whom the offence commeth Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed rather then having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire c. If then the necessity of offences and impossibility but that they will come doth not excuse those by whom they come either from Woe Punishment or Hel-fire it selfe by Christs owne resolution and therefore we must cut off a right hand a right foot and pull out a right eye in case they offend us to preserve the whole body from hell and destruction then by the same reason the necessity of Heresies and Schisms will neither excuse nor exempt Hereticks nor Schismaticks from temporal or eternall Woes punishments or from being cut off and rooted out when incurable or incorrigible to preserve the whole body of a Church from infection and ruine IV. If this be no good Argument or consequent as all will grant There is a necessity that the earth by reason of Gods curse upon it should bring forth Bryars Thornes and Weeds which will and doe alwayes spring up in our Gardens Grounds and among our Corne Gen. 3. 17 18. Mat. 13. 25 26 c. Heb. 6. 7 8. Ergo we must not weed nor pull up such Thistles Bryars and Weeds out of our Gardens Grounds Corne but suffer them to grow without controll Nor this Foxes Wolves Beares and other Beasts of prey doe by a naturall instinct and necessity devour and pray upon Lambs Sheep and other Cattle therefore it is unlawfull to chase them away from the Sheep Heard Poultery or kill them for devouring them or to kill or drive away Rats Mice or Vermine from our Corne on which nature teacheth them to feed to preserve their lives Then certainly the Objection by like reason must be as absurd incoherent as these Arguments though there were a necessity of Heresies and Schismes V. Admit there were a necessity of Heresies and Schismes in generall yet there is no necessity that such or such a particular Heresie should spring up or that such a particular person should either be an Heretick or Schismatick and if any be such it is from their owne free choyce or love of Error and through their owne default not any inevitable necessity imposed on them by God therefore they may be justly punished for it both temporally and eternally as well as those who crucified Christ in pursuance of Gods owne Councell and Decree which neither mitigated nor extenuated their voluntary sin Act. 2. 22 23 58 ch 4. 26 27 28. 1 Thes 2. 15 16. VI. The necessity of Heresies and Schismes did not prohibit nor restraine Paul himselfe from smiting Elymas the Sorcerer with blindnesse Acts 13. 6 to 13. nor from delivering Hymeneus and Philetus who denying the Resurrection and subverted the faith of some to Satan â— Tim. 1. 19 20. 2 Tim. 2. 17 18. nor from casting out the incestuous Corinthian 1 Cor. 5. 5. nor from wishing those that troubled the Galathians to be cut off Gal. 5. 21. nor from opposing Schisme and Schiâ—maticks 1 Cor. 1. 8 to 17. Rom. 16. 17 18. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 â— 2 Tim. 3. 1 to 7. Tit. 3. 10 11. Therefore it can no more exempt them from temporall punishments by the civill Magistrate then Ecclesiasticall by Church-Officers and the Apostle Paul himselfe Finally the contingent good which Hereticks and Schismaticks sometimes doe to those that are approved doth no wayes plead for their toleration or impunity because it is contingent Al Heresies and Schismes are in their owne natures evill dangerous destructive pernicious If Gods over-ruling providence turnes them to good to some yet they are dangerous and pernicious to most and therefore deserve both suppression and punishment by Gods own expresse precept Jude 3 4 c. Rev. 2. 13 4 115 20 21. 2 John 9 â—0 11. Rom. 16. 17 18. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. The Devill himselfe and his malice is sometimes an accidentall occasion of good to the Saints yet they must resist him stedfastly else he would devour them James 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Eph. 6. 12 13. So ill humours diseases casually doe the body good sometimes but it is by purging of them out with Physick and Phlebotomy else they will become mortall so it is with Heresies and Schisms they will prove damnable and pernicious if not purged out of the Churches body All which considered the Argument from this objected Text will prove a meer inconsequent and absurdity As for the other Objection which the Independents and Sectaries of late cry up That no man now is guided with an infallible Spirit so as insallibly and certainly to define what is Heresie and Blasphemy what not Therefore men are not to be capitally punished for Heresie or Blasphemie They might adde by the like reason not for any other crime I answer briefly because answered at large by Master Beza heretofore and by Master Edwards now in his Treatise against Toleration and elswhere touched upon here but fully refuted in my Truth triumphing over Falshood pag. 152 to 156. First that this Objection proves our Sectaries and Independents who object it meere Nullifidians who beleeve not the very Principles of Religion with an infallible certainty of falth as indubitable Truths but onely as probable Tenets which may be false as well as true in which they are worse then Papists who though they plead for doubting of their owne salvation yet they doubt not at all of their Religion though erronious Yea worse then the veriest Turks and Pagans who beleeve their Idolatrous Religions to be infallibly true Secondly I wonder how these Objectors dare professe or embrace any thing in Religion which they beleeve not certainly to be an infallible truth since whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and he that doubteth is damned Rom. 14. 23. or how they can with comfort suffer for it Thirdly we have the true reason of our Sectaries and Independents ficklenesse and daily changes from one opinion to another till they become flat Schismaticks or Atheists because they beleeve nothing with certainty Fourthly we have here an infallible evidence that they are neither good Saints nor Christians much lesse the onely Saints and anointed ones as they stile themselves since the Saints are all rooted grounded in the true Christian Faith and led infallibly into all divine Truths necessary to salvation which they both beleeve and have been taught Col. 2. 7. 2 Pet. 1. 12 19. Ephes 3. 17. 18. chap. 4. 14 15 1 Cor. 15. 58. Luke 1. 1 2 4. James 1. 6 7 8. 1 Cor. 16 13. Phil. 1. 27. chap. 4. 1. John 15. 13. ch 8. 32. â— Tim. 4. 3. Fiftly there are some Principles in Divinity which all true Saints and Christians infallibly beleeve and know both concerning God the Father Christ the holy Ghost the divine Attributes the sacred Scriptures and
