those things by the Law So that by all this and a great deal more that might be spoken to this effect as the Magistrates and Priests combining together c. the Iewes to whom the Law was given for putting false Prophets Blasphemers to death for all the opportunitie of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe by Vrim and by Prophets might in many cases have been deceived mistaken and in as great uncertaintie every way as Hagiomastix supposes the Church to be in under the new Testament Thirdly supposing and granting there had been such a certaintie and infallibilitie in the matters of Religion under the old Law as is contended for by Hagiomastix and that free of all the exceptions now spoken of yet I affirme there is an infallibilitie and certaintie under the new also in the Doctrines of faith and worship and Christian Magistrates may infallibly and certainly know such and such Doctrines to be false and such true such Practises and speeches to be Idolatrous blasphemous as well as the Iewish Magistrates did and supposing that true which Hagiomastix saith that the Iewish Magistrates had a certaintie of knowledge in all difficult cases of Relgion by the judgement of Vrim which Christian Magistrates have not yet in another way and by other means they may have a certaintie and infallibilitie that these and these Doctrines are of God and other Doctrines are not of God when there are three or foure wayes to come to the certaine knowledge of a thing a man may be sure and certaine in one or two though he have not all the wayes A Iudge who hath three or foure honest witnesses and many circumstances with the parties own confession may be certaine though he might not see the fact committed nor have all wayes of knowledge that possible may be and so may Magistrates now in this case of Religion though they should want some one way the Magistrates under the new Testament had And for the certaintie and infallibilitie in matters of Religion under the new Testament it may apeeare thus 1. Hagiomastix must confesse upon his own Principles that during the Apostles times which was under the new Testament in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion Christian Magistrates might have had the same opportunities of immediate and infallible Answers as under the old Apostles Prophets then having as infallible immediate Revelations from God as the high Priests and therefore in case there had been Christian Magistrates in the Apostles days they might by this reason have exercised coercive power on Apostates Hereticks and Blasphemers as well as the Iewish Magistrates by which t is apparent those Lawes about false Prophets and Blasphemers were not only old Testament Lawes proper for Moses Paedagogie but new Testament Lawes and that for the prime flourishing state of the new Testament the Apostles times Secondly the Independents and Sectaries in many of their Books Sermonâ— and Discourses tell us of a time at hand wherein there will be a new and marveilous light when wee shall cleerly and certainly know the truth of these things now so much doubted of and controverted of the nature of a visible Church of the Government of the Church and such like Now then upon Master Goodwins cleare reason the old Testament Law for the putting of false Prophets c to death should be in force under the new Testament as well as under the old because then in all difficult cases in worship Doctrine c the Christians that live in those times may infallibly and certainly know the mind and pleasure of God in them Master Goodwin in his Postscript or Appendix to Hâ—giomastix the scope of which Discourse is to make inval'd that Zach. 13. 3. from being any ground for Civill coercive Power against false Prophets among other evasions interprets the place to relate to those times of refreshing to the Iewish Church and Nation the time when God intends to build up the Iewes again into a Church of far more inward grace and holines into a Nation of far more outward beauty strength and glory then ever was their portion since they first became a Church or Nation unto this day either in the one kind or in the other Now of that particular time and day of the new Testament t is especially Prophecied that outward coercive Power shall be exercised upon false Prophets And it shall come to passe that when any shall yet Prophesit then his Father and his Mother that begat him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live for thou speakest lyes in the name of the Lord and his Father and his Mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he Prophecieth As for Hagiomast figurative sense put upon these words against the literall and proper and other his glosses to corrupt the text I shall speak to them in the 19. Thesis where I shall prove that Zach. 13. 3. to be a good proofe of the Magistrates coercive Power under the Gospel Thirdly for that time and those dayes under the new Testament between the Primitive Apostolicall Churches and the calling of the Iewes into which we fall and among which our times are to be numbred there is an infallibilitie and certaintie to be had in Doctrines of faith and Christian Religion and the best Oracles Magistrates have to direct them in matters of Religion now are not fallible and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake The Scriptures are an infallible and certaine rule the voice and word of God himselfe God speaking by them as by Vrim and Thummim Learned Bishop Davenant in his Disputation De judice ac norma fidei Cultus Christiani in answering that objection of the Papists if generall Councels could erre their should be no firme Iudgement in the Church to compose Controversies answers If the Papists speak of a humane judgement we acknowledge nonâ— so firme and infallible to which all men may safely and securely commit their faith without triall But if they speak of a divine judgement we affirme there is a firme and perpetuall judgement in the Church of all the Doctrines of faith namely the judgement of God speaking in the Scriptures for he is not to be confuted with arguments but to be reckoned among Atheists who denies in the Scriptures in the things of faith that there is a sentence pronounced by God himselfe and that intelligible firme and infallible Were those Answers by Divine inspiration and immediate Revelation So are the Scriptures of divine inspiration and immediate revelation also 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. No Prophesie of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation for the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost were those Answers sure and certaine the Oracles of God among them so are the Scriptures sure and certain Psal 19. 7. The Testimony of the
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
very uncertain doubtfull other things absurd and untrue As first that to be a Type of Christ is a sufficient ground of a Politicall Civill power over the Church and that typicalnesse qua typicalnesse gives those persoâ—s a power who otherwise have none the contrary unto which is in severall Reasons proved by Doctor Stewart in the second part of his Duply to M. S. page 22. and never yet answered by M. S. or any other though M. S. and many of his Brethren have written upon that argument since Secondly that he who was Head of the State was Head also of the Church in a typicall way whereas many great Divines are of another judgement and show that the Kings of Judah and the civill judicatures were formally distinct from the Ecclesiasticall and that he who was cheif in the State over civill matters was not cheif Iudge and Officer in the Church in an Ecclesiasticall and Spirituall notion of which point Master Râ—â—herford and Master Gilâ—espie having written so fully lately I shall spare to speak any thing and referre the Reader to their learned Books entiâ—uled The Divine Right of Church Government Aarons Rod Blossoming Thirdly that the people of the Iewes were interchangably a Church and a Nation so that whoever was a member of the Church was a member of the Common-wealth and vice versa of which see the Book entituled The Antient Bounds or Liberty of Conscience seated page 60. Now Master Gillespie in his Aarons Rod blossoming Book 1. chap. 2. proves strongly that the Iewish Church was formally distinct from the Iewish State and that in seven particulars as in respect of distinct Lawes distinct Acts distinct Officers so in respect of distinct Members there being Members of the Church among them who had the name of Proselyti Iustitiae and were initiated into the Iewish Religion by Circumcision Sacrifice c. that neverthelesse were restrained and secluded from Dignities Government and Preferment in the Iewish Common-wealth and from divers matriages which were free to the Israelites Master SELDEN also in that learned Book of his De Jure Natur. Gentium lib. 2. cap. 4. lib. 5. cap. 20. speaks as much of those Proselytes Proselytus justitiae utcunque novato patriae nomine Iudaeuâ— diceretur non tam quidem ciâ— is Iudaicus simpliciter censendus esset quam peregrinus sempeâ— cui jura quamplurima inter cives Secondly how do they prove that Iehu Ioash Manasseh Asa Hezekiah Iebosophat Iosiah were Types of Christ and did execuâ—e typically the kingly office of Christ in his Church were Kings in an Ecclesiasticall notion an extraordinary way not ruling only for the Church but in the Church and over it as they say Moses Ioshua David Solomon were in their persons places and actions expresse types of Iesus Christ as 't is evident in the New Testament Pen-men also of Scripture besides Prophets as well as Magistrates and so were extraordinary men that every thing they did in Religion is not a binding example to Magistrates now as many Reformed Divines have showen against the Arminians and Erastians but that Asa Iosiah Hezekiah Iehosaphat were is gratis dictum not yet proved neither were these Pen-men of holy Scripture or Prophets extraordinarily inspired but these foure great Reformers as Kings were stirred up enquiring after and directed by Prophets as the Reader may finde clearly in the stories of them in the Chronicles and Kings Besides I finde not among Divines who have written of the Types of Christ or who grant Moses David Solomon to be expresse Types that they make Asa Iosiah c. to be Types Again of Types of Christ as Divines distinguish there are particular persons types of him as Adam Noah Isaac Joseph Moses Joshua Samson David Solomon Jonah and there are such rancks and orders of men as the First-born Kings Prophets c. Now though all of the first sort are speciall particular Types of him so that the speciall things done by them do typifie and set forth Christ in many particulars of his person actions and sufferings yet the rancks and orders of men as the First-born Kings Prophets may not be typicall in all the particular persons of those ranks and orders at least to the particular acts they do in those ranks and orders but 't is enough for many in those orders to agree in common as in being Kings and Prophets as Christ was there being some in all those orders and ranks appointed of God especially and peculiarly to be the Types which others are not and for whose sakes in those orders and ranks such orders of men were instituted by God to be Types of which many instances might be given with the Reasons thereof in some of the First-born Kings c. but I shall reserve the further handling of that to a second part upon this Subject Lastly supposing Asa Josiah and those godly Kings to be Types of Christ may it not be doubted whether Jehu Ieboash Ammon Ieroboam c. were Types of Christ and did execute his kingly office who yet were commended viz. the two firâ—t for destroying false worship and reproved for not doing it constantly besides could those Kings of Israel and Iudah who yet were lawfull Kings that apostatised from all the whole worship of God the Ceremoniall Law that ordained the Types that destroyed Gods service and the Priesthood made Priests of the lowest of the people be Types of Christ and I desire to be resolved or M. S. the Author of the Antient bounds of Liberty of Conscience stated whether any wicked men were speciall Types of Christ and whether all persons who were Types of Christ were not saved Thirdly suppose these Kings of Iudah were Types of Christ in setting on the Thron of David and ruling over Iudah in Christ the King of his Church coming out of their loines yet they were temporall Kings had Civill authority Now how does it appear that what they did in punishing idolatrous Priests commâ—nding their subjects to the true worship of God they did only as Types by vertue of that Notion and not as they were temporall Kings which must be proved before their examples can be made null and I am sure the Scripture no where faith that the Kings of Iudah and Israel in what they commanded in matters of Religion they did as Types of Christ and not as Civill Magistrates 'T is one thing to be a Type and another thing to doe such things meerly qua Types and what if Christian Magistrates leaning upon this broken staffe suffering all Herefies Blasphemies and Idolatries in their Kingdomes Christ at the last day when they stand before the judgement feat they objecting for themselves the Kings of Israel and Iudah were Types of Christ and all they did was by vertue of their typicall notion shal tell them no but as Magistrates entrusted by God with a power and authority how will they be then confounded will this distinction and notion
my pen to writefully against every particular passage in the 39. and 40. Section of Hagiomastix as I have done of some of them I should make his folly and weaknesse manifest to all but having hinted already his mistakes and the utter dissimilitude betweene that command in Deut. 13. and all his instances of an Idolatrous state and a Magistrate bound to make a bloudy desolation throughout al his Dominions c. I say no more but here is a great cry and a little wool and so come to the fixt head to give Answer to something that seems more materiall Sixthly to that Hagiomastix saith page 46. There is this cleer reason why that old Testament law for putting of false Prophets Blasphemers and Seducers to Idolatry to death should not now bee in force upon any such terms as it was when and where it was given because in all difficult cases that happened about maters of Religion the Iewes to whom this Law was given had the opportunity of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe who could and did from time to time infallibly declare what his own mind and pleasure was in them So that except those that were to give sentence in cases of Religion had been desperately wicked and set upon bloud and despised that glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God amongst them they could not doe injustice God being alwayes at hand to declare unto them what kind of Blasphemer and what kind of Idolater it was that hee by this Law intended should be put to death Whereas now the best Oracles that Magistrates and Iudges have to direct them in doubtfull cases about matters of Religion are men of very fallible judgemeÌ„ts and every way obnoxious to error and mistake Yea confident I am that the wisest most learned of them are not able cleerly or demonstratively to informe the Magistrate what Blasphemie or what Idolatry it was which was by God sentenced to death under the Law Therefore the going about to prove that the Law for putting Blasphemers and Seducers to Idolatry to death is now or amongst us in force because it was once given to the Jewes is as I should prove that a man may safely without danger walk among bogs praecipices ditches at midnight because he may well do it at noon day I answer in the generall this Section is full of many unsound and dangerous passages very prejudicial to the perspicuity perfection and certainty of the Scriptures very derogatorie to the state of the Church under the new Testament preferring the old before it for cleernesse and light as much as noon day before midnight which is contrary to many Prophecies in Scripture of the times under the Gospell and to divers texts in the new Testament 2 Cor. 3. 8 9 10 11 12 18. 2 Cor. 4. 4 6. and tending to bring in with a high hand Scepticisme and Pyrronian uncertainty in all poynts of Religion into the Church of God passages becomming a Iesuite and an Atheist but altogether unbeseeming a Protestant Minister and one who would bee accounted to have laboured more abundantly in vindicating the Authority of the Scriptures and building men on a rock then all other men Whoever does but compare the Iesuits Papists writings Stapleton Bellar. Turnebull Fisher c with learned Whittaker Chamier Rivet Cameron Doctor White Baron Willet and other Protestant Divines who have written of the Authority perspicuity perfection c of the Scriptures against the Papists and then look but upon this Section hee must needs say Higiomastix writes as one brought up in the Schools of the Iesuits and had sucked their breasts as also he that reads but Minus Celsus Senenses and the Socinians with the Netherland Arminians will confesse these lines are the very breathings and actings of that Spirit which dwels in that generation of men I could out of the writings of our Orthodox Divines written against Papists Socinians Arminians upon those heads of the authority perfection perspiculty certainty of the Scriptures and points of Christian faith at large confute him but these belong not properly to this Controversie about Toleration and therefore I shall not insist on them and further I desire the Reader to observe what followes that this cleere reason as Hagâ—omastix termes it may be resolved in that common evasion of Socinians and Armâ—nians and all our Sectaries of Infallibility and Fallibility Whoever well weighâ— that 36. Section of Hagiomastix with that part of the 107. Section page 130. fifth Answer will find the Summe and substance of all that discourse to be nothing else but the usuall Plea of the Patrons of Toleration in their late Libertine Pamphlets as Bloudy Tenet Storming of Antichrist Compassionate Samaritane Justification of Toleration Quaeres upon the Ordinance for preventing of Heresies c. that there is no infallible Iudge now all men are fallible subject to error or mistake and therefore the proper place of speaking to this will be in answering their Grounds for Toleration and pretended liberty of conscience where I hope by the grace of God to speak so fully to that particular of Infallibility and Fallibility that I doubt not to promise the Reader such ample satisfaction to that grand Argument as by the blessing of God all men who have not sold themselves to Libertinisme will never againe after that object it yet however for the present I shall hint these things by way of Reply 1. This very point of Infallibilitie and Fallibilitie was the main rise and cause of setting the Pope in his chair of making one that must be an infallible judge in the Church and so is the ground work of the Popes Authoritie and Tyrannie over the Church which all who understand the Controversies between the Papists and the Reformed Churches De Papa doe well know And on the other hand t is made the foundation of bringing in all Anarchie and Libertinisme into the Church to overthrow all power of Magistrates and of Synods and Councels in matters of Religion so that at on the one hand it hath exalted the Pope and given him an unjust Domination and usurpation so on the other it casts down the use of all civil and Ecclesiasticall power for the good of the Church so that the same thing that set up the Pope and made Antichrist sets up a Toleration and universall libertie of conscience which is a new and worse Popâ— But as the want of infallibility was no good ground for â—etting up the Pope as I suppose Hagiomast and all the Sectaries will grant so will it be found no good argument for a generall Toleration of all Religions a farre greater evill then a Pope Secondly I deny that which Hagiomastix takes for granted the reason it self upon which he founds why the old Testament law for the putting of false Prophets Blasphemers and Seducers to Idolatry to death should not now be in force I desire him to prove the Vrim and Thummim of the
there is a Hell and eternall Death for all wicked impenâ—tent persons and a Heaven and eternall life for the Elect and true beleevers that for a Christian to worship and serve the Sun Moon and starres or foure-footed Beasts and creeping things is Apostasie and Idolatrie that to revile scoffe at and speak reproachfully of God is to blaspheme God that for a man to say God revealed to him the day of judgement should bee on such a day or such and such things should come to passe at such a time when the contrary is manifested to all be not to prophecy falsly and so I might instance in many more Unto which question if Master Goodwin answers affirmatively that Magistrates may in these and some other points of Religion infalliblity and certainly know the truth then the universall Toleration pleaded for by him in M. S. Some modest and humble Quaeries concerning a printed Paper entituled an ordinance for the preventing of the growing and spreading of Heresies c Hagiomastix Appendix 〈◊〉 Hagiomastix and other his Pamphlets falls to the ground and the Ordinance presented to the Honorable House of Commons for preventing Heresies and Blasphemies may take place and the Inflicters of heavy censures upon such who broach Doctrines contrary to these viz. that there is a God that he is perfectly holy â—ternal that hee is one in three persons c may infallibly know such Opinions are not the sacred Truths of God and the câ—eer reason of Hagiomastix in this 36. Section against the old Testament Law for putting false Prophets c to death now is of no force at all for in these Principles of religion named and divers others as the resurrection of the dead that Christ is God that Christ according to his humane nature was borne without sin c Christian Magistrates walke no more at midnight but at noon day then the Iewish Magistrates in cases of Blasphemie Apostasie Idolatrie Prophecying falsly c. are as certaine and sure as they who received Answers under the old Law in matters of Religion of Idolatrie Blasphemie supposing there had been any such from the Priests by the judgement of Vrim But now if Master Goodwin dare answer negatively that there is no infallible certaine knowledge in any point of Religion under the new Testament no man infallibly and certainly knowes that there is a God or that this God is holy perfect eternall that there is a Iesus Christ who died for our sins and rose againe from the dead that there is a resurrection of mens bodies and a day of judgement c t is all opinion and probabilitie the contrary may be the Sacred Truths of God and therefore there may be no punishing by death or other bodily punishment for holding any Doctrines or Opinions in Religion suppose contrary to admonition which for ought the said inflicters know except they make themselves infallible may be the sacred Truths of God I say and am ready to prove it against him that he overthrowes the Scriptures all Christian Religion all Faith yea all the comfort and salvation of Christians hee is a Sceptick an Antiscripturist a Newtrall in Religion and an Atheist Hee justifies the worst of the Papists in all they have written against the Scriptures calling it a nose of wax a dumb judge inkie Divinity c. for to hold nothing can bee known certainly and infallibly by the Scriptures is to make them a nose of wax an imperfect weak rule a doubtfull Oracle like that of Apollo's For if the Trumpet give an uncertaine Sound who shall prepare himselfe to the battell so likewise except the Spirit of God have by the holy pen-men uttered words that may bee understood how shall it be known what is written for this would make the Scriptures be as a speaking into the aire but as concerning that point of the Church under the new Testament knowing infallibly and certainly the Christian Religion and matters necessary to salvation both in faith and worship as the Church under the old by Vrim I shal speak fully to it in the seventh answer to this Reason only for a conclusion of this third Answer I adde I much wonder seeing under the new Testament according to Hagiomastix Doctrine no Magistrates nor Synods can be certaine in doubtfull cases about matters of Religion but the best Oracles Magistrates have to consult with are every way obnoxious unto error and mistake and that the wisest and most learned of them are not able cleerly or demonstratively to informe the Magistrate what blasphemy or what idolatry it was which was by God sentenced to death under the Law though by the way I must check Master Goodwins confidence for I who am the least of all the Ministers of Christ and not to be named with the wisest and most learned of them am able cleerly and demonstratively out of Deut. 17. 2. 3. 4. 5. to informe the Magistrate and Master Goodwin too if he will bee informed what Idolatrie it was which was by God sentenced to death under the Law viz for a Iew to goe serve and worship the Sun or Moon how Master Goodwin and divers Members of his Church come to be in many controverted points doubtfull cases about matters of Religion so confident and certaine as they make themselves certain that Presbyteriall Government is not Jure Divino certaine that Christian Magistrates may not exercise their coercive Power in any matters of Religion no not to the restraining of Blasphemie Idolatrie Heresie Scisme most certaine that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere faith in a proper sense is imputed to justification and not Christs Righteousnesse certaine that the way of the Congregation is the truth and so I might instance in divers other points To be confident as confidence it selfe can make a man to bee as sure as twice two makes four to have abundant satisfaction from God for what a man holds in pregnant strong cleer and rational demonstrations on the one hand and distinct clear and home Answers to all objections to the contrarie on the other hand that if light be light reason reason sense sence Scriptures Scriptures then such a Doctrine is truth that though the whole world should rise up as one man to oppose yet that should not shake nor unsettle a man in it is to attaine to a high measure of certaintie and infallibâ—litie Now whoever hath but read with due consideration Mr. Goodwins writings cannot but take notice in them of many high strains and professed solemne Declarations of his absolute certaintie and full demonstrative knowledge of many Points of Religion yea of some more doubtfull controverted as of Church-Governement and the way of the Congregation and yet I suppose hee hath no better Oracles to consult with then Christian Magistrates have There is no Priest with Vrim for him to enquire by unlesse the Sectaries have set him up as their Oracle to consult with in stead of the Scriptures and I think he will not
