and therefore in the present case the vindicating of and promoting of the glory of God the punishing of evill doers which Blasphemers Hereticks and Scismaticks are the commanding good being Morall-practicall things of perpetuall reason and equity bind all those in authority and government according to their places though they be no Types nor extraordinary persons Fifthly if this evasion of the kings of Israel and Iudah about Typicalnesse be good by the same reason it may hold against Magistrates punishing under the Gospel for matters of the second Table murther adultery c. for may not the Socinians and Anabaptists who deny Christian Magistrates may punish capitally for murther treason c. say the same thing against all the examples of Magistrates and kings under the old Law punishing with death for such offences that they were Types and that people and Land typicall which no Magistrate nor people are now and what ever can be said upon this ground against Princes meddling in matters of Religion may as well be said against their punishing in Civill matters and Anabaptists and Socinians may as well say those Kings were Types of Christ in respect of their power over the State as over the Church and if they should affirm it how would it be disproved And the Bloudy â—Teneâ— pag. 209. grants that in the Land of Israel all things their civils morals and naturals were carried on in Types as well as their Spirituals and Ecclesiasticals yea by this ground what ever shall be brought out of the Old Testament to show the duty of Magistrates or the qualifications of them as that they that rule over men must be just fearing God hating covetousnesse courageous c. it may be answered that was required of those who were typicall and their people typicall but it concerns not Magistrates now and yet higher by this evasion men may reason against all instances out of the Old Testament brought from Fathers Masters to bring up their children in the feare of God c. because the first-borne such Fathers and Masters of families were typicall and their children typicall which Fathers are not under the Gospel Sixthly if this answer of typicalnesse may hold all those Kings and Princes actions and practises in other things of Morall particular duties as prayer mourning for sinne giving God thanks for deliverances c. are taken away from binding now as well as their acts of power and authority and when Ministers bring these examples of David Iosiah Hezekiah c. in such things it may be said they were Types of Christ and did them as Types of something to come the Antinomian may upon this ground answer the example of Davids praying so often and constantly and of mourning for his sinnes by saying David was a Type of Christ Seventhly by this Answer all the Scriptures of the Old Testament Moses Psalms Prophets with whatever of any duty coÌ„manded or sin spoken against in any of these are at once made void for it may be said the Pen-men were Types and given to a typicall people written in a typicall Land It may be said of the whole Morall Law that as Moses in his person was a Type of Christ in many particulars so in delivering the Law he shadowed Christ the Mediatour Moses being a mediator betweene God and his people in giving the Law Galat. 3. 19. the Law was delivered in the hand of a Mediator that is Moses Acts 7. 38. and therefore not binding to Christians And so it may be pretended of all things written in the Psalms Prophets and the other Books that they were viz. the Oracles of God committed to the Jewes and the Circumcision Rom. 3. 2. Rom. 9. 4. which people and Nation of Israel were typicall of the true Israel the Israel of God Galat. 6. 16. So the Land of Canaan was typicall of rest from 〈◊〉 and of true rest and the heavenly inheritance Hebr. 4. 1 2 3 8 9 10 11. vers And indeed what was not typicall some way or other in the Jewish Church and State as the first-borne the Priests Kings Prophets the Land the people their worships with many more particulars so that if this Answer stand good all the Scriptures of the Old Testament are overthrown and all Hereticks whatsoever Socinians Antinomians Familists c. may evade any Scripture brought from thence as well as the pleaders for Toleration the examples of the Kings of Israel and Judah 8ly All the actions and practises done by persons and things typicall are so farre from nothing concerning them who live under the Gospel that the Scriptures of the New Testament tell us that many things under the Old Testament were made Figures and Typeâ— for the admonitions and example of those in like cases under the New and did teach to the uttermost as the 1 Cor. 10. from the sixth verse to the twelfth and that clause of promise in the fifth Commandement That thy dayes may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee is meant of the Land of Canaan a typicall Land which yet did teach Christians under the New Testament that obedience to their Parents would bring a being well with them and living long upon the earth though they had not the Land of Canaan as Ephes 6. 1 2. 3. fully showes Saint Paul also tells us Rom. 15. 4. that whatsoever things were written 〈◊〉 were written for our learning and so those Magistrates and Princes of Israel and Judah how ever they might typifie Christs Kingdome they were such Types spoken of in 1 Cor. 10. viz. examples to Christian Magistrates to teach them to do so likewise as Fathers then were to teach Fathers now to instruct their children and therefore though such an order of men as Kings in Israel might be intended to typifie Christs Kingdom yet that no way hinders but what they did as Kings in ruling and ordering of their subjects they performed as the proper works of their places common to them with other Princes without any reference to their being Types or doing them as Types God in Scripture recording all along what they did as going upon common morall grounds and speaking nothing of them in their Reformations as in a figurative typicall notion And in the close of my Answer to this evasion of the instances of the Kings of Judah I shall hint to the Reader to consider some notes of distinction between actions meerly typicall and fulfilled in the Antitype done only to represent and shadow forth what Christ was to do and mixt actions morall and typicall too or at least the actions of one who by person or order is a Type and upon search it will be found that all the notes of actions morall not meerly typicall will be found in the practises of those Ks of Judah and Israel before named As first when their practises and wayes are not barely related but commended and praised by God wheras actions meerly typical are only related and set down as
committed to private persons equally as to Kings for their particular personall observation and therefore sure in this solemne injunction there 's something new and more required of Kings then was of them before or is of persons meerly private Secondly this was not done till just hee was placed in the throne so saith the text verse 18. The Law was committed to the King as a King at his Coronation which showes it had not reference to the Kings private conversation as a meer man but to his Princely function as a Magistrate which stood in commanding others not in guiding himselfe For no man is a King in respect of himselfe but in ruling his Subjects So Augustin saith of Kings As a man hee serveth God one way as a King another way As a man by faithfull living as a King in setting forth Lawes to command that which is good and remove the contrary So that Kings as Kings serve God in doing that for his service which none but Kings can doe This is also proved from 2 Kings 11. 12. compared with 2 Chron. 23. 11. where to King Jehoash in his solemne inauguration as soon as the Crown is put upon him the Book of the Testimony was given him from the high Priest that hee might know the care and publick custody of the Law was committed to him in his being made a King and in that the command of God with the practise accordingly together with putting the Crown on the head was to give the Law in the Kings hand it showes it was to command it to others and make others keep it And that this was the meaning of it in Jehoash and so in other Princes it may further appeare in that the people at that time being much corrupted in Religion and Jehoaida the high priest desiring much their Reformation and the Restauration of Religion as a meanes to effect it made a covenant between the Lord and the people and as the medium and meanes that that people should bee the Lords people hee brings in the King between them that hee should interpose with his authority to make them the Lords people verse 17. And Iehoiada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King and the people that they should bee the Lords people that hee should set up and maintain the true worship of God and bee for God to bring in the people Thirdly the ends expressed in Deut. 17. Of the Kings prolonging his dayes in his Kingdome hee and his children in the midst of Israel of his not turning aside from the commandement to the right or to the left of his learning to fear the Lord God and keeping all the words of the Law show 't is understood of a publike officiall keeping the Law for the Kings of Israel and Judah could not prolong their dayes in their Kingdomes nor their children enjoy good dayes after them if they suffered Idolatry Apostasie c. in their land though themselves practised it not as may bee seen in Solomon and the stories of the Kings of Israel and Judah neither could they keep all the commands of God there being many commands given to the Iewish Magistrates as is confessed but pleaded to bee Iudiciall and peculiar to them to see their people serve God only and to punish Idolaters and false Prophets Fourthly the practise of the good Kings among the Iewes not only keeping the Law themselves but causing others also as Josiah Hezekiah Asae c. and that from this Text and such like showes it was meant of a publick keeping the Law the diligent execution of their office serves for an evident exposition what God required at their hands And as I have proved that of Deut. 17. speaks of a keeping the Law ex officio as a publick custos so for the taking of another evasion brought by Mr. Goodwin in his Hagiomastix page 132. I desire the Reader to observe that God having given power and authority to the Magistrate to see the first Table kept the duties commanded to bee performed by all under his jurisdiction and to bee guarded against all disobedience and contempt from men it must bee understood in the use of such meanes and wayes God hath allowed the Magistrate as distinct from private persons or ministers viz. such as are proper to him and which God hath given him by virtue of his place to use Now those meanes qua Magistrate are in the exercise of his coercive power by Lawes and Edicts and by the use of the temporall