and capital punishments such as adored not those Idol-gods which they worshipped and reputed for the true and such as they deemed Idolaters Apostates Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers and open Rebels against God Therefore Christian Kings Magistrates Nations under the Gospel ought much more to do it The Major is evident by its own light and ratified by ROM 2. 14 15. The Minor I shal make good by Scripture testimonies I shall begin with King Artaxerxes his Commission to Ezra c 7. 15 26. And thou Ezra after the wisdom of thy God that is in thine hand set Magistrates and Judges which may judge all the people which are beyond the river all such as know the Law of thy God And whosoever WIL NOT DO THE LAW OF THY GOD and the law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him WHETHER IT BE TO DEATH OR TO BANISHMENT OR TO CONFISCATION OF GOODS OR TO IMPRISONMENT Shal a meer Heathen King be so zealous as to enjoyn the Judges and Magistrates under him to inflict these corporal and capital censures upon such as wil not do the Law of God in which number all Idolaters Apostates Hereticks Blasphemers c. are included and shal not Christian Princes Magistrates Judges much more exceed him in their zeal and justice against such transgressors of Gods Law But that Decree of Nebuchadnezzer against blasphemers of God is more emphatical and pathetical DAN 3. 28 29. Then Nebuchadnezzer spake and said blessed be the Lord God of Shadrach Mesach and Abednego who hath sent his Angel and delivered his servants that trusted in him c. Therefore I make a Decree that every people nation and language WHICH SPEAK ANY ERROR or any thing amisse AGAINST THE GOD of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego SHAL BE CUT IN PEECES and THEIR HOUSES SHAL BEE MADE A DUNGHIL because there is no God that can deliver after this sort If this Pagan King out of his transcendent zeal upon the sight but of one miracle was stirred up without any debates or delay to make such a severe decree as this against all those of every people nation and language that did speak any Error or Blasphemy against the true God whom these three worthies then and we now worship shal not this decree of his rise up in Judgement against all those Christian Princes Parliaments Magistrates Judges under the Gospel who professe themselves the worshippers servants children of this true God and yet shal refuse or neglect to make such strickt and severe Decrees against such Hereticks and Blasphemers who maliciously belch out most execrable blasphemies and Errors against God himself and openly maintain them in discourse and writing but especially against those who pretend and stile themselves the ONLY SAINTS and SERVANTS OF GOD how truly let this one act alone declare who professedly plead preach and write against the Corporal and Capital Punishment of such damnable Hereticks Blasphemers and the enacting of any severe Laws against them by the Parliament and civil Magistrates when as this Pagan King by his Decree commanded such to be instantly cut in peeces and their houses to be made a dunghill without any pity or pardon Were Pagan Nebuchadnezzer now alive amongst us he would new heat his Fiery Furnace to warm the kay-cold frozen zeal of such heatlesse New-Lights and zeal-lesse Saints as these or shame them into an emulation of his zeal against such Hereticks and Blasphemers I shal close up this with that saying of Augustine recorded by Gratian Quando vult Deus concitate potestatem adversus Haereticos adversus Schismaticos adversus dissipatores Ecclesiae adversus exsufflatores Christi adversus Blasphematores Christi blasphemi non mirentur quia Deus concitat ut a Sara verbaretur Agar cognoscat se Agar supponat cervicem c. Ad hoc ergo affligitur ut revertatur Nebuchadnezzer Rex decrevit dicens Quicunque dixerint blasphemiam in Deum Sidrac Misac Abednago in interitu erunt domus eorum in dispersione Ecce quomodo Rex alienigena sevit ne blasphemetur Deus Israel qui potuit tres pueros de igne liberare nolunt ut seviant Reges Christiani quia Christus exsufflatur a quo non tres pueri sed totus orbis terrarum cum ipsis regibus a gehennarum igne liberantur Quomodo ergo istireges non moveantur qui non tantum tres pueros attendunt liberatos de flamma sed seipsos de flamma Gehennae quando vident Christum a quo liberati sunt exsufflari a Christianis quando audiunt dici Christiano dic te non esse Christianum Talia facere volunt sed talia pati nolunt Nam videte qualia faciunt qualia patiuntur occidunt animas affliguntur in corpore sempiternas mortes faciunt et temporales se perpeti conqueruntur So in the 1 ESDRAS c. 6. 