Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Cavils againſt coercive judiciall Laws, for puniſhing falſe prophets in the Old Teſtament removed.
THE firſt common Anſwer made to all theſe, is: That theſe were judiciall and Old Teſtament Laws, when God dealt more ſtrict…y with the Jews, and hedged them in with ſeverer laws, penalties, and a greater meaſure of bondage, then now under the meek and gentle reign of the Meſsiah.Laws puniſhing falſe teachers were morall, not temporary and pedagogicall▪
Anſw. More ſeverity, and a ſtricter tutory to be over the Church in non-age, and under Pedagogie, we grant, Gal. 4. 1, 2, 3. But that is in regard of Ceremoniall hedges, laws, and dayes, but it is to begge the queſtion, to ſay that morall tranſgreſſions are deſtructive, if not more, to Chriſtian ſocieties now as then, ſuch as blaſphemy, idolatry, hereſie, that were puniſhed with the ſword then, muſt now be more looſed from all bodily puniſhment in any kind, then murther, ſorcery, adultery, perjury. For the compariſon of a milder Government under Jeſus, then under Moſes, cannot ſtand in fencing ſome moral tranſgreſſions utterly from the ſword, and in leaving others leſſe weighty, under as bloody puniſhments as ever they were. When no reaſon from the word of truth, can be given, why the murtherer ſhould dye by the ſword, now and then, but blaſphemy, and offering the ſons to Molech, as the Indians doe now, was then by the law of Nature, a diſ-worſhip, or a falſe worſhip, puniſhable in Jews and heathen, but now it is not in any puniſhable by the ſword at all. 2. The ſword did not force the conſcience of any then, more than now, nor could it cudgell an Idolater, or a blaſphemer, into the ſound faith then, more then now, and weapons of the Prophets in the Old Teſtament, as well as the Apoſtles in the New, were not carnall but ſpirituall, and mighty through God.Prophets, as Prophets, no more uſed the ſword againſt mens conſciences of old, than Chriſt, his Apoſtles, and Miniſters doe now, Mat. 28. 19, 20. And as Chriſt ſaith now, preach the Goſpel, but kill none, uſe neither ſtaffe nor ſword, nor miraculous power to deſtroy hereticks, or burn Samaria, ſo he ſaid to his Prophets, ſpeake my word to Iſrael and Judah and the Nations, to Ninive and others, but kill none, and uſe the ſword againſt none of the rebellious who will not heare, that they may bee converted. Yet hee commanded the Magiſtrate to uſe the ſword againſt the ſeduceing Prophet, nor can the Libertines ſhew us of a Ceremoniall death inflicted for the tranſgreſſion of a morall law, which tranſgreſſion is now made free from all bodily puniſhment, indeed the man that refuſed to raiſe up ſeed to his brother was put to ſhame by the law, and we are freed from both the law, and the penalty thereof, and the man that gathered ſticks on the Sabbath was put to death by an anſwer from Gods mouth, but the breach of the holy Sabbath inſtituted before the fall is no Ceremoniall tranſgreſſion, nor doe we thinke that every violation of the Sabbath was puniſhed by death, but that the Magiſtrate,Power of Fathers and Maſters in the …ourth command coercive. Maſters and Fathers, are not to puniſh with bodily coercive power the tranſgreſſours of the fourth command, is moſt falſe. For what the Magiſtrate commands the Subject, the Maſter the ſervant, the Father the ſons, and which they have warrant from the Morall law to command in theſe relations, that they command in order to the ſword and rodde, if their commandements find no other welcome but rebellion, for the power of Magiſtrate, and Maſter, yea, and of the Father now in the ſtate of ſin is eſſentially coercive; they may compell their inferiours by ſtrong hand, either to doe or ſuffer the will of God, which is ſufficient to prove our poynt. Though it be true, ſome morall tranſgreſſions Moſes puniſhed with death, as Sabbath-breaking, it followeth not therefore the godly Prince may now puniſh it with death, but it followes not therefore, ſuch tranſgreſſors are made free, through Chriſt of all bodily puniſhment, as Libertines inferre, for though the temporarines of the puniſhment be only in the meaſure of puniſhment, yet not in the puniſhment it ſelfe.
