The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 54
CHAP. 54. A Reply to his Chap. 56.
Diſcuſſer.
I Come now to the ſecond Evill, which I obſerve in the Anſwerers former Poſition, that it would be evill to tolerate ſeducing Teachers, ſcandalous Livers.
In two things, I ſhall diſcover the great evill of this joyning and coupling ſeducing Teachers, and ſcandalous Livers, as the proper and adaequate object of the Magiſtrates care and worke to ſuppreſſe and puniſh.
Defender.
I no where make it the proper and adaequate object of the Magiſtrates care and worke, to ſuppreſſe, and puniſh ſeducing Teachers, and ſcandalous livers. For I have expreſly ſaid it, and proved it before, that it is, and ought to be the care and worke of the Church alſo to ſuppreſſe and puniſh ſeducing Teachers, and ſcandalous livers, in a Church-way, as well as the Magiſtrate, in a civill way.
Diſcuſſer.
Firſt, this joyning of things of ſuch different kindes, is not an homogeneall, but heterogeneall commixture of things moſt different in kinds.
Defender.
But theſe different kinds, they agree in one common kind: they are both of them evills, and evills deſtructive in their ſeverall wayes to the common good of Gods people, which ought to be preſerved both in Church and Common-wealth. The Termes of Homogeneall and Heterogeneall, are in this caſe only words of noyſe, and of an empty ſound, fit to take with ſimple people, that know not the meaning, nor uſe of them.
Diſcuſſer.
Who knoweth not, that many ſeducing Teachers of the Paganiſh, Jewiſh, Turkiſh, or Antichriſtian Religion, may be cleare and free from ſcandalous offences in their lives, and from diſobedience to the civill Lawes of the State?
Defender.
Now you may ſee the Diſcuſſer was willing to make uſe of founding words, which himſelfe (it ſeemeth) knew not well the uſe of. For what if there were many ſeducing Teachers of all Religions, that may be cleare from ſcandalous offences? the diſtinguiſhing therefore of evills into theſe two ſorts, into ſeditious Teachers, and ſcandalous offenders, is ſo much the more allowable, and accurate. If a man ſhall ſay the worke of the Creation on the ſixt day, was either of man, or of Beaſt: ſhall a man goe about here to obſerve a great evill, that here is not an homogeneall, but an heterogeneall commixture of things moſt different in kind? For who knoweth not that there are many Beaſts, Lyons, Leopards, Wolves, Beares, that never were men, but are cleare and free from all humane nature?
Such a like reaſoning is that of the Diſcuſſer here. What if many ſeducing Teachers, whether Jewiſh, Paganiſh, Turkiſh, Antichriſtian, were never ſcandalous livers, but obedient to the civill State? yet are they not all of them evill? and accordingly to be reſtrayned by lawfull Authority? And is the joyning of them together the great evill of an heterogeneall commixture?
Againe, let the Diſcuſſer be pleaſed to obſerve (that which hath been often touched afore) that we looke at it, as more tolerable, for ſeducing Teachers to ſeduce thoſe who are already in the ſame gall of bitterneſſe with themſelves, as Pagans to ſeduce Pagans, Jewes to ſeduce Jewes, Turkes to ſeduce Turkes, and Antichriſtians to ſeduce Antichriſtians. Though this alſo ought to be prevented by wiſe and wholſome meanes, by a Chriſtian Magiſtrate in all thoſe that are under his dominion, ſo far as there is power in his hand, without the hazard of the publick State.
Laſtly, let me adde this Reply to the reſt, that it will be hard for the Diſcuſſer to finde Antichriſtian ſeducers cleare and free from Diſobedience to the civill Lawes of a State, in caſe that Antichriſt (to whom they are ſworne) ſhall excommunicate the civill Magiſtrate, and preſcribe the civill State to the invaſion of Forrayners.
Diſcuſſer.
Again, who knoweth, not that a ſeducing Teacher properly ſinneth againſt the Church, & againſt the Spirituall State and Lawes of it? and therefore ought moſt properly and onelyonly to be dealt withall in ſuch a way.
Defender.
Theſe twiſe-ſod Coleworts, the Diſcuſſer hath often ſet them before us heretofore: but with as little ſavour now, as before. For what if a ſeducing Teacher having ſinned againſt the Church, be caſt out by the Church, and ſtill continue ſeducing? yea what a weake and guilfull evaſion, would this prove for the Diſcuſſer, to referre a ſeducing Teacher to a Church-way, when himſelfe doth not acknowledge any Church of Chriſt extant upon the face of the Earth?
Diſcuſſer.
A ſecond evill, which I obſerve in coupling ſeducing Teachers with ſcandalous livers, is a ſilent and implicit Juſtification of all unrighte us and cruell proceedings of Jewes, and Gentiles againſt all the Prophets of God, the Lord Jeſus himſelfe, and all his meſſingers and witneſſes, whom their Accuſers, have ever ſo coupled and mixed with notorious evill doers, and ſcandalous livers, &c.
Defender.
Is this a ſilent and implicite Juſtification of all the injurious and cruell handlings by wicked men of the Lord Jeſus, and his witneſſes, to ſay, that ſeducing Teachers, and ſcandalous livers are to be puniſhed by Authority, becauſe the Lord Jeſus himſelfe, and his witneſſes have ſuffered under thoſe names? What if the wicked Jewes, and Gentiles did injuriouſly and blaſphemouſly put thoſe names upon the Lord Jeſus, and his faithfull witneſſes, and upon pretence of ſuch evils put them to death? doth it therefore juſtifie ſuch proceedings, to ſay, that ſeducing Teachers, and ſcandalous livers are to be puniſhed by Authority? If thoſe who are indeed ſeducing Teachers, and ſcandalous livers ought to be puniſhed, will it therefore juſtifie the like proceedings againſt them who are no ſuch perſons, but falſly ſo called? if a man ſhould ſay, a murderer is to be puniſhed with death, will it therefore juſtifie the Iſlanders of Melita, to put Paul to death, becauſe amongſt them he was ſo reputed, doubtleſſe a murderer? Acts 28.4. yea let the Diſcuſſer ſeriouſly confider, whether this kind of reaſoning of his, doe not more then ſilently and implicitely teſtifie, that the Lord Jeſus and his witneſſes, were ſeducing Teachers and ſcandalous livers.