coarguitur eorum stultitia qui vellent neglectà Dei cura juri inter homines dicundo tantum intentos esse Quasi verò praefectos Deus suo nomine constituerit qui terrenas controversias deciderent quod verò longè gravioris momenti erat praetermiserit ut ipse purè coleretur exLegis suae praescripto Sed huc turbulentos homines impellit impius omnia novandi cupiditas vt omnes violatae pietatis vindices è medio sublatos cupiant c. In his Comentary on Rom. 13. and elswhere he asserts the like and that Christian Princes and Magistrates are to suppresse and punish Heresies Schismes Blasphemies refuting the Anabaptists opinions and objections to the contrary Yea Master Calvin caused the Anabaptisticall Heretick Servetus to be put to death by the Magistrates of Geneva for his obstinate Heresie and Blasphemy for which being blamed by some Anabaptists he writ a particular Treatise wherein he demonstrates to the world Licitum esse in Haereticos gladio animadvertere that it was lawfull for the Christian Magistrate to put Hereticks to death as Beza records in his life and Bellarmine cites it too lib. 3. de Laicis cap. 21. Finally Master Calvin in his Praelectiones in Daniel cap. 4. ver 1. fol. 43. asserts the lawfulnesse of punishing Hereticks and Blasphemers even with death informing us what manner of persons they are and what they aime at who hold the contrary in these words Certum est quod cupiant Nam si quis ipsos respiciat SUNT IMPII DEI CONTEMPTORES not Saints saltem nihil vellent certum esse in Religione ideo labefactare quantum in se est etiam convellere nituntur omnia pietatis principia Ut ergò liceat ipsis evomere virus suum inde tantâ—â—ere litigant pro impunitate negant poenas de Haereâ—icis Blasphemis sumendas esse c. Rodolphus Gualther in his 44. Homily in Epist ad Galatas c. 4. from these words of the Apostle I would they wâ—â—â— even cut off that trouble you proves at large That Magistrates may and ought to suppresse Hereticks with civill and corpor all punishments and the Ring-leaders of them with death and capitall censures even under the Gospel according to the Prophesie of Zech. 13. 2 3. meant onely of the times of the Gospel And in his 76 Homily in Epist ad Rom. cap. 13. he affirmes the same asserting That the Christian Magistrates under the Gospell ought to punish all those offences with the Sword which God himself hath thought worthy to he punished with capitall censures Inter quae cùm omnium gravissima sint quae adversus primam tabulam cum divini nominis contemptu cultus prophanatione multorum aliorum seductione designantur PROCUL DUBIO in eorum Authores quà m severissimè pro delicti ratione animadverti debet Minimè ergò illorum sententiam probamus qui adorandae Trinitatis hostes aeternae Jesu Christi Divinitatis blasphematores plectandos esse negant Dicunt illi Fidem donum Dei esse neque aliquem ad rectâ— sentiendum cogi posse Sed nos vicissim dicimus contineri posse poenarum metu impostores ne virus haeresium spargant pravis dogmatibus rudes imperitos rerum seducent He addes that by this reason no Malefactors whatsoever should be punished because they commit those crimes for want of faith and grace which are Gods gift Learned Peter Martyr not onely in his Common places Classis 2. cap. 4. sect 30 to 43 but in his Comentary on Rom. 13. asserts the like affirming That many wicked men and Hereticks have been by the force of lawes and punishements inflicted on them converted from their sinnes and errors and by degrees brought to a câ—â—diall love and embracing of Vertue and the true Religion and that upon this reason Saint Augustine who at first thought the Magistrate ought not to punish Hereticks changed his opinion Solid Paraeus in his Comentary on Rom. 13. asserts and proves at large That it is and alwayes hath been the chiefest care of godly Kings and Magistrates to abolish false worships take away Idols and all instruments of Idolatry and to preserve the purity of Religion and Gods worship That they ought not to suffer impurity in Religion or to give liberty to every one to teach and professe what Religion he like but onely to defend tolerate and establish the true Religion and that they ought Edictis poenis impedire Blasphemias Haereses Idola Sacrilegia c. by lawes and punishments to restraine Blasphemies Heresies Idolatries Sacriledges Schismes and the like Which he there proves at large quoting the Lawes of many Emperours to this purpose And also de Jure Principis circa Ecclesiastica The like in effect if not in terminis is asserted and proved at large by Bullinger Aretius Bucer Fayus Brentius Jacobus Grynaeus Musculuâ— Oleuian Piscator Scultetus and generally all Protestant Comentators on Rom. 13. and Papists too whose words for brevity I pretermit To these I might adde Brentius de Republ. administr Capito de Jure Magistratus in Religione Musculus Comment in Psal 2. cited by Master Beza as concurring in opinion with him Gerrardus Loci Com. de Magistratu Polit. num 5. 33. who are of the same opinion Benedictus Aretius in his Historia Valentini Gentilis asserts That Blasphemous obstinate Hereticks may justly be put to death by the civill Magistrate as Gentilis was at Berne and Problem Locus 59. de Scismatibus he asserts That the chiefe Ring-leaders of Schismes and obstinate Schismaticks may lawfully be suppressed and punished by the civill Magistate as the Donatists were and enforced to come to the publick Ordinances by penall lawes by which means many have been reformed and converted as experience manifests Phillip Melancton not onely in his forecited passages but in his Council de Officio Magistratus in Ecclesiarum Reformatione Loci Com. de Sacramentorum Numero where he makes the Magistracy a Sacrament in some sense Erit Magistratus hoc modo SACRAMENTUM quia est certum genus bonorum oâ—erum ornatum verbe Dei promissionibus Rom. 13. even for the punishment of evill doers in the Church Historia de Incendio Serveti by a namelesse Author Hartmannus Springelius de hodiernis Haeresibus Haereticis Joannis Wigandus de Exiliis Facinorosorum Pseudomartyrlis Cl. G. Praet de Regia potestate in Ecclesia Hadrianus Saravia de Imperandi authoritate Christiana obedientia l. 2. c. 52 53 54. Lu. Osâ—auder Enchir. Contr. Com. Anabap. c. 9. assert the Magistrates coercive power to restrain punish Idolaters Hereticks Schismaticks with corporal censuresand death Learned Zanchius affirmes Omnes ferè ex nostratibus hujus sunt sententiae QUOD HAERETICI SUNT GLADIO PUNIENDI That in his time almost all Divines were of this opinion That Hereticks were to be punished with the sword or put to death Of the same mind is learned
one grand objection against punishing Hereticks and Blasphemers with death because God himself wil punish them if they repent not and we must wholy leave them to his judgement Fourthly that the best and speedyest course to remove Gods judgements brought upon a Nation for Idolatry Apostacy Heresie or Blasphemy is for the temporal Magistrates to execute speedy and exemplary capital punishments on those who are notoriously guilty of them and that fasting and prayer without such exemplary executions upon the most eminent Malefactors in this kind wil never pacify Gods wrath nor remove his judgements inflicted for these sins Fifthly that the executing of capital punishments upon such is an argument of true zeal to GOD And therefore it seems strange to me that those in this age who pretend themselvs the only Saints Zealots faithful ones paramount all others by head and shouldiers in grace and piety should be so voyd of Christian zeal for God as to plead preach write and print against the corporal and capital Punishment or Apostates Idolaters Hereticks and Blasphemers by temporal Magistrates and for a free Toleration of all Sects Heresies and Religions whatsoever under the pretence of Liberâ—â—y of Conscience Certainly this extream want of holy zeal for God against Apostates Idolaters Hereticks Blasphemers and pleading for their impunity at least with capital Censures argues them to be no real Saints because they have no true love to nor zeal for God which would make them as forward to thrust their Javelins or the sword of Justice through the Bowels of such transcendent offendors as Phineas was to thrust his Javelin through Zimri and Cozbi without any question or dispute Sixthly that the exemplary capital punishing of such is so far from being a persecution of the Saints or against the Clemency of God under the Law or Gospel that it is a most acceptable service to God and procures a special Blessing upon the persons and posterities of those who are most zealous and active in this service as appears by this example of Phineas registred for his eternal honor and our future imitation and encouragement in this kind The third Example is JOSH. 22. 