2 We deſire a reaſon why the gentleneſſe of the ſonne of Gods government ſhould free the blaſphemer, and the ſoul-murtherer, from ſadder, yea from all bodily puniſhment, and not free him that deſtroyes the body alſo. Or how all the Sons of Levi ſaw by an immediate oracle that all that had worſhipped the golden Calfe, Exod. 32. had done it with ſuch high preſumption, as made that Idolatry worthy of death, which otherwiſe was not worthy of death; and it is cleare the charge was without exception, v. 27. ſlay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the like I ſay of all that joyned to Baal-peor. And when Aſa compelled ſo many thouſands both of Judah and Iſrael to ſweare a Covenant, and that they ſhould be put to death, that would not ſeeke the Lord, 2 Chro. 15. whether Aſa and all the under-Judges (for Aſa in his owne perſon could not doe it) had a deputed dominion over the conſciences to force them, and whether he conſulted the oracle to know who ſought not the Lord, and refuſed the Covenant out of meere weakneſſe, as not being able to ſee how Aſa, who was no Prophet, and a Prince for eminency of converſing with God farre inferior to Moſes, was not a little wide, in pretended zeale, to urge the Law with an oath, and no leſſe then death on the refuſers to ſeeke God and the breakers of the Covenant.
Nor could Aſa ſee and know infallibly how out of heart-obſtinacy, or how out of ſinleſſe, and faultleſſe innocency refuſed the Covenant. And Aſa could not compell men to take the Covenant, and profeſſe ſeeking of the Lord againſt their judgements and conſciences, which the thirteenth Propoſall of the Army does condemne, And yet Aſa was free of compelling men to hypocraſy. When therefore Peter ſtrucke Annanias and Saphira with death; and, Paul, Elimas with blindneſſe; and delivered Himeneus and Alexander to Sathan; and when the Apoſtles ſharply rebuked and upbraided the Cretians, thoſe who are called dogs, evill-workers, enemies to the croſſe of Chriſt, ſuch as ſerve their belly, not the Lord Jeſus; it is as pertinent and neceſſary a query whether or no Peter compelled others who ſaw Annanias puniſhed to death,Compelling to hypocriſie for feare of ſhame and reproaches, as guilty as compelling men w…h the ſword not to publiſh hereſies, nor ſeduce others. Paul conſtrained others who ſaw the terrible wrath of God on Hymeneus, to diſſemble, and to doe, and profeſſe againſt the judgement of an erronious conſcience and lay all their goods downe at the Apoſtles feete againſt their conſcience, which yet beleeved, they were againſt the law of nature defrauding their owne children, and to profeſſe the faith, and not inword blaſpheme and ſay, there is no reſurrection, no Chriſt, no heaven after this life, as Familiſts now ſay, for feare that Paul deliver them to Sathan. And wee know profeſſours are much affraid to goe for dogges and belly-Gods in the account of ſuch eminent Godly men as the Apoſtle Paul and others, and therefore will cover themſelves and profeſſe the contrary: if therefore cenſures and rebukes from the eminently Godly, doe create varniſhed hypocrits, and it is not the ſin of Godly rebukers, and if puniſhments may and doth conſtraine many to ſay, and doe, and unſay, and counterdoe in matters of Religion, in judgeing according to conſcience in higheſt judicatures, and contrary to that ſame conſcience the next day, this which is objected againſt coercive power, in matters of conſcience, that it creates hypocrites and ſtraines men to doe againſt their judgement and ſo to ſinne, is all accidentall to the nature of coercive and bodily reſtraining power. And becauſe many keep their hands from blood and violence, and that out of deep hypocriſie ſince they lodge in their breaſt, bloody hearts, onelyonly for feare of the Princes ſword, yet both the Prince and his ſword is innocent of that hypocriſie, Then as coercive power is falſly charged with any kindly begetting of hypocrites in the duties of the ſecond Table, ſo is it as harmeleſſe in matters of Religion, reſpecting the firſt Table, nor did the Lord in the Old Teſtament create hypocrits by ſtraining mens conſciences by bloody Lawes.
A third Anſwer ſtands thus, ….thoſe lawes were made of old againſt falſe teachers, Becauſe the Jewes had the opportunity of immediate conſultation with the mouth of God himſelf.—and except the Iudge had been deſperately wicked, and deſpiſed the glorious ordinance of the Oracle of God, they could not doe unjuſtice, God being always at hand to declare unto them,Blaſphemers and Idolaters never were judged to dye, by conſulting with the immediate oracle of God, as Joh. Goodwin imagineth Hagiomaſt…x. Sect. 34, 35, 36, 37. what kinde of blaſphemer▪ and what kind of Idolater it was that he intended by his law ſhould be put to death. Men are now fallible and the learnedeſt cannot tell wha…blaſphemy or idolatry it was, which was by God ſentenced to death under the Law, So Jo. Goodwin.
Anſw. If there was ſuch immediate conſultation to make ſhort worke of blood to the Judge, we deſire law or inſtance of the Prieſt or Prophets conſulting with the mouth of God touching the Prophet whether true or falſe, but none can be produced, ſometimes the Prophets by miracles cleared their calling: another way we f…nd not.
