as Wickednesses go by couples within these few Years is sprung up another detestable Abomination I mean Blasphemy a fit match for Idolatry which is now as bold and insolent as ever the other was and as Weeds usually grow faster and thicker than the good Seed so upon a sudden the Nation seems over-grown with it and no prospect of an effectual Remedy except with a sudden removing of the Props which support it and let Men in high Places look to 't as God in his due time will require it at their Hands for he hath said he will call to account those who consent with and are partakers with Sinners Psal 50.18 19 20 21. which they be if they prevent and punish them not when 't is their Duty and in their Power to do 't Woe be to those who prefer their Worldly Interest before that of Christ and who for their Houses Relations and Lands Mark 5. forsake our Saviour's Cause this is like the Gadarenes who loved their Herds of Swine more than his Presence thus once when upon Earth out of Covetousness and for a little Money he was betray'd by one who made a profession of being his Disciple out of weakness he was deny'd by another and out of fear forsaken by them all but out of what he saith we reasonably infer that whosoever loves Houses Lands Money Places Matt. 19.29 or any thing else whatsoever more than him shall suffer Loss and Punishment as he will reward those that are not ashamed of him nor of his Concerns and this last I may apply to those worthy Persons who hitherto used and still do their utmost endeavours in their several Capacities to promote the Lord's Honour enlarge his Kingdom punish and suppress Blasphemy Prophaneness Immorality and all that is contrary to Piety Vertue and Honour and to carry on a thorough Reformation in Doctrines and Manners such need not to care a Straw for the Frowns Revilings Slanders and Hatred of evil and prophane Men as long as they are sure of the Love and Favour of the Son of God which the World can neither give nor take away from them This is a sufficient Compensation and Comfort in this Life which shall be followed with plentiful and unspeakable yea incomparable Rewards in that which is to come Clogs in a Wheel stop its motion so now when God hath put us in the way and laid a foundation to go upon the necessary Work is to remove Lets and Hinderances Wolves tho' never so much in Sheep's Cloathing must never be made Shepherds when there is any poison in the Spring the safest and readiest way to prevent ill consequences and dangers is to purge and cleanse it as soon as possibly may be Places of Trust and of Influence ought to be in the Hands only of those who are able faithful fearing God and sound in the Faith 'T is a necessary part of Prudence when Officers are chosen to be in a place of Trust in any Capacity high or low to be cautious and examine whether or not such who stand be duly qualifi'd 't is a great folly for a Man to trust a Covetous Greedy Corrupt one with his Purse a Bloody Man with his Life and a Tyrannical one with his Liberty Have we not before our Eyes the Imprudence of a Man who once thought with a Protestant Army to have set up Popery Can I think that an Ungodly Blasphemer Swearer Prophane Immoral Man is a fit Person to secure and propagate our true Christian Religion and Piety and to punish and effectually suppress all that is contrary to 't Or will any Man in the World if he hath any grain of Wisdom entrust with his main Concerns an idle vicious Person who neglects his Business and doth not attend his Service Employ as much as you can Pious and good Men for such are valuable in every relation good Fathers good Children good Masters good Servants good Princes good Subjects and take this for a certain Rule he who is not true to God will prove false to Man he who for Worldly Considerations betrays his Conscience will also betray his Trust have a Man of good Principles and you 'll know where to find him let him be one who hath a Religion the true one who owns the fundamentals of true Christian Religion namely a God the Holy Trinity our Saviour's and the Holy Ghost's Divinity who is no Deist nor a prophane Scoffer who ridicules not only Pious Men but Piety it self and is a favourer of those who do I say such a one is thereby unqualified in any publick capacity to serve in a Christian well regulated State 'T is certainly a great Crime to help to throw Poison into any publick Spring which all do who favour bad Men in their unjust designs and soon or late the Country where such things happen shall smart for it and tho' God in case such Men in Places do ride cross in his way or lay as Blocks before him knows well how infallibly to remove them yet still those that for Self-ends helped them to get up have thereby contracted a Guilt and made themselves accessary to the evil by them committed David who was a good and a wise Man saith The wicked walk on every side Psal 12.8 when the vilest Men are exalted No viler Men than Blasphemers and Idolaters for such when once they are in power would frame Mischief by a Law if they could Ps 94.20 We thank God that Idolaters are by Law excluded from bearing Rule or having any Hand in the Administration of the Government would to God we might in every part say so of Blasphemers for they are the Rust and Moth that can make uneffectual all our Blessings good Men make good Times we have too many of those who pretend to be and would seem to be Christians but in truth and reality are far from it may God be pleased to open the Eyes of those that are concern'd to know and reject them Some would countenance Impiety and support Wickedness in Doctrine and Practise under the specious pretence that they are not for Persecution and so by a side-Wind as much as in them lieth cross any thing tending to punish and effectually suppress it but that Vizard can easily be pull'd off for to punish and suppress Impiety and Blasphemy is Persecution no more than 't is Injustice to punish Murthers Robberies and the like Crimes which if Men do not in his due time God will arise Psal 68.1 and his Enemies shall be scattered Now that those who prophane Religion and would overthrow our Christian Church do deserve Punishment we have the best Instance we could wish for no less than that of our Blessed Lord who himself punished the Impious Men who had prophaned Religion and the Temple with their Worldly Concerns for he cast them all out and overthrew their Tables for Merchandise Mat. 21.12 and herein he not only spake but also employed his Hands for
them This calling and Ordination was from hand to hand to pass to after Ages for the things that thou hast heard of me Acts 6.6 2 Tim. 2.2 1 Tim. 5.22 saith the same Apostle among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also and upon this account he gives him a Caution to lay hands suddenly on no man till after a due examination about the Doctrine whether sound and a competent knowledge to teach and a strict inquiry about Morals a Good Life and Conversation Moreover doth not the word positively affirm 1 Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.11 that God hath set some in the Church First Apostles Prophets Teachers c. again he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers So in the Church there is a Ministry by way of Office which no Man may take upon himself but he who is lawfully call'd to 't The Church is God's House who is the God of order therefore to prevent confusion and usurpation therein he hath appointed not only the spiritual bread and food for his Children but also the Stewards and Ministers who are to distribute it And verily verily I say unto you he that enterreth not by that Door into the Sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thief and a Robber Thus 't is visible enough how dangerous to the Church are Socinian Principles seeing they tend to ruin her Doctrine and allow every one a liberty to give God's Word what Interpretations they think fit also to set up any one for Ministers of the Gospel and thus to destroy the Order and Oeconomy which God hath setled in it whence Confusion will necessarily follow About these things and in all Disputes concerning Religion we ought to have a rule to go by and that is Scripture well explained and understood that is according to the true signification of the Words and Sense in the Original the scope of the Place and the analogy of Faith this rule must be true and certain which cannot be as long as every one is allowed to turn it to his own Sense and private Interpretation * Jonah Schlich ting in Symb. Epist ad loct p. 3. One of their Authors in his Exposition of the Creed saith that 't is most ancient and most simple and from the beginning no Man doubted but that it contained the Apostolical Doctrines But he saith not enough for that Creed must be received not only as to the words but also in the sense wherein the primitive Church took it It is very unreasonable in them to go about setting up their own private Opinions over and above and to the prejudice of the publick