Orleans Artic. 35. An. 1585. and King Henry the 4th of France An. 1534. enacted these severall Laws against Swearers Blasphemers We inhibit and defend all persons of what estate quality and degree soever they be to renounce grieve dispight or blaspheame or use any other villanous and detestable speeches against the honour of God and his holy Mother upon paine to be condemned for the first offence at such a fine as the Iudge shall think fit to assesse one part whereof shall accrue to the King the other to the fabrick of the Church the third â—â— the enformer and for the second third and fourth offence â—â—â—â—â—e shal be doubled trebled and quadruplied and for the â—â—â—â— oâ—â—ence he shall be imprisoned eight houres and there be liable to all the crimes villanies and obloquies that any will cast upon him and shall make such further amends as the Iudge shall arbitrate and for the sixt offence he shall be set on the Pillory and there have his upperlip branded with an hot Iron so as his Teeth may appeare And for the 7. offence he shall be brought and set on the Pillory and there have his lower lip branded with an hot Iron And if he sweare and offend any more he shall have his Tongue cut off The Council of Lueran under Leo the ninth Sess Tit. Reformationes curia et aliorum to abolish execrable blasphemy which then out of measure prevailed to the greatest contempt of Gods name and of his Saints ordained That whosoever should openly or publikely curse God or blaspheame the name of Iesus Christ or of the Glorious Virgin with contumelious and obscene words if hee were a publike Officer or had jurisdiction he should for the first and second offence forfeit all the profits thereof for three Monthes and for the third be deprived of it If a Clergy man he was to forfeit one whole yeares profits of al his Ecclesiastical livings for his first offence For the second to be deprived of his Living if he had but one benefice of which benefice the ordinary pleased if he had more then one And for the third offence upon conviction to be deprived of al his dignities and benefices and made uncapable to retaine them But a Layman blaspheming if he be a noble man shall for the first offence pay 25. Duckets and for the second offence fifty to be bestowed on the fabrick of the chiefe Church in the City and for the third offence shall loose his Nobility If an ignoble person or plebeian he shal for the first offence be imprisoned if hee shall above twice publikely blaspheame he shall stand for an whole day together before the Dores of the principall Church with an infamous Miter on his head If he shall lapse againe into the same sinne he shall be condemned unto perpetuall prison or to the Gallies at the pleasure of the Iudge In the Court of Conscience he that is guilty of Blasphemy cannot be absolved with out Greivous penance And we further ordaine that secular Iudges who shall not as much as in them lies punish those who are convicted of Blasphemy with just punishments shall be subject to the same punishments as the Blasphemers themselves as guilty of the same sinne And all that shall heare any to blaspheame are enjoyned to informe against them by this Councells decree Hamant and Lewes as well for their execrable Blasphemies as Heresies were By the very common Law without any Statute condemned and burnt in Queene Elizabeths Raigne at Norwich and no doubt Blasphemers may be indicted and punished by the common Law with death as well as Heretickes and Apostates for opeâ— execrable blasphemy By the Statute of 21. lac â— 20. all prophane swearers and cursers shall forfeit twelve pence for every Offence and Oath to be levyed by distresse for the use of the poore and sit in Stocks for three houres if no distresse be to be had if the Offendor be above twelve yeares old and to be whipped publikely if under Too small a punishment as some conceive for so execrable a sinne By the late Articles of Warre for the conduct of our Armies under the Earl of Essex and Sir Thomas Fairfax All Blasphemers of the Trinity or any of the Articles of the Christian faith are to be boared through the tongue with an hot Iron and some have beene so punished in our Armies for their Blasphemies which Articles likewise punish swearing with losse of pay and the like I shall close up these Lawes with some further examples of ancient Godly politick Lawes for the punishment of Swearing and Blasphemy gathered out of divers Authors by our learned Thomas Becon printed cum privilegio at the end of his Invective against swearing King Henry the 5th made a Statute for Swearers in his owne Pallace that if he were a Dâ—ke that did sweare he should forfeit for every time 40. s. to the ayding of the poore people If he were a Lord or a Baron 20. s. If he were a Knight or an Esquire 10 s. If a peasant or meane man then to be scourged naked either with a Rod or else with a Whip King Edward made this Law that they which were proved once falsely forsworne should for ever be separated from Gods Congregation Donaldus King of Scots made this Act within his Land that all Perjurers and common swearers should have their lips seared with a burning hot Iron This Law aforesaid did Saint Lodouicke King of France enact also and put it once into prosecution at Paris upon a Citizen there for blaspheming the name of Christ unto the example of other and so caused it to bee proclaimed throughout the Realme for a generall punishment Phil. King of France whomsoever he perceived to blaspheame the name of God either in a Tavern or any where else yea although he were a great man of dignity commanded that he should be drowned And caused a strong act to be made of it a little before his death and left it unto his successors Philip Earle of Flanders made this constitution with in his Earldome in the yeare of our Lord M. l. xxiij that he that did forsweare himselfe should loose his life and goods Maximilianus the Emperor made also a decree that whosoever he were that was a common swearer should for the first time lose a marke And if hee were not content with that he should loose his head which act he and the Nobility of the Empire commanded to be published foure times in the yeare at Easter Whitsunday Assumption of our Lady as they called it and Chrâ—stmâ—s The Law of the Egyptians was that no swearing should be used among them at all except it were for a weighty cause if any were found to be perjured the same should loose his head The Law among the Sythians was that if any among them could be proved to be a notable swearer or such a one as would forsweare himselfe
in them and all sorts of men besides a most pestilent fire-brand of sedition deserving a Tiburn-Saintship as well as Iack Straw or Iack Cade most justly censured imprisoned by the House of Peers for his unparallell'd Insolencies Contempts and Libels deserving a severer doom or his Disciple St. Overton imprisoned for the like offences his Anti-Parliamentary Libels or any other of his seditious sect it is the Parliaments lenity that they enjoy their lives and a man I fear may finde far better Saints in Newgate if not in Hell then these If he mean S. Best that horrible execrable Heretick and Blasphemer for whose impunity some of the Independent saints have both written and pleaded to the very amazement of all true Saints its certaily a greater crime to suffer such an impenitent blaspheming Atheistical saint to live so long then to imprison him and if any New-lights account him for a Saint I may without any breach of Christian charity repute them in this particular to be little better then Devils and no reall saints at all If he intend by Saints S Paul Hobson a preaching but never a fighting Captain formerly a Taylor now an Anabaptist imprisoned by Sir Samuel Luke for his schismaticall and seditious preaching contrary to the Ordinance of Parliament or his blasphemous Chirurgion Iohn Boggis or his companion S. Oates who openly defended maintained that there was no such power in any Christian Magistrate over any member of a Church unlesse first cast out and delivered over by the Church to the secular power to inflict any capitall punishments upon him whatsoever his offence was though MVRTHER OR TREASON oâ— S. Lambe S. Kiffin or any of that Anabaptisticall Dipping lewd fraternity mentioned by Mr. Edwards in his Gangraenaes who have enriched advanced themselves by their gainfull Schismes Heresies Errors Blasphemies fear our Magistrates who have already law and power enough to restrainâ— and punish such without praying aide from both or either Houses will deserve more blame from God the Parliament and all good men for suffering such black saints as these to ramble abroad from County to County preaching their Errors Blasphemies and re-baptizing seduced Proselytes without restraint then demerit any censure for any short restraint of their persons or selling any of their goods who were lately worse then nothing and had no goods to sell yet now are grown brave and wealthy And if our Magistrates imprison fine banish such Saints as these I am confident both Christ and his Apostles will justifie not condemne them for their doings His third Argument is this Is it not misery enough for men to refuse the good things of heaven except they also deprive them of the good things of this present life If there be any Logick or Divinity in this rhetoricall argumentation it is but formally this It is misery enough to wicked men his words are generall and extend to all wicked men of all sorts not Hereticks only that they refuse the good things of Heaven and Eternall Life Therefore the Magistrate ought not to deprive any wicked man whatsoever of the good things of this life nor to inflict upon him temporall death I answer that if this Argument be solid then the Magistrate must punish no wicked men for any offence whatsoever against God or man no not for Atheisme Treason Rebellion Murther Sodomy and the fowlest crimes because the losse of the good things of heaven and eternall life is a sufficient punishment for them as well as for Hereticks Schismaticks and Blasphemers And then how wil it stand with his own concession I fear not from the heart since the whole scope of his Arguments contradict it p. 27. As for those that are outwardly wicked as open professed Hereticks Schismaticks and Blasphemers are the Magistrate is to keep them in order for the quiet of the State he having power over their persons estates LIVES If so then he may deprive them for their wickednesse of the good things of this life and inflict upon them temporal death Let M. Del therefore assoyl his own contradiction here which he thus seconds p 40. Did you ever hear me say or hint that the Magistrate should not punish outward wickednesse Yes here you hint intimate and argue it too and therefore need to reconcile these your contradictions or renounce this Argument Secondly God himself the Fountaine and Rule of justice doth many times punish wicked men who refuse the good things of Heaven and eternall life with the losse of the good things of this life infliction of temporal and eternall death to boot witnesse Deut. 28. 15. to 68. Levit. 26. 14. to 44. and Rev. 18 19 instead of many other texts If God then the standard of justice doth usually this and threatens all wicked men that they shall thus be punished why may not Christian Princes and Magistrates who are his Deputies Ministers Revengers do the like without the least injustice or cruelty Thirdly the Lawes of all Kingdomes and of our own do punish Malefactors as Traytors Murderers and Hereticks among others with confiscation of goods imprisonment banishment and death too not thinking it punishment sufficient that they refuse the good things of heaven and eternall life M. Del then must be wiser then God then al States Lawgivers whatsoever then our own Lawes Parliaments Judges and tax them both of cruelty injustice and adding misery to the miserable if he dare maintaine this absurd Paradox which hath neither reason nor Religion in it His 4th Objection is much of the same straine Christ imposeth no other punishment on those that will not heare the Church then that he should be reckoned as an heathen Math. 18. And Paul Tit. 3. teacheth us after once and twice admonition to avoyd an Heretick but not to imprison him or kill him or banish him Ergo the christian Magistrate must neither imprison nor kill nor banish Hereticks Here Mr. Dell speaks plaine English and out of his aboundant zeale professedly pleads for the impunity even of Hereticks themselves by the civill Magistrate and if we compare this with his p. 29. Take heed you do nothing to the prejudice of the faithfull Gods owne people as he hath warned you by the spirit saying Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harme c. These anoynted ones are the Lords Prophets and the Lord Hath no Prophets but such as are anoynted with the Spirit Thus Christ was made the Lords Prophet and thus are All his Brethren made Prophets being fellowes with him in his unction And therefore take heed how you meddle with the Lords anoynted ones and with the Lords Prophets c. The Lord hath still the same care of the same people and will suffer no man to do them wrong but will reprove Kings and Parliaments and Kingdomes and Cities and Counties and Committees he will reprove them all for their sakes and say touch not mine anoynted and do
Elect from eternall death and destruction 2ly They must be thus understood that the principall end of Christs comming was not to destroy mens lives with temporall or spirituall destruction but to save them or at least not to destroy them without just grounds or not in any extraordinary manner with fire from Heaven or upon so slight an occasion as the Apostles would have him here but not his only end For Christ hhmselfe is a Rock of offence a stumbling blocke yea a savour of death unto death unto many and will grind some unto pouder 1. Pet. 2. 7. 8. 2. Corinth 2. 15. 16. Lu. 2. 34. Math. 21. 44. yea the very Angell of the Lord smote Herod that he was eaten up of Wormes and gave up the Ghost Acts 12. 23. And Christ by Peters ministery smote Ananias and Saphyra with temporal death Acts 5. 1. to 10. Since then this Text is to be understood in these senses and like that of Paul 1 Cor. 1. 17. For Christ sent me NOT to baptize that is not simply not to baptize any for that he did v. 14 15 16. but chiefely and principally but to preach the Gospel which is my principall and main businesse it will no wayes warrant Mr. Dels Anabaptisticall sense of or conclusion from it to wit that Christ came so to saveâ—mens lives as that he exempts the lives and persons even of Hereticks Blasphemers yea all malefactors from the power of Kings and Christian Magistrates so as they may not justly put them to death for any offences though most capitall Finally admit that Christ came to preserve the naturall lives of Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers and the grossest malefactors from the sword of justice and the Christian Magistrates power yet this extends not to secure them from imprisonments fines banishments and such other corporall punishments which are not capitall as Mr Dell here infers Therefore it no wayes warrants his conclusion against all corporall and outward punishments And so I have scattered this Brigade of his for ever rallying again The 6 Objection is this made by Mr Del and others God hath appointed his Word and the Ministery of it to be the instruments of converting men and stopping the mouths of gainsayers Tit. 1. 9. 11. for the casting down of imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of Christ and for bringing every thought into captivity and into obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. Yea God hath appointed the Ministers in meeknesse to instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth 2 Tim. 2. 