iii. [9.] where lies a clear distinction of the true and false Christian
under the consideration of the true and false Jew: _Behold I will make
them of the synagogue of Satan that say they are Jews and are not, but do
lie_, Rev. iii. [9.] But such a typical respect we find not now upon any
people, nation, or country of the whole world; but out of all nations,
tongues, and languages is God pleased to call some, and redeem them to
himself, Rev. v. 9; and hath made no difference between the Jews and
Gentiles, Greeks and Scythians, Gal. iii. [28.] who by regeneration, or
second birth, become the Israel of God, Gal. vi. [16.] the temple of God,
1 Cor. iii. [17.] and the true Jerusalem, Heb. xii. [22.]
[Sidenote: The people of Israel different from all the world in their
figurative and ceremonial worships.]
Lastly, all this whole nation, or people, as they were of one typical
seed of Abraham, and sealed with a shameful and painful ordinance of
cutting off the foreskin, which differenced them from all the world
beside: so also were they bound to such and such solemnities of
figurative worships. Amongst many others I shall end this passage
concerning the people with a famous observation out of Num. ix. 13, viz.,
all that whole nation was bound to celebrate and keep the feast of the
passover in his season, or else they were to be put to death. But doth
God require a whole nation, country, or kingdom now thus to celebrate the
spiritual passover, the supper and feast of the Lamb Christ Jesus, at
such a time once a year, and that whosoever shall not so do shall be put
to death? What horrible profanations, what gross hypocrisies, yea, what
wonderful desolations, sooner or later, must needs follow upon such a
course!
[Sidenote: Israel, God’s only church, might well renew that national
covenant and ceremonial worship, which other nations cannot imitate.]
It is true, the people of Israel, brought into covenant with God in
Abraham, and so successively born in covenant with God, might, in that
state of a national church, solemnly covenant and swear that whosoever
would not seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, should be put to death, 2
Chron. xv. [12, 13.] whether small or great, whether man or woman.
But may whole nations or kingdoms now, according to any one tittle
expressed by Christ Jesus to that purpose, follow that pattern of Israel,
and put to death all, both men and women, great and small, that according
to the rules of the gospel are not born again, penitent, humble,
heavenly, patient? &c. What a world of hypocrisy from hence is practised
by thousands, that for fear will stoop to give that God their bodies in a
form, whom yet in truth their hearts affect not!
[Sidenote: The hypocrisy, profanations, and slaughters which such
imitations now in the gospel produce.]
Yea, also what a world of profanation of the holy name and holy
ordinances of the Lord, in prostituting the holy things of God, like
the vessels of the sanctuary, Dan. v., to profane, impenitent, and
unregenerate persons!
Lastly, what slaughters, both of men and women, must this necessarily
bring into the world, by the insurrections and civil wars about religion
and conscience! Yea, what slaughters of the innocent and faithful
witnesses of Christ Jesus, who choose to be slain all the day long for
Christ’s sake, and to fight for their Lord and Master Christ, only with
spiritual and Christian weapons!
CHAP. CXIV.
_Peace._ It seems, dear Truth, a mighty gulf between that people and
nation, and the nations of the world then extant and ever since.
_Truth._ As sure as the blessed substance to all those shadows, Christ
Jesus, is come, so unmatchable and never to be parallelled by any
national state was that Israel in the figure, or shadow.
And yet the Israel of God now, the regenerate or new born, the
circumcised in heart by repentance and mortification, who willingly
submit unto the Lord Jesus as their only King and Head, may fitly
parallel and answer that Israel in the type, without such danger of
hypocrisy, of such horrible profanations, and of firing the civil state
in such bloody combustions, as all ages have brought forth upon this
compelling a whole nation or kingdom to be the antitype of Israel.
[Sidenote: The difference of the kings and governors of Israel from all
kings and governors of the world. First, they were all members of the
church.]
_Peace._ Were this light entertained, some hopes would shine forth for my
return and restoration.
_Truth._ I have yet to add a third consideration, concerning the kings
and governors of that land and people.
They were to be, unless in their captivities, of their brethren, members
of the true church of God: as appears in the history of Moses, the elders
of Israel, and the judges and kings of Israel afterward.
But first, who can deny but that there may be now many lawful governors,
magistrates, and kings, in the nations of the world, where is no true
church of Jesus Christ?
