hath proved, is so far from bringing, or helping forward an opposite
in religion to repentance, that magistrates sin grievously against
the work of God, and blood of souls, by such proceedings. Because as
commonly the sufferings of false and anti-christian teachers harden
their followers, who being blind are by this means occasioned to tumble
into the ditch of hell after their blind leaders, with more inflamed
zeal of lying confidence: so, secondly, violence and a sword of steel,
beget such an impression in the sufferers, that certainly they conclude,
that indeed that religion cannot be true which needs such instruments
of violence to uphold it; so that persecutors are far from [a] soft and
gentle commiseration of the blindness of others.[139] To this purpose it
pleased the Father of spirits, of old, to constrain the emperor of Rome,
Antoninus Pius, to write to all the governors of his provinces to forbear
to persecute the Christians; because such dealing must needs be so far
from converting the Christians from their way, that it rather begat in
their minds an opinion of their cruelties, &c.[140]
CHAP. XLI.
[Sidenote: Isa. ii. 4; Mic. iv. 3; Isa. xi. 9; concerning Christ’s
peaceable kingdom, discussed.]
_Peace._ The next scripture against such persecution, is that of the
prophet Isa. ii. 4, together with Mic. iv. 3, _They shall beat their
swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks._ Isa. xi.
9, _There shall none hurt or destroy in all the mountain of my holiness._
[Sidenote: Mr. Cotton’s excellent interpretation of those prophecies.]
Unto which it pleased Mr. Cotton to say, “That these predictions do only
show, first, with what kind of weapons he should subdue the nations to
the obedience of the faith of the gospel, not by fire and sword, and
weapons of war, but by the power of the word and Spirit of God, which,”
saith he, “no man doubts of.”
“Secondly, those predictions of the prophets show what the meek and
peaceable temper will be of all true converts to Christianity; not lions
nor leopards, not cruel oppressors nor malignant opposers, nor biters
one of another: but do not forbid them to drive ravenous wolves from the
sheepfold, and to restrain them from devouring the sheep of Christ.”
[Sidenote: His doctrine and practice condemned by that interpretation.]
_Truth._ In this first excellent and truly Christian answer, methinks
the answerer may hear a voice from heaven, _Out of thine own mouth will
I judge thee._ For what can be said more heavenly, by the tongues of men
and angels, to show the heavenly, meek temper of all the soldiers of the
Lamb of God, as also to set forth what are the spiritual weapons and
ammunition of the holy war and battle of the gospel and kingdom of Jesus
Christ, for the subduing of the nations of the world unto him?
_Peace._ And yet out of the same mouth, which should not be, saith James,
proceeds good and evil, sweet and sour; for he adds, “But this doth not
forbid them to drive ravenous wolves from the sheepfold, and to restrain
them from devouring the sheep of Christ.”
[Sidenote: Spiritual and mystical wolves.]
_Truth._ In these words, according to the judgment here maintained by
him, he fights against the former truth, to wit, that by spiritual
weapons Christ Jesus will subdue the nations of the earth to the
obedience of the gospel: for by driving away these wolves, he intends
not only the resistance and violence which the shepherds of Christ ought
spiritually to make, but the civil resistance of the material swords,
staves, guns, &c. Whence I argue, that same power that forceth the evil,
or wolves, out, forceth the good, the sheep, in; for of the same or like
things is the same or like reason: as the same arm of flesh that with a
staff beats off a wolf, with a rod and hook brings in the sheep: the same
dog that assaulteth and teareth the wolf, frighteth and forceth in the
straggling sheep.[141]
CHAP. XLII.
[Sidenote: Acts xx. 29, opened.]
_Peace._ But for the clearer opening of this mystery, I pray explicate
that scripture where the Spirit of God is pleased to use this similitude
of wolves, Acts xx. 29, out of which, keeping to the allegory, I shall
propose these queries.
First, what wolves were these Paul warns of?
_Truth._ Answer. Wolves literally he will not say. Nor, secondly,
persecutors of the flock, such as the Roman emperors were, [or]
magistrates under him.
[Sidenote: What those wolves were, Acts xx. 29.]