24. 25. and to edifie the body of Christ till they all come in the unity of the Spirit unto a perfectman unto the measure and stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4. 11. 12. Yea Christ addes Mr Dell doth ALL THAT EVER HE DOTH in his Kingdome by his Word and Christ sent forth his Apostles not with any power of swords or guns or prisons to reform the world or with any power of States or Armies but sent forth poor illiterate mechanick men and only armed them with the power of the Word and behold what wonders they wrought by that power alone They turned the world up-side down they changed the manners customes religions worship lives and natures of men c. And all this they did not with any earthly or secular power but by the ministery of the Gospel alone Christs great and only instrument for the conquering subduing and reforming of the Nations By it and his Spirit he reformes not only all sinnes in the Church but Heresies Errors and False-doctrines which it seemes he counts no sins because not included in the former general ALL SINNES Ergo Heresies False religions Sects and Schismes ought to be tolerated by the Magistrate and reformed only by the Word but not suppressed and punished by a strong hand as by fining imprisoning disfranchising banishment death or the like which being outward cannot reach to reform or convert the inner-man which is beyond not only the power but cognisance of the Secular powers This was the Donatists and Anabaptists objection of old from whom Mr Dell hath borrowed it To this I answere 1. that though the word and Ministry of it be the principall meanes of converting reforming and convincing Hereticks Blasphemers Errors Schismes as is objected yet it no wayes justles out or destroyes the coercive power the corporall and capitall punishments of the Christian Magistrate for suppressing Heresies Errors Schismes Blasphemies and punishing those who are guilty of them under the Gospel no more then it did their suppressing and punishing of Idolatry and Blasphemy under the Law with temporall death and censures as I have formerly proved To make this apparent I shall lay down these Positions First that the greatest part of such who professe themselves Christians and converted to the outward imbracing and profession of the Gospel are yet not really nor inwardly converted to the saving obedience and practise of it Secondly that inward imbracing or outward profession of the Gospel doth not exempt Christians either from the power or punishment of the Magistrate for any evill deeds nor from committing such crimes or evill actions as may deserve the Magistrates censure and fall under his coercive and avenging power as is clear by Rom. 13. 1. to 7. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. Tit. 3. 1. Thirdly that obstinate Hereticks false Teachers Blasphemers Schismaticks are evill doers and Heresie Blasphemy Errors Schismes meer works of the flesh are under the proper jurisdiction and subject to the censures and coercive power of the Magistrate as well as other malefactors and carnall crimes Fourthly that conversion of Infidels and Pagans to christianity and the reclaiming of Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers Idolaters Seducers or other Malefactors from their evill wayes is one thing usually wrought by one kinde of instrument to wit the Word and ministery of it and the punishing suppressing restraining of such as these from the publick practise or venting of their Heresies Errors Schismes Blasphemies Idolatries or other crimes to the provoking of Gods wrath the hurt infection disturbance of others a quite other thing wrought by different meanes and instruments to wit by the civill Magistrates Sword and corporall censures To argue then as the Objectors doe That the word and Ministry of it are the vsuall and principal meanes appointed by Christ inwardly to convert men from Paganisme Heresie Idolatry Error Schisme unto the orthodox truth and to inward piety and Sincerity Ergo the Magistrate may not punish nor suppresse these crimes sinnes to hinder their outward spreading infecting of others or to prevent or remove Gods judgements or preserve the peace of Church State is a most grosse Non sequitur since both of them are co-ordinate and consistent together not jusling out one another 2ly I answere That the Apostles were no Magistrates but Preachers nor yet illiterate mechanicks as
The Sword of Christian Magistracy Supported OR A VINDICATION OF The Christian Magistrates Authority under the GOSPELL To punish Idolatry Apostacy Heresie Blasphemy and obstinate Schism with Corporall and in some Cases with Capitall Punishments Wherein this their Jurisdiction is cleared by Proofs and Arguments from the Old and New Testament by the Laws and Practise of Godly Christian Emperors Kings States and Magistrates The Common and Statute Laws of England the consent of the best Ancient and Modern Authors of all sorts and the most materiall Objections to the contrary made by Donatists Anabaptists c. fully Answered and Refuted By WILLIAM PRINNE of Lincolns Inne Esquire Augustin Epist 48. Vincentio Gratian Causa 23. qu. 4. Melius est cum severitate diligere quam cum lenitate decipere Si quisquam Inimicum poriculosis febribus phreneticum factum currere videret in praeceps nonne tunc potius malum pro malo redderet si sic eum ire permitteret quam si corripiendum ligandumque cur aret Et tamen tunc ei molestissimus avertissimus videretur quando utilissimus et misericordissimus extit isset Sed planè salute reparata tanto ei uberius gracias ageret quando minus sibi pepercisse sensisset Donatistae nimium sunt inquieti quos per ordinatas a Deo potestates singulares cohiberi atque corrigi mihi non videtur inutile nam de multorum jam correctione gaudemus Zech. 13. 3. Thou shalt not live for thou speakest Lyes in the name of the Lord and his Father and Mother shall thrust him through when he prophesieth Levit. 24. 16. He that blasphemeth the Name of the Lord shall surely be put to death and all the Congregation shall certainly stone him as well the stranger as he that is born in the Land when he blasphemeth the Name of the Lord shall be put to death Dan. 3. 29. Therefore I make a Decree that every People Nation and Language that speak any thing amisse against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in peeces and their Houses shall be made a dung-hill Rev. 17. 16. The ten hornes which thou sawest upon the beast are ten Kings these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eate her flesh and burn her with fire LONDON Printed by R. I. for John Bellamy and are to be sold at his shop at the Three Golden Lyons in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange 1653. The Sword of Christian Magistracy Supported OR A FULL VINDICATION OF Christian Kings and Magistrates Authority Under the GOSPELL To punish Jdolatry Apostacy Heresie Blasphemy and obstinate Schism with Corporall and in some Cases with Capital punishments from many late Cavils and exceptions against the same THE authority of Christian Magistrates under the Gospel having of late years been most audaciously oppugned both in Press and Pulpit in sundry particulars especially in points of Church-Government Church Reformation and this principal branch thereof the restraint and punishment of obstinate seducing Idolaters Hereticks false Teachers Schismaticks and Blasphemers by civil sanctions and corporal punishments I thought it not only seasonable but in some sort necessary to debate this question in a plain and plenary manner Whether Christian Kings States and Magistrates under the Gospel may and ought by the Word of God to restrain by Civil Sanctions all Idolatries Heresies Errours Schisms Blasphemies and to Mulct with corporall pecuniary and in some cases with banishment and capital punishments such obstinate seducing Idolaters Apostaces Hereticks false Teachers Schismaticks and Blasphemers who disturbe the Peace of Church State and draw down judgements upon both when Admonitions Exhortations and disputes will not reclaim them I shal maintain the Affirmative that they may nay ought to do it To avoyd mistakes and state the question aright I shal first of all lay down these conclusions as indubitable 1. That there are such sins as Idolatry Apostacy Heresie damnable Errors obstinate Schisms and Blasphemies in Christian Kingdomes States Churches and persons guilty of them 2. That those who are guilty of them are or may be certainly known discovered to and by Christian Princes and Magistrates 3. That these sins draw down Gods Judgments not only on the persons who are guilty of them but likewise on the Christian Rulers States and places which permit tolerate or not severely punish and suppresse them 4. That it is the duty of Christian Princes States Magistrates to use all possible diligence and lawful means to keep their Kingdomes States People from being infected with all or any of these dangerous wrath-provoking sins yea a grand sin and neglect in them not to do it Secondly I shal propound and agree what is not in controversie as 1. That the preaching of the Word Christian Exhortations Reprehentions Conferences and Disputes are the most proper and effectual means to convert reform Idolaters Apostates Hereticks False Teachers Schismaticks and Blasphemers 2. That such as these are first of all to be gently admonished instructed confuted and if possible reformed by the Word or other spiritual and gentle means before the civil Magistate proceed to corporal or capital punishments 3. That the present question is only of Idolaters Apostates Hereticks False Teachers obstinate Schismaticks and Blasphemers not meer tender consciencis in matters of Church Discipline and the like neither yet are all these always to be proceeded against with the self-same rigour and severity but as their obstinacy Idolatries Apostacies Heresies Errors Schisms Blasphemies are more or lesse heinous and pernitious so the proceedings against them ought to be more milde or severe These things premised I shal now proceed to some Arguments to make good my Assertion The first shal be this That which godly Kings and Magistrates in the Old Testament under the Law were enjoyned to do by Gods own express command and did accordingly execute with Gods special approbation Christian Kings and Magistrates under the Gospel may and ought to do and execute by virtue of the self-same commands But godly Kings and Magistrates in the Old Testament under the Law were injoyned by Gods own express command to restrain all Idolatry Apostacy Heresie Errors Schisms Blasphemies yea to punish with corporal and in some cases with capital Punishments such obstinate seducing Idolaters Apostates Hereticks False Teachers Schismaticks and Blasphemers who disturbed the Peace of Church State and drew down Gods Judgments upon either and did accordingly execute the same command with Gods special approbation when admonitions exhortations and Disputes would not reclaim them Therefore Christian Magistrates under the Gospel may and ought to do the like The Major Proposition I shal make good by these undenyable reasons First because God hath ordained and continued Kings and Magistrates under the New Testament as wel as under the Old and enjoyned obedience to them ROM 13. 1. to 6. 1 TIM 2. 1 2 3. TIT. 3. 1. 1 PET. 2. 13 14. c. 4. 15. which none but professed
Anabaptists do deny Secondly because Christian Kings and Magistrates under the Gospel have the self-same authority as godly Kings and Magistrates had under the Law even as Parents Masters Husbands naturall Magistrates have the self-same authority over their Children Servants Wives under the Gospel as they had under the Law ROM 13. 1. to 6. TIT. 3. 1. 1 PET. 2. 13 14 15. c. 4. 15. compared with EPH. 6. 1. to 8. c. 5. 21 22. COL 3. 18. to 25. 1 TIM 6. 1 2. 1 PET. 3. 11. 12. 13. c. 2. 18. there being no one text in the New Testament which restrains either Kings or Magistrates power given them by God in the Old Thirdly because the ends and uses for which Magistrates were instituted are the same under the New Testament and Old ROM 13. 1. to 6. 1 TIM 2. 1 2 3. 1 PET. 2. 13. 14. c. 4. 15. ISA 1. 49. 23. therefore their power and rule the same Fourthly because the precepts given to Magistrates under the Law for punishing Idolaters Apostates False Prophets Hereticks and Blasphemers are not Ceremonial or Judicial but moral and perpetual and so of equal obligation under the Law and Gospel as wel as the Decalogue and Moral Law of God Fifthly because godly Kings and Christian Magistrates ought to be as zealous for God and his truth if not more zealous under the Gospel as they were under the Law REV. 3. 19. c. 2. 14 15 16. 20. 23. compared with NUM â— 15. 11 13. 2 KING 10. 16. c. The Minor I shal ratifie by this particular Induction First for Idolatry Idolaters Apostates False Prophets and Seducers of men from the true God and Religion to Idols and Idolatry we have these expresse precepts warranting if not commanding the civil Magistrate to inflict corporal and capital punishments on them â— Levit. 20. 2. to 6. Whosoever of the children of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel that giveth any of his seed to Molech that is sacrificeth any of his children or maketh them passe through the fire to that Idol LEVIT 18. 21. 2 KING 21. 10. He shal SVRELY BE PVT TO DEATH the people of the Land shal stone him with stones and I wil set my face against that man and wil cut him off from among his people because he hath given of his seed to Molech to defile my sanctuary and to prophane my holy Name And if the people of the Land do any way hide their eyes when he giveth his seed unto Molech and kil him not then I wil set my face against that man and against his family and wil cut him off and all that go a whoring after him to commit whâ—rdâ—me with Molech from among their people From which text we may observe these particulars First that not only such stranger Idolaters who constantly worshipped Idols and never adored the true God were to be put to death by the Israelites but even such of the Israelites themselves and of the sojourners among them who turned Idolaters and sacrificed unto Molech to whom they offered their children were to be surely put to death and stoned with stones by the people without m r y being first convicted and condemned by the Magistrate Secondly that the Magistrates and peoples hiding of their eyes and sparing such as these contrary to this precept was a grievous sin Thirdly that where the Magistrates and people winked at such an Idolater and hid their eyes from him God himself in their default would set his face against him and cut him off from among his people and not only so but would set his face against his family and cut off all them that went a whoring after him from among his people whereas if the Magistrate had punished him his family had not been thus cut of by God Fourthly that it is not sufficient to leave Idolaters Hereticks and Blasphemers to Gods own vengeance and execution who wil certainly cut them and their families off if they repent not but themselves must likewise cut them off as God commands before God proceeds to do it they being his Ministers and Executioners appointed for this end who must not put off the Execution of such to God the supream Judge no more then the Hangâ—â— man amongst us may transfer the Execution of a Felon or Traytor to the Judge who condemns them which answers and refutes one main objection of our opposites that we must leave Idolaters Hereticks and False Teachers unto Gods Judgement and Execution if we cannot convert them by the Word and let such tares to grow til the harvest amongst the Corn. Secondly Deut. 13. 1. If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of dreams and giveth thee a signor a wonder and the sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying let us go after other gods which thou hast not known and let us serve them Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet or that Dreamer of dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul yee shal walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his Commandments and obey his voyce and you shal serve him and cleave unto him And that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shal be put to death because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God which brought you out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in so shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine own soul entice thee secretly saying let us go and serve other gods which thou hast not known thou nor thy fathers namely of the gods of the people which are round about you or nigh unto thee or far off from thee from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shal thine eye pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him But thou shalt surely kil him thine hand shal be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hands of all the people And thou shalt stone him with stones that he dye because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage And all Israel shal hear and fear and shal do no more any such wickednesse as this is among you If thou shalt hear say in one of thy Cities which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwel there saying Certain men the children of Belial are gone out from among you and have withdrawn the Inhabitants