[Sidenote: Excellent talents vouchsafed by God to unregenerate persons.]
Secondly, we know the many excellent gifts wherewith it hath pleased God
to furnish many, enabling them for public service to their countries both
in peace and war, as all ages and experience testify, on whose souls
he hath not yet pleased to shine in the face of Jesus Christ: which
gifts and talents must all lie buried in the earth, unless such persons
may lawfully be called and chosen to, and improved in public service,
notwithstanding their different or contrary conscience or worship.
[Sidenote: A doctrine contrary to all true piety and humanity itself.]
Thirdly, if none but true Christians, members of Christ Jesus, might
be civil magistrates, and publicly entrusted with civil affairs, then
none but members of churches, Christians, should be husbands of wives,
fathers of children, masters of servants. But against this doctrine the
whole creation, the whole world, may justly rise up in arms, as not only
contrary to true piety, but common humanity itself. For if a commonweal
be lawful amongst men that have not heard of God nor Christ, certainly
their officers, ministers, and governors must be lawful also.
[Sidenote: The papists’ doctrine of deposing magistrates, confessed in
effect to be true by the protestants.]
Fourthly, it is notoriously known to be the dangerous doctrine professed
by some papists, that princes degenerating from their religion, and
turning heretics, are to be deposed, and their subjects actually
discharged from their obedience. Which doctrine all such must necessarily
hold, however most loath to own it, that hold the magistrate guardian of
both tables; and consequently such a one as is enabled to judge, yea,
and to demonstrate to all men the worship of God: yea, and being thus
governor and head of the church, he must necessarily be a part of it
himself; which when by heresy he falls from—though it may be by truth,
miscalled heresy—he falls from his calling of magistracy, and is utterly
disabled from his (pretended) guardianship and government of the church.
[Sidenote: No civil magistrate Christian in Christ’s time.]
Lastly, we may remember the practice of the Lord Jesus and his followers,
commanding and practising obedience to the higher powers, though we find
not one civil magistrate a Christian in all the first churches. But
contrarily, the civil magistrate at that time was the bloody beast, made
up (as Daniel seems to imply concerning the Roman state, Dan. vii. 7) of
the lion, the bear, and the leopard, Rev. xiii. 2.
CHAP. CXV.
_Peace._ By these weights we may try the weight of that commonly received
and not questioned opinion, viz., that the civil state and the spiritual,
the church and the commonweal, they are like Hippocrates’ twins, they are
born together, grow up together, laugh together, weep together, sicken
and die together.
[Sidenote: Five demonstrative arguments proving the unsoundness of that
maxim: the church and the commonwealth are like Hippocrates’ twins.]
Truth. A witty, yet a most dangerous fiction of the father of lies, who,
hardened in rebellion against God, persuades God’s people to drink down
such deadly poison, though he knows the truth of these five particulars,
which I shall remind you of:—
[Sidenote: Many flourishing states without a true church.]
First, many flourishing states in the world have been and are at this
day, which hear not of Jesus Christ, and therefore have not the presence
and concurrence of a church of Christ with them.
[Sidenote: Many of God’s people far off from a true church state, yet fit
for civil services.]
Secondly, there have been many thousands of God’s people, who in their
personal estate and life of grace were awake to God; but in respect of
church estate, they knew no other than a church of dead stones, the
parish church; or though some light be of late come in through some
cranny, yet they seek not after, or least of all are joined to any true
church of God, consisting of living and believing stones.
So that by these New English ministers’ principles, not only is the door
of calling to magistracy shut against natural and unregenerate men,
though excellently fitted for civil offices, but also against the best
and ablest servants of God, except they be entered into church estate: so
that thousands of God’s own people, excellently qualified, not knowing or
not entering into such a church estate, shall not be accounted fit for
civil services.
[Sidenote: God’s people permitted and favoured by idolaters.]
Thirdly, admit that a civil magistrate be neither a member of a true
church of Christ, if any be in his dominions, nor in his person fear God,
yet may he (possibly) give free permission without molestation, yea,
and sometimes encouragement and assistance, to the service and church
of God. Thus we find Abraham permitted to build and set up an altar to
his God wheresoever he came, amongst the idolatrous nations in the land
of Canaan. Thus Cyrus proclaims liberty to all the people of God in his
dominions, freely to go up and build the temple of God at Jerusalem, and
Artaxerxes after him confirmed it.
