The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 51 – Chapter 52
CHAP. 51. A Reply to his Chap. 51.
Diſcuſſer.
A Fourth Argument from this Scripture (Rom. 13.) I take (in ver. 6.) which is a meerely civill reward for the Magiſtrates worke. Now as the wages be, ſuch is the worke, but the wages are meerely Civill, Cuſtome, Tribute, not the contributions of the Saints or Churches of Chriſt, &c.
Defender.
The Contributions of the Saints and Churches, are truly called by the Apoſtle carnall things, Romans 15.27. and againe, 2 Cor. 9.11. But ſhall a man therefore thus reaſon, as the wages be, ſuch is the worke: But the wages are carnall things: therefore ſuch is the worke of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, to whom ſuch wages are paid? It is true the contributions of the Saints, may be called Holy, becauſe they are given to God, and (by his appointment) to the maintenance of ſuch as miniſter in his houſe about his holy things: But theſe are mentall relations, no reall differances in the thigns given to Magiſtrates, and Miniſters: The wages given to them both, are carnall things. And conſider them both in their proper ends: as the rewards given to Miniſters, are given for their ſervice about holy things: ſo the rewards given to Magiſtrates are given for their ſervice about righteous things. Now if the Purity of Doctrine, worſhip, and Government be righteous priviledges of all the Churches in the Common-wealth, ſurely Magiſtrates doe not well deſerve all their wages, that ſuffer the Churches to be bereaved, and diſpoyled of their ſpirituall priviledges, which is the greateſt and beſt part of their Birthright.
Beſides, the Apoſtle commandeth the Churches, and Saints not onelyonly to pay to Magiſtrates, Tribute, and Cuſtome, (which are civill things:) but alſo to poure out all manner of Prayers, and Supplications, Interceſſions, and given of thanks for them, 1 Tim. 1.1, 2. And ſurely theſe are ſpirituall dues, and not Earthly. And therefore Magiſtrates owe to the Churches, and Saints ſome Spirituall recompences, which the Apoſtle alſo there nameth, that we may live a quiet and peaceable Life in all godlineſſe and honeſty, ver. 2. If therefore the Churches and Saints be not ſuffered to live a quiet and peaceable Life in. Godlineſſe and honeſty: or if they be ſuffered to live a quiet and peaceable life in ungodlineſſe and diſhoneſty, the Magiſtrates fall ſhort of returning ſpirituall recompence for the ſpirituall Duties and ſervices performed for them.
Diſcuſſer.
Laſtly, that the Spirit of God never intended to direct or warrant the Magiſtrate, to uſe his power in ſpirituall affaires and Religions, I argue from the Terme, or Title given by God, to ſuch civill Officers, to wit, Gods Miniſters, ver. 6.
Defender.
One would thinke the Argument would rather evince the contrary. For what is a Miniſter, but a Servant? and what is a ſervant, but he that is at his Maſters command (for his efficient cauſe:) and for his Maſters ends, as his finall cauſe? How ſhall then a Magiſtrate carrie himſelfe, as a Miniſter of God, and yet fall ſhort (and intended ſo to doe) both of Gods Commandements in his Lawes? and of Gods worſhip, and glory in the execution of them?
Diſcuſſer.
But at the very firſt bluſh, any man will acknowledge a double Miniſtery: the one appointed by Chriſt in his Church, to order the affaires thereof, Epheſ. 4. 1 Cor. 12. The other a Civill Miniſtery or office, meerely humane and Civill, which men agree to conſtitute, (therefore called an humane Creation, 1 Pet.) and is as true and lawfull in thoſe Countries, that never heard of the true God, and his holy Sonne Jeſus, as in any part of the world, where the Name of Chriſt is not taken up.
Defender.
If Magiſtrates be the Miniſters of God (as Paul calleth them) then their Miniſtery or office is not meerely humane, but as the Apoſtle ſaith, it is of God, and ordained of God, Rom. 13.1. And if it be of God, it muſt alſo be for God: or elſe he is a Miniſter and ſervant not of God, but of the world. It is true, men agree to conſtitute it, to wit, this or that forme of it (in reſpect of which influence of men, it is called an humane Creation:) but the Truth is, Government it ſelfe is of God, and ordained by God, and every lawfull forme of Government (whether Monarchy, Ariſtarchy, or Democracy, or ſome mixt of theſe, according to the State of the People) they are all of God, and ſo acknowledged, and authorized by God in his word, and though they be as true and lawfull in thoſe Nations that never heard of the true God, or of his holy Sonne Jeſus: yet it was from the guidance and appointment of God in the very light of Nature, that ſuch Nations did erect ſuch and ſuch Governments, and Governments for the good of humane ſociety, and that not onelyonly in worldly matters, But in matters alſo of Religion.
Whence it is, that in all civill Nations, whoſe Acts are recorded, either in ſacred or prophane Authors, their Magiſtrates have had not onelyonly a due care of Juſtice and honeſty, but a reverend care of Religion alſo: Joſeph in Egypt provided for the preſervation of the Lands of the Prieſts without Impeachment, and that not out of reſpect to their ſuperſtition (which he could not but diſlike:) but out of regard to the Aegyptian Lawes, & Cuſtomes, to preſerve their Religion, and the maintenance thereof, inviolate, Gen. 47.22. In Babell, Nebuchadnezzar being convinced of the ſoveraigne Divinity of the God of Iſrael, made a capitall Law againſt the blaſphemers of his Name, Dan. 3.29. Darius of the Medes and Perſians enacted a Royall Law to like purpoſe, Dan. 6.26. The like did Artaxerxes, Ezra. 7.26. and Darius before him, Ezra. 6.11. In Athens they had a Law againſt foreign, Irreligion, upon which ſuffered three famous Philoſophers, Socrates, Theodorus, and Protagoras. Socrates, as Laertius reporteth in his Life, was accuſed by Melitus foreign, who commenced his Action againſt him in theſe words foreign.
