world, as a guard about the spiritual bed of soul-whoredoms, in which the
kings of the earth commit spiritual fornication with the great whore,
Rev. xvii. 2,—as a guard, while the inhabitants of the earth are drinking
themselves drunk with the wine of her fornication?
But oh! what terrifyings, what allurings are in Jeremy’s curse and
blessing! Jer. xvii. [5.] _Cursed is the man that trusteth in man,
that maketh flesh his arm_,—too, too common in spiritual matters—_and
whose heart departeth from Jehovah: he shall be as a heath in the
wilderness_—even in the spiritual and mystical wilderness—_and shall not
see when comfort comes, but shall abide in drought in the wilderness, in
a barren land_, &c.
CHAP. XCVI.
_Peace._ Oh! what mysteries are these to flesh and blood! how hard for
flesh to forsake the arm thereof! But pass on, dear Truth, to their proof
propounded, Ezra vii. 23, wherein Artaxerxes confirmed by law whatever
was commanded by the God of heaven.
[Sidenote: Ezra vii. 23, discussed.]
_Truth._ In this scripture I mind, first, the people of God captivated
under the dominion and government of the kings of Babel and Persia.
Secondly. Artaxerxes’s favour to these captives,
1. Of freedom to their consciences.
2. Of bounty towards them.
3. Of exempting of some of them from common charges.
Thirdly. Punishments on offenders.
Fourthly. The ground that carries him on to all this.
Fifthly. Ezra praising of God for putting this into the heart of the king.
[Sidenote: God’s people not subject to the kings of Babel or Persia in
spirituals.]
Concerning the people of God the Jews, they were as lambs and sheep in
the jaws of the lion, the dearly beloved of his soul under the devouring
tyrants of the world, both the Babylonian and the Persian, far from their
own nation and the government of their own anointed kings, the figures of
the true King of the Jews, the Lord Jesus Christ.
In this respect it is clear, that the Jews were no more subject to the
kings of Babylon and Persia in spiritual things, than the vessels of the
sanctuary were subject to the king of Babel’s use, Dan. v.
Concerning this king, I consider, first, his person: a gentile idolater,
an oppressing tyrant, one of those devouring beasts, Dan. vii. and viii.
A hand of bloody conquest set the crown upon the head of these monarchs;
and although in civil things they might challenge subjection, yet why
should they now sit down in the throne of Israel, and govern the people
and church of God in spiritual things?
[Sidenote: Tyrants’ hearts sometimes wonderfully mollified towards God’s
people.]
Secondly. Consider his acts of favour, and they will not amount to a
positive command that any of the Jews should go up to build the temple,
nor that any of them should practise his own worship, which he kept and
judged the best for his own soul and people.
It is true, he freely permits them and exerciseth a bounteous assistance
to them. All which argues no more, but that sometimes it pleaseth God to
open the hearts of tyrants greatly to favour and further his people. Such
favour found Nehemiah and Daniel, and others of God’s people have and
shall find, so often as it pleaseth him to honour them that honour him
before the sons of men.
_Peace._ Who sees not how little this scripture contributes to their
tenent? But why, say some, should this king confirm all with such severe
punishments? and why for all this should Ezra give thanks to God, if it
were not imitable for after times?
_Truth._ The law of God, which he confirmed, he knew not, and therefore
neither was, nor could he be a judge in the case.
[Sidenote: Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Artaxerxes, their decrees
examined.]
And for his ground, what was it but the common terrors and convictions of
an affrighted conscience?
In such fits and pangs, what have not Pharaohs, Sauls, Ahabs, Herods,
Agrippas spoken? And what wonderful decrees have Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus,
Darius, Artaxerxes, put forth concerning the God of Israel, Dan. iii. and
vi., and Ezra i. and vii., &c.; and yet as far from being charged with,
as they were from being affected to, the spiritual crown of governing the
worship of God, and the conscience of his people.
[Sidenote: Ezra’s thanksgiving for the king’s decree examined.]
It is true, Ezra most piously and justly gave thanks to God for putting
such a thing into the heart of the king; but what makes this a pattern
for the laws of civil governors now under the gospel? It suited well with
that national state of God’s church, that the gentile king should release
them, permit them to return to their own land, assist them with other
favours, and enable them to execute punishments upon offenders according
to their national state.