Thus the Roman emperors, and governors under them, permitted the church
of God, the Jews, in the Lord Christ’s time, their temple and worship,
although in civil things they were subject to the Romans.
[Sidenote: Christ’s church gathered and governed without the help of an
arm of flesh.]
Fourthly, the scriptures of truth and the records of time concur in
this, that the first churches of Christ Jesus, the lights, patterns, and
precedents to all succeeding ages, were gathered and governed without
the aid, assistance, or countenance of any civil authority, from which
they suffered great persecutions for the name of the Lord Jesus professed
amongst them.
The nations, rulers, and kings of the earth, tumultuously rage against
the Lord and his anointed, Ps. ii. 1, 2. Yet, ver. 6, it hath pleased the
Father to set the Lord Jesus King upon his holy hill of Zion.
Christ Jesus would not be pleased to make use of the civil magistrate
to assist him in his spiritual kingdom, nor would he yet be daunted or
discouraged in his servants by all their threats and terrors: for love is
strong as death, and the coals thereof give a most vehement flame, and
are not quenched by all the waters and floods of mightiest opposition,
Cant. viii. [6, 7.]
[Sidenote: Christ’s true spouse, chaste and faithful to Christ Jesus, in
the midst of fears or favours from the world.]
Christ’s church is like a chaste and loving wife, in whose heart is fixed
her husband’s love, who hath found the tenderness of his love towards
her, and hath been made fruitful by him, and therefore seeks she not the
smiles, nor fears the frowns, of all the emperors in the world to bring
her Christ unto her, or keep him from her.
[Sidenote: The ten horns, Rev. xiii. and xvii.]
Lastly, we find in the tyrannical usurpations of the Romish anti-christ,
the ten horns—which some of good note conceive to be the ten kingdoms
into which the Roman empire was quartered and divided—are expressly said,
Rev. xvii. 13, to have one mind to give their power and strength unto the
beast; yea, ver. 17, their kingdom unto the beast, until the works of
God shall be fulfilled. Whence it follows, that all those nations that
are gilded over with the name of Christ, have under that mask or vizard
(as some executioners and tormenters in the inquisition use to torment)
persecuted the Lord Jesus Christ, either with a more open, gross, and
bloody, or with a more subtle, secret, and gentle violence.
[Sidenote: The great mystery of persecution unfolded. Christian Naboths
slaughtered.]
Let us cast our eyes about, turn over the records, and examine the
experience of past and present generations, and see if all particular
observations amount not to this sum, viz., that the great whore hath
committed fornication with the kings of the earth, and made drunk
thereof nations with the cup of the wine of her fornications: in which
drunkenness and whoredom (as whores use to practise) she hath robbed
the kings and nations of their power and strength, and, Jezebel like,
having procured the kings’ names and seals, she drinks [herself] drunk,
Rev. xvii. [6,] with the blood of Naboth, who, because he dares not part
with his rightful inheritance in the land of Canaan, the blessed land
of promise and salvation in Christ, as a traitor to the civil state and
blasphemer against God, she, under the colour of a day of humiliation in
prayer and fasting, stones to death.
CHAP. CXVI.
_Peace._ Dear Truth, how art thou hidden from the eyes of men in these
mysteries! how should men weep abundantly with John, that the Lamb may
please to open these blessed seals unto them!
_Truth._ Oh that men more prized their Maker’s fear! then should they be
more acquainted with their Maker’s councils, for his secret is with them
that fear him, Ps. xxv. 14.
I pass on to a second difference.
[Sidenote: Second difference. The mystery of the anointing the kings of
Israel and Judah.]
The kings of Israel and Judah were all solemnly anointed with oil, Ps.
lxxxix. 20, _I have found David my servant, with my oil have I anointed
him._ Whence the kings of Israel and Judah were honoured with that
mystical and glorious title of the anointed, or Christ of the Lord, Lam.
iv. 20, _The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken
in their pits_, &c.
Which anointing and title however, the man of sin, together with the
crown and diadem of spiritual Israel, the church of God, he hath given to
some of the kings of the earth, that so he may in lieu thereof dispose
of their civil crowns the easier: yet shall we find it an incommunicable
privilege and prerogative of the saints and people of God.