Therefore, thirdly, such as brought in other religions and worships,
as the Spirit of God opens it, ver. 30. Such as amongst themselves
should speak perverse things, as many anti-christs did, and especially
the anti-christ. And I ask, whether or no such as may hold forth other
worships or religions, Jews, Turks, or anti-christians, may not be
peaceable and quiet subjects, loving and helpful neighbours, fair and
just dealers, true and loyal to the civil government? It is clear they
may, from all reason and experience in many flourishing cities and
kingdoms of the world, and so offend not against the civil state and
peace, nor incur the punishment of the civil sword, notwithstanding
that in spiritual and mystical account they are ravenous and greedy
wolves.[142]
_Peace._ 2. I query, to whom Paul gave this charge to watch against them,
ver. 31?
_Truth._ They were not the magistrates of the city of Ephesus, but the
elders or ministers of the church of Christ, his mystical flock of
sheep, at Ephesus. Unto them was this charge of watching given, and so
consequently of driving away these wolves.
[Sidenote: Charges directed to ministers of the spiritual kingdom,
falsely applied to the magistrates of the civil.]
And, however that many of these charges and exhortations, given by that
one Shepherd, Christ Jesus, to the shepherds or ministers of churches, be
commonly attributed and directed, by the answerer in this discourse, to
the civil magistrate; yet I desire, in the fear and holy presence of God,
it may be inquired into, whether in all the will or testament of Christ
there be any such word of Christ, by way of command, promise, or example,
countenancing the governors of the civil state to meddle with these
wolves, if in civil things peaceable and obedient.
[Sidenote: No word of Christ to the civil magistrate to feed his flock,
but to his ministers; who (if true) have spiritual power sufficient
against spiritual wolves.]
_Peace._ Truly, if this charge were given to the magistrates at Ephesus,
or any magistrates in the world, doubtless they must be able to discern
and determine, out of their own official abilities in these spiritual
law questions, who are spiritual sheep, what is their food, what their
poison, what their properties, who their keepers, &c. So, on the
contrary, who are wolves, what their properties, their haunts, their
assaults, the manner of taking, &c., spiritually:—and this beside the
care and study of the civil laws, and the discerning of his own proper
civil sheep, obedient sheep, &c.: as also wolfish oppressors, &c., whom
he is bound to punish and suppress.
[Sidenote: Magistrates decline the name of head of the church, and yet
practise the headship or government.]
_Truth._ I know that civil magistrates, in some places, have declined the
name of head of the church, and ecclesiastical judge; yet can they not
with good conscience decline the name if they do the work, and perform
the office of determining and punishing a merely spiritual wolf.
They must be sufficiently also able to judge in all spiritual causes, and
that with their own, and not with other men’s eyes, no more than they do
in civil causes, contrary to the common practice of the governors and
rulers of civil states, who often set up that for a religion or worship
to God, which the clergy, or churchmen, as men speak, shall in their
consciences agree upon.
And if this be not so, to wit, that magistrates must not be spiritual
judges, as some decline it in the title supreme head and governor, why is
Gallio wont to be exclaimed against for refusing to be a judge in such
matters as concerned the Jewish worship and religion? How is he censured
for a profane person, without conscience, &c., in that he would be no
judge or head? for that is all one in point of government.[143]
[Sidenote: The elect shall not be devoured.]
_Peace._ In the third place, I query, whether the Father who gave, and
the Son who keeps the sheep, be not greater than all? Who can pluck these
sheep, the elect, out of his hand? which answers that common objection
of that danger of devouring, although there were no other weapons in the
world appointed by the Lord Jesus. But,
CHAP. XLIII.
[Sidenote: Christ Jesus furnisheth his shepherds with power sufficient to
drive away wolves. Tit. i. 9. 10, opened.]
Fourthly, I ask, were not these elders or ministers of the church of
Ephesus sufficiently furnished, from the Lord Jesus, to drive away these
mystical and spiritual wolves?[144]
_Truth._ True it is, against the inhuman and uncivil violence of
persecutors, they were not, nor are God’s children, able and provided;
but to resist, drive away, expel, and kill spiritual and mystical wolves
by the word of the Lord, none are fit to be Christ’s shepherds who are
not able, Tit. i. 9-11. The bishop, or overseer, must _be able by sound
doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers_: which gainsayers
to be by him convinced, that is, overcome or subdued, though it may be in
themselves ever obstinate, they were, I say, as greedy wolves in Crete,
as any could be at Ephesus. For so saith Paul, ver. 10: they were _unruly
and vain talkers, deceivers, whose mouths must be stopped, who subverted
whole houses_; and yet Titus, and every ordinary shepherd of a flock of
Christ, had ability sufficient to defend the flock from spiritual and
mystical wolves, without the help of the civil magistrate.
