Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Propheſies in the Old Teſtament, eſpecially Zach. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4. 5, 6. for puniſhing falſe Prophets vindicated.
WE argue from the Predictions and Propheſies in the Old Teſtament,The Propheſies in the Old Teſtament, eſpecially that Zach. 13. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7▪ prove that falſe teachers under the New Teſtament, ought to be puniſhed with the ſword touching the Magiſtrates zeale under the New Teſtament, eſpecially that Zach. 13. 2. Alſo I will cauſe the Prophets and the unclean ſpirit to ceaſe out of the land. 3. And it ſhall come to paſſe that when any ſhall yet Propheſie, then his father and his mother that begat him, ſhall ſay unto him, thou ſhalt not live; for thou ſpeakeſt lyes in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him ſhall thruſt him through, when he propheſieth. 4. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day that the Prophets ſhall bee aſhamed every one of his viſion, when he hath propheſied, &c.
That which the Prophets foretell ſhall commend the zeale of Kings and Rulers under the Meſſiahs Kingdome, muſt be the lawfull and neceſſary duty of the Chriſtian Prince under the New Teſtament. But the puniſhing of falſe teachers under the New Teſtament is ſuch; ergo, the propoſition is undeniable; the aſſumption I prove, 1. The time when this zeale ſhall be put forth by the godly Prince or Ruler, is, v. 1. In that day when there ſhall be a fountaine opened to the houſe of David for ſinne and for uncleanneſſe, that is, when remi…ion in the blood of Chriſt ſhall be preached by Apoſtles, Paſtors and teachers, to Davids houſe, to the Church of Chriſt, as it clearly relates to that day or time, c. 12. 8. When the Lord ſhall deſtroy the enemies of Jeruſalem, and make the houſe of David, as God, and as an Angel of God, v. 9. And when he ſhall poure the ſpirit of grace and ſupplication on the Church, and they ſhall ſee him whom they have pierced, and crucified, and ſhall mourne every family apart for their ſinnes. 2. Bodily puniſhment is deſcerned, Thou ſhall not live. 3. The cauſe is ſet downe, for thou ſpeakeſt lies in the name of the Lord. 4. The execution of the ſentence is, his father and his mother, the godly Rulers, and the deareſt of his friends ſhall thruſt him through, that is, he ſhall cauſe the Law of God, Deut. 13. 6, 7, 8. &c. be executed againſt him.
The Anſwer to this argument hath no hue or apparent coulorableneſſe of truth. So John Goodwin anſwereth in his Appendix to Hagimaſtix.As 1. It reſpecteth onelyonly the Church of the Jewes, why? becauſe, it ſaith, The houſe of David, and the Inhabitants of Ieruſalem, 2. becauſe Matth. 15. 24. he ſaith I am not ſent but to the loſt ſheepe of the houſe of Iſrael, and this Fountaine cannot reaſonably be opened to the Gentiles, but to the Iewes, 3. It is for the Iewes encouragement, Ezr. 5. 1. and the Prophets uſe not to ſpeake of the Gentiles,The Prophecie Zach. 13. & the houſe of David noteth not the Iewes only excluding the Gentiles. to make them equal and ſuperior in holy priviledges to them; for it argueth Gods diſpleaſure with the Iewes: I will move them to Iealouſie with thoſe that are no people. 4. (The word land) I will cut off the names of Idols out of the land, indefinitly put in the old Teſtament, notes the Land of Canaan, it was fulfilled under Antiochus, and ended with the ſiege and deſtruction of Jeruſalem.
