Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience, Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. Whether puniſhing of Seducing Teachers be perſecution for Conſcience.
LIbertines lay downe for a ground, That to puniſh any for their conſcience muſt be perſecution; Remonſt. Apo. c. 24. p. 268Anninians call puniſhing of Hereticks perſecution: it is proper to carnall men to perſecute the Children of the Promiſe. He that is ſick onelyonly of an errour of the minde,Remonſt. Apo. c. 24. p. 2…9. breaks not the Law of God: If the Magiſtrate puniſh him for that, he is a Perſecuter. So alſo the Anabaptiſts in Bullingers time. Mr. Williams going after theſe guides ſaith, Bullinge… Adver. Anabap. l. 5. c. 8 Bloudy Tenet. c. 3. p. 19, 20.I acknowledge that to moleſt any perſon, Jew or Gentile, for either profeſſing doctrine, or practiſing worſhip meerly Religious, or Spirituall, is to preſecute him, and ſuch a perſon (what ever his doctrine be, true or falſe) ſuffereth for his conſcience; and beſide, a man may be perſecuted, becauſe he holdeth or practiſeth what he beleeves in conſcience to be truth, as Daniel, and becauſe he dare not yeeld obedience, to doctrines and worſhips invented by men, and ſo the Authour of Storming of the Anti. and of the Ancient bounds.
Anſw. Ancient boundsThe very like the Donatiſts objected; ſo Creſconius Grammaticeus, Quiſquis Chriſtianum perſequitur, Chriſti inimicus eſt, Scripturall perſecution is only for truth. Aſſer. 1whoever perſecutes a Chriſtian is an enemy of Chriſt, Auguſ. l. 3. contra a Creſconium c. 51. anſwereth, Verum dicis, … non in illo perſequitur, quod Chriſti eſt inimicum, neque enim Dominus in ſervo, pater in filio, maritus in conjuge cum ſine utrique Chriſtiani, non debent perſequi vitia Cbriſtianae contraria veritati, an vero ſi non perſequuntur, non rei negligentiae merito teneluntur? It is true, ſaith he, He is an Enemy to Chriſt, who perſecuteth a Chriſtian, if he doe not perſecute in a Chriſtian, that, which is enmity to Chriſt, yet are not the maſter, father, husband, not to perſecute in ſervant, ſon, and wife (if they be Chriſtians) ſinnes contrary to Chriſtian truth, and if they perſecute not theſe ſinnes, are they not juſtly guilty of the negligence of their brethrens ſoules? So alſo Auguſtine diſtinguiſheth a two fold perſecution, de unit. Eccl. c. 20 & Pſal. 100. Had theſe men given us one letter of Scripture for their baſtard definition of perſecution, we ſhould not ſtumble to heare Tongue-perſecuters and Raylers, and Hand-perſecuters ſay ſo; but we goe from them to our Saviours words, Matth. 5. 12. Bleſſed are ye, when men ſhall revile you, and perſecute you, and ſay all manner of evill againſt you (not for an erroneous and bloody conſcience, as Libertines define it) but falſely for my ſake. Perſecution that the Scripture condemnes, is perſecution, for righteouſneſſe …d truth, ſuch as the true Prophets ſuffered for the truth, Matth. 5. 12. for Chriſts names ſake, Luke 21. 17. Matth. 19. 29. for the word of God, and for the teſtimony of Jeſus, Rev. 1. 9. Rev. 6. 9. for the teſtimony of the trutb, Rev 11. 7. for righteouſneſſe, Matth. 5. 10. for the Goſpel, Mark. 4. 17. Acts 12. 25. Acts 13. 50. Gal. 5. 11. Gal. 6. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 12. Mark. 10. 30. 2 Cor. 12. 10. 2. Theſſ. 1. 2. Tim 3 11. Matth. 10 23. Joh. 5. 16. Joh. 15. 20. Rom. 12. 14. Acts 7. 52. 1 Cor 4 11. Gal. 1. 13. 1 Theſſ. 2. 15. Acts 9. 4. Acts 22. 7. c. 26. 14. Phil. 2. 6. And why was Jeremiah perſecuted? the three Children, Daniel, Chriſt, Paul, Peter, John, James, the Martyrs, Heb. 11. not for Familiſme, Antinomianiſine, Socinianiſme, Anabaptiſme, &c. ſhew us a word of Old or New Teſtament warranting you to call it perſecution, to moleſt any for worſhip or practice, though moſt falſe. Mr. Williams ſaith, to maleſt any for their conſcience is perſecution, then muſt Jeremiah be a Perſecuter, for he moleſted thoſe with rebukes and threatnings, who out of meer conſcience, killed their ſons and daughters to Malech. Chriſt moleſted Phariſees and Sadduces, who out of meer conſcience defended the traditions of men, falſe interpretations of the Law, denied the Reſurrection; yea the Lord commanded the Judges in his Law, not onelyonly to moleſt, but to ſtone to death without mercy, thoſe who profeſſed doctrine out of meer conſcience, and practice worſhip upon meerly Religious grounds, which tended to drive away people from the true God, and ſuch as blaſphemed God, Deut. 13. Exo. 32 26, 27. Rom. 15. 1. 13. 4. Lev. 24. 10, 11. Deut. 17. 2. Levit. 20. 2. But God never commanded in any Law perſecution, but hated it, and no more commanded it, then his holy Laws can be unjuſt.
