The Casting Down of the Last and Strongest Hold of Satan, Treatise · Chapter 1 · Thesis 17 (4 of 4)

The Casting Down of the Last and Strongest Hold of Satan · Treatise · Chapter 1 · Thesis 17 (4 of 4)

p. 164Eightly, Suppoſing all Hagiomaſtix ſaith in page. 46. 47. and 130, to be true that that ſentence of the Prieſt or Iudge againſt which hee that would doe preſumptuouſly was to be put to death, was only a ſentence upon enquiry by Vrim and Thummim, and that the Iewes opportunitie of immediateneſſe of conſultation with the mouth of God himſelfe, was a cleer reaſon why that old Teſtament Law for putting of falſe Prophets, &c to death was given to them, yet it followes not theſe Laws cannot be in force now, unleſſe that can be made apparence to have been the only reaſon and ground of the Magiſtrates puniſhing, for if there were other reaſons as well under the old Teſtament of thoſe Lawes, and that by God formally and particularly declared and expreſſed (as tis evident there were, p. 165and I have proved page 70. 76. and divers other pages of this Treatiſe) then they being in force ſtill, the Lawes bind though one particular reaſon, or more proper to that time bee ceaſed: I might inſtance in many morall things commanded under the old Teſtament that unqueſtionably (I ſuppoſe in Maſter Goodwins judgement) are in force under the new, of which among other reaſons given, there was ſome one particular reaſon proper to the Iewes, that holds not now, but for this I refer the Reader to page 83. of this Book: and to put an end to theſe eight Anſwers to the ſixth evaſion of Hagiomaſtix page 46. 47, 130, I ſhall only mind him of that knowne axiome A particulari ad univerſale non valet conſequentia, and therefore though that particular reaſon be ceaſed (although I hauehave fully ſhown that never was any reaſon of thoſe Laws under the old Teſtament for puniſhing of falſe Prophets, but a meer device, and a fancie) tis no good conſequence, all the other reaſons, yea, and the commands themſelves ſhould ceaſe alſo.

Seventhly to that**page 45. 46. Hagiomaſtix ſaith, that the puniſhments enjoyned by God then under the Law to be inflicted in his Church upon delinquents, were more bodily and afflictive to the outward man, then the puniſhments enjoyned under the Goſpel, and conſequently were not only carnall or bodily, but typicall alſo, and prefignificative of thoſe greater and more ſpirituall under the Goſpel, cutting off from his people then, as of caſting out from his people now, cutting off under the Goſpel being no where found to be uſed but in a metaphorical and alluſive ſenſe, alſo to what**Min. Cel. Senenſ. Sect. Tert. pag. 189. Minus Celſus Senenſis writes that that corporall puniſhment in Deut. 13. was a Type of eternall damnation, and therefore that Law with all the reſt given for the future ſignification of things by the comming of Chriſt ceaſed, I anſwer as followes. Firſt, I deny the puniſhments enjoyned by God under the Law to be inflicted in his Church upon delinquents to be bodily or afflictive at all to the outward man, as by donfiſcation of goods, or by death, but they were ſpirituall and inflicted upon the ſoules by ſuſpenſion, excommunication, and ſuch like ſpirituall cenſures, as well as now under the Goſpel: Tis true, p. 166there were bodily outward puniſhments in the Civill Iudicatories inflicted then on the bodies of falſe Prophets, Idolaters, &c, but by the Magiſtrates, the Civil Governors, and not by the Prieſts, the Eccleſiaſtical Governors in the Church of the Iewes: For under the Law the Jewiſh Church and Common-wealth, the Civil Government and Eccleſiaſtical, the cenſures and puniſhments of Church and State were formally diſtinct, as Maſter Gilleſpie hath fully and excellently proved in his Aarons rod bloſſoming in many places, particularly 1. Book cap. 2. 3, 4, 5, and the Church of the Iewes proceeded then againſt falſe Prophets, only with the ſword of the Spirit, and ſpirituall weapons, and the State with the materiall Sword, and bodily puniſhments: Which truth is fully acknowledged alſo by Maſter Cotton (however differing from Presbyterians about a National Church) in his Anſwer to Maſter Williams Bloudy Tenet, ſaying, I ſhould think mine eye not only obſcured, but the fight of it utterly put out, if I ſhould conceave as he doth, that the National Church State of the Jewes did neceſſarily call for ſuch weapons (a ſpeaking of a Sword of Iron or Steel) to puniſh Hereticks more then the Congregetional State of particular Churches doth call for the ſame now in the dayes of the new Teſtament. For was not the National Church of the Iewes as compleatly furniſhed with ſpirituall Armor to defend it ſelfe, and to offend men and Divels as the particular Churches of the new Teſtament be? Had they not power to convince falſe Prophets as Eliah did the Prophets of Baal? Had they not power to ſeperate all evil doers from the fellowſhip of the Congregation? what power have our particular Churches now, which their National Church wanted? or what efficacie is there found in the exerciſe of our power which was wanting to them. It is therefore a Sophiſtical imagination of mans Braine to make a mans ſelfe, or the world believe that the National Church State of the Iewes required a Civil Sword, whereas the particular State of the Goſpel needs no ſuch helpe. And was not the National Church of Iſrael as powerfully able by the ſame ſpirit to doe the ſame? ſurely it was both ſpoken and meant of the National Church of the Jewes, not by might nor by Power, but my Spirit ſaith the Lord of Hoſts Zach. 4. 6. So that by what I have already ſaid Hagiomaſtix muſt either (I ſuppoſe) recall what he hath written of carnal bodily p. 167puniſhments enjoyned by God then to be inflicted, in his Church upon delinquents, or elſe muſt joyne with the Eraſtians in holding the Iewiſh Church and Common-wealth, their Governement and Cenſures all one and the ſame. Secondly, The foundation upon which Hagiomaſtix rears this building of outward puniſhments under the old Teſtament being typical of ſpiritual under the new, (viz the Land of Canaan with the external happineſſe and peace there being typical, and therefore reaſons a compara…is and from the Analogie) is ſandie and unſound: for the Land of Canaan with the external happineſſe and long life in it, whatſoever it was typical of, was from what God had put into the Land, being a Land healthful, pleaſant, flowing with milke and honey, abounding in excellent precious fruits, the immediate bleſſings of God upon it, and not from what came to it by the Magiſtrates Laws and their good Government, for further ſatisfaction of which I wiſh Maſter Goodwin to reſolve me this queſtion, whether the Land of Canaan were not typical as well in times of wars and troubles and under bad Princes, as in dayes of peace, and under good Princes and ſo to reaſon a comparatis (to uſe his owne Phraſe and adidem,) if temporall threatnings and bodily puniſhments inflicted upon delinquents under the old Teſtament, were typicall and Praeſignificative of greater under the Goſpel, they muſt be threatnings and bodily puniſhments inflicted from God upon falſe Prophets, &c, not thoe executed by the Magiſtrates on them. Thirdly, Granting both Hagiomaſtixs foundation and the building reared upon it to be good, yet they no whit prove bodily and outward puniſhments to be wholly taken away under the new Teſtament; for ſuppoſe the temporal happineſſe and the temporal puniſhments had typified more ſpiritual happineſſe, and leſſe of the earth, more ſpiritual judgements, and leſſe of outward or bodily ſufferings under the Goſpel, yet it followes not, they take away all outward happineſſe and bleſſings, and all outward bodily puniſhments: there may be greater or leſſer degrees of things under the old and new Teſtament ſuitable to ſome difference in the manner of Adminiſtration betweene the old and the new, and yet not the ſubſtance of the things taken away: Theſe are knowne axioms, p. 168Gradus non tollunt ſubſtantiam, Magis & Minus non variant ſpeciem: Tis apparent by ſenſe and experience that how much ſoever ſpirituall bleſſings, and ſpiritual judgements in the dayes of the Goſpel abound above the times under the Law, yet they take not away all temporal outward bleſſings, nor all temporal outward judgements, but God for all that gives many outward bleſſings, and ſends many temporal judgements on the earth, So ſuppoſing God ſhould inflict more ſpiritual judgements on the ſoules of men under the new Teſtament, and the Church greater ſpiritual cenſures then under the old, it no way followes the Magiſtrates may inflict none at all, eſpecially when all ſpiritual judgements on the ſoule are ſlited, and with a high hand contemned. Fourthly, Whereas puniſhment by the Magiſtrate and cutting off by death under the old Teſtament, in caſes of Apoſtaſie, Blaſphemie, &c, is made a Ceremonie and type of excommunication under the new Teſtament, cutting off of caſting out, and of eternal damnation, I may truly Anſwer this is gratis dictum, ſaid, but not proved, and therefore might deny it without giving any reaſon, and bid the Patrons of Toleration prove it, but that the Civill Magiſtrates puniſhing delinquents under the old Teſtament, was no Ceremonie nor Type, I ſhall give theſe reaſons. 1. Ceremonies, ſhadowes**Zepper, Moſai. Leg. Explanas. lib. 1. cap. 7. ceremonialia Typica rerum fuerunt aut praeteritarum recordationes ent futurarum praefignificationes, Rerum praeteritarum ut anima Paſchatis celebratio, manna in arca foederis aſſervata, aneus Scrpens. Futurarum ut Sacrificia, &c. Typical things under the old Law, were either of things paſt, or things to come, the remembrances of things already done, or the Praeſignifications of future things, but Ceremonies and Types were not the ſignification of things preſent and exiſtent: Now excommunication and eternal damnation were at that time under the old Law when thoſe commands of puniſhing with death the Apoſtate, faiſe Prophet, &c, were given and in uſe. That excommunication and cutting off from the Church were in the Church of the Iewe… in the times of the good Kings and Magiſtrates puniſhing Idolaters, &c with the Civil ſword, let the Reader Conſult Aarons Rod bloſſoming 1 Book 4. 5, 6, 7. chapt. That there was Hell and eternall damnation under the old Law, as well as the new, both before thoſe commands in Deut. 13. 17. were given, and all along after, many places of Scripture ſhow, as Iſaiah. 30. 33. 2 Pet. 4. Jude 5. 6, 7, that mention Hell for the evil Angels, p. 169Sodomites, the unbeleeving Iſraelites that came out of Egypt, and the wicked Kings of Iſrael and Judah; and therefore that which Hagiomaſtix ſaith, that cutting off from his People under the Law, it exchanged for caſting out from his people under the Goſpel, is very falſe, for there was caſting out from the Church as well then as now, yea cutting off ſpoken of in the old Teſtament in many places, means nothing elſe but caſting out of the Church by excommunication, for full proofe of which I referre the Reader to Aarens rod bloſſoming 1. Book cap. 5. pag. 55. 56, 57, 58, 59; As alſo that paſſage is not true, that the expreſſion of cutting off, where ever tis found in the Goſpel, is m…tephorical and alluſive only, for cutting off is uſed in the new Teſtament for cutting of by bodily death, as in Gal. 5. 12. and elſe where: the proof of which I referre to the 20. Theſis where I ſhall handle it fully. Secondly, The ſame things may be ſaid with as much reaſon againſt bodily outward puniſhments for breaches of the ſecond Table, Adultery, Murder Theft, as againſt outward puniſhing for Apoſtaſie, &c, and if they hold not good againſt the ſecond Table, neither do they againſt the firſt. Thirdly, The Civil Magiſtrates puniſhing for moral tranſgreſſions is no Ceremonie nor Type, acts of morall juſtice, though they may ſometimes be extraordinary, yet they never were accounted Typical or Figurative, but by ſuch as would transforme all the Scriptures into an Allegory, and Maſter**Bloudy Tenet waſhed and made white in the bloud of the Lambe, p. 177. 179. Cotton anſwering ſuch a like evaſion in the Bloudy Tenet, ſaith, Did ever any Apoſtle or Evangeliſt make the judicial Laws of Moſes concerning life and death, ceremonial and Typical Time was when humane inventions in Gods worſhip were accounted ſuperſtition; But now humane inventions in Doctrine may paſſe for currant Evangelical Divinity. And in another **A Reply to Mr. Williams his Examin…. … 43.place, To make a judicial Law a figure without ſome light from ſome Scripture, is to make a mans ſelfe wiſe above that which is written. Fifthly, the making theſe expreſſe commands of God concerning puniſhing Idolaters, falſe Prophets, Blaſphemers, types and figures of ſpiritual and eternal puniſhments, of excommunication, damnation, &c is, by turning the Scriptures into an Allegory, and forſaking their literal ſenſe againſt the rules of interpretation given by the moſt Orthodox**Walaeus De ſacr. Script. Per ſpie. pag. 145. Synopſ. purior. Theol. pag. 62. Weems Chriſtian Synagogue, p 225. It is a dangerous thing when the words are properly to be taken, for to take them figuratively. Divines p. 170as Auguſtine and others, a making them utterly void, and as opening a wide doore to all errors and fooliſh conceits, that as often as men know not how to anſwer the Scriptures that croſſe their Opinions and luſts, and yet have a mind to keepe their Opinions, they may ſtill fly to this, and ſay, This Scripture is not to be taken litterally, but myſtically and Allegorically: Beza in that judicious Tractate of his De Haereticis a Magiſtratu puniendis, in Anſwer to Montfortius a grand Patron of Toleration in thoſe times, who in many places of his writings, made uſe of this Invention, that corporall puniſhment under the old Law, as ſtoning, was no figure of any bodily puniſhment to be now inflicted, but of eternal, to which we ought to leave Hereticks, or elſe of that puniſhment which is inflicted not by a corporal ſword, but a ſpiritual, the lively word of God, writes thus, **Fuit enim haec elim Satanae infignis verſutia, quam tamen nemo prorſus ex veteribus, quod eorum pace dix erim, ſatis animadvertit, ut, quumnon poſſet Scripturam ex Eccleſia prorſus …cere, vanis tamen allegoriis totam redderet inutilem & mythologicam, adeo ut ne unus quidem ſit in Scripturia apex qui non ſit iſtis allegor… contaminatus: quod etiamnum iter bodie Libertin: & Anabaptiſtae ingrediuntur. Sed hoc velim iſti nobis often dant, ex quo tandem Scripturae loco commentum iſtud de Iudicialium legum umbris & figuris didicerint. Nam in ceremoniis, at que adeo in quibuſdam etiam biſtoriis. ex Scripturae auctoritate hac agn… ſco.For this was the ſpeciall ſubtiltie of Sathan of old, which yet not one almoſt of the ancient Fathers obſerved, that when he could not caſt the Scripture out of the Church wholly, yet by vaine Allegories, he made the whole Scripture unprofitable and fabuloùs, ſo as truely there was not one peice of Scripture left free of being contaminated with theſe Allegories, which very courſe alſo the Anabaptiſts, and Libertines take at this day. But this I would that they ſhould at length ſhow us, out of what place of Scripture they have learned that invention and device of the ſhadowes and figures of the judiciall Lawes. Per in Ceremonies and ſo in ſome Hiſtories from the Authoritie of Scripture I acknowledge theſe things: But of judicial Lawes, or corporall Idolatrie, which might ſhadow out ſpirituall, I remember not that I have ever read any thing: But for further ſatisfaction in this particular, I refer the Reader to the Tractate of Beza page 156. 167. Sixthly, ſuppoſing all Hagiomaſtix ſaith were true, that thoſe bodily puniſhments commanded by God under the old Law to be inflicted upon falſe Prophets, Idolaters, Seducers, Blaſphemers, had been in ſome ſenſe typical and Praeſignificative of thoſe greater and more ſpiritual under the Goſpel, yet it followes not that they are ceaſed now, and may not be lawfully practiſed, for they may remaine and be made uſe of, though the other ſenſe intended be fulfilled too: there is a compound ſenſe of ſome Places of Scripture litteral and hiſtorical, figurative and ſpirituall, as Weems in his p. 171Chriſtian Synagogue ſecond Book page 223. 224, 225, 226, 227, 228 ſhowes, in which caſes when the ſpiritual is fulfilled eminently, the literal is not aboliſhed, of which I might give many inſtances, but ſhall onelyonly name one, viz. that of Deut. 25. 4. Thou ſhalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out the Corne. Now though the ſpiritual ſenſe of that place, be the not muzling the mouth of the Miniſters who labour in the Goſpel 1 Cor. 9. 9. yet the litteral ſenſe holds ſtil that a man ſhould forbeare to muzzle the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out the Cor…, or at leaſt tis not unlawfull to forbeare; beſides by the ſame reaſon, the Decalogue the whole ten commandements are overthrown too, for both in Moſes his giving the moral Law, and in the commands themſelves with the preface from the ſecond verſe of the 20. of Exod. to verſe 18. there are divers particulars typical and figurative of things under the Goſpel, temporall corporall things of ſpiritual and heavenly, of which I having ſpoken before in this Book pag. 24. 25, 83, 85. and many learned Divines giving inſtances in this kind * asaaZepper. Moſaic. leg. Forenſ. explaxat. lib. 1. cap. 6. Zepperus bbRivet. Explic. Decalog▪ pag 10. 11, 12.Rivitus ccBurgeſſe vindic. legis pag. 158, 164, 165.Maſter Burgeſſe, I ſhall inlarge no further, but referre the Reader to thoſe Books.

