The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 50
CHAP. 50. A Reply to his Chap. 50.
Diſcuſſer.
HAving diſpatched two Arguments (againſt the founding of the civill Magiſtrates power in ſpirituall cauſes, in Rom. 13. Firſt, from the Teſtimony of Calvin and Beza: the ſecond from Caeſars incompetency and inſufficiency to Judge of ſpirituall matters.)
I come now to the third Argument, taken from the nature of the Magiſtrates weapons: he hath a Sword, and that Sword is a civill Sword, a Sword of civill Juſtice which being of a materiall and civill nature, ſerveth for the defence of Perſons, Eſtates, Families, Liberties of a City, or civill State, and for the ſuppreſſing of uncivill and injurious Perſons, or Actions by civill puniſhment. And therefore this Sword cannot extend now (as it did in Iſrael of old) to ſpirituall and ſoule cauſes, to ſpirituall and ſoule puniſhments.
Defender.
I eaſily hold with the Diſcuſſer, that the civill Sword doth not extend to ſpirituall and ſoule puniſhments. But if the civill Sword ought to extend to the defence of civill men in civill Liberties, then why not alſo to the like defence of Churches, and ſpirituall perſons in their ſpirituall Liberties? It is the Office of the civill Magiſtrate to governe his people in righteouſneſſe. And if ſpirituall Liberties be in righteouſneſſe due to ſpirituall perſons, as well as civill Liberties to civill perſons, doubtleſſe the Magiſtrate is defective in Rules of righteouſneſſe, if he onelyonly attend the defence of the civill people, in their civill Rights, and neglect to defend his ſpirituall people in their ſpirituall Rights.
What though the Sword be of a materiall and civill nature? ſo it was in the Old Teſtament, as well as in the new. It can therefore reach no further, either then or now, then unto the puniſhment of men, in bodily life, or civill Liberties: But it can reach to puniſh in theſe things not onelyonly the offenders in bodily Life, and civill Liberties, but alſo the offendors againſt ſpirituall Life and ſoule Liberties.
What though it be called a civill Sword in common ſpeech? It is not a Scripture-phraſe, ſo to call it: It may as fitly be called the Sword of God, as well as the Sword of warre is ſo called (Judges 7.20.) which the Diſcuſſer (guilefully, or elſe unskilfully) diſtinguiſheth in this chapter from the civill Sword. Now if the Sword of the Judge, or Magiſtrate, be the Sword of the Lord, why may it not be drawne forth, as well to defend his Subjects in true Religion, as in civill Peace?
And as Magiſtrates are called (in common ſpeech) civill Magiſtrates: ſo are they called alſo in the Language of the Sanctuary) Gods, Pſal. 82.1.6▪ If civill Magiſtrates are to attend to civill matters: are not Gods to attend to Gods matters? It was wont to goe for a good Argument â conjugatis, homo ſum, humani nihil â me alienum puto. But now (by the Diſcuſſers Doctrine) the Magiſtrate may ſay, Ego (dignatione Divinâ) Deus ſum (Pſal. 82.) quatenus autem Deus ſum; Divina omnia â me aliena puto. Now farre be all ſuch reaſonleſſe, and Paganiſh, yea worſe then Paganiſh, Atheology from us. Worſe then Paganiſh I ſay, for Pagan Princes accounted their Religion their chiefe care, prima cura ſacrorum. And can a Chriſtian forbid the care of Religion to Magiſtrates, I ſay not, without bluſhing, but without trembling?
Object. But Magiſtrates were called Gods in the Old Teſtament, not ſo in the New. Now under Chriſt all Nations are meerely Civill, without any ſuch Typicall holy reſpect upon them as was upon Iſrael a Nationall Church.
Anſ. It is written in the New Teſtament, the Kingdomes of the world are become the Kingdomes of the Lord, and of Chriſt, Rev. 17.15. And if the Kingdomes be Gods Kingdomes, and the Kingdomes of Chriſt, then the Kings of thoſe Kingdomes, are Gods Kings, and Chriſtian Kings and what Title is there in all the New Teſtament that either derogateth from the Titles, or Office of Kings?
Though the Nations now have not that Typicall holineſſe, which the Nation of Iſrael had: yet all the Churches of the Saints, have as much Truth and reality of holineſſe, as Iſrael had. And therefore what holy care of Religion lay upon the Kings of Iſrael in the Old Teſtament, the ſame lyeth now upon Chriſtian Kings in the New Teſtament, to protect the ſame in their Churches.