and universal ones 't is too much to abound in their own sense and to despise the general consent of the primitive Church as if excepting a number of Hereticks all the World had been blind and in darkness till Socinus came so before there was not nor is there now any true Church but of their own Sect they refuse to joyn with those who went before because say they they were fallible yet they would have us to joyn with them so 't is but reasonable for us to ask them to prove their infallibility it argues a great pride in them that in matters of Religion even as to the Fact which cannot be proved meerly by the light of Reason they will not in the least submit to the judgment of others who are witnesses of the times yet take upon themselves to frame a new Religion make new Articles of Faith and set up for Judges whether or not at their pleasure to receive or reject matters of Faith and the Doctrines hitherto received by the Universal Church 't is true they have been cunning enough to enlarge much the pales of their Society therein to receive more Men and of all sorts to that effect Socinus's System is compiled of a Rapsody of complicated Heresies therefore to avoid the name of Innovator he saith nullum c. †Apolog. Epist ad Martin Vadovit In my publick writings I asserted no doctrine which before my coming hither into Poland had not been owned by others in this Kingdom or elsewhere Yet his Uncle Laelius who had been his Teacher and whose Opinions he defended in the Preface of his Explication of the 1st Chap. of John's Gospel declares his Interpretation to be new the true sense whereof saith he had been mistaken by all Expositors that were before 'T is true that generally most of his Heresies were broach'd before him whereunto his Uncle and he after added some few things and thereunto gave a new form which to give a greater Authority unto he saith how * Epist ad Squarcilupum Tom. 1. p. 382. in what he had written in answer ad palaeo-logum de Magistratu he owned no other Master or Teacher but God and Scripture besides his Vncle Laelius dead long before or rather some few Writings or Annotations of his this in the same place he also extends to the universal knowledge of Divine Things And tho he owns there be still some things which he might learn yet hitherto he met with none therein able to teach him And this Man who seems to scorn to learn any thing of others hath forged and fram'd a new Body of Divinity and squeezed what he could out of his Brains that very same he publish'd and would have us to believe as Divine Truths as if to the exclusion of the whole Church he had been constituted the only true Interpreter of God's Word however this must be said that to gain more Men to himself he allowed others the same liberty he took to Interpret Scriptures as they pleased yet he insinuates how in his Interpretations are the fitter rules for them to go by and to please many Men about this they give leave to bring in commodam Interpretationem as they call it that is not the truest but most to their purpose the easiest most commodious or convenient under which cloak they wrest it to a contrary sense and in matters of Salvation Socinus is so complacent as to say that though one believeth things contrary to Scripture Tom. 1. p. 502. as to believe some things therein to be forbidden or commanded which are not he is thereby in no danger of being deprived of Salvation or excluded from Heaven Yet Men should know how the Gospel and Christian Religion is a Depositum a thing given in trust whereof the Ministers are the keepers for saith the Apostle to his Disciple 1 Tim. 6.20 O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust 't is then a thing delivered to not invented by thee not thine own but Christ's 't is not of thy contrivance but like a Steward thou hast received it and must dispose of it not according to thine own fancy but according to the rule prescribed thee without any alteration But as their Principles
by the Word John 5.7 the Son must be Understood for Father and Son are relatives and as the Father is a Person so must the Son so must the Holy Ghost yet they deny the most Holy Trinity asserted in Scriptures and confirm'd to have been the belief of the Whole Primitive Church as contained in the Apostolical Nicene and Athanasian Creeds and in the Constantinopolitan wherein the others were Comprehended and owned in the Confession of Faith of all Christian Churches in the World which was and is still made the first Article of Faith of One God in Three Persons yet against these great Lights they impiously say * Catech. Racov. Sententiam eorum c. the Opinion of these who do Attribute Divine Nature unto Christ is contrary not only to sound Reason but also to the Word of God and they do grosly err who affirm that not only the Father but also the Son and the Holy Ghost are Persons in one Godhead and †Vorstius one saith the Arguments by the Ancient Fathers and Modern Divines made use of for the Eternal Generation of Christ are either Fallacious or Frivolous and * Smalcius ad nov monst part 2. c. 22. p. 198. another calls them Ratiunculae Nugatoriae Trifling words the same in another place affirms that †Exam. 100. Errâ—r Er. 26. Christ before his Resurrection was not perfectly Christ or Son of God or God And elsewhere that Christ's Divinity consists in his sitting at the Right Hand of the Father Sessio Christi ad dextram Dei est Christi divinitas I begin to tremble when I think of what I am just now entring upon but 't is fit they should be known in their own Colours Here with Horror read how Blasphemonsly those Hellish and Abominable Monsters as are Servetus Dudithius Socinus himself and several others of those wicked Men so much admir'd by Vnitarians writ of the most Holy and most Blessed Trinity they call it Monstrum Tricipitem Cerberum Tricorporem Gerionem Deum fictitium ac Sophisticum Idolum novum Fabulosam Chymeram humanum Commentum Diabolicam Idaeam Babelis Turrim of many more I shall add the following which makes the Pen drop out of my Hand The most adorable Trinity is call'd Blasphemum dogma ex imô orcô per Filium perditionis virtute Satanae gentium Ecclesiis obtrusum I am at a stand whether or not to put this in English which though it makes my Heart ake and defiles my Pen yet to the end every one which understands no Latin may abhor such transcendent Blasphemies I say The most Holy Trinity they call a Monster a three Headed Cerberus a Geryon with three Bodies a Forged and Sophistical God a new Idol a Fabulous Chymera a Human Invention a Devilish Idea a Tower of Babel a Blaspemous Doctrine by the Son of Perdition and power of Satan drawn out of the very bottom of Hell and obtruded upon the Church of the Gentiles After this Socinians must not find it strange if I who through God's Grace am a Christian do abhor and detest those Principles which do overthrow the Christian Religion to set up a new one of their own and if I cannot be much in Charity with those who are for such Impieties and Blasphemies Tho' what I have already said be too much yet to shew how they break all Rules and do more and more sink into the Mire and if not worse yet are as bad as the Devil himself for Non audet Stygius Pluio tentare quod audet Effraenis Socinus there they will not stop for he must run fast whom the Devil drives I shall upon the matter add one thing or two more out of their Hellish Writings one of them writing against one of his Adversaries takes an occasion to fall upon Austin * Dudiâ—h Epist ad Bezam in Socin Oper. Tom. 1. p. 525. Tuum tibi Augustinum c. I shall speak to thee of thy Austin For having said many things quite contrary to the Gospel he also hath Publish'd this Eostatical Fancy of three Gods they the first drunk of this Wine afterwards they made others drunken with it so to them is happen'd what usually befals Men who when their sight is troubl'd instead of one they see three or more The same in another place saith †Epist ad Petrum Carol p. 538. Tricipitem Ter geminum c. The Apostles never knew this three Headed and threefold God nor the whole Orthodox Church this is impudently to tell this lye who can without Indignation read such things Do such Miscreants deserve to breath God's Air What that Man saith * Socin Animadv 10. in assert Theol. Coll. posnan Socinus Subscribes to when he saith Deum quidem c. The whole Vniversal Church owns that there is one God but that it doth reverence Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity no Church of God may by any means own seeing 't is altogether a Humane Invention which Divine Truth doth every way speak against After this ever since our Saviour's days the Church hath been in Ignorance and Darkness nay in a great and damnable Error about these Fundamentals of our Religion but this is not all For as to our Blessed Saviour's Incarnation or the Son of God being made Flesh they impiously Ridicule and Revile it * Ostorod Instit c. 17. p. 96. One calls it Purum c. A meer Porgery of Superstitious Men. Then the Evangelists and Apostles by whose means the Holy Ghost convey'd those Divine Truths to us were Forgers of Lyes thus they set Hand and Seal to what said that Impious Pope Leon X. the Fable about Jesus Christ hath procur'd the Church great Riches Another calls that high and adorable Mystery †Smalc Refut Graveri de Incarnâ—t Dogma c. A most Monstrous Doctrine unworthy to be receiv'd by the Christian Church And the same in a direct opposition to what St. John saith The Word was made Flesh hath this * Exam. 100 Err. Err. 49. Verbum non est Caro factum the Word was not made Flesh and to say the contrary is an Error and that vile Man thinks he can say any thing against Christ and in opposition to Scripture for in the same Book he adds Christus c. Christ from his Birth was not full of Grace and Truth Again Christ at his Death ceased to be Son of God Error 50. and therein he calls it a Fable Tanta est Fabula c. So great is this Fable of the Vnion of two Natures also a Dream of old Women Somnium anile many more such Impieties I could quote but it makes my Heart sick and amaz'd thereat strikes me with Horror and makes the Pen drop out of my Hand About the Holy Ghost they hold three Fundamental Errors First They deny him to be God though in several places Scripture simply and absolutly calls him so Acts. 5.3 4. Peter said to Ananias