23. to 34. It is recorded that King Cyrus and Darius by their Royal Decrees commanded the Temple of Jerusalem to be built unto the Lord and offrings and prayers to bee there made to the most high GOD for the King and his children and commanded that whosoever should transgresse yea or make light of any thing afore written out of his own house should a tree be taken and HE THERE ON TO BE HANGED and ALL HIS GOODS TO BE SEISED FOR THE KING O the transcendent zeal of these Heathen Princes against the obstructers or oppugners of Gods true worship and shal not Christian Kings and Magistrates be as zealous against Hereticks Blasphemers Schismaticks Seducers Idolaters who oppugn corrupt his truth and withdraw men from his worship I proceed to Presidents of another Nature We read JUDG 6. 28. to 32. That when Gideon in the night time had thrown down the Altar of Baal and cut down the Grove that was by it in Ophrata the men of the City who worshipped Baal said one to another who hath done this thing and when they had enquired and asked they said Gideon the son of Joash hath done this Then the men of the City said unto Ioash bring out thy son THAT HE MAY DYE BECAUSE HE HATH CAST DOWN THE ALTAR OF BAAL because he hath cut down the Grove that was by it Whence it is evident that these very Idolaters deemed this afront to their Idol-god whom they beleeved adored as the true to be no lesse then a capital offence deserving death So in the 1 KING 18. 13. c. 19. 2. 10. 14. and ROM 11. 3. 4. we find that Idolatrous Queen Iezabel who worshipped Baal as the true God and drew Ahab her husband and his subjects to her Idolatry did slay the Prophets of the Lord with the sword and threw down his Altar and seek the Prophet Elijahs life who was enforced to flie to save it because shee deemed him and the Prophets she slew to be Hereticks False Prophets Blasphemers Opposers of her Idol-Baal and his Idolatrous worship then generally received as the true So DAN 3. 1.
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
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
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
authority upon the recited Lâ—ws Punishments and proceedings against obstinate seducing Heretickes 〈…〉 and Blasphemers First that they were generally made and seveâ—rely executed by the most pious Religious and zealous Emperors Kings Princes states in the ages when they lived out of their piety great zeale love to God and Christian Religion not by such as were irreligious prophane carelesse of Gods worship or of a persecuting disposition 2ly That they were made at the desire and earnestrequest of the most godly pious Orthodox Councells Bishops Ministers and zealous Christians living in the times wherein they were enacted witnesse the Epistles Decrees of the second generall Councell of Constantinople to Theodosius the Elder of the councell of Ariminum to the Emperor Constantius of the councell of Africk to the Emperor Honorius Can. 25. to 61. of the c Bishops and Clergy in the third generall Councell of Ephesus to Gallimar King of â—ersia and Theodosius the Emperor The Epistles of Lev the first to the Emperors Theodosius Martianus and others Epist 9. 13. 14. 38. 39. 23. 44. 50. 58. 91. Augustine Epist 48. 50. Gratian caus 23 â— 3. 4. with sundry others 3ly That they were generally applauded by all opposed and writ against by none for ought we find as contrary to the word of God and the Government under the Gospell but only by the â—actious and seditious Donatists 4ly That Gods blessing on these Lawes the severe putting them in execution was the principall meanes to suppresse extirpate the Heresies and Schismes of the Arians Pelagians Maniches Donatists Euticbeans and the like which abounded in those times when preaching and disputations would not do it yea that which stopped the propagation of them to posterity with the growth and spreading of them for the present in those ages as all Ecclesià sticall Hystoriaens evidence And although it be most certaine that all the Lawes and punishments in the world cannot suppresse the true faith and Doctrine of Iesus Christ nor hinder the prevailing progresse of it which commonly spreads fastest under the hottest persecutions yet it is most true that execrable Heresies Errors Blasphemies and Schismes contrary to Gods word may be and alwayes have beene suppressed yea extirpated by temporall Lawes and punishments in all Ages when no other meanes could prevaile to do it and where such Laws are most severely executed there Heresies Errors Schismes blasphemies either break not out at all or are soone suppressed and never grow Epidemicall or of long continuance From all which Lawes and considerations I shall deduce this Argument as auxiliary to the former Those things which the most pious zealous and devout Emperors Kings Magistrates States even at the prayer or request of the most holy Orthodox learnedest Councells Bishops Clergy-men and with the generall approbation and desire of the best and most Zealous Christians with very good successe to the publike