2.There is a tongue perſecuting by rebukes, which is condemned by Libertines in matters of Religion, as well as handperſecution. Aſſer. There is a perſecution with the tongue by words like coals of Juniper, Pſal. 120. 2, 3. and like the arrows of the mighty, like a ſharp razour, Pſal. 52. 23. Job 19. 3. Theſe ten times ye have reproached me, and are not aſhamed, v. 21. Why doe ye perſecute me as God? Jobs friends never put hand on him, but by arguing him to be an hypocrite, from the miſtaken doctrine of providence, as is clere, chap. 4 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, &c. yet they perſecuted him, Job 19. 28. they that mocked Jeremiah and in arguing oppoſed his doctrine, and ſaid, Jer. 17. 15. Where is the word of the Lord, perſecuted him, v. 18. Let them be confounded that perſecute me, Jer. 18. 18. Then ſaid, they, come let us deviſe devices againſt Jeremiah, for the Law ſhall not periſh from the Prieſt, nor counſell from the wiſe, nor the word of the Lord from the Prophet: and they had much to ſay from the word, that the Law was with the Prieſts, and the word of the Lord with their Prophets, as well as with Jeremiah, yet they reſolve to perſecute Jeremiah, come and let us ſmite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. And the Scripture tells us of the ſcourge of the Tongue, Job 5. 21. and the place cited by Libertines, Gal. 4. 28, 29. where it is ſaid that I…hmael the ſon of the handmaid, perſecuted Iſaac the ſon of the Promiſe, it was not by offering any bodily violence to Iſaac, as we teach the Chriſtian Magiſtrate, is to uſe the ſword againſt Seducers; but as Pareus, Meyer, Calvin, Piſcator, Beza, Luther, Perkins, and all Interpreters do well expound it, Iſhmael but mocked Iſaac, and ſaid, the promiſes made to him were but a mock, and he would have, forſooth, the dignity of the birth-right. Calvin ſaith, the mocking and blaſpheming of Chriſt on the Croſſe, He truſted in God, let him deliver him, Pſal. 22. Matth. 27. 39, 40. was the moſt cruell perſecution that ever befell him, Heb. 11. 36. and others had triall of cruell mocking and ſcorning. Optatus complained that the bloud of Biſhops was ſhed not by the ſword,Opeatus Mel. vitan. l. 3. Epiſcopos gladio linguae jugulaſtis, fundentes ſanguinen non corporis, ſed honoris. but by the tongue; then muſt Elias perſecute Baals Prieſts, for he mocked them: And what warrant have Libertines to ſay, that all Baals Prieſts followed that worſhip that they were brought up in, againſt their conſcience, for the conſcience of Hereticks being burnt with an hot iron, 1 Tim. 3. will make them think the killing of the Lords Apoſtles is good ſervice to God, and all the ſarcaſticke mockings and jearings of M. Williams Goodwin, the Authors I cite, and of other Libertines againſt Presbyterians, the followers of Calvin, the oppoſers of wilde and Atheiſticall liberty of conſcience (ſince they are not in fallible in maintaining toleration of all wayes, Turciſme, Judaiſme, Familiſme, Socinianiſme, &c.) muſt be perſecution of all in the contrary opinion for conſcience, and ſo while they write againſt perſecution, they perſecute all contrary arguing and refuting of ſuch, as we conceive doe erre: and all rebuking of them, all ſyllogiſticall collections and inferences, of the abſurdities and blaſphemies of their doctrine, muſt be ſmiting with the tongue and perſecution. For that ſpoken againſt Jeremiah, The Law ſhall not periſh from the Prieſt, nor the word of the Lord from the Prophet; having ſo much colour of Scripture, as that alſo, he ſaved others; Ergo, if he …e the Saviour, he muſt ſave himſelfe, being of the dye and hew of truth, ſo near of bloud to it in outward face, and to the conſciences of many; were notwithſtanding grievous perſecuting of Jeremiah and Jeſus Chriſt, then muſt M. Williams ſay true, we muſt not by prayer or propheſie ſeeke to pluck up the tares till harveſt. So all writing, preaching, and refuting of gainſayers, of that which we conceive to be truth, except we be infallible, and prophetically aſcertai…ed we are right, and theſe we refute, wrong, muſt be perſecution and ſmiting with the tongue.