are dangerous to the Church so they are to the State for they would not allow the Magistrate either in the legislative or executive part of the Government in matters of Religion to punish any though never so great offenders yet by the Laws of God Blasphemy and Idolatry were punished with Death and as they agree with the Donatists against the Magistrates punishing for Heresy and for leaving every one to enjoy his own Opinions so for all their fair pretences they are with them for a liberty in practices and against compelling any Man to a Godly Life which is an inlet to all manner of Immorality as the other is a gap to every Heresy In relation to the Magistrate Socinians do joyn in most of their wrong Notions about it and though they do not positively and absolutely say the Christian Magistrate to be incapable of bearing the Sword yet they say as good for they would not have him to draw it out of the Scabbard meaning against them tho' for never so just and necessary a cause especially about matters of Religion which they wholly exclude from his Jurisdiction yet as the Anabaptists did at Munster so there is sufficient ground to believe that if the Socinians could snatch the Power out of the hand of the Christian Magistrates that are against them and lodge it in their own no question but they would use their utmost endeavours there to keep it and like the Circumcellions a sort of Donatists in Africa destroy all that are not of their Religion In few words these are the right Notions we must have of the Magistrate first that God is the Author thereof whom he constitutes as his Vice-gerent upon Earth thus he gave his People Captains Judges and Kings who are all by his own appointment for saith the Apostle the Powers that be are ordained of God Secondly Rom. 13.1 Psal 82.6 Christians may be Magistrates because it being an Ordinance of God 't is good therefore Princes who are Head-Magistrates are called Children of the most High Which is to be understood as of Monarchys so of Aristocracies and Democracies according to the several forms of Government in different Countries Thirdly Though the Authority of Magistracy may sometimes happen to be wrongly used when it answers not God's end in the institution yet God made it for a good end for the preservation of peace order and honesty in humane Society therefore the Apostle exhorteth that Prayers be made for Kings 1 Tim. 2.1 2. and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty And Fourthly the Magistrate's Office is extended over matters of Religion and by his place he is bound to take care that his Subjects do profess the true Religion according to the Word of God and do what he can to promote his Glory and their Spiritual Good in the ways conducing to it as also to discourage discountenance punish and suppress all that is contrary thereunto whether in Doctrine or Practice Rom. 13.4 the reasons are these first because he is the Minister of God for good Now 't is God's Ministers duty every way to promote his Glory which is never better done than when a due care is taken of true Religion secondly the Magistrate like a Father is bound to bring up his Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Thirdly he is the keeper of both Tables of God's Law so that he ought to punish the breakers of the first as are Idolaters Cursers Blasphemers as well as those of the second as Murtherers Adulterers c. Moses was chief Magistrate over the Children of Israel and into his hands God put them thereby to him Committing the execution thereof according to this the pious Magistrates and Kings under the old Testament as Joshuah Samuel David Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and Josiah took care of true Religion and of God's Worship but if they would not mind those things then they would bear the Sword in vain Rom. 13.4 contrary to Scripture which saith he is a Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil But to corrupt the true Doctrines of Religion is certainly to do Evil directly against God which is worse than against Men and this was the practice of the Constantines Theodosius and other good Christian Emperours against the Manichaeans Priscillianists c. besides we read in plain terms that the Magistrates ought to punish crimes Job saith it first in the case of Adultery Job 31.11 v. 28. this is an hainous crime yea it is an iniquity to be punish'd by the Judges Then upon the account of Idolatry this also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judges so we may say Blasphemy no less Sin than is Idolatry but greater than Adultery is an iniquity to be punished by the Judges Acts 13.20 Ex Stegman p. 42.43 ob id ipsum c. Now no Man may deny that Princes and Chief Magistrates are contain'd under the name of Judges seeing for the space of about 450 years God govern'd his People by several Persons call'd by that name Against this Socinians say that upon no account any violent means should be used in matters of Religion for saith one of them peremptorily no Judge is permitted to use them in religious matters but not to look back this Doctrine is every day maintain'd in Print in those Pamphlets at any time to be seen in Westminster-Hall P. 32. and in every Bookseller's Shop Among others in Mr. Toland's Letter to a Member of the House of Commons in Ireland he declares he is a perfect stranger to any such Power claim'd by that Honourable Body And another in a Pamplet lately publish'd upon the matter hath these words * The grounds and occasions of the Controversy concerning the Vnity of God p 48. God reserves the execution of vengeance to himself and therefore allows the Civil-Magistrate no-Coercive Power farther than to preserve the publick Peace this comes close upon the Parliament which thereby they would exclude from meddling with things of Religion Men may know what they would be at by their petulant carriage towards some of the Honourable Members when according to their Judgment and Conscience they have spoken their Mind in the House as it will appear by a Letter which I think fit here to insert and which was made publick before 't is thus Honoured SIR KNowing you to be a Person of Morals and one that loves not Superstition nor Arbitrary Power Dated Lumbard-street Jan. 11 1698. and directed for J.A. Esq to be left at the Lobby of the House of Commons Receiv'd from the Door-Keeper of the House Jan. 11. and opened afore us C.S. C.T. although your Voting in the House and Arguing out of the House for a Standing Army in Coffee-Houses which indeed was for Chains for your self and Friends and the evil Character you give and some Reflections you have made on the Worthy