Anſ. 1. It's ſtrange that the houſe of David ſhould more note in prophecies the Iews excluding the Gentiles, then the houſe of Iſrael, and the houſe of Iudah ſhould ſignifie the Jewes only, which is apparently falſe; for the houſe of Iſrael, Ier. 31, v. 31. v. 33. 36. the ſeed of Iſrael, Syon, Iacob, Eſay 59. 21. 15. expounded to be the Church of the New Teſtament, with whom the everlaſting Covenant of Grace is made, as is expounded Hebr. 8. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. when the former Covenant that is faulty and made with the Jewes only, and undeniably, as the Fountaine is firſt opened and preached to the Jewes, Mat. 15. 25. c. 10. 5, 6. Act. 13. 46. yet not to them only, except wee ſay this place, and the powring of the ſpirit on Davids houſe, Zach 12. 10. and the writing of the Law in the inward parts, and the teaching by God, and the eternall Covenant of grace is made with only the Jewes excluding the Gentiles, that the new heart is not promiſed to them, and the Law not written in the heart of the Gentiles, ſee Rom. 11. 26. where it is ſaid all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved, and the fulneſſe of the Gentiles comes in, and the Gentiles that beleeved not have obtained mercy, v. 25. 30. Act. 13. 47. 48. So James, Act. 15. 16. After this I will returne, and will build againe the Tabernacle of David. 17. That the re…idue of men might ſeeke, and all the Gentiles, &c. 2. It is a ſhame to blot paper with ſuch Divinity, that when God intends to comfort the Jewes, hee is not wont to ſpeake of the calling of the Gentiles; for it ſtill argues his diſpleaſure with the Iewes, the juſt contrary is the Divinity of the Prophets and Apoſtles, Eſay 54. 1. Sing O Barren. 2. Thy ſeed ſhall inherit the Gentiles, Eſay 60. 1. Ariſe, ſhine, for thy light is come. 3. for the Gentiles ſhall come into thy light, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
3. The names of Idols will not helpe, nor the name of Land, becauſe they are old Teſtament words; the contrary is, Prov. 31. 23. Prov. 29. 4. the King by judgement eſtabliſheth the land, any land, not of Iudea only, Prov. 10. 16. 17. Pſal. 107. 34. that this zeale ceaſed with the fiege of Ieruſalem is ſaid gratis, and is no more true then that the Fountaine of Chriſts blood was dryed up then, and ran no more to Davids houſe, to Iewes and Gentiles; this were to ſay, this Fountaine is opened to the Iewes only, and runs dry, when it over-flowes more abundantly.Maſter Goodwins anſwer to Zach. 13.
2. Anſw. Be it that civill Magiſtrates ought to proceed, with as great zeale, againſt delinquents under the Goſpel, as Eliah againſt Baals preiſts and Phineas againſt Idolaters, yet it followes not they ought to put out their zeal in killing falſe prophets with the …word, for this is blind zeale under the Goſpell, John 16. 1. Act 22 3. 4. Act. 26. 9.
Anſw. The Holy Ghoſt commends this zeale under the Goſpell, when the fountaine ſhalbe opened for Davids houſe, his father that begat him ſhall thruſt him through. This anſwer ſaith that this zeale, Zach. 13. is the bloody zeale of perſecuting Saul, and of others, raiſing perſecution againſt the Goſpell preached by Paul and Barnabas, ſo the anſwer contradicts God, who ſaith this zeal was truely and lawfully ſet, as touching the object, not being ſet on againſt the members of Chriſt and Paul, for the Goſpell, but againſt falſe prophets that ſpeake lyes in the name of the Lord, ver. 3. Mr. Goodwin brings an example of blind and bloody zeale againſt the Saints and the Apoſtles, to prove that the Chriſtian Magiſtrate ſhould have no zeale at all to puniſh falſe teachers under the New Teſtament, which is juſt this in logicall reduction: Magiſtrates under the New Teſtament ſhould not butcher the innocent, nor murther the Saints, ergo, under the New Teſtament magiſtrates ſhould not take vengeance on murtherers, evil doers, and blaſphemers, who preach doctrines of devills. It is as good logick as this, Godly Rulers ſhould not doe unjuſtice and oppreſſion, ergo, They ſhould not do juſtice and right in ſaving the flock from grievous Wolves.
3 Anſw. Theſe who are abſolutely for ſlaying by death, and thruſting through, doe not allow, that for every error the father ſhould kill the childe.
Anſw. This is yet to object againſt the Holy Ghoſt, not againſt us, for the text will bear no ſuch thing, for the Prophet that is to be thruſt through, is not every ſonne, nor for every error. But it is 1. A falſe Prophet not called to be a Prophet, but one that takes on a hairy mantle to deceive, as the 4. v. holds forth; and ſo he pretends a calling from God, when he hath none. 2. He propheſies not errors only but lies, that hee knowes, or may know, except he were wilfully ignorant, to be lyes. 3. He ſpeaks them in the name of the Lord and ſayes, he hath ſeene the viſions of God, and the word of the Lord came to me, when no ſuch thing was, but he utters his owne phancies, and hee that does theſe three, deſerves bodily puniſhment, and if they bee lyes, ſtriking at the root of the Chriſtian faith, hee deſerves to dye the death.