3. Nor doe Libertines charge us more with perſecution, then Anabaptiſts did Bullinger and our Reformers, and the Donatiſts did Auguſtine, Bullinger adver Anabap. l. 5. …. 8and the Catholicks upon whom Auguſtine retorted the challenge, for the true Church (ſaith he) caſts out Agar the handmaid, is this perſecution? It is to be obſerved in this Argument. 1. That none objected this but Sectaries▪ and ſuch as were conſcious to themſelves of foule tenets,Auguſ. Epiſt. 50 Magis ancilla p…rſequebitur Satam ſuperbi…n…o, qu…m …llam Sa…a co… cendo, illa enim dominae faciebat injuriam, iſta imponeb…t ſuperb…ae diſcipli…m. as Anabaptiſts in Germany, Donatiſts in Africa, Papiſts in Q…een Elizabeths time; Calvin, Beza, Proteſtants never objected this, againſt the Papiſts, or Spaniſh Inquiſitors, the old Non-conformiſts never pleaded againſt the moſt tyrannicall Prelates for liberty of conſcience, finde this in all their books. So Cartwright, yea Ameſius though by aſſed with Independency, ſpeaketh againſt lawleſſe liberty.
2.Auguſ. Petitiano, l. 2. c. 83. Noli diccre abſit, abſit …conſcientia noſtra, ut ad noſtram fidē aliq…em compellamus, facitis enim, ubi poteſtis, ubi autem non facitis, non p… teſtis, ſive legum ſive … timore, ſive reſ…entium mu…t…d ne. Libertines, Anabaptiſts, Donatiſts, when they get the Sword in their hand, of all men moſt cruelly preſſe the conſciences of others, that are not in every punctilio in their minde. See the Authours in the Margine to prove this, none ſuch bloudy perſecuters for conſcience as they.
3. All theſe Arguments do ſtrongly militate againſt Jezabel and all Hereticks, and ſeducing Teachers, for Chriſt hath ordained a ſpirituall coactive power in the Church againſt Wolves and ſuch as ſay, They are Jews and lie, and are the Synagogue of Sathan, Rev. 2. as well as God hath ordained a civill coactive power in the State, and the one coactive power doth 1 as much hinder Chriſts followers to be a willing people, as the other, and 2 Preſſe the conſcience. 3 Create hypocriſie. 4 Oppoſe the meekneſſe of Chriſt and his Miniſters.So were Marcis Presbyter Victorienſis, and Mareitius Urgenſis, per…ecuted by Donatiſts, Auguſ. Epiſt. …. Carwright 2 Joh 10. on Tit. 3. 10. Ameſius de conſcien. l. 4. c. 4. An haeretici …nt … civil… Magiſtratu puniendi. q. 6. Re. R…primendos eſſe haereticos abomnibus plit. … Rom 13. 4. 1 Tim. 2. 2. n. 15. Si vero etiam manifeſte blaſphemiſint, & in illis blaſphemus pertinaces ac praefracti, p…ſſint etiam affici ſupplicio capitali, lex enim illa, Levit. 24. 15. 16. quamvis non obligit Chriſtianos quatenus eſt lex, quatenus tamen eſt doctrina a Deop ofecta pertinet ad Chriſtianorum directionem in ejuſdem generis cauſis; Joannes Clopenbur… in Gangrena Anabaptiſ. Tripa…. hiſtor. l. 12. c. 9. Bullinger. l. 1. c. 8. c. 9. Petition of Famil… to K James an. 1604 They commend King James in counſelling Pr. Henry to puniſh Putitan Non-conformiſts, and plead for liberty to themſelves See Survey of the ſpirituall Antichriſt, pag. 343. Apolog. Remon. 5 Savour of perſecution. 6 Eſtrange affections. 7 Countenance domineering over conſcience as the other.
4 Nor doe we profeſſe, coercing of ſound and faithfull teachers, but onelyonly ſeducing Hereticks. The Arminians tell us, A Precept is quickly found, when we would perſecute the godly for their conſcience,Bloudy Tenet. c. 11. p. 3. and Mr. Williams cryeth, Search all Scriptures, Records, &c. no perſecuters, not the Divell himſelf, profeſſe to perſecute the Son of God, Jeſus as Jeſus, Chriſt as Chriſt, without a marke or covering; ſo ſaid they, had we lived in Queen Maries dayes, we would not have conſented to ſuch perſecution.
Anſw. This argues a ſilly engine, for if it hold good againſt us, Search all Scriptures, Records, &c. no Tyrants, no Nero having the Sword to puniſh Patricides, Matricides, Sorceries, Adulteries, Sodomy, profeſſed that they puniſhed juſt men as juſt men, innocent men as innocent men; what then? Shall it follow Magiſtracy and the uſe of the ſword is unlawfull againſt any, becauſe Tyrants oppreſſe the innocent, not as innocent, but as ſeditious, traiterous, cruell, bloudy men? Nor would I have Mr. Williams, ſo charitable to the Devill as to thinke he will not perſecute Jeſus as Jeſus. I dare not determine much upon the Devills heart-reduplications, but if he be not involved in the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and a burning malice againſt Jeſus, becauſe he is the Son of God, and the Saviour of man, I know not much. However Mr. Williams hath reaſon upon his grounds to thinke that none ſhould be perſecuted for conſcience, becauſe we are all Scepticks even in point of Salvation and Fundamentalls, and not infallibly aſſured of either heaven or hell, and ſo he is wor…e then a Papiſt.