the old ones After what I hitherto observed of them and of their Principles these following things I offer to the Serious consideration of the Reader but more especially to that of the Government and Magistracy which are more immediatly concern'd First That our Controversies against Socinians are not about indifferent things or few Ceremonies but concerning the most Fundamental Truths of our Holy Religion for the Doctrines of the Trinity of two Natures in Christ of his Satisfaction of the Grace and Providence of God are not Problematical nor meerly School disputes but of the necessity of Christian Faith I also affirm that Socinians are Christians only in Name not really and in Truth for they own not Christ for what he is and if the * Athan. orat 3.4 cont Arian Ancient Doctors of the Church reckoned the Arians among the Gentiles so we now may account Socinians to be Constantine the Great made an Edict forbidding the Porphyrians to be call'd Christians and that all their Books should be Burnt so this were the proper Course to suppress those of Socinians but instead of that they are suffered not only daily to Print new ones but also to Reprint old ones and thus not only here at home but also to have them from abroad Socinians do not truly confess Christ seeing they deny he hath Divine Nature and make of him but a secondary God an Idol and a Creature God then which nothing more absurd I farther say they ought not to be suffered to have Communion with the Church because they do not together with us know own and Worship the true God who is Father Son and Holy Ghost but they pretend to Worship one first God the Father and another inferiour God made such that is the Son moreover they lay another foundation than that is laid 1 Cor. 3.11 for instead of Christ who is a Divine Person with two Natures they set up another Person who is a meer Man seeing than they lay another Foundation deny Christ Son of God to be come in the Flesh and do not adore him with us for such as he is than we may have no Brotherly Communication with them than they have not with us the same washing of the Blood of Christ and do not believe therewith to be Purged and Sanctify'd for they deny his Satisfaction that he hath laid down a Price to Redeem us they farther deny or depravate the causes and means of our Salvation and are guilty of Idolatry for paying a Religious Worship to him who is not God by Nature and though they would be thought to be Disciples of Jesus Christ yet they deny his Person and betray his Truth I add they Love not Christ and against such 1 Cor. 16.22 the Apostle pronounces Anathema for they Blaspheme against him they pretend to love him only as a Creature when he should be loved as Creator then they are not Pious for such cannot be said to live piously who deprive the true God Father Son and Holy Ghost of the Honour due to him and they are highly mistaken when they would make civil honesty to be Christian Piety and the true knowledge of God and a constant profession thereof not to be a necessary part of Piety They ought not to be suffered in a Christian State so as to have liberty of Conscience with free exercise of and teaching or publishing their Blasphemous and Impious Opinions because they overthrow the foundation of Christian Religion to the dishonour of God's Holy Name seduction of Souls and disturbance of the Church and as 't is a Collection of fundamental Heresies so to tolerate Socinians is thereby to tolerate all those Heresies whereby God's Judgments are drawn upon Nations wherefore Pious Christian Emperours and Kings to promote the Glory of God ever took care to suppress Heresies and Blasphemies as the Ecclesiastical Histories do fully prove it and thereupon let Justinian's Code be consulted against the Heresies of Photinus and of Paulus Samosatenus which Socinians do openly profess Now the Churches in Poland according to the three several Protestant Confessions there will have no Communion with Socinians who at several times were thence banished by their Kings In Holland * In 1598. the States-General having about Socinus asked the Opinion of Junius Trecaltius and Gomarus three Eminent Divines at Leyden the answer was He is no Christian but half Turk for Christians do believe one God with a distinction of Persons but the Mehometan Religion is for one God without distinction of Persons so are Socinians the Judgment of these three Divines agrees †Voidov Ostorod in Apol. in 1600. not only with the truth but also with the general consent of Christians against the Order of the States-General by vertue of which their Blasphemous Books were burnt at the Hague and they Banish'd out of their Dominions they unjustly complain'd and that act they compared with the Spanish Inquisition which here is their usual Discourse and Question will ye bring an Inquisition upon us and as then so now they would plead it to be the interest of the State to tolerate them whereof the contrary I sufficiently proved besides that Religion is against it whose Voice is to be heard sooner than that of false Reason neither ought God's cause to be made a Sacrifice of to any wordly interest among the Burnt Books in Holland was Ostorodus's Manuscript against Tradelius wherein he called Christ's Satisfaction an invention of the Trinitarians according to the place of his where he calls it a false childish ridiculous and blasphemous errour like an old Womens Superstitious and Popish Fable Certainly Men who have so obstinate an hatred of the Truth such mean Thoughts of and Contempt for him who is the way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14.6 are a shame to a Nation a Reproach to a People and a Scandal to Religion also Dangerous because they lose no Opportunity of Publishing their erroneous Opinions and their being supported makes them the bolder therefore 't is wish'd as indeed there is a necessity for it to see our Springs cleared as from Idolatry so from Blasphemy Papists who are great Idolaters are I thank God by Law excluded from having any hand in the Legislative or Executive Powers and 't is but fit that Blasphemers Socinians who confidently brag of their Errours should be so too The Receiver is as bad as the Thief I remember a Blasphemer here James Naylor to stand at the Pilory have his Tongue bored thorough in the Forehead Branded with the Letter B and Condemned during Life to be in Prison without Pen Ink or Paper and though about those times unhappily sprung up several Sects yet general care was ever taken of the main and Fundamentals of Religion even in the Army where was the greatest Latitude allowed for in their Laws and Ordinances of War the first Article was against Blasphemy in these very Words First let no Man presume to Blaspheme the Holy and
Christian World Sixthly Not only they will not confine themselves within the bounds of the received Faith by the Primitive Church but do forge new Articles of Faith and cannot forbear giving ill language revilings and lies Seventhly they despise and contemptuously reject the Testimonies and Witnesses of the Doctors of the Primitive Church against all rules of decency and modesty Eighthly they take upon themselves peremptorily and magisterially to blame and condemn all Christian Protestant Churches as if they knew nothing and were nothing which in them is an effect of rashness and pride Ninethly not only they cannot forbear opposing the fundamental Principles of Christian Religion but also will not abstain from Impieties Blasphemies and abominable Expressions against the most Holy Trinity the Divinity of the Son of God who is the God of the Christians against his Incarnation c. as it hath already been plainly demonstrated such detestable things the Apostles never did against the Idols of the Gentiles for we read how the Town-Clerk of Ephesus said to the People Acts 19.37 ye have brought hither these Men which are neither Robbers of Churches nor yet Blasphemers of your Goddess the Apostles were for destroying Idolatry but therein they behaved themselves with a Christian Prudence and Modesty though in a good cause thus Paul calmly upon the account of the Altar to the unknown God Chap. 17.23 said to the Athenians whom ye ignorantly Worship him declare I unto you disputed with good arguments not with injuries according to the rule he gives his Disciple 2 Tim. 2.24.25 the Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all Men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves But Lastly they are Wise in their own conceit setting up for the sole competent judges of all Controversies when alass that Reason of theirs which they so much trust to doth often fail and deceive them is very uncertain and proves a blind guide whereof I shall now give a considerable instance and therein shew their unreasonableness for calling themselves Vnitarians for the oneness of God lies in the Unity of Nature not of Persons Now I come to them and say Our Doctrine consists with it self for one of the Reasons why we confess Christ to be God is because we know there is but one true God but yours contradicts it self because ye make two Gods of different Natures when there is no true God but he that is such by Nature so if there is but one God there must be only one Divine Nature and none is God but he who hath that Divine Nature and if we worship those who by Nature are not Gods we worship false Gods and are Idolaters To make Gods of several Natures is meer Polytheism and Plurality of Gods which Scripture is so much against but to have several Persons yet of one and the same Nature doth not make many Gods so that when we affirm there is but one Divine Nature we assert the Oneness of God whilst they with affirming there are two Gods of different Natures destroy that Unity which consists in the Essence or Nature and therefore the Name Vnitarians which they call themselves by is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abusively taken they make one God by Divine Nature and another with a human Nature a great Absurdity which to any rational man must appear to bring in many Gods so multiplicity of Gods which without cause they would father upon us is justly fastned upon them Besides let it be taken notice of what kind of God they would make our Saviour to be a God not born but made a God by office and favour not by nature a God who had a beginning and shall have an end and at last be stripp'd of his Divinity a God who is not the first and shall not be the last who hath not made Heaven and Earth which the Apostle after a Prophet gives as a Character of the true God a God not such by Nature Acts 17.24 Jerem. 