2 The text will not bear that his father and his mother with their owne hands ſhall thruſt him through, without addreſſing themſelves to the Judge. But it is an alluſion to the Law, Deut. 13. His father and mother ſhall not pity him, but cauſe him to be thruſt through. So Elias ſaid to Achab, Haſt thou killed and alſo gotten poſſeſſion? When Achab with his owne hands had not killed Naboth, but by his command and letter had procured that others ſhould doe it, ſo 2 Sam. 12. 9. Thou haſt killed Ʋriah, but it is exponed David procured that the Ammonites ſhould kill Ʋriah, David with his owne hand did not thruſt him through.
The 4Anſwer of Mr. Goodwin.Anſwer is, becauſe the objector is like to be cumbred with this text he ſaith, (for I repeate not what I anſwered before) the beſt expoſition, and fulleſt is, His father ſhall pierce him through, that is, ſhall indeavour to take him off, and deterre him from ſuch a practice, by laying before him the ſentence of the death out of the Law, Exod. 20. 5. 7. threatning, if thou goe on thou ſhalt not live (with God) but ſhall be condemned—he ſhall pierce him through with ſharp and piercing words, the word of God is compared to a two edged ſword, Pſal. 149. …7. &c. and ver. 12. There is that ſpeaketh like the piercing of a ſword, ſo Turnovins. And the predictions in Scripture are ſpoken as performances. Jer. 1. I have ſet thee over the Nations to root out, &c. That is, to foreſhew or threaten rooting out, ſo Chytraeus. They ſhall confute their wicked opinions, &c.
Anſw. Though Turnovius expound piercing through, by preaching death from the Law,It is not metaphoricall thruſting through that is ſpoken of Zach. 13. but really inflicted death an…bod…ly puniſhment. and terrifying, yet ſince the Objector weakly and groundleſly (as we ſaw) will r…ſtrict this Propheſie to the Church of the Jewes, and a poore ſhort time, when this zeale endured. It muſt, with his leave, be meant (in that day) that is, in the time of the Goſpel, as in other places it muſt be taken, as Ier. 50. 4. v. 20. Ier. 31. 29. Ier. 33. 15. 16. Ioel▪ 2. 29. Zach. 8. 23. for ſo propheſies of Chriſts Kingdome are expounded to have their accompliſhment in Chriſts Goſpel-Kingdome, and then the Law, piercing through, and terrifying, muſt be in uſe under the Goſpel, which is all we crave; therefore the Objector adds to the words of the threatning; thou ſhalt not live (to wit before God, and ſo leaps from the threatning of the ſword of the Magiſtrate, Deut. 13. which hee ſaith is the ſenſe of the place, to the ſecond death, and a dying before God.
2. But let us have an inſtance where piercing through, dying and wounding, is put for Metaphoricall wounding with words to gratifie, the Objectors erroneous ſenſe wee cannot quit this place ſo, for all the Text cryes for a reall piercing and killing.
1. It is I grant an eaſie way to anſwer places of Scripture that can but bear a literall ſenſe, to change them into Metaphors, ſo you may give to the Magiſtrate with ſome Anabaptiſts, Rom. 13. a Metaphoricall ſword, and pay him metaphoricall tribute, and give him metaphoricall obedience: what more reaſon to make this a morall ſlaying, and piercing with words, then a morall or metaphoricall Idol, or a metaphoricall falſe Prophet, a metaphoricall uncleane ſpirit, and paſſing out of the land? Theſe words, thou ſhalt not live, are words of the Law, and the piercing through metaphoricall, but thoſe words, againe (Thou ſpeakeſt lies in the name of the Lord) are not metaphoricall, but containe a proper truth, ſuch a complication is not in all the Scripture.