Having laid downe divers reaſons to prove the commands under the old Law for Magiſtrates puniſhing falſe Prophets, Apoſtates, Blaſphemers, to be of common reaſon and equity given to all Nations, and for all Ages, and having anſwered the moſt materiall grounds brought by the Patrons of Toleration to make void thoſe commands, as not binding under the new Teſtament, I come in the third place to anſwer thoſe evaſions and ſhifts brought by**Stratagem. Satan lib. 3. pag. 158, 159. 160. Iacobus Acontius, Minus Celſus Senenſis, and Hagiomaſtix, `that if it ſhould be granted that all and every the Lawes conteſted about,Min. Celſ. Diſput. De Haeretic. coercend. Sect. 3. 171, 172, 173, 174. Hagiom pag. 52, 53. as well that for putting to death the falſe Prophet, as thoſe for inflicting puniſhment upon the Idolater and Blaſphemer were moral, and ſtill in force under the Goſpel, yet theſe could not reach unto Hereticks, and falſe Teachers among us, at not being thoſe falſe Prophets, Idolaters, Blaſphemers, ſpoken of in the old Law. If it can be proved that Hereticks are thoſe Blaſphemers, falſe Prophets, Apoſtates, which Moſes commands to be killed, p. 172then it ſhall be acknowledged Hereticks are to be killed; but there is a large difference between a Heretick and ſuch a falſe Prophet or Apoſtate, as the Presbyterians in their owne definition of Hereticks make. A Heretick does not deny God the Creator of heaven and earth, neither doth he teach that other gods are to be worſhipped; a Heretick does not deny the name of Chriſt; a Heretick does not deny the word of God which an Apoſtate does: So that the word of God may be uſed as a weapon againſt Hereticks, which againſt an Apoſtate, cannot. A Heretick therefore is not mentioned nor touched in any one word of theſe Lawes: But if any will go about to draw theſe Lawes unto an Heretick, that cannot be done by the proper force of the words, but (as the Lawyers ſpeake) per extenſionem latamque interpretationem, by ſtretching of them and far fetched interpreation. And it would firſt be well conſidered of, whether every Law does admit of ſuch extenſions, and if not every one, which of them then does admit, and wherfore? and whether in this Law there are thoſe things for which an extenſion is to be made. By the falſe Prophet who was commanded to be put to death Deut. 13. 5. was not meant every Heretick or erroneous perſon, nor yet thoſe who taught or publiſhed any falſe Doctrine though of dangerous conſequence; but only thoſe who endeavoured to perſwade men to the worſhip of a falſe god; & that by affirming that they ſpake by the inſpiration of ſome deitie, and that their ſayings were to be eſteemed Oracles. What Doctrine it was which made the Prophet or Teacher of it guilty of death, is expreſly determined in the Law it ſelfe, and aſſerted to be this; Let us goe after other gods, which thou haſt not known, and let us ſerve them. And that the Law of God made againſt falſe Prophets and worſhippers of falſe Gods, was not intended againſt thoſe who otherwiſe held that the Law of God was to be kept, but were infected with ſome other error, is ſufficiently evident from hence, becauſe in former times among the Iewes, who were affected with a vehement love and zeale towards their law, Hereticks notwithſtanding were tolerated, and particularly the Sadduces. Theſe although the greateſt part of the people, and the Rulers beleeved them to erre exceedingly, nevertheleſſe p. 173they were not expelled the Citie, neither exempted from being Magiſtrates, or bearing any other Civill office: yea they were not hindred from coming to the Temple or the Synagogues. The Scribes and Phariſees alſo both held and taught many moſt dangerous and erroneous Doctrines; yet were they alſo in great honor and eſteeme in this Church and ſtate. And though our Saviour upon occaſion reaſoned againſt; yea and reproved them all for holding and teaching theſe errors, and gave warning to take heed of them; yet did he never charge this Church or State, or thoſe that bare office in either, with ſin, or unfaithfulneſſe in their places for not proceeding againſt them in regard of their errors, either by impriſonment or death. And yet we know that the Zeale of his Fathers Houſe, did eat him up, and that he attempted a reformation amongſt them; yea Chriſt did teach and preſſe upon men, all, and all manner of duties from judgement, mercy, and faith, even to the paying tithe of Mint, Anniſe, and Cummin.

