Chapter XI: Part 11

That most despised while living, and now much honoured Mr. Ainsworth,[217] had scarce his peer amongst a thousand academians for the scripture originals, and yet he scarce set foot within a college-walls.

CHAP. CVIII.

_Peace._ I shall now present you with their tenth head, viz., concerning the magistrates’ power in matters of doctrine.

“That which is unjustly ascribed to the pope, is as unjustly ascribed to the magistrates, viz., to have power of making new articles of faith, or rules of life, or of pressing upon the churches to give such public honour to the apocrypha writings, or homilies of men, as to read them to the people in the room of the oracles of God.”

_Truth._ This position, simply considered, I acknowledge a most holy truth of God, both against the pope, and the civil magistrates’ challenge, both pretending to be the vicars of Christ Jesus upon the earth. Yet two things here I shall propose to consideration:—

[Sidenote: King Henry the Eighth set down in the pope’s chair in England.]

First, since the parliament of England thrust the pope out of his chair in England, and set down King Henry the Eighth and his successors in the pope’s room, establishing them supreme governors of the church of England: since such an absolute government is given by all men to them to be guardians of the first table and worship of God, to set up the true worship, to suppress all false, and that by the power of the sword; and therefore consequently they must judge and determine what the true is, and what the false:—

[Sidenote: If the magistrate must punish in spiritual cases, he must of necessity be judge in spiritual causes also.]

And since the magistrate is bound, by these authors’ principles, to see the church, the church officers, and members do their duty, he must therefore judge what is the church’s duty, and when she performs or not performs it, or when she exceeds; so likewise when the ministers perform their duty, or when they exceed it:—

And if the magistrate must judge, then certainly by his own eye, and not by the eyes of others, though assembled in a national or general council:—

Then also, upon his judgment must the people rest, as upon the mind and judgment of Christ, or else it must be confessed that he hath no such power left him by Christ to compel the souls of men in matters of God’s worship.

[Sidenote: Apocrypha, Common-prayer, and homilies, precious to our forefathers.]

Secondly, concerning the apocrypha writings and homilies to be urged by the magistrate to be read unto the people as the oracles of God: I ask, if the homilies of England contain not in them much precious and heavenly matter? Secondly, if they were not penned, at least many of them, by excellent men for learning, holiness, and witness of Christ’s truth incomparable? Thirdly, were they not authorized by that most rare and pious prince, Edward VI., then head of the church of England?[218] With what great solemnity and rejoicing were they received of thousands!

Yet now, behold their children after them sharply censure them for apocrypha writings, and homilies thrust into the room of the word of God, and so falling into the consideration of a false and counterfeit scripture.

[Sidenote: A case.]

I demand of these worthy men, whether a servant of God might then lawfully have refused to read or hear such a false scripture?

Secondly, if so, whether King Edward might have lawfully compelled such a man to yield and submit, or else have persecuted him; yea, according to the authors’ principles, whether he ought to have spared him; because after the admonitions of such pious and learned men, this man shall now prove a heretic, and as an obstinate person sinning against the light of his own conscience?

In this case what shall the consciences of the subject do, awed by the dread of the Most High? What shall the magistrate do, zealous for his glorious reformation, being constantly persuaded by his clergy of his lieutenantship received from Christ?

[Sidenote: Reformations are fallible. Bloody conclusions.]

Again, what privilege have those worthy servants of God, either in Old or New England, to be exempted from the mistakes into which those glorious worthies in King Edward’s time did fall? and if so, what bloody conclusions are presented to the world, persuading men to pluck up by the roots from the land of the living, all such as seem in their eyes heretical or obstinate!

CHAP. CIX.

_Peace._ Dear Truth, what dark and dismal bloody paths do we walk in? How is thy name and mine in all ages cried up, yet as an English flag in a Spanish bottom, not in truth, but dangerous treachery and abuse both of truth and peace!

[Sidenote: Eleventh head.]

We are now come to the eleventh head, which concerns the magistrates’ power in worship?

“First, they have power,” say they, “to reform things in the worship of God in a church corrupted, and to establish the pure worship of God, defending the same by the power of the sword against all those who shall attempt to corrupt it.

“For first, the reigning of idolatry and corruption in religion is imputed to the want of a king, Judges xvii. 5, 6.

“Secondly, remissness in reforming religion is a fault imputed to them who suffered the high places in Israel, and in Gallio who cared not for such things, Acts xviii. 17.