2. No men know (all men ſince the Prophets and Apoſtles ſell aſleep, being void of infallibility) aſſuredly what he believeth unto ſalvation, if any ſhould deny there is a God or a Providence (as I feare there be too many practicall and Judiciall Atheiſts amongſt us) he ought not by Prophecying or arguing to be plucked out of that eſtate, till harveſt, but muſt with the clemency of Chriſt; here dears brother Atheiſt, you are a godly pious hereticke, and have no God, but your conſcience; and dare not for feare of your conſcience believe, that there is a God, and I dare not rebuke you, but be going on in your Divinity; I have as little infallible aſſurance there is a God, as you have, there is no God, and neither you nor I are to be puniſhed for our conſciences.
3. Mr. Williams ought for no Religion venture his life to burning quicke, for he cannot dye or caſt away his life but upon a conjecture,Libertines ought no… to ſuffer death for any truth. it may be there is a God, and it may be there is no God; for how dare he breake the ſixt Command and hazard his life, for a truth that may be a lye? So neither ſhould any perſecute, but in faith, that he is infallibly ſure the man is a reall hereticke, neither ſhould he be perſecuted, for he is not infallible in the knowledge that he ſuffereth for, and ſo cannot ſuffer in faith, ſee for more of this, and the foregoing doctrine.Mimus Celſus Sect. 2 Fo. 62. Mimus Celſus denieth the coercing of Seducers upon Socinian principles. Citech Racco v…d: proph. mu. 1. C. c. 1. Cainbartus contra Lypſium; Lincaeus, de libertate Chriſtiana, Althuſius in politicis, and Celſus gives us good ſtuffe, It was commanded Kings in the Old Teſtament to kill their enemies, but in the New Teſtament we are to love our enemies, and doe good to them that hate us; 2 For edification, not for killing and deſtruction is Church Diſcipline ordained.
Anſ. What this Socinian Author bringeth for new Precepts of Chriſt in the New Teſtament, different from theſe of the Old,Socinus in praelec. c. 17. is but wicked Socinianiſme as you may ſee in the Catechiſme of Raccovias, Socinus, Oſterodius, Smalcius, Volkelius, and the Arminians, Com, in 1 Joh. fo. 134. prae…er Theol. c 5. f. 6. 7 Oſtorodi…s Inſt. Chriſ Relig. c. 22. c. 23. c. 24. c 25 &c.Epiſcopius Arminius, who make the loving of our enemies commanded by Chriſt, Matth. 5. 44. Luke 6. 35. and by Paul Rom. 12. 20. not to be commanded in the Old Teſtament, which argueth their ignorance of the Scriptures, Prov. 25. 21. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread, Prov. 24. 17. Rejoyce not when thine enemies fall, Exo. 23 4. If thou meet thine enemies Oxe or Aſſe going aſtray, Smalcius de divi… C c 5. f. 17. Contra Smig…c c. 15 f. 136.thou ſhall ſurely bring it backe to him; yea David by an Old Teſtament ſpirit, when his enemies were ſick, Pſal. 35. 13, 14 was cloathed with ſack cloth and faſted,Volkelius. Epiſcopius diſ. 17 de…eſ…l c 2 Arm deleg & Evan com. the. 6. and behaved himſelfe as one mourning at his mothers grave; what David and Jer…mial, did propheſie againſt Gods enemies is fulfilled in the New Teſtament, and Paul and Luke ſay Amen to it, Rom. 11. v. 8, 9, 10. Acts 1. 20, 21. and we are to beare the like zeal, yea more againſt falſe teachers under the Meſſias Kingdome, then they did, Zach. 13 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 2 Joh. 10. Rom. 16. 17. Rev. 2. 19, 20. 2 The end of Church-diſcipline is edification, the taking away the life of a Blaſphemer is the good of the ſociety, Deut. 13. 12. That all Iſrael may heare and feare, and doe ſo no more, but that the Chriſtian Magiſtrates end is ſpiritual, and the edification of ſouls, we read it not.
The Author of Ancient bonds having forgotten Divinity cryes, God waited for the Old world 120 yeers, and when this date of patience is out,Ancient bonds of Liberty, Reaſ. 21, 22. I would have gathered you, &c. I ſent my Prophets early, but where doth the Lord charge the Prophet, that the Magiſtrate did not force and compell the people?