[Sidenote: Job xxvi. 2, 3.]
_Peace._ In this respect, therefore, methinks we may fitly allude to that
excellent answer of Job to Bildad, the Shuhite, Job xxvi., _How hast thou
helped him that is without power? How savest thou the arm that hath no
strength? How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? How hast thou
plentifully declared the thing as it is?_
[Sidenote: 5.]
Lastly, I ask, whether, as men deal with wolves, these wolves at Ephesus
were intended by Paul to be killed, their brains dashed out with stones,
staves, halberts, guns, &c., in the hands of the elders of Ephesus,
&c.?[145]
_Truth._ Doubtless, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, all such
mystical wolves must spiritually and mystically so be slain. And the
witnesses of truth, Rev. xi. 5, speak fire, and kill all that hurt them,
by that fiery word of God, and that _two-edged sword in their hand_, Ps.
cxlix. 6.
[Sidenote: Unmerciful and bloody doctrine. John vi. 15.]
But oh! what streams of the blood of saints have been and must be
shed, until the Lamb have obtained the victory, Rev. xvii. 14, by this
unmerciful—and in the state of the New Testament, when the church
is spread all the world over—most bloody doctrine, viz., the wolves
(heretics) are to be driven away, their brains knocked out, and
killed—the poor sheep to be preserved, for whom Christ died, &c.
Is not this to take Christ Jesus, and make him a temporal king by force?
John vi. 15. Is not this to make his kingdom of this world, to set up
a civil and temporal Israel, to bound out new earthly, holy lands of
Canaan, yea, and to set up a Spanish inquisition in all parts of the
world, to the speedy destruction of thousands, yea, of millions of souls,
and the frustrating of the sweet end of the coming of the Lord Jesus, to
wit, to save men’s souls (and to that end not to destroy their bodies) by
his own blood?[146]
CHAP. XLIV.
[Sidenote: 2 Cor. x. 4, discussed.]
_Peace._ The next scripture produced against such persecution is 2 Cor.
x. 4, _The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and
having in a readiness to avenge all disobedience_, &c.
Unto which it is answered, “When Paul saith, _The weapons of our warfare
are not carnal, but spiritual_, he denieth not civil weapons of justice
to the civil magistrate, Rom. xiii., but only to church officers. And yet
the weapons of church officers he acknowledgeth to be such, as though
they be spiritual, yet are ready to take vengeance on all disobedience,
2 Cor. x. 6: which hath reference, amongst other ordinances, to the
censures of the church against scandalous offenders.”
_Truth._ I acknowledge that herein the Spirit of God denieth not civil
weapons of justice to the civil magistrate, which the scripture he
quotes, Rom. xiii., abundantly testifies.
Yet withal, I must ask, why he here affirmeth the apostle denies not
civil weapons of justice to the civil magistrate? of which there is no
question, unless that, according to his scope of proving persecution for
conscience, he intends withal that the apostle denies not civil weapons
of justice to the civil magistrate in spiritual and religious causes: the
contrary whereunto, the Lord assisting, I shall evince, both from this
very scripture and his own observation, and lastly by that thirteenth of
the Romans, by himself quoted.
First, then, from this scripture and his own observation. The weapons
of church officers, saith he, are such, which though they be spiritual,
are ready to take vengeance on all disobedience; which hath reference,
saith he, amongst other ordinances, to the censures of the church against
scandalous offenders.
[Sidenote: The difference of the civil and spiritual estate. Civil
weapons most improper in spiritual causes: fitly exemplified by that
similitude, 2 Cor. x. 4.]
I hence observe, that there being in this scripture held forth a twofold
state, a civil state and a spiritual, civil officers and spiritual, civil
weapons and spiritual weapons, civil vengeance and punishment and a
spiritual vengeance and punishment: although the Spirit speaks not here
expressly of civil magistrates and their civil weapons, yet, these states
being of different natures and considerations, as far differing as spirit
from flesh, I first observe, that civil weapons are most improper and
unfitting in matters of the spiritual state and kingdom, though in the
civil state most proper and suitable.[147]
CHAP. XLV.