“Thirdly, forwardness this way is a duty not only for kings in the Old Testament, but for princes under the New, 1 Tim. ii. 2; Rom. xiii. 4; Esay. xlix. 23. Neither did the kings of Israel reform things amiss as types of Christ, but as civil magistrates, and so exemplary to all Christians. And here reformation in religion is commendable in a Persian king, Ezra vii. 23. And it is well known that remissness in princes of Christendom in matters of religion and worship, devolving the care thereof only to the clergy, and so setting the horns thereof upon the church’s head, hath been the cause of anti-christian inventions, usurpations, and corruptions, in the worship and temple of God.

“Secondly, they have not power to press upon the churches stinted prayers, or set liturgies, whether new or old, popish or others, under colour of uniformity of worship, or moral goodness of them both for matter and form, conceiving our arguments sent to our brethren in England concerning this question to evince this truth.[219]

“Thirdly, they have no power to press upon the churches, neither by law, as hath been said before, nor by proclamation and command, any sacred significant ceremonies, whether more or less popish or Jewish rite, or any other device of man, be it never so little in the worship of God, under what colour soever of indifferency, civility, using them without opinion of sanctity, public peace, or obedience to righteous authority, as surplice, cross, kneeling at sacrament, salt and spittle in baptism, holy days; they having been so accursed of God, so abused by man, the imposing of some ever making way for the urging of more, the receiving of some making the conscience bow to the burden of all.

“Fourthly, they have not power to govern and rule the acts of worship in the church of God.

“It is with a magistrate in a state in respect of the acts of those who worship in a church, as it is with a prince in a ship, wherein, though he be governor of their persons, else he should not be their prince, yet is not governor of the actions of the mariners, then he should be pilot: indeed if the pilot shall manifestly err in his action, he may reprove him, and so any other passenger may: or if he offend against the life and goods of any, he may in due time and place civilly punish him, which no other passenger can do; for, it is proper to Christ, the head of the church, as to prescribe so to rule the actions of his own worship in the ways of his servants, Esay. ix. 6, 7. The government of the church is upon his shoulder, which no civil officer ought to attempt. And therefore magistrates have no power to limit a minister, either to what he shall preach or pray, or in what manner they shall worship God, lest hereby they shall advance themselves above Christ, and limit his Spirit.”[220]

_Truth._ In this general head are proposed two things.

First, what the magistrate _ought_ to do positively, concerning the worship of God.

Secondly. What he _may_ do in the worship of God.

What he ought to do is comprised in these particulars:—

First. He ought to reform the worship of God when it is corrupted.

Secondly. He ought to establish a pure worship of God.

Thirdly. He ought to defend it by the sword: he ought to restrain idolatry by the sword, and to cut off offenders, as former passages have opened.

For the proof of this positive part of his duty, are propounded three sorts of scriptures.

First. From the practice of the kings of Israel and Judah.

Secondly. Some from the New Testament.

Thirdly. From the practice of kings of other nations.

Unto which I answer,—

[Sidenote: The argument from the Babylonian and Persian kings reminded.]

First. Concerning this latter, the Babylonian and Persian kings—Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius, Artaxerxes—I conceive I have sufficiently before proved, that these idolatrous princes making such acts concerning the God of Israel, whom they did not worship nor know, nor meant so to do, did only permit, and tolerate, and countenance the Jewish worship; and out of strong convictions that this God of Israel was able to do them good, as well as their own gods, to bring wrath upon them and their kingdoms, as they believed their own also did, in which respect all the kings of the world may be easily brought to the like; but [they] are no precedent or pattern for all princes and civil magistrates in the world, to challenge or assume the power of ruling or governing the church of Christ, and of wearing the spiritual crown of the Lord, which he alone weareth in a spiritual way by his officers and governors after his own holy appointment.

Secondly. For those of the New Testament I have, as I believe, fully and sufficiently answered.

So also that prophecy of Isa. xlix. [23.]

[Sidenote: The precedent of the kings and governors of Israel and Judah, examined. The state of Israel relating to spiritual matters proved typical.]