For as the Lord Jesus himself in the antitype was not anointed with
material but spiritual oil, Ps. xlv. 7, _with the oil of gladness_; and
Luke iv. 18, from Isaiah lxi. 1, with the Spirit of God, _The Spirit of
the Lord is upon me, the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings_,
&c.; so also all his members are anointed with the Holy Spirit of God, 2
Cor. i. 21, and 1 John ii. 20.
[Sidenote: The name Christian, or anointed.]
Hence is it that Christians rejoice in that name, as carrying the very
express title of the anointed of the Lord; which most superstitiously and
sacrilegiously hath been applied only unto kings.
[Sidenote: A sacrilegious monopoly of the name Christian.]
_Peace._ O dear Truth, how doth the great Searcher of all hearts find
out the thefts of the anti-christian world! how are men carried in the
dark they know not whither! How is that heavenly charge, _Touch not mine
anointed_, &c., Ps. cv. 15, common to all Christians, or anointed [ones]
with Christ their head, by way of monopoly or privilege appropriated to
kings and princes!
[Sidenote: The crown of Christ’s kingly power.]
_Truth._ It will not be here unseasonable to call to mind that admirable
prophecy, Ezek. xxi. 26, 27, _Thus saith Jehovah God, remove the diadem,
take away the crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low,
and abase him that is high; I will overturn, overturn, overturn, until he
come whose right it is; and I will give it him._ The matter is a crown
and diadem to be taken from a usurper’s head, and set upon the head of
the right owner.
_Peace._ Doubtless this mystically intends the spiritual crown of the
Lord Jesus, for these many hundred years set upon the heads of the
competitors and co-rivals of the Lord Jesus, upon whose glorious head,
in his messengers and churches, the crown shall be established. The
anointing, the title, and the crown and power, must return to the Lord
Jesus in his saints, unto whom alone belongs his power and authority in
ecclesiastical or spiritual cases.
CHAP. CXVII.
[Sidenote: Third. The kings of Israel and Judah invested with a spiritual
power.]
_Truth._ I therefore proceed to a third difference between those kings
and governors of Israel and Judah, and all other kings and rulers of the
earth. Look upon the administrations of the kings of Israel and Judah,
and well weigh the power and authority which those kings of Israel and
Judah exercised in ecclesiastical and spiritual causes; and upon a due
search we shall not find the same sceptre of spiritual power in the hand
of civil authority, which was settled in the hands of the kings of Israel
and Judah.
David appointed the orders of the priests and singers, he brought the ark
to Jerusalem, he prepared for the building of the Temple, the pattern
whereof he delivered to Solomon: yet David herein could not be a type
of the kings and rulers of the earth, but of the king of heaven, Christ
Jesus: for,
First, David, as he was a king, so was he also a prophet, Acts ii. 30;
and therefore a type, as Moses also was, of that great prophet, the Son
of God. And they that plead for David’s kingly power, must also by the
same rule plead for his prophetical, by which he swayed the sceptre of
Israel in church affairs.
[Sidenote: David immediately inspired by the Spirit of God, in his
ordering of church matters.]
Secondly, it is expressly said, 1 Chron. xxviii. 11, 12, 13, that the
pattern which David gave to Solomon, concerning the matter of the temple
and worship of God, he had it by the Spirit, which was no other but a
figure of the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God unto the Lord
Jesus, the true spiritual king of Israel, John i. 49, _Rabbi, thou art
the Son of God; Rabbi, thou art the King of Israel._
[Sidenote: Solomon’s deposing Abiathar (1 Kings ii. 26, 27,) discussed.]
Again, what civil magistrate may now act as Solomon, a type of Christ,
doth act, 1 Kings ii. 26, 27? Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being
priest unto Jehovah.
_Peace._ Some object that Abiathar was a man of death, ver. 26, worthy to
die, as having followed Adonijah; and therefore Solomon executed no more
than civil justice upon him.
[Sidenote: Solomon’s putting Abiathar from the priesthood, examined.]
_Truth._ Solomon remits the civil punishment, and inflicts upon him a
spiritual; but by what right, but as he was king of the church, a figure
of Christ?