For—to keep to the similitude which the Spirit useth, for instance—to
batter down a stronghold, high wall, fort, tower, or castle, men bring
not a first and second admonition, and, after obstinacy, excommunication,
which are spiritual weapons, concerning them that be in the church: nor
exhortations to repent and be baptized, to believe in the Lord Jesus,
&c., which are proper weapons to them that be without, &c.; but to take
a stronghold, men bring cannons, culverins, saker,[148] bullets, powder,
muskets, swords, pikes, &c., and these to this end are weapons effectual
and proportionable.[149]
[Sidenote: Spiritual weapons only effectual in spiritual and soul causes.]
On the other side, to batter down idolatry, false worship, heresy,
schism, blindness, hardness, out of the soul and spirit, it is vain,
improper, and unsuitable to bring those weapons which are used by
persecutors, stocks, whips, prisons, swords, gibbets, stakes, &c., (where
these seem to prevail with some cities or kingdoms, a stronger force
sets up again, what a weaker pulled down); but against these spiritual
strongholds in the souls of men, spiritual artillery and weapons are
proper, which are mighty through God to subdue and bring under the
very thought to obedience, or else to bind fast the soul with chains
of darkness, and lock it up in the prison of unbelief and hardness to
eternity.
[Sidenote: Civil weapons not only improper, but unnecessary in spiritual
causes.]
2. I observe that as civil weapons are improper in this business, and
never able to effect aught in the soul: so although they were proper, yet
they are unnecessary; for if, as the Spirit here saith, and the answerer
grants, spiritual weapons in the hand of church officers are able and
ready to take vengeance on all disobedience, that is, able and mighty,
sufficient and ready for the Lord’s work, either to save the soul, or to
kill the soul of whomsoever be the party or parties opposite; in which
respect I may again remember that speech of Job, _How hast thou helped
him that hath no power?_ Job xxvi. 2.
[Sidenote: No earthly kings or governors will be so served, as we pretend
to serve the King of kings.]
_Peace._ Offer this, as Malachi once spake, to the governors, the kings
of the earth, when they besiege, beleaguer, and assault great cities,
castles, forts, &c., should any subject pretending his service bring
store of pins, sticks, straws, bulrushes, to beat and batter down stone
walls, mighty bulwarks, what might his expectation and reward be, but at
least the censure of a man distract, beside himself? &c.
[Sidenote: Ps. xlv. 4. The white troopers.]
_Truth._ What shall we then conceive of His displeasure, who is the Chief
or Prince of the kings of the earth, and rides upon the word of truth and
meekness, which is the white horse, Rev. vi. and Rev. xix., with his holy
witnesses, the white troopers upon white horses, when to his help and aid
men bring and add such unnecessary, improper, and weak munition?
[Sidenote: Spiritual ammunition, Eph. vi. 6, applied; material and
spiritual artillery unfitly joined together. An alarm to civil or earthly
rulers.]
Will the Lord Jesus (did He ever in his own person practise, or did he
appoint to) join to his breastplate of righteousness, the breastplate
of iron and steel? to the helmet of righteousness and salvation in
Christ, a helmet and crest of iron, brass, or steel? a target of wood
to His shield of faith? [to] His two-edged sword, coming forth of the
mouth of Jesus, the material sword, the work of smiths and cutlers? or
a girdle of shoe-leather to the girdle of truth? &c. Excellently fit
and proper is that alarm and item, Ps. ii. 10, _Be wise, therefore, O
ye kings_—especially those ten horns, Rev. xvii., who, under pretence
of fighting for Christ Jesus, give their power to the beast against
Him—and _be warned, ye judges of the earth: kiss the Son_, that is, with
subjection and affection, acknowledge Him only the King and Judge of
souls, in that power bequeathed to His ministers and churches, _lest his
wrath be kindled_, yea, _but a little_; then, blessed are they that trust
in Him.
CHAP. XLVI.
[Sidenote: Concerning the civil ruler’s power in spiritual causes
discussed.]
_Peace._ Now, in the second place, concerning that scripture, Rom.
xiii., which it pleased the answerer to quote, and himself, and so many
excellent servants of God have insisted upon to prove such persecution
for conscience:—how have both he and they wrested this scripture, not
as Peter writes of the wicked, to their eternal, yet to their own and
other’s temporal destruction, by civil wars and combustions in the world?