sword given him of God to restrain and hinder such evills and to promote and further such good So Melancton when as the Magistrate is the keeper of the Lawes hee himselfe obeys them and compells others to obey them and defends strongly their authority Therefore he is armed of God with the sword The Minister hee restraines and punishes only with the word of God with preaching and excommunication without bodily force But the Magistrate being armed with the sword punishes those who are conâ—umaicous with punishments of the body Triglandus showes how Ministers Fathers of families Magistrates and all people are commanded to keep the Law and are keepers of the Law and then layes down the difference between all these in keeping the Law The Minister hee teaches whole Assemblies the true rule of holinesse admonishes and exhorts al to subject to the command of Christ and by the power of the keyes casts out from the communion of the faithfull impenitent and refractorie persons The father of a family teaches in his family the exercise of true piety goes before them in example and by his authority restrains his that they shall not turne out of the good way Now he who is Magistrate doth not teach but as a beleever out of the Law of love as other beleevers doe and as a Father of a Family his owne household But as a Magistrate with his coercive power he commands and forces all within his Territories that they shall not outwardly offend against the true Religion and worship of God And so all our Divines who have written of the differences between Civill and Ecclesiasticall power as 〈◊〉 Zâ—â—chiuâ— Amesiâ—â— Apolloâ—â—◠〈◊〉 do show the lawfulnesse of the Magistrates using outward force by pâ—nall Lawes and bodily punishments towards those persons and things whereof God hath given them power I will quote one passage out of Amesiâ—â— Between the Magistrates and the Ministers of the Church there is this difference T is the duty of Magistrates by Civil means and coercive power to procure the common good as well spirituall as bodily of all those committed to their jurisdiction 1. Tim. 2. 2. but of Ministere by Ecclesiasticall means to procure the spirituall good of those committed to them And another out of Bilson Ministers may teach but not command perswasion is their part compulsion is the Princes By all which it appeares the Magistrate having power in matters of Religion as the
men of very fallible judgements and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake Yea the wisest and most learned of them are not able cleerly or demonstratively to informe now what the Government of the Church was in the Apostles dayes what the duties of a Minister are to the People as how oft he must preach so that upon Hagiomastixs cleere reason in his 36. Section against the old Testament Law for Magistrates punishing Blasphemers Idolaters c whatsoever can be brought out of the old or new Testament in matters of dutie may be evaded and it may be said this or that was commanded or forbidden because then they had the high Preists Prophets and Apostles who were infallible and could determine all difficulties In a word if some dissimilitude that may be shown either under the old Testament or the new in the times or state of things there when those Commands and Rules were given from the times and state of things now may be a sufficient reason of the Rules and Commands themselves being now not in force then it will follow that all morall duties laid down both in the Law and the Gospel bind not us because the same dissimilitude or as great may be shown in whatsoever dutie upon any Ordinance of Christ or relation among men is propounded Upon this ground the Sacrament of Baptisme shall not be perpetuall not universall in the Church because of some differences between that time when Christ instituted it and the times now as Socinus thereupon held Baptisme an indifferent thing belonging only to the infancie of the Church in which out of a rude people and accustomed to ceremonies a Church was gathered to Christ So neither an outward calling and Ordination of Ministers shall be perpetuall because then there were Apostles and other extraordinary men who in ordaining them could conferr the gifts of the Holy Ghost and had the gift of discerning of spirits So all the commands given by Paul and Peter of servants obeying their Masters and being subject to their Masters with all feare may be evaded and they may say they concerne not us because the servants in those times were their slaves bought with their money at their dispose but wee are borne free as well as our Masters and then those servants in any commands doubtfull had Apostles or other infallible men to go to to be resolved which wee have not they being long since ceased and so I might goe over all examples and commands both in the old or new Testament Fifthly This cleere reason of Hagiomastix in his 36. Section and 130. page why Magistrates under the old Law might exercise coercive Power upon false Prophets Blasphemers c because in all difficult cases of Religion the Iewes to whom this Law was given had the opportunitie of enquiring by Vrim and Thummim of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe by the high Priest seems not to be any reason upon these grounds First that reason is never expressed in those commands or examples for putting to death false Prophets Blasphemers Idolaters c. but other reasons are alledged viz. from the nature of the sinnes drawing away from God the putting away of the evill and that others may feare and do no more so with other such like all reasons of a common nature to the times now as well as then Secondly before there was a high Priest and holy garments made for him particularly the brest plate of judgement the Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28. 15. 30. the Law was given for putting to death Idolaters Exod. 22. 20. and in Jobs time long before the high Priest and in a Land where the high Priest was not enquired by Idolatry was an iniquity worthy to be punished by the Iudges 3. Those who were Heathens strangers in the Land of Judea that beleeved not in the God of Israel nor understood not what the judgement of Vrim was and the sentence thereof yet the Iewish Magistrates would not suffer such whilst staid among them to blaspheme God to worship strange Gods or to offer their children to Molech as appears in Levit 20. 2. and in page 49. 50. of this Treatise Fourthly the Magistrates exercised their coercive Power in matters of Religion as freely after Vrim and Thummim were lost and that judgement ceased as they did before which cleerly showes the enquiring by Vrim under the old Law was not the cause of those Lawes concerning punishing Idolaters and false Prophets being in force It is the judgement of most of the learned writers both Robbins and others that the oraculous consultation with the Breast-plate continued no longer then to the captivitie of Babylon Vrim and Thummim being lost at the captivitie of Babylon and wanting at the Peoples returne as these Scriptures show Ezra 2 63. Nehem. 7. 65 neither do we find that ever God gave Answer by them any more divers learned men who write of the Iewish Church and State and of the first and second Temple of Hag gai 1. 8. Haggai 2. 9. The glory of this latter House shall be greater then of the former show the want of five things in the second Temple which had been in the first 1. The Aâ—ke with the mercy seat and Cherubims Secondly the fire from Heaven Thirdly the Majesty or divine presence Fourthly the holy Ghost Fifthly And the Vrim and Thummim of which the Reader may see fully in Ainsworths Annot. on Exod. 28. 30. Now that after the Captivitie of Babylon Princes and Magistrates used a coercive Power for offences against the first Table is plaine by those instances Ezra 10. 7 8. of making Proclamation that all who had taken strange wives of the People of the Land should come unto Jerusalem for the putting them away and such as were borne of them and that whosoever would not come within three dayes according to the Councell of the Princes and the Elders all his substance should be forfeited c Nehem. 9. 38. Nehem. 10. and 13. chapters Nehemiab and other Rulers entring into Covenant for Reformation in the matter of the Sabbath strange wives maintenance for the service of the House of God and Nehemiah commanding and contending to have matters reformed in the worship and house of God yea restraining and hindring the Prophanation of the Sabbaâ—h and smiting some for marrying wives of Ashdod of Ammon and of Moah Yea the want of a Priest standing up with Vrim and Thummim by whom the Magistrates might enquire was so far from hindring Magistrates in punishing about matters of Religion that the quite contrary is expressed both in Ezra and Nehemiah Ezra 2. 63. Nehem. 7. 65. some Priests being put from the Priesthood and forbidden by the Governor to eat of the most holy things till their stood up a Priest with Vrim and with Thummim that is for want of Vrim and Thummim by which God might be consulted with and his mind known herein Zerubbabel the Tirshatha is commonly said to be
Oxe or Asse and giving money to the Owner of them did not bind as much if a Horse or a Sheep fell into it and yet the words of the Law are only the Oxe or the Asse and not a Horse or Sheep Whether that command concerning the putting to death those children that did curse or strike their Parents though it expressed not in the letter death for killing of them did not include much more death upon those who killed their Parents and so I might instance in many more particulars But for a conclusion of this fourth Answer I shall end with a passage out of Maccovius in a Disputation of his De Lege judiciali that the perfection of the judicial Laws require that we should hold no case can fal out which cannot from the analogie of the Law for of like there is the same judgement be determined From the analogie and similitude of things t is easie to understand that the same Law and Right is to be observed referring the Reader for more satisfaction to page 31. 32 33. of this present Tractate Fifthly as to that brought by Hagiomastix and the rest that the Law of God made against false Prophets and worshippers of false Gods was not intended against those who otherwise held the Law of God was to be kept but were infected with some error because in former times among the Jewes who were affected with a vebement love and zeale towards their Law Hereticks notwithstanding were tolerated and particularly the Sadduces these were not exempted from being Magistrates The Scribes and Pharisees also that taught many dangerous errors yet were in great honor in this Church and State I answer 1. Hagiomastixs foundation upon which he raises this argument is unfound for the Scribes Pheriâ—ees and others in place in the time of tolerating the Sadduces Herodians and other Hereticks which was in Christs time were not zealous of the Law of God as is evident by many of Christs Sermons reproving them for want of love and zeale to the Law and the true worship of God Matth. 