yet plead Revelations and visions for feare of his fate who said it was revealed to him the day of judgement should be on such a day in Aprill last now long since past Fourthly upon the same cleer reason and ground why the old Testament Law for punishing false Prophets c should not now be in force because the Iewes in all difficult cases about Religion might have immediate and infallible Answers from God it followes necessarily that all Scriptures brought out of the new Testament for Magistrates punishing in cases of Heresie Idolatrie Blasphemie or for Church-Officers censuring by Deposition Excommunication in points of Error should not bind now and so whatever is brought out of the Scriptures for punishing Errors and Heresies whether by Civill Punishments or Eccleâ—iasticall censures shall be all evaded for the same thing may be said and is said against the places of the new Testament that in the time when the Gospels Acts of the Apostles and Epistles were written the Churches had Apostles and Prophets who were immediately inspired and infallible and could in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion declare infallibly from God what was Heresie and Scisme and what was not and therefore a Heretick after the first and second admonition might be rejected and Hymeneus and Alexander delivered unto Satan and Iezabel for seducing censured because Christ was alwayes at hand by Apostles or Prophets to declare unto them infallibly who were Hereticks and seducers whereas now since the Apostles and Prophets are ceased and all extraordinary wayes the best Oracles Ministers and People have to direct them in doubtfull cases about matters of Religion are men of very fallible judgements and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake the best Synods and Councels being not infallible And so whatsoever Hagiomastix speakes of the old Law another may say the same of the new as to this effect I am confident that the wisest and most learned of the Ministers are not able cleerly or demonstratively to informe the Magistrate what Heresie or what Scisme it was or what kind of holding the resurrection past already it was for which the Apostles censured Hymeneus and commanded to reject avoid Hereticks and Scismaticks and therefore to goe about to prove those commands in the new Testament against false Prophets Hereticks Scismaticks Troublers of the Church to be in our dayes in force because they were given in the Apostles dayes and practised by them is as if one should prove that a man may safely and without danger walke among bogs Precipices and ditches at midnight because he may well doe it at noon day The Socinians upon this very ground plead against Excommunication and al Church censures in matters of Doctrine now however in use in the Primitive Churches and answer to the commands and examples alledged out of the new Testament after this manner For ther 's much difference between Hereticks now and those Hereticks in the Apostles dayes For grant them who now erre in matters of faith were set before that venerable companie of Apostles and their equals suppose them to be admonished and convinced and yet neverthelesse to persist obstinately though but in a light error who would not detest their malice In this case a light error is turned into the nature of a great wickednesse wherefore you will say because they dare to resist the Spirit speaking by the Apostles and when they have no cause of doubting of the Doctrine and faith of that Councell yet they would not beleeve nor obey But now although wee are veâ—emently perswaded of the certainty of our faith who can in such aname assure us or certifie that wee cannot erre What Councell can wee now perswade our selves so uncorrupt as that of the Apostles or Primitive Church Those who deny Excommunication of Hereticks say bring not arguments and reasons out of the new Testament but that power of the Spirit with which the Apostles being endowed delivered up to Satan and kild Hypocrites with a word If you want this Powerfull efficacie of the Spirit acknowledge your rashnes and iniquitie in condemning those to whom you cannot demonstrate your Interpretation of Scripture Neither is the Spirit now so weak but that bee is able to give Testimonies of the divine Authoritie and his presence in his Ministers now against his enemies It followes not because many things were not tolerated in the infancie of the Church in the Primitive times therefore they ought not to bee tolerated now in the old age of the Church They deceive and are deceived who would bring our times to the example of that flourishing age When the Church was healthfull and strong in that first flower of its age and whilst the company of the Apostles were living the using of violent remedies in respect of the Churches vigor was meet and agreeable Now the Church with diseases and old age being weakned and spent it now almost falls downe under its prevailing sicknesse neither is it any time more in danger then when it fals into the bands of cruell Physitians In time past its first vigor admitted of opening of veines and losse of bloud now if after strength exhausted by so many evils there remaine any vitall Iuyce and moisture it cannot but by letting bloud be poured out with the life and Spirit and therefore this remedie of the punishment of Hereticks for the Preservation of the Church ought to bee omitted now when it will bring more hurt and danger then profit to the Church So some of our Sectaries in a late Pamphlet put forth upon occasion of their Indigâ—ation at the late solemne Fast of the tenth of March against Heresies plead that the Scisme spoken against in the new Testament is only of separating from those Primitive Apostolicall Churches planted immediately by the Apostles and by infallible direction but hath no reference at all to the Churches of these times Nay further upon this cleere reason why that old Testament Law about false Prophets c should not now bind all the Lawes and commands written in the old Testament yea and in the new concerning the whole will of God may bee as well not in force and men may say for any thing pressed upon them out of the Scriptures of the old or new Testament that they concern them not because in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion in Doctrine Worship Government c the Iewes to whom those commands were given and the Churches in the Apostles dayes to whom the Epistles were written had the opportunity of immediate and infallible direction from God himselfe by the high Priest Prophets and Apostles who could and did in all doubts from time to time infallibly declare and resolve what was Gods mind and Pleasure what was Scisme what was Heresie what use the Law was of how often Christians should pray heare Gods word c whereas now the best Oracles Christians have to direct them about matters of Religion are
his other wicked Opinions M. Goodwin what Answer wil you make to God for these pretences brought against Scripture can you think against such expresse texts such poor shifts wil serve or wil hold water in the day of judgement what if these then prove but Adams fig-leaves meer shifts and tricks of wit to put off the word and bee not real what wil you then doe for all the dishonour of God ruine of precious souls occasioned by your means wil not Gods wrath sweepe away these Cobwebs I say no more thinke upon it Master Goodwin and be not deceived God is not mocked 18. THESIS Whereas the Patrons of Toleration commonly plead that all places of Scripture both of examples and commands for Magistrates punishing in matters of Religion are only from the old Testament and t is confessed by them that under the Law before Christs comming good Magistrates both did and might exercise coercive power on false Prophets Apostates Blasphemers but now since the new Testament t is otherwise It being the Will and Command of God that since the coming of his Son the Lord Jesus a Permission of the most Paganish Jewish Turkish or Anti-Christian Consciences and Worships be granted to all men in all Nations and Countries and they only to be fought against with that sword which is only in soule matters able to conquer to â—it the sword of Gods Spirit the word of God I lay downe this Thesis That all things concerning Religion and pietie constantly practised by the godly and by God commanded under the old Testament and by him never declared to be repealed bind as firmely under the new Testament although there be no particular command nor example a new approving them as they did under the old and that in such cases the comming of Christ into the world and his death are so far from giving any dispensation or Libertie that quite contrary some things before permitted to the Jewes are by Christ now taken away and all matters in reference to Religion and Holinesse upon the comming of Christ into the world are spoken of by the Scriptures as to be kept and done with greater exactnesse and strictnesse For proof of which I lay downe these following grounds First That the Scripture of the old Testament is the Canon and Rule of faith and Practice as well as the Scripture of the New and that it equally belongs to Christians as the Books of the New which point besides that it hath been held by the Orthodox in the Church of God in all times since Christ and denied only by Hereticks as the Simoniani the Maniches Socinians Antinomians Anabaptists I shall give these reasons 1. That Christ and the Apostles all along in the new Testament prove their Doctrine by the Scriptures of the old Testament Moses and the Prophets still referring the People in all Controversies of Faith and Practice to the Scriptures of the old Testament as is evident by these places Luk. 16. 29. John 5. 39. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 2 Pet. 1. 19. cum multis aliis which are all understood of the Scriptures of the old Testament as besides many things in those texts showing as much no Scriptures of the new Testament being then extant when Christ gave those exhortations to search the Scriptures and when Timothy was a child of which Scripture the Apostle speaks which Timothy learned of a child as Chrysostome well expounds Now that was the Scripture of the old Testament because the new was not as yet committed to writing then when Timothie was a child Nay further all the texts by way of Scripture prooâ—e brought in the new Testament to prove any thing in matter of faith and manners are all quoted out of the old Testament and not the new whereupon wee see how frequently Moses the Psalms and Prophets are cited by Christ and his Apostles but to my best remembrance I doe not find in all the new Testament any place of Scripture brought to prove any thing from the new Testament but that one passage out of Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 3. 15 16. 2. The Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 3. 16. saith All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproofe for Correction for instruction in righteousnesse Now if all Scripture be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the Scripture of the old Testament is so to and as given by inspiration is with all reverence to be acknowledged and received by Christians Againe if all Scripture be profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for Correction for instruction of righteousnesse therefore Doctrines of faith and Practises of life may be profitably fetched from thence and when things are laid downe in the old Testament they are commanded in the Scriptures they being the Scriptures too although not mentioned in the new But who so desires to be further satisfied in this question of the Scripture of the old Testament being of the same Authoritie with Christians as that of the new let him consult Bullingers Books against the Anabaptists lib. 4. cap. 4. 5 6 and Spanhemius his Disputations against the Anabaptists De usu Script V. Testaments in Ecclesia Christiana Secondly every command of God made knowne in the old Testament and never afterwards repealed nor revoked by him nor expiring in the nature of it is perpetual and in force whatever God once commands til he declares either particularly that t is not his will such a Law should any longer bind or at least generally in equivalencie obliges So that t is no good argument to say against a Practice as long as t is commanded in the old this cannot be proved out of the new Testament and therefore may not be done but rather on the contrary wee may inferre that the silence of the new Testament concerning a Law expresly and clearly delivered in the old Testament is a confirmation rather then an abrogation of it or an intimation that it is expired There are many particulars might be instanced in some expressely commanded and others forbidden in the old Testament which are not spoken of at all in the new Testament unlesse in general that yet are held by Orthodox Divines and I suppose by Hagiâ—mastix too binding under the new as many degrees of Marriages forbidden usury as Magistrates putting to death murderers and some other Malefactors with divers others that might be named Upon which occasion Master Cotton answers Master Williams If it be true that Christ gâ—ve no expresse Ordinance Praecept or President of killing men by material Swords for Religion sake It is as true that neither did he for any Breach of Civil Justice no not for murder nor Adultery And so supposing there were no new Testament proofes for the Magistrates punishing Apostates Blasphemers c. yet the old Testament affording such a cloud of witnesses is testimony abundant especially remembring what I have at large proved in divers pages of the last Thesis concerning
THE CASTING DOWN of the last and strongest hold of Satan OR A TREATISE Against Toleration And pretended Liberty of Conscience Wherein by Scripture sound Reason Fathers Schoolmen Casuists Protestant Divines of all Nations Confessions of Faith of the Reformed Churches Ecclesiastical Histories and constant practise of the most pious and wisest Emperours Princes States the best Writers of Politicks the experience of all Ages yea by divers Principles Testimonies and Proceedings of Sectaries themselves as Donatists Anabaptists Brownists Independents the unlawfulnesse and mischeif in Christian Common-wealths and Kingdoms both of a Vniversal Toleration of all Religions and Consciences and of a limited and bounded of some Sects only are clearly proved and demonstrated with all the materiall Grounds and Reasons brought for such Tolerations fully answered By THOMAS EDVVARDS Minister of the Gospel The First Part. 2 Chron 34. 32 33. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the Con 〈…〉 that pertained to the childreâ— of Israel and made all that were present in Israel to serve even to sâ—ve the Lord their God And caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Beniamin iâ—stand to it London Printed by T. R. and E. M. for George Calvert and are to be sold at the golden Fleece in the Old-Change 1647. To the Christian Reader GOod Reader I fully intended and accordingly had provided that this first Part of Anti-Toleration should have come into thy hands more compleat and perfect then it does for the present I prepared an Epistle Dedicatory to the Honourable Houses of Parliament sutable to the nature of Toleration and the Times as also a Preface and Introduction to that Argument and Subject wherein laying down the Prolegomena Praecognita of this Noble and famous Question of Liberty of Conscience as certain Distinctions about Magistrates and their Power of Errors and Opinions of Persons holding them of Toleration and Liberty as some Concessa some Negata certain mistakes and misrepresentations of the state of the Question with divers other Particulars I drew up the true state of the Question both Theologically and Politically it being a mixt question besides I purposed to have added to this Part further proofs out of the New Testament against Toleration and for the Magistrates power But these Preparatives and Additionals amounting to about some â—en sheets the reviewing perfecting and printing whereof would take up at least twenty dayes and not knowing what a Day might bring forth the Storm comming on so fast I thought it best for fear this Book might be suppressed at the Presse and never see the Sun to send it forth as it was that the Church of God at home and abroad might have the benefit of it and to reserve the rest for a second Part if God spare life and liberty In this present Tractate is handled the Scripturall part of Anti-Toleration the best foundation and only ground-work to build on wherein there are not only the Scriptures produced for proof but made good by severall reasons from the text and context with all the evasions to clude and put them off fully answered The subject matter of this Book is the great Controversie of the times Toleration being that very thing for which God hath a controversie with the Parliament and Land having most justly however t is most unjust on their part raised up that Generation not to suffer them because they have against the councel of God yea against all sense and reason let them alone and suffered them to grow to this Head I remember what God said to his people Israel that if they did not drive out the Canaanites and destroy their pictures c. they should be pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides and should vex them with their wiles What of the King of Israel because that he let go out of his hand a man appointed to destruction therefore his life should go for his life and his people for that people as also what of the Angel of Thyatira that Christ had a quarrell with him for suffering that woman Jezabel to teach and to seduce his servants And we may see how God hath now fulfilled this upon the Parliament Ministry City Kingdome vexing us and threatning heavy things against us by the Sectaries punishing us wherein we have offended In all ages and histories of the Church we shall find that Hereticks and Sectaries however whilst weak and few have pleaded for Toleration and Liberty yet when they have come to grow strong and to have power in their hands they never would suffer the Orthodox but have been the greatest tyrants and persecutors as the Arrians Donatists Anabaptists Arminians It was the observation of Augustine many hundred yeers ago and his answer to Petilian That the Donatists however they pleaded far be it from them to compell any one to their Tenets where they had power used to force the Orthodox violently and where they did not it was not for want of will but because they could not for fear of the laws or the multitude of refusers yea if any of their own party left them and came to the Orthodox they would fall upon them and beat them yea kill them and that Sect of the Donatists which was strongest would implore the help of the Magistrate against their Schismaticks the Maximinianistae and Rogatistae all which Austin shows But for a conclusion I shall turn my prayers unto God that he would give us to see and know our sin in our punishment and to give him glory in saying Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements And for the time to come to give Magistrates Ministers and his People more zeal and wisdome then to tolerate and suffer Errors Heresies and Schismes And so commending these labours to the blessing of Christ who yet lives and raigns as Luther speaks and will raign till he hath made all his enemies his footstool I remain Yours in Christ THOMAS EDWARDS The TABLE containing some of the principall Heads of this Book AVniversall Toleration is against the whole current scope and sense of all Scripture and sets up the polluted defiled consciences of men above the Scriptures p. 4 5 What God commands Persons for themselves and their own Practise he commands to them being in Power and Authoritie for all under them p. 6 7 There can be no reason given why all other persons in Authoritie as Fathers Masters c should be bound to have a care in matters of Religion over children Servants and Magistrates should have none p. 7 8 The godly Magistrates spoken of in Scripture did de facto make use of their Power to suppresse false Doctrine Seducers c 8 9 10 11 They did not only doe it de facto but de jure were approved of and rewarded by God for so doing p. 11 12 Those Magistrates who were good that out of any carnall respects forbore to use their power were sharply reproved and punished by
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
reference to the souls of men and not in the hands of the Magistrate and why Parents Masters offend in not caring for their families in matters of Religion and the Magistrate not 9. THESIS The holy Patriarchs good Judges godly Kings and other pious Magistrates spoken of in Scripture did de facto make use of their power and authority over others to suppresse false Doctrine false Worship false Prophets Seducers and to bring those under them to the true feare and Worship of God they thought it their duty not only in their owne persons to keep to the Word of God and to serve him and to bring their children to it but to command all under their Government to the true worship of God forbidding and suppressing all other It would fill a Book to relate and open all the particulars concerning Religion in commanding the true destroying the false and punishing false Prophets Idolaters Apostates recorded in the Scriptures of Abraham Jacob Moses Joshua Gedeon Jehosaphat Asa Hezekiah Josiah Manasseh after his conversion Nehemiah with many others I shall set downe some particulars of some of them Abraham the Patriarch was a Magistrate a great Prince that had three hundred and eighteene servants armed trained men borne in his house he had not only the Covenant in his owne flesh but he made all that were borne in his house and all that were bought with his money to be circumcised Genes 17. he cast also out of his Familie Hagar the bond-woman and scoffing persecuting Ismael born after the flesh Genes 21. compared with Galath 4. 29 30. and Genes 18. God saith of him I know that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord upon which place Master Cheynel a learned Divine of the Assembly writes thus Abraham did not leave his children and servauts to their owne genius their owne Councels their owne lusts though 't is certaine that divers of them would have thancked him for such a Liberty for they had been nursed up in Superstition and Idolatry as Abraham was and might have pretended that they were not satisfied in point of Conscience but Abraham knew how to distinguish between Liberty of Conscience and liberty of lust and therefore would not allow them such a Liberty as would have enticed them into the worst kind of bondage * Pareus also God uses the word command that Parents and Superiours may understand that they are not overly and slightly but diligently and with authority to do their duty to bring their inferiours to the feare and obedience of God Jacob the Patriarch Genes 35. 2 3 4. said to his houshold and to all that were with him all under his power protection put away the strange Gods that are among you and be cleane and change your garments And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their Land and all their ear-rings which were in their eares and Jacob hid them under the Oake which was by Shechem Pareus upon the place showes that they that were with Jacob made distinct from his houshold were those Sichemits that were taken captive by the sonnes and servants of Jacob who had brought their Idols with them and observes that as 't is the office of a good Master of a family in his house so of a Magistrate in the Common-wealth to take away Idols and instruments of Idolatry and other lets of true conversion to God Jehosaphat Asa Hezekiah Josiah those excellent Princes made use of their power and the authority of their places in their Kingdomes and Territories to put down and suppresse false worships and wayes to punish false Prophets Idolatrous Priests and the people who went after them to establish the true faith and worship of God and to command and cause all their people by Lawes and their Authority to stand to their Reformations yea Manasseh who had been so wicked presently upon his conversion 2 Chron. 33. 15 16. rested not in his own repentance that he knew that the Lord was God but he took away the strange Gods all the Altars and cast them out of the City and repaired the Altar of the Lord and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel as before he had made them to erre by his place and power verse 9. so now he made them to serve the Lord God of Israel Asa that good King 2 Chron. 14. and 15. chap. by his kingly power took away all Idolatry and false worship and that not only out of the Land of Judah and Benjamin but out of the Cities which he had taken from Mount Ephraim the strangers of Ephraim Manasseh and out of Simeon all under his power and jurisdiction though of the ten Tribeâ— and accounted strangers after the revoult yea hee destroyed the Idoll of his Queene Mother Secondly hee setled and renewed the true worship of God renewing the Altar of the Lord and entring into a Covenant to seek the Lord God Thirdly he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God and to do the Law and the commandment and to enter into a Covenant to bind themselves more to the right seeking of God Fourthly he punished those under his government who went contrary viz. they should be put to death who would not enter into this Covenant or having entred into it should fall from it and his Queen Mother he removed from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a Grove that is he deprived his mother of all dignity and authority which she had by custome Jehosophat used his Authority when he came to be King to take away the high places and Groves out of Judah and from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim from South to North from one end of his Kingdome to another he brought his people unto God from whom they had fallen for the Kingdome of Judah from the dayes of Asa was extended to Mount Ephraim Hezekiah when he came to the Kingdome remoued the high places and Images cut down the Groves broke in pieces the brazen Serpent he and his Princes gave out a commandment and established a Decree for the keeping of the Passeover and for the turning of the people unto God and he restored the true worship of God and commanded the Priests and the people to do their duties in their severall places Josiah that godly Prince First he removed and destroyed the high places Groves carved Images molten Images the Altars of Baalim and all the Idols out of all the Land he took away the horses given to the Sun he defiled Topheth brake down the houses of the Sodomites and purged the Land of all the abominations Secondly he put down all the idolatrous Priests and all other Priests that had burnt Incense upon the high places and slew all the Priests of the high places upon the Altars Thirdly he restored the true worship of God made a Covenant with God to that end and commanded the people to keep the Passeover and