Lastly. However I have often touched those scriptures produced from the practice of the kings of Israel and Judah, yet, because so great a weight of this controversy lies upon this precedent of the Old Testament, from the duties of this nature enjoined to those kings and governors and their practices, obeying or disobeying, accordingly commended or reproved, I shall, with the help of Christ Jesus, the true King of Israel, declare and demonstrate how weak and brittle this supposed pillar of marble is, to bear up and sustain such a mighty burden and weight of so many high concernments as are laid upon it. In which I shall evidently prove, that the state of Israel as a national state, made up of spiritual and civil power, so far as it attended upon the spiritual, was merely figurative, and typing out the Christian churches consisting of both Jews and Gentiles, enjoying the true power of the Lord Jesus, establishing, reforming, correcting, defending in all cases concerning the kingdom and government.

CHAP. CX.

_Peace._ Blessed be the God of truth, the God of peace, who hath so long preserved us in this our retired conference without interruptions. His mercy still shields us while you express and I listen to that so much imitated, yet most inimitable state of Israel.

Yet, before you descend to particulars, dear Truth, let me cast one mite into your great treasury, concerning that instance, just now mentioned, of the Persian kings.

[Sidenote: The Persian kings make evidently against such as produce them for maintenance of the doctrine of persecution.]

Methinks those precedents of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, are strong against New England’s tenent and practice. Those princes professedly gave free permission and bountiful encouragement to the consciences of the Jews to use and practise their religion, which religion was most eminently contrary to their own religion and their country’s worship.

_Truth._ I shall, sweet Peace, with more delight pass on these rough ways, from your kind acceptance and unwearied patience in attention.

In this discovery of that vast and mighty difference between that state of Israel and all other states, only to be matched and paralleled by the Christian church or Israel, I shall select some main and principal considerations concerning that state, wherein the irreconcilable differences and disproportion may appear.

First. I shall consider the very land and country of Canaan itself, and present some considerations proving it to be a non-such.

[Sidenote: The land of Canaan chosen by God to be the seat of the church; but under the New Testament all nations alike.]

First. This land was espied out, and chosen by the Lord, out of all the countries of the world, to be the seat of his church and people, Ezek. xx. 6.

But now there is no respect of earth, of places, or countries with the Lord. So testified the Lord Jesus Christ himself to the woman of Samaria, John iv. [21,] professing that neither at that mountain, nor at Jerusalem, should men worship the Father.

While that national state of the church of the Jews remained, the tribes were bound to go up to Jerusalem to worship, Ps. cxxii. But now, _in every nation_, not the whole land or country as it was with Canaan, _he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him_, Acts x. 35. This then appeared in that large commission of the Lord Jesus to his first ministers: _Go into all nations_, and not only into Canaan, to carry tidings of mercy, &c.

Secondly. The former inhabitants thereof, seven great and mighty nations, Deut. vii. 1, were all devoted to destruction by the Lord’s own mouth, which was to be performed by the impartial hand of the children of Israel, without any sparing or showing mercy.

[Sidenote: The inhabitants of Canaan’s land, every soul, to be put to death, that the Israelites might enjoy their possessions: not so now.]

But so now it hath not pleased the Lord to devote any people to present destruction, commanding his people to kill and slay without covenant or compassion, Deut. vii. 2.

Where have emperors, kings, or generals an immediate call from God to destroy whole cities, city after city, men, women, children, old and young, as Joshua practised? Josh. vi. and x., &c.

This did Israel to these seven nations, that they themselves might succeed them in their cities, habitations, and possessions.

This only is true in a spiritual antitype, when God’s people by the sword, the two-edged sword of God’s Spirit, slay the ungodly and become heirs, yea, fellow heirs with Christ Jesus, Rom. viii. 17. God’s meek people inherit the earth, Matt. v. [5.] They mystically, like Noah, Heb. xi. 7, condemn the whole unbelieving world, both by present and future sentence, 1 Cor. vi. 2.

CHAP. CXI.

[Sidenote: The very material, gold and silver, of Canaan’s images, typically to be abhorred.]

Thirdly. The very materials, the gold and silver of the idols of this land, were odious and abominable, and dangerous to the people of Israel, that they might not desire it, nor take it to themselves, Deut. vii. 25, 26, lest themselves also become a curse, and like unto those cursed, abominable things. Whereas we find not any such accursed nature in the materials of idols or images now; but that, the idolatrous forms being changed, the silver and gold may be cast and coined, and other materials lawfully employed and used.

Yet this we find in the antitype, that gold, silver: yea, house, land: yea, wives, children: yea, life itself, as they allure and draw us from God in Christ, are to be abominated and hated by us, without which hatred and indignation, against the most plausible and pleasing enticings, from CHRIST JESUS, it is impossible for any man to be a true Christian, Luke xiv. 26.