Now unto theſe and other ſuch like, beſides ſome hints I have already given upon the 14. Theſis, which may ſerve in part for ſatisfaction to ſome of theſe evaſions, I deſire the Reader to mind theſe following Anſwers.

Firſt, there are other places of Scripture both of commands, or elſe examples approved by God, concerning the puniſhing with death or reſtraining by Civil power, (the laſt of which makes good the point in hand againſt Hagiomaſtix and other Libertines, as well as that of death) for other faults in matters of Religion, beſides Blaſphemie, Apoſtaſie, and falſe Prophecying in the ſenſe now alledged by Hagiomaſtix and his Compeers, which theſe following inſtances prove Firſt in Deut. 13. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, that very chapter verſe 5. brought by Hagiomaſtix to prove only thoſe were to be put to death, who endeavoured to perſwade men to the worſhip of a falſe God; and that by affirming, that they ſpake by the inſpiration of ſome deitie, and that their ſayings were to be eſteemed by Oracles, the Holy Ghoſt layes downe the contrary, giving a diſtinct Precept and command from that of the falſe Prophet, or dreamer of dreams, who publickly and openly ſollicites to Apoſtaſie, concerning p. 174the killing of ſuch who in a hidden and clancular way ſeduce: Tis obſerved by learned Junius in his Analytical explication on Deut. 13. that there are two ſorts of Seducers to Apoſtaſie commanded to be put to death, the one of ſuch who publickly and boldly ſollicite, who are ſpoken of in the 5 firſt verſes, the other of ſuch who ſecretly intice in verſe 6. and the five following: Now however the falſe Prophet or dreamer of dreames might pretend to ſpeak by the inſpiration of ſome deitie, for which the 5 verſe of the 13. is quoted by Hagiomaſtix, yet the private enticers to Apoſtaſie, as the daughter, the wife of the boſome, the Son, beſides that they are made a different ſort from the Prophet and dreamer of dreams, and thoſe ſix verſes from the ſixt to the twelfth containe a diſtinct command from the five firſt verſes about falſe Prophets, neither doe they give out ſigns or wonders to confirme their calling, the parties inſtanced in the text, being of daughters to Fathers, Wifes to Husbands, &c, were not likely ſo much as to pretend to them the name of Prophets ſpeaking by inſpiration of ſome deitie, but rather drawing by their neerneſſe of relation, intimateneſſe of affection, opportunities of private and conſtant converſe (which many phraſes in thoſe verſes, the wife of the boſome, thy friend which is as thy owne ſoule, entiſe thee ſecretly, thou ſhalt not cenſent unto him, neither ſhall thine eye pity, and ſuch like imply) and yet theſe are commanded to be put to death, as well as thoſe Prophets who openly and bodily gave out ſigns and wonders to confirme their being Prophets, of which the Reader may be further ſatisfied, by reading Junius his Analytical explication on Deut. 13. And as Moſes in that former part of the chapter ſhowes plainly, contrary to the affirmation of Hagiomaſtix and other Libertines, that others who perſwade men to the worſhip of a falſe god beſides thoſe who pretend themſelves Prophets, are to be killed, ſo in the latter part of this chapter from v. 13. he layes downe how they are to be put to death alſo that are guilty of Apoſtaſie, that have ſuffered themſelves to be drawn away from the true worſhip of God to other gods, who are ſo far from comming under the notion of falſe Prophets, endeavouring to perſwade men to the worſhip of a falſe God, and that by affirming they ſpake by the inſpiration p. 175of ſome deitie, as that they fal not under the Title of Seducers at all, but the ſeduced; and therefore**Franciſ. Jun. Analyſ. cap. 13. Duo argumenta ad Apoſtaſiam pertinentia in hoc capite exponuntur. Prius eſt de auctoribus ſollicitantibus ad Apoſtaſiam v. 11. Poſterius eſt de reis Apoſtaſiae, qui ſe abducia vero Dei cultu perpeſſi fuerint reliquo capite. Iunius writing upon this Deut. 13. analyzes the whole chap. concerning Apoſtaſies into two, Firſt, the Authors entiſing to Apoſtaſie in the firſt 11. verſes. Secondly thoſe who are guilty of Apoſtaſie, who ſuffer themſelves to be withdrawn from the worſhip of God, in the latter part of the chapter, and he ſhowes this is another part of the chap. in which Moſes ſpeaks not of thoſe ſeducing falſe Prophets, nor the clandeſtine Seducers, but of thoſe who yielded to their Seducements, particularly of thoſe who publickly to the view of all are Seduced, and being in publick Order as a City, reſt in that Apoſtaſie, by the publick authoritie of men falling from God, and openly defending that impietie. So Deut. 17. from verſe 2. to verſe 8. ſets downe a Law for putting to death thoſe who are Idolaters and Apoſtates ſimply, though they never went about to entice others: **Jun. Analyt. Expl. in Deut. 17. Differt. autem haec lex ab ea quam ſupra cap. 13. expoſuimus, quod illic agitur de Apoſtatis (ut vulgo loquuntur) dogmatizantibus, & ad Apoſtaſiam ſollicitantibus; hic vero de Idololatris ſimpliciter.Deut 17Iunius upon this 17. c. obſerves that this Law differs from that in the 13 chapt. the eleven firſt verſes, becauſe there Moſes ſpeaks of Apoſtates who are Dogmatiſts and enticers to Apoſtaſie; but here of Idolaters ſimply. In Deut. 17. from verſe 8. to verſe 13. there is a Law that in eccleſiaſtical caſes in matters of Religion, as well as Civil, upon going from the lower Iudicatories to the ſupreme to the high Prieſt with the Colledge of Prieſts, the man that would doe preſumptuouſly and would not hearken unto the Prieſt, even that man ſhould die, which was in other caſes then Blaſphemie, Apoſtaſie, Prophecying falſly: for it appears by the ſcope of that place and the ſtream of all interpreters, that in too hard matters for inferior Courts, they ſhould goe to the High Eccleſiaſtical Synedrion, and whoever preſumptuouſly diſobeyed their ſentence according to the Law, though in other things then the forenamed Blaſphemie, &c as appears by this place verſe 11. 12. ſpeaking of the Law indefinitely with that**Walaei Oper. fol. de Script. Interpret. pag. 164. 2 Chr. 19. 8, 9, 10, 11. compared together, mentioning what cauſe ſoever ſhal come to you of your brethren that dwell in their Cities between Law and commandement, ſtatutes and judgements, ſhould be put to death, the ground of which putting to death here commanded, was not only from the nature of theſe ſins againſt the firſt Table of the higheſt p. 176forme as Apoſtaſie Blaſphemie and ſuch like, but for other ſinnes in points of Religion, though leſſer, when the ſentence and reſolution of the high Prieſt with his Colledges was preſumptuouſly diſobeyed, ſo that the puniſhing of wilful ſcorneful contempt of ſupreme Eccleſiaſticall Government, determining doubts and Controverſies according to the word of God, though in other caſes, then Apoſtaſie, Blaſphemie, Prophecying falſly, is here commanded: But having ſpoken ſo much of this Deut. 17. already in p. 101. 102, 103, 104, 105, 135, 159, 160. I ſhal not enlarge further, only I ſhal take my leave of this Scripture by adding a paſſage out of Maſter Cottons late Book againſt Mr. Williams in way of anſwer to an evaſion of his, that the capital puniſhment preſcribed againſt the preſumptuous rejection of the ſentence of the higheſt Court in Iſrael, was a figure of excommunication in the Church of Chriſt: Unto which Maſter**Reply to Mr. Williams Examination. p. 43. Cotton replyes, That Law is of moral equity in all Nations and in all Ages: Hee that ſhall preſumptuouſly appeale from, or riſe up againſt the cheifeſt or higheſt Court in a free ſtate, is guilty, laeſae Majeſtatis publicae, and therefore as a capital offender to be cenſured in any free common-wealth; And certainly if that part of the Law in Deut. 17. of preſumptuouſly appealing from, or riſing againſt the ſentence of the cheifeſt and higheſt Court in a free State being puniſhed with death, be of univerſal and perpetual equitie, then puniſhing ſo far at leaſt, as to reſtraine thoſe who preſumptuouſly riſe up and contemn the ſentence of the higheſt Eccleſiaſtical Iudicature in a Church going according to the word of God, is of univerſall and perpetual equitie too, and the command of God in that text for puniſhing, is againſt the man that will not hearken unto the Prieſt, as well as he that will not hearken unto the Judge. Deut. 18. 20. ſets downe a Law, that the * Prophet which ſhal preſume to ſpeake a word in Gods name, which he commanded him not to ſpeak, ſhal die, as well as hee that ſhall ſpeake in the name of other gods: which place of Scripture proves expreſly againſt Hagiomaſtix that other Prophets, beſides thoſe that came in the name of falſe gods, and with other falſe Doctrine then that, let us goe after other gods which thou haſt not known and let us ſerve them, were to be put to death. The command is indefinite concerning p. 177ſpeaking any word in Gods name which he commanded not to ſpeak, which muſt needs extend further then a Prophet prophecying only of turning to another God: for there were many falſe Doctrines and falſe worſhips againſt the Jewiſh Religion, beſides that of Apoſtaſie to other gods: Again the ſcope of the words and ſeveral phraſes, as if the thing follow not nor come to paſſe, thou ſhalt not be afraid of him, ſhow tis meant of other Doctrine then ſaying, let us goe after other gods, namely of Doctrine foretelling of ſome things to come; whereas enticing to goe and ſerve other gods is de praeſenti. Learned * Iunius writing on this place, ſhowes that the Prophecies here ſpoken of are different from thoſe in Deut. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. they being of faith, but theſe of facts and events, which are not foretold particularly from the Canon of the Scripture, but only from the ſpeciall revelation of God. Ainſworth in his Annotations upon the Place ſhowes v. 22. the Prophet there ſpeaking of things, is meant of praedictions foretelling things to come, as alſo he reckons up ſeverall ſorts of falſe Prophets, others then the falſe Prophet ſpoken of Deut. 13. 