But did God put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, viz.,
to restrain upon pain of death all the millions of men under his dominion
from the idolatries of their several and respective countries? to
constrain them all, upon the like penalty, to conform to the worship of
the God of Israel, to build him a temple, erect an altar, ordain priests,
offer sacrifice, observe the fasts and feasts of Israel? Yea, did God
put it into the king’s heart to send Levites into all the parts of his
dominion, compelling them to hear? which is but a natural thing, as some
unsoundly speak,[209] unto which all are bound to submit.
[Sidenote: The duty of all civil states toward the consciences of their
subjects.]
Well, however, Ezra gives thanks to God for the king; and so should all
that fear God in all countries, if he would please to put it into the
hearts of the kings, states, and parliaments, to take off the yokes of
violence, and permit, at least, the consciences of their subjects, and
especially such as in truth make conscience of their worships to the God
of Israel: and yet, no cause for Ezra then, or God’s Ezras and Israelites
now, to acknowledge the care and charge of God’s worship, church, and
ordinances, to lie upon the shoulders of Artaxerxes, or any other civil
prince or ruler.
[Sidenote: Christ needs no human confirmations.]
Lastly. For the confirmation or ratification which they suppose
magistrates are bound to give to the laws of Christ, I answer, God’s
cause, Christ’s truth, and the two-edged sword of his word, never stood
in need of a temporal sword or a human witness to confirm and ratify
them. If we receive the witness of an honest man, the witness of the most
holy God is greater, 1 John v. 9.
[Sidenote: The sum of the examples of gentile kings decreeing for God’s
worship in scripture.]
The result and sum of the whole matter is this:—1. It may please God
sometimes to stir up the rulers of the earth to permit and tolerate, to
favour and countenance, God’s people in their worships, though only out
of some strong conviction of conscience or fear of wrath, &c.: and yet
themselves neither understand God’s worship, nor leave their own state,
idolatry, or country’s worship.
For this God’s people ought to give thanks unto God; yea, and all
men from this example may learn, not to charge upon the magistrates’
conscience—besides the care of the civil peace, the bodies and goods of
men—the spiritual peace, in the worship of God and souls of men; but
hence are magistrates instructed favourably to permit their subjects in
their worships, although themselves be not persuaded to submit to them,
as Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes did.
CHAP. XCVII.
_Peace._ The sixth question is this:—How far the church is subject to
their laws?
“All those,” say they, “who are members of the commonweal are bound to
be subject to all the just and righteous laws thereof, and therefore,
membership in churches not cutting men off from membership in
commonweals, they are bound to be subject, even every soul, Rom. xiii.
1, as Christ himself and the apostles were in their places wherein they
lived. And therefore to exempt the clergy, as the papists do, from civil
subjection, and to say that _generatio clerici_ is _corruptio subditi_,
is both sinful and scandalous to the gospel of God; and though all are
equally subject, yet church members are more especially bound to yield
subjection, and the most eminent most especially bound, not only because
conscience doth more strongly bind, but also because their ill examples
are more infectious to others, pernicious to the state, and provoke
God’s wrath to bring vengeance on the state.
“Hence, if the whole church, or officers of the church, shall sin against
the state, or any person, by sedition, contempt of authority, heresy,
blasphemy, oppression, slander, or shall withdraw any of their members
from the service of the state without the consent thereof, their persons
and estates are liable to civil punishments of magistrates, according
to their righteous and wholesome laws, Exod. xxii. 20; Levit. xxiv. 16;
Deut. xiii. 5, and xviii. 10.”
_Truth._ What concerns this head in civil things, I gladly subscribe
unto: what concerns heresy, blasphemy, &c., I have plentifully before
spoken to, and shall here only say two things.
First. Those scriptures produced concern only the people of God in a
church estate, and must have reference only to the church of Christ
Jesus, which, as Mr. Cotton confesseth,[210] is not national but
congregational, of so many as may meet in one place, 1 Cor. xiv. [23.]
and therefore no civil state can be the antitype and parallel: to which
purpose, upon the eleventh question, I shall at large show the difference
between the national church and state of Israel, and all other states and
nations in the world.
[Sidenote: The law of putting to death blasphemers of Christ, cuts off
all hopes from the Jews of partaking in his blood.]