10.11 13. which Paul opposes to the true God an improper a metaphorical a dependent and without Blasphemy let it be said a Mock-god made by degrees like the Popish Wafer-god a God of about 1700 Years standing such a God they make our Saviour to be who is over all Rom. 9.5 God blessed for ever which is to make a God no God and as much as in them lies to ridicule the Godhead a God who hath not his Being of himself and is not the Author of being to the Creature which all are absurd Contradictions But I elsewhere abundantly proved our Saviour and Lord to be of the same Nature with the Father by an eternal generation Is it not very absurd and contradictious to give one the Essential Attributes of Divine Nature yet deny him Divine Nature which is inseparable from those Attributes so that where the Nature is there the Attributes must also be and where the Attributes so must also the Nature 'T is very strange that this people look upon 't as a thing impossible for God to communicate his Nature to one whom they own to have received Divine Knowledge Wisdom Power and that Divine Worship is his due which are proper Attributes of Divine Nature not really distinct but inseparable from it When men pay honour to a Person they first of all in their mind must be satisfied how in that Person is some Excellency and Dignity which deserves it and this leads them upon this account to make their Heart and Affections willing to entertain a singular Veneration for that person Hence in the third place arises a desire and resolution by some outward acts to express the inward disposition to the Glory and Honour of that Person and to let other men see and know it Now to have first such a Notion of a meer Creature such they affirm our Lord to be then in the heart to receive such impressions of rendring honour to such a person and lastly by some outward act to declare it this I say is perfect Idolatry for 't is to do for the Creature all that can be done for the Creator who unto himself alone hath reserved that Religious Worship for 't is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Out of this it appears how their Opinion sets up Polytheism and Idolatry for to affirm two Persons of different Nature is certainly to make two different Gods and wholly to destroy the Unity of the Godhead for as they own a Plurality of Persons so they do a Plurality of Natures how then can they find the Oneness of God and wherein will they make it consist Neither can they wash off the charge of Idolatry for rendring to Christ whom they say to be a meer Man and a Creature the Worship due to the most high God which to maintain they sink deeper into the mire for by one Idolatry they would defend another and by one false
the Trinity to be as Essential in Religion as that of the Deity for not to know and believe the true God is Atheism as well as not to know and believe a God We own we may by Nature know there is a God but to know who is that true God we must depend upon Revelation which nameth Father Son and Holy Ghost whereunto our Faith must acquiesce so 't is not every Knowledge of God that can serve only the true Knowledge of him in Three Persons which to deny is Blasphemy By means of a distinction he makes of Blasphemy he would lessen and so secure it from being punish'd by the Magistrate which is the thing they chiefly aim at we know in this as in every other Sin by means of some Circumstances there is a gradual difference which makes it greater or lesser aggravates or extenuates it thus one hath in his mind evil Thoughts and blasphemous Opinions whence they pass into the heart thence come into the mouth or drop from the Pen and are set forth in Lives and Conversation these from the very Spring deserve God's Judgements for though in relation to the other degrees something of Excuse might be pleaded for as arising out of Ignorance or of a mistaken Education and that in relation to men there might be some charitable Allowance yet in regard to God they are a damnable Guilt which stands in need of Pardon that makes Paul say 1 Tim. 1.13 He obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly but as to some men as long as they confine their blasphemous Opinions in their mind and within themselves no Law nor Magistrate doth or can take notice of it but they do and ought when contrary to Gospel and Law to the Disturbance of Church or State they promote and publish and that presumptuously too those blasphemous Opinions of theirs 'T is true that herein out of mistake or partiality some things may be amiss on the executive Part however for all that it doth not follow but that a due Care must be taken to punish and suppress the Evils of Blasphemy or Heresie and they who see not a necessity of it must needs through their prejudices have a thick mist raised before their eyes and if they be not under some such Conviction it ought to be attributed to the swimming Conceit of their own Head and to a deluded or wounded Imagination or to a high Ferment of Passions But to secure themselves from Punishment for Blasphemy they pitch upon three ways the first That in express Terms of Scripture the thing ought to be declared Blasphemy which is very unreasonable because there are so many Cases that Scripture doth not express every one but 't is enough to have them implyed for Particulars are contained under Generals as we easily see it in the Ten Commandments of the Moral Law in things therein commanded or forbidden sometime 't is enough to have things deduced by good and natural Consequences this was our Saviour's way in his Dispute against the Sadducees about the Resurrection they brought their Cavils wherewith they thought to have entangled him in difficulties with their Argument drawn from the Woman who had had seven Husbands but he soon resolved the Sophism and then to prove the Point brought in his Argument not out of express words in Scripture Luke 20.27 28 29 c. but by a Deduction and good Consequence and to the Purpose for I hope Socinians who in their Disputes do follow the Cavilling way of the Sadducees though they will not own him to be true Essential God yet they dare not deny him to have been a very Rational Man If God be the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob who then were dead and God be the God not of the Dead but of the Living it followeth that at one time or other namely at the last Day they should be made alive which can be no otherwise than by a Resurrection Their second way is when we give them positive and express Proofs out of Scriptures then they go about to force improper and unusual Significations upon the words Their third way is sometimes to raise such unnecessary Difficulties as are very hard if not impossible to be resolved by Men thus they talk of a Self-condemned Heretick only to be punished Indeed a really Converted Heretick will declare his Sin his Sorrow for and Repentance of it but in case there be no such Self-condemning Blasphemer for it happens but very seldom though he be known to be Guilty by many Overt Acts as Discourses Pamphlets c. must he be let alone But I say that such as are Self-condemners and confess their Guilt are Objects fitter for Mercy than for Judgment on the contrary those who will not own their Fault but continue in a denial of it deserve Punishment more than Favour and except they confess how can Men know they are Self-condemned 'T is by him added I say again to make a culpable and punishable Blasphemer there must be an Irreligious and Despiteful Intention in the words of the Person accused When alas the most wicked do often pretend most to Piety and conceal their Evil Designs under Specious and Hypocritical Pretences is it an easie thing to know Man's Intentions How few Self-Accusing and Self-Condemning Men is there in the World But why should I any longer insist upon what is contain'd in less than a Sheet of Paper when at large and more daringly we have these and and many more things in a * An Essay concerning the Power of the Magistrate c. in Matters of Religion late Book which some of their own do set a high value upon for the Author of one of the two Letters against my Epistle doth highly commend it to be read and though such Commendations I do not much value yet just when I was upon concluding this Providence having brought it into my Hand I read it over in the Countrey and not to be altogether silent upon 't and give every one his due in few things therein I shall agree with him as in what he calls Persecution which he makes his strongest Argument of against former Proceedings of Church and State for certainly there hath been a great severity and bitterness used about indifferent Circumstances and Ceremonies against those who refused to Conform thereunto which of late some are become sensible of and could wish such things had never happened and may be this Author having been Passively concern'd Judg. 16.28 desires to be avenged for his two Eyes but this they say out of a design to disunite those who ought all to Unite against them who are become the common Enemy about much higher things than those in question at that time we ought to make a great difference between cutting a Button off my Cloaths and tearing them all in pieces certainly Persecution is an odious thing but sometimes the name is misapply'd We own that in the way of Penalties to punish those