1, 5. The falſe Prophet is to be ſtrangled to death, although he Prophecie in the name of the Lord, and neither addeth nor diminiſheth, whether he Prophecieth that which he hath not heard by propheticall viſion, or who ſo hath heard the words of his fellow Prophet and ſaith that his word was ſaid unto him, and he prophecieth thereby; hee is a falſe Prophet, and is to be ſtrangled to death. And tis evident by Jerem. 26. 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16. in the Prieſts and Prophets proceeding againſt Jeremiah pretending him to be a falſe Prophet, and therefore to be put to death, for ſaying this houſe ſhall bee like Shiloh, and this City ſhall be deſolate without an inhabitant; Whereas Jeremiah ſtill makes his defence, The Lord ſent me to prophecie againſt this houſe, and againſt this City all the words that yee have heard, that other falſe Prophets were to be put to death, then thoſe who taught men to worſhip other gods, upon which law they would have put Jeremiah to death, againſt whom they never ſo much as ſuggeſted that he caught revolt from the Lord, and worſhipping ſtrange Gods. Deut. 19. 16, 17, 18, 19. gives a ground in caſe of private ſeducing to revolt, upon proofe, to puniſh with death, or in caſe of p. 178perjurie, teſtifying falſly upon oath againſt one for ſeducing, a ſinne againſt the firſt Table too, to doe the like, both which ſhowes other perſons for matters of Religion may be puniſhed, then the falſe Prophet ſpoken of in Deut. 13. 1…5. viz. private Seducers to Apoſtaſie and perjured perſons, of which place of Scripture, let the Reader ſee what I have ſaid before in this Tractate, page 108. and further conſult Junius in his Analytical explication of Deut. 19. where we ſhall find that both wayes the matter here ſpoken of, is belonging to the firſt Table and Religion: If the accuſation be true, tis enticing ſecretly to Apoſtaſie; if falſe tis matter of Religion becauſe the oath of God is ſet to it, eſpecially in the cauſe of Apoſtaſie, and therefore the Prieſts in that an oath is a point of Religion, are commanded to be preſent, and to take cognizance of it. And by the way leaſt this place may be thought to favor the Prieſts enquiring by Vrim, for the reſolving of the controverſie, becauſe tis ſaid, Then both the men between whom the controverſie is, ſhall ſtand before the Lord, before the Prieſts and the Iudges, I ſhall to what I have already anſwered to this place pag. 108. adde a paſſage out of**Jun. Analyt. expl. Deut. 19. 17. Conſiſtent due illi viri quibus eſt controverſia, coram Jehova, id eſt, non coram templo. Domini, ſed coram Judicibus à Domino datis, coram quibus quum homines comparent dicuntur ſiſtere ſeſe coram Domino, & quos c…nſulentes dicuntur Dominum conſulere, Exod. 18. Deut. 1.Deut 19:17Exod 18Deut 1 Junius to ſhow the contrary, The parties between whom the controverſie is, are commanded in theſe words to ſtand befor Jehovah, that is not before the Temple of the Lord, but before Iudges given of the Lord, before whom when men appeare they are ſaid to ſtand before the Lord, and whom conſulting with they are ſaid to conſult the Lord, Exod. 18. Dent. 1. The verſe alſo next following ſhowes it cannot be meant of the judgement of Vrim, for the reſolution of it depends upon the Iudges making diligent inquiſion verſe 18. that is their queſtioning and ſearching into the parties and all circumſtances, whereas if it had been by Vrim, it would have been attributed to the Prieſts, rather then the Judges, and it would have come from God, without that diligent inquiſition and exact enquiring of men, as the words imply. So Junius on the place ſaith. But the knowledge and judgement of this thing properly belongs to the Judges, and therefore to the Judges only the diligent enquiring, and thorough ſearching, out is principally commanded. Laſtly, Zach. 13. 2, 3. God by the Prophet ſhowes that in the dayes of the Goſpel prophecying falſly p. 179as diſtinct from Idolatrie (for ſo tis made and alſo I wil cauſe the Prophets) is to be puniſhed bodily (which text that tis both meant of the time under the Goſpel, and to be underſtood litterally of civil outward puniſhment by thoſe in Power and Authoritie, and not figuratively and ſpiritually, that I may not anticipate my ſelfe, nor create trouble to the Reader to read the ſame thing twice, I ſhall by the grace of God prove in the 19. Theſis, where I ſhall at large ſpeak of that Scripture and take of Hagiomaſtix's evaſions, and whither I refer the Reader) Now by Prophets there and thoſe who prophecie and ſpeak lies in the name of the Lord are not meant only Prophets whoſe doctrine is to go & worſhip falſe gods, but al ſorts of falſe phets. 1. Illiterate mechanick men, who run but are not ſent and that whether they preach true or falſe, which that they are included the fift verſe ſhowes, becauſe when the falſe Prophets ſpoken of ſhall repent and be aſhamed, among the reſt one is brought in, ſaying, I am no Prophet: I am an Husbandman, for man taught me to keep cattell from my youth. 2. Prophets who take upon them in the name of the Lord, as by revelation from God to foretell things to come, ſuch Prophets as are ſpoken of in Deut. 18. 20. Ezek. 13. 6, 7. Jerem. 14. 14. 15. 3. Such who preach falſe Doctrines and Hereſies wreſting the Scriptures to maintaine them, though they doe not formally teach another God and Chriſt, neither pretend to ſpeak by the inſpiration of ſome deitie, but only by perverting the Scriptures, which is a ſpeaking lyes in the name of the Lord: Now that Heretieks and falſe Teachers are underſtood in this place of Scripture as well as Apoſtates, beſides the judgement of many learned and Orthodox Interpreters, asaaCalv. in Zach. 13. 3. Jam ſatis clare oſtendit Propheta de falſis doctoribus hoc locum debere intelligi, quia mendacium locu tus es in nomine Jehovae.Zech 13:3 Galvin bbArias Mont in Zach. 13. Nomen Nebiim non vates modo, ſed ſtulte loguaces garruloſ que ſignificat; eos nimirū quid vanae orationis cui nulla virtutis ratio reipſa ſubeſt, artifices ſunt, atque ſermonis & verborum praeſtigiis populū capiunt.Zech 13Ari…s Montanus, ccGualt. in locum At de falſis Doctoribus locum debere in telligi ex ſequen tibus patebit.Gualther ddFabrit. in Zach. 13. 2, 3.Zech 13:2Zech 13:3Fabritius, eeDiod. The Prophets, namely the falſe Prophets, by which are meant all Seducers and teachers of liesDiodate, ffEngliſh Annot. The Prophets, namely the falſe Prophets, by which are meant all Seduces and teachers of liesAnnotations of Engliſh Divines, there are theſe Reaſons. 1. all ſuch are meant who ſpeak lyes in the name of the Lord, and that is made formalis ratio why not live, and to be thruſt thorow, for thou ſpeakeſt lies in the name of the Lord. Now falſe Doctrines and Hereſies are ſpeaking lyes, cald lyes in many places of Scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 2. 2 Theſ. 2. 11. Revel. 2. 2. and fables 2 Tim. 4. 4. and when men pretend God hath revealed them unto them by inſpiration, or urge the Scriptures p. 180to make them good, this is to ſpeake lyes in the name of the Lord: hence Calvin upon this place gives this reaſon that tis cleere the Prophet Zacharie ſpeaks altogether of falſe Teachers, becauſe of thoſe words, for thou ſpeakeſt lyes in the name of the Lord. 2. The word in this text uſed viz. Nebüm, and tranſlated Prophets, does not only ſignifie Prophets as Arias Montanus obſerves upon that place, but fooliſh ſpeakers and vaine talkers; ſuch namely who are the cunning deviſers of vaine diſcourſes, and by the ſubtil illuſious of words doe catch the people; ſuch as Peter ſpeaks of, 2 Pet. 2. falſe Teachers among the people who with fained words deceive, & among others ſuch eſpecially who when they are confuted by learned men by plain places of Scripture being deſtitute of all abilitie and means by which to defend them errors, that they may delude weak people, inſolently hoaſt they have the Spirit, all their diſcourſes being full of the boaſting of the Spirit, their prayers, diſputations, ſpeeches to the People all full of that, for which they thinke they ſhould be more beleeved then for all reaſon, teſtimonies, imitating therein Mahomet that Prince of Hereticks, who when be could not prove the things he taught, then he fled to the authoritie of the Spirit, ſaying the Spirit revealed thoſe things to him. Now all ſorts of Hereticks and falſe Teachers beſides thoſe Prophets who ſay let us goe after other Gods, are vain talkers and deceivers as they of the circumciſion and others Tit. 1. 10. 3, In this place is underſtood Hereticks and falſe Teachers, as well as falſe Prophets who teach the following after other Gods, from the effects that follow upon the thruſting thorow in the 4. 5. 6. verſes: ſo Gualther upon the place ſaith, that it ought to be underſtood of falſe Teachers, out of what followes it ſhall be manifeſt, as from ſaying, I am no Prophet, I am an but bandman, for man taught me to keep cattell from my youth, &c. That is they ſhall ingenuouſly confeſſé their ignorance that they ought to be ſent to the Plaw-taile, and to keep cattel rather then to continue any longer in the Miniſtrie of the Church: And this is fulfilled in our age in many Papiſts, who have left many fat Livings, and preferments to embrace the pure Doctrine of the Goſpel, and …bet in the Church of Chriſt by the labor of their hands to get their living, then in the tents of Anti-Chriſt to enjoy the greateſt means. Now Papiſts and ſuch others however they are falſe Teachers & ven… p. 181corrupt unſound Doctrine, yet they are not of thoſe who deny the true God and Chriſt, and perſwade to ſerve ſtrange Gods: So that by all theſe places of Scripture opened, wee may ſee fully proved, againſt Hagiomaſtixs aſſertion, by warrant of Scripture, many corruptions in matters of Religion, beſides falſe Prophets publickly teaching Apoſtaſie to falſe Gods, outwardly and bodily puniſhed, as private Seducers (though they pretend not to be Prophets) as perſons ſeduced not ſeducing, as thoſe who would not hearken to, but contemne the ſentence of the ſupreme Eccleſiaſticall Aſſembly, as Hereticks and falſe Teachers; and whoever would ſee more of theſe inſtances of Magiſtrates puniſhing for corruptions of religion in points of wil-worſhip, Sabboth breaking, &c, let them look back to page 27. 28, 29 of this preſent Tractate.