tranquility peace of the Church and preservation of the Christian faith in purity have by their Lawes and sanctions punished with corporall or Capitall punishments in all or most Ages and Realmes where there were any Christian Emperors Kings States Magistrates all Christian Princes Magistrates Republikes may with safe consciences and good successe punish ' yea censure now and ought to do it But the most pious zealous devoutest Emperors Kings States Magistrates at the prayer and earnest request of the most holy Orthodox learnedest Councells Bishops Clergy-men and with the generall approbation desire of the best and most zealous Christians with very good successe to the settlement of the peace of the Church and preservation of the Christian faith in purity have by severe Lawes and sanctions punished Hereticks Apostates seducing false Teachers Blasphemers and obstinate dangerous Scismatiks with corporall or capitall punishments in all or most Ages Realmes States where there were any Christian Emperors Kings States Magistrates as the premises manifest Therefore Christian Princes Magistrates Republikes may doubtlesse with safe conscience and like good successe punish them in like manner now yea and ought to do it unlesse they will be reputed lesse pious zealous or devout then they or lesse carefull of the publike peace and peoples soules then they have bin And thus much for the affirmative part I now come to Answer the chiefe Objections lately made in Presse or Palpit to the contrary especially Mr. Dels which are freshest in memory and much relied on by his Independent party An Answer to the contrary Objections The Objections made to the contrary by our Opposite dissenting Brethren Libertins Sectaries Anabaptists are deduced partly from Scripture partly from reason Some of those from Scripture I have already answered in the premises as they lay in my way I shall now propound and answer those only which remaine taken almost verbatim from the Donatists and old Anabaptists The first Objection is from the Parable of the Tares Math. 13. 24. to 31. 36. to 43. Where when the Servants would have gone and gathered up the Tares out of the Wheate before the Harvest the houshoulder said Nay least whiles ye gather up the Tares ye root up also the Wheat with them Let both grow together Vntill the Harvest and in the time of Harvest I will say to the Reapers gather you first the Tares together and binde them in bundells to burne them but gather the Wheat into my Barne Which Harvest Christ interprets to be the end of the World and the Reapers to be the Angells v. 39. Whence they inferre that Hereticks Schismaticks false Teachers and Blasphemers being Tares must bee let alone to grow among the Wheat and not pulled up nor rooted out by the Majestrate till the Harvest at the end of the VVorld and then only to be gathered by the Angells into bundells and â—â—st into Hell fire but notto bee burnt or punished here by the civill Powers So the Donatists and Anabaptists To this I answer First that this being but a parable the whole scope of it must be observed else no lolid Argument can be deduced from it Now the whole drift of this Parable is only to shew there shal not be a total separation of all the Tares from the Wheat all the sheep from the Goates all the Reprobate from the elect all the Children of the wicked the Devill from the Children of the Kingdome till the day of judgement at the end of the World as is undenyable by Christs owne exposition of it v. 27. to 34. by that other Parable of the net v. 47. to 50. and by Math. 25. 31. to the end 2 Thes 1. 8. 9. 10. Iude 14. 15 Re. 20. 12. 13. 14. 15. c. 22. 14. 15. compared The only argument then which can be properly deduced from this Parable is this God will not make a totall separation of al wicked men from the good of all Tares and Children of the Devill from the VVheat and children of the Kingdome in this world nor gather together all
to punish and put to death obstinate Hereticks affirming That this is the unanimous opinion of all Catholicks And he there solidly answers the severall objections made by Anabaptists and others to the contrary quoting Master Calvin Aretius and Beza as concurring in opinion with him herein But passing by all these with other Romaniâ—â—s whose long continued daily practise in putting such to death and burning them to ashes whom they condemne for Hereâ—â—cks is an unanswer bâ— evidencâ— of their opinions herein I shall proceed to the Resolutions and Judgments of such Protestant Churches in their publick Confessions and learned Protestant Writers of chiefest note from the very glimmerings of Reformation untill this present which will be more pâ—nâ—â—rous and prevailing with our Opposites and Sectaries who commonly slight Antiquity and now all other Authors as of small or no account then any other Authorities and I