of their City saying Let us go and serve other gods which we have not known Then shalt thou inquire and make search and ask diligently And behold if it be truth and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought amongst you Thou shalt surely smite the Inhabitants of that City with the edge of the sword destroying it utterly and all that is therein and the cattle thereof with the edge of the sword And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof and shalt burn with fire the City and all the spoil thereof every whit for the Lord thy God and it shal bee an heap for ever it shal not be built again And there shal cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand that the Lord may turn from the fiercenesse of his anger and shew thee mercy and have compassion upon thee and multiply thee as he hath sworn unto thy fathers When thou shalt hearken to the voâ—c of the Lord thy God to keep all his Commandments which I command thee this day to do that which is right in the eyes of the Lord thy God Which is thus seconded Deut. 17. 2. to 8. If there be found among you within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee man or woman that hath wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his Covenant and hath gone and served other gods and worshipped them either the Sun or the Moon or any of the host of heaven which I have not commanded And it be told thee and thou hast heard of it and enquired diligently and behold it be true and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought in Israel Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman which have committed that wicked thing unto thy gates even that man or that woman and shalt stone them with stones til they dye At the mouth of two witnesses shal â—e that is worthy of death be put to death but at the mouth of one witnesse he shal not be put to death The hands of the witnesses shal be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hands of all the people so thou shalt put the evil away from among you From which two Texts I shal deduce these undeniable Conclusions First That false Prophets and Dreamers of dreams may arise among Gods own people and do signs wonders and predict things which may come to pass which is more I suppose then any of our pretended New-Lights Dreamers or false Prophets now can do Secondly That the end of such Dreamers and false Prophets is but to draw people to go after other gods which they have not formerly known and to serve them or to worship the true God in an undue newfangled manner Thirdly That God suffers such false Prophets and New seducing Lights to arise among his people of purpose to prove them to know whether they love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul Fourthly That Gods people must not hearken to such false Prophets Dreamers and New-Lights though they do signs and wonders but walk after the Lord their God and fear him and keep his Commandments and obey his voyce and serve and cleave unto him and that those that follow such false Prophets and Dreamers do neither truly love fear serve obey nor cleave to God Fifthly That such false Prophets and Dreamers were by Gods express Command to be PUT TO DEATH by the Magistrate and people though they actually seduced none from God even because they had spoken revolt against the Lord their God to turn them away from him to thrust them out of the way which the Lord their God commanded them to walk in Sixthly That the putting of such to death is so far from being an evil or sin of persecution that it is the only way to put away the evill of Idolatry False-Worship sin plague and punishment from the midst of them ver 5. Seventhly that if not onely such false Prophets and dreamers but even any mans own natural brother son daughter wife nighest bosome and most endeared friend which is as his own soul should entice him secretly to go and serve other gods or the true God in a new and false manner which he and his fathers had not known be it what fals god soever he must neither consent nor hearken to them neither shal his eye pity them neither shal he spare nor conceal them but he SHAL SURELY KIL THEM without mercy and his own hand shal be first upon them to put them to death and afterwards the hands of all the people and they shal stone them with stones that they dye not because they actually seduced him or others but because they sought to thrust him away from the Lord his God If then the nearest and dearest of all others to us must be put to death without mercy in such a case then much more others who are not so neerly related to us Gods glory and our zeal to preserve his sincere Worship must admit of no respect of persons no toleration connivance or compassion in such a case as this Eighthly That exemplary capital punishments upon private or open enticers to Idolatry and False-Worship is a special means appointed by God to preserve and convert others from Idolatry and Apostacy Verse 11. And all Israel shal hear and fear and do no more any such wickedness as this is among you The Sword of Justice wil by Gods own Institution suppress prevent yea reform Idolatry Apostacy False-Worship and Heresie as wel as the Word the Sword of the Spirit and prevails herein many times when the Word it self is ineffectual Ninthly That Magistrates are to make diligent search and inquiry after False-Teachers Apostates Seducers of men to serve new gods embrace new religions and if a whole City be thus seduced and such abomination certainly wrought among them they must surely smite the Inhabitants of that City especially of obstinate and impenitent with the edge of the sword destroying it utterly and all that is therein and the cattel thereof and burn all the spoil and City and every parcel thereof with fire and make it an heap for ever By which it is apparent that not only private Idolaters Apostates Hereticks but even whole Cities Churches and Congregations of them are so far from being tolerated that they ought to be destroyed utterly if they continue obstinate Tenthly That the tolerating of Idolaters Apostates and Hereticks is a means to provoke God to pour out the fierceness of his anger against his own people but the utter exterpation of them without mercy is a special means of divine institution to cauâ—e the Lord to turn from the fiercenesse of his anger to shew them mercy and compassion and multiply them as he hath promised And is so far from being against the Word of God and displeasing to him that it is a keeping of
one grand objection against punishing Hereticks and Blasphemers with death because God himself wil punish them if they repent not and we must wholy leave them to his judgement Fourthly that the best and speedyest course to remove Gods judgements brought upon a Nation for Idolatry Apostacy Heresie or Blasphemy is for the temporal Magistrates to execute speedy and exemplary capital punishments on those who are notoriously guilty of them and that fasting and prayer without such exemplary executions upon the most eminent Malefactors in this kind wil never pacify Gods wrath nor remove his judgements inflicted for these sins Fifthly that the executing of capital punishments upon such is an argument of true zeal to GOD And therefore it seems strange to me that those in this age who pretend themselvs the only Saints Zealots faithful ones paramount all others by head and shouldiers in grace and piety should be so voyd of Christian zeal for God as to plead preach write and print against the corporal and capital Punishment or Apostates Idolaters Hereticks and Blasphemers by temporal Magistrates and for a free Toleration of all Sects Heresies and Religions whatsoever under the pretence of Liberâ—â—y of Conscience Certainly this extream want of holy zeal for God against Apostates Idolaters Hereticks Blasphemers and pleading for their impunity at least with capital Censures argues them to be no real Saints because they have no true love to nor zeal for God which would make them as forward to thrust their Javelins or the sword of Justice through the Bowels of such transcendent offendors as Phineas was to thrust his Javelin through Zimri and Cozbi without any question or dispute Sixthly that the exemplary capital punishing of such is so far from being a persecution of the Saints or against the Clemency of God under the Law or Gospel that it is a most acceptable service to God and procures a special Blessing upon the persons and posterities of those who are most zealous and active in this service as appears by this example of Phineas registred for his eternal honor and our future imitation and encouragement in this kind The third Example is JOSH. 22. 10. to 34. Where we read that when the Children of Ruben Gad and the half Tribe of Manasseh had but built an Altar at the side of Iordan the children of Israel no sooner heard thereof but the whole Congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh to go up to war against them to destroy them and the Cities wherein they dwelt as guilty of Idolatry Apostacy and False Worship apprehending the very building of this Altar to be a trespass committed against the God of Israel to turn them away from following the Lord that they might rebel against him and that it would prove like the sin of Peor and bring Gods wrath on the whole Congregation of Israel and not on themselves alone when as in truth they built it only for a memorâ—â—l but not to rebel against turn from the Lord or to be an Altar for burnt oâ—â—â—â—â—gs for meat offrings or for sacrifices like as the Altar of the Lord their God which was before the Tabernacle From which history I collect First that the whole Congregation of Israel when they were most sincere and best affected towards God deemed this supposed guilt of Apostacy Idolatry and Schism in these two Tribes and an half by building this New Altar a just ground of making a publick war against them to destroy both them and their Country for this crime though they were their dear brethren who assisted them to conquer the Land of Canaan by vertue of Gods Command forecited DEUT. 13. 11. to 17. Secondly that the Apostacy Idolatry and obstinate Schism of a few wil draw down Gods Judgements upon a whole Nation and Kingdom in case they tolerate or connive at them and do not speedily cut them off by the sword of Justice Thirdly that in such a case there is no way to prevent Gods wrath on all but to cut off the Malefactors by speedy execution of corporal punishments and death upon them The fourth Example is recorded in the 1 KING 18. 40. c. 19. 1 2. Where Elijah commands all the people after he had convinced them by a miracle from heaven that the Lord was God â—o apprehend the Prophets of Baal and not let one of them escape whereupon they took them and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and SLEW THEM there with the sword upon which â—ezeâ—el threatned to make his life as one of them By this it is apparent First that this holy zealous Prophet and all the people were of opinion That false Prophets and Idolaters ought by the Law of God to be put to death without any mercy and that Gods Judgement of drought then upon the whole Kingdom could not be removed before their execution as the History there manifests Secondly that the execution of those Idolatrous false Prophets was so necessary that rather then they should want capital punishment the Prophet Elijah himself would be their executioner His zeal then should shame our lukewarmnesse now The fifth President is in JUDGES 6.30 Then Ioash said unto all that stood against him Wil ye plead for Baal Wil ye save him he that wil plead for him LET HIM BE PVT TO DEATH whiles it is yet morning Compared with the second of KINGS 10. 18. to 29. Where Iehu by Proclamation having gathered all Baals Priests and worshippers into his temple appointed foursoore men without and said if any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape he that letteth him go his life shal be for the life of him And he said to the guard to the Captains go in SLAT THEM let none come forth and they smote them with the edge of the sword and the guard and the Captains cast them out and went to the City of the house of Baal and they brought forth the Images out of the house of Baal and burnt them and they brake down the Image of Baal and the house of Baal and made it a draught house unto this day so Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel Here the supream temporal Magistrate puts all the Idolatrous Priests and worshippers of Baal throughout the whole Kingdom to death at once without mercy for which God himself commends him saying That he had done wel in executing that which was right in his eys And by this means he destroyed Baal out of Israel to his eternal honor The sixth Example is thus recorded in the 2 KING 11. 17 18. and in the 2 CHRO 23. 16 17. And Jehoiada made a Covenant between him and between all the people and between the King that they should be the Lords people And all the people of the Land went into the house of Baal and brake it down his Alars and his Images brake they in peeces throughly and SLEW Mattan the Priest of Baal before the