10. to 34. Where we read that when the Children of Ruben Gad and the half Tribe of Manasseh had but built an Altar at the side of Iordan the children of Israel no sooner heard thereof but the whole Congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh to go up to war against them to destroy them and the Cities wherein they dwelt as guilty of Idolatry Apostacy and False Worship apprehending the very building of this Altar to be a trespass committed against the God of Israel to turn them away from following the Lord that they might rebel against him and that it would prove like the sin of Peor and bring Gods wrath on the whole Congregation of Israel and not on themselves alone when as in truth they built it only for a memorâ—â—l but not to rebel against turn from the Lord or to be an Altar for burnt oâ—â—â—â—â—gs for meat offrings or for sacrifices like as the Altar of the Lord their God which was before the Tabernacle From which history I collect First that the whole Congregation of Israel when they were most sincere and best affected towards God deemed this supposed guilt of Apostacy Idolatry and Schism in these two Tribes and an half by building this New Altar a just ground of making a publick war against them to destroy both them and their Country for this crime though they were their dear brethren who assisted them to conquer the Land of Canaan by vertue of Gods Command forecited DEUT. 13. 11. to 17. Secondly that the Apostacy Idolatry and obstinate Schism of a few wil draw down Gods Judgements upon a whole Nation and Kingdom in case they tolerate or connive at them and do not speedily cut them off by the sword of Justice Thirdly that in such a case there is no way to prevent Gods wrath on all but to cut off the Malefactors by speedy execution of corporal punishments and death upon them The fourth Example is recorded in the 1 KING 18. 40. c. 19. 1 2. Where Elijah commands all the people after he had convinced them by a miracle from heaven that the Lord was God â—o apprehend the Prophets of Baal and not let one of them escape whereupon they took them and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and SLEW THEM there with the sword upon which â—ezeâ—el threatned to make his life as one of them By this it is apparent First that this holy zealous Prophet and all the people were of opinion That false Prophets and Idolaters ought by the Law of God to be put to death without any mercy and that Gods Judgement of drought then upon the whole Kingdom could not be removed before their execution as the History there manifests Secondly that the execution of those Idolatrous false Prophets was so necessary that rather then they should want capital punishment the Prophet Elijah himself would be their executioner His zeal then should shame our lukewarmnesse now The fifth President is in JUDGES 6.30 Then Ioash said unto all that stood against him Wil ye plead for Baal Wil ye save him he that wil plead for him LET HIM BE PVT TO DEATH whiles it is yet morning Compared with the second of KINGS 10. 18. to 29. Where Iehu by Proclamation having gathered all Baals Priests and worshippers into his temple appointed foursoore men without and said if any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape he that letteth him go his life shal be for the life of him And he said to the guard to the Captains go in SLAT THEM let none come forth and they smote them with the edge of the sword and the guard and the Captains cast them out and went to the City of the house of Baal and they brought forth the Images out of the house of Baal and burnt them and they brake down the Image of Baal and the house of Baal and made it a draught house unto this day so Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel Here the supream temporal Magistrate puts all the Idolatrous Priests and worshippers of Baal throughout the whole Kingdom to death at once without mercy for which God himself commends him saying That he had done wel in executing that which was right in his eys And by this means he destroyed Baal out of Israel to his eternal honor The sixth Example is thus recorded in the 2 KING 11. 17 18. and in the 2 CHRO 23. 16 17. And Jehoiada made a Covenant between him and between all the people and between the King that they should be the Lords people And all the people of the Land went into the house of Baal and brake it down his Alars and his Images brake they in peeces throughly and SLEW Mattan the Priest of Baal before the
when King Nebuchadnezzer erected an Image of gold as his god which he made choyce of for him and all his people to worship he made a publike Proclamation by an Herald that all people nations and languages assembled to its dedication should fall down and worship this golden Image and that who so fell not down and worshipped it SHOULD BE CAST INTO A BURNING FIERY FURNACE And for disobeying this Proclamation Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were cast into his furnace as Malefactors Thus ACTS 16. 16 to 35. The Idolatrous people of Thyatiâ—a after that Paul and Sylas had preached against their Idols and dispossessed the damosel there possessed with the spirit of divination rose up against Paul and Sylus and caught and brought them to the Magistrate saying These men being Jews do exceedingly trouble our City and teach customes which are not lawful for us to receive nor observe being Romans whereupon the Magistrates rent their clothes and commanded to beat them and when they had layd many stripes upon them they cast them into prison charging the goaler to keep them safely who having received such a charge cast them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks reputing them Hereticks Schismaticks Opposers of their false Deities and Religions So ACT. 19. 21. to 46. Demetrius the silver-smith who made shrines for Diana stirred up the people at Ephesus against Paul and his Associates by these speeches Moreover ye see and hear that not alone at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away many people saying that they be no gods which are made with hands So that no only our craft is endangered to be set at naught but also that the Temple of the great goddesse Diana should be despised AND HER MAGNIFICENCE SHOVLD BE DESTROYED whom all Asia and the world worshippeth And when they heard these sayings they were full of wrath and cryed out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And the whole City was filled with confusion and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus Pauls companions in travel they rushed with one accord into the Theatre and no doubt would have murdered them and Paul too could they have caught him as BLASPHEMERS of their Goddesse had not the Town-Clerk appeased the multitude and told them the matter should be deeâ—rmined in a lawful assembly So the Jews out of their blind zeal stoned Stephen as an Heretick and false Teacher for reproving them for persecuting and slaying the Prophets who had shewed before of the comming of the Holy One of whom they had been the betrayers and murderers ACT. 7. 