Anſ. Will this man let us hear Logick? the Lord waited on the old world 120 yeers; The Lords patience towards ſinners in the old Teſtament was no argument of not coercing falſe Prophets in that O…d Teſtament, as the Author of Ancient bonds &c. ſuppoſeth.and ſent his Prophets early, I dare ſay, many hundred yeers; Ergo, The Blaſphemer and the falſe Prophet contrary to Deut. 13. Levit. 24. muſt be ſpared 120 yeeres? ſo Ergo, Wee muſt exerciſe much long ſuffering in the old Teſtament while theſe Lawes were in vigour, (for then it muſt bee that the Prophets Jeremiah and Iſaiah were never charged that Magiſtrates compelled not conſciences,) toward ſeducing Prophets: Why, but God uſing much longſuffering toward the old world, and Iſrael not a world (I j…dge) of innocent and godly Hereticks, but of men that corrupted their way, deſpiſed the Prophets, hardned their faces and hearts, were murtherers, oppreſſors, grinders of the poor, killed their children to Devils; Ergo, the Magiſtrate ſhould extend long-ſuffering for as many yeers as this man will to theſe ill-doers, no leſs then to ſeducing torchers, ſhould not Paſtors & Rulers extend long-ſuffering to all ſorts of ſinners as well as to Hereticks? but where (anſwers the Prophet) doth the Lord lay it to the charge of Prophet or Magiſtrate, that they did not force or compell the people, to repent, to leave their murthering, their oppreſſing their grinding of the face of the poor? We teach not that the Prophet ought to compell any, nor that the Sword is an ordinance of God to convert oppreſſars, and murtherers, to turn meek and righteous judges, co-action by fire and ſword in Old or New Teſtament can convert none to Chriſt, the word and the Spirit muſt ever doe the turn: By accident God can change the nature of the rod and fanctifie it to Manaſſes, for to bring him to humiliation and repentance. But were theſe that Chriſt would have gathered Matth. 23. only falſe Prophets, to whom he extended patience many hundred yeers, even from Moſes till his owne coming in the fleſh? Ergo, We ſhould extend to bloodie Murtherers of the Lords Prophets, the like patience, and not kill them, for then they are paſt hope of being gained? Now the Text means no ſuch thing, but that Chriſt waited long on, and ſent his Prophets early in the morning, to thoſe that were theeves, Iſai. 1. murtherers, adulterers, Jer. 5. that ſl…w their Children to Mole…h; by this argument the Magiſtrate ſhould not draw his Sword againſt adulterers, murtherers; and I judge the Rulers were called Lions and Wolves, Ezek. 22. becauſe they extended too much cruel patience to theſe. But if Gods patience be a rule, men muſt not be cut off, becauſe there is hope of their repentance ſo long as they live, your own Acontius ſaith by this reaſon,Acontius de Steatagematis Satanae, l. 3. p. 155. Murtherers and adulterers ſhould not be puniſhed by the Magiſtrate, for there often is more hope of Publicans, Harlots and Murtherers that they may be the elect of God, and gained to repentance, then of ſelf-wiſe, and judicially blinded Phariſees:…. Nor find we any ſo deſerted of God and judicially blinded of God as Libertines, read but the book intituled John the Baptiſt, ſure a wilderneſs man void of reaſon wrote it,Hope of gaining blaſphemers no more ground of ſparing their life, then hope of gaining Murtherers can be pretended as a ground why they ſhould not be puniſhed. the man tells chap. 9. diſclaiming againſt going to low and wars; (which yet Anabaptiſts and this Scholler of that Sect practiſe, whether the Parliament will or no) ſaith, Are yee wronged in perſon, eſtate, good name, or for Chriſts ſake, which is our conſcience? our Saviour and his Saints have drunke the ſame cup. Hence he citeth to no purpoſe Scriptures but two and fourtie in number, of the perſecutions to follow the Lords Diſciples for the Goſpel, and that it is proper to the world to perſecute, and to the Saints to be perſecuted, and hated for righteouſneſſe, and that ſuch as are perſecuted, and … …ſallow all perſecuting for matters of Religion, Whether to be perſecuted for conſcience true or falſe, be a proper note of the tru… Church as Iob. Baptiſt, ſaith, cap. 9.as the greateſt ſtumbling block to the propagation of the Goſpel, muſt neceſſarily be the true Church and … of Chriſt, none elſe having a capacitie (without Gods infinite merciemercy, and diſpenſation) of being ever hewed out and ſquared as members ſutable to ſuch a head: contr…riorum eadem eſt ratio, ſince the true Church muſt needs be perſecuted, that must needs be a falſe Church which perſecutes the true one, for though this falſe Church be perſecuted likewiſe, yet in regard it cannot be both true and falſe, that perſecuted Church must needs be the only true one, which doth not perſecute others, but that the argument may be compleat and full (it had much need, for it is weak and unſtable as water) as in the mouth of two witneſſes unto this evidence of reaſon, Let me adde a Scripture proofe, Viz. we brethren (true Chriſtians) as Iſaac was, are the children of promiſe, but as he that was born after the fl…ſh, perſecuted him that was born after the Spirit, … ſo it is now Gal. 4. 28, 29. yet ſince it is better, if the will of God be ſo that we ſuffer for w…ldoing then for evill doing, 1 Pet. 3 17 howev…r theſe Iſhmalites are powerful, proſperous, prevaile againſt us, and have the world at will for the preſent, yet let us comfort our-ſelves that God hath choſen the diſpiſed and poore, rich in faith, &c. We cloſe this Chapter with their doom and ours, Neceſſi…y of Toleration, Quar. 51.neverthel…ſſe what ſaith the Scripture, C…ſt out the bondwoman, for the ſon of the bon…woman ſhall not be heire with the ſon of the free-woman, ſo then, we are not children of the bondwoman, See Oſterodius Iuſtit. rel. c. 5. f. 21.but of the free, Gal. 4. 30, 31. So of that ſort is the heedleſſe Quaeriſt to the Aſſembly of Divines.