as if done to himself and consequently will punish the Magistrate for hindring them from worshipping those false Gods when they believe them to be true ones Good God! What Times are we come to that such things are suffered to be Printed and go unpunish'd The Magistrate may not punish those who dishonour the true God when they ought to punish those who dishonour false Gods Thus Papists do well to punish those who despise their Wafer-God but those who despise and blaspheme the true Son of God the Lord Jesus must not be meddled with These abominable Lines of Idolatrous Theology I read a second nay a third time thinking I had been mistaken at the first reading A Man who dares to write such things will say any thing else In another place he denies or at least doubts of God's care of his Church or of his power to defend it For he saith pag. 61. If the Pagan Emperours had been for promoting by force what according to their Sentiments was the true Religion they had utterly extirpated the very Name of a Christian A great mistake in him for several of them as Maxentius Diocletianus and many before and Julian the Apostate through cruel Persecutions did all they could towards it but God suffered them not and he never will for our Saviour hath promised Matth. 16.18 The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against his Church Thus they make little of the Church if at Man's pleasure it may utterly be destroy'd whereunto answers their making Religion to be meerly a Priest-craft as they term it also the Author makes no difference between acting for a good or for a bad Cause and so alters the Question which is not Whether every Magistrate may in matter of Religion punish every Opinion contrary to his own But whether a true Christian Magistrate be bound to suppress what overthrows the Fundamentals of true Christian Religion pag. 81. Therefore his Instances of Gallio of the Town-Clerk of Ephesus and of Felix are not to the purpose I suppose he will own the Christian Religion to be now the true one in opposition to the Pagan or to the Jewish in as much as relateth to the coming of the Messiah that one must oppose not Truth but what is contrary to 't therefore the Persons named are not fit Patterns to be imitated by Christian Magistrates Gallio was a Deputy of Achaia Acts 18.12 17. there to maintain the Roman Authority wherefore he prudently would not meddle nor trouble himself with a Difference about Religion among the Jews which was not his business A Town-clerk wisely took care to avoid giving the Romans cause to say that in a tumultuous and seditious way chap. 19. without a just cause they had gathered together to disturb the Government which thereupon might have call'd them in question As for Felix he was the Roman Governour who minded to enrich himself and not to decide Matters of Controversie about Religion among the Jews a Covetous Man who hoped that Money should have been given him of Paul ch 24.26 So these Examples hold no proportion with the Duty of a Christian Magistrate to act against those who would overthrow Christianity And why should not the Magistrate take care of the good of the Souls as well as of that of the Body of the Subjects and punish Soul-destroying Errors and Practices Among the Jews a stubborn Son upon this Accusation by the Parents before the Elders how that he was a Glutton and a Drunkard Deut. 21.20 was stoned to Death and shall they who among Christians Blaspheme God be unpunished Of two contrary Propositions if one be true necessarily the other must be false 't is so of two Opinions in Religion if the Doctrine for the Most Holy Trinity and Divinity of Christ be true as it is then its contrary must be false And do not God's Laws bid us to follow adhere unto and be for the truth so as to promote it Every one in his Station ought to be against what is contrary to 't And to say the truth as this is the interest of Religion so 't is become the Magistrates concern to mind it upon his own account for that sort of Men with open Mouth and plainly tell him he hath nothing to do to meddle with their Religion whether true or false nor tho' Blasphemous and Idolatrous And on the other side this Author would influence the Members of Parliament who are for Penal Laws against their Blasphemies with suggesting that thereby they may happen to act against themselves which cannot be except they were of the same Principles with them thus he speaks pag. 43. Therefore it shews the greatest Indiscretion in those who tho' they have a share in the Legislature yet are subject to the Laws themselves to consent to any persecuting ones because they cannot be sure but that they are contriving Rods for their own Backs They cannot forbear ever calling Persecution any thing tending to restrain them the cause must be examined to find out the true Name of the thing 't is not the manner but the cause of Death that denominates one a Martyr 't is Justice not Persecution to punish Idolatry and Blasphemy and make use of a restraining Power Herein the Protestant Maxims differ from the Popish that these require a blind Obedience and will not admit others to speak for themselves but Protestants do We cannot approve the Socinians Latitude in advising and encouraging every one to read all manner of Books stuffed with Heresies and Blasphemies pag. 119. which is as dangerous as to put a Cup full of Poison into a Child's Hand or of one who knows not what it is Must every Ploughman or other Ignorant Person who neither knows nor understands the things of himself explain matters of Salvation or be Judge thereof In God's Name let every one read Scripture for all therein is excellent and good no Poison therein as in some Mens Books and therein let them be instructed and when Difficulties occur advised and directed by sound and knowing Men But chiefly upon the reading of the Word let them often be upon their Knees to beg of God to guide them by his Holy Spirit Some are not able to discern a Fish from a Serpent which commonly lies hidden in those unsound Books and by reason of natural corruption some would be apt to choose the worse I know that when the necessary means prescribed in God's Word to inform and make us understand have been used then every one must apply it to himself not of himself for that application is the Work of God's Spirit every one is not able to understand only those whom from above 't is given to pag. 120. 'T is not out of any mistrust of the Goodness and Truth of our Cause as he seems to insinuate that we would not have those that are not sufficiently instructed in the Grounds of it Converse either with the Heretick Persons or
with their pernicious Books For I thank God we are always ready openly to assert and defend it but some not so well grounded as the thing requires might through the Cavils and Sophistry of Seducers happen to be entangled and deceived the Wolves would gladly be among the Sheep for which purpose they often disguise themselves in Sheeps cloathing but the Sheep must carefully avoid coming near the Wolf pag. 127 128 129. But this Author pleads for a Communion hence it is that with us they would be accounted Members of the Church and be thought to agree with us But I wonder not that the Scabby Sheep would come among the Sound for there they can catch no harm but can do some but on the contrary the Sound ones need not to desire the Company of those which be Rotten for they can receive some harm tho' they can do none This People by means of a confused mixture would joyn God with the Idol Christ with Belial and Light with Darkness so Truth with Falshood Protestants with Papists Jews Idolaters and Blasphemers Is not this a kind of Juggling But upon what Terms can this Union be For we must stand upon what God saith to Jeremiah Jer. 15.19 Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them Now saith there this Author this Communion is the way whereby all Schisms Heresies Hatred Animosities and Vncharitableness would be destroyed yet our Saviour and his Apostles say there must be Schisms and Heresies but they know a way how infallibly to root out all such things What Mountebanks in Religion are they who pretend to cure of all Spiritual Diseases and quickly restore Christendom to Truth and Unity Thus far I stepp'd aside to take notice of these few things among many more which this Author hath said because in general they contribute towards my main design to shew the Spirit of Socinianism and now in particular I must vindicate those places of Scripture which demonstrate it to be part of the Magistrates Office to punish Blasphemers we can plainly see they would make Religion subservient unto what they call the Publick Good and they mind the Glory of God if at all at the most in subordination to the State Two Texts of Scripture they answer one out of the New the other out of the Old Testaments The Words of the first are these Rulers are not a Terrour to good Works Rom. 13. Job 31. v. 3 4. v. 2. but to the evil Wilt thou not then be afraid of the Power Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same for he is the Minister of God to thee for good But if thou do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain Here the Magistrate is said to be by God's Ordinance and a Minister of God and can it reasonably be thought that God hath appointed Rulers to mind only the Concerns of their People and not at all his own Honour and Service Scripture saith 2 Chron. 