warfare are not carnall, but mighty through God &c.
To which it is Anſwered, Paul ſpeaketh of the weapons of Apoſtles, and Church-Officers, which are not carnall, but ſpirituall: and mighty through God. But this denieth not, Civill weapous of Justice to Civill Magiſtrates. But I here obſerve, that the Scripture holdeth forth a two-fold State, a Civill State, and a Spirituall: Civill Officers, and ſpirituall: Civill weapons, and ſpirituall: Civill vengeance, and ſpirituall: though the Spirit ſpeaketh not here expreſly of Civill Magiſtrates, and their Civill weapons: yet theſe States being of different natures and conſiderations (as farre differing as fleſh and ſpirit) therefore Civill weapons are moſt improper and unfitting in matters of the ſpirituall Kingdome and State, though in the Civill State moſt proper and ſuitable.
Defender.
The Diſcuſſer, as often throughout his Diſcourſe, ſo here he looſeth himſelfe, and the truth, in ambiguityes. Civill weapons are indeed improper, and unfitting in ſpirituall matters, to wit, in the diſpencing, and preſſing of ſpirituall matters for the immediate producing of ſpirituall ends, as for a Magiſtrate to draw his ſword to compell all his Subjects to the obedience of the faith if Chriſt, and to the profeſſion of it. But this is not unfitting nor improper, That a Magiſtrate ſhould draw his ſword, though not in matters ſpirituall, yet about matters ſpiritual to protect them in peace, and to ſtave off the diſturbers, and deſtroyers of them. It were improper and unfitting, for carpenters to bring their Axes and Hammers to build up the ſpirituall Kingdome and Church of Chriſt: But yet their tooles are fitting to build up ſcaffolds, that the people may draw neere to heare the Word, & by hearing, be brought on to faith and ſalvation.