2. The words in their literall ſenſe are faire and eaſie, and not to bee wreſted to a ſpirituall or borrowed ſenſe without ground; it much leſſeneth the zeale foretold to be under the Goſpel, and turnes a reall zeale over into words of threatning; the Text ſaith the contrary, his father ſhall thruſt him through, and this works ſo upon him, that others ſhall really leave their falſe prophecying, and ſhall ſay, I am no Prophet, but a Herdman; now if the words be a Prophecie to be fulfilled only in the Jewes excluding the Gentiles, as the Objector ſaith, then is it no zeale at all, but a moſt ſinfull and unjuſt diſpencing with the Law, and a zeale far below the Law; for the Law ſaith, Deut. 13. If the ſeducing Prophet which were as neer to thee, as a Brother, Son, Daughter, or Wife in thy boſome, thou muſt not ſmooth him, and oyle him with ſharpe words, and meer threatnings; yea, but thou muſt act againſt him, v. 8. Thine eye ſhall not pitie him, thou ſhall not ſpare him, neither ſhalt thou conceale him. 9. Thou ſhalt ſurely kill him, thine hand ſhall be firſt upon him, to put him to death. Now this cannot be a metaphoricall putting to death, but the Objectors metaphoricall, and minatory piercing of him through with ſharpe and piercing words, imply neceſſarily that yee muſt conceale him, and pitie him, and not kill him, nor ſtretch out any hand againſt him, firſt or laſt to hurt him, but only ſtretch your tongue againſt him, and barely threaten him, and terrifie him, but let him live: If the Prophecie be extended to Iew and Gentile, under the Goſpel, which againſt the Text the Objector denies, then it argues, 1. That there is ſuch a Law under the Goſpel, elſe if it be an unjuſt Law, and out of date now under the Goſpel, the threatning and piercing through muſt bewith lying words, and father muſt utter to the lying Prophet lies to terrifie him; and ſay, ſon if thou deſiſt not from propheſying lies, thou ſhalt be thruſt through with the Magiſtrates ſword, and die according to the Law; that is, I foreſhew and threaten according to the Law (but it is an unjuſt, and an out-dated Law to Libertines that obliegeth not under the New Teſtament) that thou ſhalt be thruſt through and die; that is, I fore-ſhew and propheſie a lie, that thou ought to be put to death, and perſecuted for thy conſcience; whereas no ſuch thing ought to be now, when the Law, Deut. 13. is worne out of vigor. 2. It muſt follow that lying and falſe words uttered in a threatning manner muſt be the way to cauſe the falſe Prophet to bee aſhamed of his viſion and propheſying falſely no more, but ſay, I am no Prophet but an herdman. Whereas the Holy Ghoſt ſayth, feare of thruſting through is the cauſe.
3 If it be onelyonly a piercing meerly minatory, by threatning and rebukes, theſe doe not change the Prophet and gaine him to the truth, as the Objector would imply, for refutation in a doctrinall, and inſtructing, and teaching way only doth that: no rebukes no law-threatnings doe change the falſe Prophet, for threatnings and rebukes doe ſuppoſe the ſeducer ſeeth that hee ſeduceth, and that he propropheſieth lyes which yet the falſe Prophet cannot ſee, till hee bee convinced of the errour of his way, and rebukes will not doe that. But I would put to the Objector his owne quere, is it fit to rebuke a man who can doe no other but publiſh lyes, becauſe he lacketh ſupernatural grace, which would make him a true Prophet? Theſe words v. 6. What are thoſe wounds in thy hands? hold forth a viſible and reall piercing through of the hands, for ſome falſe doctrine hee hath preached, according to the merit of his hereſie, then it muſt bee ſome other thing then a verball threate or a metaphoricall piercing through with words which are tranſient, and not parmanent, and viſible as wounds and print of ſtroakes, cicatrices, in the hands: ſo I cannot but think the Objector hath ſtrained his light to find a violent expoſition to elude the place.