19.6 They judge not for Man but for the Lord often such cases happen as are not between Man and Man but between God and Man Must Justice be rendered for Man and not for God This is as absurd as to say That any one whether Judges Governours or others Commissionated by the King are to take care only of the Subjects concerns but not at all of the King 's whose Servants and Ministers they are Is there any word in the Text that can afford the least ground to confine the Office and Power of Rulers within Civil Matters and to exclude those which relate to Religion I can see no such Clause in the Commission neither they nor no Body else if they do let them shew it Without restriction or limitation 't is absolutely said He is not a Terrour to good Works but to the evil of what nature soever thus the Commission is general and by vertue of it he ought without exception to praise and reward every good Work to punish and revenge every evil one but they cannot deny that in things of Religion as well as in Civil Matters are good and evil Works and the very Name of Conscience v. 5. for whose sake we must be subject which is within the Predicament of Religion doth abundantly express that as for Religion and Conscience sake we ought to obey so it must be about Religious as well as Civil Matters concerning which he exercises his Authority otherwise 't is plainly to introduce Atheism into Human Society for no Religion no God and there is no God owned where Religion is not minded and by whom should it be but by those who have the Power in Hand and the Administration of the Government which if neglected as good to live in Woods and Forests among wild Beasts so it will be homo homini lupus This the very Heathens were so sensible of that the Wise among them to tame the Ferocity of some Mens Nature did in order to 't lay Religion as the Foundation for indeed except there be something of it such is the Temper of most Men that they never will submit to order Hence it is that no Nation tho' never so Wild and Barbarous but had something of Religion by these means Numa Pompilius brought under some Rules and Discipline that parcel of Rogues Murtherers and Villains in every kind of which Romulus had formed his Kingdom and took care to instruct and give them Laws and Principles of Religion such as they were and afterwards the Romans took care to send their Children into Hetruria or Toscany to have them instructed in the way of their false Religion and when an Addition or Alteration was therein to be made 't was ever done by the Publick Authority which shews this Man's great Mistake in what he saith p. 81. But to come to God's People how careful were the good Kings of Judah to reform Abuses crept into Religion as appears by the Examples of Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and Josiah But let us take special notice of Moses's Behaviour upon the occasion of the Golden Calf under God he was the chief Magistrate of that numerous People did he not make use of his Authority when he took the calf which they had made and burnt it in the fire and ground it to powder Exod. 32.20 and strawed it upon the waters and made the children of Israel drink of it Besides he upbraided and chid Aaron his elder Brother and High-priest when he angrily said unto him What did this people unto thee ver 21 that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them Meerly by his complyance to shew how when God's Service was concerned he minded no relation in the World as 't is every Magistrate's Duty to do specially of those who know and worship the true God who also are in Conscience bound to restrain and punish those who are not content to go about robbing the Son of God of his true Divine
Nature but would also deprive Rulers of their chief Glory which is to assert and vindicate the Honour and Service of God and by their Authority to suppress whatsoever is contrary to 't But to turn to the Text the Author saith we ought to prove two things pag. 69. first That meer Errours of the Vnderstanding are evil-Works which by the Grace of God I hope to do but knowing their Cavilling Humour we must clear the way before us The Understanding being the Spring and proper Seat of Theorical Errours it had been fit for him to have said what he meaneth by the word meer whether a transient false Speculation or an immanent such a one as goes no farther but stops there in the Mind This last doth affect only the Party and it making sometimes but a slight Impression is in time forgotten but the first produceth ill Effects for it passes into the Heart where it settles and thence breaks out Now I say that these meer Errours of the Understanding are evil Works The Understanding is the Judgment-Seat of the Soul where whatsoever comes into it is examined and there Judgment passed whether it be true or false And as the Will follows the last Dictate of the Intellect so thence it passes into the Will and is either received as good or rejected as evil when the first as commonly 't is then the Affections seated in the Heart or Will are engaged When we say the Errours of the Understanding are evil Works by Works we do not mean what is generally opposed to Thoughts for all Man's Actions are distinguished into Thoughts Words and Deeds or Works now the Understanding hath its Works and Operations as well as the other Faculties of the Soul or Members of the Body but in another manner and of a different Nature to represent this we use to say that Man hath a working Head and his Brains are at work In this sense we say that Errours of the Understanding are evil Works such is the black List by our Saviour spoken of Mark 7.21 22. Out of the heart of men proceed evil Thoughts Adulteries Fornications Murthers Thefts Covetousness Wickedness Blasphemy c. all these are evil Works and all come from within and Blasphemy which is the great thing in question is named and Heresie another great Evil which we justly charge Socinians with Gal. 5.20 is reckoned among the Works of the Flesh Such workings are in Mind and Heart In heart ye work wickedness saith David Ps 58.2 These are evil Works punishable by the Magistrate according to the Text of the Romans which we now are upon and both Blasphemy and Heresie are certainly Matters of Irreligion which to punish as also Idolatry doth bind the Christian as it did the Jewish Magistrate and he is as much obliged to execute Justice upon as against Adulteries Fornications Murthers Thefts and other Wickednesses already mention'd Now to close up this Head I say that as meer Errours in the Understanding are evil Works it necessarily follows that those who be guilty thereof are Evil-doers all we can do for those who will deny this is in the words of the Roman Poet to wish them mentem sanam in corpore sano a sound Mind in a sound Body The second thing he would have us to prove is this that the Apostle means such here that is as hold Fundamental Errors and are guilty of Blasphemy Heresie and Idolatry else it were not to the purpose for these are the things in question and do own profess and practise it for else no Man being a searcher of the Heart and Mind knows what passes therein and so may not Punish but for what comes within his certain knowledge therefore there ought to be Informations and Proofs drawn out of Overt Acts as Words Discourses Writings and the like the Apostle saying here that the Ruler is a Minister of God a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil and not adding in Civil Matters which had been necessary if he intended to have restrained it only to such or else he had not sufficiently expressed his Mind but seeing he simply saith Vpon him that doth Evil Can any