Altar A memorable example of zeal and reformation after their solemn Covenant And should not we be as zealous after our Covenant against Idolatrous Priests False Prophets Hereticks Apostates Blasphemers as they were against the Priests of Baal The seventh President is enrolled in the 2 CHRON. 15. 9 to 17. where godly King Asa having gathered all Juda and Benjamin and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh and out of Simeon to Jerusalem in the fifteenth year of his reign they all entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soul That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel SHOVLD BE PVT TO DEATH WHETHER SMAL OR GREAT MAN OR WOMAN And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shoutings and with trumpets and with cornets And all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the King he removed her from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a grove and Asa cut down her Idol and stamped it and burnt it at the brook Kidron Whence we shal observe First that this godly King and all his people bound themselves by a solemn Oath and Covenant much like to ours TO PUT ALL Idolaters Apostates Hereticks and Blasphemers and whosoever would not seek the Lord of what quality or sort soever TO DEATH Secondly that this Oath and Covenant was so wel pleasing to God and agreeable to his Law that whereas immediately before their entring into it here was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Countries and Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City as they are now among us for God did vex them with all adversity Vor. 5 6. Yet no sooner was this Oath and Covenant taken but the Lord was found of them and gave them rest round about Verse 15. as no doubt he would do to us were we as zealous against Apostates Idolaters Hereticks Blasphemers against God and the sacred Trinity as they and would put the Ringleaders of such to death whether smal or great whether man or woman as they did Thirdly that Asa did depose his own Queen mother from being Queen for her Idolatry and cut down and burnt her Idol and her grove A memorable example both of zeal and justice to shame the luke warmness the partiality of our times which have connived at and countenanced Queen mother and Queen daughter too in their Idolatries yea erected publick Groâ—es and Chappels for their Idols and Idol-worship Eightly to these I might accumulate EXOD. 23. 23 24. 32. 33 c. 34. 12 13 4 15. NUM 21. 2 3. c. 31. 8. 17. DEUT. 7. 2 3 4 5. c. 12. 2 3. JOSM 23. 5. to 14. JUDG 2. 2. Where God commanded Moses Ioshua and the Israelites his own people when he should deliver the Hittites Gergasites Amarites Canaanites Perâ—zites Hivites Iebusites and Midianites into their hands to smite utterly destroy and slay them with the sword and to make no Covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them and to destroy break down and burn their Altars Groves Images and to make no marriages with their sons or daughters least they should turn them away from following him to serve other gods and so should the anger of the Lord be kindled against them and destroy them sodainly Whereupon they did utterly destroy all the Idolatrous Inhabitants of the Cities they took with the edge of the sword without sparing any but Rahab and her family JOSH. 6. 21 22 24. c. 8. 20. to 30. c. 9. 24 26. c. 10. 1. 10. to the end specially v. 40. c. 11 12. NUM 21. 2 3. c. 31. 16. 17. 2 CHRON. 31. 1 2. as the Lord commanded them From all which Precepts and Presidents as also from JOH 31. 26 27 28. EXOD. 22. 20. He that sacrificeth unto any other god save unto the Lord only HE SHAL BE VTTERLY DESTROYED that is by the Magistrates and people or in their default by God himself it is undeniable that godly Kings and Magistrates under the Law were by Gods own special command to punish obstinate Idolaters Apostates False Prophets and Teachers who seduced or endeavored to seduce the people from the ways truth and true worship of God were they Jews or Gentiles Israelites or Heathens with death and capital punishments to prevent or remove Gods wrath procure his favor and blessing and keep others from pollution and seduction to the ruine of their souls Secondly That they had power to punish Blasphemy and Blasphemers of God even with death by an express Commission from God himself is as clear as the Noonday Sun by these ensuing Texts LEVIT 24. 10. to 17. and the Israâ—litish womans sonne blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed and they brought him unto Moses and put him in Ward that the mind of the Lord might be shewed them And the Lord spake unto Moses saying bring forth him that hath cursed without the Camp and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head and let all the Congregation STONE HIM And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying whosoever shal curse his God shal bear his sin And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord SHAL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH and ALL THE CONGREGATION SHAL CERTAINLY STONE HIM as wel the stranger as he that is born in the Land WHEN HE BLASPHEMETH THE NAME OF THE LORD SHAL BE PUT TO DEATH A most punctuall Law extending to all blasphemers of God and his name be they Natives or Forraigners of what sex or quality soever coupled in the next Verse with this penal Statute Ver. 17. AND HE THAT KILLETH ANY MAN SHAL BE PVT TO DEATH so that those who at this day question or deny the Magistrates power to put Blasphemers or gross Hereticks who deny Christs Divinity c. whose very assentions are direct blasphemies to death may upon the self-same grounds and with equal reason deny the Magistrates power to put Murtherers to death the one Law being as moral as perpetual as the other Yea the equity of that other Law EXOD. 21. 17. and LEVIT 20. 9. Every one that curseth his father and mother shal SVRELY BE PVT TO DEATH his blood shal be upon him must hold more strongly of him that shal curse and blaspheme his heavenly then his earthy Father in as much as the one is infinitly greater and more to be reverenced feared honored obeyed then the other This Law was so obligatory and Authentick among the Israelites even in the reign of King Ahab and Jezebel that the Nobles and Elders upon Jezebels Letter and the witnesses testimony suborned by her condemned Naboth for that he did blalpheme God
whereupon they carried him forth out of the City and STONED HIM WITH STONES THAT HE DYED 1 KING 21. 5. to 15. Yea the wicked Jews Elders and High-priests who put our Savior to death were so zealous in punishing whatever they reputed blasphemy by coulor of this precept that JOH 10. 31 32 33. The Jews TOOK UP STONES TO STONE CHRIST HIMSELF for BLASPHEMY which they pretended he had spoken AND FOR THAT HE BEING MAN MADE HIMSELF GOD And at his arraignment before his passion MAT. 26. 64 65 66. Christ saying that he was the Son of God thereupon the High Priest rent his clothes saying He hath spoken BLASPHEMY what further need have we of witnesses Behold now ye have heard his BLASPHEMIE What think ye They answered and said HE IS GVILTY OF DEATH An unanswerable proof that Blasphemy even in our Saviors time was a capital crime punishable with death among the Jews and all by vertue of this forecited expresse Law of God Those then must be more unjust then Ahab or Jezebel more impious and lesse zealous then the wicked Jews High Priests or Elders who put Christ to death that dare plead for the exemption of Blasphemers of God or the Trinity from death and capital punishments when God himself hath thus positively commanded That they shal surely and certainly be out to death Thirdly For seditious and obstinate pernicious Schismaticks from the Unity both of the Church and Faith though we find no expresse precept in the Old Testament against them yet we read that God himself sent out a fire and devoured Nadab and Abâ—hu so that they dyed before the Lord because they offred in their censorâ— strange fire before the LORD which he commanded them not LEVIT 10. 1 2 NUM 3. 4. c. 26. 60. 1 CHRO 24. 2. and that God exemplarily destroyed and made the earth to swallow up Corah Dathan and Abiram with their company and families for raising a publike Schism NUM 16. 1. to 41. c. 26. 9 10. PSA 106. 17 18. And such Hereticks and Schismaticks as those fall directly within the Verge and meaning of the forecited Texts against Idolaters False Prophets False-Teachers Apostates from the truth or true worship of God and Blasphemers Heresie it self properly so called being either DOCTRINAL BLASPHEMY or MENTAL IDOLATRY therefore punishable by godly Princes and Magistrates under the Law by vertue of the precedent Texts and so by necessary consequence under the Gospel As for Schismaticks and separate Independent Congregations the Israelites neither knew nor permitted any since they all unanimously met together in one place upon all publick Feastivals Fastings Passeoverâ— and other occasions of solemn worship from which none ever separated upon pretext that all those present were not visible Saints and those who separated from the publike ordinances VVERE TO BE CUT OFF as is clear by EXO 23. 17. c. 35. 1. 4. LEV. 8. 3 4. c. c. 9. 5. c. 16. 33. c. 19. 2. c. NUM 15. 24. c. 27. 1. DEUT. 31. 30. c. 5. 1. c. c. 16. 16. JOSH. 8. 35. c. 23. 2. c. c. 24. 1. to 28. JUDG 2. 5. c. 20. 1. to 26. 1 SAM 7. 3. 5 6. 1 KING 18. 1. 2. to 66. 1 CHRO 13. 1. to 9. c. 15. 3. to 29. c. 25. c. 29. 2 CHRO 5. 2 3. c. 7. 3 4. c. 15. 9. to 16. c. 20. 3 4 5. 27. 28. c. 23. 7. 16 17. c. 24. 9. 10. c. 29. 28. 36. c. 30. 1. to 27. c. 34. 29 30 31 32 33. c. 35. 1. to 20. EZRA 10. 1. c. 5. 9. 12. c. 3. 1. NEH. 8. 1. c. cap. 9. 1. JOEL 2. 15. 16. ZEPH. 2. 1 2. which I wish all Separatists and Independents would wel study and consider My second Argument is this Godly Kings and Magistrates under the Law and Old Testament had power to punish Sabbath-breakers Sorcerers Witches Murtherers Adulterers Wicked doers and disobeyers of the Law of God with temporal and capital punishments Ergo. Christian Magistrates and Princes now have power under the Gospel to punish Idolaters Apostates Hereticks False Teachers obstinate Schismaticks and Blasphemers with corporal and capital punishments The sequel is firm because the same reason holds a like in all and because it is an argument a Minori ad Maju sins against the first second third fourth Commandments as Divines generally accord being more hainous then sins against the second Table because more immediate against the very nature essence and name of God himself and spiritual Sorcerers Witches Murtherers Adulterers such as all Idolaters Hereticks Apostates False Teachers obstinate Schismaticks and Blasphemers are being worse and more dangerous then corporal because they hurt and destroy mens souls and because the forecited and subsequent texts warrant their punishing of these with death as wel as those The antecedent I shall ratifie by these Authorities That Sabbath-breakers WERE TO BE PUNISHED by the Civil Magistrate WITH DEATH is evident by EXOD. 31. 14 15. NUM 15. 32. to 37. That Sorcerers and Witches were to be put to death and not suffred to live is apparant by LEV. 20. 27. DEUT. 18. 10 11. 1 SAM 28. 9. That adulterous and incestuous persons were to be put to death by Gods command by the Magistrate is clear by GEN. 26. 11. c. 38. 24. 25. LEVIT 8. 6. to 30. c. 20. 10. to 19. c. 21. 9. DEUT. 22. 20. to 28. JOH 8. 4 5. That Murderers were to be put to death without mercy is clearly resolved in direct terms GEN. 9. 5 6. EXOD. 21. 12 13 14. LEVIT 24. 17. NUM 35. 15. to 35. 1 KING 2. 31. to 35. In fine godly and zealous King David a man after Gods own heart writes thus of himself PSAL. 101. 8. I wil early destroy ALL THE WICKED of the Land that I may CVT OFF ALL WICKED DOERS FROM THE CITY OF THE LORD If David then as a King yea a type of Christ would thus destroy and cut off with the sword of Justice all the wicked of the Land and all wicked doers from the City of the Lord then certainly he would cut off and destroy all Idolaters Apostates Hereticks False Teachers Blasphemers and obstinate Schismaticks who disturbed the tranquility and obstructed the felicity of the City of the Lord. And why all Christian Princes Magistrates should not do the like under the Gospel as he did under the Law and punish Idolaters Hereticks Apostates Blasphemers c. now with corporal and capital punishments as wel as Sorcerers Murderers and other Malefactors as yet transcends my understanding to conceive My third Argument follows Those things and Persons which Heathen Kings Magistrates Nations and Idolaters themselves by the very light of nature though fit to punish with corporal and capital punishments all Christian Kings Magistrates Nations ought much more to censure in this kind But Heathen Kings Magistrates Nations and Idolaters themselves by the very light of nature have thought fit to punish with corporal
Sacrum an holy War because waged in defence of Religion though Idolatrous to punish the contemners of it Yea this was one cause of the Poloponesian War between the Athenians and Lacedaemonians as Thucidides and Grotius record who assert Justius illi punientur qui in eos quos Deos putant irreverentes atque irreligiosi sunt Hence the Athenians banished Protagoras out of their City and territories and burned his Books in a publick assembly because he had written in the beginning of his Book De diis neque ut sint neque ut non sint habeo dicere Hence Antiochus attempting to rob the Temple of Dodona in Syria was together with his whole army slain by the Inhabitants Hence we read in Aelian of a child condemned to death for Sacriledge and offring injury to the Heathen Goddesse Diana in taking away a Golden Plate which had fallen from her Crown And upon this ground Numa Pompilius as Livy Plutarch and Dionysius Haliâ—arnasseus record instituted a Pontifex Maximus or chief Priest at Rome eique omnia ex scripta ex signataque attribuit quibus hostiis quibus diebus ad quae templa sacra fierent c. Pontificiis scitis subjecit vt esset quo consultum plebs veniret ne quid divini juris negligendo Patrios ritus PEREGRINOS-QVE asciscendo turbaretur ne quid praeter LEGITIMA fiat And upon the like reason when the Romans in the time of Manlius had their bodies infected with diverse diseases and their minds with manifold erroneous Religions and Superstitions this publick shame coming to the knowledge of the chief of the City Cernentes in omnibus vicis sacellisque peregrinâ— atque insolita piacula pacis Deum exposcendae they thereupon commanded the Ediles to take care Vt animadverterent ne qui nisi Romani Dii NEV QVO ALIO MORE QVAM PATRIOCOLERENTVR to preserve Uniformity and avoyd all Innovations in their publike worship which they deemed true Whence I conclude that what Pagan Kings Magistrates Nations have usually punished with corporal or capital punishments and restrained by Civil Laws in all ages out of the light of Nature that Christian Kings Magistrates and Nations under the Gospel may lawfully punish in like sort even by the principles of Nature too had they no other Divine Law to warrant them as they have 'T is true most of these erred in the object in deeming that Heresie Schism Blasphemy Error which was not not in the punishment had the object been such as they really deemed it and such as we here dispute of My fourth Argument is this God hath prophecyed That Idolaters Hereticks and False Prophets under the Gospel shal be put to Death Therefore Christian Kings and Magistrates under the Gospel may lawfully put them to death else these Prophâ—sies should be frustrated and not fulfilled The Antecedent I have already made good in part from DEUT. 18. 15. to 21. which relates to the times of the Gospel But the Prophet which presumes to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak or that shal speak in the name of other gods EVEN THAT PROPHET SHAL DYE to wit by the sword of Justice which is thus repeated ACT. 3. 22 23. And it shal come to passe that every soul that wil not hear that Prophet SHAL BE DESTROYED FROM AMONG HIS PEOPLE even under the Gospel as wel as under the Law either immediately by the hand of God himself or mediately by the Civil Magistrate and Sword of Justice as The despisers of Moses Law were to be destroyed HEBR. 10. 28 29. compared with this text Whereto I shal now subjoyn ZECH. 13. 1 2 3 c. which speaking thus of the time of CHRIST and of his passion In that day shall a fountain be opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleannesse Awake O sword against my shpherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts Smite the shepherd and the sheep shal be scattered c. applyed to Christ and the times of the Gospel in the New Testament MAT. 26. 