1 This is againſt appeales that are cleare, Deut. 17. In all matters of controverſie, when in the higheſt Court where a mans head, whether hee be a falſe Prophet, or any other, was at the ſtake, the Judges, v. 11. were to judge according to the ſentence of the law, and they proceed upon witneſſe, Deut. 17. 6. God ſhould by this declare law, proof and witneſſes uſeleſſe, for the Lord from Heaven condemnes the man.
2 Jeremiah, and all the Prophets that were killed and ſtoned, never ſought the benefit of the law, nor ſaid, give us a …ury from heaven, an oracle for to take away our head, the Prophets never accuſe Kings or Judges in perſecuting the Prophets, that they conſulted not the oracle, ere they rejected the Prophet.
3 This had been a well ſettled law to try all Prophets, who ſpeake from God, and who ſpeake the viſions of their owne head, all ſhould have paſſed the grand▪ Jury of an immediate oracle from heaven, and by this there ſhould not have been a falſe Prophet in all Judea but the Judge might have diſcovered him, but God never gives this character of an Idolater, Blaſphemer, or a falſe Prophet: The Oracle of Ʋrim hath blacked him as an impoſtor. But divers other characters the Lord gave. As 1. If hee ſpeake not according to the Law. 2. If the good he foretel, never comes to paſſe. 3. If hee …eale the wound with ſmooth words. 4. If he ſtrengthen the armes of the wicked. When as yet God had made no ſtanding law, he was conſulted, and God gave ſentence againſt the man that had broken the Sabbath▪ and that blaſphemed▪ but their conſulting with God preſuppoſeth by the law of nature, the Magiſtrate ſhould puniſh ſuch, therefore the pu…ing him in ward was a puniſhment, only they would have the mind of God touching the manner of his puniſhment, but ſure this was not the ordinary and ſtanding law.
4 There were others as difficill and intricate controverſie…, of murther, adultery; treaſon, as Deut. 17. 8. Between blood and blood, plea, and plea, ſtroake, and ſtroake, By this reaſon Anabaptiſts have a better ground to ſay there ſhould be no Chriſtian Magiſtrate under the New Teſtament, nor any uſe of the ſword nor ſheding of blood at all, becauſe the Je…es under the Old Teſtament had the opportunity of immediate conſulting with the mouth of God himſelfe, we are fallible men, and the learnedeſt can no more tell what murther, what inceſt or adultery was condemned in the law of God (for heart-hatred, which is ſeen to God only, doth eſſentially conſtitute murther puniſhable by the Judge, Deut. 19, 11, 12, 13. chap. 4. 44. chap. 19. 4….) then they can define what blaſphemy or idolatry it was which was by God ſentenced to death under the Law, for we are to be as wary to take a mans life and blood now under the New Teſtament, for murther, and treaſon, and ſorcery as they were under the old in ſtoning blaſphemers: and we are no more infallible in the one, then they were in the other. Yea, it ſtrongly concludes, that wars are as unlawfull under the New Teſtament, as under the old, for under the old, they conſulted the mouth of God before they went to battle, we have no immediate oracles to conſult, yea, when we are ingaged wee are neither to purſue the enemy nor to forbear, becauſe we have not the immediatly inſpired Prophets, Micah, Jeremiah as they had, wee may not make a Covenant with neighbouring Kingdomes, the Scotiſh Army have no oracle to ſhew them whither they ſhall remove out of England, for that will be the ſafety of the cauſe of all the godly Presbyterians who are now perſecuted for the Covenant of God, and a carying on of Reformation and the ſtanding of the Covenant and treaties betweene the Kingdomes,We have as … a wo…, the Scripture, as immediate conſulting with the oracle of God. or ſhall they not remove till peace and truth be eſtabliſhed in both Kingdomes becauſe if they remove, the Engliſh Army may ſay, they undertooke the war not for Religion, but to make a conqueſte in England for the liberty of the Subject, and ſweare the Covenant in a ſenſe. The Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax may ſay, that they did fight all this time for liberty of conſcience, againſt both Prelaticall and Presbyteriall thraldome of the conſciences of the free born Engliſh, and therefore though the Parliament command them to di… band, they muſt have liberty of conſcience up, the Covenant downe, and have a perpetuall ſtanding Army, &c. For in war, peace, purſuing or forbearing, in marching from one Kingdome to another, in making treaties and Covenants with other Nations, they were to conſult with the oracle and immediatly inſpired Prophets, the opportunity wherof we have not, and ſo we have no be…ter warrant for all theſe, for peace and war, then for killing of blaſphemers, who are known to God onelyonly by this reaſon, and that is no warrant at all.