[Sidenote: The land of Canaan ceremonially holy.]

Fourthly. This land, this earth, was a holy land, Zech. ii. 12. Ceremonially and typically holy, fields, gardens, orchards, houses, &c., which holiness the world knows not now in one land or country, house, field, garden, &c., one above another.

[Sidenote: Greater holiness in the antitype under the gospel, than in the types under the law.]

Yet in the spiritual land of Canaan, the Christian church, all things are made holy and pure, in all lands, to the pure, Tit. i. [15;] meats and drinks are sanctified, that is, dedicated to the holy use of the thankful believers, 1 Tim. iv. 5; yea, and the unbelieving husband, wife, and their children, are sanctified and made holy to believers, insomuch that that golden inscription, peculiar to the forehead of the high priest, _Holiness to Jehovah_, shall be written upon the very bridles of the horses, as all are dedicated to the service of Christ Jesus in the gospel’s peace and holiness.

[Sidenote: The land of Canaan Jehovah’s land.]

Fifthly. The Lord expressly calls it his own land, Lev. xxv. 23; Hos. ix. 3, _Jehovah’s land_, a term proper unto spiritual Canaan, the church of God, which must needs be in respect of his choice of that land to be the seat and residence of his church and ordinances.

But now the partition-wall is broken down, and in respect of the Lord’s special propriety to one country more than another, what difference between Asia and Africa, between Europe and America, between England and Turkey, London and Constantinople?

[Sidenote: Emanuel’s land: so no land or country more than another.]

This land, among many other glorious titles given to it, was called Emanuel’s land, that is, God with us, Christ’s land, or Christian land, Isa. viii. 8.

But now, Jerusalem from above is not material and earthly, but spiritual, Gal. iv. [25;] Heb. xii. [22.] Material Jerusalem is no more the Lord’s city than Jericho, Nineveh, or Babel, in respect of place or country: for even at Babel literal, was a church of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. v. [13.]

It is true, that anti-christ hath christened all those countries whereon the whore sitteth, Rev. xvii., with the title of Christ’s land, or Christian land.

[Sidenote: The blasphemous titles of the christened and Christian world.]

And Hundius, in his map of the Christian world, makes this land to extend to all Asia, a great part of Africa, all Europe, and a vast part of America, even so far as his unchristian christening hath gone. But as every false Christ hath false teachers, false Christians, false faith, hope, love, &c., and in the end false salvation, so doth he also counterfeit the false name of Christ, Christians, Christian land or country.

[Sidenote: The material land of Canaan was to keep her sabbaths, so no material land or country now.]

Sixthly. This land was to keep her sabbaths unto God. Six years they were to sow their fields, and prune their vines, but in the seventh year they were not to sow their fields, nor prune their vineyards, but to eat that which grew of itself or own accord.

But such observations doth not God now lay upon any fields, vineyards, &c., under the gospel.

[Sidenote: God feedeth his sometimes immediately.]

Yet, in the spiritual land of Canaan, the true church, there is a spiritual soul-rest or sabbath, a quiet depending upon God, a living by faith in him, a making him our portion, and casting all care upon him who careth for us: yea, sometimes he feedeth his by immediate, gracious works of providence, when comforts arise out of the earth, without secondary means or causes, as here, or as elsewhere, manna descended from heaven.

Seventhly. Such portions and possessions of lands, fields, houses, vineyards, were sold with caution or proviso of returning again in the year of jubilee to the right owners, Lev. xxv. 23.

Such cautions, such provisos, are not now enjoined by God in the sale of lands, fields, inheritances, nor no such jubilee or redemption to be expected.

[Sidenote: The jubilee of Canaan a type of restitution and redemption in the gospel.]

Yea, this also finds a fulfilling in the spiritual Canaan, or church of God, unto which the silver trumpet of jubilee, the gospel, hath sounded a spiritual restitution of all their spiritual rights and inheritances, which either they have lost in the fall of the first man Adam, or in their particular falls, when they are captive, and sold unto sin, Rom. vii. [14,] or, lastly, in the spiritual captivity of Babel’s bondage. How sweet then is the name of a Saviour, in whom is the joyful sound of a deliverance and redemption!

[Sidenote: Canaan’s land a type of the kingdom of God on earth and in heaven. Why Naboth refused to part with a garden plot to his king, upon hazard of his life.]