worship and false doctrine that denies God that is above is worthy to be punished by the Judges and this is further proved and illustrated that Idolatry is to be punished by Judges corporally by the 9 10 11. verses of this chapter where he speaks the same of adultery that 't is an iniquity to be punished by the Iudges so that the spirit of God here in Iob makes Adultery and Idolatry of the same cognizance and as Adultery is to be punished by the Civill Magistrate so Idolatry and all false wayes whereby men deny the God that is above are by this Scripture to be punished also And that it may further appear the Kings of Iudah and Israel did not qua Kings of Iudah and qua dwelling in such a Land as Kings over such a typicall people bearing visibly and executing typically the kingly office of Christ in his Church meddle in matters of Religion but as Kings in places of authority and power I shall show that other Kings not of the Tribe of Iudah ruling over other Kingdomes and Countries when by any of the great works of God done before them or upon any instinct of the Spirit of God upon them by any message from God by his Prophets and servants they came to be touched in heart and sensible of themselves they used their power in making Lawes and Edicts for the worship of God against Blasphemy and Idolatry and for punishing of those who were Idolaters and Blasphemers Thus Artaxerxes the King of Persia Ezra 7. makes a Decree that whosoever will not do the Law of God judgement shoule be executed speedily upon him whether it be unto death or unto banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment and Ezra blesseth God for it which showes it was well done of Artâ—xerxes Now whereas Master Goodwin would evade this by saying Ezra blesses God for Artaxerzes beautifying the house of God only not for the Decree of punishing those that would not do the Law of God I answer that 's a part indeed of that he blesses God for but not all as is evident by the 28. verse his blessing God having relation to that also as may appeare by that copulative and hath extended mercy unto me before the King and I was strengthned as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me now let the 23. verse that speaks of Artaxerxes Decree to Ezra to set Magistrates and Judges to judge all the people and thereupon who will not do the Law of God to have judgement executed upon them whether it be unto death c. be laid to the 28. verse wherein hee blesses God for his hand upon him to gather chief men out of Israel to goe up with him which was to make Magistrates and Judges and 't is evident the Decree for punishing is included besides if this Decree of Artaxerxâ—s had beene according to Master Goodwine the Bloudy Tenet and other Libertines opinion such a wicked and bloudy doctrine Ezra the Priest the Scribe of the Law of the God of heaâ—en had beene bound to have instructed Artaxerxes better and humbly entreated him to have reversed that part of the Decree in the 26. verse and certainly would never have built up Artaxerxes in such a great sin by blessing God for his Decree and by taking care to set up Magistrates and Iudges to execute it but would have dealt clearly with the King blessing God for the Decree of the building of the Temple and showing him his mistake in the other part about punishing and to put it past question Ezra 10. verse 7 8. relates this Decree of the King was accordingly put in execution by Ezra and the Princes and Elders Proclamations being made throughout Iudah and Ierusalem unto all the Children of the captivity that they should gather themselves together unto Ierusalem And that whosoever would not come within three dayes according to the Councel of the Princes and the Elders all his substance should be forfeited which was one of the penalties of Artaxerxes Decree viz. confiscation of goods Nebuchadnezar Dan. 3. 28 29 30. as soone as he knew God upon that great work of Gods power in delivering the three children out of the fiery furnace made a Decree that whosoever should speak any thing amisse against him should be cut in pieces and their houses made a dunghill Darius Dan. 6. 25 26. upon Gods great work in delivering Daniel out of the Lions den made a Decree that in every Dominion of his Kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel Lastly the King of Niniveh upon Ienabs preaching yet forty dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed did not only in his owne person arise from his Throne and cover himselfe with sackcloth and sit in ashes but caused it to be proclaimed and published by his Decree that all his subjects should do the like cry mightily unto God and turne from their evill wayes and this turning of Niniveh upon the command and edict of the King is blessed by Gods repenting of the evill that he said he would do unto them and so Gods owne seale of approbation set to the King of Ninivebs Edict for commanding in matters of Religion Augusâ—ine in his 50. Epistle ad Bonifacium makes use of the examples of the King of Niniveh Darius and Nebuchadonezar to show how a King must serve God as a King by commanding good things and forbidding the contrary as the King of Niniveh served God by compelling the whole City to please God as Nebuchadnezar served him by recalling all in his Kingdome from blaspheming God by a severe Law 13. THESIS As for that which is commonly said by the Patrons of Tolâ—ration that what the Iudges Magistrates Kings of Israel and Iudah did in a coerâ—ive way in matters of Religion in Israel and Iudah they did it not by vertue of their office as ordinary Kings and Magistrates towards their subjects but as Kings in a peculiar and extraordinary notion as typicall Kings types of Christ the King of the Church executing typically his kingly office the people also and the very Land over which they ruled being typicall which no Kings not people under heaven at this day are and that therefore their practises cannot be drawn into example by any Christian Magistrates now I desire the Reader well to observe these following answers and the rather because the maine strength of the Sectaries discourse upon this subject hangs by this string and this thred runs all along throughout their works M. S. the Bloudy Tenet The Antient bounds or Liberty of Conscience stated The Storming of Antichrist with many others place all their confidence here and this is their Sheild and buckler making much use of this typicalnesse under the Old Testament to evade all the instances of Kings and Magistrates brought from thence First to make this good there are some things supposed or asserted for proof
other such ought to be restrained and if they commit Idolatry or other corruptions not so great or so grosse yet by way of proportion and equity such ought to be though in a lower kind and way And 't is evident by many instances that the Iewish Magistrates Kings and others as Iosiah Nehemiah c. did punish in a proportion though not with death those who violated the worship of God and the first Table though they were not guilty of Idolatry and Apostafie to worship other gods nor of worshipping the true God by Idols as by the golden Calves of Jeroboam And if that be good Divinity which M. S. the Father of that Evafion of Idolatry and Idolaters being the adaequate object of the coercive power of the Kings of Judah in matters of Religion hath pag. 89. of the same Book That God prohibiting all manner of violence oppression and hard measure among his people one towards another though such Lawes as those in the letter of them respected only Civil transfactions and dealings betweene men yet the equity and spirit of them extends to spirituals also men being every whit as liable to violence oppressionâ— and hard measure from men for their conscience sake as in any other respects or upon any other grounds whatsoever then from that command Deut. 13. 5 6 7 8 9. and from those examples of Asa Iosiah to inferre an equity of punishing other offences in the same kinde though not named in the letter must needs be better Divinity because every one cannot but conceive that the equity and spirit of a Law may upon better grounds extend to things in the same kinde and of the same nature from one spirituall thing to another from Idolatry to Wil-worship or Heresie then from civill things to religious which differ totâ— genere But setting aside M. S. Concession is there not all the equity and reason in the world from those commands forementioned though granting according to the letter of those Lawes no man should be put to death for any thing lesse then that kind of Idolatry with Apostasie worshipping false gods that those who worship the true God by graven Images by making likenesses of him and that corrupt the doctrine of Faith and Religion should also by the Magistrates bee punished as well by suppressing their Conventicles putting them out of places of power c. though not so much as the others Or is there any equity and proportion in this that God should command punishing with death the highest kinde the Magistrate can inflict for Idolatrie in worshipping strange gods and should forbid any punishment or restraint at all of Idolatry and corruption of his worship in the next degree to that According to degrees of faults to have degrees of punishments is of the light of nature and right reason but to have a higher degree of an offence to bee punished with death and all others not to bee punished at all is against the light of nature and all reason Le ts but look into the Scriptures for the violation of other commands of God as in the 6 7 and 8th Commandements and wee shall finde that where the higher degrees and violations had greater punishments the others went not scorfree For example when adultery was punished with death fornication was punished with fifty shekels of silver and witâ—â— paying of money according to the dowry of virgins Exod. 22. 16. 17. compared with Deut. 22. 22. 28 29. So when stealing of men was death stealing of oxen and sheep was restoring five and foure-fold Exod. 21. 16. Exod. 22. 1. Seventhly there is a great agreement between the false Prophets under the old Testament and the false teachers under the New between Idolatry under the old Testament and Heresies now many Heresies being grosse Idolatries as is evident by many Scriptures of the New Testament which lively parallels and resembles these to each other so that it cannot bee upon any good ground conceived that the first sort should bee punished with death and the latter not punished at all but I referre the fuller clearing of this to the 17. Thesis where upon occasion of opening that 13. of Deuteroâ—omiâ— I shall speak more 15. THESIS Besides the full concurrent testimony and judgement of the most learned Protestant Divines Calvin Philip Melancton Beza Peter Martyr Zanchius Bullinger Musculus Chemnitius Gerardus Bucanus Bilson Cartwright Professores Leydenses Voetius Triglandus that the care of Religion and Gods worship belongs to the Magistrate that God hath given him a power and authority objective and externall in Ecclesiasticall causes to look to Religion as to Civil Justice so as he is bound to see the true Religion and service of God set up and maintained in his Dominions being therupon generally by all Divines cal'd Custos Curator utriusque Tabulae God himself in the Scriptures showes at much annexing the care of Religion and keeping the Law the first Table as well as the second to the Magistrate Deut. 17. 18 19. God there appoints that the King over his people when he comes to the Throne of his kingdome should have a Copie of the Law written out of that which was before the Priests the Levites to be alwayes with him Now the Law there spoken of is meant the whole Law of God the first Table as well as the second that which concerned God as well as man because it was a Copie of that Originall which was kept in the Tabernacle for the Priests and Levites whose office was principally about matters of the first Table and then the end expressed in the 19. verse that the King might learne to feare the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law showes as much that by the name of the Law must be understood the whole Systeme of the Divine Law so that by this place of Scripture 't is evident that not only the second Table of the Morall Law that contains justice and righteousnesse is committed to the Magistrate but the first also concerning the worship of God is given to his custody And as t is understood of the whole Law so the custody of the Law of God is not here a Custodia legum personalis privata meant only of a personall private keeping as the Pleaders for Toleration evade saying that the King in his person as well as others was to keep the Law but also and cheifly of a Custodia Officialis publica quod Rex curare debeat ut Lex Domini pure doceatur ut cultus instituatur a publike keeping out of office it being the Kings office to care that the Law of God should be purely taught and his worship set up and that it must be so understood consider these following Reasons First this King verse 15. was to be one from among themselves a Brother not a stranger who was to know the Law of God and to keep it personally as well before he was a King as after the Law of God being
but as they are Magistrates so that 't is their part to care by their authority that the Sabbath be sanctified that is that Religion bee preserved and the exercises of piety take place in their Countries and Territories and further know what the office of a Magistrate is in matters of Religion both in respect of persons and things and that in the severall particulars let him read learned Zanchius on the fourth Commandement particularly in these pages 651 652. 659 660. and especiaâ—ly 788 789 c. the fifth Common Place De Officiâ— Principum in Religione of the office of Princes in Religion And therefore seeing Magistrates have the care of Religion and Gods worship committed to them being by God appointed to be keepers of the first Table as well as the second among other particulars laid down in the word and branched out by Divines wherein the Magistrates power in matters of Religion stands this must needs be one a power of suppressing false Religions and Heresies and punishing those who by all wayes and meanes go about to destroy the true If the Magistrate be Custos primâ— Tabula he is also Vindex primae Tabulae If the Magistrate have a power of commanding the true and using coâ—rcive meanes to bring his people to it then sure he hath of hindring the false as he that by Law hath the power of keeping the peace hath a power also of suppressing tumults riots râ—uâ—s and the reason is manifest because the one cannot be kept without the other the Physitian who hath a power given him over bodies for their health hath a power over sicknesses corrupt meats poyson and all that would destroy the health and life He who hath the power of keeping a Garden and the precious flowers and fruits in it hath a power of plucking up weeds taking Mouls Snails and such like that would spoile all He who may justly command may justly punish and he that may lawfully punish may certainly command All learning will tell us that contraries be consequent to contraries If Magistrates may lawfully command and establish that which is good then they may forbid and abolish the contrary evill of which see more in Bilsons Difference between Christian subjection and unchristian Rebellion part 2. p. 278 279. And therefore we see Josiah and other Princes who established the true Religion by their kingly authority caused the people to stand to it removed and punished also all persons and wayes contrary thereunto Hence I conceive t is that maxime is generally received among Divines Magistratus est Custos ac vindex utriusque Tabulae the Magistrate is the Revenger of both Tables as well as the Keeper 16. THESIS Magistrates qua Magistrates by vertue of their office as Magistrates simply every of them though Turks Heathen and wicked as well as Christian and Orthodox have an authority right power from God Jure divino in matters of Religion to command for God and his Honor and to forbid and suppresse the contrary The Magistrate in generall being by his proper place the Minister of God Rom. 13. Gods vicegerent governing men in the roome of God even so far as his power and jurisdiction extends is bound to care in matters of Religion As now Parents qua Parents have by the morall law of God a power and a duty lying upon them to command their children to good and to forbid evill and have a rod given into their hands to those ends although being Heathens or wicked for the present they know not or will not exercise it in teaching and bringing them up in the Christian Religion and fear of God So is with Magistrates the Authority and right every of them hath by being a Magistrate who by his place is for the punishment of evill doers and the praise of them that doe well however to the due and right exercise of this a good will and true knowledge out of the word of God may be required Zanehius in his Mâ—scellaniet de Magistratu 167. 169. and De Ecclesiâ— militantis Gubernatione cap. 26. pag. 553 554. showes that every Magistrate as well wicked as godly not Christian as Christian hath this power and so doth Spalatensis in his sixth Book fifth chapter De Republica Ecclesiastica but for the better understanding of it I shall lay downe this twofold distinction First that Heathen Princes so farre as the light of nature teaches them and right Reason are to make Lawes in matters of Religion and whereas the * light of nature leads on straight to the knowledge of one God and Supreme Deity and dictates this God to be just holy good perfect c. and to bee worshipped with reverence they should command so farre remove Idolatry the worship of birds four-footed beasts and creeping things promote the worship of the true God punish blasphemies and wicked opinions contrary to the nature of God and that out of their proper office of being Princes as the immediate Ministers and Vicegerents of God on earth Hence we read in many Writers as Plutarch Aristotle Plato and others that Heathen Princes have made Lawes for God and his worship and have punished Atheists Epicures Blasphemers and Sacrilegious persons and as any of them have come to more knowledge of God and Religion by any extraordinary work of Gods providence or by living among them of the true Religion as the Jews before Christs time and Christians since though not fully converted yet still according to their knowledge and means they were bound and many of them have gone on in promoting the true Religion and forbidding the contrary as the King of Niniveh Darius Nebuchadonezor and Aurelianus at the request of the Church punishing Paulus Samosetenus the Heretick But now if beside the light of nature and dictamen of naturall reason Princes have the light of faith the knowledge of Christ and the Scriptures of Heathens come to be Christians or being borne in Christian Common-wealths have from their child hood beene brought up in the faith of Christ then also out of their kingly office they should throw downe all things contrary to faith and the true worship of Christ and positively by outward acts promote and command the outward worship of God have a care of the Ecclesiasticall Discipline and of all the parts of Religion that they may be preserved Of which the Reader may be further satisfied in the writings of that learned man Marcus Antonius de Dominis Archbish of Spalato Secondly though the care of Religion belongs to al Princes yet in a speciall manner upon speciall obligations the Christian â—aith belongs to Christian Magistrates and Princes whom God hath given to be nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers these have not only a remote power but the next power which they may bring into act by reason of the knowledge of Christ and many helps and this many Reformed Divines affert of the Christian Magistrate in the handling of this question of the
up to obedience and deterre them from the contempt and violation thereof whereas on the contrary for the want of this all Blasphemies Heresies and Errors have abounded of which I could give many instances but shall referre them to the more proper place of handling viz. to the Reasons for Magistrates punishing men for Idolatries Blasphemies Heresies Schismes only for the present shall hint that God himselfe saith twice once in Deut. 13. 11. the other Deut. 17. 13. the Magistrates punishing in such a case shall cause all the people to heare feare and to do no more presumptuously the Lord gives this blessing unto the punishment of such offendors that others not only which see but heare of them have the bridle of feare put upon them whereby kept from the like Thirdly and lastly this coercive power of the Magistrate will be found every whit as usefull and necessary now for the glory of God salvation of mens soules peace of Church and State as it was then yea and in some respectâ— more necessary there being in our dayes not only the same reasons and causes for that power of the Magistrate but others also Were there under the Law many incorrigible presumptuous offendors against God and his worship that could not be otherwise reclaimed and are there not such now were there then many grosse ways of false worship and Religion destroying foundations broacht among the people were they then infectious drawing away and seducing many soules were they then provoking the wrath of God causing it to waxe hot against his people Ought the glory and Name of God to bee then dear to Magistrates Why behold under the Gospel there are as incorrigible desperate persons broaching all kind of damnable Heresies making it their work to lay wast all Religion whom no Admonitions Church Censures can do any good upon Heresies and Errors now are as infectious spreading subverting whole houses eating as a Gaâ—grene and so in the rest Master Burroughs in his Irenicum page 23. confesses there is a necessity of the Magistrates power in matters of Religion 〈◊〉 truth now as there was then and showes though we cannot argue the being of spirituall Ordinances from our need of them but from their institution yet in naturall and civill things this way of arguing is strong enough there is need of such a help and therefore we should seeke to have it And the necessity of the Magistrates coercive power under the Gospel he sets down as follows Now sure the need we have of such a power is exceeding great we were in a most miserable condition if we had no externall civill power to restraine from any kind of Blasphemies and Seducements The condition of the Jewes O how happy was it in comparison of ours if this were denied us for if any of theirs did blaspheme God or seeke to seduce any from him they knew what to doe with him besides perswading of him to the contrary but if any should seeke to seduce the wives of our bosomes children of our bodies friends as deare to us as our owne lives into those wayes that wee thinke in our consciences will undâ—e their soules to all eternity yet we must only desire them they would not doe so we must only admonish or seeke to convince them or remove them but restraine them we cannet If the deliverance of us from the Pedagogy of the Law hath brought us into this condition our burden is greater in this thing then any that the Law laid upon our forefathers Hath Christ delivered us from one burden to lay a greater upon us Must we now see those who are dearest to us drawne into the way of eternall destruction and stand and looks on but no way left to help them or our selves unlesse we can perswade to the contrary Surely our condition is very sad Have we not cause to say Lord let any burden of the Ceremoniall Law be laid upon our necks rather then this If there were a company of mad men running up and downe the streets with knives and swords in their hands endeavouring to mischeif and kill all they meet with and we must doe nothing to restraine them if we could perswade them to doe otherwise well and good but that is all we can doe for helpe what a dangerous thing were this The case is the same when those who are mad with damnable Heresies run from place to place seeking to draw all they can from the truth If we have no meanes of helpe but 〈◊〉 it is ill with us Surely God hath not put his people â—â—to such a sad condition or this is be hath provided better for his people then thus And I appeale to the consciences and experience of men whether this power of the Magistrate of punishing Blasphemies and Heresies be not found to be usefull and necessary both for the honour of God the safety of other mens soules the peace of Church and State and whether all other mens without this when this might have beene had have made good these ends or whether this coming upon other means as Admonitions Instructions Synods Church Censures hath not suppressed Heresies Schisms vindicated the honor and truth of God recovered many souls setled the peace of Churches and States as among the Donatists of old and the Arminians in Holland of late Any mans reason yea sense may tell him that in this sinfull corrupted condition of man there is in coercive power a naturalnesse and sutablenesse to work upon the outward man for the furtherance of spirituall good and that when no other means can this power removes outward things that hindered keeps from outward evils applies outward means And yet further besides the same reasons and grounds now of the necessity of the Magistrates coercive power as well as under the Old Testament there seemes to be new reasons under the Gospel over and above that plead for the necessity of this power As that under the Gospel so many outward visible judgementâ— are not inflicted by God upon offenders as were under the Law whereupon Master Cartwright speaks Certainly if ever there had beene any time wherein the Magistrates sword might have rested in the sheath the time of the Law had of all beene fittest when the Lord did so visibly sit in his judgement seat and himselfe in proper person held the Assise and Gaile delivery For as the Lord doth not now by outward blessings give so plentifull testimony to the obedience of the Gospel as the Law so doth he not with so many and so severe punishments revenge the breach of it as in the time of the Law for in these outward punishments the dispensation of God under the Law is divers from that under the Gospel in that be did more terribly revenge disobedience and therefore God not striking now so often immediately Blasphemers Seducers false Prophets Schismaticks as under the Law the Magistrates have the more need not to beare the sword in vaine lest Hereticks and