5. This is to ſay, there was faith, certainty, and infallibility, clearneſſe, light, and more knowledge of God under the Jewes twilight, law darkneſſe of ceremonies, then we have, and now ſince oracles ceaſed, Sceptiſmes, conjectures, doubtings, blinde, and looſe uncertainties is all ou… faith, contrary to that the Scripture ſaith, the Jewes for all their oracles were in the darke, and now day ſprings from on h…gh and viſi…s us, and gives light to them that ſits in darkneſſe, Luke. 1. 77, 78, 79. And now the earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the ſea is full of waters, Eſa. 11. 9. And we have a more ſure word of Propheſie, the Scriptures, yea ſurer then the Fathers voyce from heaven, which was an immediate oracle indeed, 2 Per. 1. 17, 18, 19▪ 20, 21. And the leaſt of the Kingdome of God note, is greater then the Baptiſt the greateſt of Prophets, Matth. 11. 11. If this ſatisfie not, ſee Eſa. 54. 11, 12. Jer. 31, 31, 32, 33, 34. Eſa. 30. 26. Joel 2. 28, 29. Act. 2. 10, 17, 18, 19. Col. 2. 2, 3, 5. 2 Cor. 3. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
6. The argument that we cannot puniſh under the New Teſtament, becauſe the Magiſtrates and Miniſters, and Synods who condemne here…ies, errors, ſchiſmes, blaſphemie, are not infallible, and they know not but they may plucke up wheat inſtead of tares, and take away the life of elect men who might …ive and be converted, is of no weight, for then the Iudge ſhould not take the li…e of a murtherer, adulterer, the moſt bloody robber or paricide, (the Libertines, teach and practice the contrary)▪ for muſt the Judge read in the Lambs booke, whether the man be inrolled therein as an elect, before he paſſe ſentence on him in a Councell of warre, for fellony, robbery, poligamy, &c,
2. It is moſt ſtrong againſt admoniſhing, rebuking and warning one another.Want of infallibility ſhould exclude all Judges to judg, …aſt…rs to preach on write, Synods to adviſe becauſe we cannot doe theſe with Propheticall infallibility. I may condemne the innocent in theſe, becauſe I am not infallible; it is againſt preaching, beleeving, writing of books of Divinity, making warre, peace, borrowing, lending, buying, ſelling, in all theſe I am oblieged to do upon certaine perſwaſion of faith, that what I doe is lawfull, elſe I ſinne, Rom. 14. 23. and the word of God the moſt ſure oracle to us muſt be my rule. Now I may no more venture on the leaſt ſinne, then a Chriſtian Prince may condemne to death an Idolater, and a blaſphemer, who is a ſound beleever, which is a greater ſinne, if I be not cleare as if an immediate oracle were ſpeaking from heaven, as Libertines ſay, and the argument muſt bee thus, what we cannot do with as great infallibility of not erring, as the Prieſt that immediately conſulted the oracle, or the Prophet immediately inſpired, that we cannot do lawfully. But the Chriſtian Prince under the New Teſtament cannot with ſuch infallibility puniſh Idolaters, Blaſphemers, or any otherwiſe, ergo, The propoſition is falſe, for certaine knowledge is ſufficient, for the Holy Ghoſt would never bid us admoniſh, and after admonition avoid an hereticke, as Tit. 3. 10. nor would our Saviour bid us beware of men, of falſe teachers, and falſe Chriſts, and avoid them, and believe them not, and try them by their workes, and ſearch the Scriptures, and examine their doctrine, nor would the Lord bid us try the Spirits, and try the Antichriſt, and eate not with Idolaters as he doth, Matth. 24. 23, 24, 25. Joh. 5. 39. Rem. 16, 17, 18. 1 Joh. 5. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 11. If he laid this ground of Libertines, heart-obſtinacy, only legible to God, and knowable …s none but to infallible Spirits, makes an hereticke and a falſe Chriſt before men, yet you are to admoniſh and eſchew him, this is as much, as if the Lord ſhould ſay, If any man have ſuch an opinion and heart-thought never manifeſted to men or Angel, that knew whether the number of the ſtarres were oddes or equall, admoniſh ſuch a man and avoid him, and bid him not God ſpeed, neither receive him into your houſe. Yea, ſo no Miniſter of the Goſpell ſhould preach to his flocke fundamentall Goſpell truths, becauſe hee is not infallible, and hee may teach fundamentall lyes for truths.
Againe, the aſſumption is falſe, for the certainty a beleever hath, is thus farre infallible (which is enough) that he is perſwaded of the truth of it, and may boldly and in faith ſeal it with his blood. Nor ſhould Libertines ſuffer for ſuch truths as they hold for truths, to wit, that the Chriſtian Magiſtrate hath nothing to do with Religion, nor is he warranted now to uſe the ſword againſt falſe teachers; nor Presbytery is the way of Chriſt, but Socinianiſme, Familiſme, Antinomini…me, are the only true way, becauſe they will not ſay they themſelves are in beleeving, teaching or ſuffering for theſe truths infallible. But the danger is not ſo in beleeving truth or a falſe opinion for another, or for a true opinion, as in taking a mans life, when yee are not certainly perſwaded by the Law of God, hee ought to dye.