presumewill give good satisfaction to all ingenuous Readers but I am certaine will overballance Master Dâ—s pretended Authorities to the contrary and put him to perpetuall silence I shall begin with the Confessions of whole reformed Protestant Churches and then passe unto their Writers The Reformed Churches of Hâ—lvetia in their former Confession resolve thus Seeing every Magistrate is of God his chiefe Duâ—y consisteth in this To dâ—sâ—nd Religion from all blasphemy and to promote and put it in practice as much as in him lieth and to judge the people according to just and divine Lawes and to punish the Offenders according to the quantity of the fault in their Riches Body or Life Which things when he doth he performeth a due worship or service to God And in their later Confession chap. 30. of Magistracy The Magistrates chiefest duty is to procure and maintaine peace and publick tranquility which doubtlâ—sse he shall never doe more happily then when he shall after the example of most holy Kings and Princes of the people of the Lord advance the preaching of the Truth and of the pure and sincere Faith and shall ROOT OVT LYES and all Superstition with all Impiety and Idolatry and shall defend the Church of God For indeed we teach that the care of Religion doth chiefly appertaine to the holy Magistrate let him therefore hold the Word of God in his hands and LOOK THAT NOTHING BE TAVGHT CONTRARY THEREVNTO Let him draw forth the Sword of God against all Malefactors seditious persons Theeves Murderers Oppressors BLASPHEMERS Perjured persons and all those whom God hath commanded him to punish or execute LET HIM SVPPRESSE STVBBORNE HERETICKS which are Hereticks indeed who cease not TO BLASPHEME the Majesty of God and to trouble the Church yea and finally to destroy it We condemne the ANABAPTISTS who deny that any man can justly be put to death by the Magistrate c. The Confession of the Reformed French Churches resolves That God hath therefore delivered the Sword into the hands of the Magistrates that Offences may be punished not onely those which are committed against the second Table but also against the first c. The Confession of Belgia determines That it is the duty of Kings Princes and Magistrates to endeavour that the Ministry may be preserved that all Idolatry and counterfeit worship of God may be cleane abolished that the Kingdome of Antichrist may be overthrowne and the Kingdome of Christ enlarged c. Wherefore we condemne the Anabaptisis and all those troublesome spirits which reject the higher Powers and Magistrates overthrow all Lawes and Judgments c. which God hath appointed among men for honesties sake The Confessions of Auspurge Basill Bohemia Scotland determine the like as you may there read at large I shall adde some few forraigne Protestant Authors of chiefest note to these Confessions Marsilius Patavinus a great opposer of the Popes usurpations asserts That although the Pope Prelates and Clergy men have no coercive power to compell Hereticks and Schismaticks to beleeve and embrace the Gospel or to constraine men to keep the precepts of the Evangelicall Law Yet Christian Emperours Kings Magistrates may by their humane Lawes punish imprison fine banish Hereticks and that it belongs properly to them not to Priests to punish and condemne Hereticks concluding thus Quod poenas personales atque reales Haereticis infligere ipsasque exigere sibique applicare LICITE POSSUNT ET SOLEBANT PRINCIPES sivè legislatores humani Henry Bullinger Decadis secundae Sermo octavo prapounding this Question then in controversie An liceat Magistratui sua potestate subjectos punire Religionis vel contemptae vel contumeliis effectae gratia Resolves it thus In personis igitur magna est diversitas Sunt enim antesignani duces pervicaces in erroribus qui audaces sunt Hypocritae loquaces ideò ad seducendum appositissimi ipsi quidem sine emendatione in propriam ruentes perniciem alios secum pertrahent Et hi MODIS OMNIBUS SUNT COERCENDI veluti Ecclesiae pestes ne contagio ipsorum seu cancer serpat latius Sunt deinde seducti quidem damnati ab alijs qui errant sed non malitià nec pertinaciter sed resipiscunt in tempore Hos non oportet damnare protinus sed orare Dominum ac sustinere errantesque spiritu lenitatis mansuetudinis erudire donec redeant ad mentem meliorem Porro in erroneis Dogmatibus alia alijs sunt graviora Sunt quaedam adeò Blasphema impia indigna ut ne audiri quideÌ„ ne dum ferri possint sunt quae directè palam tendunt in subversionem Reipublicae nisi in tempore sopiantur Oportet autem Scripturis â—anifesta veritate evincere illa quae in accusationem veniunt esse talia qualia dicuntur Comperta veritate productis apertis testimonijs Scripturae licebit in blasphemos eversores Ecclesiae Reipublicaeque gravissimè animadvertere Sed levior mitiorque poena decernatur contra errantes in levibus non