32. MARK 14. 27. 1 PET. 1. 6 7. he adds And it shal come to passe IN THAT DAY of the Gospel saith the Lord of hosts I wil cut off the names of Idols out of the Land and they shal no more be remembred and also I wil cause the Prophets and unclean spirits to passe out of the Land And it shal come to passe that when any shal yet prophesie that HIS FATHER and mother which begat him shal say unto him THOV SHALT NOT LIVE FOR THOV SPEAKEST LYES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD and his FATHER and his Mother that begat him SHAL THRVST HIM THROVGH WHEN HE PROPHESYETH And it shal come to passe in that day that the Prophets shal be ashamed every one of his vision when he hath prophesied neither shall hee wear a rough garment to deceive This Prophesy relates wholy to the times of the Gospel The first part thereof concerning the destruction of Idols and Idolaters was in part fulfilled by the Apostles and others preaching and by Constantine the great his subverting of all Idols Temples Groves Statues by his enacting Laws against their worship and putting Lycinius and his complices qui praelii CONTRADEVM SVSCIPIENDI authores fuerunt to death being first condemned by Martial Law for waging war against God and the Christians as we may read at large in Eusebius The latter part concerning Hereticks and false Prophets who speak lyes in the name of the Lord relates likewise to the times of the Gospel wherein two things are considerable First their judgement and punishment Thou shalt not live and they shal thrust him through when he prophesieth A capital sentence and execution to the very taking away of their lives Secondly The parties who are to pronounce and execute this Judgement his Father and Mother that begat him an expression borrowed from Deut. 13. 6 7 8 9. This may have a threefold interpretation First His natural Father and Mother shal do it if living upon lawful conviction before the Christian Magistrate Secondly His Civil or Ecclesiastical Father and Mother especially if his natural Parents be dead to wit the Christian Magistrate Church and people where he liveth Thirdly his very neerest dearest friends and kindred who must cast aside all affection in the cause of God And this part of the Prophecy was fulfilled under the Gospel by the manygodly Laws of Christian Emperors Kings States in all ages for the punishing of Hereticks and seducing false Teachers with Banishment Imprisonment Burning Death and other corporal censures of which more anon Thirdly the good effect of these corporal censures and punishments upon Idolaters Hereticks and False Prophets is thus expressed in the Text. First The name of Idols shal no more be remembred Secondly The false prophet and unclean spirit shal passe out of the Land Thirdly Every other false prophet
Princes to give their Judges power only to enquire of and punish offences against their Subjects but not at all to enquire after or punish Treasons Conspiracies and Rebellions against their own Persons Crowns Kingdoms and shall wee deem the most wise and just God guilty of such a Solecism Doubtless as God himself under the Old Testament commanded Idolaters Blasphemers Seducing Prophets and Achan himself to be stoned to death by all Israel and after that burnt with fire for breaking his covenant and medling with the accursed thing and thereby troubling and bringing Gods wrath upon all Israel so as they fled and fell before the men of Ai Josh 7. 25. 27. So by the like reason justice equity commands Christian Princes Magistrates and people under the Gospell to punish obstinate Heretickes Idolaters Blasphemers False Teachers and pernicious Schismaticks who dishonor his name despite his Spirit subvert his Truth corrupt seduce and destroy others trouble the States and Churches wherein they live and bring Gods wrath upon them with like capital punishments when milder remedies wil not prevail and these recited Texts wil be a sufficient Commission to justifie such their proceedings as all the subsequent Authors as wel ancient as modern Protestants as Papists assert My seventh Argument shal be from our Saviors own words Math. 12. 3â— 32. Whosoever speaketh a word against the son of man it shal be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost and the BLASPHEMY against the Holy Ghost SHAL NOT BE FORGIVEN IN THIS WORLD nor in the World to come I have formerly proved from Levit. 24. 10. to 17. and other Texts That Blasphemy was to be punished with death by the Civil Powers under the Law Our Savior by this Expression Shall not be forgiven in this World which cannot be thought superfluous implies if not asserts That Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost should be thus punished by Christian Magistrates under the Gospel even in this world whence some conceive S. John in his first Epistle c. 5. v. 16. phraseth it in this respect among others A sin VNTO DEATH that is a sin to be punished with temporal as wel as eternal death And that our Saviors words Shal not be forgiven him neither in this world c. imply that the Christian Magistrates must not pardon such Blasphemy but punish it with death in this world as is clear by the next words Neither in the world to come So as the plain sense of these words is That Blasphemy and speaking of words against the Holy Ghost shall not bee forgiven by the Magistrates nor Ministers but punished by temporal death and delivery over to Satan the case of Hymenaeus and Alexander in part in this world nor yet pardoned by God but punished by him with eternall death in the world to come Which being the soundest Exposition of these Words in learned mens opinions which no ways prove a Popish Purgatory as the Papists dream will sufficiently warrant the punishment of such Blasphemy by the Christian Magistrate even with death under the Gospel as wel as under the Law My eighth Argument is drawne from Hebrewes 10. 26. to 31. For if wee sinne wilfully after wee have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne but a certaine fearefull looking for of Judgement and fiery Indignation which shall devoure the Adversary Hee that despised Moses Law DYED WITHOUT MERCY under two or three witnesses and that in case of Idolatry Apostacy and Blasphemy to which this Text relates Deutronomy 13. Verse 6 7 8 9. Chap. 17. 8 9 10. Leviticus 24. Verse 10. to 17. OF HOW MVCH SORER PVNISHMENT suppose yee SHALL HE BE THOVGHT WORTHY Who hath TRODEN VNDER FOOT the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant where with he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace For we know him that hath said Vengeance is mine I wil recompence saith the Lord And again The Lord wil judge his people It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God From this text as likewise from Heb. 2. 1 2. and cap. 6. 1. to 9. which are in some sort paralelled with it it is most apparent First that the sins of Apostacy Blasphemy Heresy contempt of Christ and his blood and despiting of his Spirit by Christians are far more heinous great and more unpardonable under the Gospel then they were under the Law Secondly that they are worthy of much sorer punishment under the Gospel then under the Law Wherefore since those who were guilty of them and despised Moses Law dyed without mercy by the hand of the Magistrate and people under two or three witnesses under the Law those who are guilty of them under the Gospel deserving much sorer punishment may likewise be put to death by the Christian Magistrate without mercy and punished with more severe temporal punishments then any were under the Law because their sin is more hainous and deserves much sorer punishment as the text expresly resolves which I wish our Opposites and all Christian States Magistrates would seriously consider who deem the times of the Gospel times of greater indulgence connivance and mercy towards such capital Transgressors then the times of the Law Thirdly that if Magistrates and others neglect or refuse to punish such enormious Transgressors under the Gospel God himself wil take vengeance on judge and recompence them and they shal fall into the hands of the living God which is a more fearful thing then to fall into the hand of men Now if any should hence infer as our Opposites do that such must be left wholy to the hands judgement and vengeance of God himself who reserves such for his own Tribunal and hath exempted them from the inferior Magistrates Jurisdiction by this text I answer that the text wil warrant no such inference For first it is but a bare recital of Gods own Words in the Old Testament Deut. 32. 35. 39 40 41 42 43. Now in the Old Testament the vengeance punishment inflicted by God himself upon Apostates Idolaters as on the Israelites Midianites Canaanites and others did not exclude but include the Temporal Magistrates Censures and the use of secondary Instruments as is most apparent by Exod. 32. 26. to the end Where Moses SLEW about three thousand men for worshipping the Golden calf and yet God plagued the people for the same sinn too and Numb 25. 3. to 16. Where Moses for the sin of Peor hanged up the heads of the people before the Lord against the Sun the Judges of Israel slew every one his men that were joyned unto Baal Peor and Phineas slew Zimri and Cozbi with a Javelin and yet God himself at the same time slew twenty four thousand more of the people with the Plague for the same sin And by Josh chap. 9. to 13. and Acts 13. 19. Where God himself useth the Israelites to destroy his
c. And if he will deny it I am ready to prove it for the King as belongs to the King to do Chap. 4. Sect 11. p. 42. he defines that deadly sinnes are to be punished with death and mortall paine and that such punishments are warranted by the old Testament and to be inflicted to prevent eternall death After which Sect. 14. p. 252. Of the punishment of Treason he determines thus That Sodomy is to be punished with burying the party alive under ground Sorcery by burning in the fire The JVDGEMENT OF HERESY is fourfold The 1. is Excommunication the 2. Degradation the 3. Disinherison the 4. dee' ARSE en Cinders TO BE BVRNED TO ASHES By this punctuall Authority of Horne it is most cleare to me First that Hereticks and Apostates as well as Sodomites and Sorcerers even as they were Hereticks were inditable and triable at the Kings suite in the King Courts by the very common Law of England without any precedent conviction of Heresie by the Ordinary of the Diocesse or by a Nationall or Provinciall Synod and that the Judges of the common Law when any Heretick or Apostate was to be proceeded against criminally and capitally for his life were to judge what was Heresie and what not not the Bishops or Synod only as well as in the case of a r Prohibition or Habeas Corpus 2. That such Inditements were usuall and a set forme of them used and pursued in Edward the first his raigne and were then to be found in the Rolls of ancient Kings long before him therefore were then of long of ancient use and warranted by the ancient common Law of England before his raigne 3. That the Bishops and Clergy could punish heresie onely with Excommunication and Degradation not with death ◠4. That by the ancient Common Law of England in Edward the first his reign and in the reigne of ancient Kings before him Heresy as heresy and Sorcery only as Heresie and a branch thereof and under the name of heresy was inditable in the Kings Court at the Kings suite and punished with burning to death and so the writ De Haeretico Comburendo if necessary when grounded upon the Judges sentence warranted by the common Law and the judgement of burning given by it long before any Statute made against Heresy in the reigne of Richard the second or Henry the fourth 5. That Hereticks and Apostates who are such indeed may at this day be indicted for their heresy and Apostacy in the Kings Bench or at the Assises by the very common Law of England and upon sufficient proofes be there convicted condemned and adjudged to be burnt this power of the Judges at common Law to try and condemne Hereticks being not now restrained by any Statute nor taken away by the Statute of 1. Eliz. cap. 1. which repeales all former Statutes against Hereticks or Heresy which only concerned Bishops Ordinaries and their proccedings in case of Heresie grounded on them not the King or his Judges The next Authority I shall cite is that of Fleta written by a learned Lawyer imprisoned in the Fleet as Sir Edward Cooke informes us in Edward the third his raigne and taken for the most part out of Bracton lib. 1. cap. 3. Christiani Apostatae Sortilegii hujusmodi DEBENT COMBVRI Contrahentes verò cum Judaeis vel Judaeabus pecorantes Sodomitae in terra vivi confodiantur per testimonium legale vel publicè convicti A cleare Authority that Apostates which comprehends all such as fall into Heresy Judaisme or Paganisme after they have embraced the true Christian orthodox faith South-sayers and such like which comprehends Hereticks likewise OVGHT TO BE BURNT even by the common Law then in use and that Christian who turned Jewes and Sodomites were to be buried alive After this Wickliffe and his followers called Lollards infesting the Pope and Prelates with their Doctrines and invectives against their Antichristian Tenets and impostures they being greatly favored by some Nobles and eminent Knights about the end of the reigne of King Edward the 3. and beginning of Richard the second the Prelates bearing then great sway in the Kingdome not daring to trust the Judges with the Triall of these New Hereticks as they stiled them taking hold of the President in the Councell at Oxford in King Henry the seconds raigne forecited and of the practise of the Pope and Popish Prelates in forraign parts took upon them in their Synods Convocations and likewise in private Consistories to condemne these Lollards for hereticks and upon their sentence there passed without any Inditement or triall at the common Law procured a writ which they might easily do being then Lord Chancellors and Lord Privie Seales for the most part De Haeretico comburendo to be directed in the Kings name to the Sheriffes of Counties and Mayors of Towns to burn such for Hereticks whom they alone had thus condemned before there was any Statute chiefly upon this ground that hereticks by the judgment of the common Law upon Inditements and Convictions in the Kings Courts were to be burned This is evident not onely by the Bishops proceedings in their Consistories against John Wickliffe John Aston Philip Repington Nicholas Harford William Swinderby and Walter Brute but also by that forme of writ de Haeretico Comburendo mentioned in Fitzherberts Natura Brevium f. 269. c. which was made in Parliament by the King and Lords for the burning of William Sautre a godly Martyr condemned of heresie in the Convocation at the earnest sollicitation of Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury in the 2. year of King Henry the fourth and burned by vertue of this writ the first Martyr we read of burnt by vertue of such a writ granted meerly upon a sentence given by the Prelates themselves without an Inditement and Judgment at Common Law This writ for his burning made without the Commons is thus translated into English by Mr. Fox The King c. to the Mayor and Sheriffs of Loadon greeting y Whereas the reverend Father Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of England and Legate of the Apostolike Sea by the assent consent and counsell of other Bishops his Brothers Suffragans and also of all the whole Clergy within his Province gathered together in his provinciall Councell the DUE ORDER OF LAW BEING OBSERVED in all points in this behalfe hath denounced and declared by his definitive sentence William Sautre sometimes Chaplaine fallen again into damnable heresie the said William had abjured thereupon to be A MOST MANIFEST HERETICK and therefore hath decreed that he should be degraded and hath for the same cause degraded him from all prerogative and priviledge of the Clergy decreeing to leave him unto the secular power and hath really so left him ACCORDING TO THE LAWES AND CANONICALL SANCTIONS SET FORTH IN THIS BEHALFE We therefore BEING ZEALOVS IN RELIGION and REVEREND LOVERS OF THE CATHOLIKE FAITH and of Justice