thing forbid us to believe and affirm he meant doing Evil in things pertaining to God as well as to Men And is it not an abominable thing for them to exclude things of Religion and to make Limitations where God hath made none Therefore if God hath appointed the Magistrate to punish all that do Evil for the word him being indefinite doth generally comprehend all that do so and hath not said against his Neighbour or against the Publick Good why should we not understand it in any kind that deserves Punishment and consequently in Religious Matters as well as those of the Civil Society What he saith that this relates only to Civil Matters because of these words Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same is not to the purpose as it will appear somewhat lower We are not so sawcy as they to limitate it only to Matters of Religion and not also extend it to those of a Civil Nature for we own it relates to both Temporal and Spiritual things Here the Apostle from verse 1 to 7. inclusively upon three Motives exhorted to Obey the Superiour Powers First Hope of Reward Second Fear of Punishment and Third for Conscience sake in case the other two could not prevail and though he doth not so plainly mention the Duty of Rulers yet he insinuates how they ought to Reward Good Works and Punish Evil ones Now to Command and to Obey are two Relatives and if Actively or Passively we must Obey in all Just and Lawful things as are not against but for the Honour and Glory of God as are all of a truely Religious Nature then the Magistrate may command all that are such and by Penalties compel Men to Obey in things relating to Religion as well as to Civil Society and if he may make Laws to force Men to be Just one to another much more hath God Authoriz'd him by Law to force them to give God his due and not rob him of his own as more immediately and in a special manner are things belonging to Religion for in the Text Obedience is commanded to be yielded out of a Principle of Conscience verse 5. and for fear of Damnation verse 3. both which certainly relate to Religion When God gave Moses the Decalogue he divided it into two Tables whereof the first immedily related to him as being Matters of Religion as the second did to the Civil Society and were not the breakers of the first Table punished as those of the second Or is it reasonable to think that God took care of Man's Concern and wholly neglected his own so that in this World they might offend him and go unpunished what kind of Encouragement would this have been to all manner of Impiety
is this Let their table become a snare befor them Ps 69.22 and for welfare a trap in English the Sense is lame in the latter part of the Verse therefore 't was necessary thus to supply it and that which should have been for their Welfare let it become a Trap. The other Text is this For my love they are my adversaries but I give my self unto prayer Ps 109.4 in the latter part of the Verse the words give my self unto are not in the Hebrew only but I prayer which is no sense in English David is not Prayer nor an Iniquity the Judge therefore it should be supplied which the Translatours have well done Now to be even with this Author these two things I leave for him to prove first That this is not the Idiom of the Hebrew Language the second That the Words supplied to make out the Sense in these places are against the Analogy of Faith or the Scope of God's Spirit therein and I give him a long time to consider upon 't But enough of this As to their politick Reasons against the Magistrate's Authority in point of Religion and for a general Naturalization whereby they at once would blow up an English Birth-Right with the Seven Years Apprentiship and bring in all Foreigners to engross the English Trade unto themselves and sow the pernicious Tares of Heresie Blasphemy c. among us with more liberty for they are also for a general Toleration in all these I say their Policy is no better than their Divinity as might easily be demonstrated Indeed to Tolerate some Opinions about indifferent Circumstantial Things can contribute towards Peace and Union do much Good and no Harm but 't would be very pernicious concerning Fundamental Errours God Christ and Religion must not be sacrificed to Interest and other Worldly Considerations Yet if Pagans and Mahommetans would not disturb the Government they would be content to bring them in as already we have the unbelieving Jews whose Conversion I earnestly pray for whom upon the account of Trade and of something else they are so fond of that a great Care must be had to give them no Distaste for fear they would be gone when they are as glad to stay here as some seem afraid lest they should go as if here they were the Pillars of Trade but some think there is cause to believe the contrary I can remember how in Cromwell's time they sent over Manasseh Ben-Israel to get leave to come and settle here he offered 200000 l whereupon Cromwell call'd some Divines for Advice Whether in Conscience he might Receive and Tolerate those that disown and are professed Enemies to Christ They answered He might because it might afford some occasion for their Conversion Then he sent for Lawyers to know because long before they had been Banish'd whether according to Law he might do 't The Answer was He might as long as he and the Parliament who are the Legislative Power were agreed But last of all he summon'd some of the chief Merchants to have their Opinion about it in relation to Trade but these broke the Neck of the Business for they represented how that Nation being cunning would to the prejudice of the English by crafty means engross Trade wholly unto themselves whereupon there was an end And it must be owned that Cromwell and his Counsel understood well enough the Nations Interest in point of Trade neither doth it appear why the same Reasons should not be now as good as they were at that time since 't is the same People which still follows the same steps as any one may see that will take notice of it But enough of these Human Considerations I wish every Man would seriously lay Hand upon his Conscience and in earnest mind what account they can give God who certainly soon or late will call them to 't of the Talents he hath committed and of the Authority he hath put into their Hands what good they have done and what evil prevented or punish'd to answer the Giver's Ends I say my Horse is to carry me my Oxe to Plough my Ground and my Dog to watch about my House or to follow me all these answer my Ends or else I put them off and may not every one else as well as I reasonably put this Question to himself For what End hath God brought me into the World Certainly not to please my own Fancy follow my own Humour or satisfie my own Lust and Passion but in my station to honour and serve him that 's the Work and the one needful thing For saith our Saviour Luke 10.42 Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all things shall be added unto you God is the good Master who will take care of our Concerns if we neglect not his but do follow the Apostle's Rule to do all things for the Glory of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. The same Apostle saith to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them the Jews in the Wilderness also tempted so I say let none of us tempt Christ as did the Jews in his time who still asked for a Sign after he had given them several Must he every Day give them new Signs and work new Miracles to prove himself to be the true and proper Son of God That unbelieving Nation in the highest degree tempted him when they said Matth. 27. If he be the Son of God let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe him to be the Son of God But he to prove himself to be the Son of God did more and a greater thing than they desired for after Death to raise himself as he did out of the Grave was more than if he had come down from the Cross when alive Was not our Blessed Redeemer sufficiently tempted upon Earth by the Jews that he must be tempted again now when he is in Heaven The Jews tempted him in his State of Humiliation and now Socinians do when he is Glorified The Jews would then have had him to come down from the Cross and now the Socinians would have him to come down from Heaven to prove himself to be the Son of God yet against them he hath from Heaven provided a Witness since his Ascension I mean Paul as we read Acts 22.14 15. Before I make an end I neither can nor must forbear to say how it affords too much matter of sad Thoughts in those who are concern'd for the Cause and Interest of the Eternal Son of God and of the Protestant Religion to see here Heresie Blasphemy and Idolatry as good as Tolerated and Unpunish'd and abroad the Professors of the true Christian Religion unjustly and cruelly persecuted In France against all Edicts Engagements and Promises in their Lives Liberties and Fortunes most barbarously in the Valleys of Piedmont the Vaudois which we may well call that Mother Church