in capitalibus erroribus Nam errant quidam sed ita ut horum erroribus Deus non blasphemetur Ecclesia consistat Denique ipsa non interturbatur Respublica Ubi rursus occurrat illud Apostoli Alter alterius onera portate Item infirmos in fide suscipite non ad dijudicationes disceptationum Jam in suppliciis poenis insigne est discrimen Pertinaciter errantes alios secum in errores abducere inque erroribus retinere nitentes blasphemi perturbatores imò subversores Ecclesiarum JURE CAEDI POSSUNT ideò tamen capitis supplicio non protinus afficiendus est omnis qui errat Et quae minis increpationibus curari possunt non debent acerbioribus elui puniri Modus in re qualibet optimus est Est multa pecuniaria sunt CARCERES in quos concludi possunt ne alios inficiant qui veneno pravae doctrinae fidei corrupti sunt Sunt ALIAE CORPORUM AFFLICTIONES quibus coercentur errantes ut minus noceant
Musculus Loc. Com. p. 1389. and Hugo Etherianus de Haeresibus Theodor Beza writes We teach that christian Magistrates ought to take speciall care that the pure and sincere worship of God may flourish and that they should RESTRAINE AND PUNISH Hereticks CAPITALI QUOQUI PENA SI NECESSITAS ET SCELERIS MAGNITUDO POSTUâ—ENT and that with capitall punishment if the necessity and the greatnesse of the crime so require rather then the Church should receive any dammage Which he elswhere asserts at large Operum Vol. 1. p. 83 to 171. in a particular learned Treatise De Haereticis a Civili Magistratu puniendis So Junius in Defensione 2. de Trinitate adversus Samotenianos Heidelb 1591. p. 40. Danaeus Ethicae Christianae l. 2. c. 13. elswhere are of the same judgment To whom I might adde Voetius de Tolerantia Anti-Trintariorum Becanus Locorum Com. Locus 49. the Professors of Leyden Censura Remonstr c. 24. sect 9. Spanhemius Diatribe Historica de Orig Progressu Sectis Num. Anabaptistarum with many other forraigne Divines whose names I spare all reformed Churches in forraigne parts concurring with me both in judgment and practice too Neither doe our owne Authors dissent but concurre jointly with these our Brethren witnesse Bishop Jewel and Master Perkins himself whose words I shall recite in the close of this Work Doctor Whitakers Adv. Campianum p. 234. Bishop Babington in his Comfortable Notes upon Exodus cap. 18. in his Works in Folio London 1622. p. 271 272 273. Doctor Fulke in his Answer to the Rhemist Testament on Apoc. sect 6. where he writes thus Though we allow the PUNISHMENT OF HERETICKS both in our owne and other Countries even with death yet we abhor the cruelty of Antichrist and his Church which condemne the Christians and murther them under the colour of Hereticks Doctor Robert Abbot de Suprema Potestate Regia Bishop Carlton of Jurisdiction Regall Episcopall and Papall John Bridges of the Kings Ecclesiasticall Supremacy Thomas Becon in his forecited works and Doctor Willet in his Sixfold Comentary on the Epistle to the Romans cap. 13. Controversie 4 5 6. Where thus he writes Princes ought not onely to take care about the affaires of the common-wealth and to be altogether carelesse of Religion but even unto Ecclesiasticall affaires and matters of Religion they ought to extend their Princely care and watchfulnesse First the Prince is the Minister of God for our good but the good of the Subject is not onely civill and temporall but spirituall concerning Religion Secondly Even the Heathen did ascribe unto their Kings a principal care even of Religion Wherupon the Emperors of Rome were stiled Pontifices Maximi the high Priests or Prelates and Aristotle writeth lib. 3. politic c. 10. that the Lacedemonian Kings had the command of War and rei divinae cultum exercuisse and did exercise divine worship unlesse they were such Sacrifices as were necessarily to be done by a Priest that therefore which by a common consent of Nations was given unto Kings ought not to be denied unto christian Princes Thirdly the care of Religion otherwise concerneth the Prince rather then private persons these onely are to wish well unto it and to accept of it but the Prince ought to be an Agent without whose power nothing can be effected publickly for the maintainance of Religion Secondly it belongeth to the Imperial power to maintain true Religion and see that no confused mixture of Religions be admitted for this is given as a reason in the time of the Judges why some followed Idolatry and strange worship because there was no King in Israel but every one did that which was good in his owne eyes Judges 17. 