7. Thus Paul before his conversion out of the like fals zeal made havock of the Church entring into every house and hailing men and women committed them to prison And yet breathing out threatnings and flaughters against the Disciples of the Lord he desired letters of the High Priest to Damascus to the Synagogues that if he found any of this way man or woman he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem ACT. 8. 1. 3. c. 9. 1 2. Yea he did shut up many of the Saincts in prison and when they were put to death gave his voyce against them and punished them oft in every Synagogue ACT. 26. 9 10 11 12. Thus the seduced Jews out of a blind zeal apprehending Paul to be an Heretick and Schismatick ACT. 21. 28 29. c. stirred up all the people and laid hands on him crying out Men of Israel help this is the man that teacheth all men every where against the people and the law and this place and farther brought Greeks into the Temple and hath polluted the holy place And all the City was moved and the people ran together and they took Paul and drew him out of the Temple and beat him And as they were about to kill him tydings came unto the chief Captain of the band that all Jerusalem was in an uproar who immediately took Souldiers and Centurions and ran down and took Paul and commanded him to be bound with two chains and brought him into the Castle After which he was brought before the Councel accused before Felix by the Iews and Tertullus for a mover of sedition among the Jews throughout the world and a ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens whom they took and would have judged according to their law but that the chief Captain Lysias rescued him out of their hands ACT. 24. 5 6 7 and all this for worshipping God after the way which they called HERESY ACT. 24. 14. So ACT. 12. 1 2 3 4. we read that Herod the King stretched out his hand to vex certain of the Church and KILLED James the brother of John with the sword and took and imprisoned Peter too intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people Yea our Saviour himself tells his Disciples JOHN 16. 2. The time cometh that WHOSOEVER KILLETH YOV shall think he doth GOD GOOD SERVICE as the Pagan Roman Emperors and other Heathenish Princes Magistrates Nations did in the Primitive persecutions recorded in all ancient and modern Ecclesiastical histories Now what was the ground of Nebuchadnezzers and these other Pagan Idolaters and seduced Jews corporal Censures and capitall Proceedings against the Servants Apostles and Saints of God but this they deemed them Hereticks false Teachers Opposers and Blasphemeâ—s of their Idol-gods and false Religions which they embâ—aced beleeved as the true For as the very light of Nature instructs all Nations that there is a God and instigates them to elect and adore some Deity or other as their God and Savior So it farther instructs them that that Deity they adore and that Religion they imbrace is no ways to be openly blasphemed reviled oppugned contemned under pain of the most severe capital punishments because such offences against the supreamest Majesty of God transcend any Treason against an earthly Soveraign whence most Laws and Nations have made them capital and by the light of Nature in all ages punished such whom they esteemed Atheists Hereticks Blasphemers of their gods or oppugners of their established Religion with no lesse then capital Punishments and the severest Censures as is evident by these Scripture instances and sundry other Hence is that notable saying of Seneca Violatarum Religionum aliubi atque aliubi diversa poena est SED VBIQVE ALIQVA as wel as of homicide parricide and poysoning Hence the Philosopher Plato in his 10. Book de Legibus condemns those to be put to death who are Violaters or Corrupters of Religion Hence the Amphictions by the advise of Solon raised a War against the Tirrhaeans for offring violence to the Temple of Delphos and Philip of Macaedon levyed War against the Phocians for their Sacriledge in spoiling the Temple of Delphos quod orbis viribus expiari debet writes Justin. This War continued eleven years til all who were guilty of this Sacriledge were utterly destroyed which Demophilus and Diodorus Siculus stiled Bellum
it then why do not Master Dell Master Salâ—marsh and Master Peters reprove reforme their preaching Souldiers and Captains as Colonel John Hewson Lieutenant John Web and others who violently intrude into our Ministers Pulpits against their wils and in a most tumultuous manner interrupt them forcibly in their Sermons preach in their places and offer violence to their persons threatning not to sheath their Swords till they have rooted out all the Priests and left never a Black-coat in England teach them this good Doctrine May these thus tumultuously forcibly against the Ordinances of Parliament use open force and violence without any check or exemplary punishment by a Counsell of Warre and yet must not the Magistrate use the Sword of Justice to punish such seditious riotous Schismaticks and Hereticall Sectaries without dishonouring the Gospel of peace Yea why have Master Dell Master Peters and Master Salâ—marsh themselves in some places endeavoured forcibly to intrude into the Ministers Pulpits as Master Bodens at Bath and elswhere against their wils and convented them for denying to admit them till they had recanted their erronious Doctrines Let them then for shame renounce this Objection which their own practice reâ—utes as heterodox or else reforme these their violent practises or deny this power to our Magistrates which themselves and their Saints usurp as peculiar to themselves Fourthly If this be true Why have the godliest Christians and most zealous Ministers of God in all Ages Churches invoked the Lawes Power Sword of Christian Magistrates Kings Emperours against obstinate Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers as I have already proved Yea why did the Christians in the 〈◊〉 Church desire the Heathen Emperour Aurelianus to suppresse expel correct that grosse insolent lascivious Heretick Paulus Samosatenus which he accordingly did at their request and why doe the Confessions the Diâ—â—nes of all reformed Churches beyond the Seas incite the Christian Magistrates to such a restraint and punishment of Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers asserting iâ— to be not onely lawfull but their duty too or why do some Independents confesse as much in print Either therefore all these were utterly mistaken as I am sure they were not or Master Dels Objection is absurd without any shadow of solid reason the rather because this forcible conversion of Hereticks and Schismaticks takes not place but when and where the Gospel of peace is first preached tendred refused and admoniâ—â—â—ns with other milder means will not prevaile Fiftly if forcible Reformation and violence be contrary to the Gospel of peacâ—â—â—â—en surely Warres and Armes are much more and utterly unlawfull â—â— Master Dels Masters the Anabaptists hold why then is Master â—ell a Chaplaine to and in our Army and so many of his Saints men of Warre and Blood of Force and Violence They must either renounce their Military Employments now or Master Dels Divinity unlesse they love the gaine of the â—â—arres more then the truth of Master Dels Gospel of Peace Sixtly if the Gospel be a Gospel of peace then it