Its true, that Da. Chytreus and Melanthon acknowledge a confutation of errours by words, but Chytreus in the ſame place on this text, goeth farther, they ſhall confute falſe teachers (ſaith he) as Aſa removed his owne mother from worſhipping of Idols. Chytaeus in Zach 13. 3. … doctores … Ut Aſa propr…m ma…re… removit a cu… …u ad…orum. …ead, propter … IdolorumBut how? 2 Chron. 15. 16. He removed her from being Queen, becauſe ſhe had made an Idol in a grove. This removing was not a morall confutation by words, but a compulſory, by royall authority, which is eſſentially coactive and in order to the ſword. Deodate, and the Engliſh Divines, call it a repreſentation of the ſpirit of knowledge and diſcretion, but they adde, and zeale in Chriſts true Church to diſcerne falſe doctrines and to oppoſe them, how? By not onelyonly refuting them by the word, but by cenſures of excommunication and rebukes. The Objector might have read forward, ver. 6. One ſhall ſay, if it appeare that he hath paſſed through the Churches diſcipline, becauſe he hath been a ſeducer, hee ſhall confeſſe it, and give God the glory, approving of the Churches ſeverity, uſed for his correction. The Objector, as we have heard, rejects eccleſiaſticall coercing of falſe teachers as wel as civill. Which Diodate and thoſe Divines acknowledge: nor doe they exclude the Magiſtrate as he doth; he addeth Grotius a reconciler and an apoſtate and calleth the number of five very late writers, the beſt expoſiters on the place of Zachary. With his leave, Calvin, Gualther, Piſcator, Junius, Daneus, five for five, and twenty and twenty, and foure as good (many of them eſteemed better) have written the contrary. I have not time now to levy Hoaſts and Armies of writers. But its the Objectors beſt to bee ſilent of Divines, and to quit the cauſe too, for he ſayeth nothing to a purpoſe. But what Socinians and Sectaries joyning with Serveiur, Caſtalio, Minus Celſus, Vaticanus, Acontius, Epiſcopius, and the Belgick Arminians againſt Calvin and Beza, hath ſaid (with favour of his learning) twice, better if they were tranſlated into the Engliſh tongue. Nor muſt wee with ſharpe rebukes, and piercing words, like ſharpe ſwords pierce through Hereticks: for our Libertines tell us, Chriſt ſpake words of hony and butter to apoſtate Samaritans, and the ſervant of the Lord muſt be gentle. Then muſt we not ſpeake fire and hell to the Godly Saints, to Paul Beſt, to Tyndal that denyeth the Scripture to be the Word, and blaſphemeth the trinity, and Independents though they perſecute Presbyterians, nurſe them if they were Samaritans, are ſo far from piercing the Familiſts, Antinomians Enthyſiaſts through with piercing words, that they advance them to higheſt places of dignity.
To this prediction I adde, The propheſies*Eſa. 49. 23. touching Kings,Eſa. 60. 10. Thoſe that are by office to bee Nurſe-fathers to the Church,Pſ. 138. 4. to miniſter to her, and lend their royall breſts to bee ſucked by her,Pſ. 72. 10. 11. and as godly Kings are to praiſe the Lord as godly Kings,Pſ. 2. 11. Eſ. 60. 16. Pro. 8. 16. Rev. 21. 24. are to bring gifts & preſents to Chriſt, & are to be wiſe & ſerve the Lord, and kiſſe the mediator, and to bring their Royall honour to the New Jeruſalem, and by whom Kings reigne, they and their Royall ſword cannot be excluded from commanding the Prieſts, Prophets and Teachers to befriend the bride, and decor, and d… her for her Lord and husband, to give wholeſome milke to the children, as they would be rewarded of Princes as wel doers, or puniſhed as ill doers, and would be protected from grievous wolves, not ſparing the flock, nor can they bee excluded from all royall and politicke guarding of both Tables of the Law▪ as if they were but fleſhly Ordinances. But ſuch are Kings and Princes,… ergo &c. Non is it my mind that Kings are ſub-mediators or Vicars of Chriſt mediator, as Eraſti… dream, but what ever Kings do in, or about matters of Religion, they do it in a politick way not as commanding the conſcience, but in order to civill and temporary rewards and puniſhments.
Its true Chriſtianity addes no new Magiſtratical power to a King, it being only a gratious accident without which a man may be a King, yet it ſpiritualizeth the exerciſe of Royall power and Chriſtianity is no accident of a Chriſtian King, but a Chriſtian King, kindly, and as a Chriſtian King, is to ſerve Chriſt the Lord, and to conſerve with his royall dignity all Goſpell-ordinances in an externall politick way; and ſo he owes Royall ſervice to Chriſt, as ſuch a King, ſo graced of God, and in this conſideration he brings his glory to Chriſt, and tutors the bride the lambes wi…e. Juſtice is an accident of a man, but not of a juſt man.