Theodorus was firnamed foreign, and as Socrates was condemned to death by poyſon, ſo was this man alſo, as Laertius reporteth out of Amphicrates in the life of Ariſtippus. Protagoras, (as Tully reporteth of him, de Natura Deorum Lib. 1.) having thus expreſſed himſelfe in the beginning of his Booke, concerning the Gods (I have not to ſay, whether they be, or whether they be not) his Bookes were publickly burnt, and himſelfe baniſhed out of City and Country. How the Epheſians ſtood affected to the deſtroyers of their Religion, appeareth by the excuſe which the Towne-Clarke made for Paul and his Companions, you have brought theſe men hither ſaith he, which are neither robbers of Churches, nor yet blaſphemers of your Goddeſſe, Acts 19.37. The Romans how zealous they were in defence of their Religion, the ſlaughter of many thouſand Chriſtians will be a perpetuall Monument to all Ages. All which things I recite not to juſtifie the miſapplying of their zeale to the maintenance of falſe Gods, but to make it appeare, that as the Pagan Nations who never heard of the true God, and of his Sonne Jeſus, did erect by inſtinct of Nature, Governments, and Magiſtrates: ſo by the ſame inſtinct, their Lawes and Magiſtrates tooke care of the maintenance of that Religion, which they tooke to be of God. What a ſhame were it, that Pagan Magiſtrates ſhould be more carefull and zealous of the honour of their Idols, then Chriſtians of the Honour of the knowne true God, the Lord our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier?
CHAP. 52. A Reply to his Chap. 52.
Diſcuſſer.
MAny object out of ver. 4. of Rom. 13. that the Magiſtrate is to avenge evill: and therefore Hereſies, falſe Chriſts, &c. But I anſwer, Firſt, that the word is generally oppoſed to civill goodneſſe, or vertue in a Common-wealth, and not to ſpirituall good.
Secondly, I have proved, here as not intended evill againſt the ſpirituall or Chriſtian State (handled in chapter 12.) But evill againſt the Civill State, handled in this 13. chapter.
Defender.
What is meant by foreign, evill, no man (that I meet with) Interpreteth more fully then Pareus. There is, ſaith he, a foure-fold evill, of which the Magiſtrate is the Avenger: contrary to the foure-fold good, whereof the Magiſtrate is the Preſerver. A naturall good, a Morall good, a Civill good, a ſpirituall good. A naturall good, as Life, and ſafety of our bodies: A morall good, as Temperance, Chaſtity: a Civill good, as our goods and Lands, and civill Liberties: A ſpirituall good, as the free paſſage of the Ordinances of God, and pure Religion. In oppoſition to theſe there is a foure-fold Evill: Naturall, as the killing, and wounding, and beating of our bodies: morall as Drunkenneſſe, and whoredome: Civill, as ſtealth, and robbery, and oppreſſion: Spirituall, as Hereſie, Idolatry, and diſturbance of the free paſſage of Gods Ordinances. As the Magiſtrate is bound by his office to preſerve the good of the Subject in all theſe kinds: ſo is he to avenge the evill done againſt the Subject in any of theſe.
What the Diſcuſſer hath proved to the contrary (as he ſaith) hath been Anſwered already in his place.
Diſcuſſer.
The Elders of New-England grant, the Magiſtrate may not puniſh ſome evill, as the ſecret ſinnes of the Soule: nor ſinnes handled in the Church in a private way: nor ſuch ſinnes as are private in Families. As the complaints of Children againſt Parents, Servants againſt Maſters, Wives againſt Husbands: nor ſuch ſinnes as are between the Members, and Churches themſelves. From whence I obſerve,
1. That the Magiſtrate is not to puniſh all evill.
2. I obſerve, how they take away from the Magiſtrates that which is proper to his cognizance, as the complaints of Children, ſervants, Wives, againſt their Parents, Maſters, Husbands, &c.
Defender.
When wee ſay, the Magiſtrate is an Avenger of evill: we meane of all ſorts, or kindes of evill: not every particular of each kinde: ſecret evills, in thought, or affection, yea in action too: but neither confeſſed, nor proved by due witneſſes: the Magiſtrate cannot puniſh.
Diſcuſſer.
The diſtinction of ſecret, or private, and publick evill, will not here availe: becauſe ſuch as urge the Terme evill (viz. that the Magiſtrate is to puniſh evill) they urge it ſtrictly, eo nomine, becauſe Hereſie, Blaſphemy, &c. is evill, &c.
Defender.
But not ſimply becauſe it is evill, unleſſe it be alſo notorious, and evident, and convicted by ſufficient witneſſes, and held forth with publick offence, and diſturbance. Neither doe the Elders take away from the Magiſtrates, the cognizance of the complaints of Children, Servants, wives, againſt Parents, Maſters, Husbands.
Unleſſe they be meerely private, and eaſily healed in a private way, by Domeſticall Government, what need houſhold Government, if every Family-offence ſhould be brought to the cognizance of the publick Magiſtrate? one Ordinance of God doth not ſwallow up another.