Anſw. That is no matter of greater or leſſe great danger. It is ſinne in the Phariſees in heart and word of month to condemne the Lords Diſciples of breach of Sabbath, when they are innocent, as to kill them for Sabbath-breach when they are innocent, Matth. 12. 7. the one is a greater ſinne, the other leſſe; but if wee may not venture on a greater ſinne of ſhedding innocent blood becauſe of want of infallibility, neither is it lawfull to venture upon the leaſt ſinne, becauſe of the want of that ſame infallibility, nor is an infallible and immediate oracle our onelyonly rule in judgeing the blaſphemer. Suppoſe a man ſhould wilfully profeſſe there is no God, and raile againſt ſuch as ſay there is a God, as our Atheiſticall age wanteth not a Caliguala, and an Anaxagoras, and the like now, if the Parliament ſhould puniſh ſuch a limb of hell. The thirteenth Propoſall of the Army will ſay the Parliament forces this man to ſinne, and to beleeve and profeſſe a truth againſt his judgement and conſcience; and upon this ground, for wee know not infallibly ſuch a man to be a damned Atheiſt.
The 4 Anſwer to annull all theſe Lawes in the Old Teſtament is, this puniſhment was bodily, afflictive, carnall and ſo typicall and prefigurative of thoſe greater and more ſpirituall evils under the Goſpell, to wit, of eternall damnation. As the land was a type of heaven, ſo to bee cut off, by death, out of that land was typicall.
Anſwer, Had the Jewes no ſpirituall cenſures then, as debarring from the Paſſeover, the excluding of the uncircumciſed, and uncleane from the Congregation of the Lord?
2 Was not the cutting off of the murtherer out of that good land, as typicall as the cutting off of the blaſphemer?
3 Is there any bodily puniſhment, but it is carnall and afflictive? I trow none.
4 Is puniſhment, and cutting off from the Church by death typicall, becauſe bodily? Then the avenging of … doers under the New Teſtament muſt be typicall, and is many hangings and headings of evill doers, as many types under the New Teſtament. If the puniſhment was typical, becauſe in ſuch a way bodily, as excluſion from a typicall land. Then, 1. How is not the killing of the murtherer typicall? 2. Give us a warrant for this, becauſe we may not, at our pleaſure, phancy types where the word gives no ground for them, otherwiſe we ſhall with Anabaptiſts turne all the Old Teſtament: and whole ſcripture into types upon our owne imagination. 3. How ſhall violent death …ypi…e damnation and hel, that was exiſtent then, and not a thing to come, and that becauſe it was the cutting off of the blaſphemer, not of the murtherer?
5 But ſay they were types, as crucifying and hanging on a tree was, Deut. 21. 23. of Chriſts crucifying Gal. 3. 10. What? ſhall it follow, that robbers and murtherers, … as Barra…s, may not under the New Teſtament be …? Yea, and by this argument, nor may any bodily puniſhment be inflicted on robbers, more then falſe teachers may b… killed or incurre any bodily puniſhment, for that were ( …y Libertines) to rip up the grave of Moſes, becauſe undoubtedly crucifying was a typicall death, Gal. 3. 10▪ …9. … …ut it is knowne there were two forts of typicall things in the old Teſtament.A twofold typicalneſſe in the Old Teſtament; one meerly ceremoniall, unreducible; another typicall, but of civill and naturall uſe, the uſe of the latter ceaſeth not, becauſe it was ſometime typicall, ſo is puniſhing of ſeducers. 1. Some that were meerly typicall and had no uſe but in divine worſhip, as ſacrificing Bullocks and Lambs to God, other things were ſo typicall that they had both a naturall and civill uſe, at eating of manna when yee are hungry, drinking water in the wilderne…ſe, living in the holy land; the former typicall things are utterly ceaſed, and it were impious and meere judaiſme to recall them or bring in againe ſacrificing of Bullockes to God, but the latter things may well remaine in their Naturall and Civill uſe, though their typicall and religious uſe be aboliſhed, as it were lawfull for Jewes even now after Chriſt is come and aſcended, and hath put an end to all ſhadowes and types by the comming in the body, to eat manna, if they were in the wilderneſſe, and drinke water out of the rocky mountaines, if thirſty, and dwell in their owne land, if the Lord ſhould reſtore them to it, yet ſhould they not Judaize nor recall the types of Moſes, for theſe they ſhould doe for a naturall and phyſicall, and for no Religious uſe. Now granting that ſtoning of blaſphemers were typicall, and as typicall as hanging of robbers was, Deut. 21. yet ſhould it never follow that ſtoning of blaſphemers were Judaizing and unlawfull, becauſe it hath a neceſſary civill uſe, even of common and naturall equity, that he that thus perverteth the right wayes of the Lord, and ſeduceth others ſhould dye the death. Yea this may well infer that propheſying of lyes, blaſpheming were typicall ſinnes againſt a ceremoniall and temporary law, and ſo they are not now ſinnes, yea becauſe it is a falling from Chriſt to obſerve Jewiſh ſhadows, Gal. 5. not to blaſpheme, and not to propheſie lyes, muſt be ſinne; and if that be blaſphemy, what more reaſon to remove the puniſhment of a ſinne, as deſtructive to ſociety, now as then, if the ſinne ceaſe not to bee ſinne, but remaine yet a morall hainous tranſgreſſion?