Eighthly. This land or country was a figure or type of the kingdom of heaven above, begun here below in the church and kingdom of God, Heb. iv. 8; Heb. xi. 9, 10. Hence was a birthright so precious in Canaan’s land: hence Naboth so inexorable and resolute in refusing to part with his inheritance to King Ahab, counting all Ahab’s seeming reasonable offers most unreasonable, as soliciting him to part with a garden plot of Canaan’s land, though his refusal cost him his very life.

What land, what country now is Israel’s parallel and antitype, but that holy mystical nation, the church of God, peculiar and called out to him out of every nation and country, 1 Pet. ii. 9. In which every true spiritual Naboth hath his spiritual inheritance, which he dares not part with, though it be to his king or sovereign, and though such his refusal cost him this present life.

CHAP. CXII.

_Peace._ Doubtless that Canaan land was not a pattern for all lands: it was a non-such, unparallelled, and unmatchable.

[Sidenote: The difference of the people of Israel and all other peoples.]

_Truth._ Many other considerations of the same nature I might annex, but I pick here and there a flower, and pass on to a second head concerning the people themselves, wherein the state of the people shall appear unmatchable: but only by the true church and Israel of God.

[Sidenote: The people of Israel the seed of one man.]

First. The people of Israel were all the seed or offspring of one man, Abraham, Psalm cv. 6, and so downward the seed of Isaac and Jacob, hence called the Israel of God, that is, wrestlers and prevailers with God, distinguished into twelve tribes, all sprung out of Israel’s loins.

But now, few nations of the world but are a mixed seed; the people of England especially: the Britons, Picts, Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans, by a wonderful providence of God, being become one English people.

[Sidenote: Only made good in the spiritual seed, the regenerate, or new-born.]

Only the spiritual Israel and seed of God, the new born, are but one. Christ is the seed, Gal. iii. [16,] and they only that are Christ’s are only Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

This spiritual seed is the only antitype of the former figurative and typical. A seed which all Christians ought to propagate, yea, even the unmarried men and women who are not capable of natural offspring, for thus is this called the seed of Christ (who lived and died unmarried), Isa. lix. 21.

Secondly. This people was selected and separated to the Lord, his covenant and worship, from all the people and nations of the world beside, to be his peculiar and only people, Lev. xx. 26, &c.

[Sidenote: The people of Israel separate from all nations in spiritual, and in some civil things.]

Therefore, such as returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, they separated themselves to eat the passover, Ezra vi. [21.] And in that solemn humiliation and confession before the Lord, Neh. ix. [2,] the children of Israel separated themselves from all strangers.

This separation of theirs was so famous, that it extended not only to circumcision, the passover, and matters of God’s worship, but even to temporal and civil things: thus (Ezra ix.) they separated or put away their very wives, which they had taken of the strange nations, contrary to the commandment of the Lord.

[Sidenote: No nation so separated to God in the gospel, but only the new-born Israel that fear God in every nation.]

But where hath the God of heaven, in the gospel, separated whole nations or kingdoms, English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, &c., as a peculiar people and antitype of the people of Israel? Yea, where the least footing in all the scripture for a national church after Christ’s coming?

Can any people in the world pattern this sampler but the new-born Israel, such as fear God in every nation, Acts x. 35, commanded to come forth, and separate from all unclean things or persons? 2 Cor. vi. [17,] and though not bound to put away strange wives as Israel did, because of that peculiar respect upon them in civil things, yet to be holy or set apart to the Lord in all manner of civil conversation, 1 Pet. i. 15: only to marry in the Lord, yea, and to marry as if they married not, 1 Cor. vii. [29:] yea, to hate wife and children, father, mother, house, and land, yea, and life itself for the Lord Jesus, Luke xiv. 26.

[Sidenote: The whole people of Israel miraculously brought forth of Egypt.]

Thirdly. This seed of Abraham thus separate from all people unto the Lord, was wonderfully redeemed and brought from Egypt bondage, through the Red Sea, and the wilderness, unto the land of Canaan, by many strange signs and wonderful miracles, wrought by the out-stretched hand of the Lord, famous and dreadful, and to be admired by all succeeding peoples and generations, Deut. iv. 32-34, _Ask now from one side of the heaven unto the other, whether there hath been such a thing as this?_ &c.

[Sidenote: Not so any whole nation now.]