My humble request, therefore, is to the Father of lights, to send out the
bright beams of the Sun of righteousness, and to scatter the mist which
that old serpent, the great juggler, Satan, hath raised about this holy
scripture, and my request to you, divine _Truth_, is for your care and
pains to enlighten and clear this scripture.
[Sidenote: Rom. xiii. speaks not at all of spiritual but civil affairs.]
_Truth._ First, then, upon the serious examination of this whole
scripture, it will appear, that from the 9th verse of the 12th chapter
to the end of this whole 13th chapter, the Spirit handles the duties
of the saints in the careful observation of the second table in their
civil conversation, or walking towards men, and speaks not at all of any
point or matter of the first table concerning the kingdom of the Lord
Jesus.[150]
For, having in the whole epistle handled that great point of free
justification by the free grace of God in Christ, in the beginning of the
12th chapter he exhorts the believers to give and dedicate themselves
unto the Lord, both in soul and body; and unto the 9th verse of the 12th
chapter he expressly mentioneth their conversation in the kingdom, or
body, of Christ Jesus, together with the several officers thereof.
[Sidenote: The scope of Rom. xiii.]
And from the 9th verse to the end of the 13th [chapter], he plainly
discourseth of their civil conversation and walking one toward another,
and with all men, from whence he hath fair occasion to speak largely
concerning their subjection to magistrates in the 13th chapter.
[Sidenote: Love to man the duty of the whole second table.]
Hence it is, that [at] ver. 7 of this 13th chapter, Paul exhorts to
performance of love to all men, magistrates and subjects, vers. 7, 8,
_Render, therefore, to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due;
custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe
nothing to any man, but to love one another: for he that loveth another
hath fulfilled the law._
[Sidenote: How love fulfilleth the law.]
If any man doubt, as the papists speak, whether a man may perfectly
fulfil the law, every man of sound judgment is ready to answer him, that
these words, _He that loveth hath fulfilled the law_, concerneth not the
whole law in the first table, that is, the worship and kingdom of God in
Christ.
Secondly, That the apostle speaks not here of perfect observation of
the second table, without failing in word or act toward men, but lays
open the sum and substance of the law, which is love; and that he that
walks by the rule of love toward all men, magistrates and subjects, he
hath rightly attained unto what the law aims at, and so in evangelical
obedience fulfils and keeps the law.
Hence, therefore, again in the 9th verse, having discoursed of the
fifth command in this point of superiors, he makes all the rest of
the commandments of the second table, which concern our walking with
man,—viz., _Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit adultery; thou
shalt not steal; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not covet:
and if there be any other commandment—to be briefly comprehended in this
saying, namely, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself._
And verse 10, _Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore, love is
the fulfilling of the law_, that is, as before, the law concerning our
civil conversation toward all men, magistrates or governors, and fellow
subjects of all conditions.
CHAP. XLVII.
[Sidenote: Rom. xiii. so interpreted even by them that held persecution
for conscience.]
_Peace._ Although the scripture is sufficient to make the man of God
perfect, and the fool wise to salvation, and our faith in God must
be only founded upon the rock Christ, and not upon the sand of men’s
judgments and opinions: yet, as Paul allegeth the judgment and sayings of
unbelievers for their conviction, out of their own tenents and grants,
“So I pray you to set down the words of one or two, not unbelievers
in their persons, but excellent and precious servants and witnesses
of God in their times, whose names are sweet and precious to all that
fear God,—who, although their judgment ran in the common stream, viz.,
‘That magistrates were keepers of the two tables, defenders of the faith
against heretics,’ and, notwithstanding whatever they have written for
defence of their judgments, yet the light of truth so evidently shined
upon their souls in this scripture, that they absolutely denied the 13th
of the Romans to concern any matter of the first table.”
[Sidenote: Calvin’s judgment of Rom. xiii.]
_Truth._ First, I shall produce that excellent servant of God, Calvin,
who, upon this 13th to the Romans, writes,[151] Tota autem hæc
disputatio est de civilibus præfecturis; itaque frustra inde sacrilegam
suam tyrannidem stabilire moliuntur, qui dominatum in conscientias
exerceant:—“But,” saith he, “this whole discourse concerneth civil
magistrates, and, therefore, in vain do they who exercise power over
consciences, go about from this place to establish their sacrilegious
tyranny.”[152]
[Sidenote: God’s people loth to be found, yet proved persecutors.]