before Moses from this command of God used this sword And this law therefore God inserted in the Israelitical laws which is not now taken away by Christs coming as a mosaicall coaction because Christ abrogated not the policie and law of nature Musculuâ— in his common places De Magistratibus shewing the Magistrates coercive power in matters of religion to be so manifest a truth as that the heathen could nor be ignoraÌ„t of it concluds t is to be much more acknowledged by Christians neither is it that any man should say it s not for us Christians to harken in points of religion what the light of our nature dictates unto us but what the Scripture speaks to us of which are given for that end that we may be instructed to every good work For although in those things which concerne the mysteries of our Faith the Law of nature is not to bee consulted with but rather the Scriptures yet also-those things ought not to be contemned which by God are written in our â—earts by nature as is that law of nature whose direction both the Prophets Christ and his Apostles commend to us Is not that power which fathers have over their children of the law of nature which the Scripture also confirms And who wiâ—l deny that it specially belongs to Parents to bring up their children in true religion and the feare of God In Abraham this was praised Gen. 18. Now if wee consider the Magistrate what is hee otherwise to be accounted of then the supreme Father of all his subjects whose power is much greater then of a Father over children and therefore it belongs more to him then to a Father that be should take upon him the care of Religion and among â—is subjects set it up As for Musculus Authority which is so much urged by Minus Celsus Senenfis Sect tertia page 183. that all the judiciall lawes are by the Gospell wholly antiquated and therefore those of Deut. 13. Deut. 17. c. concerning the killing of false Prophetâ— Blasphemers I answer t is evident that is not Musculus meaning that under the Gospell Magistrates may not make lawes or punish for points of Religion for in many of his writings he pleads for this coercive power as in the second Psal verse 11. Serve the Lord with feare Let them note this place who deny kingly and saecular power that the Magistrate bâ—th to doe in the cause of religion The spirit of God admonishes Kings and Judges of the earth to serve the Lord. But hee understands it of that service which is due to the Sonne of God Let them answer here in what thing Princes ought to serve Christ if in religion there be nothing at all which ought to be done by them When therefore Princes by their power doe care that the Doctrine of Gods word be kept in the Church Idolatry and false worships taken away Ministers conveniently provided for and adversaries suppressed forbidding also that the name of God be blasphemed and â—aring that those who live godly may be safe but the wicked and turbulent may be punished do they not serve Christ then So in his commentaries on the fifth of the Gal. 12. verse he is for cutting off false Teachers by the Christian Magistrate which Mr. Goodwiâ—â— page 74. of his Hâ—giomastix confesses of him So in his Common Places De Magistratibus and De Haeresi hee pleads for at large the coercive power of the Magistrates in matters of Religion and particularly of restraining and imprisoning Hereticks yea in case they be blasphemous against God of cutting them off by death For saith hee the law of God doth not suffer a Blasphemer to live By which testimonies of Musoulus and divers others that might be taken out of his writings t is apparent whatever his meaning was of the Abrogation of the whole judiciall law it could not bee that all the commands concerning the Magistrates coercive power against Hereticks false Prophets Blasphemers were by the comming of Christ wholly taken away For whereas Musoulus his expresse judgement is though against the Magistrates cutting off by death a simple Heretick for putting to death blasphemous Hereticks his proof is the law of God doth not suffer a blasphemer to live which law was given by Moses as well as those in the 13. and 17. chapter of Deut. and I find no law spoken of or example recorded in the new Testament for putting Blasphemers to death but what hath immediate reference to that law in Lâ—vit 24. 16. or was founded on the law of nature common to all Nations Now for that abrogation of the mosaicall law in Musâ—ulus common places de legibus spoken of by Minus Celsus Senensis t is not of the abrogation of the judiciall law only but of the morall also which is equally pleaded by Musculus in that chapter and yet t is well known that Musculus was no Antinomian So that however he differed in the way of his expressions from other great Divines about the manner how the morall law in the ten commandements binds us Christians viz. not as delivered by Moses legally to the Israelites but as agreeing with the law of nature justice and equity commanding good just and holy things so far tying all men to observance Musculus explains his own meaning that the observation of the Decalogue did not belong simply to the Israelites alone but secundum quid in some respects as given by Moses upon Mount Sinai and as it contained the Tables of a Covenant made by God with Israel So farre it binds not Heathens nor Christiens but only Israelites But the things containeâ— in the Decalogue the matter of it concernes all The Decalogue so farr as to be under Moses and his Paedagogie doth not binde Christians but as it contains things agreeable or contrary to righteousnesse and the law of Christ t is in force to and therfore coÌ„mands the one and forbids the other Musculus saith he is so farre from condemning the use of the ten Commandements in the Church of God that he greatly praises their study and diligence who first brought that in for a part of the Catechisme of the Church So that notwithstanding any thing Musculus hath of the abrogation of the mosaical law Moses Laws for punishing Idolaters false Prophets Blasphemers are in force now for the generall equity and reason of them as containing matter agreeable to the rules of reason and justice as well as the Decalogue and indeed confidering what Musculus in his Tractate de legibus writes of the judiciall lawes that they are Appendixes of the morall commands inserted here and there in Moses writings and added for exposition of the Decalogue as also what he saith De Magistratibus that the Magistrates power in matters of Religion is of the light of nature nature dictates it and that the law is still in force against Blasphemers then wee cannot understand the abrogation of these lawes of Moses of punishing
Lords holy One the glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God among the Jewes by which they inquired and consulted immediately and received Sentences and Answers immediately and infallibly from the mouth of God to be appointed of God or ever made use of by the Priest upon the desire of the Magistrates and Elders in cases of resolving doubts whether this or that was Blasphemie Idolatry false prophecying and thereupon putting to death Blasphemers false Prophets Seducers to Idolatry Hagiomastix gives no place of Scripture at all for proof and upon serious perusall of all places of this kind both of commands and examples for punishing false Prophets Idolaters c I doe never find the Magistrates were commanded in those cases to enquire by Vrim or ever practised it Let Deut. 13. Deut. 17. Levit. 20. 2. 3 4 5. Deut. 18. 20 21 22. Levit. 24. 16. with the examples of Asa Josiah and others bee lookt into and wee shall not finde a word spoken of concering the deciding who were or who were not or killing false Prophets and Idolaters upon receiving an Answer from God by Vrim and Thummim but stil the grounds expressed of proceeding against them are upon the Law of God the nature of the sins and other reasons of a common nature and among the signes and marks by which false Prophets are to be known this discovery by the glorious Oracle is none of them but the thing following not nor comming to passe which was spoken in the name of the Lord their prophecying in Baal and causing the people to erre their strengthening the hands of evill doers that none returns from wickednesse their saying unto them that despise God Ye shall have peace and unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his owne heart no evill shall come upon you with divers such like as is evident by Deut. 18. 22. Jerem. 23. 13. 14 17. and many places out of Moses and the Prophets In Joshua 22. when the children of Israel heard of the two tribes and a halfe building an Altar they did not before they gathered themselves to goe up to warre enquire by Vrim and Thummim whether it was Idolatry or not and when an Answer was given to Phinebas and the ten Princes that they had not built an Altar to turne from following the Lord but only for a witnesse between them and the rest of the Tribes that it might not besaid to their children in time to come ye have no part in the Lord Phinehas the Priest and the Princes of the congregation did not consult the Oracle spoken of to be resolved in this Controversie Thus Asas and the Peoples entring into Covenant to put to death men or women for matters of religion was not founded on an Answer by Vrim and Thummim but upon whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel and for Asa's putting down Maachah his Mother from being Queen because she made an Idol in a grove there is not the least hint expressed of his consultation beforehand with that glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God whether she was such a kind of Idolater and her Idolatry of such a nature as she was to be punished with that punishment of being removed from being Queen Josiah in all the exercise of his coercive Power upon the Violators of the first Table 2 King chapt 23. in sacrificing some of them upon Altars and burning their bones in putting down others c never enquired by Vrim whether those he killed were such kind of Idolaters as God by the Law intended should be put to death and whether the others were not such So the Priests Prophets and People in taking Jeremiah and saying he shall surely die and that he is worthy to die they pretend not to passe sentence upon enquiring by Vriâ— but upon his prophecying in the name of the Lord This house shall be like Shiloh and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant Jerem. 26. 8 9 11. which they judged a Prophecying falsly upon mis-underst anding some Scriptures as appears plainly by those words why hast thou prophecied in the name of the Lord saying This House shall bee like Shiloh and this City shall be desolate without an inhabitant For because of Gods promise concerning the Temple that he would abide ever there Psal 132. 14 They presumed that it could never perish and accounted all preaching that looked that way blasphemous Matth. 26. 61. Acts 6. 13. of which see more in the late Annotations of our English Divines upon the 9. verse And Jeremiah in his judicial defence to the Court and Councell for so it appears it was a Court by verse 10. 16 17. speaking of certaine Elders of the Land rising up and speaking to the Assembly of the People pleading his immediate call from God to prophecie against the Citie as his Answer against their accusation and in all the contestation and Controversie that was between the Princes and certaine of the Elders and the Priests Prophets and People concerning Jeremiah's being worthy to die neither Jeremiah nor the Priests Elders and People that were for his being put to death or against it once offer for deciding this difficult case and doubtfull matter to propound the enquiring by Vrim and Thummim but both sides plead the case upon Scripture Grounds and examples as hee who reads the chapter may easily see and certainly if enquiring by Vrim and Thummim had been appointed of God and practised by the Church as the Oracle to which in all difficult cases about matters of religion the Iewes were to repaire by which to judge whether such things were Blasphemie Idolatrie Prophecying falsly yea or no and whether the persons were such kind of Blasphemers false Prophets Idolaters as the Law intended should be put to death it is strange that in all this sharpe contest and great Controversie about accusing Jeremiâ—h for prophecying falsly and arraigning him upon his life neither himselfe nor his enemies none of the Priests Princes Elders People nor Jeremiah should once move to enquire immediately from the mouth of God by Vrim and Thummim the infallible Resolution of this question whether Jeremiah prophecied falsly in the name of the Lord and deserved to dy And therfore from this and all the Premises yea upon serious searching into all places of Scripture that speak of Vrim and Thummim and of those who enquired of the Lord in that way and comparing them together with the helpe of many judicious and learned Interpreters besides consulting Divines who have written of Vrim and Thummim I cannot find the least Ground that the Iews either were commanded or ever made use of enquiring by Vrim to bee satisfied in judiciall Proceedings whether this or that was Idolatry or Blasphemie or this man an Idolater or false Prophet or no but they proceeded in those things by the Law of God given to them and in difficult cases too hard they were enjoyned to goe to the Priests by way of consultation
to be informed of the true sense and meaning of Gods law and the Priests as the great Lawyers among the People practised in the meaning of Gods Law according to which judgement was to be given gave them Resolutions out of the Law and never in those cases upon consulting by Vrim as many Scriptures-show The resolution of the Priests upon enquiring of them in hard matters was to eaccording to the sentence of the Law Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11. Ier. 18. 18. the Law shall not perish from the Priest the meaning is though falsly applied against Jeremiah that the Priests keeping to the Law are the Oracles of truth and therefore Jeremiah is a false Prophet seing they who have Authoritie in the Church and understanding of the Law contradict him Mal. 2. 7. For the Priests Lip should keep knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth he Priests lips keeping knowledge and seeking the Law at hiâ— mouth not new immediate Revelations from the mouth of God are here set downe to be looked after In questions about morall things sins and duties the Priests are to give answer from the Law As for that juâ—gement of Vrim spoken of in Numb 27. 21. which was by way of Oracle the high Priest having Vrim and Thumim about him giving answers in Gods name which were of infallible truth and made a supreame determination that was for the resolution of doubtfull and difficult businesses and enterprises in matters of events and successes of things for direction and counsell from God what course to take in distresses and such and such cases as about going to warre c. for discovery and revelation of hidden and secret causes of judgements but never was upon occasion of questions of things forbidden in the Morall Law and for determination of who or what was an Idolater or Idolatry a false Prophet or prophesying falsely a Blasphemer or Blasphemy and if we consult the Scriptures where the judgement of Vrim is spoken of wâ— shall finde as much which I desire the Reader well to observe All the places I have taken notice of that speak of enquiring of God by Vrim are thâ—se following Exod. 28. 15. 30. Numb 27. 21. Josh 9. 14. Judg. 1. 1. and 20 18 and 20. 1 Sam 23. 9 10 11 12. 28. 6. 30. 7 8. 2 Sam. 21. 1. all which speak only of enquiring of God in the cases forementioned and not in the least of controversies arising upon Morall transgressions against the first Table and of what punishments shall be inflicted upon men for them unto which considering the judgement of divers learned men in their Commentaries upon most of these places of Scripture concerning the enquiring by Vrim and others in their writings going this way of enquiring in cases of of warre distresses and for publick persons enquiring not hereby for a common man but either for the King or for him on whom the affaires of the Congregation lay but not giving any one instance in matters of Idolatrie Blasphemy Prophecying falsly or any other corruption in Religion I confesse I am much confirmed that the judgement of Vrim was not appointed for that use to resolve what violations of Religion were and what were not punishable by death Now that the judgement of Vrim was of any such use to enquire of God by the Priest in points of Idolatrie Blasphemie c I see not the leastcolor for it unlesse in these places of Scripture Deut. 17. 8 9 12. which place is urged by Hagiom p. 130. the sentence of the Priest against which hee that should doe presumptuously in not hearkening to it was to be put to death was only such a sentence with the Priest did upon inquirie by Vrim and Thummim receive immediately from the mouth of God himselfe Deut. 21. 5. Deut. 19. 16 17 18. and in those examples of him that blasphemed the name of the Lord being put in ward that the mind of the Lord might be showed â—hâ—m Levit. 24. 11. 12. and of him that gathered sticks put iâ—ward till the Lord should declare what shall be done to him But for Answer in none of these places or examples is there any thing spoken of consulting by Vrim For the first place only urged by Master Goodwin to say nothing that these verses are quite another thing from that command in the beginning of the chapter about putting to death for serving other gods and worshipping the Sun and Moon there being in that case not a word tending that way which yet is the point in question of going to the Priest and enquiring of him and upon this judgement putting to death besides this command being of things of another nature as â—erse 8 showes here is no direction in this place to enquire by Vrim but the matters here spokenof being difficult councell is given to goe to the Priests skilled in the meaning of the Law and in answering of doubts arising to be informed by them of the meaning of the Law many passages in those verses show as much and whereas in the case of enquiring by Vrim in all places expressions are used of enquiring of the Lord the Lords answering and such like here still all is put upon the Priest or Iudge and upon the sentence and judgement that they shall show and they shall tell and that this place cannot be meant of the judgement of Vrim t is evident thus because that Vrim and Thummim belonged only to the Priesthood Deut 33. 8. and particularly to the high Priest Numb 27. 21. Exod. 28. 30. Now he who would have God to bee inquired of concerning some great businesse did come to the Priest and the Priest putting on the Ephod to which the breast Plate of Vrim and Thummim was fastned verse 28. stood before the Arke of God and so God gave answers which were of infallible truth of which with a more particular relation of the manner of inquiry and the way of Answer by Vrim and Thummim the Reader may see more in Ainsworth Annotat. on Exod. 28. 30. and Numb 27. 21. Diodate Annotat. on Exod. 28. 15 30. Numb 27. 21. 1 Sam 23. 6 28 6. the Annotations of our English Divines on Exod. 28. 15. 30. 1 Sam. 23. 6. Peter Martyrs common places and Weems Christian Synagogue but never was the judgement of Vrim by a Iudge and Magistrate who was a Person distinct from the Priest Now t is evident Deut. 17. 9. 12. that the Priest and the Iudge are distinct and divers persons there and the man that will not hearken unto the Iudge even that man shall die as well as hee that will not hearken unto the Priest which fully showes that what Hagiomastix writes page 46. 47. and 130. of death inflicted only upon such who would not hearken to the Priest enquiring by Vrim to be an untruth Secondly the sense and meaning of this place from vers 3. to the 13. is that inferior Courts and Assemblies in
the campe and let all that heard him lay their hands on his head and let all the Congregation stone him Thirdly the declaration of the mind of the Lord in these two examples was no Answer by Vrim for besides that there is no mention in the text of the high Priest being spoken to put on the Ephod to enquire by Vrim neither doe any Interpreters understand it so both the texts are against it in those words And the Lord spake unto Moses saying bring forth him that hath cursed And the Lord said unto Moses The man shall surely bee put to death the declaration of Gods mind being to Moses immediately whereas in the judgement of Vrim it was to the Priest immediately so that these Answers of God were the Answers of a Law-giver giving Lawes and Penalties by the hand of Moses but not any new Interpretations and declarations of the meaning of the Law upon controversies and doubts arising and besides Gods way of answering Moses and answering by Vrim were different things as the Rabbins and other learned men who write of those things show Gods answering Moses and giving him Lawes and Commandements being by voice but answering by Vrim being in an other way by beholding the Breast-Plate and seeing therein by the Vision or Inspiration as these Scriptures Exod. 25. 22. Numb 7. 89. Exod. 28. 30. with Ainsworths Annotations expresse As for the immediatenesse of these Answers from God to Moses though not by the judgement of Vrim there were speciall reasons thereof God in an immediate way communicating to Moses all his Laws morall and judiciall Exod. 25. 22. and Moses being such a Prophet whom the Lord knew face to face and such an extraordinary man in severall respects as there was none like unto him Numb 12. 6 7 8. Exod. 33. 11. Deut. 34. 10 11. But for the Magistrates and Iudges that came after Moses to whom the morall Law and the Appendix of it the judiciall Law was given and delivered they were to proceed according to the written Law and there were in hard matters higher Courts consisting of a greater number more able to go to to determine what the lower could not then the highest of all the Synedrion at Jerusalem who were in all their judgements aboue morall transgressions to goe according to the Law of Moses as many Scriptures testifie Deut. 17. 11. c But no such Grounds after the whole Law morall ceremoniall and judiciall was published of immediatenesse of Answers from God to any of their Courts no not to the high Synedrion as to Moses who was to receive all for the first constituting of their policie according unto which all Courts and Iudicatures higher and lower were bound to goe Fourthly In these great and weighty cases of the Blasphemer and Sabbath-Breaker Moses did not presently passe sentence but made delayes put them in Prison till he knew the mind of the Lord and as for other reasons before alledged so for these following 1 to teach Iudges in matters of great weight of life and death not to be too sudden and hastie 2 in causes that are very hard to aske councell and to use all means to be well satisfied before they doe any thing In Ainsworths Annotations upon Numb 15. 34. the Reader may find the Chaldee paraphrazing thus This judgement was one of the foure judgements that came before Moses the Prophet which he judged according to the word of God Some of them were judgements of lesser moment and some of them judgements of life and death In the judgements of lesser moment of pecuniary matters Moses was readie but in judgements of life and death bee made delayes And both in the one and in the other Moses said I have not heard viz what God would have done For to teach the Heads or cheife of the Synâ—drions or Assises that should rise up after him that they should bee ready to dispatch inferior causes or money matters but not hasty in matters of life and death And that they should not be ashamed to inquire in causes that are too hard for them seeing Moses who was the Master of Israel had need to say I have not heard Therefore hee imprisoned him because as yet it was not declared what sentence should passe upon him Babington in his comfort Notes on Levit. 24. writes Moses although such a man yet will doe nothing hastily in judgement and especially touching life but he will be advised by God who then spake from betwixt the Cherubims Exod. 25. and Numb 7. But it followes not because Iudges and Courts of Iustice were to learne to be cautious and carefull in matters of religion for what they punish especially with death that therefore they may punish no violations in religion though expresly and directly against the word of God unlesse God doe immediately from heaven declare them Blasphemies c and such kind of Blasphemies which the Law intends death to And for a conclusion of my Answer to this Evasion of Master Goodwin of the judgement by Vrim in the cases of Blasphemie Idolatry Prophecying falsly the cleare reason why then they were punished with death but may not be so now that being ceased under the new Testament I shall say no more but this I challeng him among al the examples recorded in Scripture of punishing men with death imprisonment or banishment c for Blasphemie Idolatrie Prophecying falsly prophaning of the Sabbath marrying Idolatrous wives and other transgressions of Gods worship to produce any one Instance that by the Iudges or by the high Sanhedrin God was enquired by Vrim whether such and such facts were Blasphemie Idolatrie c and of that kind and nature intended by the Law as punishable with death or among all Classicall Authors Rabbins and others who have written of the customes of the Iewes of Vrim and Thummim of the Sanhedrin at Ierusalem to cite me out of them any passages that affirme the Iudges or the high Councel of Seventie at Ierusalem or the high Priest for them were wont in cases of Apostasie Blasphemie c. to enquire by Vrim and to passe sentence upon persons according to that Answer and not according to the law which if he cannot doe as I am confident upon serious search he cannot then the Reader may easily see what poor shifts this great Champion of the Sectaries is put unto to uphold his damned cursed cause of Toleration of all Religions and to elude the commands of God fore-named for punishing Blasphemers Apostates Idolaters and false Prophets Now among all who have written of the high Priest and of Deut. 17. 11 12. I find only some Papists going Hagiomastixs way as Tostatus Lorinus who from all places of Scripture of the high Priest drawing matter to the Pope for establishing his Authoritie doe from this place also that they may establish his Authoritie above the Scriptures and appeals to him in cases of Controversie as the sole infallible Judge speake of the