Christ for that they being his Disciples not Magistrares would themselves have commanded fire to come downe from heaven in a miraculous way to destroy the Samaritans onely for not receiving his person as he was travelling to Ierusalem because he was going up thither and for none other cause and that out of private malice and reveng Ergo Christian Kings Magistrates and the Powers of the world have no place at all in the Churchesreformation vnder the Gospell and may not parish any Hâ—riâ—ick Schismatick Blasphemer or Malefactor with death or corporall punishments and to do it is to change Christ from a Saviour to a Destroyer and is Antichrist Triumphant Was ever such a crasy Argument propounded by any man in his right sences before such a presence the conclusion having not the least Coherence with the Premises on which it is grounded When Ma. Dell can prooue that these very Disciples then had as much power to punish Malifactors as Majestrates that there was the same ground for them to use miraculous corporall punishments as for Majestrates to inflict ordinary ones upon offenders and the same reason for these Disciples to punish the least neglect of Christs person as a Traveller only with fire from heaven and extraordinary death for which there was no written Law of God at all as there were and are for Majestrates to punish Herisie Idolatry Blasphemy obstinate Schisme and other offences with ordinary corporall and capitall punishments for which there are written precepts then I shall give further answer to this obiection till then I shall forbeare and proceede to answere that which is most considerable in this text to wit Christs speech to these furious Disciples Whence the Argument stands thus The Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Lu. 9. 56. Ergo Christian Kings Majestrats under the Gospell must not destroy the lives of Haeretickes Blasphemers nor yet of Traytors Murderers or any Malefactors whatsoever as wel as of Heretickes Blasphemers c. as the Anabaptists usually presse it nor yet punish Hereticks or Blasphemers with any outward or corporall censures and if they do this is to make Christ no Saviour but a Destroyer and is Antichrist Triumphant Surely Mr. Dell is an excellent Chymist who can extract quodlibet ex quolibet and draw any conclusion out of whatsoever premises even by head and shoulders as here For first will it follow that because Christ himselfe in his owne person as a Saviour came not to destroy mens naturall lives but to save them Ergo the civill Christian Magistrate who is Gods owne avenger and is oft expresly commanded by Gods word to put Idolaters Blasphemers Murderers and other Malefactors to death is to punish no Malefactors at all with death now under the Gospell If Mr. Dell should preach such Doctrine in our Armies might not all our Souldiers of his New-way by like or better Logick conclude thus from this Text Christ came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Ergo we who are christian Souldiers who must imitate our Capt. Jesus Christ must now lay down our Armes repent of all the blood we have shed of all the Cavaliers lives wee have already destroyed and hence forth kill no more publike Enemies destroy no more Irish Rebells in the field neither by way of Defence nor Offence because Kings Magistrates themselves who have more authority then we Souldiers cannot inflict any corporall or capitall punishment of death on any Malefactors by Mr. Dells Argumentation hence though legally convicted of capitall Crimes especially if they fight for defence of their Religion as the Papists and Irish Rebells pretend they doe and Cavaliers too heretofore If Mr. Dell dare propose or presse no such Argument from this Text unto our Souldiers in the Campe I wonder he durst so boldly inforce the like with so much earnestnes upon our Parliament and Magistrates in the Church and present it to them in the Parliament house in print 2dly Will it follow hence that because Christ used this Speech as a Prophet a Saviour only not a Magistrate Ergo he came not to punish or destroy mens lives at all as a King when there is just cause for him to do it How then will Mâ— Dell reconcile or answer this expresse text to the contrary in the same Evangelist Luke 19. 17. But those mine Enemies that would not that I should raigne over them bring them hither AND SLAY THEM BEFORE ME together with Psal 89 23. Psal 110 5. 6. Rev. 17. 16. 17. c. 19. 17. 18. Math. 21. 41. to omit other quotations Or how can he justifie Peters extraordinary miraculous killing and destroying the Lives of Ananias and Saphyra under the Gospell only for lying to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 1. to 12 If then Christ himselfe as a King will slay and destroy his Enemies lives when they give him just occasion though he came to destroy no mans life as a Saviour may not Christian Kings and Magistrates by like reason kill and destroy the lives of capitall Heretickes and Malefactors in a legall manner though Christ as a Minister or Saviour came not to destroy their lives but save them If so then this grand argument is a meere inconsequent from this Text. Hence the Rhemists in their Annotations on the New-Testament have this Note on this very text Notjustice nor al rigorous punishment of sinners is here forbidden nor Elias fact reprehended nor the Church nor Christian Princes blamed FOR PVTTING HERETICKS TO DEATH but that none of these should be done for desire of particular revenge or without discretion or regard of their amendment or example to others Therefore Saint Peter used his power upon Ananias and Saphyra when he struck them even to death for defrauding the Church which Doctor Fulke and Mr. Cartwright both approve and reply not thereto 3ly If the objected words of our Saviour bee rightly qualified in his owne sence farre different from that Mr. Dell would thrust upon them the absurdity of the Argument will more visibly appeare To cleare therefore their true meaning I shall compare them with a like speech of his Iohn 12. 47. For I came not to judge the world but to save the world and Math. 18. 11. Luke 9. 10. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost From whence it is evident First that these words of Christ were principally meant of destroying and saving mens lives in a spirituall not Naturall sence and that for all eternity For to make the end of Christs comming only to save mens lives from temporall destruction and preserve men from temporall death by the hand of humane Justice especially when they offend as Mr. Dell interprets it is infinitely to derogate from the prime end of his comming the rather because Christ saved only a few diseased persons lives not any Malefactors no not the penitent Theefes crucified with him from temporall death but saved all his
making men direct Hypocrits and Dissemblers before God contrary to their consciences and not Saints and leaves the heart as it was which cannot be forced with outward power but by the inward efficacy of the truth now the hearts of men being corrupt what are all outward duties they are forced to but so much hypocrisie So that forceable reformation is none of Christs reformation it makes all Hypocrites and Guilded Sepulchers but none Saints putting a forme of godlinesse upon the outward man when as there is no power of godlinesse in the inward man Call you this a Reformation of the Church of Christ Therefore no such coercive power is to be used nor no corporall or capitall punishments inflicted on Hereticks Schismaticks c. in the Church of Christ This is an Argument learned by Master Dell from the Anabaptists from Master Robinsons Justification of Separation p. 222 224. and from Gregory de Valentia Tom. 3. Disp 1. punâ— 6. qu. 10. de inâ—â—delitate Arg. 4. I answer First That this Objection is a meer Chymera forged in the braine of the Objectors to affront the Scripture and Magistracy it selfe having not the least colour in it from the Word and may be objected against all Gods Ordinancs as well as the Magistrates coercive power For first it might be objected against the Morall Law it selfe and all the Texts of Scripture which enjoyne or threaten the infliction of any temporall or externall punishments upon any kind of sinners for all these do oft make men Hypocrites they make them forbeare onely the outward acts of sin for feare of punishment but neither abate nor kill the power and life of sin in their hearts for the most part they force men to outward duties and to an outward forme of godlinesse without the inward power so the Antinomians and Socinians argue therefore we must wholly exclude and delete them out of the Book of God and banish them out of the Church as well as the Magistrates coercive power and punishments Secondly it fights against the expresse Texts of Deut. 13. 10 11 c. 17. 12 13. where Idolaters and Seducers to it how deare soever are expresly commanded to be killed and publickly stoned to death with stones for this very end That all Israel and all the people might heare of it AND FEARE and doe no more presumptuously and DOE NO MORE any such wickednesse as this is among them to restraine them from the outward practice of evill and reforme their lives though it did not alwayes change their hearts Thirdly against the 2 Chron. 15. 12 13 14. where King Asa and all his Subjects entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soule that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel SHOULD BE PUT TO DEATH whether small or great whether man or woman And they swore unto the Lord with a loud voyce Which Covenant no doubt made many outwardly to conforme and reforme who were not inwardly reformed converted and so made many Hypocrites Contrary to the â— Chron. 23. 16. cap. 29. 10 c. cap. 34. 31 32. cap. 33. 16. Ezra 20. 3 c. Nehem. 9. 18. where the like Covenants were entred into and pressed on the people by Jehojada Hezekiah Manasseh Josiah Ezra and Nehemiah with Gods owne approbation though no doubt they made many Hypocrites and Dissemblers in the objectors sense Fourthly against the very Gospel it selfe and the preaching of it which civilize and restraine many and transforme them outwardly into Angels of light into true Shepheards and Sheep of Christ who yet inwardly are incarnate Devils and ravenous Wolves having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof as is apparent by Matth. 7. 15 16. John 2. 23 24 25. cap. 6. 26. 27. 70. 71. Acts 8. 13 to 25. cap. 20. 29 30. John 7. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 12. cap. 11. 12 13 14 15. 2 Thes 2. 9 10. Matth. 24. 24. 1 John 2. 18 19. cap. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 4 5. 2 Pet. 2. 1 to 22. Fiftly against Prayer and Fasting which make some Hypocrites and wherein many play the Hypocrites as the Scripture expresly resolves Matth. 6. 2 to 7 16. cap. 15. 7 8. cap. 23. 14 15 25 to 29. Isa 29. 13. Mark 7. 6. Isa 58. 2 to 8. cap. 1. 11 to 19. Jer. 42. 20. James 1. 22. Sixtly against Parents correction of their children prescribed by Prov. 13. 24. cap. 19. 18. cap. 20. 30. cap. 22. 15. cap. 23. 13 14. cap. 29. 15 16. and Masters of their Servants warranted by the 1 Pet. 2. 18 19 20. which no doubt make many Hypocrites in the Objectors sense by reforming and civilizing many outwardly who are not inwardly changed or coÌ„verted Seventhly against the ordinary restraining grace of God himselfe which restraines men from those coxrbitant outward actuall sinnes and lusts into which they would otherwise run and rush with greedines did not this his grace restrain them which yet doth not always truly sanctifie and reforme them Eightly against the externall judgments of God which as they reforme and convert some really as I have proved and is evident by Isa 26. 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy judgments are in the earth the Inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse so they make many Hipocrites too Hos 7. 12 to the end If then the making of some Hypocrites in the Objectors sense doth not nullifie all or any of these particulars which make Hypocrites too as I doubt Master Deâ—s Sermons have made some likewise then certainly it cannot nullifie the office the coercive power and punishments of Christian Kings and Magistrates to punish Idolatry Herefie Schismes grosse Errors Blasphemies under the Gospel as the Objectors vainly surmise Secondly I answer That the coercive power the corporall and capitall censures of Magistrates backed with their admonitions and reprehentions are an Ordinance of God not onely outwardly but inwardly to reforme and convert men by the concurrence of Gods spirit and blessing with them and many times work a reall as well as a formall change in the lives and hearts of men as I have undeniably proved therefore this assertion that they make All Hypocrites and none Saints and work onely an outward reformation and forme of godlinesse without the inward power thereof is a groundlesse and false position which the Objectors can never make good by Scripture and is contradicted by experience and the Word of God it selfe Thirdly admit the Octjection true that they wought no inward reformation at all in the hearts of men but onely an outward forme of godlinesse and conformity in outward duties or a restraint of actuall sinnes when the heart is full of Atheisme Adultery Pride Error ignorance which outward restraint reformation forme of godlinesse practice of outward duties outward order conformity and reformation of