4. if there had been then a King they should not have been suffered every one to follow their owne fansies Thirdly Christian Princes are by their Lawes and Edicts to restraine all Blasphemy Idolatry Heresie Sacriledge and such like because Princes are to be feared for evill works their office is to restrain all evill works whatsoever such as these are and they are appointed to procure the good of their Subjects and consequently to take out of the way all impediments which may hinder their good such as these are The Romanists grant thus much that the Princes by their Lawes should provide against Heresie but they will exclude the Prince from all judgment of Heresie which must be in their opinion determined only by the Church c. Which all our Divines and Protestant Writers condemning is a strong evidence to me that Heretickes are properly triable onely by the Judges at the Common Law by way of Indictment not by the Clergy as their Heresie is criminall and capitall as well as Romish Priests and Jesuits This truth is very largely and learnedly asserted by Bishop Bilson in his True difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion by Bishop Davenant De Judice Norma Fidei cap. 15. p. 71 to 78. and other of the Episcopall Party whom I pretermit I shall conclude onely with such who have written since this Parliament The first of them is learned Master Samuel Rutherfurd in his Due Right of Presbyteries p. 352 to 370 where he propounds this Question Whether the Magistrate hath power to compell persons to a Church-profession For cleering whereof he layes downe and proves these five Conclusions I. The Magistrate may compell to the meanes and externall acts of worship and to restraine them from externall false worship of the false God or of the true God worshiped in a false way he cannot compell to internall acts of faith love and such like as hauing no power over the conscience II. There is one consideration of a Heathen or Pagan Nation which never received Christianity and the true Faith and another consideration of a Nation Baptized and professing Christ III. A Magistrate may compell a Heathen Nation to the negative reverence of Christ in an indirect way and that with the Sword though he cannot compell to the positive worshipping of him If a Christian Prince subdue a Pagan Nation he cannot force them with the Sword to a positive receiving of the Doctrine of the Gospel but if it be a Nation expresly blaspeming Christ as the Nation of the Jewes now doe he may compell them to an abstinence from a professed blaspheming of Christ because he is to use the sword against Blaspemy IIII. The compeling power of the Magistrate is terminated upon externall worship as abstracted from either hypocrisie or sincerity in worship V. Though no man resist the Magistrate in a matter of Religion except in a hypocriticall way save onely he who thinketh he hath reason to resist and is led by the judgment and inditement of conscience yet is not the judgment of conscience but onely the Word of God the rule of mans obedience or resisting in action purposes and conversation These five conclusions he there proves at large asserting That grosse Idolaters seducing Hereticks and universall
when King Nebuchadnezzer erected an Image of gold as his god which he made choyce of for him and all his people to worship he made a publike Proclamation by an Herald that all people nations and languages assembled to its dedication should fall down and worship this golden Image and that who so fell not down and worshipped it SHOULD BE CAST INTO A BURNING FIERY FURNACE And for disobeying this Proclamation Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were cast into his furnace as Malefactors Thus ACTS 16. 16 to 35. The Idolatrous people of Thyatiâ—a after that Paul and Sylas had preached against their Idols and dispossessed the damosel there possessed with the spirit of divination rose up against Paul and Sylus and caught and brought them to the Magistrate saying These men being Jews do exceedingly trouble our City and teach customes which are not lawful for us to receive nor observe being Romans whereupon the Magistrates rent their clothes and commanded to beat them and when they had layd many stripes upon them they cast them into prison charging the goaler to keep them safely who having received such a charge cast them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks reputing them Hereticks Schismaticks Opposers of their false Deities and Religions So ACT. 19. 21. to 46. Demetrius the silver-smith who made shrines for Diana stirred up the people at Ephesus against Paul and his Associates by these speeches Moreover ye see and hear that not alone at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away many people saying that they be no gods which are made with hands So that no only our craft is endangered to be set at naught but also that the Temple of the great goddesse Diana should be despised AND HER MAGNIFICENCE SHOVLD BE DESTROYED whom all Asia and the world worshippeth And when they heard these sayings they were full of wrath and cryed out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And the whole City was filled with confusion and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus Pauls companions in travel they rushed with one accord into the Theatre and no doubt would have murdered them and Paul too could they have caught him as BLASPHEMERS of their Goddesse had not the Town-Clerk appeased the multitude and told them the matter should be deeâ—rmined in a lawful assembly So the Jews out of their blind zeal stoned Stephen as an Heretick and false Teacher for reproving them for persecuting and slaying the Prophets who had shewed before of the comming of the Holy One of whom they had been the betrayers and murderers ACT. 7. 