5. from the 19. verse to the end of the chapter Matth. 15. from verse 3. to the 10. Matth. 23. from verse 3. to the 29. verse They were zealous indeed of the traditions of the Elders and of their owne Superstitions and Devices but not of the Law of God they corrupted and transgressed the Lawes of God by their traditions and hypocrisies but had no true love nor zeale to the Law nor the Jewish Religion and therefore no wonder they tolerated Sadduces Herodians c but of this point how religion was then mightily corrupted and all things out of order I have spoken before in p. 30. of this Treatise and so wil not tautologize 2. Can Hagiomastix upon second thoughts think the Practise of the Rulers of the Jewes and the people that followed them in a time so desparately corrupt as that was when Church and State hastened to destruction and all things were amisse a safe Ground for Christian Magistrates to walke by and not rather judge they did amisse in that as well as in other things and that their Practice is not a probable Rule to be followed I shall mind him of one particular instanced in by himselfe viz their not hindring the Sadduces and other Hereticks from coming to the Temple or the Synagogues which if it were well done t is by this argument as unlawful for the Church to censure her members with Ecclesiasticall censures for any Hereticall Tenets as for the Civil Magistrate to punish and so all Church Censures for Heresies and false Doctrines are overthrown as well as civil whereas I took it for granted Church censures in matters of Religion had been Lawfull viz. A spiritual weapon suitable by their owne confession for a spirituall evill Heresie and M. S. a good Friend of Hagiomastixs in answer to that Argument against Toleration Revel 2. 20. yeelds it saying that 's meant of Church censures but not of bodily outward punishment by the Magistrate and therefore I think the practise of the People and their Rulers suffering Sadduces and all other Hereticks to be no better argument for Justification of a Toleration then their practise of crucifying Christ a Justification of that 3. Besides that all may see what you and your party aime at in speaking of the Pharisees and Saduces being in honour in the Jewish State Magistrates and bearing civill offices not a bare Toleration of your consciences but that you may be in places of honour government and profit This gives us a cleare reason of the Toleration of Errors in those times namely that Scribes Pharisees and Saduces were in places of power and government had a great interest in Church and State and therefore no wonder if they would tolerate themselves and their owne Opinions can you think it a good argument that Adulterers and theeves ought to be tolerated because Adulterers and Theeves having power suffer such to goe unpunished Or can you thinke it reason to say many Papists Anabaptists being in places of Government suffered Papists Anabaptints therefore t is the duty of the godly Magistrate to suffer them and all other Hereticks Pray Master Hagiomastix resolve me this question seeing Scribes Pharisees and such like were Magistrates and in places of power and honour who should punish Pharisees and Saduces for their Errors and dangerous Opinions Sixthly as to that last clause that Christ did never charge this Church or State or those that bore office in either with â—in or unfaithfulnesse for not proceeding against the Sadduces Pharisees c. in regard of their Errors either by imprisonment or death and yet Christ did teach and presse upon men all and all manner of duties I answer First how is that proved he never did Can the Patrons of Toleration Minus Celsus Senensis Hagiomastix c make it follow by saying t is no where written in the Gospels and therefore he never reproved them can they reason from the Scriptures negatively in matters of fact such things never were because theâ— are not spoken of what thinkâ— they of that Axiome Anon dicto ad non factâ—â— noâ— valet consequentia were not there many things that Christ did which were not written Iohn 21. the last verse But if they will reply yes in some things but not in matters of judgement righteouâ—nesse such a weighty matter as this is made to be I rejoyne that in many weighty matters of the Law and justice Christ either spoke not particularly of them or if he did they are not written neither can be found in the Gospels more then this of punishing Sadduces and other Hereticks in matter of Religion I might instance in many things unquestionably forbidden or commanded by God in the Morall Law that are not particularly spoken of in the Gospels which yet from hence to reason against them wery vere bad Divinity What instances can be given of Christs giving any commands to those in place
God for it p. 12 13 Magistrates and Judges before Moses time before the Judiciall Lawes or Levitical Priesthood did punish for matters of Religion and command men under their power to worship God p. 13 14 Other Kings besides those of Israel and Iudah used their Power for the worship of God against Idolaters Blasphemers c p. 14 15 16 That objection against the Kings of Israel and Iudahs power in matters of Religion that they were tipes of Christ and that Land typical answered at large in eight distinct Answers where divers things are opened concerning Types and of those Kings being Types and how actions may be Typical and yet morall from p. 16 to 27 Idolatry and Idolaters not the adaequate object of the Magistrates coercive power under the old Testament but the whole worship and truth of God from p. 27 to 34 The 17. of Deut. 18. 19. opened and proved to give Magistrates the care of Religion p. 34 35 36 37 Vnder the Father in the fourth commandement and under sanctifying the Sabbath the Magistrates dutie to see the publick worship of God observed by his subjects proved p. 34 40. 41 The Magistrates dutie qua Magistrate in matters of Religion proved and yet with a difference of the Christian and Heathen Magistrates power in such matters p. 42 43 44 The commands in the Old Testament for Magistrates punishing in matters of the first Table as Exod. 22. 13. Deut. 13. 1 2 5. Deut. 17. 1. 2 3 4 5. Levit. 24. 16. Deut 18 20. 22. with divers others laid down p. 44 45 46 Reasons laid down to prove these commands for punishing Idolaters false Prophets c. Morall of common reason and equity given to all Nations and for all Ages from p. 46. to 53. Of Judiciall lawes under the Old Testament being in force under the New how far and in what respects with the reasons thereof from p. 53. to 58. The Magistrates punishing of sinnes immediately against God as Blasphemy Apostasie c. is of the light of nature p. 58 59 60 61 72 73 The Magistrates coercive power in matters of Religion as necessary under the Gospel for the glory of God salvation of mens soules peace of Church and State as under the Old yea more reasons for it under the Gospel then under the Law p. 62 63 64 The Magistrates punishing false Prophets c. is an act of our love to God and our Brethren p. 66 67 68 69 70 71 The reasons of those commands in 13. and 17. chap. of Deut. concerning putting to death false Prophets Apostates have been were and are stil the same of a like nature and force both before the commands given by Moses in Moses time and now under the Gospel p. 76 77 78 An Answer to that objection that if Moses laws bind now then Moses is alive under the new Testament p. 79 80 A full Answer to that objection If the Law in Deut. 13. be in force now t is in force in all the particulars for the manner of the punishment for a whole City not only al the Inhabitants but the cattell also c. in which answer many things are opened and cleared what 's morall in that Deut. 13. and what ceremoniall and that the law concerning the destroying of a city cattell c. is no part of the command spoken of in the first part of the 13. chap of Deut. p. 81 82 83 84 85 86 87. 173 174 175. 195 196 An answer to that obiection If Moses lawes bind under the New Testament then every person in an idolatrous State is bound to seek the death one of another yea the Magistrate bound to sentence to death all his subiects practising idolatry without exception p. 90 91 92 93 A full answer to that Evasion of Hagiomastix against the Old Testament lawes that the reason why the Magistrates did then punish false Prophets Blasphemers c. was because the Jewes to whom these laws were given in all difficult cases about matters of Religion had the opportunity of immediate consultation with God who did infallibly declare his mind to them in which answer many questions are discussed and cleared severall texts opened as whether God gave answers by Vrim and Thummim in difficulties arising about morall transgressionâ— against the first Table or rather whether those answers were not concerning the events of future things as about the successe of war c. as whether Infallibility or Fallibility be the proper grounds and reasons of punishing or not punishing in matters of faith and morall transgressions as whether there be not and how far and by what means an infallibility and certainty in matters of Religion now as well as under the Law as whether that Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. be any proof for God giving answers by Vrim and Thummim or only a ground in difficult cases to go from lower Courts to higher and the highest of all who by reason of their number and abilities were more able from the law of God to resolve difficult cases then the inferior Courts with divers other particulars usefull to be known in these times from p. 95 to 165 A full answer to that Evasion brought by Hagiomastix and other Patrons of Toleration that the punishments under the Law were more bodily and afflictive to the outward man then under the Gospel and consequently were typicall Cutting off of Casting out now and typicall of eternall damnation and therefore by the comming of Christ ceased p. 165 166 167 168 169 170 A full answer to that objection That supposing all those lawes in Deut. 13. c. were morall and in force yet they could not reach to Hereticks and false Teachers among us as not being those false Prophets Idolaters Blasphemers spoken of in those lawes from p. 171 to 190 An answer to that objection That the Sadduces Herodians Pharises were tolerated by the Jewes and that Christ did never charge that Church and State with sin for not punishing them p. 29 30 compared with 190 191 192 193 194 Severall Reasons laid down to prove that if there were no commands nor examples in the New Testament to prove the Magistrates power of punishing Hereticks false Teachers yet the proofs of the Old Testament were binding p. 199 to 211 Besides all the Old Testament proofs some places of Scripture speaking of the dayes under the New Testament brought for Magistrates power in Religion and punishing false Teachers p. 212 213 214 215 Seven grounds from places of Scripture recorded in the New Testament proving Magistrates coercive power against false Teachers annd Hereticks laid down and cleared p 215 216 217 218. Published by Authority A TREATISE against the Magistrates Toleration And Permission of a Promiscuous use and Profession of all Religions Sects and Heresies and a partiall limited Toleration of some few Sects or of any one Sect way of Worship Church Government different from the true Religion established and setled HAving in my Preface and Prolegomena both