Zerubbabel would not let the Priests that knew not their genealogies eat of the most holy things so that some Priviledges are denied for want of Vrim and Thummim in a case of Geneologie and birth after a confusion and mixture of marriages for the space of about 70. yeares being a matter of fact of what genealogie verse 62. not a matter of Law but no restraints of punishments upon Prophaners of the Sabbath those who married strange wives c for want of Vrim and Thummim And long after the losse of Vrim and Thummim we find Artaxerxes Darius the King of Niniveh and Nebuchadnezzar making Lawes for punishing men in cases of Blasphemie and other matters of the first Table and the places of Scripture relating such Edicts and Lawes speak of them by way of approbation as I have shown before in the 15. and 16. pages of this Treatise whereunto I refer the Reader and shall only adde one passage out of Calvin upon that Edict of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. 29. For this Edict Daniel celebrates and sets forth in which capitall punishment is denounced against any man that shall speake amisse of the God of Israel Truely t is no common honor that is given to a cruell Tyrant when God assignes his Prophet as the Preacher to publish the Lawes he made and puts those Lawes among his acts and numbers them among his holy Oracles What whether is Nebuchadnezzar praised by the Testimoniall of the Holy Spirit and of the Prophet for taking upon him according to his Power and Authoritie the defence of the glory of the true God that holy Magistrates should beare with the wicked prophanation of his glory and does not the Lord rather under the Person of a Prophane King showe what becomes them to doe And certainly what is more preposterous then in the bosome of the Church to foster unpunished wicked contumelies against God which was in Babylon enacted to be punished with capital punishment Fifthly this cleere Reason of Gods immediate and infallible declaring his own mind and pleasure under the old Testament even according to Hagiomastix Principles is so far from being any reason why Magistrates might then punish Blasphemers Idolaters false Prophets c but not now as that the contrary seems more reasonable for in cases of immediate and infallible Answers from Heaven God declaring who was an Idolater and what was Idolatrie c convincing men so powerfully as leaving them without all subterfugies one would think there should need the Magistrates Power a great deale lesse then in a time when there are no such immediate Answers from God nor discoveries of men from heaven For it cannot be thought but that very bad men when they certainly knew that if they prophecied falsly entised persons to Idolatrie c could not upon any Pretences whatsoever escape from being convicted but should by God himself from heaven be judged Idolaters false Prophets and thereupon bee but to death they would either wholly forbeare the outward acts or if committed any such they would confesse them repent and do no more so whereas when men know there is no such way of finding them out of God from heaven naming persons and things this is the man and this is Idolatrie Blasphemie c they would be incouraged both to doe such things and to maintaine them when they have done to bring Scripture against Scripture and Reason against Reason as knowing all immediate Answers and Discoveries to be ceased Unto which if that be added that under the old Testament God himselfe inflicted more outward bodily punishments upon persons for Idolatrie wil-worship Scisme c then hee does now under the new the judgements under the Gospel being more spirituall as many examples in the old Testament show being a more Immediate Iudge and Inflicted of bodily punishments on the Jewes as he was to them a more Immediate Legislator of which I have spoken before in page 64. of this Booke there appears lesse reason for those coercive commands being in force under the old Testament then now there being in both these respects now named without the Magistrates coercive Power greater means for awing and restraining Violators of the first Table viz. Gods immediate discovering and inflicting of punishment then in our times And for illustrating this wee may observe that in the Primitive times when there were extraordinary gifts in the Church of Miracles c and immediate Answers and Revelations by Apostles and Prophets then the Church needed not so much the helpe of the Magistrates and the civill sword God giving no Christian Magistrate all that time but the Magistrates that were in those dayes were Persecutors and enemies of the Christians but after the Planting of the Gospel and watering it and the extraordinary Gifts and Offices in the Church ceasing then God gave Kings and Princes to be nursing Fathers to defend the Church and the truth by their Laws and Power and hath continued such ever since as a great helpe to the Church as a wall to the weak Vine So when under the old Testament there was according to this Reason of Master Goodwin such immediate and infallible Answers from the Mouth of God himselfe in all difficult cases of Religion and such immediate visible judgements by the immediate hand of God upon Idolaters false Prophets especially upon Despisers of the glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God amongst them except men had been desperately and outragiously wicked and had with a high hand despised God himselfe speaking and presently striking dead in case of disobedience they could not have been obstinate Seducers to Idolatrie false Prophets Blasphemers should neither so much have needed Magistrates armed with commission from God to execute those commands of the 13. and 17. chapters of Deut. c as in these dayes we doe wherein both these are wanting according to Hagiomastixs own confession and so much for the fifth Answer Sixthly If this bee a cleer Reason why that old Testament Law for the putting of false Prophets Blasphemers c to death should not be now in force because in all difficult cases that happened about matters of Religion the Jewes to whom this Law was given had the opportunitie of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe who could and did from time to time infallibly declare what his owne mind and pleasure was in them So that except those that were to give sentence in cases of Religion had been desparately wicked and set upon bloud and had despised that glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God among them they could not do injustice because God himselfe was alwayes at hand to declare unto them what was meet to be done whereas now the best Oracles that Magistrates and Iudges have to direct them in doubtfull cases about matters of Religion are men of very fallible judgements and every way obnoxious unto error and mistake then t is as cleer a Reason why the old Testament Law for punishing Murtherers and other
Malefactors for offences against the second Table should not bee in force now and whatever is said by Hagiomastix in this reason against all bodily and civill punishment for transgressions of the first Table holds in all respects as strongly against the Magistrates punishing for killing stealing c and the Anabaptists Socinians and other Hereticks who wholly deny the Christian Magistrates sword or at least the use of it in point of death under the N. Testament against any transgression viz. Treason Murder adulterie c as well as Blasphemie Idolatrie may say the same for themselves and among all other Arguments brought by them against the Christian Magistrates killing or punishing Murder Theft Adulterie c they may adde this new one of Master Goodwins There is this cleere Reason why the old Testament Law for punishing of Murtherers Theeves Adulterers c should not now be in force upon any such terms as it was when and where it was given because in all difficult cases that happened about matters of the Second Table the Jewes to whom this Law was given had the opportunitie of immediate consultation with the mouth of God himselfe who could and did from time to time infallibly declare what his owne mind and pleasure was in them So that except those that were to give sentence in cases of bloud theft c had been desperately wicked and set upon bloud and had despised that glorious Ordinance of the Oracle amongst them they could not do injustice because God himselfe was alwayes at hand to declare unto them what was meet to be done and what kind of man-slayer was to be put to death and whether the person killed the man casually or wilfully c whereas now the best Oracles that Magistrates and Iudges have to direct them in doubtfull cases about matters of life estate c are men of very fallible judgements and the Lawes they are to proceede by of doubtfull Interpretation in many cases and therefore to goe about to prove that the Law for punishing Murtherers Theeves c is now or amongst us in force because it was once given unto the Jewes is as if men should prove that a man may safely and without danger walk among â—ogs Praecipices and ditches at midnight because he may well doe it at noon day I will undertake to make it good against Master Goodwin that whatsover he saith in this his cleere Reason for the Magistrates punishing in matters of Religion under the old Testament but against it now to show it was the same in matters of Iustice and Right among men then and is as strong against Magistrates coercive Power now in those things as in matters of Religion yea upon that head of difficult and doubtfull cases and danger of Magistrates erring and mistaking in judgement thereupon to give severall Reasons of the danger of Magistrates mistaking rather in difficult cases of the second then of the first Table Whoever hath but read and observed the Scriptures yea but the five Books of Moses must acknowledge there were many difficult and doubtfull cases under the old Law upon the commandements of the second Table as well as of the first and therefore superior and higher Courts divers one above another were appointed by God under the Law to which in hard matters concerning the second Table as of the first they might resort for advice and resolution Whoever doth but consider the many Questions and cases handled and written upon by the School-men Casuiâ—ls Canonists Civilians upon matters of the second Table as well as of the first together with the errrors and diversitie of Opinions that have been in the Church from the Apostles dayes down to this time upon every one of the commandements of the second Table as about Magistracie Polygamâ—e Communitie of Wives and Communitie of Goods about Christians being Magistrates the Lawfulnesse of Christians going to war about the Lawfulnesse of Lying dissimulation and aequivocation in divers cases c must confesse there are many Controversies and doubts about the Contents of the second Table That place in Deuteronomy 17. from the eigth verse to the twelfth brought by Master Goodwin for the judgement of Vrim in difficult cases about matters of Religion and so made the ground of Magistrates punishing for Religion then but not now speaks as well of hard matters in civill things betweene man and man as in the things of God There are some Divines who understand the Place wholly or Principally of hard matters and Controversies about the second Table so Luther upon the place laboring to free it from the corrupt Interpretation and sense put upon it by the Papists saith Moses doth here deale not concerningâ— the word or Doctrine or as they speake of the questions of faith which they would have referd to the Pope but of the sentence of Publick and Prophane Crimes So Aâ—â—sworth and our English Divines on the Place by blood and blood understand Murder of which the Iudges may be doubtfull and unable to find out whether it were wilfull which deserved death or unwilling for which exile into the Cities of Refuge was appointede by Plea and Plea pleading for and against in the same cause some accusing some denying as in 1 Kings 3. 16. 17. 18. by stroake and stroake may be also meant stroaks and Wounds that one man gave unto another whether of Malignitie or Casualtie and Hagiomastix in Section 107. in Answer to the Vindication of the Ordinance against Heresies which brought Deut. 17. 12. for a proofe of God making controverted points in Religion a matter of death or imprisonment carries his first and second Answers so as if that place were understood wholly or Principally of Controversies about the second Table between blood and blood between stroake and stroake Plea and Plea and if he meant not so those Answers are nothing to the Position of the Vindicator affirming that God in the old Testament gave Authority to make a controverted point in Religion for of Religion he speaks a matter of death or imprisonment But all Divines generally who write upon the place by way of exposition or who have written of the Judicatories among the Jewes and of Appeales from lower Courts to higher and of the distinction between Civill and Ecclesiasticall Courts do understand the hard matters in judgment and the matters of Controversie within the gates to bee meant of criminall matters in Civill things belonging to the second Table as sixth and eight Commandement as well as of Ecclesiasticall things the matter too hard between blood and blood between Plea and Plea is interpreted by learned Jâ—nius in his Analysis upon Deuterononie of shughter and killing and of contention in Civill causes about such things as belong to the accommodations of life as between stroak and stroak is of diseases as of the plague of Leprofie which was in an Ecclesiasticall and ceremoniall way according to the Law to be distinguished and therefore in this place the argument
that is handled is Politicall or Ecclesiasticall The Politicall is Criminall or Civill but the Ecclesiasticall is Ceremoniall So Lyra understands between blood and blood when one part of the Judges say that this shedding of blood is to be punished with death as being voluntary murder the other part sayes no it is but casuall Master Gillespie in his Aarous rod blossoming Book 1. chapt 3. showes t is agreed upon both by Jewish and Christian Expositors that this place holds forth a supreme Civill Court of Judges and that this text holds forth two sorts of causes some forenâ—icall betweene blood and blood some ceremoniall between stroak and stroake Now this Scripture speaking how that man shall die that will do presumptuously and will not hearken unto the Judge as well as he that will not hearken unto the Priest and speaking of matters of the second Table as well as of the first and the sentence of death here spoken of if immediate and infallible by Vrim extending equally to difficult cases in Civill matters as in matters of Religion or rather more there being divers particular instances in Scripture of Answers in Civill matters as of war and foretelling of some events in Civill affairs but none in matters of Religion if then the Magistrate because of his immediatenesse of consultation with God might punish in matters of Religion but not now that immediatenesse being ceased it will also follow he might then punish for bloud c because by Vrim hee might certainly know whether it was wilfull or voluntary but now he may not because t is possible and probable in doubtfull and difficult cases about mans life meum and tuum he may run into errors and mistake Sixthly this cleer Reason of Hagiomastixs making infallibility the ground of coercive Power and Fallibility a being subject to error and mistake the ground of the deniall of such a power is a fundamentall falsity and a grand mistake overthrowing equally all spirituall censures and punishments in cases of false Doctrines and Hereticks and all bodily outward punishments in Criminall Civill matters and so at once making void all the Civill Power of the Magistrate and all the Ecclesiasticall power of the Church For the Magistrate is not infallible absolutely free from all possibility of error and mistake in his judgement in matters of the second Table many Magistrates in those matters have and doe daily grosly mistake many innocent persons have suffered and doe daily and many guilty persons have and doe escape who does not see in Civill matters what mistakes there are and may bee both in point of law and matter of fact how Lawyers and Iudges are divided in their Opinions what controversies and difficulties arise upon cases what doubts and Scruples grow upon witnesses testifying quite contrary and other circumstances so that what Iudge can say hee is infallible and certaine that hee is not mistaken that hee saw such a fact committed that the accusers and witnesses have deposed nothing but truth I could Instance in a hundred particulars both in regard of the Law-Makers the Lawes the Jewry Witnesses the accused partie the Iudges themselves c wherein Magistrates are as fallible and as obnoxious unto error in matters of the second Table as in the first yea and in divers respects more but I must refer this to the second part of this subject where the Grounds for Toleration particularly that of no man being infallible in our dayes is to be answered Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. showes us there are difficultcases and Controversies in matters of the second Table between blood and blood c and that among the Iudges themselves so that higher Courts are appointed to go unto and the highest of all the Councell of Seventie at Jerusalem Who sees not in Kingdomes about their Lawes and Civill Rights as high and great Controversies and Contestations as in matters of Religion each partie having great Lawyers and able men on their side So the Church with the best Councels and Synods are not infallible but may mistake and erre and in in some things have mistaken as many learned Protestants have shown against the Papists upon that question whether the Church may erre And therefore by this cleer reason of Master Goodwin it should not be only unlawfull for the Magistrates to punish for Idolatrie Blasphemie Heresie Scisme but for Murder Theft Polygamie Adulterie c yea as unlawfull for the Church to admonish and excommunicate for Idolatrie Heresie Blasphemie c as for the Magistrates to punish corporally But now M. S. Hagiomastix Ancient Bounds or Liberty of Conscieuce stated with divers of our Sectaries who write of this question yeeld the Magistrates power in matters of the second Table answering that of Rom. 13. 4. to be understood in things concerning the second Table and the Churches power in censuring for Heresies evading that of Revel 2. 20. to be meant of Ministers not Magistrates and of spirituall censures not Civill who yet are alike fallible and subject to error and mistake the Magistrates in Civill judgements and Ministers in spirituall as they are in punishing corporally in matters of Idolatrie Heresie and indeed considering the state of the question of Magistrates coercive Power in matters of Religion as I have laid it downe in the Prolegomena and so is to be understood viz. that the Magistrate is to doe it upon advice and after advice in all difficult doubtfull cases with the ablest Godliest Ministers in the Church by the advice of Synods with Solemne Prayers after meant of instruction and conviction used to the parties which means and helps being not in Civill causes nor in the censures of particular Churches are more liable to error and mistake then Magistrates So that if Magistrates and Churches may punish the one corporally in matters of the second Table the other spiritually in cases of both as is confessed by our grand Patrons of Toleration notwithstanding their fallibilitie and possibilitie of mistake then in difficult doubtfull cases Magistrates may punish in matters of the first Table notwithstanding they are men of very fallible judgements or in case the want of the Magistrates infallibilitie puts a supersedeas to his coercive Power in matters of Religion the same want deprives him of Power in Civill things and Ministers in Ecclesiastical because of their Possibilitie of erring in both By all which the Reader may see t is a very rotten foundation both to build upon or to take away the Power of censuring evill and erroneous persons upon the infallibilitie or fallibilitie of those who have Authoritie from God no certainly this Power and dutie of those who are in place both in Church and State are founded on the Ordinance and Institution of God in appointing such Offices and in the nature of the Crimes and offences and on the ends of vindicating Gods Glory and Name and preserving others from being ruined c but never on that that the persons who should