If the Magiſtrate as a Magiſtrate have a power from Chriſt to puniſh ſuch as he is perſwaded in his conſcience are erroneous and hereticall,Smalcius praefat. re…at, frant. Soci…. praelect. Theol. c. 17. Smalcius refut. lib. de ſatiſfact. Chriſti c. 1 & lib 1, de offic. Chriſti 7. Jeſus Chriſtus eſt primus ac ſolus praeco hujus doctrinae ac multo perfectio is quam ea quae ante Chriſtum, in popul… D…i fuit. P…liander in concertat. Socinian. diſp. 27. theſ. 35, 36, 37. Peltiush…rmon. Socin. & remonſt. art. 292. art. 21. Volke…ius in verbis Chriſti illis teſtimoni…s (inquit) Exod. …1. 24. Lev. 24. 20. Deut 19. 21 …am legis mon…em fuiſſe comprobatur, ut ultio ac vindicta fuiſſe permiſſ… ſta…uatur, mod… per magiſtratum, non autem propti… authoritate fieret. Cui quid em legi Chriſtus ſua verba opponens, omnem non modo privatam, ſed etiam publicam vindictam abrogat, ſuiſque praecipit ut omnes perpeſſiones quae alterius maxi…ae obverſione ſignificantur, omnemque bonorum jacturam, quae pallii dimiſſione innu…tur, omnem denique moleſtiam, quae coactione ad unum milliare deſignatur, ita ferant, ut ſimilem denuo injuriam ſubeant, potius quam illat…m, …ive per ſe, five per magiſtratum ulciſcantur. or becauſe he differs in Religion from the Magiſtrate, then Queen Mary and her Parliament did well in burning the Martyrs for differing from her eſtabliſhed Religion.
Anſw. 1. The man as an Anabaptiſt citeth, Matth. 5. 39. 40. Whoſoever ſhall ſmite thee on the right che…k, turn to him the other. Volkelius an arrand Socinian cryes down Lawes and Judges, and all warres under the New Teſtament, and maketh this a new Commandement not warranted in the Old Teſtament, as if the hating of our enemie, and revenge, were commanded in the old, and forbidden in the new. Nay (ſ…ith he) what heavenly raviſhed and bleſſed Spirit will tell me what theſe Scriptures mean, Mat. 39. 40. 41, 42. as if none were heavenly and bleſſed Spirits that knew the meaning of the Scriptures but Volkelius, Chellius, Socinus and other Socinians and Anabaptiſ…s. I anſwer, Socinus and Volkelius are theſe bleſſed Spirits that can ſhew the meaning of theſe words and tender Lettice for your lips. But ſee your Socinian dream, and theirs refuted by Poliander and Joan. Peltius, for Chriſt in the New Teſtament does no where contradict Moſes Law, nor refute Moſes, but he refuteth the false gloſſes which Scribes and Phariſees put on Moſes Law.
For 1. Chriſt never ſaith, It was ſaid by Moſes, but I ſay the contrary. But it was ſaid of old by the unlucky Elders and Fathers of Scribes and Phariſees, which theſe wretched Doctors and their ſons ſaid, Eye for eye, and thou ſhall not kill, and thou ſhall not commit adultery. As is cleare:
1.There be no New Commandements of Chriſt to love our enemies in the New Teſtament, which were not commanded in the Old, as Joh. Baptiſt ſaith c. 9. Becauſe loving of our Enemy was forbidden by Moſes, and in the Old Teſtament, as in the New, as I proved before, revenge is forbidden, Prov. 20. 22. Deut. 32. 35. Shedding of bloud is forbidden, Gen. 9. 6. as well as by our Saviour, Matth. 26. 52.
2. Becauſe Chriſt ſaith, Matth. 5. 20. I ſay unto you, except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees (he ſaith not, except it exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Law of God commanded by Moſes in the Old Teſtament) Yee ſhall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven. And as Chriſt condemneth unjuſt anger, ſo is it condemned a… murther, and accurſed in the Old Teſtament, Gen. 49 7. 2 Chro. 28. 9. Daniel 3. 13. Prov. 14. 16. Gen. 27. 45. Eſt. 1. 12. Prov. 15. 1. Prov. 19. 11. c. 27. 4. Eccleſ. 7. 4. Eſa. 7. 4. Amos 1. 11. 1 Sam. 17. 28. 1 Sam. 20. 30. Prov. 14. 17. c. 29. 22. c. 21. 19. c. 22. 24. and forbidden in the ſixt Commandement, before Chriſt had that Sermon, Matth. 5. And the forbidding of raſh and ſinfull anger, is no new Commandement, but more frequently condemned in the Old Teſtament, then in the New. And the like may be proved of heartluſting, Prov. 6. 25. Luſt not after her beauty in thine heart, Gen. 6. 1. Job 31. 1. Jer. 5. 8. 2 Sam. 11. 2. Job 24. 15, 16. Job 31. 9. All which places, and many others in the Old Teſtament condemne luſting after a woman in the heart, no leſſe then Chriſt condemns it.