stated the question of Toleration and Liberty of Conscience and laid down many Particulars usefull and necessary to bee known as giving understanding and light into the nature of this Controversie I now come as to the proving of a Toleration in it self of Blasphemies Heresies Errors Schisms unlawfull so of showing the Christian Magistrates Power and Warrant yea necessity that is laid upon him of hindring and suppressing all false wayes and worships and of promoting and commanding by his Authority with all his subjects the true Religion and Faith and this I shall do by laying down divers Theses and Positions one following upon another and each going further and rising higher then the other and the method I propound to follow in this Tractate shall be that of the Title page of this Book First by Scripture Secondly by sound Reasons Thirdly by Fathers Fourthly Councels and so as it there followes setting down upon all those Heads by way of Theses the proofs of the points in hand though upon some more some fewer as the nature of the things may require and I shall judge needfull and convenient CHAP. I. The Theses grounded on expresse Scriptures proving the sinfulnesse and wickednesse of Tolerations and the Magistrates duty withâ—â— his Territories to suppresse Blasphemies Errors Heresies Schisms 1. THESIS AS there is but one God one Lord Christ one Spirit one Heaven so there is but one Faith and that once delivered to the Saints one Truth one Gospel and one Way the Scripture every where speaking of these in the â—ingular number as of one not as of many never calling them Faiths Truths Gospels Wayes but the Faith she Gospel the Truth the way of Truth the good old way one way the right way the way of righteousnesse and such like whereas falshood and error is manifold the Scripture speaking of false wayes 〈…〉 of Antichrists as many Falsum est multiplex verum autem 〈…〉 sibi per 〈◊〉 conforme est 2. THESIS The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament in many placeth old forth and command to aske for follow after walke in that one good way to strive and contend earnestly for that one Faith to hold fast the truth to serve God only and on the contrary reproves prohibits condemns turning afide to the right hand or to the left or halting between two or more Religions and Worships hence those complaints 1 Kin. 18. 21. of the people halting between two opinions between God and Baal of fearing the Lord and serving their owne Gods after the manner of the Nations 2 King 17. vers 33. 41. of worshipping and swearing by the Lord and by Malcham Zeph. 1. 5. and those prohibitions of not letting cattell gender with a diverse kind of not sowing fields with mingled seed of not wearing garments mingled of linned and wollen of not sowing of Vineyards of divers seeds and of not ploughing with an Oxe and an Asse together Levit. 19. 19. Deut. 22. 9 10. 3. THESIS God both foretels and promises in his word and that more particularly of the dayes of the Gospel to give one heart and one way to his people and as there shall be one Lord so his name shall be one and that they shall all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Jer. 32. 39. Ezek. 11. 19. Zeph. 3. 9. Zach. 14. 9. Christ praies earnestly to his Father for beleevers that they all may be one and that they may be perfect in one John 17 21 22 23. and there are many exhortations to Christians to be of one mind and of the same mind in the Lord to be of one accord of one mind all to speak the same thing that there be no Schisms among them but that they be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement and that they keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace 2 Cor. 13. 11. Philip. 2. 2. Philip. 4. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Ephes 4. 3. Now what God hath promised and foretold what Christ hath prayed for in a speciall manner what the Apostles in their Epistles have so pathetically intreated and exhorted to that Christians should especially labour after and all the meane tending thereunto which the desiring and granting of a Toleration of all wayes or many wayes must needs be contrary unto 4. THESIS A Toleration and sufferance but of any one or two false ways and worships fights directly against these and many such like places of Scripture For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13. 8. Buy the truth and sell it not Prov. 23. 23. be valiant for the truth strive for the faith of the Gospel Be zealous beware of false Prophets beware of dogs beware of evill workers beware of the Coucision A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject They that keep the Law contend with the wicked Pauls not giving place to false brethren no not for an houre that the truth of the Gospel might continue Paul and Barnabas having no small dissention and disputation with those who taught Circumcision If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed the Angel of Ephesus his commendation for that he could not beare them which are evill and which say they are Apostles and are not and for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans the Angels of the Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira being threatned by Christ for suffering them that held the Doctrine of Balaam the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans and that woman Jez abel which called her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce his servants 5. THESIS Whereas a particular partiall Toleration offends against many particular places of Scripture a Vniversall Toleration is against all Scripture goes against the whole current scope and sense of Scripture both in the Old and New Testament both in matters of Faith and Manners both in the generall rules and commands and the particular and that both in personall actions and in all Relations to others The sum of the Scriptures is Faith and good life and the end of the severall states appointed by God both Politicall Ecclesiasticall and Oeconomicall are to maintain and continue these Now a generall Toleration of all Religions and consciences is diametically opposite to all these against the whole will of God overthrowing all that God in the Scripture expresses of sins duties and relations I would have any thing in the Scripture named in point of faith holinesse in the relations of Magistrates Ministers Governours of Families which this Toleration some way or other does not make void Other Errors and Heresies as Arrianisme Anabaptisme c. do not offend against all Scripture but against such and such places but this generall Toleration throws down all at once it overthrows the Scriptures in that it allowes a Liberty of denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God in that it
sets up the conscience above the Scriptures making every mans conscience even the polluted defiled seared consciences the rule of faith and holinesse before the pure and unerring Word of God crying out that men must do according to their consciences but never speaking of going according to the Word of God yea setting up mens fancies humours factions lusts under the name of conscience above the Word of God which is to set up the creature yea the corrupted defiled creature above God and to make mans conscience greater then God whereas God is greater then mens consciences 1 John 3. 20. 6. THESIS The complaints prohibitions comminations with the commands directions cautions against giving way unto tolerating of and following many wayes in religion and for contending for the Faith buying the truth c. though delivered and run in generall they bind as other Scriptures do all the severall sorts of men every one pro cujusque officii ratione the Minister in his way according to his office and the Magistrate in his way and the Master of a family in his place and every private Christian in his way to suppresse Error and promote the Truth yea the commands and precepts which in the letter and primarily belong to men of such a particular relation the Father Master Minister as being directed by name to them do also concern Magistrates by the common rules of Interpretation of Scripture given by Diviâ—es of a Synecdoche of Analogie and proportion of common equity and by the way of the Scripture it selfe in applying what 's spoken at first hand to particular persons in such a speciall relation to all Christians Joshua 1. 5. compared with Heb. 13. 5. what to Magistrates to Church Governours Deu. 13. 11. Deut. 17. 6. compared with 1 Tim. 5. 19 20. with many other such instances that might be given the commands of God being exceeding broad as David speaks Psal 119. The fifth Commandment which in the letter mentions the naturall parents as is evident by many other Scriptures particularly that of Ephes 6. 1 2 3 4. commands the duties of Magistrates to their subjects of Ministers to their people as all Divines upon that commandment grant The fourth Commandment that in the letter is directed to the Father of the family for his family to keep the Sabbath comprehends also the Magistrate The Father of the family is a Synecdoche including the Magistrate and therein the holy Ghost laies downe not only what lies upon the Master of every family but also what is the Magistrates duty as Zanchius Chemnitius and many other learned Divines show in their Expositions upon this fourth Commandement all of them upon this Commandement writing of the publick worship of God and the Magistrates duty to see it preserved and the prophanation of it punished and all under the name of the Father of the family 7. THESIS What God in his Word commands or forbids private single persons for themselves and their owne practise as considered personally viz. to learne to know God feare the Lord follow him only and not follow not serve any strange God to have no fellowship with Idols not the unfruitfull works of darknesse and such like unto all persons whom he hath set over others and in any Relation given them power and authority over them as Ministers Parents Masters Husbands be commands and forbids the same not only for themselves in their owne persons that 's not all that will not discharge them but to them for all under their command they must see to it and use their interest power and authority to cause all under them to do so likewise and not suffer them to go on in false wayes as these Scriptures among many other prove 〈◊〉 18. verse 19. Ezadus 20. verse 28. Deut 6. 