is most just the Christian Magistrate should forcibly suppresse and punish Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers and Seducers who make Warre against the Truth and Peace of the Gospel with corporall and externall punishments to preserve the Peacâ— Unity and purity of the Gospel when other meanes will notâ—… we shall neither enjoy the peace nor purity of the Gospel nor so much â—â— outward peace Hence Paul commands us to pray for Kings andâ—… Authority that under them we may live quiet and PEACEABLE LIVES in all 〈◊〉 and honesty As therefore those who break the civill Peaâ—e â— theâ—â— King â—nd State may be justly indicted imprisoned and bound to the Peaâ—e with sufficient sureties and sometimes to the good behaviour for it by the Justices of Peace and Civill Magistrate to preserve peace for the future so doubtlesse may those Hereticks Schismaticks Seducers Blasphemers who disturb the peace of the Church and Gospel be thus indicted and punished by them to preserve the peace of the Church the puriy of the Gospel and our Kingdomes peace thereby The eleventh Objection is this The Faithfull the Subjects of Christ's Kingdome are a willing people Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power The very day of Christs power is not to force men against their wils but to make them willing and what needs outward power to force a people made willing by the Spirit c. And to back this reason he to shew his great reading quotes the sayings of Melancton in Psal 110. 3. of Polanus Tyndall Luther and Vlriâ—hus ab Hutten in his Margin to this effect That Religion is not to be forced with the Sword nor Nations or People to be compelled to the Faith of Christ but mens hearts are to be drawne to the true Faith of Christ through preaching the Word of Truth Adding a saying of Luther but not citing the place nor yet of any of his other Authors but Melancton onely having taken them upon hearsay from others Christus non voluit vi igne cogere homines ad fidem And Hereticos comburere est contra voluntatem spiritus His other sentences touching the Popes worldly pompous Kingdome are like his arguments nothing to purpose and he prefaceth his quotations thus So you may see the Truth though it hath BVT FEW FOLLOWERS yet it hath SOME To this I answer first That Hereticks Blasphemers false Teachers and obstinate Schismaticks are no true Subjects of Christs Kingdome nor yet of the number of those people who shall be willing in the day of his power and I hope Master Dell dares not averre nor stile them such since they are a most obstinate refractory seditious stiffe-necked and rebellious Generation opposite and contradictory to the Faith Truth of Christ as is cleer by the 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. 2 Pet. 2. 2 c. Jude 5. to 20. Tit. 3. 11 12. Rom. 16. 17 18. Whence Bernard asserts of them mori magis eligunt quà m converti Therefore this Text and Argument cannot be applied to them and is but this in substance The Faithfull the proper Subjects of Christs Kingdome are a willing people and so need no forcing Ergo Obstinate Hereticks Schismaticks false Teachers Blasphemers who are neither Gods people noâ— a willing people ought not to he punished with corporall or capitall punishments by the civill Magistrate for their heresies schismes errors blasphemies and Hereticks ought not to be burnt He might as well argue boyes that are willing to goe to Schoole and learne their bookes need not the rod to force them to it Ergo boyes that loyter and are unwilling to goe to School or learne their books need not the rod and must not be whipped A meer loytering School-boyes argument which deserves no answer but the whip Secondly no Church nor Congregation in the World consisteth only or altogether of Saints
aliis sanis ut â—pâ—â— sanantur non toti pereant sed resipiscant Sed timor Dei aequitas prudentia judicis intelliget ex circumstantiis quomodo punienda sunt in â—â—ductoribus seductis prava dogmata pervicax rebellio aut stolida minimè malitiosa credulitas Admonitio seria diligens locum non habet in sceleribus nefandis jam perperratis ET GLADIO ELVENDIS Curet â—go Magistratus ut moneat in tempore monendos c. So he so we conclude Martinus Bucerus in his Book de Regno Christi dedicated to our King Edward the VI. hath many passages to this purpose which you may there read at large being the subject and scope of that Treatise And in his Eâ—arrat in Matth. c. 22. he deterâ—ermines thus Ex eo quod apud omnes rectè sentientes pridem modo habetur neminem ad fidem aut religionem compellendum quidam Officium Magistratus in totum à rebus fidei Religionis alienum faciunt nec quicquam illum circà eas vel constituere vel emendare aut etiam vindicare permittunt addicentes illum totum solis-rebus seculi Isti verò parum piè de sublimi potestatis munere sentire videntur Dii in Scripturis Vocantur Principes Magistratus Quare Deos quosdam praestare inter homines debent eoque sic mala amoliri bona provehere ut quae inter bona praecipua sunt in primis procurand tuendâ—curent quaeque mala nocentiora praecipuo studio avertant Quùm itaque Religio non solum bona alià universa excellat sed sine ea nihil sit jam humano generi bonum salutare certè consequens erit ut Magistratus PRIMUM DEBEAT RELIGIONI VINDICANDAE ET CONSERVANDAE CURAM IMPENDERE quaâ—doquidâ—m nihil potest populo accidere pestilentius quà â—â—â— haec illi violetur nihil salutarius quam si sarta-tecta persistat Hinc in lege Magistratibus persanctè praeceptum fuit ut praeter consultores Levitas Sacerdotes ipsi quoque legem Dei studiose legerent nimirum ut ficut Deus ante omnia diligi debet ità in primis operam daret ut illius cultus rectè haberet Hinc CAPITALIA fecit non solum adultera homicidia id genus atrociora scelera sed etiam si quis a cultu Dei docendo abduceret si quis sibiipsi tantum Idola aut aliam superstitionem statueret si ariolos consuleret si Deo convicium dicat hujusmodi quae propriè ad curam attinent Religionis Jam Deus non mutatur quare in haec eadem hodiè quoque Magistratum ANIMADVERTERE DEBET Nec enim minus apud priscos vera Religio cordi fuit atque hodiè aeque tum atque modo opus Spiritus Sancti illa exstitit Nihilominus quùm Doctrinae Caeremoniae externae sunt potestas publica in hoc à Deo rebus humanis praefecta sit ut illae optimè id est ex sententia ejus habeant ac ita ante omnia ipsius cultus vigeat neque possit nocentius quicquam accidere impia Doctrina superstitiosis Ceremoniis etiam apud nos Magistratus officium erit cavere ne quid in his palâ—m peccetur occulta Dei judicio relinquere oportet Nequaquam autem huc ire decet quoniam multi sunt qui potestate sua abuntantur maximè in rebus sacris ut proptereà curam religionis alienam a munere Magistratus faciamus quà m primum habere quicunque potestate funguntur non folum divinae sed simul omnium Sapientium leges sanxerunt Huldricus Zuinglius de Duplici Justitia Divina Humana towards the end writes That the Magistrate was instituted by God among other ends Ne blasphemi reddamus sed verbi Domini audientes Quod si ego blasphemias in Deum expuere non vereris Magistratus blasphemum te poenis coercet Religionem tuere debet provehere Quod si eos non puniat qui Deo inobedientes sunt Dei poenam non effugiet Magistratus in primis est ut omnia ea aboleant tollentque à medio quae cum divini verbi oraculis pugnant And elswhere he writes thus That the Magistrate must know himselfe to be nothing else but a Sword wherewith God doth cut off the worst and most