3. Chriſt refuteth Socinians and Anabaptiſts, Matth. 5. 17. Think not I am come to deſtroy the Law, &c. 18. For verily I ſay unto you, till heaven and earth paſſe one jot, or one title ſhall in no wiſe paſſe from the Law, till all he fulfilled. But if Chriſt oppoſe his new Precepts to the Law of Moſes as Velkelius ſaith, he muſt utterly deſtroy the Law of Moſes, and ſubſtitute a more perfect Law in the place thereof. But Libertines, as Joh. Baptiſt here, would have hereſie forbidden in the Old Teſtament, and puniſhing of falſe propheſying commanded there. But hereſie muſt be Innocency, and Righteouſneſſe in the New Teſtament, and to be puniſhed for falſe teaching in the old was to ſuffer for ill-doing; but now in the New (ſaith Baptiſt) to be puniſhed for falſe propheſying is to ſuffer for well-doing, and he citeth 1 Pet. 3. 17. as if it were the will of God, that Sectaries ſuffer for well-doing: that is, for Familiſme, Socinianiſme, Antmomianiſme, Popery, Idolatry, butchering of children to God, as ſome Anabaptiſt Parents have done, and for preaching Doctrine that eateth as a Gangrene, 2 Tim. 2 for blaſpheming and denying the Reſurrection of the dead, as Hymeneus did; for he that ſuffereth for all theſe, out of meer conſcience, ſuffereth for welldoing, as Peter ſaith, if we beleeve Joh. Baptiſt.
2. But how ſhall Mr. Baptiſt prove Chriſt foretelling the Apoſtles ſhould be perſecuted for the preaching of the truth of God and the Goſpel,They that ſuffer for hereſie and killing their children to Molech by Baptiſts way, ſo they preſerve conſcience, ſuffer for well-doing, and according to the will of God in the Apoſtle Peters ſenſe that theſe Apoſtles, and the Anabaptiſts that now are, muſt looke in like manner to be perſecuted for the Goſpel; that is, for Familiſme, Socinianiſme, all the new Blaſphemies now on foot in England; are all theſe blaſphemies the Goſpel? and whoſoever ſuffer for monſtrous hereſies, muſt they ſuffer as the Apoſtles did? and muſt they lay claim to all the comforts that our Saviour hath bequeathed in his Teſtament, to his Diſciples who were to ſuffer for Chriſts ſake, and for righteouſneſſe, then ſurely an erronious and a blaſpheming conſcience muſt be righteouſneſſe; and to ſuffer for blaſphemy and Satan, muſt be to ſuffer for righteouſneſſe and for Chriſts ſake,Joh. Baptiſt Preface to the Reader, and c. 11. for theſe Libertines ſay the Aſſembly of Divines teach Blaſphemies, Popery, murthering of Saints for conſcience. So Baptiſt, ſo Neceſſity of Toleration, ſo Ancient Bounds.Neceſſity of Toleration by Samuel Richardſon, an. 1647.
3. If ſuch as are perſecuted, and diſclaime totally perſecution for conſcience, Quer. 54. q. 55. and pag. 20, 21. Ancient bounds p. 20, 21, 22.be the onelyonly true Church, and none but they, then theſe Papiſts in England in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth who were onelyonly perſecuted (in your ſenſe of the word Perſecution) and wrote, and petitioned againſt Perſecution, and totally diſclaimed it, are the onelyonly true Church. The like I may ſay of the Arrians in the Emperours times, againſt whom, moſt ſevere Laws and Edicts were made, which to M. Baptiſt was direfull perſecution, and yet they totally diſclaimed perſecution for conſcience, and pleaded for Toleration. So ſay I of the Arminians in Holland, who alwayes plead for liberty of Propheſying, and of Anabaptiſts, and all the Sectaries in Germany, when they firſt aroſe, of the Familiſts and moſt rigid Anabaptiſts in New England, and of all the vileſt Sects, Anabaptiſts, Antiſcripturiſts, Socinians, Familiſts, &c. in Old England. Yea, we may ſuppoſe all Papiſts, Iewes, and the moſt abominable Sects, living where there are ſtrict Lawes for the onelyonly one true Religion, to hold the opinion of totall diſclaiming perſecution for conſcience (for ſure they are moſt capable of this opinion) hence it ſhall follow that all theſe wretched Hereticks ſhall be the only true Church and body of Chriſt.
4. This monopolizeth the nature and name of the true Church to onelyonly Sectaries that profeſſe they are ready to ſuffer for their conſcience, and doe totally diſclaime perſecution, that is, for liberty of conſcience: ſo this opinion ſhall be the only eſſential, not and conſtituent form of the true Church, and ſhall exclude the ſound faith of all fundamentalls, and the doctrine of the Law and Goſpell. The vileſt Hereticks living, holding this one Article of Baptiſts faith, ſhall be the onelyonly true Church; and this opinion ſhall unite men and ſocieties formally to Chriſt their head, and yet it is no matter of faith; except Libertines ſay, none are capable of faith and ſalvation, but ſuch as hold this opinion. Hence it muſt follow all theſe named Calviniſts, all the Reformed Churches, all the Churches and Saints in New England, all the ancient Browniſts, the old Non-conformiſts, who all diſclaimed toleration and licence of conſcience, muſt not onelyonly not be the true Church, but the malignant Church of ſuch as profeſſe that which they cal Perſecution; yea and ſince they deteſt and abhor liberty of conſcience as Atheiſticall. All theſe Saints muſt be uncapable of ſaving faith, and neceſſarily damned, becauſe being profeſſed perſecutors, and tot…ly diſclaiming toleration, they are in the judgement of this Baptiſt, ſuch as have no capacity (without Gods infinit… mercy and diſpenſation, converting them to ſuch Libertiniſme) to be hewne out and ſquared to ſuch a head as Chriſt, for contrariorum eudem eſt ratio.