Secondly. If the rulers of the earth are bound to put to death all
that worship other gods than the true God, or that blaspheme (that is,
speak evil of in a lesser or higher degree) that one true God: it must
unavoidably follow, that the _beloved for the Father’s sake_, the Jews,
whose very religion blasphemeth Christ in the highest degree—I say, they
are actually sons of death, and all to be immediately executed according
to those quoted scriptures. And—
[Sidenote: The direful effects of fighting for conscience.]
Secondly. The towns, cities, nations, and kingdoms of the world, must
generally be put to the sword, if they speedily renounce not their gods
and worships, and so cease to blaspheme the true God by their idolatries.
This bloody consequence cannot be avoided by any scripture rule, for if
that rule be of force, Deut. xiii. and xviii., not to spare or show mercy
upon person or city falling to idolatry, that bars out all favour or
partiality; and then what heaps upon heaps in the slaughter-houses and
shambles of civil laws must the world come to, as I have formerly noted;
and that unnecessarily, it being not required by the Lord Jesus for his
sake, and the magistrate’s power and weapons being essentially civil,
and so not reaching to the impiety or ungodliness but the incivility and
unrighteousness of tongue or hand.
CHAP. XCVIII.
_Peace._ Dear Truth, these are the poisoned daggers stabbing at my tender
heart! Oh, when shall the Prince of peace appear, and reconcile the
bloody sons of men! but let me now propose their seventh head: viz.,—
“In what order may the magistrate execute punishment on a church or
church member that offendeth his laws?
“First. Gross and public, notorious sins, which are against the light of
conscience, as heresy, &c., there the magistrate keeping him under safe
ward should send the offender first to the church to heal his conscience,
still provided that the church be both able and willing thereunto: by
which means the magistrate shall convince such a one’s conscience that he
seeketh his healing, rather than his hurt.
“The censure also against him shall proceed with more power and blessing,
and none shall have cause to say that the magistrate persecutes men for
their consciences, but that he justly punishes such a one for sinning
rather against his conscience, Tit. iii. 10.
“Secondly, in private offences how the magistrate may proceed, see chap.
xii. It is not material whether the church or magistrate take it first in
hand. Only with this caution, that if the state take it first in hand,
they are not to proceed to death or banishment, until the church hath
taken their course with him, to bring him to repentance, provided that
the church be willing and ready thereunto.
“Secondly, in such sins wherein men plead conscience, as heresy,” &c.
_Truth._ Here I have many just exceptions and considerations to present.
First, they propose a distinction of some sins: some are against the
light of conscience, &c., and they instance in heresy.
[Sidenote: Error is confident as well as truth.]
_Ans._ I have before discussed this point of a heretic sinning against
light of conscience. And I shall add, that however they lay this down
as an infallible conclusion, that all heresy is against light of
conscience, yet—to pass by the discussion of the nature of heresy, in
which respect it may so be that even themselves may be found heretical,
yea, and that in fundamentals—how do all idolaters after light presented,
and exhortations powerfully pressed, either Turks or pagans, Jews or
anti-christians, strongly even to the death hold fast, or rather are held
fast by, their delusions.
[Sidenote: God’s people as well as others will be found obstinate in
fundamental errors, in which sufferings and persecution doth harden.]
Yea, God’s people themselves, being deluded and captivated, are strongly
confident even against some fundamentals, especially of worship: and yet
not against the light, but according to the light or eye of a deceived
conscience.
Now all these consciences walk on confidently and constantly, even to
the suffering of death and torments; and are more strongly confirmed in
their belief and conscience, because such bloody and cruel courses of
persecution are used toward them.
Secondly, speaks not the scripture expressly of the Jew, Isa. vi., Matt.
xiii., Acts xxviii., that God hath given them the spirit of slumber,
eyes that they should not see, &c.? all which must be spoken of the very
conscience, which He that hath the golden key of David can only shut and
open, and all the picklocks or swords in all the smiths’ shops in the
world can neither by force or fraud prevent his time.
[Sidenote: Strong delusions.]
Is it not said of anti-christians, 2 Thess. ii., that God hath sent them
strong delusions? so strong and efficacious that they believe a lie,
and that so confidently, and some so conscientiously, that death itself
cannot part between the delusion and their conscience.
“Again, the magistrate, say they, keeping him in safe ward: that is, the
heretic, the blasphemer, idolater,” &c.
_Peace._ I here ask all men that love even the civil peace, where the
Lord Jesus hath spoken a tittle of a prison or safe ward to this purpose?