45. 6 7. Ephes 6. 4. Every private servant of God must keep the wayes of God but Abraham who is set over others must command his children and his houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord every Israelite must keep the Sabbath day holy but the Governour of the family must besides his own keeping it see to it that all in his family sanctifie the Sabbath 't is the duty of all the Israel of God to love the Lord their God with all their heart and to feare the Lord only but parents must besides their personal loving and fearing God whet upon their children diligently and talk to them of the commands of God and bring them up in the 〈◊〉 and feare of the Lord each person should work out his own salvation but a Minister must save others besides himselfe and watch for other mens soules use authority for edification hence in many places we shall finde it written in Scripture of persons in relations of authority to others that they both undertake for their families and that their families walked as they walked so Joshuâ— I and my houshold will serve the Lord thus David Psal 101. verse 4 6 7. So the Centurion a devout man and one that feared God with all his house and in Timothy there was unfained faith which dwelt first in his Grandmother Loit and in his mother Eâ—â—ice and then in him 8. THESIS There can be no reason in the world given that all other persons in relations who have authority over others as Masters Fathers Mothers Tutors Husbands Ministers should be bound to have a care in matters of Religion over their children servants c. and a power of commanding and making them outwardly to worship God and keep his way So 't is said of Abraham he will command his children make his children and servants know that he is their Father and their Master so speaks the fourth Commandement to the Father of the family Thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy mâ—n-servant c. T is not said do thou remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day but thou shalt admonish thy sonne and thy daughter that they also sanctifie it God doth not say so but thus remember that thou sanctifie it and that all others that are thine sanctifie it and that Princes and Magistrates who are the highest pow-powers and have the greatest authority on earth who externally and politically have a power over Ministers Parents Masters to rectifie their male administration as is evident by many instances in Scripture who can also help and remedy evils in cases where Parents Masters Ministers cannot and have many advantages to bring men to good above others should not have a power over their subjects to command them to the worship of God and restraine them from Idolatry and Heresie Hence 't is a good saying of Zanchie on the fourth Commandement Every Father of a family can and ought to force his family to the outward worship of God why should not the Magistrate also his subjects I desire some reason may be showne why the talents of Authority and Power in all other hands must be made use of for God in
found out by Libertines deliver from the wrath to come had not Princes need be on better grounds then Apocryphall notions such distinctions of which God in his Word never gave any foundation but besides the Apocryphalnesse of this notion that these Kings reformed Religion not meerly quae Types but as Kings and Princes over subjects may be proved thus First because Magistrates before them and Magistrates of other Common-wealths did so as is largely shown in the twelfth Thâ—sis Secondly Types were not ordained by the Politicall or Morall Law as Magistrates and their authority but by the Ceremoniall Law Thirdly for that which they say the Kings of Israel the Iews and their Land were Types of and that which by their Kings punishing Idolaters and Seducers was typified namely spiritual censures under the Gospel of Excommâ—nication and casting out of the wicked from the Churches of the Gospel 't is denied they were Types of the Christian Church in respect of the Civill State but of the Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Government by Church Officers so the Land of Canaan was a Type of heaven not as it contained the Civill State but the Church it being a Type of Heaven before they had possession of it or their Civill State and Government set up and yet no Type of Heaven till the people of God had a promise of it 〈◊〉 is evident by laying the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament together And as for those punishments inflicted by Kings typifying the censures under the Gospel we must know that all the Spiritual Censures of Admonition Suspension Excommunication were under the Old Testament in the time of the Kings of Iudah and that not only for Ceremoniall uncleannesses but for morall and scandalous finâ— all which is fully proved by Master Gillaspie at large in his Aâ—rous Rod blossoming 2 Book 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. 12. chapters Fourthly granting what these Libertines say that the Kings of Judah were Types of Christ and in what they did they aypified Christs kingly Office yet this cannot enervate the examples of these Kings unlesse doing things as a Type and as a Morall example could not stand in one and the same person which is not so Some particular persons may be intended by God Types of Christ the highest kind of Type and their action intended to typifie speciall works of Christ and yet those very actionâ— may be Morall and binding all in such relations whose persons nor actions can in no kind be judged typicall and the reason of it is because God may serve himself of a person or office doing things commanded in the Moral law to make a type of â—nd though God intends such a man by such and such actions to make him a Type yet the man may not know so much nor intend any such thing in such actions but do all by vertue of a Morall command and for the better understanding of this let the Reader consider that in some persons the same actions may be both Typicall and Morall extraordinary in regard of the maâ—â—er and some circumstances and ordinary in regard of the matter and substance typicall as typifying Christ and what he should do and yet Moâ—all duties which he ought to do and all others also in such relations so that though some persons be Types and the things they do typicall yet they may be Morall too and so binding which though as they were typicall they may be taken away yet as they were Morall may be in full force As for example Christ was figured in Joseph Ioseph was an eminent Type of Christ in the first â—ank of Types as a singular person typifying him not as a rank or order of men by office only as those kings of Iudah spoken of and among other things he was a Type in feeding his Father and his Brethren that when advanced in the kingdome he provided for and nourished his Fathers house which typified Iesus Christ feeding the Family of God and preserving the Church alive Now though Ioseph in this action was a Type of Christ and did it typically yet not only typically but did this morally and naturally too by vertue of the fifth Commandement and sixth Commandement of childrens duty to their Parents and of preserving life and by vertue of this example of Ioseph every man in high place and rich is bound to send for and provide for Father and Brethren in a necessitous condition and suppose now a man in Iosephs condition should have Father and Brethren in want whom he should neglect and being pressed by Iosephs example to provide for them he should answer Iosephs practise was nothing to him for he was a Type of Christ and typified Christs feeding of his Church not with temporall food only but with the Manna from Heaven the word and Sacraments I aske of those who plead this Argument of typicalnesse whether this were a good Answer and if not neither is theirs against the practise of the kings of Iudah from being Types of Christ and I wish the Pleaders for Toleration would serious consider of and resolve this Question though Ioseph was a speciall Type of Christ and in this action of preserving his Father and Brethren a Type of Christs preserving his Church yet whether this action of his to his Father Brethren and their children do not bind now in the dayes of the Gospel children to their Fathers c. or whether the typicalnesse of it hath caused it to cease and in the resolution of this case the ingenuous Reader may see what to judge of the typicalnesse of the kings of Iudah and that typicalnesse of persons and actions does not presently make all such persons and actions that they cannot be examples or rules to others who are not typicall The Prophets and Propheticall office were Types of Christ as well as the kings of Iudah and yet actions they did that were some way typicall and extraordinary bind Christians under the Gospel for the substance and matter and are set before them for example as Eliâ—â— a Type and in his Prayer a Type yea somewhat in it extraordinary is by Iames propounded in prayer as a patterne and a proof of effectuall servent prayer to righteous men under the Gospel Iames 5. 16 17 18. In Hebrews 11. many are named who in their persons were undoubted Types of Christ as Noah Isaac Joseph Moses Samson David and others who if not Types in their persons yet were in an extraordinary way as Abraham Iacob Gideon Iephtah c. Now in the point of faith and patience though Types or extraordinary persons are set down for examples and patterns to Christians under the New Testament Hebrews 12. verse 1 2. I could give many more instances of Types and extraordinary persons whom in Morall practicall things matters of faith holinesse righteousnes though they did such things extraordinarily and as Types of Christ either personally or officially Christians in an ordinary way are commanded to follow