hurtfull members of his Body but he is to take heed that he cut not off a sound member for a diseased one nor suffer a diseased one to live for a sound one That the Magistrate may lawfully put open Malefactors ' to death who are pernicious to the Body of Christ and hurtfull to the Common-wealth And though he holds That the Doctrine of Christ is not to be propagated with armes and the sword and blames the Papists the enemies of Gods Word Quod omnia vitentant non Scripturarum collatione Yet he addes Interim Magistratus officium est nihil ominus ut hostibus veritatis posteaquam satis sunt auditi verbo Dei convicti silentium imponant c. Quidam certè eorum tam blasphemè tamquè de Deo de Veritate deque Scripturis sacris loquuntur ut nihil mirum esset si Magistratus os ipsis comprimeret quandoquidem Scripturis omninò nihil possunt nec cessant tamen reclamare omnia vi tentare non veritate Praestaret inquam ut his posteaquam auditi essent edocti Pytagoricum imponeretur silentium So as in his opinion Magistrates ongot to punish Blasphemers to silence and suppresse Hereticks and Seducers who are obstinate and disturb the publick peace else God will certainly punish them for this neglect of their duty And in these places and elswhere he largely asserts the divine institution power lawfulnesse and necessity of the Christian Magistrate under the Gospel against the Anabaptists Master Calvin doth the like Institut lib. 4. c. 20. throughout Where he writes thus Sect. 3. That the Magistrate is to take principall care to suppresse and punish Idolatry Sacriledge Blasphemy and other publick offences against Religion and to take care that the true Religion contained in the Law of God he not publickly violated or contaminated by sacrilegious persons without punishment Sect. 9. he asserts That the Magistrates are the keepers of both Tables as we learn not onely by Scripture but prophane Authors too That it ought to be their chiefest care to defend and preserve true Piety and Religion and the honour of God whose Vicars they are and by whose benefit they reigne And he concludes thus against the Anabaptists and our Antagonists Hoc quoque nomine maximè laudantur Sancti Reges in Scriptura quòd Dei cultum corruptum vel eversum restiâ—erunt vel curam gesserent Religionis ut sub illis pura incolumis floreret Contra verò sacra historia inter vitia anarchyas ponit quod non esset Rex in Israel ideoque faceret quisque quod placebat Unde
Musculus Loc. Com. p. 1389. and Hugo Etherianus de Haeresibus Theodor Beza writes We teach that christian Magistrates ought to take speciall care that the pure and sincere worship of God may flourish and that they should RESTRAINE AND PUNISH Hereticks CAPITALI QUOQUI PENA SI NECESSITAS ET SCELERIS MAGNITUDO POSTUâ—ENT and that with capitall punishment if the necessity and the greatnesse of the crime so require rather then the Church should receive any dammage Which he elswhere asserts at large Operum Vol. 1. p. 83 to 171. in a particular learned Treatise De Haereticis a Civili Magistratu puniendis So Junius in Defensione 2. de Trinitate adversus Samotenianos Heidelb 1591. p. 40. Danaeus Ethicae Christianae l. 2. c. 13. elswhere are of the same judgment To whom I might adde Voetius de Tolerantia Anti-Trintariorum Becanus Locorum Com. Locus 49. the Professors of Leyden Censura Remonstr c. 24. sect 9. Spanhemius Diatribe Historica de Orig Progressu Sectis Num. Anabaptistarum with many other forraigne Divines whose names I spare all reformed Churches in forraigne parts concurring with me both in judgment and practice too Neither doe our owne Authors dissent but concurre jointly with these our Brethren witnesse Bishop Jewel and Master Perkins himself whose words I shall recite in the close of this Work Doctor Whitakers Adv. Campianum p. 234. Bishop Babington in his Comfortable Notes upon Exodus cap. 18. in his Works in Folio London 1622. p. 271 272 273. Doctor Fulke in his Answer to the Rhemist Testament on Apoc. sect 6. where he writes thus Though we allow the PUNISHMENT OF HERETICKS both in our owne and other Countries even with death yet we abhor the cruelty of Antichrist and his Church which condemne the Christians and murther them under the colour of Hereticks Doctor Robert Abbot de Suprema Potestate Regia Bishop Carlton of Jurisdiction Regall Episcopall and Papall John Bridges of the Kings Ecclesiasticall Supremacy Thomas Becon in his forecited works and Doctor Willet in his Sixfold Comentary on the Epistle to the Romans cap. 13. Controversie 4 5 6. Where thus he writes Princes ought not onely to take care about the affaires of the common-wealth and to be altogether carelesse of Religion but even unto Ecclesiasticall affaires and matters of Religion they ought to extend their Princely care and watchfulnesse First the Prince is the Minister of God for our good but the good of the Subject is not onely civill and temporall but spirituall concerning Religion Secondly Even the Heathen did ascribe unto their Kings a principal care even of Religion Wherupon the Emperors of Rome were stiled Pontifices Maximi the high Priests or Prelates and Aristotle writeth lib. 3. politic c. 10. that the Lacedemonian Kings had the command of War and rei divinae cultum exercuisse and did exercise divine worship unlesse they were such Sacrifices as were necessarily to be done by a Priest that therefore which by a common consent of Nations was given unto Kings ought not to be denied unto christian Princes Thirdly the care of Religion otherwise concerneth the Prince rather then private persons these onely are to wish well unto it and to accept of it but the Prince ought to be an Agent without whose power nothing can be effected publickly for the maintainance of Religion Secondly it belongeth to the Imperial power to maintain true Religion and see that no confused mixture of Religions be admitted for this is given as a reason in the time of the Judges why some followed Idolatry and strange worship because there was no King in Israel but every one did that which was good in his owne eyes Judges 17. 4. if there had been then a King they should not have been suffered every one to follow their owne fansies Thirdly Christian Princes are by their Lawes and Edicts to restraine all Blasphemy Idolatry Heresie Sacriledge and such like because Princes are to be feared for evill works their office is to restrain all evill works whatsoever such as these are and they are appointed to procure the good of their Subjects and consequently to take out of the way all impediments which may hinder their good such as these are The Romanists grant thus much that the Princes by their Lawes should provide against Heresie but they will exclude the Prince from all judgment of Heresie which must be in their opinion determined only by the Church c. Which all our Divines and Protestant Writers condemning is a strong evidence to me that Heretickes are properly triable onely by the Judges at the Common Law by way of Indictment not by the Clergy as their Heresie is criminall and capitall as well as Romish Priests and Jesuits This truth is very largely and learnedly asserted by Bishop Bilson in his True difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion by Bishop Davenant De Judice Norma Fidei cap. 15. p. 71 to 78. and other of the Episcopall Party whom I pretermit I shall conclude onely with such who have written since this Parliament The first of them is learned Master Samuel Rutherfurd in his Due Right of