_Truth._ We find indeed a prison threatened by God to his irreconciled
enemies, neglecting to account with him, Matt. v. 25.
We find a prison into which persecutors cast the saints. So John, so
Paul, and the apostles, Matt. xiv. 10, &c., were cast; and the great
commander of, and caster into prison, is the devil, Rev. ii. 10.
[Sidenote: Spiritual prisons.]
We find a spiritual prison, indeed, a prison for spirits, 1 Pet. iii. 19,
the spirits formerly rebellious against Christ Jesus, speaking by Noah
unto them, now kept in safe ward against the judgment of the great day.
In excommunication, a soul obstinate in sin is delivered to Satan his
jailor, and he keeps him in safe ward, until it pleaseth God to release
him.
There is a prison for the devil himself a thousand years, Rev. xx. [2,
3.] And a lake of eternal fire and brimstone, into which the beast and
false prophet, and all not written in the Lamb’s book, and the devil that
deceived them, shall eternally be there secured and tormented.
[Sidenote: Christ Jesus appointed no material prisons for blasphemers of
him, &c.]
But neither amongst these, nor in any other passage of the New Testament,
do we find a prison appointed by Christ Jesus for the heretic,
blasphemer, idolater, &c. being not otherwise guilty against the civil
state.
[Sidenote: The bishops’ prisons.]
It is true, anti-christ, by the help of civil powers, hath his prisons
to keep Christ Jesus and his members fast: such prisons may well be
called the bishops’ prisons, the pope’s, the devil’s prisons. These
inquisition-houses have ever been more terrible than the magistrate’s.
At first, persecuting bishops borrowed prisons of the civil magistrate,
as now their successors do still in the world; but afterward they wrung
the keys out of the magistrates’ hands, and hung them at their own
girdles, and would have prisons of their own: as doubtless will that
generation still do, if God prevent them not.
CHAP. XCIX.
_Peace._ Again, say they, the magistrate should send him first to the
church to heal his conscience.
[Sidenote: Like mother like daughter.]
_Truth._ Is not this as the prophet speaks [Ezek. xvi. 44,] like
mother like daughter? So the mother of whoredoms, the church of Rome,
teacheth and practiseth with all her heretics: first let the holy church
convince them, and then deliver them to the secular power to receive the
punishment of heretics.
[Sidenote: Conscience not so easily healed and cured.]
_Peace._ Methinks also they approach near that popish tenent, _ex opere
operato_: for their exhortations and admonitions must necessarily be
so operative and prevalent, that if the heretic repent not, he now
sins against his conscience: not remembering that peradventure, 2 Tim.
ii. [25,] _If peradventure, God will give them repentance_; and how
strong delusions are, and believing of lies, and how hard it is to be
undeceived, especially in spirituals!
_Truth._ And as it may so prove, when a heretic indeed is brought to
this college of physicians to have his conscience healed, and one
heretic is to cure another. So also when any of Christ’s witnesses,
supposed heretics, are brought before them, how doth the Lord Jesus
suffer whippings and stabs, when his name, and truths, and witnesses, and
ordinances, are all profaned and blasphemed.
[Sidenote: Wounding instead of healing of consciences.]
Besides, suppose a man to be a heretic, and yet suppose him brought
as the magistrate’s prisoner, though to a true church, to heal his
conscience: what promise of presence and blessing hath the Lord Jesus
made to his church and spouse in such a way? and how common is it
for heretics either to be desperately hardened by such cruel courses
(yet pretending soul-healing), or else through fear and terror to
practise gross hypocrisy, even against their consciences. So that these
chirurgeons and physicians pretending to heal consciences by such a
course, wound them deeper, and declare themselves chirurgeons and
physicians of no value.
_Peace._ But what think you of the proviso added to their proposition,
viz., “Provided the church be able and willing?”
[Sidenote: Christ’s spouse able and willing to heal wounded consciences.]
_Truth._ Doubtless this proviso derogates not a little from the nature
of the spouse of Christ. For _she_, like that gracious woman, Prov.
xxxi. 26, _openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law
of grace_: she is _the pillar and ground of truth_, 1 Tim. iii. 15,
the golden candlestick from whence true light shineth: the angels or
ministers thereof able to try false apostles, Rev. ii. 2, and _convince
the gainsayers_, Tit. i. 9.