Apostles and Prophets in those Primitive times were infallible and immediately inspired of whose immediate infallibilitie how farre and in what way whether only in penning the holy Scriptures or how else whether ex hubituali asseâ—â—entia Spiritus or only de particulere assistantia Spiritus I shall speake at large in the second part of my Anti-Toleration in answering that Objection we have now no externall infallible Iudge yet all those they wâ—â—t unto in their Epistles every particular beleever man and woman were not neither are infallible not the Elect Lady and her children not all the beleeving Romans nor all those Christians to whom the Epistle generall of Iohn and Iude were written nor those Angels of the Churches of Pergamus and Thyatira nor Christians in our times to whom those commands and Rules are written and given by the Apostles as well as those who then lived for the Epistles did not concerne the times and the particular Churches and persons only to whom they were written as some wickedly affirme and yet these are commanded to stand fast in the Faith to avoid those who cause divisions contrary to the Doctrine which they have learned to prove al things are reproved found fault with by the Spirit of God for not censuring of Heresie false Doctrine c. which fully proves true Doctrine may be known from false false Teachers may be discovered and censured by persons not infallible and so the judging of what is Heresie Scism and who is a Heretick or a Scismatick and the punishing or not punishing of them depends not upon infallibilitie or fallibilitie of Spirit infallibilitie is not the ground of censure nor fallibilitie of non censure Thirdly The Apostles who were infallibly and immediately inspired yet in cases of Controversie arising in the Church and in censures and determinations thereupon did not act from infallibility and immediatenes of Answers from God but from Scripture grounds by way of reasoning and disputation deduced and in a Synodical way by the joint common resolution of Elders as well as themselves as is evident by Acts 15. Acts 21. 18 19 20 21. In that dissention that Paul and Barnabas had with certainemen that came downe from Judea about circumcision Paul and Barnabas were able to have determined it without their and others going up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and Elders Paul by his Apostolicall infallible Spirit could have determined as in Gal. 5. 2. Behold I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing but the whole businesse is debated decreed and the decrees sent forth by Synodicall Authoritie determined according to the word of God and not by extraordinary immediate infallible inspiration of the Spirit the proofe of which seing the Reader may find so fully and largely in many learned Authors I shall spare to write anything of it So upon Pauls comming to Hierusalem Acts 21. and the offence that many thousands of the Iewes which beleeved and were zealous of the Law took at him Paul went not upon his own infallibilitie of Spirit or immediate Revelation but upon the joint councell and direction of Iames and all the Elders verse 18. 20 21 23 24 25 26. Now if the Apostles in judging of false Doctrine and Scisme censuring the Authors of these and imposing upon the Churches their Decrees to be kept all which are spoken of in Aâ—ts 15. proceeded not in the way of infallible immediate Revelation from God laid it aside as it were but in an ordinary way by Scripture reason experience upon and after much debate as is apparent from verse 6. to verse 30. then t is evident that immediatnesse of Revelation with infallibilitie of Spirit is not the sole judge of Heresies and Errors and the only just reason of inflicting punishments upon Hereticks and Scismaticks Seventhly besides the other false Suppositions laid down by Hagiomastix in his 36. Sect. as the enquiring by Vrim and Thummim in cases of Idolatrie Blasphemie as that Inallibilitie is the ground of coercive power c this also is false that he supposeth under the new Testament there is no Infallibilitie nor certaintie to be had in difficult doubtfull matters of Religion but that in those things we walk at midnight in comparison of those under the old Law who walked at noon day which assertion of the uncertaintie and darkenesse of the Church in points of Religion under the new Testament compared with the old is contrary to these grounds First to many prophecies of the state of the Church after Christs comming which speak that then the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea and the light of the Moon shall bee as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sun shall be seven sold as the light of seven dayes and unto the manner of the Administration of the Covenant of Grace under the new Testament which however for substance was but one and the same under the Law and the Gospel yet for manner of Dispensation and Application differed and is various as many Divines show and one of the main differences between them in manner of Administration stands in this that the Covenant of Grace under the new differs from the old in Cleernesse and Evidence in that the Doctrine of grace and salvation by Christ and of faith in him together with the Appendixes is more distinct and expresse then before it was not being now under a vaile but beheld with open face 2 Cor. 3. 12 13 17 18. Secondly then the Church of Christ under the new Testament should be in a far worse condition then the Iewes were under the old for whereas they were sure and certaine in their Religion and had an infallible way of being resolved in all doubts Christians now should be in continuall doubts and uncertainties in matters of faith not knowing what to doe or whether to turne themselves which must needs be a most miserable condition and the Iewes case in the time before Christs comming in the flesh was to be much preferred before ours for the burden of being under the Pedagogy of the Law with a certaintie and infallibilitie of knowing what to hold and beleeve is a light burden in comparison of being freed from the Ceremoniall Law and in the meane time to be without all certaintie and assurance in points of faith and worship Who would not chuse rather to undergoe some burden with an infallibilitie and certaintie of Religion then to enjoy a Libertie from a Yoake with an uncertaintie and continuall feares Is not the bondage of feare worse then a bondage of ceremonies and many outward Legal observations If the deliverance of us from the Pedagogie of the Law hath brought us into this condition out burden is greater in this thing then any that the Law laid upon the Iewes Hath Christ delivered us from one burden to lay a greater upon us Have wee
not cause to say Lord let any burthen of the Ceremoniall Law be laid upon our necks rather then this Thirdly unto the end of Christian Religion and the knowledge of it as it is written in the Scriptures particularly of the new Testament which is that Christians may have consolation and hope in life and death Rom. 15. 4. 1 Epist John 1. 4. Now there can be no solid comfort without certaintie and assurance of the truth of the thing in it felse at least which wee professe but in doubts fears uncertainties the soule must needs be in perplexities anxieties as upon the rack Feare hath torment 1 Iohn 4. 18. But Secondly the infallibilitie and certaintie under the old Testament by Vrim and Thummim of the Priest so much spoken of and magnified by Hagiomastix above that under the new was as much liable to questioning and doubts by cavilling and contentious Spirits as the way under the new and many exceptions might be made and Controversies to arise whether those who were to give sentence in cases of Religion upon the Answer by Vrim did according as they received it from God or according to their own corrupt affection and interest which considering what many of the Priests were under the old Testament corrupt and partiall and the silent manner of Gods Answer by Vrim might give occasion of questioning yea Hagiomastix himselfe supposes and implies in some cases a possibilitie of a wrong Answer and doing injustice after consultation with the glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God as these words show So that except those that were to give sentence in cases of Religion had been desperately wicked end set upon bloud and had despised the glorious Ordinance of the Oracle of God amongst them they could not doe injustice Now t is evident there were high Priests among them and such who had power of sentence in cases of Religion that were desperately wicked who either might passe sentence without enquiring by Vrim or else not goe according to Gods Answer by Vrim but according to the lusts of their owne hearts Whosoever does but consider these examples following recorded in Scripture both of the Priests and other men going flat contrary to the mind of God and immediate Answers from him will not wonder but be satisfied The Priests in Ieremiahs time were desperately wicked and set upon bloud even upon having Ieremiahs bloud pronouncing sentence upon him This man is worthy to die and Thou shalt surely die Jerem. 26. 8 11. and there were many complaints by Ieremiah Ezekiel and other Prophets of the Priests and cheife Priests being out of the way through strong drink erring in vision and stumbling in judgement saying to a stock Thou art my Father and to a stone Thou hast brought me forth c offering violence to the Law and Prophaning of holy things putting no difference between the holy and prophane hiding there eyes from the Sabbaths the chiefe of the Priests transgressing very much and polluting the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Ierusalem Esay 28. 7. Ierem. 2. 27. Ezek. 22. 26. 2 Chron. 36. 14. Now if the Priests would doe all this when they degenerated offer violence to the Law say to a stock thou art my Father pollute the house of the Lord and much more that is recorded in the Scripture of them then there is no question to be made but they might pervert the sentence by Vrim and give an Answer quite contrary to what they received immediately and infallibly from God therby condemning the innocent and clearing the guiltie making that prophecying falsly as in Ieremiahs case which was Prophecying truly making that Blasphemie which was none Yea they are particularly taxed for erring in vision and stumbling in judgement which words probably may be meant of their judgement by Vrim the Priests Answers in that way being cald the judgement of Vrim and judgement in divers places of Scripture as Numb 27. 21. Exod. 28. 15 29 30. So that for all Hagiomastixs cleer reason if the Priests were corrupt and partiall under the Law as some good Priests in some particular cases might be and were as Aaron in the golden calse Eli in the matter of his sonnes Hophni Phinehas and wicked ones would certainly be the Iews might be in danger in matters of Religion to be punished unjustly then in those dayes notwithstanding their Priests had immediate and infallible Answers from God as well as Christians now under the new Testament besides if we consider what the way of Answering by Vrim was and that as distinguished by Rabbins and other Divines from some other wayes of Gods Answers not by a loud voice that all who came to enquire might heare the Answer as well as the Priest but in a silent way and manner revealed only to the Priest either by inspiration or by looking into his breast-Plate upon the darknesse or brightnesse of his Iewels by which he knew or by some letters in the breast-Plate in which he read the will of God and so by the Priest communicated to the Iudges and standers by but if the Priests would pretend other Answers from God then he gave how should the Iewes disprove them and what more certaintie had those who in difficult doubtfull cases came to the high Priest to enquire by Vrim seing they received the Answers not from God immediately but from the high Priest and the Priest might possibly deceive them in cases falling out about their own children or neer bloud showing partialitie and affection then may be had by us now in these times nay going according to Master Goodwins Principles that the sentence of the high Priest was by Vrim and not by the Law the judgement of Vrim from the Priest was the supreme and last Iudge in case the Priests would be false as in some particular cases they might the Iewes were in a more uncertaine and worse condition then if to be judged by the Law or wee in these dayes who if our Magistrates and Iudges should degenerate might appeale to the Scriptures and urge them to them whereby to convince them but so could not the Iewes according to Hagiomastixs Doctrine the Priest by Vrim being appealed to in cases where they suppose the Law could not helpe and lastly if wee consider how Prophets under the old Testament who were as immediately and infallibly inspired as the high Priest by Vrim yet in all their Answers and Dictates were not without all possibilitie of mistake as is evident by Nathans Answer to David 2 Sam. 7. 4 5. c nor without all danger of deceiving those they spake to as is to be seen in that example of the old Prophet in Bethel 1 Kings 13. 11 17 18 21. and divers other places of Scripture speaking of Prophets wee may easily conceive how Magistrates and Iudges then might be liable to error as well as now especially if they tooke all the Priests and Prophets said without comparing and examining
Lord is sure Luke 1. 3. 4. that Gospel was written that Theophilus might know the certaintie of those things wherein he had been instructed Colos 2. 2. there is a full assurance of understanding to know the misterie of God and of the Father and of Christ the Scriptures are cald the Oracles of God Acts 7. 38. Rom. 3. 2. 1 Pet. 4. 11 as well as the judgement by Vrim to show they are infallible and certaine Master Goodwin in his Anapologesiates page 103. saith of some Doctrines that he holds For my part I have the grounds of God I mean the Scripture I would fain know of Hagiomastix what made the Answer by Vrim to be infallible and to be beleeved and rested in by those who came to enquire but that God who was true and infallible said so and revealed it and is there not the same in the Doctrines contained in the Scriptures hath not God who is truth and infallible revealed and declared them in Scriptures and thereupon propounded them to be beleeved The Doctrines of faith must be laid downe certainly and infallibly in Scriptures both from the nature of faith which in respect of the matter to be beleeved must have certaine infallible and undoubted truth and not that which is false or doubtfull and from the formall reason and ground of beleeving which is the Authoritie of God who is true and infallible revealing his mind not the Testimonie of the Church as also from the end and use of the Scriptures to be the Canon and Rule of faith Now the Canon of a thing especially the supreme cheif by which all other are to be tried and judged of had need be certain and known and not doubtful and unknown Learned Rivet and other Protestant Divines writing of that question against the Papists of the Scriptures being the Canon and Rule of faith speak thus the Canon and Rule of faith must be certaine and known The best Protestant Divines writing against the Papists of the Canon of the Srcipture show that is one principall requisite to make a Canon and Rule that it should be certaine and infallible the Metaphor it selfe from whence the name is borrowed viz. not from any private measure but the publick and allowed according to which by the Law all other are to be measured demonstrates the certaintie and infallibilitie of a Canon and Rule that which in it selfe is uncertaine and variable cannot be the Canon or rule of any Doctrine much lesse of faith Yea * Bellarmine himselfe disputing for the Scriptures against Enthusiasts proves the Rule of the Catholick faith must be certaine and known for if it be not knowne it cannot bee a rule and if it be not certaine neither shall it be a rule Whoever is but versed in the writings of Protestant Divines upon that head of the Scriptures against Papists on the one hand and Anabaptists on the other or who so will consult them as Whitaker Chamier Rivet Amesius Bishop Davenant Whites way to the true Church Gerardus Robertus Baronius Maccovius Willets Synopsis Spanhemius Cloppenburgius shall find the infallibilitie and certaintie of the Scriptures and of the Doctrines of faith contained in them under the new Testament abundantly cleared and made good and the cavils about the interpretations of Scripture the need of a visible infallible Iudge of every mans private Spirit being Iudge c fully answered and therefore I shall not enlarge further on it only I shall briefly adde that God in these times of the new Testament hath left this threefold way and means of infallible certainty in Doctrines of Faith and Worship First the Scriptures and more especially since the Canon hath been sealed and compleated contains and holds forth all things necessary to salvation and out of them they may be certainly and infallibly known the word of God written is an inflexible golden rule not leaden nor be bent for all matters of faith and manners and there is such a certaintie of the Doctrines of faith laid down in the Scriptures that 1. all poins of faith necessary to salvation are plainly therein set forth so that all men who have spirituall eares and eyes may understand their meaning which position besides that t is held generally by our most learned Divines against the Papists may be demonstrated by these places of Scripture and reasons as Psal 19. 7. 8. enlightning the eyes making wise the semple Psal 119 105. 2 Pet. 1. 20. compared to a candle and a light to our feet and paths to a light shining in a darke place Deut. 30. 11. the commandement is not hidden all which show the clearenes and plainnesse of the Scriptures the Scripture in evident places calleth us to search it and seeke to it as John 5. 39. Esay 8. 20 c which had been to no purpose if they could not bee understood againe the end of the Scripture is for our learning Rom. 15. 4. but now obscuritie and things not to be understood ex diametro oppose learning lastly I might produce a multitude of pregnant quotations out of the Fathers Justin Martyr Chrysostome Austin Clemens Alexandrinus Isidorus Pelusiota Gregorius c speaking of Gods fitting the Scriptures even to the capacity of Babes and Sucklins of the Scriptures being a River wherein the Lamb may walke and the Elephant may swim of being a common light that shineth to all men of being easie to be understood by the Plowman the Artificer the widow woman and him that is most unlearned but I remember I am handling the question of Toleration and not that of the Perspicuitie of the Scriptures and doe therefore conclude affirming things necessary to salvation to be so cleerly laid down in the Scriptures that no man who can understand the words need doubt of the sense 2. There is not only a certaintie and assurance to be had from the Scriptures of things more plainly laid downe therein the matters of faith absolutely necessary to salvation but from the Scriptures by comparing Scripture with Scripture considering of circumstances by just consequences and such like many hard doubtfull points in Religion which to one man alone or to weak unlearned men are very uucertaine and doubtfull yet by the helpe of many learned men in Synods and Councels going Gods way may from the Scriptures be made cleare and certaine That place of Scripture Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. showes us that hard matters and matters of Controversie too hard for a few Priests the lower Courts may by the helpâ— of the higher Courts be so certainly and clearely resolved from the sentence of the Law the written word in that time that they who will not hearken in that case deserve to die and so in the new Testament some things in Pauls Epistles hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction
learned men well setled in the faith may understand and beleeve certainly and not be led away with their error to fall from their stedfastnesse as that place in 2 Pet. 3. 16 17. implies That Controversie in Acts 15. about keeping the Law of Moses and circumcision was hard and difficult considering that time and state of the Church as appeares by many passages in that chapter and yet from the Scriptures by the means of a Synod after much disputation and debate the truth was certainly resolved on and so received by the Churches who when they heard it rejoyced in it Asts 15. 21. Secondly The Spirit of God in and by the Scriptures doth infallibly and certainly assure and perswade the heart of the truth of the Doctrines of faith t is a good saying of Luther The holy Spirit is no Sceptick neither doth it write doubts or opinions in our hearts but assertions more certaine and firme then life it selfe and all experience The illumination inward Teaching and Perswasion of the Spirit certainly assures us of the truth of the Doctrines of faith John 16. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. 1 Ioh. 2. 20 27. 1 John 5. 6. The Spirit of truth guides into all truth It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse because the Spirit is truth which Spirit as it seals and confirmes in our consciences the truth of all the Doctrines of faith and salvation so also it certainly perswades us those Books to be Canonicall from whence all those Doctrines of faith are drawn But concerning these points of the Scriptures being the infallible inflexible Rule and the Spirit of God speaking in and by the Scripture being the supreme infallible Iudge in Controversies of Religion and of the Plerophorie wrought in the minds of the faithfull concerning the Scriptures and the Doctrines of faith therein contained by the illumination and inward perswasion of the Spirit and that every mans private Spirit is not thereby made the Iudge of Controversies I referre the Reader for full satisfaction to the learned writings of Whitaker against the Papists upon that Controversie of the Scriptures De Scripturae Authoritate perspicuitate Interpretatione of Rivet in his Catholicus Orthodoxus first Tract Question 8. 17. and his Isagoge ad sacram Scripturam cap. 19. 20 21. of Davenant De Judice ac norma Fidei cap. 13. 30 32 33. and Cameron de ecclesiae constantia in retinenda veritate 291. 292. 3. Besides the certaintie and Infallibilitie by the Scriptures and the Spirit of God there is a certaintie in points of Religion even points controverted for Christian Magistrates to attaine unto by means of the Ministerie of the word in the preaching of Pastors and the Advice and resolutions of Synods and Councels for next after the absolute supreme judgement of the Scriptures and the Spirit in questions of faith God hath appointed a publick Ministeriall judgement of Pastors and Synods who have a delegated power from the supreme Iudge that what the Law hath defined in general they should according to the rule of the Law apply to particular cases Controversies and Persons Now however these Ministeriall Iudges are subject to error and mistake Synods and Councels may erre as the most earned Protestants hold against the Papists yet for all that they may certainly and infallibly judge in matters of faith yea and have A man may certainly know some things and yet not be infallible in all things A Physition is not infallible in judging of the nature of all drugs herbes c yet he may certainly know the nature of some drugs and that such a thing is ranck poison of which the Reader may find more in the Vindication of the Ordinance against Heresie Blasphemie c to which Hagiomastix answers never a word in his pretended Answer T is one thing to be subject to error posse errare and another thing actually to erre de facto errare it followes not because Ministers and Synods may erre that therefore in all particular Articles of faith propounded by them they do erre T is a knowne Axiome in the Schooles Aposse ad esse non valet consequentia And therefore Ministers and Synods in their Interpretations and Decisions going according to the word of God which is infallible judge infallibly and may be said to be infallible in their determinations in those points Hee that is directed by an infallible truth in his determinations he determines infallibly although he be a man of a fallible judgement Thus many Orthodox Councels and Synods in great Controversies and maine points of faith have determined the truth certainly and infallibly and so propounded them to the Churches to be certainly beleeved not that they thought their judgement to be infallible but that they knew the word of God according to which they judged to be infallible Doctor Davenant in his learned Tractate de judice ac norma Fidei in answering the Arguments of the Papists that General Councels cannot err and among others this that if all Generall Councels can err then it certainly followes that all Councels have admitted intolerable error answers T is one thing posse errare another thing de facto errare every particular Pastor mayerre as also every particular Councell yet therefore they doe not admit intolerable error as often as they propound to the People that which is drawn from the word of God where he further showes how a man may be said to judge infallibly that yet is fallible and for conclusion of this I desire the Reader to observe two things First that Synods and Councels however in themselves fallible and subject to erre yet being Lawfull quoad id quod requiritur intrinsecus and going according to the Scripture their results and determinations are from the holy Ghost and so infallibly and certainly true as that of Acts 15. 28. demonstrates It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us which words a Synod having like cleare evidence of Scripture may without presumption use as well as that Councell at Jerusalem did for proofe of which kind of infallibilitie besides what I have already said p. 140 141 of this Booke I shal adde the judgement of learned Whittaker upon the words Other Lawful Councels may in like manner lassert their Decrees to be the Decrees of the holy Ghost if they shall be like to this Councel and shall keep the same rule which in this Councell the Apostles did keep and follow For if they shall decree and determine nothing but from Scripture which was done in this Councell and if they shall examine all Questions by the Scriptures and shall follow the voice of the Scriptures in all their Decrees then they may assert that the holy Ghost so decreed of learned Cameron in his Tractate De Infallibilitate Ecclesiae We doe easily grant Lawfull Councels Lawfull in respect of what is inwardly required in them that is Councels truely gathered together without all fallacie and deceit