Scriptures quoted with that received maxime Magistratus est Custos utriusque Tabulae prove the exercising of it by coercive means is no unrighteous way but most sutable to the nature of that Ordinance of Magistracie appointed by God to be the keeper of the first Table quoad externam Disciplinam the due consideration whereof fully answers Hagiomastixs rich sence of the Magistrates being Custos utriusque Tabulae laid down by him page 131 132. and showes both his Senses to be but meere Evasions The fourth Commandement contains the summe of all Religion and the publike worship of God the Commandement is Synechdochicall as the others are containing more things then are experssed in words In this Commandement not only the time to be allowed for publike worship but what ever belongs to this worship are breifely comprehended under the sanctification of the Sabbath 'T is commanded that the Church setting aside all other businesses of this life should meet to worship God to hear his word pray c. For as these things cannot be done without time so not without place Ministers c. Therefore in this Synecdoche are contained the commands of the publike Ecclesiasticall meetings to worship God of places chosen fit for meeting of the Ministers and their office In a word this command of the sanctification of the Sabbath contains all those things which belong to the worship of God and are judged to be necessary Zanchiâ— upon the fourth Commandement page 652. showes this at large Chemnitius also in his Common Places De lege Dei on the forth Commandement with Rivetus in his Explication of the Decalogue page 111. are of the same minde that the worship of God is required under keeping the Sabbath day holy the publick worship and the private serving in reference to the publike being there commanded And 't is the observation of Zanchie on the fourth Commandement page 651. that there is in the manner of delivering the fourth Commandement and the other three before it a three-fold difference 1. All the other are plainly negative Thou shalt not but this of the Sabbath is expressely affirmative and negative too 2. In the others he sets not his owne example but in this he does 3. In them he speaks simply Thou shalt not but here not contended with a simple Commanding hee adds a word Remember by all which God would reach that 't is much in his heart that this Commandement should be kept and that 't is a command of great moment Now this Morall Commandement containing the summe of Religion and Gods publike worship is given in the first place to the Father of the Family directed immediatly to him Thou and thy sonne and thy daughter c. therefore given to the Governours of the Familie that they should see it be observed of their whole Family God having so expressed it as Zanchius * speaks to declaâ—e he would have Governours of the Family to be the Authors and leaders to the whole Family to bring them to the publike Assemblies to sanctifie the Sabbath Now this Pronowne thou being a Synecdoche comprehending more then is expressed by name viz as all Governours of Families Masters c. besides naturall Fathers so Magistrates the Fathers and Governours of their people as many learned Divines upon the place expound it teaches us that this command comprehending the summe of all Religion and publike worship is given to the Magistrates in the first place for their subjects and by this command we are instructed not only what lies upon the Master of the Family but what is the Magistrates duty in Religion viz. that he should doe the will of God himselfe and care that it be done also of others and see Gods Sabbaths be sanctified So that here we have in this fourth command the duty of Magistrates in Religion and how that the care of Gods publike worship and Religion is committed to them that they should look to it Zanchie upon this fourth command speaks much how under the Father by a Synecdoche is meant also the Magistrate and that here the holy Ghost teaches what the office of a Magistrate is in matters of Religion how that he is to command his subjects to the outward worship and to use his endeavour that his subjects may come to the publike assemblies and together with others sanctifie the Sabbath Chemnitius upon the same command writes thus 'T is manifest in this Commandement 't is required of Parents Masters of families and Magistrates not only that themselves sanctifie the Sabbath but that it is their place and duty that they care it be sanctified of others and prohibite and punish its prophanation And God doth shew that the Magistrates ought to care that strangers inhabiting within their gates should conform to the true Religion lest otherwise scandals should arise And that by thou the Magistrate is understood and so by this command the care of the publike worship and Sabbath to see it sanctified is given to the Magistrate is further proved from those words nor the stranger that is within thy gates By gates in that place are understood not only a particular family or city but the whole country of any people as Gen. 22. v. 27. He shall possesse the gates of his enemies and Gen. 24. 60. Deut. 24. 24. So learned Rivet upon the 4. Commandement by strangers within thy gates are meant First strangers who commonly inhabited and lived in the common wealth of Israel Secondly strangers who came from other countries for a time not to remain but either to see the country or to traffick c. both which are to keep the Sabbath the latter sort so far as not to violate it with any externall servile work as is evident by Nehem. 13. v. 19 20 21. Now the meaning of gates strangers fully sheweth the Magistrate is meant in the command for many strangers in the first sense dwelt in houses of their own in the 2d sense the Father of a family had nothing to do out of his house or with travellers merchants who were of no family but the restraining of them belonged properly to the Magistrate Upon which interpretation Rivet and Zanchius do shew how 't is the part of a Magistrate to provide that strangers may not give scandals in a common-wealth but that at least they be made to keep outward discipline with others The strangers among the Jews were compelled not only to stand to their Political laws but to some of the outward precepts of Religion and that partly lest the good manners of the Jewes should be corrupted and disturbed with the Gentiles evil manners and that the strangers among them might be in some sort instructed in the knowledge of the Divine law And whosoever would be fully satisfied in this point that the publike exercise of piety and Religion is commanded in the fourth Commandement and that this Commandement belongs and is given to the Magistrates not only as particular persons
particulars must stil bind I shal give instances in the old and new Testament of morall and Evangelicall commands and examples that the things themselves are in force and yet many accessories acccidentals circumstantials accompanying them at such a time in such places and such a condition of the Church not binding And certainly if commands and rules confessed to bee morall and Evangelicall had such accessories accidentals circumstantials formes and manner of expressions accompanying them to which wee are not now tied though wee are to the commands and duties themselves then the commands cald judiciall in Deut. 13. 17. because consisting in judgements and matters of punishing offences may easily bee conceived upon severall reasons to have for the manner and forme of proceeding with the kinds and extent of punishments many accessories accidentals to which the Church of the new Testam is no ways bound although not free from the substance of the commands or those Iawes as containing such a Doctrine that in their generall nature and proportion of equity give us the best determination naturalis juris as Amesius speakes The Decalogue is in force and binding for the matter and substance of the commands of all Christians under the N. Testament as is confessed even by them that hold the judicial lawes totally abrogated and yet many of them plead that in divers respects and in severall particular things viz. accessories appendixes attending that time and that people the Jewes as under such considerations that law binds not us Now though the judgement of the generality of Orthodox Divines goes not along with them all their expressions about the māner of the abrogation yet al confesse that even in the Decalogue there are some things accessories accommodated to that time condition of that people the Jews which have the nature of ceremonials judicials as that clause in the preface which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage upon which the ten commandements are inforced to the Jewes as that clause in the fifth command that thy dayes may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee was specially meant and had particular relation to the Land of Canaan though in the generall equity it was meant of a good and long life upon earth as is evident by Ephes 6. 3. where the Apostle changes it from dayes being long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth to this that it may be well with thee and thou maiest live long on the earth as something in the fourth commandement which that Colos 2. 16 17. showes and so some other phrases might be instanced in which bind not and yet from hence to reason against the Decalogues binding Christians under the new Testament as Hagiomastix in page 48 49. against that command in Deut. 13. and to say as he does were frivilous and absurd Now if it be so in the matter of the Decalogue then the same reason holds more in Deut. 13. The Government Discipline and order of the visible Church laid downe in the new Testament for the essentials and substantials binds all Churches to the end of the world as the Reformed Churches hold and divers Ministers of that way as Gersom Bucerus Parker Danaeus Cartwright c have written and yet they doe not hold all accessories circumstantials occasionals c of Discipline spoken of in the new Testament to bind but distinguish of things showing what 's immutable and perpetuall and what not of which the Reader may consult Parker De Politia Ecclesiastica Danaeus on the first of Timothie who showes in divers places of that Book that the fundamentals essentials and substantials of Ecclesiasticall Discipline cannot bee increased nor diminished by any new constitutions of men but for accessories and accidentals they may be diminished increased and moderated according to the various circumstances of places things persons and times For Discipline being as a comely garment fitted to things persons and times as these may be changed viz times c so Discipline also in accessories and lighter things may be altered and if out of a folish zeal of observing all things practised in the Apostles times men will imitate all things then done without considering a difference of times places and state of things they must needs doe that which will bee to the great evill of the Church and detriment of consciences Independents themselves though they hold the substantials of Church Government and order ought to bee the same in our times that they were in the Apostles yet they doe not in all circumstantials nor accidentals judge Discipline now binds and I suppose if Hagiomastix had thus reasoned against their Independent Government and order that if that tied us in these dayes then wee are bound to all circumstances and accessories as to the number of seven Deacons c as to widowes just of such an age c or else the office of Deacons and widowes are ceased in the Church they would have laughed at him for his folly and yet this is the way of the mans reasoning against the command of God Deut. 13. 