Again, according to their principles of suppressing persons and churches
falsely worshipping, how can they permit such a blind and dead church not
able and willing to heal a wounded conscience?
_Peace._ What should be the reason of this their expression?
_Truth._ Doubtless their consciences tell them how few of those churches
which they yet acknowledge churches, are able and willing to hold forth
Christ Jesus the Sun of righteousness, healing with his wings the
doubting and afflicted conscience.
Lastly, their conscience tells them, that a servant of Christ Jesus may
possibly be sent as a heretic to be healed by a false church, which
church will never be willing to deal with him, or never be able to
convince him.
_Peace._ Yea, but they say, “by such a course the magistrate shall
convince such a one’s conscience that he seeks his good,” &c.
_Truth._ If a man thus bound be sent to a church to be healed in his
conscience, either he is a heretic or he is not.
[Sidenote: A persecuting church disputes with a heretic as a cat with the
mouse; and with a true witness as a lion with a lamb in his paw.]
Admit he be: yet he disputes in fear, as the poor thief; [or as] the
mouse disputes with a terrible persecuting cat, who while she seems to
play and gently toss, yet the conclusion is a proud, insulting, and
devouring cruelty.
If no heretic, but an innocent and faithful witness of any truth of
Jesus, disputes he not as a lamb in the lion’s paw, being sure in the end
to be torn in pieces?
_Peace._ They add, “The censure, this way, proceeds with more power and
blessing.”
_Truth._ All power and blessing is from the blessed Son of God, unto whom
all power is given from the Father, in heaven and earth. He hath promised
his presence with his messengers, preaching and baptizing, to the world’s
end, ratifying in heaven what they bind or loose on earth.
But let any man show me such a commission, instruction, and promise,
given by the Son of God to civil powers in these spiritual affairs of his
Christian kingdom and worship?
_Peace._ Lastly, they conclude, “This course of first sending the heretic
to be healed by the church, takes away all excuse; for none can say
that he is persecuted for his conscience, but for sinning against his
conscience.”
[Sidenote: Persecutors endure not so to be called.]
_Truth._ Jezebel, placing poor Naboth before the elders as a blasphemer
of God and the king, and sanctifying the plotted and intended murder with
a day of humiliation, may seem to take away all excuse, and to conclude
the blasphemer worthy to be stoned. But Jehovah, the God of recompences
(Jer. li. 56), when he makes inquisition for blood, will find both
Jezebel and Ahab guilty, and make the dogs a feast with the flesh of
Jezebel, and leave not to Ahab a man to piss against the wall; for (as
Paul in his own plea) there was nothing committed worthy of death: and
against thee, O king, saith Daniel, I have not sinned (Dan. vi. 22) in
any civil fact against the state.
CHAP. C.
_Peace._ Their eighth question is this, viz., what power magistrates have
about the gathering of churches?
“First, the magistrate hath power, and it is his duty to encourage and
countenance such persons as voluntarily join themselves in holy covenant,
both by his presence (if it may be) and promise of protection, they
accepting the right hand of fellowship from other neighbour churches.
“Secondly, he hath power to forbid all idolatrous and corrupt assemblies,
who offer to put themselves under their patronage, and shall attempt to
join themselves into a church-estate, and if they shall not hearken,
to force them therefrom by the power of the sword, Ps. ci. 8. For our
tolerating many religions in a state in several churches, besides the
provoking of God, may in time not only corrupt, leaven, divide, and so
destroy the peace of the churches, but also dissolve the continuity of
the state, especially ours, whose walls are made of the stones of the
churches, it being also contrary to the end of our planting in this part
of the world, which was not only to enjoy the pure ordinances, but to
enjoy them all in purity.
“Thirdly, he hath power to compel all men within his grant to hear the
word: for hearing the word of God is a duty, which the light of nature
leadeth even heathens to. The Ninevites heard Jonah, though a stranger,
and unknown unto them to be an extraordinary prophet, Jonah iii. And
Eglon, the king of Moab, hearing that Ehud had a message from God, he
rose out of his seat for more reverent attention, Judg. iii. 20.
“Yet he hath no power to compel all men to become members of churches,
because he hath not power to make them fit members for the church, which
is not wrought by the power of the sword, but by the power of the word;
nor may we force the churches to accept of any for members but those whom
the churches themselves can freely approve of.”