Secondly, Suppoſing there had been no other commands nor examples for Magiſtrates under the old Teſtament putting to death for matters of Religion, then thoſe named by Hagiomaſt. of falſe Prophets, Apoſtates, Blaſphemers, which is not true (as I have now ſhown in this firſt Anſwer and page 28. of this preſent Book) yet theſe were ſufficient grounds to juſtifie the Magiſtrates puniſhing in like caſes, and that upon theſe Reaſons. 1. In all Laws and commands for the better knowing their nature what they require and would have, tis good looking into the cauſes and reaſons of them, why ſuch Lawes were given by God: from the cauſe of making the Law, the mind of the Law-giver is to be underſtood: Tis a knowne maxime Ratio legis eſt mens legis, the reaſon of the Law, is the mind of the Law; Now the reaſons and cauſes of both thoſe commands, both againſt falſe Prophets as alſo private Seducers in**Jun. Analyt. Explic. in Deut. 13. p. 541. Cauſae hujus legis & … graviſſimae expenunter di…: quarū prior atque poten…ior eſt reſpe… … of reſpect… ….Deut 13 Deut. 13. from 1. to the 12 are. 1. the ſeeking to turne men away from the Lord their God, and thruſting them out of the way which the Lord commanded them to walke in 2. The putting away the evill from the midſt of them, that others may hear and fear and do no more any ſuch wickednes among them; theſe are the Spirit and ſubſtance of theſe commands, that thoſe are to bee puniſhed who when they fal from God themſelves, tempt others to the like defection, and therefore are to bee made examples, that others may not doe the like; And therefore p. 182whoever ſeeks to turne men away from the Lord God, and thruſt them out of the way which the Lord hath commanded them to walke in, they come within the compaſſe of theſe commandements although they doe not tempt to goe after the falſe Gods of that time, and thoſe Countries, which the falſe Prophets then enticed them to; for the reaſon of the Law is expreſſed in a univerſall forme againſt thoſe who ſeek to turne men away from the Lord their God, and to thruſt them out of the way which the Lord commanded them to walke in, as**Bez. de Haeret. à magiſt. puniend. p. 156. Beza obſerves, and therefore to be in force againſt thoſe in generall who doe fal from the true Religion, and enticers alſo, which is done other wayes then by falling to the ſtrange Gods in thoſe times that Moſes writ in; yea the command it ſelfe verſe 5. in the letter, mentions as ſpeaking to turne men away from the Lord their God, ſo to thruſt out of the way, which the Lord their God commanded them to walke in, which certainly in the Scripture ſenſe and acception includes other Apoſtafie and Idolatrie, then of other Gods; and I aske whether Iſraels worſhipping the golden calfe, and the ten Tribes worſhipping the golden calfe at Dan and Bethel, though they worſhipped Iehovah in and by them,☜ were not a going out of their way which the Lord their God commanded them to walke in. Secondly, It is common and uſual, that in the commands concerning the worſhip of God and in other places of Scripture where the worſhip of God is ſpoken of, there are Synecdochicall ſpeeches, intending and containing many other things of like kind and nature although not formally and literally expreſſed. Eliah whe he complained of the whole Covenant of God violated by the Iſraelites, expreſſes it by a part,**1 King. 19 101 Kgs 19:10 thrown down thine Altars and ſlaine thy Prophets. The Prophet Iſaiah prophecying of Egypts embracing the true religion, ſaith, Egypt ſhall ſweare to the Lord of hoſts, under that expreſſing the whole worſhip of God. The commands of God are exceeding large and broad, comprehending many things under one:**River. in Decal. p. 6. In omnibus, praeceptis decalogi Synecdocben eſſe agnoſcendam; qua ſpecie una propoſita intelliguntur omnes ſub eodem genere. Vide plur. Rivet in his explication of the Decalogue among other Rules hee gives for underſtanding of the commandements, hath this, that in all the Precepts of the Decalogue we muſt acknowledge a Synecdec…e, in which one kind being propounded, all under the ſame genus p. 183are underſtood. But that that Synecdoche may be rightly explained, before all things the Scope of the Law-giver in every Precept is to be enquired after: namely, what he ſignifies pleaſes and diſpleaſes him: for then we ſhall aime rightly and refer all things to their true end; Now in theſe commands Deut. 13. from v. 1. to the 12. if we doe but wel obſerve the ſcope and end of the Law-giver, viz how teaching defection from the Lord God highly diſpleaſes him we ſhall plainly ſee the Synecdoche in theſe commands, under that turning away by thoſe falſe Gods, other turning away by falſe Gods of another ſort, and falſe worſhips of the true God by Images and Idols, highly provoking him. Of**Bez. de Haeret. à magiſtr. puniend. 156. Sunt autem hujus defectionis varia teſtimonia publica, que rum etſi praecipua tantum, & quae foreign accidunt in legihus commemorantur, ipſa tamen legis ratio unverſali formula concepta eſt: itaque in genere valere debet adverſus eos qui à vera religione deficiunt, & alies ad defectionem ſolicitant. defection from God there are many dangerous and damnable wayes, divers publick teſtimonies of it, of which though one or two Principall of the times and places then may be only particularly named in the Laws, yet ſuch that are worſe, and other as bad muſt needs be meant too, eſpecially when the reaſon of the Law ſpeaking of defection is delivered in a general way, as tis in this inſtance of Deut. 13. But of this the Reader may ſee more in page 31. 32. of this Treatiſe.