the integrity and fidelity both of our incomparable General and the generality of our Souldiers to be such that they would rather lay downe their Lives and leave the Kingdome as Master Peters hath oft averred in the Pulpit on their behalfe then raise the least tumult or disturbance to oppose the Church-government and Reformation which the Parliament in their wisdomes shall establish And so I have routed Master Dels chiefe Arguments that from henceforth to use his owne words to Master Love Babes and Sucklings you shall come forth and answer this Master in Israel The tenth Objection is this Forcible Reformation is unbeseeming the Gospel for the Gospel is the Gospel of Peace and not of Force and Fury Civill Ecclesiasticall Reformation reformes by breathing out Threatnings Punishments Prisons Fire death but the Gospel by Preaching Peace And therefore it is most unbeseeming the Gospel to doe any thing violently for the advancement thereof c. So the Donatists and Anabaptists argued heretofore and Master Dell out of them now I answer first though the Gospel be a Gospel of Peace to those who obey it and offers Peace to all at first yet it alwayes reforms not only by preaching peace to men but Warre Hell Death Damnation and losse of Heaven Peace being but one branch thereof This is cleere by Matth. 10. 11 to 16. Luke 10. 5 to 16. Mark 6. 11. where when Christ sent forth his Disciples to preach he bids them At their first entrance into any house or City to say first Peace be to this house But if they received them not then he commanded them to goe into the streets and say Even the very dust of your house or City we do wipe or shake off against you and that it shall be more tolerable for Sodom in that day then for that house or City So after his Resurrection when he sent forth his Apostles to preach the Gospel to every Creature he gives them this disjunctive Commission He that beleeveth and is Baptized shall he saved here is peace But he that beleeveth not shall be damned here is warre threats violence Mark 16. 16. So John 3. 36. He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life here is peace he that beleeveth not the Son shal not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him here is war and ver 18. He that beleeveth on him is not condemned but he that beleeveth not is condemned already c. So Luke 13. 3 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Here Christ proclaimes Warre as well as Peace Threats as well as Promises Damnation as well as Salvation even to work Gospel-reformation The like did John Baptist his forerunner Matth. 3. 10 12. and Saint Paul in sundry places as Rom. 2. 5 to 11. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 21. quoted by Master Dell himselfe Ephes 5. 6. Phil. 4. 18 19. Col. 3. 5 6 25. 1 Thes. 5. 3. 2 Thes 1. 6 to 12. cap 3. 8 12. Heb. 2. 2 3. cap. 4. 1. cap. 6. 4 to 9. cap. 10. 16 to 31. cap. 12. 21 29. Hence in the 2 Cor. 5. 11. he useth this expression Knowing therefore the TERROUR of the Lord we perswade men Saint James doth the like James 5. 1 2 3. Saint Peter the like 2 Pet. 2. cap. 3. 7 10 11. Saint John the like 1 John 5. 12. 16. and Jude the like ver 5. 17. who concludes thus verse 23. And others SAVE WITH FEARE PULLING THEM OUT OF THE FIRE So Revel 20. 14 15. cap. 22. 15 19 20. Matth. 25. 31. to the end we have the like Threats and Punishments in Hell fire propounded to scare men by feare unto Repentance which work upon mens hearts to convert them as well as the promises of peace Yea Paul assures us That the Law which is full of terror and menaces is our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified through faith Gal. 3. 24. And Christ himselfe under the Gospel converted Paul the Persecutor in the midst of his persecution not by the Gospel of peace but by a shining Light and terrible voyce from Heaven which struck him unto the earth astonished him and his whole company yea by smiting him with blindnesse for a time and by this forcible means made him a Preaching Paul building that which he formerly destroyed Acts 9. 1 to 17. cap. 22. 4 c. Therefore its false which Master Dell avers That the Gospel reformes and converts men onely by preaching Peace and that it breaths not out threatnings punishments fire death as Church-Ecclesiasticall reformation doth which misbeseems the Gospell For Christ though he be a Lamb yet he hath wrath in him too as well as meeknesse which wrath is exceeding terrible yet he converts men by it and by threats of eternall torments fire death as well as by preaching peace Secondly we read Psal 2. 8 9. this Prophesie of Christ himselfe vnder the Gosple Aske of me and I will giue thee the Heathen for thine Inheretance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession Thou shalt BREAK THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON and dash them in pieces like a potters vessell recited and applied to Christ in the new Testament Revel 2. 27. 19. 25. So Psal 110. 2 5 6. The Lord shall send the ROD of thy strength out of Sion rule thou in the midst of thine Enemies The Lord at thy right hand shall strike thorough Kings in the day of his wrath He shall judge among the Heathen He shall fill the places with dead bodies He shall wound the heads over many Countries Yea Master Dell himselfe asserts That Christ shall punish sinners more severely then any powers of the world can punish them for he shall smite the Earth with the ROD of his mouth with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked Isa 11. 4. If then Christ doth thus subdue and break in pieces with a Rod of Iron and the Rod of his wrath the Heathen which God gives unto him for his possession and wound the heads over divers Countries yea slay the wicked that is their wickednesse and sinnes not persons by the Rod of his mouth that is by threats and terrors and converts some in a forcible manner as he did Pâ—ul from Heaven then certainly the Gospel and Christ doe not alwayes convert by preaching peace and forcible Reformation is not unbeseeming the Gospel since Christ himselfe doth thus use it as thâ—se Texts import yea Christian Magistrates may breath out prisons fire death threatnings punishments against Hereticks Blasphemers and obstinate Malefactors to restraine and reforme them as well as Christ the Gospel and his Ministers breath out Rods of Iron Damnation a Lake of fire Hell chaines of darknesse and everlasting death torments to reforme and turne men from their sins Thirdly If it be most unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ to doe any thing forcibly for the advancement of
Apostales may and ought to be put to death and he cites Beza Junius Becanus Zanchius Perkins Danaeus Bullinger and the Professors of Leydon to be of this opinion That ringleading and seducing Hereticks are to be punished to death with many Popish Authors who are of the self same judgment Master Edwards in his Anti-Pologia and Gangraenaes asserts the like with our London Essex and Suffolk Ministers in their Petitions to both Houses for the punishing and suppressing of Heresies Schismes Blasphemies The Independents in New-England it selfe as Master Cotton Master Hooker and others are of the same judgment and de facto banished Master Williams Mistris Hutchinson and other Hereticks and Schismaticks out of their Plantation In few words John Goodwin himselfe in a Book intituled M. S. to A. S. p. â—0 Master Henry Burton in his Vindication of the Churches commonly called Independent p. 70. and Master Jeremy Burroughs of Heart-Divisions p. 20 21. three grand Independents conclude against Master Dell That the Magistrate may fight with and punish Superstition Heresie Schisme as well as with corruption of manners where there is no danger of fighting against God And Mastor Burroughs from Zech. 13. 3. grants That in the times of the Gospel of which this Text is a Prophesie all erronious or idolatrous Prophets or Teachers should be brought before the civill Magistrate to receive condigne punishment even to the taking away of life in some cases Finally even the very Ringleaders of the Anabaptists themselves who to propagate their owne errors without restraint first cryed doâ—me the Magistrates coercive power in matters of Faith asserting That they ought not by their Lawes and Edicts to compell men to come to the publick meetings or punish any man with corpopall or capitall punishments for any error or heresie and at last denied Magistracy it selfe Did afterwards when they got the power into their owne hands not onely make and proclaime themselves Magistrates and Kings exercising more barbarous bloody tyrannies then the worst of Tyrants ever did but professedly asserted and maintained That all those who would not be Re-baptized and embrace their fanatick opinions were to be slaine and put to death as wicked men and Infidels and their Lands and Goods to be confiscated to themselves the onely Saints and accordingly they murdered and put to death many of their owne Members and thousands of others in Suaben Munster and other parts of Germany violently seizing on their Lands Castles Houses Goods till they were themselves suppressed and dissipated by the sword and above an hundred thousand of them slaine and executed in sundry places of Germany as the Marginall Authors record at large Therefore their own pactice Doctrine subverts this their pretended Anti-Magistraticall position It did so heretofore in Germany and dotâ— so already even in New and Old England where they have any power and I pray God we feel not as sad effects and symptomes hereof ere long at home as ever they did in Germany All these Authorities will I hope overballance Master Dels opinion and mis-quotations to the contrary Having fully answered and totally routed all Master Dels forces against the coercive power of the civill Christian Magistrate in case of Heresie Schisme Blasphemy I shall next fall upon a few Reserves of some of his Saints in the Army and of their Champion Master John Goodwin which I shall quickly scatter and then conclude The twelfth Objection made by some Sectaries in the Army against the Magistates punishment of Blasphemy is thus expressed in a Letter written by a godly Minister June 3. 1646. who was then in the Army They would not have the old Military orders set forth by the Earle of Essex observed That BLASPEMERS should be boared through the Tongue The argument that they urged was That sinnes which are directly against God should be punished by God Upon which ground they hold that Heresie Atheisme c. should not be punished by the Magistrate because they are sinnes directly against God c. To this I shall answer first that if this ground were true then God the Fountaine of Justice being as able to punish sinnes directly against himselfe as well under the Law as Gospel would not have in positive tearmes commanded such who were guilty of open Blasphemy and Idolatry being sinnes directly against him to be stoned and put to death without any mercy as I have proved he did and those godly Magistrates and Princes wsto punished Idolaters with death under the Law had been Murderers and Delinquents This argument therefore which taxeth God himselfe and his precepts of direct injustice under the Law must be rejected by the Objectors as blasphemous or else they must make it appeare by Scripture that though these sinnes under the Law were by Gods owne command to be punished with death by the civill Magistrate and people yet now under the Gospel he hath resumed the power of punishing them onely to himselfe and deprived Christian Magistrates of it which they can never doe Secondly By this reason Magistrates must not punish direct Atheists openly professing there is no God nor such Hereticks who deny the Trinity or the Deity of Christ and the holy Ghost nor such as deny there is any Heaven or Hell since these sinne directly against God himselfe O the piety of Master Dels anointed faithfull Saints is this their zeale their piety their sanctity Thirdly they must by this reason punish no sinne at all no not Rebellion Murder Treason Sorcery Adultery for these sinnes are directly committed against God who prohibits and whose prohibition makes them sinnes but sinnes onely indirectly against men as they are Gods creatures and beare his image Fourthly if this paradox be true then by the self same reason God himselfe is not to punish any sinne committed imediatly against men as Murder Adultery c. nor may God nor man punish sinnes committed by beastly men with Beasts because not directly committed against God or man in the Objectors sense and then what becomes of the truth of Heb. 13. 4. Revel 21. 8. cap. 22. 15. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge and they shall have their Portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and Erimstone And of Levit. 18. 23. cap. 20. 15 16. If a man lye with a Beast he shall be surely put to death and he shall slay the Beast And if a woman approach unto any Beast and lye downe thereto thou shalt kill the woman and the Beast they shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them Fiftly the Magistrates are but Gods Ministers Avengers Deputies to execute wrath upon all evill doers whence in Scripture they are called Gods said to sit on Gods Throne and to judge for the Lord Therefore certainly they may and ought to punish all sins directly acted against God whose Deputies they are rather and more severely then any other as Judges and Kings
Vicegerents punish all high Treasons or Offences not the King alone in person committed directly against the King himselfe and that with greater care then any offences against other persons and Councels of Warre punish offences against the General himself more exemplarily then against inferiour Officers which if this hold good they could not intermeddle with We read John 19. 12. 13. That when Pontius Pilate would have released our Saviour Christ the Jewes cryed out saying if thou let this man goe thou art not Cesars friend whosoever maketh himselfe a King speaketh against Caesar When Pilate therefore heard that saying he brought Jesus forth and sate downe on the Judgment-seat and delivered him ever to the chiefe Priests to be crucified who said we have no King but Caesar Certainly I may much more truly say that those Princes Judges Magistrates who are Gods Deputies and sit upon his Throne of judgment are no friends at all to God and lesse zealous for him then Pilate was for Caesar if they doe not with all care and zeale punish such Atheists Blasphemers Hereticks most severely who sinne immediately against that God whose very Vicegerents and Avengers they are and it shall be more intolerable for them at the day of judgment then for any Judge or Viceroy who wilfully refuseth to punish high Treason against his earthly Soveraigne which is no lesse then high Treason in himselfe I shall say no more to this Objection but that it is fitter for Beasts then rationall men for incarnate Devils Atheists then spirituall Saints for God-dammee Cavaliers then Parliament-Troopers who deserve to be boared through the Tongue or rather to have their Tongues cut out for such blasphemous arguments in favour of blasphemy The thirteenth Objection is this Repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth being a special gift of God and man not capable of it nor of any divine supernaturall truth not revealed by the very light of nature it is very unreasonable that the want of it being a judgment upon a man from God and which withall no way proves hurtfull unto others at lest not necessarily or unavoydably hurtfull that it should expose him to further misery and punishment from among men a reasonable man will think it very hard and unreasonable to punish a man for not doing that which is onely proper and in the power of God alone to doe I answer that this is one of John Goodwins Atheisticall reasons against the Magistrates jurisdiction to punish Hereticks Schismaticks Antitrinitarians or Denyers of the Deity of Christ and the holy Ghost with corporall and capitall punishments borrowed from Petilian the Donatist warranted by no Text at all and directly contrary to the whole current of Scripture as I shall prove by these instances First if this argument holds good then no man can in any reason be punished or damned either for originall sinne or unbeliefe or want of repentance faith or any other saving grace because it it not in mans owne power industry or seeking to avoyd these sinnes or procure these saving graces but onely in the power of God to work them yet God punisheth these unavoydable sins and want of these spiritual graces with eternal death Secondly the want of the grace of God hardens mens hearts the defect of his fear before their eyes which is not in their power but Gods is one principall cause why men commit or fall into any capitall sins as Treason Murder and the like as well as coÌ„mit and fall into Heresie Schism Blasphemy Atheism Idolatry But the want of Gods grace or feare to prevent Treason or Murder will not excuse Traytors Murderers or other Malefactors from the Gallowes nor Children nor Servants from their Parents and Masters due correction therefore not Hereticks Idolaters Blasphemers Atheists Schismaticks from due punishments Thirdly admit it would be hard and very unreasonable for a Christian Magistrate to punish any Heathen who never enjoyed the meanes of Christianity nor professed the Christian Religion for not beleeving in Christ or the holy Ghost or for contradicting any truths revealed onely by the light of Scripture not nature since as many as have sinned without the written Law shall be judged without the written Law onely for breach of the Law of nature as Divines determine from Rom. 2. 