5. Forme an Argument, Mr. Baptiſt, from your two Scriptures. If to perſecute for conſcience be eſſentiall to ſuch as are borne of the fleſh, and to be perſecuted for conſcience be eſſentiall to ſuch as are born after the Spirit, then to be thus perſecuted, and to diſclaim totally perſecution for conſcience is an eſſentiall note of the true Church. This Propoſition can never be proved in your ſenſe, for to be perſecuted for conſcience; that is, for a well informed conſcience which is ſound in the faith of Articles of ſaving knowledge is indeed ſuch an eſſentiall note, and ſo we yeeld all, but it is nothing for toleration, but much againſt it, but to be perſecuted for conſcience, though erroneous and holding Judaiſme, Turciſme, Arrianiſme, Papiſme, Familiſme, &c. to be the true and ſaving way (which is the ſenſe of Baptiſt) is no wiſe a note of ſuch a… are born after the Spirit; not doth any place of Scripture by the thirteenth conſequence prove the ſame; for Iſaac was not perſecuted by Iſhmael for his erroneous conſcience. The Text ſayes no ſuch thing, except Baptist make Iſaac an Heretick, and a falſe Prophet: If Iſhmael perſecuted Iſaac for his conſcience (which yet Baptiſt cannot prove from Scripture) ſure it was not for the hereticall conſcience of Iſaac; nor will it help Baptist to ſay in the minde and conception of Iſhm…l, Iſaac was an Heretick.
Anſw. We judge not that hereticks ſeeming to be hereticks ſhould be puniſhed, but thoſe that are hereticks indeed ought onelyonly to be puniſhed.How is that proved? the Text ſayes no ſuch thing. 2. We teach no ſuch thing as that men ſhould be puniſhed by the Magiſtrate, not becauſe they are, but becauſe they ſeem only to …e Heretickes, or becauſe Iſaacs and Saints are Hereticks in our mind and conception, but becauſe they are ſo indeed; as the Magiſtrate puniſheth not juſtly a murtherer, becauſe he ſeems in the minde and conception of the Magistrate to be a murtherer, but becauſe he is a murtherer, and is proved by faithfull witneſſes to be a murtherer; ſo is the Heretick proved to be a Heretick by the Magiſtrate, and ſo convicted, that he is ſelf-condemned; for we never make the Magiſtrates thoughts and his conception to be the rule of puniſhing an Heretick, even as we are not to avoid an Heretick after admonition, becauſe he is an Heretick in our conception onelyonly, for our conception muſt not be the rule or formall ground of caſting out any man from our ſociety, and avoiding of him; but we avoid him becauſe he is an Heretick in himſelf: nor exhorts Peter any man to ſuffer for well-doing; that is, for his conſcience, or for his erroneous and hereticall conſcience, that is but an abuſing of the word of God; for he ſpeaks not of ſuffering directly for onelyonly Religion true or falſe, though he exclude it not, but ſaith, 1 Pet. 4. 15. But let none of you ſuffer as a murtherer, as a theefe, as an ill-doer; and in ſo ſaying, he means that no man ſhould (as Elimas) ſuffer blindneſſe, for perverting the faith of Sergius Paulus, and I beleeve, it will be a peece of labour for Libertines to prove that ſuch oppoſers of the Goſpel as Elimas and Hymeneus, who ſuffered as ill-doers, did yet know in their conſcience the Goſpel to be the onelyonly ſaving truth and way of God, and that againſt the warning of an illuminated conſcience, Elimas perverted the right wayes of God. However to ſuffer here as a well, doer by Baptiſts way, is to ſuffer for an hereticall conſcience defending and teaching lies in the name of the Lord▪ If ſo, ſuch a well-doer if blaſphemouſly unſound, is to be thruſt through, and ſtabbed, as an Impoſtor, by the Lords mouth, Zach. 13.
Laſtly, Baptiſt is ſo charitable of all Saints that are not for liberty of conſcience, as that he makes it their doom to be caſt out as Iſhmael, and to have no ſhare in Chriſt, or in the Goſpel. But, Baptiſt, if you judge us, and be not infallible, you take the Lords throne upon you, and you judge us before our day, which is to you a ſtrong argument againſt liberty of conſcience, c. 3. pag. 14. Know ye we are ſelfe-condemned? and ſaw you Gods ſecret book,Joh. Baptiſt condemns. and ſaw our names daſhed out of the book of life, and that we are inrolled with Iſhmalites? Take the beam out of your own eye.