in the name of Christ cannot erre in those things which are of any great moment For we truly willingly confesse many Councels not to have erred yea wee confesse Lawfull Churches as in the sense above is explained by us that are truely gathered in the name of Christ not to erre in necessary things and of Baron in that acute and learned Reply of his to Turnebull the Iesuite wee doe not simply and absolutely condemne that which the Doctors of Paris doe teach of the infallibilitie of Councels For it may be piously and probably beleeved that Councels truely generall and Lawfull that is Lawfully gathered and proceeding to be so governed and directed by the holy Spirit that they may not erre in fundament all points I say this may be beleeved because t is certaine such Councels have never hitherto erred in Doctrines fundamentall Secondly although the Authoritie and Power of Synods and Councels is not of it selfe infallible neither appointed of God that it should be the supreme and principall Rule of our Faith and therefore cannot by it selfe and of its owne Authoritie bind the faithfull to beleeve whatever is determined in a Synod or Councell yet there is in them the supream Ecclesiastical Power of judging and determining Controversies of Faith and that appointed by God to avoid confusion and rents in the Church Hence the Authoritie of Lawfull Councels hath a speciall force and singular efficacie before many other motives of faith to beget a peswasion in the minds of men of the truth of the Doctrine agreed on in the Councell And because in our times the best Synods and Councels are rejected and flighted and every private person takes upon them a boundlesse Libertie of contradicting all Synodicall Decrees I shall therefore lay downe briefly out of divers learned Authors what preeminencie there is in Synods and Coâ—ncels towards the compounding of Controversies and doubts in Religion above what is in private Christians or single particular Ministers 1 There is an Authorite given them by God they are an Ordinance of Jesus Christ to judge of and determine Controversies of faith which no man of a sound mind affirmes of private Christians or particular Ministers Secondly they have a power of subjecting those to excommunication and other Ecclesiasticall censures who openly contradict their Decrees Thirdly they have a more peculiar assistance of the Spirit so greater then that which particular Ministers judgeing apart have Fourthly They have surer means of finding out the truth viz. The Prayers Fastings Disputations c. of the cheifest Pastors of the whole Church For as Cameron speaks In a Councell if there be present piouâ— and learned men they open things which before were shut by their mutual disquisition which cannot be so easily done of particular men apart Fifthly A better ground of knowing what is the judgement of the whole Church concerning any Question in Controversie and what the Churches have observed in such cases Sixthly A more easie way of reducing the Decrees and Determinations of the Church to practice Seventhly greater Reverence Respect and Obedience is owing to the Determinations and Decrees of Synods and Councels then of particular Persons or Churches the Authoritie of Synods in their place and degree is so to be looked upon that particular Ministers or private Christians should not lightly or easily for every probable Reason or conjecture reject their determinations Hence Cameron speaking of Councels well observes So oft as any thing is decreed by an Assembly of men who are put into Anthoritie in the Church that should be a ground that such a thing should not rashly nor without a great deale of accurate and serious observation be rejected For first of all we owe Reverence to a Synod even then when we judge it decrees false things A pious sonne of the Church doth not vainely insult over her but with a kind of Reverentiall shamefastnesse departs from her Secondly wee owe outward obedience unlesse wee doe evidently perceive the Synod to prescribe and determine false and wicked things for t is not Lawfull upon light and probable Reasons to oppose the judgement of the Pastors of the Church the certaine manifest Authoritie of God commands us to obey the decrees of the Church and when wee have only uncertaine conjectures and probable Reasons then that common rule is to be followed Hold that which is certaine leave the uncertaine And therefore they who doubt of the truth of the Decrees of a Synod or upon light and probable Reasons think their Opinion false but doe not certâ—inly know it to be such are bound by the Synodicall decrees to performe such an obedience as is agreeable to order comelinesse and peace which obedience is nothing else but the observance of Christian humilitie and modestie by which the faithfull in such cases abstaine both from a publike open profession of their Opinion and a condemning and confuting of the Synods Opinion and in the meane time by diligent searching of the Scripture do enquire out the truth and pray to God to manifest his truth to men and to discover the errors of the Synod that so they being knowne contrary Doctrine may be established in another Councel Of which seven particulars and divers others of Synods whoever would see more let them read Baron against Turnebull Tract 5. De Authorit Ecclesiae cap. 17. Camerons Praelect De Eccles Infallibilitate 292. 293. Apollon Jus Magist circ sacra first part cap. 4. 247. 248 249. Fourthly there is a greater degree of infallibilitie and certaintie in matters of faith and religion to be attained by means of the Scriptures then was by the high Priests answers by Vrim or then is to be had by miracles by one arising from the dead and comming to us then by an Apostle or an Angel from heaven yea or from a voice comming from heaven of each of which I will speake something briefly 1. There was more certaintie even under the old Testament in the word written in the Law then in the high Priests Answer which appeares thus because the Law was made by God himselfe the cheife rule and measure of the high Priests Answer and in difficult cases wherein the Iewes were commanded to come to the high Priest for resolution the last reference is made to the Law That very place Deut. 17. 9. 10 11 12. brought by Hagiomastix page 130. to prove the sentence there spoken of only such a sentence which the Priest did upon enquiry by Vrim and Thummim receive immediately or however infallibly from the mouth of God himselfe and by the Iesuits Bellarmine Lorinus Bailius c brought to prove the Pope the supreame infallible Iudge of Controversies and not the Scriptures showes cleerly whatever answers the high Priest gave in matters of judgement they are limited expresly to the word of God and that is made the supreme Iudge The Iewes were not simply to rest in the judgement of the high Priests whatever they
pronounced but as it was according to the Law There is an expresse limitation in the text in verses 10. 11. thou shalt doe according to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee In the Hebrew text t is twice written juxta os legis according to the mouth of the Law and the ordinary Glosse upon that place notes that t is not said unto them thou shalt obey unlesse they teach according to the Law these words according to the sentence of the Law doe signifie a condition not a promise as if God did promise the Priests they should never depart from the Law which our Divines observe against Bellarmine and other Papists yea Master Goodwin himselfe Sect. 107. of his Hagiomastix speaking of this place to be meant only of such a sentence which the Priest did upon enquiry by Vrim receive immediately or however infallibly from the mouth of God himselfe grants it and puts in the same Section this sentence of the high Priest under the Law and saith the command in that Scripture is with that Caution and limitation of going according to the sentence of the Law for proofe of which I shall quote his own words verbatim Thirdly nor doth God in this passage of Scripture speaking of Deut. 17. 12. expresly command without caution and limitation that even in this Controversie it selfe he that would not stand to the sentence of the Iudge or high Priest should be put to death but only then when the Priests the Levites and the Iudge should give sentence or informe them according to the sentence of the Law And for the Readers further Satisfaction of the Scope and meaning of Deut. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. to free it from Master Goodwins sense of only such a sentence which the Priest did upon enquiry by Vrim receive immediately by which he would evade all punishment from the Magistrate in matters of Religion though I have said much upon the place already I refer him to the first Tractate eight Question page 127. 128 129. of Rivets Catholious Orthodoxus 2. Then by miracles t is a saying of Chrysostome God hath left us the Scriptures more firme then any miracle where the word of God is for such a thing that thing is most true and certain the word of God standeth and ahideth for ever It is easier for heaven and earth to passe then one title of the Law to faile t is impossible for God to lie miracles accompanying Doctrines are not alwayes infallible proofes of the truth of them for false Prophets teaching false Doctrines may doe miracles and come with signs and wonders Deut. 13. 1 2 3. showes that false Prophets who say let us goe after other Gods may give signs and wonders and the signe or wonder may come to passe Matth. 7. 22 23. Christ tels us that many who prophecied in his Name plead they have cast out Devils and done many wonderfull workes were workers of iniquity upon which place * Maldonate though a Iesuite confesses those false Prophets of which Christ speakes wrought true miracles truely Prophecied truely Prophecied truely cast out Devils neither doth Christ answer them that they lied but that he knew them not although they had done such miracles and thereupon he grants there can be no necessary argument taken from true miracles to prove the truth of Doctrine So Matth. 24. 24. 2 Thes 2. 9. Revel 13. 13 14. fully set forth how false Prophets and Anti-Christ shall doe great miracles by means of which they shall deceive many In Augustines time the Donatists would alledge miracles done by them to prove the truth of their Church and Doctrine and so doe the Papists now against the Protestants making the glory of miracles a note of their Church but Augustine against the Donatists of his time and learned Protestants against the Papists upon that Question of the notes of the Church doe prove the word of God a surer note and Argument of the true Church and Faith then miracles as whoever consults the writings of * Augustine Whitaker Cameron Rivet Ames Willet Whites way to the Church and especially of learned Gerard shall find 3. The proofe of Doctrine by the Scripture is more infallible then the testimonie of one coming from the dead Luk. 16. 29 30 31. Mases and the Prophets for perswading to beleeve are preferred before one arising from the dead They who elude and wrest the Scriptures interpreting them according to their own iust if one should arise from the dead they would not believe him in what he said against their Opinions but would put off all one way or other Experience hath taught that as Maldonâ—ie observes Christ raised up Lazarus from the grave who as t is to be thought told the Scribes and Priests many things agreeable to those which Christ taught them and yet they were so farre from beleeving him that they would have killed him John 12. 9 10 So the Scribes and Pharisees after Christs resurrection from the dead beleeved him never a whit more then before 4. Then an Apostle for the Apostles notwithstanding the prerogative of infallibilitie their certaine and infallible knowledge of the Gospel by the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost being infallible in their writings to the Churches and in those Doctrines of faith they preached to those to whom they were sent were in some things at some times subject to mistakes or errors Peter that great Apostle of the circumcision after the holy Ghost was given Acts 2. erred and mistooke in accounting the Gentiles at that time common and unclean as Acts 10. 13. 14 15 18 24 compared together fully showes and in the Doctrine of Christian Libertie compelling the Gentiles to live at the Jewes and not walking uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel for which Paul withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed Gal. 2. 11 12 13 14. But the Scriptures erre not at all are all fine gold without any drosse cannot deceive be perfect and glorious the Apostles themselves in their preachings and writings appealed to the Scriptures made them the chiefe rules of their Doctrines Acts 3. 21. Acts 4. 25 26. Acts 17 2 3. Acts 26. 22 23. Acts 28. 23 24 25 26 27. Rom. 1. 2. Rom. 3. 4. with many other places to the same purpose The 〈◊〉 are commended for that when Paul the Apostle preached to them they searched the Scriptures whether those things were so John the Baptist was sent from God 1 John 6. immediately inspired by the holy Ghost as well as the Apostles and yet Christ prefers the witnesse of the Scriptures before the Testimonie of John John 5. 34 36. 39. The Testimonie of the Scriptures is greater then the record of John of which see Willets Synops first general Controvers concerning the Scriptures quest fourth 5. Then an Angel Gal. 1. 8. But though wee or an Angel from heaven c. Paul prefers the Scriptures
on this place showes that the Prophecies here spoken of are different from those in Deut. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. they being of faith but these of facts and events which are not foretold particularly from the Canon of the Scripture but only from the speciall revelation of God Ainsworth in his Annotations upon the Place showes v. 22. the Prophet there speaking of things is meant of praedictions foretelling things to come as also he reckons up severall sorts of false Prophets others then the false Prophet spoken of Deut. 13. 1 5. The false Prophet is to be strangled to death although he Prophecie in the name of the Lord and neither addeth nor diminisheth whether he Prophecieth that which he hath not heard by propheticall vision or who so hath heard the words of his fellow Prophet and saith that his word was said unto him and he prophecieth thereby hee is a false Prophet and is to be strangled to death And t is evident by Jerem. 26. 8 9 11 12 15 16. in the Priests and Prophets proceeding against Jeremiah pretending him to be a false Prophet and therefore to be put to death for saying this house shall bee like Shiloh and this City shall be desolate without an inhabitant Whereas Jeremiah still makes his defence The Lord sent me to prophecie against this house and against this City all the words that yee have heard that other false Prophets were to be put to death then those who taught men to worship other gods upon which law they would have put Jeremiah to death against whom they never so much as suggested that he caught revolt from the Lord and worshipping strange Gods Deut. 19. 16 17 18 19. gives a ground in case of private seducing to revolt upon proofe to punish with death or in case of perjurie testifying falsly upon oath against one for seducing a sinne against the first Table too to doe the like both which showes other persons for matters of Religion may be punished then the false Prophet spoken of in Deut. 13. 1â—5 viz. private Seducers to Apostasie and perjured persons of which place of Scripture let the Reader see what I have said before in this Tractate page 108. and further consult Junius in his Analytical explication of Deut. 19. where we shall find that both wayes the matter here spoken of is belonging to the first Table and Religion If the accusation be true t is enticing secretly to Apostasie if false t is matter of Religion because the oath of God is set to it especially in the cause of Apostasie and therefore the Priests in that an oath is a point of Religion are commanded to be present and to take cognizance of it And by the way least this place may be thought to favor the Priests enquiring by Vrim for the resolving of the controversie because t is said Then both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the Lord before the Priests and the Iudges I shall to what I have already answered to this place pag. 108. adde a passage out of Junius to show the contrary The parties between whom the controversie is are commanded in these words to stand befor Jehovah that is not before the Temple of the Lord but before Iudges given of the Lord before whom when men appeare they are said to stand before the Lord and whom consulting with they are said to consult the Lord Exod. 18. Dent. 1. The verse also next following showes it cannot be meant of the judgement of Vrim for the resolution of it depends upon the Iudges making diligent inquision verse 18. that is their questioning and searching into the parties and all circumstances whereas if it had been by Vrim it would have been attributed to the Priests rather then the Judges and it would have come from God without that diligent inquisition and exact enquiring of men as the words imply So Junius on the place saith But the knowledge and judgement of this thing properly belongs to the Judges and therefore to the Judges only the diligent enquiring and thorough searching out is principally commanded Lastly Zach. 13. 2 3. God by the Prophet showes that in the dayes of the Gospel prophecying falsly as distinct from Idolatrie for so t is made and also I wil cause the Prophets is to be punished bodily which text that t is both meant of the time under the Gospel and to be understood litterally of civil outward punishment by those in Power and Authoritie and not figuratively and spiritually that I may not anticipate my selfe nor create trouble to the Reader to read the same thing twice I shall by the grace of God prove in the 19. Thesis where I shall at large speak of that Scripture and take of Hagiomastix's evasions and whither I refer the Reader Now by Prophets there and those who prophecie and speak lies in the name of the Lord are not meant only Prophets whose doctrine is to go worship false gods but al sorts of false phets 1. Illiterate mechanick men who run but are not sent and that whether they preach true or false which that they are included the fift verse showes because when the false Prophets spoken of shall repent and be ashamed among the rest one is brought in saying I am no Prophet I am an Husbandman for man taught me to keep cattell from my youth 2. Prophets who take upon them in the name of the Lord as by revelation from God to foretell things to come such Prophets as are spoken of in Deut. 18. 20. Ezek. 13. 6 7. Jerem. 14. 14. 15. 3. Such who preach false Doctrines and Heresies wresting the Scriptures to maintaine them though they doe not formally teach another God and Christ neither pretend to speak by the inspiration of some deitie but only by perverting the Scriptures which is a speaking lyes in the name of the Lord Now that Heretieks and false Teachers are understood in this place of Scripture as well as Apostates besides the judgement of many learned and Orthodox Interpreters as Galvin Ariâ—s Montanus Gualther Fabritius Diodate Annotations of English Divines there are these Reasons 1. all such are meant who speak lyes in the name of the Lord and that is made formalis ratio why not live and to be thrust thorow for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord. Now false Doctrines and Heresies are speaking lyes cald lyes in many places of Scriptures 1 Tim. 4. 2. 2 Thes 2. 11. Revel 2. 2. and fables 2 Tim. 4. 4. and when men pretend God hath revealed them unto them by inspiration or urge the Scriptures to make them good this is to speake lyes in the name of the Lord hence Calvin upon this place gives this reason that t is cleere the Prophet Zacharie speaks altogether of false Teachers because of those words for thou speakest lyes in the name of the Lord. 2. The word in this text used viz. Nebüm and translated
every Precept is to be enquired after namely what he signifies pleases and displeases him for then we shall aime rightly and refer all things to their true end Now in these commands Deut. 13. from v. 1. to the 12. if we doe but wel observe the scope and end of the Law-giver viz how teaching defection from the Lord God highly displeases him we shall plainly see the Synecdoche in these commands under that turning away by those false Gods other turning away by false Gods of another sort and false worships of the true God by Images and Idols highly provoking him Of defection from God there are many dangerous and damnable wayes divers publick testimonies of it of which though one or two Principall of the times and places then may be only particularly named in the Laws yet such that are worse and other as bad must needs be meant too especially when the reason of the Law speaking of defection is delivered in a general way as t is in this instance of Deut. 13. But of this the Reader may see more in page 31. 32. of this Treatise Thirdly under the old Testament Lawes commanding Magistretes to punish false Prophets Idolaters Blasphemers are contained false Teachers and Hereticks who preach Doctrines destroying the foundation and blasphemers against the glory of Christ although they be not such false Prophets and Apostates as wholly deny God and Christ and fall to the gods of the Heathens which besides the judgement of many learned Divines as Calvin Beza Zanchius Bullinger Peter Martyr Philip Melancton Iunius Zepperus with divers others upon that question stil quotiug those texts to prove that Hereticks and false Teachers ought to be punished by the Civil Magistrate appears further thus 1. Among the Iewes a false Prophet used to signifie every false Teacher as Bergius shows and I have already shown out of Calvin Arias Monianus and others that by the false Prophets in Zacharie are meant false Teachers and that the word in the Hebrew Nebiim signifies foolish and vaine talkers that with fained words make merchandize of People as well as Prophets and some Divines show that the name of Prophet in the generall signification was taken not only for them that foresold things to come but for such who professed themselves Interpreters of the Law and word of God though falsly 2. There is a great agreement and analogie made by the Holy-Ghost between the false Prophets under the old Testament and the false Teachers and Hereticks under the new between the Heathenish Apostasie and Idoaltrie of strange Gods under the old and Christian Idolatrie the worshipping of the true God by Images Saints and the beleeving of false Doctrines destructive to the faith as these places of Scripture show 2 Pet. 1. 1. But there were false Prophets also among the people even 〈◊〉 there shall be false Teachers among you where Peter resembles them together making the false Teachers under the new such men as the false Prophets under the old hence in many places of the new Testament Hereticks and false Teachers who broached strange Doctrines in Christian religion still professing to hold Christ are cald by the name of false Prophets and Popish Teachers who hold Christ the Scriptures c cald false Prophets as Matth. 7. 15. the false Prophets there must needs be meant false Teachers who doe not deny God and Christ and not Master Goodwins false Prophets as their sheeps clothing spoken of in the text showes So Matth. 24. 11. 24. the false Prophets were such men in pretences in so much that if it were possible they would deceive the very elect So 1 John 4. 1. Christians are called upon to try Doctrines because many false Prophets are gone out into the world that is false Teachers broaching strange Doctrines and thus the Anti-Christian faction is cald the false Prophets in divers places of the Revelation of Saint Iohn hence cald dreamers Iude 8. as those in Deut. 13. 1. compared to Janues and Iambres to Balaam that false Prophet and such like 2 Tim. 3. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 15. Iude 11. and thus Rome after turned Christian but worshipping the true God after a false manner being corrupt in the faith of Christ is called by the same name and the same things affirmed of it for worshipping Divils and for Plagues as of Heathenish Babylon that worshipped false gods as many places in the Revelation of Saint Iohn show 3. Hereticks and false Teachers who yet professe to beleeve in God Creator of heaven and earth and in Iesus Christ to hold also the Scriptures the word of God may yet â—each such Doctrins that they may be justly stiled false Prophets Apostates Idolaters Blasphemers as divers of the ancient Hereticks Mevandrians Gnosticks Manichees with others and sundry of the later sort Papists the Libertines against whom Calvin writes Socinians Familists The Apostles in many places of their writings speaking of Hereticks and false Teachers in their times and Prophecying of those in after times both the Popish faction and the Sectarian speak of them as Apostates Anti-Christs false Prophets Seducers Deceivers Idolaters Blasphemers and their Doctrines and wayes as Apostafie Idolatrie Blasphemie worshipping of Devils Seducing and such like as these and many other such like places of Scripture show 2 Thes 2. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 17. 18. 1 Tim. 1. 19. 20. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Iohn 2. 18 19 22 23 26. 1 Iohn 4. 1 2 3. 2 Epist of Iohn 7. 9 10. Iude verse 4. Revel 2. 20. Revel 9. 20. Revel 13. 5 6. Revel 16. 13 14. Revel 13. 3 5. Revel 18. 4 9. Revel 19. 20. It were easie for me to show how many of the Hereticks in the three first Centuries that professed the name of Christ and therefore not cald infidels might justly be termed Apostates false Prophets Idolaters Blasphemers Junius observes upon Deuteronomy 13. that Hereticks are distinguished divers wayes Heresie is either totall as that of the Menandrians Gnosticks c or partial departing only in part from the Doctrine of faith Now I suppose totall Heresie will easily be acknowledged Apostafie but I will only instance in some Hereticks and false Teachers of the latter times Papists Socinians Antitrinitarians Anabaptistis Are not Papists grosse Idolaters in severall particulars as our Divines have unanswerably showen in their writings against them Are not Socinians also Apostates grosse Idolaters who make the Christian faith in the object of faith and worship not to bee distinguished from the faith and worship of Heathens Iewes and Mahumetans and besides one God Maker of all things worship Christ with divine worship whom yet they hold to be but a meere man out of the Apostasie Impietie and base Idolatrie of the Sociaians in what respects Apostates overthrowing all fundamentals of faith and agreeing with Iewes Turks and the old Hereticks Paultâ—ni and others by Epiphanius called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worse then Papists and their Idolatrie more evidâ—nt and
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