Thirdly, under the old Teſtament Lawes, commanding Magiſtretes to puniſh falſe Prophets, Idolaters Blaſphemers, are contained falſe Teachers and Hereticks, who preach Doctrines deſtroying the foundation, and blaſphemers againſt the glory of Chriſt, although they be not ſuch falſe Prophets and Apoſtates as wholly deny God and Chriſt, and fall to the gods of the Heathens, which beſides the judgement of many learned Divines, as Calvin, Beza, Zanchius, Bullinger, Peter Martyr, Philip Melancton, Iunius, Zepperus, with divers others upon that queſtion, ſtil quotiug thoſe texts to prove that Hereticks and falſe Teachers ought to be puniſhed by the Civil Magiſtrate, appears further thus. 1. Among the**Haebreis, Pſeudo-propheta quemvis falſum doctorem ſignificare ſolet, Bergii Diſſert. Octae de Haereſ. eſuſque Jud. Iewes a falſe Prophet uſed to ſignifie every falſe Teacher as**Fabrit. in Zach. 13. 2, 3.Zech 13:2Zech 13:3 Bergius ſhows, and I have already ſhown out of Calvin, Arias Monianus and others that by the falſe Prophets in Zacharie are meant falſe Teachers, and that the word in the Hebrew Nebiim ſignifies fooliſh and vaine talkers, that with fained words make merchandize of People, as well as Prophets; p. 184and ſome Divines ſhow that the name of Prophet in the generall ſignification was taken not only for them that foreſold things to come, but for ſuch who profeſſed themſelves Interpreters of the Law and word of God, though falſly. 2. There is a great agreement and analogie made by the Holy-Ghoſt, between the falſe Prophets under the old Teſtament, and the falſe Teachers and Hereticks under the new; between the Heatheniſh Apoſtaſie and Idoaltrie of ſtrange Gods under the old, and Chriſtian Idolatrie, the worſhipping of the true God, by Images, Saints, and the beleeving of falſe Doctrines deſtructive to the faith, as theſe places of Scripture ſhow 2 Pet. 1. 1. But there were falſe Prophets alſo among the people, even … there ſhall be falſe Teachers among you, where Peter reſembles them together, making the falſe Teachers under the new ſuch men as the falſe Prophets under the old; hence in many places of the new Teſtament,**ride… igitur qui haeretici, etiam Pſeudo-Prophetae ſaepe appellantur, de quibus Math. 7. 15. Math. 24. 24. Bergii Diſſertat. Octa. de Haereſ. 1060.Matt 7:15Matt 24:24 Hereticks and falſe Teachers who broached ſtrange Doctrines in Chriſtian religion, ſtill profeſſing to hold Chriſt, are cald by the name of falſe Prophets, and Popiſh Teachers who hold Chriſt, the Scriptures, &c, cald falſe Prophets, as Matth. 7. 15. the falſe Prophets there, muſt needs be meant falſe Teachers, who doe not deny God and Chriſt, and not Maſter Goodwins falſe Prophets, as their ſheeps clothing ſpoken of in the text ſhowes. So Matth. 24. 11. 24. the falſe Prophets were ſuch men in pretences, in ſo much that if it were poſſible they would deceive the very elect. So 1 John 4. 1. Chriſtians are called upon to try Doctrines, becauſe many falſe Prophets are gone out into the world, that is, falſe Teachers broaching ſtrange Doctrines, and thus the Anti-Chriſtian faction is cald the falſe Prophets in divers places of the Revelation of Saint Iohn, hence cald dreamers Iude 8. as thoſe in Deut. 13. 1. compared to Janues and Iambres, to Balaam that falſe Prophet and ſuch like, 2 Tim. 3. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 15. Iude 11. and thus Rome after turned Chriſtian, but worſhipping the true God after a falſe manner, being corrupt in the faith of Chriſt, is called by the ſame name and the ſame things affirmed of it for worſhipping Divils and for Plagues, as of Heatheniſh Babylon that worſhipped falſe gods, as many places in the Revelation of Saint Iohn ſhow. p. 1853. Hereticks and falſe Teachers who yet profeſſe to beleeve in God Creator of heaven and earth, and in Ieſus Chriſt, to hold alſo the Scriptures the word of God, may yet …each ſuch Doctrins that they may be juſtly ſtiled falſe Prophets, Apoſtates, Idolaters, Blaſphemers, as divers of the ancient Hereticks, Mevandrians, Gnoſticks, Manichees, with others, and ſundry of the later ſort, Papiſts, the Libertines againſt whom Calvin writes, Socinians, Familiſts. The Apoſtles in many places of their writings ſpeaking of Hereticks and falſe Teachers in their times, and Prophecying of thoſe in after times, both the Popiſh faction and the Sectarian, ſpeak of them as Apoſtates, Anti-Chriſts, falſe Prophets, Seducers, Deceivers, Idolaters, Blaſphemers, and their Doctrines and wayes as Apoſtafie, Idolatrie, Blaſphemie, worſhipping of Devils, Seducing and ſuch like, as theſe and many other ſuch like places of Scripture ſhow, 2 Theſ. 2. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 17. 18. 1 Tim. 1. 19. 20. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Iohn. 2. 18, 19, 22, 23, 26. 1 Iohn. 4. 1, 2, 3. 2 Epiſt. of Iohn 7. 9, 10. Iude verſe 4. Revel. 2. 20. Revel. 9. 20. Revel. 13. 5, 6. Revel. 16. 13, 14. Revel. 13. 3, 5. Revel. 18. 4, 9. Revel. 19. 20. It were eaſie for me to ſhow how many of the Hereticks in the three firſt Centuries that profeſſed the name of Chriſt, and therefore not cald infidels, might juſtly be termed Apoſtates, falſe Prophets, Idolaters, Blaſphemers: Junius obſerves upon Deuteronomy 13. that Hereticks are diſtinguiſhed divers wayes, Hereſie is either totall as that of the Menandrians, Gnoſticks, &c, or partial departing only in part from the Doctrine of faith: Now I ſuppoſe totall Hereſie, will eaſily be acknowledged Apoſtafie; but I will only inſtance in ſome Hereticks and falſe Teachers of the latter times, Papiſts, Socinians, Antitrinitarians, Anabaptiſtis. Are not Papiſts groſſe Idolaters in ſeverall particulars, as our Divines have unanſwerably ſhowen in their writings againſt them? Are not Socinians alſo Apoſtates, groſſe Idolaters, who make the Chriſtian faith in the object of faith and worſhip not to bee diſtinguiſhed from the faith and worſhip of Heathens, Iewes, and Mahumetans, and beſides one God Maker of all things, worſhip Chriſt with divine worſhip whom yet they hold to be but a p. 186meere man: out of the Apoſtaſie, Impietie, and baſe Idolatrie of the Sociaians, in what reſpects Apoſtates overthrowing all fundamentals of faith, and agreeing with Iewes, Turks, and the old Hereticks Pault…ni and others, by Epiphanius called foreign; worſe then Papiſts and their Idolatrie more evid…nt and gr…ſſe then the Papiſts, I referre the Reader to the Theſes of learned**Voer. pars prim. alte a, De neceſſit… Tranitat. Sequeretur fidem Christia nā objecto fidei & caltus ſai non distingui, à Gentili, Judaica, Mahumediſtica. Sienim neceſſario non credat in Vnitate Trinitatem, in Trinitate Vnitatem, jam redigitur ad Theologiam naturalem, & Symbolizat cum pſeude-religionibus modo memoratis. Addimus nunc tantū de Mahumedica, eam ex vagis & incertis Neo-ſcepticorum …ypotheſibus vix poſſe convinci apoſtaſiae abſolute exitialis; ca enim praeter pietatem & probitatem, ſtatuit fidem unius Dei & Chriſti tanquam magni Prophetae & legati Dei ex virgine nati, immo tanquam Meſſiae: ita ut in his fundamentalibus non admodum diſſentire videantur ab Anti-Trinitariis Franciſci Davidis ſectatoribus. Et Socinianos eſſe Idololatras, & quidem turpiſſimos, quippe qui ex formula religionis ſuae praeter unum illum ſolum natura Deum conditorem omnium, divine cultu adorant Chriſtum natura foreign, contra Gal. 4. 2. coll. cum Jer. 10. 11. Libertas exercitii ſeu caetuum eccleſiaſticorum celebratio publica aut privato publica non eſt concedenda Socinianis, quia eſt idololatria multo evidentior, & magis theoret…ca ac craſſa quam ex grataeſt invocatio Mariae & Sanctorum in Papatu. Voet. Diſputat, de Gentiliſmo. Videlii Tractat. de Deo Synagog.Gal 4:2Jer 10:11 Voetius De neceſſitate & utilitate Dogmatis de ſa…st… Trinitate, who fully and excellently proves all theſe particulars. In the ancient Conſtitutions of Gratian, Valentinian, Theodoſius, Martian, Iuſtinian, Antitrinitarians, are ſaid Iewiſhly and Apoſtatically to contradict the Trinitie and the name of Chriſtians is denied them; Are not Antitrinitatians as Paul Beſt that hath belched out ſo many reproachfull ſpeeches againſt Chriſt and the Holy-Ghoſt, Blaſphemers in a high meaſure? Are not they who doe not only ſpeak evill of the Trinitie, but teach others ſo to doe greater Blaſphemers then thoſe ſpoken of in Levit. 24. 16? Are not divers Anabaptiſts who have broached falſe Doctrines, and foretold divers things to come as the day of judgement to be on ſuch a day, ſuch a City or Country to be deſtroyed on ſuch a day, ſuch a Citie or Kingdome to be given them of God, and that by affirming they ſpake by Revelation and immediate inſpiration of God, falſe Prophets as well as thoſe in Deut. 13. 2. Deut. 18. 20, 22? In a word I ſhall conclude this with a paſſage out of * Beza De Haereticis a Magiſtratu puniendis, brought by way of Anſwer to a like objection againſt Deut. 13. &c, Thoſe Lawes are not now in force, becauſe there is no man now a falſe Prophet, according to Moſes definition, that is, who foretels any thing to come and teaches to worſhip other gods: I anſwer p. 187that the mind of the Law-giver is to be underſtood from the cauſe of making the Law, Becauſe he hath ſpoken to turne away from the Lord your God: Now there are divers publick Declarations of this defection, of which although the Principall only, and thoſe which moſt commonly fall out be named in the Laws, yet the very reaſon of the Law is expreſſed in a univerſall forme, and therefore in the general oúght to be in force againſt thoſe who doe fall from the true religion and ſollicite others to defection, whom in a generall word we call now Hereticks, not falſe Prophets or dreamers of dreams, or Sacrificers to other gods: becauſe that thoſe out ward ceremonies and thoſe gifts of Prophecie are ceaſed. But though they be ceaſed, notwithſtanding neither defection, nor the puniſhment of it is ceaſed. Moreover I ſay, thoſe who interpret the holy Scripture wrongfully, withdraw men from the true worſhip of God, and ſo perſwade them to the worſhip of other gods. For tis neceſſary that all Doctrine which ſpeaks of the worſhip of God, if it be not of God it proceeds from the Devil; Therefore he that receives it intertains the Devil, and he that perſwades the receiving it drawes away from God; For Paul cals the Doctrines of forbidding meats and marriage the Doctrines of Devils.

Fourthly, In the commands given by God either againſt ſuch and ſuch ſins, or for puniſhing in ſuch and ſuch ſins, without any ſtretching of the commands at all, or interpretations at large, many things not named muſt neceſſarily be contained, as under generals the particulars, as under one kind other kinds of a higher nature, or of the like nature, as under the male, the female alſo, and other ſuch, or elſe many common received Rules given by Divines for interpretation of the Decalogue and Scripture are to be rejected; Yea many things that are evill and abominable are not forbidden in the Law of God: There are many things may be inſtan…ed in out of the new Teſtament of which God ſhowes his diſlike, which yet in the letter and particularly by name are not forbidden in any of the commands of the old Teſtament, as Rom. 1. 26. with divers others that might be named; and there are many abominations that have been, are, and may be committed even of things againſt the light of nature that are neither in the old Teſtament, nor new forbidden particularly; and p. 188yet certainly theſe things are forbidden directly and properly in the commandements, and the commandements are not ſtretcht, nor wyre-drawn by thoſe who alledge ſuch commands againſt ſuch Practiſes: If the Scriptures muſt ſet down particularly by name all the kinds and degrees of evils, with the particular manner and way of doing them, which the corrupt nature of man is capable of committing, and al particulars of all kinds and manner of duties, with all particular caſes about puniſhments, and all kinds and degrees of puniſhment belonging to all kind of offences that may fall out, and that both in Civil and Eccleſiaſtical cenſures, with the particular way and manner of proceeding in them all, I ſuppoſe ſome hundreds of great volumes would not containe them all, but that it might be ſaid in this caſe as tis Iohn 21. the laſt verſe of the things which Ieſus did, that if they ſhould be written every one the world it ſelfe could not containe the Books that ſhould be written. And if there muſt not be an extenſion and interpretation of commands, ſo as to hold ſuch commands and places of Scripture, forbid or enjoyne ſome things not particularly named, how will Hagiom. prove many things practiſed by Papiſts and Prelaticall men to be againſt the ſecond command or againſt any command, as the making Croſſes for Religion, Holy-Water, Saints, Reliques, bowing at the name of Jeſus, Holy-Dayes, Surplices, Altar-Clothes, with a hundred other Ceremouies and Inventions of men in the worſhip of God, are theſe literally and by name forbidden in the ſecond command or any other? and may not the Papiſts and Prelates in all the texts of Scripture brought againſt their Wil-worſhip, and Inventions of men, ſay the very ſame to Hagiomaſtix and his fellowes, that Croſſes, Holy-Dayes, bowing at the name of Ieſus, &c, are not mentioned nor touched in any one word of thoſe Laws under the old Teſtament given againſt Idolatrie: But if any one will goe about to draw theſe words unto their Croſſes, &c, that cannot bee done by the proper force of the words, but as Law…ers ſpeake per extenſionem latamque interpretationem. And it would be firſt well conſidered of, whether every Law does admit of ſuch extenſions, and if not every one, which of them then does admit, and wherefore, and whether in the ſecond commandement there are thoſe p. 189things for which an extenſion is to be made? Again, I deſire Hagiomaſtix and his compeers to reſolve me theſe queſtions, ſeeing there muſt be no extenſion of that command in Deut. 13. 1, 5. nothing elſe commanded but what is in the letter of the Law, Whether a falſe Propheteſſe that ſhould ariſe and endeavour to perſwade to the worſhip of a falſe God; and that by affirming ſhe ſpake by the inſpiration of ſome deitie, and that her ſaying's were to be eſteemed Oracles, were not to be put to death by virtue of this command, as well as the falſe Prophet? and yet a Prophe…eſſe is not in the text. Whether that command Exod. 21. 33, 34. of the owner of the pit into which his neighbours Oxe or Aſſe fell, making good the Oxe or Aſſe and giving money to the Owner of them, did not bind as much if a Horſe or a Sheep fell, into it? and yet the words of the Law are only the Oxe or the Aſſe, and not a Horſe or Sheep. Whether that command concerning the putting to death thoſe children that did curſe or ſtrike their Parents, though it expreſſed not in the letter death for killing of them, did not include much more death upon thoſe who killed their Parents? and ſo I might inſtance in many more particulars; But for a concluſion of this fourth Anſwer, I ſhall end with a paſſage out of**Macco. Disputt 14. De lege Jud. Theſ. 15 Perfectio legum Judicialum requirit ut ſtatuamus nullum caſum accidere poſſe, qui non poſſet ex illius analogia (nam de ſimilibus idem est judicium) de finiri. Exempli gra…ia Exod. 21. 33 34. habetur haec lex: Quum retexerit quis foveam, autquum foderit quis foveam, deinde non operuerit … am, itaque ceciderit illuc bos aut aſinus. Dominus ille foveae rependito, pecuniam reſtituito domino illius, quod autem mortuum fuerit ejus eſt…. Hactenus verba legis, ſed quid ſi in ſoveam talem indicerit … vis aut equas, fecile eſt intelligere ex ipſa analogia & ſimilitudine rerum, idem juris hic obſervandum.Exod 21:33 Maccovius in a Diſputation of his De Lege judiciali, that the perfection of the judicial Laws require, that we ſhould hold no caſe can fal out, which cannot from the analogie of the Law (for of like there is the ſame judgement) be determined. From the analogie and ſimilitude of things tis eaſie to underſtand, that the ſame Law and Right is to be obſerved, referring the Reader for more ſatisfaction to page 31. 32, 33. of this preſent Tractate.