17. the command it selfe must be wholly abrogated or else all accessories and formalities accompanying it Christians are tied unto Baptism the Lords Supper Preaching of the word to speak properly are not points of Government and order but the worship of God Love Humility Hospitality are graces and morall duties commanded under the Gospell and yet all these with many others of the like kind that I could instance in had in the Apostles dayes those Primitive times some accessories and appendixes wayes of manifestations of them which are now ceased as the feasts of Love the Kisse of love washing the Saints feet c. in which humility brotherly love kindnes to strangers were expressed as proper peculiar to that condition the Church was then in the customes of those Countries c. Now if any Seeker should reason with Hagiomastix that these Ordinances were all antiquated or any Antinomian that these graces were not to be exercised by us now because these accessories and appendixes were laid aside or would inforce from the Practise of them a necessity of washing feet the Kisse of love and all other things proper and peculiar to the state of the Apostles I suppose he would laugh at them and in his answer jear them to purpose Now therfore if in Evangelicall Ordinances and Commands in points of worship and graces under the time of the new Testament where there is still one and the same manner of administration of the Coveenant of grace there may be such a non obligation in respect of accessories and accidentals though yet the Ordinances and graces themselves remain in full force and vigor we may then easily conceive in commands concerning punishments of sin against the first Table how under the new Testament being a divers manner of administratiō from the old though the same in
substance there may well be a great change of accessories accidentals formes and manner of proceeding which neverthelesse give no ground for the taking away things and commands themselves but only clearly show there may bee a cessation of all such forms accessories manner of proceeding which were peculiar to that time and people And if wee do but observe and consider the composition of most of the mosaicall lawes how they are mixt of morall judiciall and ceremoniall how lawes judiciall have something morall and something ceremoniall in them and ceremonials have something judiciall and morall in them and how that those things which in their nature are moral and perpetuall have yet somewhat judiciall and ceremoniall annexed to them of all which we may be further satisfied in Zepperus his explanation of the mosaicall lawes we may easily conceive how in these mosaicall lawes a command the thing it selfe may be binding for the substance and yet severall particulars accompanying as being properly judiciall and ceremoniall may cease among which now the form and kinds of punishments the extent with rigor and severity of punishing to the cattell the making the city a heap for ever c may be reckoned And that these are but accessories and appendixes of these lawes for punishing Idolaters false Prophets which therefore may not bind though the commands for the substance be still in force may appeare thus because inflicting death simply upon Apostates false Prophets c is commanded without any of these accessories of destroying the cattel and making the city an heap c as these places Exod. 23. 20. Deut. 17. 2 5 6. and Deut. 18. 20. snow which is worthy to be taken notice of besides in the commands to punish those who offer up their children to Molech and that Blaspheme God Levit. 20. 2. Leuit. 24. 16. the inflicting of death upon them is required but none of those particulars mentioned Deut. 13 15 16 17. In the new Testament also though the punishing by death according to Moses law of Apostates be approved of as in page 52 53. of this Book I have showen and severall judiciall Lawes for the substance ratified page 56 57. yet the formalities accessories with all particularities of such Lawes never are spoken of and lastly though severe punishment by the Magistrate the substance of that command in Deut. 13. be both before Moses Lawes as in Jobs time and after Moses times by Artaxerxes Nebuchadnezzar Darius in cases of Apostasie Idolatry Blasphemie approved of yet there is not a word spoken of destroying Cattell the whole Cities c. And to stop Hagiomast mouth for ever I wish him to consider this that by vertue of commands under the old Testament Apostates false Prophets Idolaters may be now put to death and yet the Magistrates under the Gospel not bound to destroy whole Cities cattell nor fulfill the rest of his inferences For it will appeare by many instances in the old Testament even in that time of Administration of the Covenant wherein the 13. of Deut. was written that the Magistrates held not themselves bound to à ll those particulars of destroying all the inhabitants cattell c. though they inflicted punishments yea death upon some Idolaters and Apostates as these instances fully show viz. in Moses Exod. 32. commanding in the worship of the Golden Calfe three thousand to be slaine not all the people nor the cattell Numb 25. 2 3 4 5. commanding for the bowing downe to the gods of Moab the heads of the people to be hanged up not all the people neither the cattell to be killed in Eliah killing the Prophets of Baal only 1 Kings c. 18. not the people in Asa entring into Covenant that whosoever would not serve the Lord the God of Israel should be put to death and in deposing Machah his Mother for making an Idoll in a Grove 2 Chron. c. 15. but not entring into Covenant to destroy all the Cattell and the Cities where such persons lived in Josiah sacrificing all the Priest of the high places in Samaria that were there upon the Altars 2 Kings chapt 23. but not sacrificing the people nor the cattell and so in others which might be given And therfore if Magistrates under the old Testament though all thought it their duty to punish◠Idolaters and Apostates were not tied to all the particulars in Deut. 13. then certainly the Magistrates under the new are lesse tied to those accessories and formalities of that Law by all which t is apparent those things laid down in Deut. 13. 15 16 17. are only accessories accidentals of that cōmand of punishing with death those that goe after other Gods and not of the nature and essence of it yea holding only in some particular cases time but not generall to the Iewes themselves which in what cases and how I shall forbearespeaking of now for feare of inlarging this part beyond its proportion intended And for a conclusion of this the consideration of this mixture and composition of the Lawes of God under the old Testament is exceeding usefull for this purpose viz. that thereby wee may judge more easily of the mutabilitie or immutabilitie of them whether they be temporary or perpetuall and so whether they bind all men or only some In commands alledged out of the old Testament this is to bee carefully lookt into whether they be meerly and purely morall or ceremoniall or judiciall or whether mixt and compounded and how of what lawes mixt If the command bee pure and simple the thing is evident where morall is binds where ceremoniall or judiciall it binds not But if it bee mixt of judiciall ceremoniall and morall or of ceremoniall and morall the morall remains and is in force by all which wee may see the weaknes of Hagiomastixs inference that if that command in Deut. 13. does at all bind Christians it must binde in every particular there spoken of for what 's morall in Deut. 13. abides and yet what 's properly judiciall and ceremoniall is taken away look as that were no good argument against the fifth commandement being in force under the new Testament because then what was judiciall and ceremoniall in it as containing the promise of the Land of Canaan and a blessing in it c. must remaine under the Gospel so neither is this of Hagiomast For as a command morall may have somewhat judiciall mixed with it so may a command judiciall have much of morall in it but now what judiciall lawes and how mixed are temporary and changeable and upon what rules and grounds and what judiciall lawes are immutable and perpetuall and how to bee known I referre the Reader for satisfaction to Zepperus explanation of the Mosaicall Lawes 1. Book chapt 7 8 9 12. And as for those commands in question of Magistrates punishing in cases of Apostasie Idolatry Blasphemie they are upon all occasions reckoned by learned Divines among the immutable and perpetuall as by Zanchius De Magistratu Quaest Secunda
Gratian Theodosius and others who by publick Edicts did prohibit false Doctrines and did command all throughout the whole Empire to embrace the true Faith t is confessed by Master Burroughs himselfe The protection of their Civil peace is not sufficient to give them such a denomination of nursing Fathers and Mothers Upon which place Bâ—lson writes thus with this endeavour of Christian Princes God comforteth his Church by the mouth of Esay Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers c what Esay saith Princes shal do that I conclude Princes must doe because God would not promise they should usurpe another mans office but discharge their owne If you take the milke of Princes for temporall honours Lands and goods the â—ery Children will laugh you to scorne The Church of Christ is no wanton Church She lusteth for no worldly wealth which is rather harmful poison then wholesome food Gods provision for her is spiritual not carnall her delights are not outward in flesh but inward in grace The Prophet good man had no leasure to thinke on yoâ— farms demeans and Revenues no remedy you must needs yeeld us that Christian Princes in respect of their office not of their riches have received an expresse commandement from God to show themselves Nurses to his Church Now Nurses by nature must provide for their infants and defend them from danger ergo Kings and Queens in the new Testament are bound to tender the Church of Christ and by their princely power and publick Laws to defend the same from infection of Heresies invasions of Scismes and all other apparent corruptions of faith and good manners Zach. 13. 2 3. is a prophecie of the times and dayes of the Gospel as the context is cleare and is confessed by some Patrons of Toleration though put off and evaded that t is allegorical and figurative and meant of some one particular time only under the Gospel with other such like as the Posteript to Hagiomastix writes page 21. 