The fifth Anſwer is, Anſw. 5.That the Lawes of Moſes cannot reach the heretickes now under the Goſpel, 1. An hereticke denyes not God the Creator, nor teacheth hee, Let us goe after other Gods▪ which thou haſt not knowne as the Apoſtate Prophet, Deut. 13. (2.) Hee denyes not the word of God, therefore you may uſe it as a weapon againſt him, but yee can uſe no ſword, but that of iron againſt Apoſtates. 3. Hereticks as Sadduces were tollerated among the Jews, but blaſphemers and Apoſtates were not. 4. Scribes and Phariſees held many dangerous opinions, yet neither they nor Sadduces were expelled the City or hindered to be Magiſtrates. 5. Though the zeale of Gods houſe eat up Chriſt, and he attempted a reformation, yet he never charged Church or State as unfaithfull for not proceeding againſt them to impriſonment and death. 6. Theſe Deut. 13. would perſwade they ſpeake by the inſpiration of ſome Deity, and that their ſayings were oracles, hereticks doe not ſo, ſo Io. Goodwin, Hagiom.
Anſw. 1. The concluſion we hold is not hurt, all this ſaith an Heretick that is not an apoſtate is not to be put to death. Let it be ſo; but wee hold by theſe places, that bodily puniſhment is to be inflicted on him, and yet the conſcience is not ſtrained, nor he perſecuted.
2. Hereticks 2 Pet. 2. denyes the Lord that bought them, and make ſhipwracke of faith, and bring in damnable hereſies, and bring on themſelves ſwift deſtruction, they depart from the faith, ſpeake doctrines of devills, lyes in hypocriſie, 1 Tim. 4. 1. are condemned of their own conſcience, Tit. 3. 10. Lead the ſimple captive, reſiſt the truth, as Jannes and Jambres did Moſes, are men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith, 2 Tim. 3. 6, 7, 8. which is a wilfull denying of the Lord that bought them. Libertines have bowells of charity to Arch-hereticks, as if God had made a law of ſinnes, if we are, we are not capable under the Goſpell, whereas it is knowne there are (though we need not call all falſe teachers Hereticks) Seducers that ſay there is not a God, nor a heaven, nor a hell.
3.Seducers of old denied no otherwiſe God then our falſe Prophets now …ayes doe now deny h…m How ſhall they prove that the Seducer Deut. 13. formally denyed God the Creator? To deny him as Creator, and ſay the world was eternall as Ariſtotle did, is not to deny God, for Ariſtotle and all his, acknowledged there was a God, but that thoſe dreamers denyed the very exiſtence of God, any otherwiſe then as practicall Atheiſts, and by conſequence in their abominable doctrine they cannot prove, for they profeſſe a Religion and a God, when they ſay, Let us goe and ſerve other Gods, and theſe words, that thou knoweſt not, are the words of the Holy Ghoſt, not that theſe Seduce…s ſo ſpeake in ſo many ſyllables, but the God they drew men after, was an unknowne God; for there is not a Caligula in the world can be a ſpeculative and heart-Atheiſt, or if theſe words (whom thou …aſt not knowne) be the Seducers, they are ſpoken to heighten the new God, and ex… … above Jehovah, as not knowne by the blinde and ignora… world; yea and thoſe that worſhipped the golden Calves at Dan and Bethel worſhipped other Gods, and turned away themſelves and others from the true God, for Deut. 32. 16. They provoked him to jealouſie with ſtrange God, with abomination… provoked they him to anger. 17. They ſacrificed un… …evills, not … G…d, to Gods whom they know not, to new Gods that newly come up, w…om your fathers feared not, 2 Chron. 11. 17. and Je…o…am ordained himſelfe Prieſts for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made, Pſal. 106. 19. They made a calfe in Hor…, and worſhipped a molten image, yet they denyed not God the Creator, except practically, Deut. 32. 18. Of the rocke that begat thee thou art unmindfull, and haſt forgotten God that formed t…ee, Pſal. 106. 