7. Thus Paul before his conversion out of the like fals zeal made havock of the Church entring into every house and hailing men and women committed them to prison And yet breathing out threatnings and flaughters against the Disciples of the Lord he desired letters of the High Priest to Damascus to the Synagogues that if he found any of this way man or woman he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem ACT. 8. 1. 3. c. 9. 1 2. Yea he did shut up many of the Saincts in prison and when they were put to death gave his voyce against them and punished them oft in every Synagogue ACT. 26. 9 10 11 12. Thus the seduced Jews out of a blind zeal apprehending Paul to be an Heretick and Schismatick ACT. 21. 28 29. c. stirred up all the people and laid hands on him crying out Men of Israel help this is the man that teacheth all men every where against the people and the law and this place and farther brought Greeks into the Temple and hath polluted the holy place And all the City was moved and the people ran together and they took Paul and drew him out of the Temple and beat him And as they were about to kill him tydings came unto the chief Captain of the band that all Jerusalem was in an uproar who immediately took Souldiers and Centurions and ran down and took Paul and commanded him to be bound with two chains and brought him into the Castle After which he was brought before the Councel accused before Felix by the Iews and Tertullus for a mover of sedition among the Jews throughout the world and a ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens whom they took and would have judged according to their law but that the chief Captain Lysias rescued him out of their hands ACT. 24. 5 6 7 and all this for worshipping God after the way which they called HERESY ACT. 24. 14. So ACT. 12. 1 2 3 4. we read that Herod the King stretched out his hand to vex certain of the Church and KILLED James the brother of John with the sword and took and imprisoned Peter too intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people Yea our Saviour himself tells his Disciples JOHN 16. 2. The time cometh that WHOSOEVER KILLETH YOV shall think he doth GOD GOOD SERVICE as the Pagan Roman Emperors and other Heathenish Princes Magistrates Nations did in the Primitive persecutions recorded in all ancient and modern Ecclesiastical histories Now what was the ground of Nebuchadnezzers and these other Pagan Idolaters and seduced Jews corporal Censures and capitall Proceedings against the Servants Apostles and Saints of God but this they deemed them Hereticks false Teachers Opposers and Blasphemeâ—s of their Idol-gods and false Religions which they embâ—aced beleeved as the true For as the very light of Nature instructs all Nations that there is a God and instigates them to elect and adore some Deity or other as their God and Savior So it farther instructs them that that Deity they adore and that Religion they imbrace is no ways to be openly blasphemed reviled oppugned contemned under pain of the most severe capital punishments because such offences against the supreamest Majesty of God transcend any Treason against an earthly Soveraign whence most Laws and Nations have made them capital and by the light of Nature in all ages punished such whom they esteemed Atheists Hereticks Blasphemers of their gods or oppugners of their established Religion with no lesse then capital Punishments and the severest Censures as is evident by these Scripture instances and sundry other Hence is that notable saying of Seneca Violatarum Religionum aliubi atque aliubi diversa poena est SED VBIQVE ALIQVA as wel as of homicide parricide and poysoning Hence the Philosopher Plato in his 10. Book de Legibus condemns those to be put to death who are Violaters or Corrupters of Religion Hence the Amphictions by the advise of Solon raised a War against the Tirrhaeans for offring violence to the Temple of Delphos and Philip of Macaedon levyed War against the Phocians for their Sacriledge in spoiling the Temple of Delphos quod orbis viribus expiari debet writes Justin. This War continued eleven years til all who were guilty of this Sacriledge were utterly destroyed which Demophilus and Diodorus Siculus stiled Bellum