22. all which evasions I had thought at this time to have fully taken of and to have cleared this text by many passages and Phrases in the context besides severall reasons that it must needs be understood literally and of all times under the Gospel but the troubles of the times call me of from my intended thoughts and preparations in this kind and shall reserve them if God will for a second part only I shall adde that divers learned Interpreters ancient and moderne as Theodoret Calvin and others hold the Prophet here alludes to Deut. 13. where God required such strictnesse in maintaining pure Doctrine that the Father should rise up against the Sonne whom he begat God would have all the godly to burne with such a zeal of defending the true worship of God and Pietie that no affinitie nor consanguinitie nor any other carnall respect should prevail to hinder the requiring of punishment upon their neerest friends in cases of violating the worship of God and corrupting sound Doctrine This was the Prescript of the Law But whereas for a time Religion had beene neglected yea troden under foot Zacharie saith that when the faithfull should repent they should bee endowed with such a desire of true Pietie as neither Father nor Mother should suffer wicked errors in their Sons And here t is to be observed that this zeale is approved of under the Kingdome of Christ for Zacharie does not here restraine this Doctrine to the time of the Law but showes what shall be when Christ is come namely that then again that zeale shall burne in the hearts of all the godly which was almost extinct It followes therefore this Law was not given only to the Jewes as many fanatical men imagine who would have a leave of disturbing the world but that this Law extends to us also Musculus speaking of things appertaining to the Classis of morall commands shows that many things in the Prophets writings belong thereunto and he gives this reason That in most things they were Interpreters of the Mosaicall Law And therefore Zacharie does here inter â—â—t that Law in Deut. 13. concerning false Prophets and Seducers to be in force under the Gospel The Prophets in their writings doe interpret and explaine Moses writings as the Books of Moses doe the Decalogue written by God in two Tables of stone and delivered unto Moses Deut. 5. 22. That in Deut. 13. is to be compared with this Zach. 13. 3. where we find the same things almost the same words used in a Prophecie of the times of the Gospel the meaning of which is not that his Father or Mother should presently run a Knife into him but that though they begat him yet they should be the means to bring him unto condigne punishment even the taking away of his life and so Master Cartwright speaking of this prophecie writes thus No power is given to one private man to kill another nor for the Private man to kill his children but this manner of speech is grounded on Deut 17. 7. where t is proved the Witnesse who accused should throw the first stone against the convicted persons ergo they ascribe the killing of the guilty person as belonging to the duty of the Accuser THESIS 20. In the Scriptures of the new Test there are clear grounds full proofes that Hereticks and false Teachers corrupters of Religion deserve to be punished corporally as well as spiritualy by excommunication and that Magistrates ought to punish in cases of Idolatry Heresie and such like as well as for transgressions against the second Table Now among many I shall lay down these following 1. That Christ and his Apostles being accused before Magistrates about matters of Religion as blasphemy being against the Law of Moses and such like they never pleaded for themselves that it was not lawfull to punish any man for matters of Religion but they defended their causes that they had not taught any thing against the word of God and the Law of Moses were not guilty of Blasphemy or Heresie so that they granted the major proposition namely that is was lawful for the Magistrate to punish Hereticks who taught against the Word of God but they denied the minor that they were Hereticks For out of the word of God they showed they were not Hereticks in that they taught nothing against the Word of God yea nothing but what had a proof in the Word of God But of this the Reader may see more in Zanchits Miscellanies De Magistratu page 173. 2. Christ in John 2. 14 15 16. made a scourge and drove out of the Temple those that made his Fathers house a house of merchandise which now false Teachers are said to doe 2 Pet. 2. 3. and t is the more observable that Christ who let the woman taken in adultery go away and did not punish her that would not divide an inheritance because his Kingdome was not of this world yet in the matter of his Fathers house did exercise
coercive power with a high hand scourging and driving out of the Temple those that sold Oxen c. and this he is said to doe out of zeale the zeale of thine House hath eaten me up and though this be not recorded for Ministers to use a materiall whip yet certainly this was an act of righteousnesse that should have been done by the Magistrates of that time it had been a glorious action if they had done it and however there might be something heroical in it yet doubtlesse t is an act of righteousnesse and zeal that ought to be done by some in their ordinary calling viz. by Magistrates 3. Rom. 13. 4. Magistrates beare not the sword in vaiue for them that doe evill and they are revengers to execute wrath upon them that doe evill Now Blasphemers Hereticks false Teachers doe evill and are evill workers Phil. 3. 2. 2 Epistle of John v. 11. Revel 2. 2. and non distinguendum est ubi Scriptura non distinguit upon which place Master Bilson writes thus Princes in the new Testament be Gods Ministers to revenge malefactors as they were in the old and the greater the wickednesse the rather to be punished ergo the greatest as Heresies Idolatries and Blasphemies are soonest of all other vices to be repressed by Christian Magistrates whose zeale for Christs glory must not decrease Christs care for their Scepters being increased 4. 1 Cor. 12. 10. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle showes us that when Christian Magistrates were wanting besides miracles gifts of healing c. Christ gave a speciall gift to the Church of restraining Seducers and obstinate Hereticks by corporall punishment There were some that had a speciall gift of coercing ungodly men this Paul exercised upon Elymâ—n the false Prophet and Seducer Acts 13. 11. upon which place Peter Martyr writes fully The Church then had not the Sword of the Magistrate by which offences might be restrained therefore a power was given of punishing them corporally The best Interpreters Ancient and Modern as Chrysostome Oecumenius Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Pareus and divers others doe understand by Powers those who had such a Gift upon which place I intended to have insisted largely by comparing other Scriptures with it and to have demonstrated from it the necessity and lawfulnesse of a power of punishing corporally obstinate Hereticks and Seducers but I must take off 5. Gal. 5. 12. Paul wishes that false Teachers and troublers of the Church were cut off which place I intended to have enlarged upon to prove it meant of bodily cutting off but cannot now 6. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Paul showes Kings and those that are in Authoritie are to be prayed for that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty in all godlinesse as well as honesty This is the end of prayers to be made for Magistrates Now that which is the end of Prayers poured out for Magistrates ought to be the end propounded by the Magistrate in his duty but the Apostle commands prayers to be made for Magistrates for that end ergo it lyes upon the Magistrate to see to it of which the Reader may see more in Meisner Polit. de Magistratu and t is confessed by Master Thomas Goodwin in his Returne of Prayers this was a command to pray that God would give Christian Magistrates to the Church the Answer of which was in giving Constantine a Christian Emperor who as the Ecclesiastical Histories show did by Lawes and Edicts command the Christian Religion as also establish the â—icenâ— Creed touching the Faith of one Substance banishing by his Edict Arius and his adherentâ— 7. Revel 17 16. John prophecies and speaks of it as an acceptable work to God for Christian Kings and States by their Civil temporal power to destroy the Romish Religion Now if the Romish Seducers and corrupters of Religion upon that ground cald the Whore may be punished by Civil Magistrates and dealt with by other weapons then preaching admonition excommunication then such as are certinly worse then they as Antiâ—rinitariaâ—s Socâ—nians Libertins may be also by Magistrates restrained Master Robinson writing against the Anabaptists one Helwisse who interprets this place of Spirituall weapons answers him this is a prophecie of Kings and Magistrates whose weapons and power are other besides that of prayers which is common to all Christians t is spoken what they shal doe as Kings Besides t is contrary to the cleare meaning of the Holy-Ghost which is that Kings should first use their Civill power for the Beast and Whore and after against them to their destruction they shall give their power to the Lamb as they before gave it against the Lamb Now we know they used their Civil power under Poperie as a means by which to suppresse the true Religion and therefore Princes and States shall establish the true by that means and destroy the false of which I had thought to have enlarged further as also upon the other New Testament quotations to have answered the evasions brought against them especially of Hagiomastix against Rom. 13. 4. and to have proved it cannot be restrained only against evils of the Second Table but is to be understood of evil against the First but I must reserve these things and divers more to another opportunitie and for a Second Part. If God wil. To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ Amen FINIS GOod Reader among many other Errata of the Presse upon running over the Book in hast since printed not having time to read and weigh every page much lesse sentence or line I finde these following ERRATA PAge 32 line 12 after ought to be r. also punished p. 30. l. 13 for they r. these p. 33 l. 28 r. four and five fold p. 55 l. 4. for latter r. letter The figures of the pages which should be 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64. are misprinted p. 64. l. 6. for mens r. means p. 78. l. 23. for others r. other Divines p. 167. l. 12. after put r. upon and. Margin Notes p. 14. for diga r. digna p. 61. for Egyptis r. Egyptii bones r. boves p. 130. r. c. 9 quae 4. p. 189. for equas r. equus p. 214. r. praceptorum for Prophetam r. Prophetarum for plâ—nisquâ— r. plerisque p. 216. r. after peccata r. coercerentur Numb 33. 52 5. â— King 20. 42. Revel 2. 20. * Aug. contra Petil. l. 2. c. 83. Noli dicere inquit Petiliano Augustinus Absit absit à conscientia nostra ut ad nostram fidem aliquem compellamus facitis enim ubi potestis ubi autem non facitis non potâ—stis sive legum sive invidiae timâ—re sive resistentium multitudine * Luther epist ad Wences Lin cum Christus meus vivit regnat ego vivam regnabo ☞ ☞ * Zanch. in quartum praceptum Chemnitii loci Commun De lege Dei in quartum praecept * Vide Master Cheynels