21. They forg…t God their Saviour, which …ad done great things in Aegypt. Yea, and thoſe that worſhipped theſe Gods, denyed no otherwiſe God the Creator then hereticks now doe, for both in profeſſion▪ aſſer… Jehova… that made the heaven and the earth, Exod. 32. they ſaid of theſe calves, as Jeroboam did▪ v. 8. Theſe be thy Gods O Iſrae…, that brought thee up out of the Land of Aegypt, 1 King. 12. 28. and Exod. 32. 5. Aaron ſaid to morrow ſhall be a feaſt to Jehovah, then they denyed not in profeſſion and in words the Jehovah that made them, nor Chriſt their Saviour, then by ſignes and wonders brought them out of Aegypt; ſo a Hereticke, or a Popiſh Idolater, denyes not God in profeſſion, yet both worſhip ſtrange Gods, and the worke of mens hands, and the devill, not God, Deut. 32. 16. 2 Chro. 11. 15. Nor did Jeroboam deny God in profeſſion, for he acknowledged that the Lord God, the true God could heale his dryed up arme, 1 King 12. 6. and ſent his wife to enquire of Jehovah concerning his ſicke childe, 1 King. 14. 1, 2. and Je…u who clave to Jeroboams calves, 2 King. 10. 29. And ſo by this ſame law of God ought to dye, as is clear in that he worſhipped and ſerved other Gods, as Deut. 32. 16. Pſ. 106. 19. compared with Exod. 32. cleareth, for three thouſand were ſlaine by duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page the Magiſtrates ſword for this ſin, Exod. 32. 27, 28. yet theſe denyed Jehovah not in formall and expreſſe profeſſion, but by the genius and ſtaine of their doctrine, and the ſame way the Hereticke denyes the Lord that bought them, theſe that worſhipped Iehovah and Malcom Zeph. 1. by this law ſhould dye, the Prieſts of Malcom come under the law as well as the Prieſts of Baal, the Prieſts of Baal and the falſe Prophets were ſlaine according to the law, and yet they profeſſed Jehovah as well as Micaiah, 1 King. 22. 24. and Achab, who worſhipped Baal, profeſſed he worſhipped Jehovah, and ſo did theſe who worſhipped the Samaritan ſtrange Gods and I…hovah both together, 2 King. 17.
Nor is it of weight that ſome ſay from Deut. Not only thoſe who …ffend againſt the principles of nature but thoſe that publiſh and hold errors againſt the ſupernaturall principles of the Goſpell, are to be puniſhed by the ſword.13. onelyonly theſe are to be put to death who denyes God as knowne by the light of Nature, not theſe that de…y the bleſſed Trinity, or Chriſt the Mediator, or the principles of the Goſpel which are only known by the ſupernaturall light of faith; and onelyonly theſe that deny principles of Divinity that are by natures teaching in the heart, for theſe ſinne againſt Natures law, and the Alphabet of naturall Theology. This hath no warrant in the word, the Law condemnes theſe to dye who blaſpheme or draw men away from the true God as revealed in the Scriptures, which is a ſupernaturall Revelation that fleſh and blood taught not Moſes, but a Propheticall and …mmediately inſpiring Spirit, as the reaſon which God inſ…uateth, Exod. 32. 8. They have turned quickly aſide out of the way that I commanded them. Now the twilight and rude divinity of Nature, revealed not this way as being ſupernaturall, yet for this turning aſide were three thouſand killed, v. 27, 28. And it is cleare, Deut. 13. the dreamer ſhall ſurely bee put to death, not becauſe he hath denyed the Creat or that is knowne by the light of nature; but v. 5. becauſe he hath ſpoken to turne you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the Land of Aegypt, and redeemed you out of the houſe of bondage to thruſt thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walke in. Now this is not, I conceive, a naturall way, nor written in mans heart by nature, as this anſwer ſuppoſeth. But yet its alſo a ſinne againſt the law of nature, to deny the God who reveals himſelfe in the Mediator Chriſt. And theſe that were put to death by this law were ſuch as denied God revealed in Chriſt,Such as ſlew their children to Molech, denied no more the word of God then our Hereticks now doe. for Chriſt ſaith, Moſes wrote of mee, and to Chriſt all the Law and the Prophets bare witneſſe.