12 to 17. Yet since Christians who professe Christianity have the light of the Scripture to direct them which by diligent reading hearing prayer meditating conference to which they are obliged and which lyes in their owne power they may fully understand so farre as to discerne between Heresie Error Blasphemy and the Truth it selfe it is as great reason justice that the Christian Magistrate should punish them with corporall and in some cases with capitall punishments as God with eternall for broaching damnable Heresies Errors Blasphemies and Schismaticall opinions against the written Word or as to punish Heathens or Christians for any offence committed by them meerly against the Law of nature which is nothing so cleere and perspicuous to Heathens as the Scripture is or may be unto Christians Fourthly admit the Objection solid yet it is nothing to purpose since the Magistrate never punisheth any man for his meer ignorance or unbeliefe as is pretended though Ecclesiasticall Officers doe by suspention from the Sacrament and I think Master Goodwin too against this very argument which holds as well in Ecclesiasticall as Secular punishments but onely for actuall maintaining or venting damnable Hetesies Errors Blasphemies and Schismaticall practises after admonitions and other meanes used to reclaime them Therefore the Objector might well have kept this rover in his quiver which comes not â—eer the mark Fiftly Heresies Blasphemies Errors Schismes are exceeding prejudiciall to others and Gods eternall punishing of them hereafter is no supersedeas to the Magistrates censures of them here as I have formerly evidenced Therefore this Argument is both false and idle The fourteenth Objection is this That power is very dangerous for a Magistrate to owne in the exercise whereof he may very easily and commonly doth run a hazard at lest of fighting against God or of plucking up that which he hath planted or of pulling downe that which God hath built up But such is that power of punishing Heresies Scismes Blasphemies c. which A. S. cum multis aliis are ready to fasten upon him Ergo. The proposition is too much every mans sense and consent to be A. S. his dissent The Assumption he proves because those practises in Religion which the Magistrate is borne in hand by those whose eyes be sees with in such cases to be schismaticall erronious and contrary unto God may very possibly be the wayes and truths of God because Synods Parliaments and Magistrates formerly have mistaken in this kind and may still mistake I answer first that the proposition is not onely without but against Scripture and might have been made against the Magistrates and
peoples punishing Idolatry Blasphemy with other eâ—rots under the Law as well as under the Gospel Secondly it utterly subverts all Magistracy whatsoever for as a Magistrate may possibly fight and sinne against God through error and mistake in punishing Heresie Schism Blasphemy c. so likewise he may through ignorance misinformation bribes affection feare hatred Superiours commands and the like wrest Judgment and judge punish men unjustly not onely criminally or civilly but capitally too and so draw upon him the guilt of innocent blood Ergo it is unlawfull for any man to be a Magistrate or Judge between man and man much more to be a King whose exercise of his supream authority is usually liable to more dangerous sinnes corruptions manifold temptations abuses and dangers of fighting against God then other inferiour Officers Secondly this reason militates against all other Callings and Professions whatever which have their proper sinnes temptations that attend them but especially against the Ministry who are far more apt to broach Errors Heresies Schismes to fight against God and his Truth then Magistrates as the Objector hath done for many yeers together both in the Presse and Pulpit Therefore this Cretensis if he credit his owne argument must henceforth give over his preaching writing conventicling for feare of fighting every day more and more against God his Truth People since like evill men and seducers he grow every day worse and worse more hereticall and erronious and at last is like to turne either Atheist or nothing Thirdly it fights against the performance of all holy duties there being a great deale of danger in performing them our prayecâ—s may be turned into sinne the Word it selfe may be the savour of death unto us and condemne us at the last yea we may eat and drink our owne damnation at the Lords owne Table as many doe Ergo by Master Goodwins Argument we must abandon all holy duties in regard there are such dangers in them to our soules and then farewell all Religion and the Scriptures too which many wrest to their owne confusion Fourthly the danger of any lawfull power or calling must not take away nor suspend the lawfull use thereof and this danger in the Magistrates calling must make him more cautious in doubtfull cases of Heresie Blasphemy Error Schisme but not more negligent or lesse zealous in such as are cleer and evident to his conscience by the light of Scripture and consent of all Ages Churches Fiftly for his assumption it holds onely in doubtfull cases not in plaine and apparent as most cases of Idolatry Blasphemy Heresie grosâ—e Error and Schisme are which the Magistrate may boldly proceed to punish without scruple and in doubtfull cases the Magistrate is to resolve his owne conscience fully the best he may and to proceed with more deliberation mildnesse and if at last he be throwly convinced that what the Delinquents deem to be truth and agreeable to the Word be apparent Heresie Error Idolatry Schisme his owne conscience then not theirs must be his rule to proceed by neither must he wound his owne conscience nor betray his liberty trust to spare them or their Heresies Errors Schismes Blasphemies Idolatries no more then he may spare Traytors Murderers Theeves Sorcerers who deem themselves innocent oâ— pretend conscience to justifie their crimes But I have already refuted this Argument more largely in my Answer to former Objections I therefore passe to the next The fifteenth Objection is this That power which was never attributed to any Christian Magistrate by any Christian but onely by those who had very good assurance that it should be used fer them and on their side is not like to be a power conferred on them by divine right or by God because it is no wayes credible that within the compasse of so many Ages as are by gone no one man of that conscientious generation of Saints which hath been wont so frequently to deny it selfe even unto death should acknowledge such a power in the civill Magistrate as did by divine right belong unto him onely because such an acknowledgment was like to make against himselfe But that coercive power in matters of Religion for the suppressing of Errors Schismes Heresies c. was never attributed to the civill Magistrate by any Christian but onely by those who were very confident that it would be used for their turnes and effect their desires Ergo he ought not to claime it To this I answer first that this very Argument is built upon meer humane reason without any shadow of Scripture to warrant it and is a meere surmise of a crazy atheisticall braine to elude yea contradict direct Texts of Scripture by which kind of argumentation both the Scripture and Deity it selfe may be subverted by luxuriant wits Secondly this Arguer playes the hypocrite against his owne judgment and conscience tacitely confessing that if the civell Magistrote would be for him to set up Independency and not against him he would plead as hotly for his authority and coercive power as any Presbyterian but because he conceives the Parliament and Magistraâ—es are against his way therefore he pleads against their coercive power to suppresse it as the Donatists did of old upon this very ground who made use of Julian the Apostates Edicts against the orthodox Christians to restraine them but condemned Constantines Lawes to restraine themselves as is evident by St Augustines forecited passages yea our Independents at first seemingly pleaded for the Parliaments and civill Magistrates coercive power whiles they had any hopes to make use thereof for the advancement of their owne Party as the Arminians did in Holland till the States declared against them and then they retracted what they had written in defence of their coercive corrective power and writ expresly against it Thus the g Independents and Anabaptists doe now God defend us from such grosse Hypocrites and Turn-coots as this changling Objector who will be sure to strike in and make use of the prevailing Party if he conveniently may Thirdly Theeves Wolves Foxes yea all kind of hurtfull men and creatures might make the very selfe same argument as this Objector doth no Theeves but onely true men who thought the Judges sure on their party did ever hold it lawfull for Judges to condemne and hang men for stealing a little money or goods to supply their wants Ergo no Judge ought to claime or execute such a power No Wolf or Fox did ever hold it lawfull for any Shepheard to hunt take or kill them for killing and devouring their Lambs or Sheep because they did it by an instinct of nature according to their naturall genious onely to fill their bellies and satissie hunger but only Shepheards and Sheep-masters Ergo it is unlawfull for any to hunt take or kill them No Adulterer Whoremaster or Drunkard will averre that it is lawfull for the Magistrate to punish them for Adultery
other Fundamentals of Religion and all Heresies or Blasphemies concerning them are or may be infallibly knowne and so corporally and capitally punished in some cases but especially by such godly Magistrates and Christian States who certainly know and beleeve them the Haeresie or infidelity of the Heretick Schismatick or Blasphemer being an Argument of his obstinacy not a supersedeas to the beleeving Magistrates punishments who is assured both of their Heresie and Blasphemy and of his owne authority topunish them Having now runne thorough and satisfactorily as I humbly conceive refelled all the principall Arguments and in them all others of lesser moment reduceable unto these fully answered by Master Beza de Haereticis Capitali supplicio afficiendis Bellarmine de Laicis cap. 22. of late produced against the Christian Magistrates Legislative and Coercive power to suppresse or punish Idolaters Apostates Hereticks false Teachers Schismaticks Blasphemers the most of them if not all being borrowed verbatim from the Hereticall Donatists heretofore and Anabaptists of later times and now new-minted and obtruded upon ignorant people under the specious title of NEW GOSPEL LIGHT AND THE VERYMIND AND WILL OF JESUS CHRIST I shall here openly challenge Master Dell Master Peters Master Goodwin yea the whole rout of Sectaries Anabaptists Independents to rally and re-enforce these their routed scattered Forces Argumeuts by a solid Reply or to yeeld the field and cause for ever lost past all recovery And I shall also cordially desire all those who have been seduced by their sophistry seriously to ponder my Replies to all their Objections and if they find them satisfactory no longer obstinately to maintaine a State-Church-Soule-destroying Paradox or Schismaticall Anti-Magistraticall Error to encrease or support an Anabaptisticall or Anarchicall Faction who endeavour all they can to subvert both our Magistracy and Ministry and thereby our Church and State to bring meer Anarchy and confusion into both at first covertly but now professedly in Pulpit in Presse without a vaile Certainly afrer a serious survey of all their Arguments Practises Aimes I cannot but pronounce that sentence of the Apostle against them Rom. 3. 12 to 19. They are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throat is an open Sepulcher with their tongue their have used deceit the poyson of Aspes is under their lips Destruction and misery is in their wayes and the way of peace they have not knowne there is no feare of God before their eyes And therefore cannot but admonish all men in his following words Ro. 16. 17 18. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH YEE HAVE LEARNED AND AVOYD THEM For they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts OF THE SIMPLE Now because all of this rank who pretend themselves the onely Saints and Gods peculiar Portion are apt to cry out PERSECUTION PERSECUTION with open mouth when any the least motion is made to restraine or suppresse their growth or insolency proclaiming to all the world their fear of persecution in Presse and Pulpit before ever they have suffered in the lest degree in purse or person and perchance will tearm me a persecuter of the Saints a Blood-sucker c. for publishing this Treatise as they have formerly done for barely opposing them by way of Argument in their erronious wayes of Schisme I shall onely answer this malicious calumny as a further Objection and then conclude First then I affirme That it is an Argument of a very bad cause of a base unregenerate Spirit a carnall unzealous heart and self-seeking disposition clamorously to cry out against and professe an extraordinary feare of persecution or to endeavour to prevent it by such exclamations A truly gracious Heroick Christian spirit disdaines all such exclamations Never doe we read in Scripture of any such degenerous expressions of fear of persecution made by Christ or any of his Apostles or Saints nor yet in Ecclesiastical Stories or Martyrologies by any godly Martyrs but contrarily they all generaly accounted their Sufferings their Torments yea their very bloodiest Martyrdomes to be not onely their Crownes and Glory but their Option and the thing they most desired Our blessed Saviour foretelling his Disciples of his Death and Passion Peter tòereupon cut of a carnall love to Christ took him aside and began to rebuke him saying Be it farre from thee Lord this shall not be done unto the◠But he turned and said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things of God but of men And speaking of his Death he saith Luk. 22. 50. I have a Baptisme to be baptized with and how am I pained till it be fulfilled Yea Christ for the joy that was set before him desired and endured the Crosse but despised the shame leaving us an example that we should follow his stepts Wee read of Paul Acts 20. 22. 23. 24. That he went bound in the spirit to Ierusalem though the holy Ghost witnessed in every City that bondes and imprisonments did abide him yea he addes of himselfe But none of these things move mee neither count I my life deare unto my selfe so as I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God And Acts 21. 11. 12. 13. When the Prophet Agabus prophesied that the Iewes should binde Paul hand and foot at Jerusalem and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles and thereupon some of his followers and others of Cesarea desired Paul not to go up to Jerusalem Paul would by no meanes be perswaded but answered them with this increpation What meane yee to weep and to breake my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Yea as He and Silas sung praises unto God at midnight even when they were scourged cast into the inner Prison and their feet made fast in the stocks never once crying out of persecution So a little before his Martyrdome at ROME he brake forth into this triumphant expression I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crowne of Righteousnesse which God the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day It is Recorded of MOSES Hebr. 11. 25. 26. That he refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoh his Daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of reward And we read of the