Fifthly, as to that brought by Hagiomaſtix and the reſt, that the Law of God made againſt falſe Prophets and worſhippers of falſe Gods was not intended againſt thoſe who otherwiſe held the Law of God was to be kept, but were infected with ſome error, becauſe in former times among the Jewes who were affected with a vebement love and zeale towards their Law, Hereticks notwithſtanding were tolerated, and particularly the Sadduces, theſe were not exempted from being Magiſtrates: The Scribes and Phariſees alſo that taught many dangerous errors, yet were in great honor in this Church and State, I anſwer, 1. Hagiomaſtixs foundation upon p. 190which he raiſes this argument is unfound, for the Scribes Pheri…ees and others in place, in the time of tolerating the Sadduces, Herodians and other Hereticks (which was in Chriſts time) were not zealous of the Law of God, as is evident by many of Chriſts Sermons reproving them for want of love and zeale to the Law, and the true worſhip of God, Matth. 5. from the 19. verſe to the end of the chapter, Matth. 15. from verſe 3. to the 10. Matth. 23. from verſe 3. to the 29. verſe. They were zealous indeed of the traditions of the Elders, and of their owne Superſtitions and Devices, but not of the Law of God, they corrupted and tranſgreſſed the Lawes of God by their traditions and hypocriſies, but had no true love nor zeale to the Law nor the Jewiſh Religion, and therefore no wonder they tolerated Sadduces, Herodians, &c, but of this point how religion was then mightily corrupted and all things out of order, I have ſpoken before in p. 30. of this Treatiſe, and ſo wil not tautologize. 2. Can Hagiomaſtix upon ſecond thoughts think the Practiſe of the Rulers of the Jewes and the people that followed them in a time ſo deſparately corrupt as that was, when Church and State haſtened to deſtruction, and all things were amiſſe, a ſafe Ground for Chriſtian. Magiſtrates to walke by, and not rather judge they did amiſſe in that as well as in other things, and that their Practice is not a probable Rule to be followed: I ſhall mind him of one particular inſtanced in by himſelfe viz, their not hindring the Sadduces and other Hereticks, from coming to the Temple or the Synagogues, which if it were well done tis by this argument as unlawful for the Church to cenſure her members with Eccleſiaſticall cenſures for any Hereticall Tenets, as for the Civil Magiſtrate to puniſh, and ſo all Church Cenſures for Hereſies and falſe Doctrines are overthrown as well as civil; whereas I took it for granted, Church cenſures in matters of Religion had been Lawfull, viz. A ſpiritual weapon ſuitable, by their owne confeſſion, for a ſpirituall evill Hereſie, and M. S. a good Friend of Hagiomaſtixs in anſwer to that Argument againſt Toleration, Revel. 2. 20. yeelds it, ſaying, that's meant of Church cenſures, but not of bodily outward puniſhment by the Magiſtrate; and therefore I think the practiſe of the People and p. 191their Rulers ſuffering Sadduces and all other Hereticks to be no better argument for Juſtification of a Toleration, then their practiſe of crucifying Chriſt a Juſtification of that. 3. Beſides that all may ſee what you and your party aime at in ſpeaking of the Phariſees and Saduces being in honour in the Jewiſh State Magiſtrates and bearing civill offices, not a bare Toleration of your conſciences, but that you may be in places of honour, government and profit: This gives us a cleare reaſon of the Toleration of Errors in thoſe times, namely that Scribes, Phariſees and Saduces were in places of power and government, had a great intereſt in Church and State, and therefore no wonder if they would tolerate themſelves and their owne Opinions: can you think it a good argument that Adulterers and theeves ought to be tolerated, becauſe Adulterers and Theeves having power, ſuffer ſuch to goe unpuniſhed: Or can you thinke it reaſon to ſay many Papiſts, Anabaptiſts, being in places of Government ſuffered Papiſts, Anabaptints, therefore tis the duty of the godly Magiſtrate to ſuffer them and all other Hereticks: Pray Maſter Hagiomaſtix reſolve me this queſtion, ſeeing Scribes, Phariſees, and ſuch like were Magiſtrates and in places of power and honour, who ſhould puniſh Phariſees and Saduces for their Errors and dangerous Opinions?

Sixthly, as to that laſt clauſe that Chriſt did never charge this Church or State, or thoſe that bore office in either with …in or unfaithfulneſſe for not proceeding againſt the Sadduces, Phariſees, &c. in regard of their Errors, either by impriſonment or death, and yet Chriſt did teach and preſſe upon men all and all manner of duties. I anſwer, Firſt, how is that proved he never did: Can the Patrons of Toleration Minus Celſus Senenſis, Hagiomaſtix, &c make it follow by ſaying tis no where written in the Goſpels, and therefore he never reproved them, can they reaſon from the Scriptures negatively in matters of fact, ſuch things never were, becauſe the… are not ſpoken of? what think… they of that Axiome, Anon dicto ad non fact… no… valet conſequentia, were not there many things that Chriſt did which were not written, Iohn 21. the laſt verſe? But if they will reply, yes in ſome things, but not in matters of judgement, righteou…neſſe ſuch a weighty matter as this is made to be; I p. 192rejoyne that in many weighty matters of the Law and juſtice, Chriſt either ſpoke not particularly of them, or if he did, they are not written, neither can be found in the Goſpels more then this of puniſhing Sadduces and other Hereticks in matter of Religion: I might inſtance in many things unqueſtionably forbidden or commanded by God in the Morall Law, that are not particularly ſpoken of in the Goſpels, which yet from hence to reaſon againſt them wery vere bad Divinity. What inſtances can be given of Chriſts giving any commands to thoſe in place to puniſh for Murther, Adulterery, Theft, more then for Idolatrie, Blaſphemie, Here…ie? 2. Hagiomaſtix brings in the Church again, as well as the State, ſurely he is for a Toleration of all Hereſies, Blaſphemies, &c, in the Church as well as the State, to have no man puniſhed for his religion with any cenſure of Admonition, Excommunication, or Non-Communion: In his M. S. he was for ſpiritual cenſures, but in theſe 3. yeers laſt paſt the man is well improved (belike) to reaſon againſt any Church cenſure as well as State Puniſhment: And by the way I deſire the Reader to obſerve whatever reaſon in the wiſedome of God there might be, that nothing is ſet down in the Goſpels of Chriſts charging the State with ſin for not proceeding againſt the Sadduces, &c, that cannot be the reaſon to ſhow the unlawfulnes of Magiſtrates puniſhing Hereticks, becauſe Hagiom. confeſſes the ſame of the Church, that Chriſt charged not the Church nor the Officers with ſin, for not proceeding againſt the Sadduces, and yet I ſuppoſe Hagiomaſtix will not openly profeſſe tis a good Argument that no Church cenſures may be uſed againſt any Heretick; however I am ſure many of his Compeers in handling the queſtion diſtinguiſh of a Toleration and cenſures, granting Eccleſiaſtical cenſures though denying Civil, And I am ſure if Chriſts never charging the church nor thoſe that bore office in her with ſin, for not proceeding againſt the Sadduces, be no good argument to take away all Church cenſures, neither is it to lay waſt all Magiſtrates puniſhing in ſuch caſes. 3. Chriſt did to the Scribes, Phariſees & Sadduces ſpeak and reaſon againſt their errors, yea reproved and threatned them for thoſe errors, which alſo is granted by Hagiomaſtix, in doing of which he did equivalently and really preſſe upon them the ſuppreſſing p. 193and puniſhing of Hereſies in perſons under their power, whilſt he ſpake to men in Authoritie and denounced the judgements of God becauſe of them: He that preaches to a Prince againſt Idolatrie and ſhowes the evils that will come upon a King and his Kingdome for it, preaches to him to reſtraine Idolatrie, though he doe not particularly in expreſſe words call upon him not to ſuffer any man to practice Idolatrie; and therefore Chriſt ſpeaking to the Scribes and Phariſees, the Rulers and Elders, that knew the Laws of God, how Magiſtrates in Iſrael were to puniſh falſe Teachers, in ſpeaking ſo againſt falſe Prophets, Hereticks and Sectaries, as Sadduces, &c, that was a charging them (ſuch a thing being ſpoken to ſuch men) to doe their duties againſt them, which by the Law was more then if private perſons, and being ſpoken to qua ſuch, as Scribes, &c, was a commanding them according to their places to proceed againſt them: For tis a rule among Divines that in many things recorded in Scriptures, which are delivered only in common and in general, they are to be taken by every one according to their relations and places, by the Magiſtrates according to their relation, the Miniſters according to theirs, and the People according to their Sphere, of which many inſtances may be given in the new Teſtament. 4. Suppoſing it could be proved, Chriſt never reproved the Jewiſh Church and State for ſuffering the Sadduces, &c, yet it followes not Magiſtrates therefore ſhould tolerate Hereticks, and Sectaries, and that both, becauſe Gods declaration of his mind in other parts of Scripture, though not in the Goſpel is a ſufficient, as alſo becauſe there might be ſome particular reaſons proper to the Iewiſh State, as that Chriſt ſaw the Iewiſh State and Magiſtracie it ſelfe that then was to be leavened and corrupted with thoſe errors and opinions, to be either Sadduces, Phariſees, Scribes, Herodians, and ſuch like, ſo that to have ſpoken againſt Toleration, and for puniſhing Sadduces, &c had been to have ſpoken to the State, not to have ſuffered it ſelfe, as if one ſhould preach to the Parliament now, not to tolerate but to puniſh themſelves: So was it for Chriſt to have urged thoſe commands in Deut. 13. &c, and thoſe examples of p. 194Ioſiah, Nehemiah, &c upon the Iewiſh State then. 2. That in the times of Chriſts preaching, the Civil Power of the Common-Wealth of the Jewes, was much weakned, if not wholly taken away from them by the Romans, of which I have ſpoken ſomething before page 30. and doe now adde, that the Iewes had no power at all of capitall puniſhments then, and therefore to what end ſhould Chriſt charge them with thoſe Lawes of putting falſe Prophets &c, to death, for full proo…e of which I refer the Reader to Maſter Gilleſpies Aarons rod bloſſoming, Book 1. chapt. 3. page 29. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. who learnedly proves that point both from Scripture and the Teſtimonies of many learned writers, who have written of the Iewiſh Antiquities and Cuſtomes, and Anſwers the contrary objections. 3. Chriſt knew that Church and Common-wealth were to be certainly ſhortly diſſolved, the Chriſtian Church to be ſet up, and though he warned the People of thoſe errors and wayes, and denounced the judgements of God againſt them, yet becauſe he knew the purpoſe of God was to deſtroy the Iewiſh Common-wealth, he might not ſpeake for that and the other Reaſons forenamed to the Magiſtrates, as otherwiſe he would, of which the Reader may read more in pag. 30. of this preſent Book.