2 Nor did theſe that worſhiped Idols and the falſe teachers, and ſuch as offered their children to Molech, who were ſurely by the Law to be put to death, deny the word of God more then the Heretick now: and Jeremiah uſeth the weapon of the word of God againſt them, as Moſes was to uſe the ſword againſt them, Deut, 17. 3, 4, 5, 6. Lev. 20. 2. as we read Jer. 7. 13. And they have built the high places of Tophee which is in the vally of the ſonne of Hinnon to …urne their ſonnes and their daughters in the fire, and he uſeth an argument from the word of God to convince them, which I commanded them not, neither entred it in my heart. Libertines might ſay, why ſhould Jeremiah ſpeake of a command of God, for though our Hereticks under the Goſpell acknowledge the word of God, yet the falſe teachers and Apoſtates that were to dye by the law, doe but mocke the word of God▪ and therefore the Lord ſhould not uſe this argument, which I command not. But to mee is cleare, they were ſo farre from denying the word of God, as our Antiſcripturiſts doe, that for the offering of their ſonnes to God, they alledged both Abrahams example who was bidden offer Iſaak his onelyonly ſonne to God, and the Scripture, for if we (ſay they) are to offer the beſt of the flock to God, and its little enough to ſo great … Lord, farre more are we to offer the deareſt thing we have, to wi… our ſonnes and daughters: God anſwers, What yee offer to mee muſt be commanded in my law, but it never entred into my heart to bid you offer your children to mee. Now if theſe had both denyed God their Creator, and his word, there had beene no other ſword to be drawne againſt them but that of iron.
3 How will Libertines prove that the ſecond ſort of ſeducers that were to dye for ſeducing, Deut. 13. 6, 7, 8. the brother, ſon daughter, or wife that lyes in the boſome denyed God the Creator, there is no warrant from the text to ſay they dreamed dreames, and wrought wonders to ſeduce, or that they profeſſed the inſpiration of a new Deity, yet they were to dye, and why not the Hereticks, now by the ſame reaſon? If they thruſt people away from the Lord that hath ranſomed them from Hell?
Yea, 4 Theſe acknowledge the Lord, and the law, and the Lords Prieſts and Prophets, as ſome Hereticks doe now, yet not ſtanding to the ſentence of the law that the Prieſt ſhall …each, but preſumptuouſly rejecting it, were ſurely to be put to death, Deut. 17. 10, 11, 12, 13. So he that ſpeaks a word in the name of the Lord (ſo confeſſeth, and profeſſeth both the Lord and his word, as hereticks now do) which the Lord commanded him not to ſpeak, or ſhal ſpeak in the name of other Gods, even that Prophet ſhall dye. And did not Jeremiah and Ʋriah, the ſon of Shemaiah and the Prophets that were killed and ſ…oned by the Jewes, profeſſed God, and that the word of God came to them and that they had ſeen the viſions of God, yet they were condemned as falſe Prophets, but for propheſying deſtruction on Iſrael, Judah and Jeruſalem, and if the Lord had not ſent them, but they ſpeake the viſions of their owne head, they had been falſe prophets, as is cleare, Jer. 14. 13, 14. Jer. 23. 15,There be falſe Prophets now under the New Teſtament as there were under the Old Teſtament. 16. and ſo juſtly condemned.
5 Are there not now under the New Teſtament who deny the word of God, as many Antiſcripturiſts in England and doth not Saltmarſh, Del, Beacon, Randal and many Familiſts and Antinomians father their new lies upon the ſpirit, and the pretious anoynting that teacheth all things? a… not they like to thoſe Prophets, Deut. 13? have not ſome in France, in Holland, in England made defection to Judaiſme and Tur…iſme, and turned Apoſtates from Chriſt? And yet they deny not God the Creator, nor the Scriptures of the old Teſtament, and by this anſwer they are free of all bodily puniſhment? And does not Peter contradict this anſwer of Libertines, that ſay our Hereticks are not as theſe Deut. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 1. But there were falſe Prophets alſo among the people, as there ſhall be falſe teachers among you? and our Saviour, Mat. 24. 24. For there ſhall ariſe falſe Chriſts and falſe Prophets, and ſhall ſhew great ſignes and wonders: inſomuch that (if it were poſſible) they ſhould deceive the very elect. A vive repreſentation of the ſtate of England this day.
6 The formall and what is eſſentiall to a falſe prophet is now in our ſeducers they thruſt men away from God, and the way of Goſpell that the Lord hath commanded us to walke in, …nd that is enough.
7. From the practice of the Iewes, when Heretickes and Seducers, and blinde guides were in the chair, and they tollerated themſelves, we draw rather the contrary argument, ergo. we are not to follow, nor to ſuffer blinde guides now, who deny the reſurrection, as Familiſts and other, to lead ſouls into the ditch, no more then we are to follow them in corrupting the Law, and extolling the traditions of men.