Presbyteries p. 352 to 370 where he propounds this Question Whether the Magistrate hath power to compell persons to a Church-profession For cleering whereof he layes downe and proves these five Conclusions I. The Magistrate may compell to the meanes and externall acts of worship and to restraine them from externall false worship of the false God or of the true God worshiped in a false way he cannot compell to internall acts of faith love and such like as hauing no power over the conscience II. There is one consideration of a Heathen or Pagan Nation which never received Christianity and the true Faith and another consideration of a Nation Baptized and professing Christ III. A Magistrate may compell a Heathen Nation to the negative reverence of Christ in an indirect way and that with the Sword though he cannot compell to the positive worshipping of him If a Christian Prince subdue a Pagan Nation he cannot force them with the Sword to a positive receiving of the Doctrine of the Gospel but if it be a Nation expresly blaspeming Christ as the Nation of the Jewes now doe he may compell them to an abstinence from a professed blaspheming of Christ because he is to use the sword against Blaspemy IIII. The compeling power of the Magistrate is terminated upon externall worship as abstracted from either hypocrisie or sincerity in worship V. Though no man resist the Magistrate in a matter of Religion except in a hypocriticall way save onely he who thinketh he hath reason to resist and is led by the judgment and inditement of conscience yet is not the judgment of conscience but onely the Word of God the rule of mans obedience or resisting in action purposes and conversation These five conclusions he there proves at large asserting That grosse Idolaters seducing Hereticks and universall
Objection is of the same stamp That power which in the use of it plainly and undoubtedly tends to the gratification of Satan of carnall and prophane men is not certainly derived from God But that power in matters of Religion to crush Heresies Schismes c. which A. S. and many others pinned upon the Magistrates sleeve is a power of this tendency and importance in the use of it Ergo The latter proposition shines cleere enough with its owne light first because a very great part of those who are like to suffer by it are men of good conscience and men truly fearing God it not being likely that ordinarily men of loose or no conscience should delight to swim against the streames either of greatnesse or plurality in matters of Religion therfore it cannot but be conceived a matter of solemn gratification to Satan who is a Murderer and bloody Enemy to the Saints to see them disgraced crushed c. Secondly because it is the impatient and important desire of all ignorant loose luckewarme and carnall professors to have all religions as they call them all wayes sects opinions and practises in Religion wholly silenced suppressed and abolished where they live except only that one way and practice which shall be authorized and practised by the State I answer first that the Minor is both false and absurd for the use of Magistrates legislative coercive and punitative power tends to no such ends as is objected but directly to the contrary and if any apply it to such ends it is meerly the abuse not use thereof and the abuse of this lawfull necessary power must not abolish nor blemish its lawfull use no more then the abuse of the very Scriptures of Preaching Food or Ecclesiasticall censures nullifie their use Secondly Hereticks Blasphemers or obstinate Schismaticks being the First-borne of the Devill and Heresie Blasphemy Schisme works of the flesh directly contrary to the Spirit and Word of God it is farre more probable that the not using this power of the Magistrate to punish them will farre more gratifie Satan and prophane carnall men then the exercise of it Thirdly all the godly Christian Emperours Kings States Ecclesiasticall Historians Councils and Authors forecited who have enacted Lawes against Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers and have pleaded for the use necessity of this power have been quite contrary minded yea the very Word and Spirit of God and God himselfe who hath given them such a power in expresse tearmes in the Old Testament and New contradict this Anarchicall if not Atheisticall proposition which hath neither Scripture nor reason to back it but the Objectors own bare assertion point-blank against Scripture and the concurrent suffrages of all Ages Fourthly I beseech you observe the impudency of these Objectors who deem themselves the onely Saints what Blasphemies they dare to vent in print That the Magistrates power to crush Heresies Schismes Blasphemies in the use of it plainly and palpably tends to the gratification of Satan and carnall and prophane men and those that are like to suffer by it are men OF GOOD CONSCIENCE AND TRULY FEARING GOD Ergo Hereticks Schismaticks and Blasphemers in their judgment are men of good conscience truly fearing God and those godly Christian Magistrates who out of good conscience and true feare of God shall restraine or punish them for their Heresies Blasphemies Schisms by the rule of contraries are men of no conscience nor truly fearing God but prophane carnall men yea ignorant loose lukewarme and carnall professors as he stiles them and none are pleased with their punishment but Satan and such men as these This is New-light indeed deserving to be hung up at Tyburne by the hands of the Hangman and such absurd Blasphemy as becomes none but Tyburne-Saints Fiftly I answer that it hath been the importunate desire of the true Saints and Ministers of God in all Ages not of ignorant loose lukewarme and carnall Professors as is falsly pretended without proofe or evidence to have all Religions Wayes Sects Opinions and practises in Religion suppressed excepting that one true way and practice which the Scripture warrants and the Christian States wherein they live upon good grounds approve as I have plentifully evidenced in the premises and is manifest by all Historians by the proceedings and Books written against Hereticks and Schismaticks in all Ages by the late Petition of thousands of godly People and Ministers to the Parliament and both Houses Answers thereunto Therefore this bare sottish false assertion to the contrary deserves no other answer but contempt and the Objectors merit no other character for it then that of Titus 1. 