Abiathar’s life is spared with respect to his former good service in
following after David; but yet he is turned out from the priesthood.
[Sidenote: A case put upon occasion of Abiathar’s case.]
But now put the case: suppose that any of the officers of the New England
churches should prove false to the state, and be discovered joining
with a French Monsieur, or Spanish Don, thirsting after conquest and
dominion, to further their invasions of that country; yet for some
former faithful service to the state, he should not be adjudged to civil
punishment:—I ask now, might their governors, or their general court
(their parliament), depose such a man, a pastor, teacher, or elder, from
his holy calling or office in God’s house?
[Sidenote: Another case.]
Or suppose, in a partial and corrupt state, a member or officer of a
church should escape with his life upon the commission of murder, ought
not a church of Christ upon repentance to receive him? I suppose it will
not be said, that he ought to execute himself; or that the church may
use a civil sword against him. In these cases may such persons, spared
in civil punishments for some reason of or by partiality of state, be
punished spiritually by the civil magistrate, as Abiathar was. Let the
very enemies of Zion be judges.
Secondly, if Solomon in thrusting out of Abiathar was a pattern and
precedent unto all civil magistrates, why not also in putting Zadok
in his room, ver. 35? But against this the pope, the bishops, the
presbyterians, and the independents, will all cry out against such a
practice, in their several respective claims and challenges for their
ministries.
[Sidenote: The liberties of Christ’s churches in the choice of their
officers.]
We find the liberty of the subjects of Christ in the choice of an
apostle, Acts i.; of a deacon, Acts vi.; of elders, Acts xiv.; and guided
by the assistance either of the apostles or evangelists, 1 Tim. i., Tit.
i., without the least influence of any civil magistrate: which shows the
beauty of their liberty.
[Sidenote: A civil influence dangerous to the saints’ liberties.]
The parliaments of England have by right free choice of their speaker:
yet some princes have thus far been gratified as to nominate, yea, and
implicitly to commend a speaker to them. Wise men have seen the evil
consequences of those influences, though but in civil things: how much
far greater and stronger are those snares, when the golden keys of the
Son of God are delivered into the hands of civil authority!
_Peace._ You know the noise raised concerning those famous acts of Asa,
Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Josiah. What think you of the fast proclaimed by
Jehoshaphat? 2 Chron. xx. 3.
_Truth._ I find it to be the duty of kings and all in authority, to
encourage Christ’s messengers of truth proclaiming repentance, &c.
But under the gospel, to enforce all natural and unregenerate people to
acts of worship, what precedent hath Christ Jesus given us?
[Sidenote: Jehoshaphat’s fast examined.]
First, it is true Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast, &c.; but was he not in
matters spiritual a type of Christ, the true king of Israel?
Secondly, Jehoshaphat calls the members of the true church to church
service and worship of God.
[Sidenote: If civil powers may enjoin the time of the church’s worship,
they may also forbid her times.]
But consider, if civil powers now may judge of and determine the actions
of worship proper to the saints: if they may appoint the time of the
church’s worship, fasting, and prayer, &c., why may they not as well
forbid those times which a church of Christ shall make choice of, seeing
it is a branch of the same root to forbid what liketh not, as well as to
enjoin what pleaseth?
And if in those most solemn duties and exercises, why not also in other
ordinary meetings and worships? And if so, where is the power of the Lord
Jesus, bequeathed to his ministers and churches, of which the power of
those kings was but a shadow?
CHAP. CXVIII.
_Peace._ The liberty of the subject sounds most sweet London and Oxford
both profess to fight for: how much infinitely more sweet is that true
soul liberty according to Christ Jesus!
[Sidenote: God will not wrong Cæsar, and Cæsar should not wrong God.]
I know you would not take from Cæsar aught, although it were to give to
God; and what is God’s and his people’s I wish that Cæsar may not take.
Yet, for the satisfaction of some, be pleased to glance upon Josiah, his
famous acts in the church of God, concerning the worship of God, the
priests, Levites, and their services, compelling the people to keep the
passover, making himself a covenant before the Lord, and compelling all
that were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it.
_Truth._ To these famous practices of Josiah, I shall parallel the
practices of England’s kings; and first, _de jure_, a word or two of
their right: then, _de facto_, discuss what hath been done.
[Sidenote: The famous acts of Josiah, examined.]