And now for putting a Period to this 17. Theſis, and to all the Anſwers given by me to thoſe evaſions brought againſt …hoſe old Teſtament Lawes, of Deut. 13. Deut. 17. and the reſt, I ſhall briefly adde 3 things. Firſt, To cleare a little further ſome paſſages of Deut. 13. Secondly, ſhow the ſlightneſſe and weakneſſe of Hagiomaſt. exceptions againſt thoſe old Teſtament Laws. Thirdly, Show the exceſſive pride and folly of the man in boaſting and glorying in ſuch poor & weak things as he brings againſt the Vindicator of the Ordinance for preventing the groth and ſpreading of Hereſies, in Sect. 34. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41.

Firſt, As I ſhall adde two places more out of Moſes Law before omitted in the beginning of the 17. Theſis, to prove the Magiſtrates power of puniſhing in matters of the firſt Table, viz Deut. 19. 16, 17, 18, 19. and Numb. 15. 30, 31. the former in caſe of Apoſta…ie, the latter in caſe of**Vid. Jun. A…alyt. Expl. Numer in cap. 15. blaſpheming God, ſo to all I have ſaid of Deut. 13. I deſire the Reader to p. 195obſerve that God having in the former chapter commanded the worſhipping of the ture God, and forbidden that of Idols, (which unqueſtionably is morall,) this 13. chap. is fitly added to it as an appendix, in which God gives direction for removing the impediments oppoſite to his worſhip commanded, particularly he commands the Authors of Apoſtaſie, not to be hearkned unto nor tolerated, but to be puniſhed with death; and for that end that ſuch who are obſtina…e and will not be amended, nor regard their own ſalvation, may be hindred at leaſt from being an impediment to the ſalvation of others, and the common grace of God, which removall of impediments with the end laid down, cannot but be morall alſo. Junius in his Analyſis upon this chapter ſhowes tis an Appendix to the worſhip of God, and Zepperus in his Tractate of the moſaical Lawes, ſaith, that this of defection by falſe Prophets is an Appendix of the firſt commandement. Now as the chapter it ſelfe cleers it, and divers learned**Jun. Analy…. Expli. Deutero. cap. 13. Nam de docentibus agit Moſes priore parte cap. ſive palam, ſive clam: de…is vero qui auctoritate publica tantam impietatem defendunt poſteriore capite. Zepper. Leg. Moſaic. Explan. lib. 4. cap 2. Leges de Apoſtaſia à Deo & vera religione ſu…t aut de pſeudo propheta publice d… cente; aut de claudeſtino ſeductore vel privata ſolicitations ad apoſtaſiā aut de publica defectione totius Civitatis. Divines writing upon the chapter ſhows this 13. chap. is not all one commandement but there are three diſtinct commands in this chapter, the firſt of the falſe Prophet publickly teaching Apoſtaſie in the five firſt verſes, the ſecond of the Clandeſtine Seducer, in the ſix verſes following, the third of a publick defection of a whole Citie: which being obſerved & wel conſidered, beſides what I have ſaid already to Hagiomaſtixs anſwer that the command in Deut. 13. concerning the putting of falſe Prophets and Seducers to death, cannot bind, becauſe then whole Cities muſt be deſtroyed, Cattel, &c, fully anſwers all he ſpeaks in this kind, becauſe that latter part of the chapter upon which he vapors ſo, is a diſtinct command quite another thing, from that in the firſt verſe to the 5. as alſo from that of the 6. to the 12. So that tis a meere fallacie to confound Lawes which are diſtinct, to ſpeak all along of that 13. chapt. as one Law and command (for ſo he does page 48. 47. make them all one) fallacia compoſitionis is eaſily diſcovered by dividing and diſtinguiſhing the commands which God hath made diſtinct; and therefore the one command may be in force, and wee neither add, nor diminiſh ought from it, although the other which is no part of it may not, but be more proper to the Iewes, and only in ſome particular p. 196caſes (of which I ſhall ſpeak more preſently) and among many differences that might be obſerved between the two former commands in the firſt 11. verſes and this about a Citie, this is plainly one, whereas theſe are commands founded expreſly upon generall reaſons common to all becauſe he hath ſpoken to turne you away from the Lord your God, &c, this is not ſpoken of at all in the caſe of the Citie, but tis grounded upon a reaſon peculiar to the Iews, as ſome learned men obſerve from v. 12. If thou ſhalt heare ſay in one of thy Cities which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, the foundation of that command being ceremoniall, becauſe it hath a particular reſpect, to tha… Land the Lord gave them to dwell in, God being in a certaine ſingular kind of manner the Lord of that Land: upon which place of Scripture Junius writing, ſhowes the deſtroying of the Citie utterly, with the devoting of all things therein to deſtruction, to be ceremoniall and ſo not to take place now, yea it was not of force among the Iewes themſelves, but only in one particular caſe, when a Citie openly by publick Authoritie defended and maintained Apoſtaſie from God;☜ and therefore though in a Citie there had been hundreds of Apoſtates whether publick or private Seducers, which all were to have ſuffered by vertue of the former Lawes of the firſt 11. verſes of this chapter, yet ſo long as openly by publick Authoritie of that Citie theſe were not defended nor maintained, although theſe particular Apoſtates were commanded to be put to death, all the inhabitants among whom they lived were not commanded to be put to death, muchleſſe the Cattell and all things within it to be burnt with fire; and the Reader for his further ſatisfaction herein, beſides what I have written of this in page 85. 86, 87. may conſult with Junius in his Analyt. explication on Deut. 13. 543. 544. who reſolves the queſtion and caſe thus, That in this chapter there are three things concurr, the morall right, the ceremoniall, and the Political: That which is of morall right that according to the ſubſtance remains, and therefore it followes that who foe is guilty of ſo great wickedneſſe and obſtinacie as Moſes deſcribes in this chapter ought to receive the reward and puniſhment of his …, and that by the Law of God and nature, whoſe Miniſter and p. 197Helper the judicial and political Law is, **Jun. Analy…. Expl. in Deut. 13. 544. In hoc legis capite tria concurrere, jus moraie, ceremoniale atque politic…m. Quod juris moralis eſt illum ſecundū ſubstantiam per manet ac pro inde ſequitur tū, qui reus eſt tantae impietatis & contumaciae ac de ſcribit Moſes impium eſſe & paenas dare impictatis oportere, ex divino & naturali jure: Quod autem ceremoniale eſt, id in postrema …ujus capitis parte non habet locu…, ubi civitatem deleri & omnia devoveri anathemati p…e cepit Dominus &c.Deut 13but that which is ceremonial and is in the laſt part of this chapter, where God commands to deſtroy the Citie, and devote all things in it to a curſe, hath no place now, becauſe the foundation of this command is ceremoniall. For the Political and judicial Law, which hath its foundation partly in the divine and naturall Law and partly in the ceremoniall, it followes from thence whatſoever in the judicial Law, ſimply belongs to the preſervation of the naturall and moral Law ought according to the ſubſtance to be obſerved: but whatſoever things are of ceremonial right, to them the Magiſtrate is not bound, but the publick ſafety and prevention of ſo great evils, laying aſide ceremonies, according to natural and moral right ought to be procured and ſought for by him.

Secondly, I might manifeſt the flightneſſe and weakneſſe of Hagiomaſtixs evaſions of thoſe old Teſtament Lawes, by drawing them briefly into one, and ſhowing the ſeveral fallacies and paralogiſmes one after another, as arguing Falſa Suppoſitione, Adicto ſecundum quid, A particulari ad vniverſale, Fallacia compoſitionis et diviſionis, &c, As alſo had I wanted matter, I could have run out in flouriſhing words, and at the end of every Reply to his evaſions have ſtood triumphing over him, as he does over the Authors of the Vindica…ion, ſaying, O Independents and Sectaries, if your Teachers, yea your great Rabbi and Oracle bring ſuch poore and weak Stuffe for their Tenets and way, you had need to take heed and beware of them, leaſt the blind lead the blind, and both ful into the ditch; But I conſider I am handling a great Controverſie in Divinitie a point about Conſcience, and that tis not comely to ſpeak of it in a light and ſcoſſing way, and therefore ſhall not offer to contend with Maſter John Goodwin in that way, contenting my ſelfe to have aimed at hard Arguments and fore words.

Thirdly, I might take occaſion to ſet out the …olly and horrible pride of the man in boaſting and glorying in ſuch poore weak Stuffe, and that ſtollen out of Minus C…ſu… S…ſis, behaving himſelfe like à glorioſus miles, I might annex and faſten each of his vapouring inſolent inſultations over his three ſuppoſed Adverſaries unto each Anſwer, by which his p. 198folly and vanitie would be made manifeſt to all in exceſſive boaſting when he hath performed ſo little, but I will forbear to deal with him in that way, and ſhall conclude this 17. Theſis, and all my Anſwers to his evaſions in ſpeaking ſadly to his Conſcience, (though I much feare in this Argument of Libertie of Conſcience, he hath little Conſcience left, or is capable of any Conviction, this being his Sanctuary and Protection to ſafegard him from the trouble and danger of al his other wicked Opinions) M. Goodwin what Anſwer wil you make to God for theſe pretences brought againſt Scripture, can you think againſt ſuch expreſſe texts, ſuch poor ſhifts wil ſerve? or wil hold water in the day of judgement? what if theſe then prove but Adams fig-leaves, meer ſhifts and tricks of wit to put off the word, and bee not real? what wil you then doe for all the diſhonour of God, ruine of precious ſouls occaſioned by your means? wil not Gods wrath ſweepe away theſe Cobwebs? I ſay no more, thinke upon it Maſter Goodwin and be not deceived, God is not mocked.