to punish for Murther Adulterery Theft more then for Idolatrie Blasphemie Hereâ—ie 2. Hagiomastix brings in the Church again as well as the State surely he is for a Toleration of all Heresies Blasphemies c in the Church as well as the State to have no man punished for his religion with any censure of Admonition Excommunication or Non-Communion In his M. S. he was for spiritual censures but in these 3. yeers last past the man is well improved belike to reason against any Church censure as well as State Punishment And by the way I desire the Reader to observe whatever reason in the wisedome of God there might be that nothing is set down in the Gospels of Christs charging the State with sin for not proceeding against the Sadduces c that cannot be the reason to show the unlawfulnes of Magistrates punishing Hereticks because Hagiom confesses the same of the Church that Christ charged not the Church nor the Officers with sin for not proceeding against the Sadduces and yet I suppose Hagiomastix will not openly professe t is a good Argument that no Church censures may be used against any Heretick however I am sure many of his Compeers in handling the question distinguish of a Toleration and censures granting Ecclesiastical censures though denying Civil And I am sure if Christs never charging the church nor those that bore office in her with sin for not proceeding against the Sadduces be no good argument to take away all Church censures neither is it to lay wast all Magistrates punishing in such cases 3. Christ did to the Scribes Pharisees Sadduces speak and reason against their errors yea reproved and threatned them for those errors which also is granted by Hagiomastix in doing of which he did equivalently and really presse upon them the suppressing and punishing of Heresies in persons under their power whilst he spake to men in Authoritie and denounced the judgements of God because of them He that preaches to a Prince against Idolatrie and showes the evils that will come upon a King and his Kingdome for it preaches to him to restraine Idolatrie though he doe not particularly in expresse words call upon him not to suffer any man to practice Idolatrie and therefore Christ speaking to the Scribes and Pharisees the Rulers and Elders that knew the Laws of God how Magistrates in Israel were to punish false Teachers in speaking so against false Prophets Hereticks and Sectaries as Sadduces c that was a charging them such a thing being spoken to such men to doe their duties against them which by the Law was more then if private persons and being spoken to qua such as Scribes c was a commanding them according to their places to proceed against them For t is a rule among Divines that in many things recorded in Scriptures which are delivered only in common and in general they are to be taken by every one according to their relations and places by the Magistrates according to their relation the Ministers according to theirs and the People according to their Sphere of which many instances may be given in the new Testament 4. Supposing it could be proved Christ never reproved the Jewish Church and State for suffering the Sadduces c yet it followes not Magistrates therefore should tolerate Hereticks and Sectaries and that both because Gods declaration of his mind in other parts of Scripture though not in the Gospel is a sufficient as also because there might be some particular reasons proper to the Iewish State as that Christ saw the Iewish State and Magistracie it selfe that then was to be leavened and corrupted with those errors and opinions to be either Sadduces Pharisees Scribes Herodians and such like so that to have spoken against Toleration and for punishing Sadduces c had been to have spoken to the State not to have suffered it selfe as if one should preach to the Parliament now not to tolerate but to punish themselves So was it for Christ to have urged those commands in Deut. 13. c and those examples of Iosiah Nehemiah c upon the Iewish State then 2. That in the times of Christs preaching the Civil Power of the Common-Wealth of the Jewes was much weakned if not wholly taken away from them by the Romans of which I have spoken something before page 30. and doe now adde that the Iewes had no power at all of capitall punishments then and therefore to what end should Christ charge them with those Lawes of putting false Prophets c to death for full prooâ—e of which I refer the Reader to Master Gillespies Aarons rod blossoming Book 1. chapt 3. page 29. 30 31 32 33 34 35. who learnedly proves that point both from Scripture and the Testimonies of many learned writers who have written of the Iewish Antiquities and Customes and Answers the contrary objections 3. Christ knew that Church and Common-wealth were to be certainly shortly dissolved the Christian Church to be set up and though he warned the People of those errors and wayes and denounced the judgements of God against them yet because he knew the purpose of God was to destroy the Iewish Common-wealth he might not speake for that and the other Reasons forenamed to the Magistrates as otherwise he would of which the Reader may read more in pag. 30. of this present Book And now for putting a Period to this 17. Thesis and to all the Answers given by me to those evasions brought against â—hose old Testament Lawes of Deut. 13. Deut. 17. and the rest I shall briefly adde 3 things First To cleare a little further some passages of Deut. 13. Secondly show the slightnesse and weaknesse of Hagiomast exceptions against those old Testament Laws Thirdly Show the excessive pride and folly of the man in boasting and glorying in such poor weak things as he brings against the Vindicator of the Ordinance for preventing the groth and spreading of Heresies in Sect. 34. 35 36 37 38 39 40 41. First As I shall adde two places more out of Moses Law before omitted in the beginning of the 17. Thesis to prove the Magistrates power of punishing in matters of the first Table viz Deut. 19. 16 17 18 19. and Numb 15. 30 31. the former in case of Apostaâ—ie the latter in case of blaspheming God so to all I have said of Deut. 13. I desire the Reader to observe that God having in the former chapter commanded the worshipping of the ture God and forbidden that of Idols which unquestionably is morall this 13. chap. is fitly added to it as an appendix in which God gives direction for removing the impediments opposite to his worship commanded particularly he commands the Authors of Apostasie not to be hearkned unto nor tolerated but to be punished with death and for that end that such who are obstinaâ—e and will not be amended nor regard their own salvation may be hindred at least from being an impediment to the salvation of
God and Christ his Sonne standeth in as full strength under the Gospel as ever it did under the Law For 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 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 and those monuments of former Kings left written for their instruction were not this sufficient as in truth t is to refute your evasion yet King David foreseeing in Spirit that Heathen Kings would â—and themselves and assemble together against the Lord and his Christ extendeth the same charge to the Gentiles which the Kings of Jurie received before and warned them all at once Be wise ye Kings understand yeâ— Judges of the world Serve the Lord. And so in another place of this Book the Jesuits saying these were Kings of the old Testament and they had the Law of God to guide them he answers Then since Christian Princes have the same Scriptures which they had and also the Gospel of Christ and Apostolick writings to guide them which they had not why should they not in their Kingdomes retaine the same power which yee see the Kings of Iudah â—ad and used to their immortall praise and joy Againe Christ came not to abolish or diminish the power of Kings and States but to save their souls they are no way loosers but gainers by Christs comming Christs Kingdome is not of this world it alters not the Power and Preeminence God once gave to them as Kings and Magistrates Lastly If Magistrates under the new Testament should have this power taken from them the Church of God should be in a farre worse condition and more uncomfortable then it was under the old Law the Church should lose a great helpe it sometimes enjoyned neither can that helpe the matter to say that we have now Excommunication and other spirituall weapons to supply that losse For the Church of the Jewes had excommunication and the word of God yea extraordinary Prophets many miracles answers by Vrim and Thummim in all difficult cases about religion as Hagiomastix faith which we have not and yet they had need of Magistrates coercive power in matters of religion for all that To conclude there can be no reason in the world showen or given why Magistrates under the new Testament should not have power to restraine and punish Apostaâ—ies Blasphemies c as well as under the old but many might be given why their power rather should be continued and enlarged under the new and in this wee have Master Burroughs himselfe a witnesse what a sad condition the Church of Christ would be in if we had no externall power to restraine from any kind of Blasphemie and Seducements which passage having quoted before and having spoken something on that occasion page 63. of this Treatise of Toleration I referre the Reader thither and to Master Burroughs Irenicum page 23. 24. Fourthly God is unchangeable the Covenant of life under the old and new Testament is one and the same for the essence and substance as our Divines show against the Socinians Antinomians Anabaptists and the rule of righteousnesse and holinesse is the same under the new that it was under the old and therefore God hating corruptions of Religion so as to command his Vice-gerents to punish them then and to prevent their spreading he being unchangeable and the punishing of violations of Religion and impieties being acts of holinesse and righteousnesse must needs stand firmâ— and bind Magistrates under the new Testament And if the Magistrates restraining and suppressing the dishonors of God ruine of souls by his sword be altered and changed by God in the times of the Gospel then that power of punishment was either truely Ceremonial or else judicial belonging properly to the Poliâ—ie and Paedagogie of the Jewes but it was neither First Not Ceremoniall it was no type of any thing which was to come as I have showen before page 168. 169. of this Treatise Secondly Not properly judiciall in the sense laid downe page 53. 54. of this Treatise but morall of common right used by other Nations and that both before the judicial Law was given and after of which having spoken so much in divers pages and places of this Booke I shall onely adde this viz. that Zeppâ—rus in his fourth Booke de Legibus mosaicis excellently showes these Lawes to be Appendixes of the Decalogue and in stead of a just Commentarie upon them particularly of the first commandement whereupon he handles that question of punishing false Prophets and Hereticks and showes how many Errors and Opinions be Blasphemies as Servetus Opinion against the Holy Trinitie and Opinions against the Attributes of God c which abominations whosoever denies ought to be punished capitally he overthrowes all pietie and showes himselfe to be a stranger to all Religion and faith where among other reasons brought by him why false Teachers and Hereticks should be punished by the Civil Magistrates as the expresse Lawes of God given by Moses and not antiquated he gives this No substantial sufficient reason can be brought why the Majesty of God and the Authoritie of the Church ought to be of lesse moment and waight among Christians then in times past it hath been amongst the Jewes Yea by how much God hath more clearely manifested himselfe by his Sonne then in times past by his Prophets by so much the lesse can that coldnesse and luke-warmenesse be excused if wee be carried with a lesse study of our Religion and do lesse defend it then they Fifthly It cannot upon any reasonable ground be presumed that Idolatries Heresies Blasphemies c commanded by God to be punished by the Civil Magistrate under the old Testament should by Christs comming be set at libertie and absolutely freed from punishment For 1. Besides that the old Testament prophecying of Christs comming speaks of those dayes as times of greater holinesse and strictnesse and that in reference to the commands of the first Table as these Scriptures show Isaiah 35. 8 9. there shall be a way and it shall be called the way of holinesse the uncleane shall not passe over it no Lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon that is no enemie of God hurtfull to the Church among which false Teachers are chief cald by Christ and Paul ravening Wolves and greivous Wolfes not sparing the flock Matth. 7. 15. Acts 20. 29. Zach. 13. 2 3. prophecies that in the day in which the Messiah shall come into the world he shall overthrow Idolatrie false Doctrine and whatsoever is contrary to the word of God and true Religion The Prophet comprehends all under three Heads 1. I will out off the names of the Idols out of the Land and they shall no more
be remembred T is a frequent thing in the Prophets when they prophecie of Christs Kingdome to proclaime War to Idols and Images as in Micah 2 I will cause the Prophets to passe out of the Land he denounces destruction to the Prophets which is to be understood of false Teachers 3. I wil cause the uncleane Spirit to passe out of the Land that is all the workes of the Devil the uncleane Spirit often so called by which he withdrawes men from the true worship of God Upon which words Gualther writes The Prophet having spoken in the 1. v. of a full and absolute washing by Christs bloud both from original sin and the corruption of our nature under the name of uncleannesse and all actuall sins thoughts words and deeds under the name of sinne least any from hence should conceive a hope of carnall liberty and impunity he showeth this effect of the grace of Christ is yet to proceed further that by him also shall be taken out of the way from the midst of the Church whatsoever is against the true Religion and Word of God Zach. 14 20 21. In that day shall there be upon the bridles of the horses Holinesse unto the Lord and the pots in the Lords house shall be like the bowles before the Altar c. On which verses Gualter writes the summary meaning of all to be this That in those days of the Gospel all things shall be turned to the worship of God even those things which before have beene imployed to prophane uses and against him Now then there shall not be Holinesse unto the Lord written only on the forehead of the Priests but it shall appear eminently on the bridles of the horses And Horses are particularly instanced in Horses being in a special manner serviceable for War the horse is prepared for the battel saith Solomon to show that the Warrs under the Gospell should not be prophane and wicked such as are made by ambitious and covetous persons but such by which the worship and Church of God may be defended against wicked enemies by those whom God hath appointed nursing Fathers of his Church And such Warrs in times past Constantine made against Maxentius and Licinius and Theodosius against Eugenius and Arbogastus And for those words in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the House of the Lord of Hosts he showâ—s Canaanite signifies Merchant and that the Prophet speaks of those who sell and make merchandise of holy things as the false Teachers in Peter who made merchandise of the people These are to be driven away far from the Church because they both corrupt the worship of God subvert the faith of the simple and make void the merit of Christ these Christ sets not upon only with words or with denouncing woes but with a whip made of small cords as impudent greedy dogs he câ—sts out of the Temple with publick disgrace By the Canaanite or Merchant in this place the Prophet seems to have a special relation to the abuse of merchandizing and selling which was used in the Temple Matth. 21. 12. 2. John 15. Malach. 3. 2 3 4 5 the Prophet in this chapter prophecying of Christs comming into the world least men in his comming should pâ—â—â—â—ise to themselves an earthly Kingdome and a lawlesse Libertie of doing any thing without punishment he tels them what a one Christ is and for what end he comes and what kind of persons they ought to be who desire to be be saved by him Who may abide the day of his comming for he is like a refiners fire and like fullers sope and he shall fit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver c that is as those who deal in mettals doe not cease to melt and purge their mettals til they see all the drosse taken away nor fullers leave to wash and rub the garments till all the spots and dirt be washed out So Christ doth not cease using his fire and fullers sope till we be sanctified and cleansed throughout The use of this Doctrine to us ought to be least we abuse our pretence of beleeving in Christ to a Libertie of sinning but rather we should give our selves to him to be purged that we may be made such as he would have us to be But of the scope of the Prophet in these verses and how severe Christ under the Gospell will be against transgressors of the first Table as Sorcerers false Swearers under the last of which are contained all those who abuse the name of God that they may deceive others not only those who in Civill matters and bargains falsly pretend the name of God but also such who in teaching abuse it and vent the fictions of their owne brains for divine Oracleâ— the Reader may find more in Gualther upon the place So 2. The new Testament speaks of Christs comming to destroy the workes of the Devil 1 John 38. among which false Doctrins Antichristianisme and seducing are spoken of by the Apostle in that Epistle and the foregoing chapter as cheife and Christ is brought in Revel 2. 18 20. described in a most terrible manner speaking against Toleration of Heresies Thâ—se things faith the Son of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet like fine brasse I have a few things against thee because thou suffirest that woman Iesabel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and to seduce my servants as also Christ and his Apostles in the new Testament in severall respects speak more against false Doctrines Herefies false Teachers Seducerâ— then against corrupt manners Neither can it be put off by saying that under the new Testament Christ hath brought Libertie a part whereof is the Toleration of Heresies c for the Apostle in Gal. 5. 1. where he exhorts Christians to stand fast in the Libertie wherewith Christ hath made them free expresly declares verse 13. this Libertie is not to be used for an occasion to the flesh which it must needs be if this Libertie were a Libertie of Heresies heresies being named in the same chapter a worke of the flesh verse 19. 20. Master Cartwright writing of certaine judiciall Lawes that cannot be changed as of putting to death a contemptuous Blasphemer and stubborne Idolater speaks thus of this pretended Ground of Christs comming As for that they alledge the cause of this Libertie now they are not to be put to death by reason of the comming of our Saviour Christ and his passion t is a weak one and injurious unto the comming and death of Christ for he appeared that he might destroy the workes of the Devil this makes our Saviour Christ to build againe that Kingdome of sin which he hath destroyed For when in common reason and by the manifest word of God the Lord giveth this blessing unto the punishment of such greivous offenders by death that
others not only which see but which heare of them have the bridle of fear put upon them whereby they are kept from the like that must needs follow that whosoever maketh our Saviour Christ Author of this loosenesse in punishing such offenders maketh him forthwith to loose the bridle whereby others are afraid from running into wickednesse and what is this but to make Christ a Troubler of Common-wealths Besides if Christ by his comming loosed these civil punishments and purchased this grace of his Father for Blasphemers Idolaters Hereticks that they should escape civil punishments which the Law of God adjudged them to how comes it to passe that the Apostles to whom Christ committed the publishing of all the pardon he obtained for us did never make mention of the releasing of these punishments If Christ had obtained this libertie it was worth the Preaching and therefore unlesse they can show out of the writings of the Apostles to warrant this Sanctuary which they would build to the support of Blasphemers Hereticks that followes that the Apostles have not answered the trust committed to them but in that the Apostle puts a sword in the hand of the Magistrates and in the use of it makes him a Minister of the justice of the Lord against sin he confutes this opinion 3. And Lastly we see clearly that some things that were permitted under the old Testament to the Jewes are not to Christians under the new but expresly and formally declared against by Christ as Polygamie mens putting away their wives giving bils of divorce and marrying others Mat. 5. 31 32. Mat. 19. from v. 3. to the 10. and usury Matth. 5. 42. Luke 6. 34 35. Learned Cameron in his lectures of divorce upon Matth. 19. 3. puts this question why the bill of divorce takes not place in the times of the new Testament and why does not God permit the same thing in the new which he suffred in the old unto which he answers That although there is the same reason of mans nature in the times of the old and new Testament yet there is not the same reason of grace which is much more plentifully and clearly laid open and explained in these last times then before Therefore our lives ought to be ordered in these times much more strictly and holily Those Elders under the old Testment were bound truely to follow the same holinesse of life but we much more for by how much any one hath received more then nnother by so much he owes more Chemnitius in his common places de paupertate cap. 6. de vsura showes though there were two permissions cheifly in the old Testament of Divorce and Usurie yet Christ under the new opposes to either of these permissions the perpetual rule of righteousnesse in God Matth. 5. 32. 42. also cap. 19. verse 8. Luke 6. verse 34. 35. In which place he discourses of this how God under the old Testament may be considered as a Divine and as a Legislator in some places of the old Testament laying down how we must serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse in others prescribing certaine political constitutions to that people for the externall societie of Civil life in the Jewish Common-wealth Now in those political Laws which God gave the People of Israel Holinesse and Righteousnesse of the conscience before God was not alwayes prescribed but they were fitted to the preservation of outward and civil societie in that Common-wealth according to the condition and dispositions and manners of that people to whom God himselfe gives the Epithite of a stiffe neck So the Bil of Divorce in the Common-wealth of Israel was permitted but now in the new Testament though Moses suffred it for the hardnesse of their hearts yet Christ declares against it t is not lawfull to be permitted though there were the same manners of men there being now under the Gospel more powerfull remedies of such an evil and a fuller declaration and communication of the grace of God This Distinction may not be allowed now under the new Testament of Theologus and Legislator of jus fori jus poli for all Lawes given by God in the new Testament prescribe the puritie of conscience before God and doe not look particularly to the outward preservation of the Civil societie of one Common-wealth of people peâ—uliarly And so much for the 18. Thesis THESIS 19. Besides all the old Testament proofes both of commands and approved examples before the Law and under the Law before the Captivitie of Babylon and after for the Magistrates coercive power in the matters of the first Table laid down in this Treatise together with Answers to all the evasions brought against such commands and examples as also to that of proofs out of the old Testament I desire the Reader to consider this Thesis that place of Scripture speaking of the days of the new Testament and what should be then done approves of and commends this power of the Magistrate as among other these three places of Scripture Psal 2. 10 11 12. Esay 49. 23. Zach. 13. 2 3. That the second Psalme is a Prophecie of the dayes of the Gospel after Christs comming into the world is clearely demonstrated by Act. 4. 24 25 26 27. where by Peter and John t is applyed to those times In which Psalme King David foreseeing in Spirit that Heathen Kings would hand themselves and assemble together against the Lord and his Christ extendeth the same charge to the Gentiles which the Kings of Jurie received before and warned them all at once Be wise ye Kings understand ye Judges of the world Serve the Lord and t is to be observed in that second Psalme that Kings and Judges quatomes tales are to serve the Lord and kisse the Son Upon which words Austin writes thus All men ought to serve God in one sort by common condition as men in another sort by severall gifts and offices by the which some doe this some doe that no private persons could command Idols to be punished cleane from among mert which was so long before prophecied Therfore Kings Besides their dutie to serve God common with all other men have in that they be Kings how to serve the Lord in such sort as none can doe which are not Kings For in this Kings in respect they be Kings serve the Lord as God by David warneth them if in their Kingdomes they command that which is good and prohibite that which is evill not in Civil affairs only but in matters also concerning divine Religion That Esay 49. 23. is a Prophecie to the Gentiles under the new Testament as is evident by verse 22. Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers c now they could not be cald the nurses of the Church if they had no care of Religion but those of whom this prophecie was meant and in whom fulfilled did care for Religion did care for the Faith as Constantine
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
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
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