The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 55
CHAP. 55. A Reply to his Chap. 57.
Diſcuſſer.
THe Scripture alleaged by the Anſwerer, to prove that it would be an evill, to tolerate notorious evill doers, whether ſeducing Teachers, or ſcandalous livers, is written, Rev. 2.14.20. Where Chriſt hath ſomething againſt the Church of Pergamus, for tolerating them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam: and againſt the Church of Thyatira, for tolerating Jezebel, to teach and ſeduce.
Ʋnto which I may anſwer with ſome admiration and aſtoniſhment, how it pleaſed the Father of Lights, and moſt Jealous God, to darken and vaile the eyes of ſuch a man, as not to ſeeke out, and propoſe ſome Scriptures (in the proofe of ſo weighty an aſſertion) as at leaſt might have ſome colour for the influence of the civill Magiſtrate in ſuch caſes. For theſe Texts concerne neither the City, nor the civill Magiſtrates of Pergamus, and Thyatyra, but the Churches, and Elders, &c.
Defender.
It was no part of my meaning, to alledge thoſe Scriptures, to prove it unlawfull for Magiſtrates to tolerate ſeducing Teachers, but unlawfull for Churches.
If the Diſcuſſer ſay there needed no proofe of that, that was out of Queſtion.
I may truly tell him, that was more then I knew. For the Letter which he intreated me to Anſwer) ſo ſtated the Queſtion, as in generall to argue againſt perſecution for cauſe of Conſcience. And if the Queſtion be put in ſuch generall Termes, I knew the Church might as well be complained of for perſecution for cauſe of Conſcience, as the civill Magiſtrate. For if perſecution be taken properly for affliction or oppreſſion for righteouſneſſe ſake I knew it was out of Queſtion, all perſecution was unlawfull, whether by the Church, or the Magiſtrate: an unjuſt excommunication is as true perſecution, as an unjuſt Baniſhment. But if perſecution be taken more largely, and looſely, (as it is by the Author of the Letter, and by the Diſcuſſer, for any affliction, or perſecution for cauſe of Conſcience (whether good Conſcience, or evill, whether rightly informed, or erroneous) If that be the intent of the Letter (as it ſeemed to me) to beare witneſſe againſt that, then any teſtimony of Scripture, that juſtifieth a lawfull cenſure of falſe and erroneous Teachers, doth evince the ſcope of the Letter to be erroneous, which is againſt all perſecution for cauſe of Conſcience. Let therefore the Diſcuſſer admire at his owne admiration, and be aſtoniſhed at his owne aſtoniſhment, that wondereth to ſee an univerſall negative argued againſt by a particular affirmative.
The Letter denyeth the lawfulneſſe of all perſecution in cauſe of Conſcience, that is, in matter of Religion: I ſeek to evince the falſhood of it, by an inſtance of lawfull Church-proſecution in caſe of falſe Teachers.
Diſcuſſer.
But if the Churches and Angels thereof had ſufficient power to ſuppreſſe Balaam, and Jezabel, then all power of Magiſtrates and Governours in Pergamus and Thyatira (though they had been Chriſtian) muſt needs fall to the ground, as none of Chriſts appointment.
Defender.
The power of the Churches and Angels, of Pergamus, and Thyatyra, were ſufficient for thoſe ends, for which Chriſt ordained Church-power: to wit, for the healing of the ſoules of ſuch ſeducers, (if they belonged to Chriſt) as alſo for keeping thoſe Churches pure from the fellowſhip of the guilt of their Act (in teaching falſe Doctrines) whom they had duly cenſured. But the power of thoſe Churches and Angels was not ſufficient to prevent the further ſpreading of the Leaven of their falſe Doctrines, both in ſuch as were out of the Church, and in private, amongſt the members of the Church, who might adhere to them. Much leſſe was the putting forth of the Church-power againſt them ſufficient to cleare the Magiſtrates of a Chriſtian State from the guilt of Apoſtaſie, in ſuffering ſuch Apoſtates amongſt them, who would be ready to ſolicite many ſimple ſoules, either to with-hold and with-draw themſelves from the Fellowſhip of the Churches, or in the Churches to withdraw from the Lord Jeſus.
Diſcuſſer.
Laſtly, from this perverſe wreſting of what is writ to the Church, and the Officers thereof, as if it were writ to the Civill Officers, and State thereof, all may ſee how ſince the Apoſtacie of Antichriſt the Chriſtian world (ſo called) hath ſwallowed up Chriſtianity, how the Church, and Civill State, that is, the Church and the world are now become one flock of Jeſus Chriſt, &c.
Defender.
Here is no wreſting, much leſſe perverſe wreſting of any Scripture at all, from the Church, to the Civill State. I intended to apply the Scripture written to the Churches, and to the Officers thereof, no further then to other Churches, and their Officers. The Scriptures upon which we call in the Magiſtrate to the puniſhment of Seducers, are ſuch as are directed to civill States, and Magſtrates, of which divers have been mentioned, and applyed before.