12 13. The Cretians are 〈◊〉 Lâ—ars evill Beasts This witnesse is true The eighteenth Objection is this That power which in the use of it directly tends to defile and pollute the consciences of men either by destroying the softnesse tendernesse or ingenuity of them or by disturbing the lawfull peace or comfort of them or by boâ—â— is a power from beneath not from above But such is the coercive power in matters of Religion to crush Schismes Heresies c. wherewith A. S. would faine befriend himself in the civill Magistrate Ergo. The truth of the Assumption appears in this consideration when the conscience of a man hath once broke the bounds and tye of its owne light and prostiâ—uâ—ed it selfe to the desires and lusts of men against the graine of its owne judgment and reclamation whereunto it is secretly tempted and urged when a man is threatned deep in case he shall not comply with the State in their Religion his judgment and conâ—cience being wholly averse to it one of these great evils commonly befals him First God takes no pleasure in such a conscience afterwards he withdraweth himselfe from it and leaves it unto it selfe whereupon it fals upon a course of hardening it selfe and by degrees contracts a boldnessâ— impudence and desperatnesse in sinning Secondly by reflecting on what it hath done in such a â—â—se and câ—sting it up between God and it selfe how grievous a sinne it is to trample upon its owne light upon any coâ—sideration whatsoever it brings it selfe into grievous Agoâ—â—es of Perplexities and Horror out of which it never recovers afterwards To this I answer first that this Argument is founded meerly upon false and carnall reason without and against all Scripture being of the same straine as the former Secondly the Assumption is a grosse falshood proved neither by Scripture nor Historicall Examples nor Experience but asserted onely by the Objectors Thirdly it confounds the abuse of the Magistrates coercive power with the lawfull use thereof as the two former Arguments did and makes the abuse to nullifie the use Fourthly it makes a casuall contingent effect of the use of this coervive power which seldom happens that through the parties own default who is restrained punished or onely frighted thereby to abolish the ordinary good use and effect
other Fundamentals of Religion and all Heresies or Blasphemies concerning them are or may be infallibly knowne and so corporally and capitally punished in some cases but especially by such godly Magistrates and Christian States who certainly know and beleeve them the Haeresie or infidelity of the Heretick Schismatick or Blasphemer being an Argument of his obstinacy not a supersedeas to the beleeving Magistrates punishments who is assured both of their Heresie and Blasphemy and of his owne authority topunish them Having now runne thorough and satisfactorily as I humbly conceive refelled all the principall Arguments and in them all others of lesser moment reduceable unto these fully answered by Master Beza de Haereticis Capitali supplicio afficiendis Bellarmine de Laicis cap. 22. of late produced against the Christian Magistrates Legislative and Coercive power to suppresse or punish Idolaters Apostates Hereticks false Teachers Schismaticks Blasphemers the most of them if not all being borrowed verbatim from the Hereticall Donatists heretofore and Anabaptists of later times and now new-minted and obtruded upon ignorant people under the specious title of NEW GOSPEL LIGHT AND THE VERYMIND AND WILL OF JESUS CHRIST I shall here openly challenge Master Dell Master Peters Master Goodwin yea the whole rout of Sectaries Anabaptists Independents to rally and re-enforce these their routed scattered Forces Argumeuts by a solid Reply or to yeeld the field and cause for ever lost past all recovery And I shall also cordially desire all those who have been seduced by their sophistry seriously to ponder my Replies to all their Objections and if they find them satisfactory no longer obstinately to maintaine a State-Church-Soule-destroying Paradox or Schismaticall Anti-Magistraticall Error to encrease or support an Anabaptisticall or Anarchicall Faction who endeavour all they can to subvert both our Magistracy and Ministry and thereby our Church and State to bring meer Anarchy and confusion into both at first covertly but now professedly in Pulpit in Presse without a vaile Certainly afrer a serious survey of all their Arguments Practises Aimes I cannot but pronounce that sentence of the Apostle against them Rom. 3. 12 to 19. They are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throat is an open Sepulcher with their tongue their have used deceit the poyson of Aspes is under their lips Destruction and misery is in their wayes and the way of peace they have not knowne there is no feare of God before their eyes And therefore cannot but admonish all men in his following words Ro. 16. 17 18. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH YEE HAVE LEARNED AND AVOYD THEM For they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts OF THE SIMPLE Now because all of this rank who pretend themselves the onely Saints and Gods peculiar Portion are apt to cry out PERSECUTION PERSECUTION with open mouth when any the least motion is made to restraine or suppresse their growth or insolency proclaiming to all the world their fear of persecution in Presse and Pulpit before ever they have suffered in the lest degree in purse or person and perchance will tearm me a persecuter of the Saints a Blood-sucker c. for publishing this Treatise as they have formerly done for barely opposing them by way of Argument in their erronious wayes of Schisme I shall onely answer this malicious calumny as a further Objection and then conclude First then I affirme That it is an Argument of a very bad cause of a base unregenerate Spirit a carnall unzealous heart and self-seeking disposition clamorously to cry out against and professe an extraordinary feare of persecution or to endeavour to prevent it by such exclamations A truly gracious Heroick Christian spirit disdaines all such exclamations Never doe we read in Scripture of any such degenerous expressions of fear of persecution made by Christ or any of his Apostles or Saints nor yet in Ecclesiastical Stories or Martyrologies by any godly Martyrs but contrarily they all generaly accounted their Sufferings their Torments yea their very bloodiest Martyrdomes to be not onely their Crownes and Glory but their Option and the thing they most desired Our blessed Saviour foretelling his Disciples of his Death and Passion Peter tòereupon cut of a carnall love to Christ took him aside and began to rebuke him saying Be it farre from thee Lord this shall not be done unto the◠But he turned and said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things of God but of men And speaking of his Death he saith Luk. 22. 50. I have a Baptisme to be baptized with and how am I pained till it be fulfilled Yea Christ for the joy that was set before him desired and endured the Crosse but despised the shame leaving us an example that we should follow his stepts Wee read of Paul Acts 20. 22. 23. 24. That he went bound in the spirit to Ierusalem though the holy Ghost witnessed in every City that bondes and imprisonments did abide him yea he addes of himselfe But none of these things move mee neither count I my life deare unto my selfe so as I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God And Acts 21. 11. 12. 13. When the Prophet Agabus prophesied that the Iewes should binde Paul hand and foot at Jerusalem and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles and thereupon some of his followers and others of Cesarea desired Paul not to go up to Jerusalem Paul would by no meanes be perswaded but answered them with this increpation What meane yee to weep and to breake my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Yea as He and Silas sung praises unto God at midnight even when they were scourged cast into the inner Prison and their feet made fast in the stocks never once crying out of persecution So a little before his Martyrdome at ROME he brake forth into this triumphant expression I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crowne of Righteousnesse which God the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day It is Recorded of MOSES Hebr. 11. 25. 26. That he refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoh his Daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of reward And we read of the