And we may ask again from one side of the heaven unto the other, whether the Lord hath now so miraculously redeemed and brought unto himself any nation or people, as he did this people of Israel.

_Peace._ The English, Scotch, Dutch, &c., are apt to make themselves the parallels, as wonderfully come forth of popery, &c.

_Truth._ 1. But first, whole nations are no churches under the gospel.

[Sidenote: Popery not so easily turned from as is conceived.]

2. Secondly, bring the nations of Europe professing protestantism to the balance of the sanctuary, and ponder well whether the body, bulk, the general, or one hundredth part of such peoples, be truly turned to God from popery:—

Who knows not how easy it is to turn, and turn, and turn again, whole nations from one religion to another?

[Sidenote: Wonderful turnings in religion in twelve years’ compass in England.]

Who knows not that within the compass of one poor span of twelve years’ revolution, all England hath become from half papist, half protestant, to be absolute protestants; from absolute protestants, to absolute papists; from absolute papists, changing as fashions, to absolute protestants?

[Sidenote: The pope not unlike to recover his monarchy over Europe before his downfall.]

I will not say, as some worthy witnesses of Christ have uttered, that all England and Europe must again submit their fair necks to the pope’s yoke; but this I say, many scriptures concerning the destruction of the beast and the whore look that way. And I add, they that feel the pulse of the people seriously, must confess that a victorious sword and a Spanish inquisition will soon make millions face about as they were in the forefathers’ time.

CHAP. CXIII.

_Peace._ Oh! that the steersmen of the nations might remember this, be wise and kiss the Son, lest he go on in this his dreadful anger, and dash them in pieces here and eternally.

[Sidenote: Who are now the true seed of Abraham.]

_Truth._ I therefore, thirdly, add, that only such as are Abraham’s seed, circumcised in heart, new-born, Israel (or wrestlers with God), are the antitype of the former Israel; these are only the holy nation, 1 Pet. ii. 9; wonderfully redeemed from the Egypt of this world, Tit. ii. 14; brought through the Red Sea of baptism, 1 Cor. x. 2; through the wilderness of afflictions, and of the peoples, Deut. viii., Ezek. xx., into the kingdom of heaven begun below, even that Christian land of promise where flow the everlasting streams and rivers of spiritual milk and honey.

[Sidenote: The people of Israel all holy in a typical holiness.]

Fourthly, all this people universally, in typical and ceremonial respect, were holy and clean in this their separation and sequestration unto God, Exod. xix. 5. Hence, even in respect of their natural birth in that land, they were a holy seed, and Ezra makes it the matter of his great complaint, Ezra ix. 1, 2,—_The holy seed have mingled themselves._

But where is now that nation, or country, upon the face of the earth, thus clean and holy unto God, and bound to so many ceremonial cleansings and purgings?

[Sidenote: All nations now alike since the coming of the Lord Jesus.]

Are not all the nations of the earth alike clean unto God? or rather, alike unclean, until it pleaseth the Father of mercies to call some out to the knowledge and grace of his Son, making them to see their filthiness, and strangeness from the commonweal of Israel, and to wash in the blood of the Lamb of God?

This taking away the difference between nation and nation, country and country, is most fully and admirably declared in that great vision of all sorts of living creatures presented unto Peter, Acts x.; whereby it pleased the Lord to inform Peter of the abolishing of the difference between Jew and Gentile in any holy or unholy, clean or unclean respect.

[Sidenote: The children of Israel a figure of the Israel, or people, of God only under the gospel.]

Fifthly—not only to speak of all, but to select one or two more—this people of Israel in that national state were a type of all the children of God in all ages under the profession of the gospel, who are therefore called the children of Abraham, and the Israel of God, Gal. iii. and Gal. vi. [16.] A kingly priesthood and holy nation, 1 Pet. ii. 9, in a clear and manifest antitype to the former Israel, Exod. xix. 6.

Hence Christians now are figuratively, in this respect, called Jews, Rev. iii. [9.] where lies a clear distinction of the true and false Christian under the consideration of the true and false Jew: _Behold I will make them of the synagogue of Satan that say they are Jews and are not, but do lie_, Rev. iii. [9.] But such a typical respect we find not now upon any people, nation, or country of the whole world; but out of all nations, tongues, and languages is God pleased to call some, and redeem them to himself, Rev. v. 9; and hath made no difference between the Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and Scythians, Gal. iii. [28.] who by regeneration, or second birth, become the Israel of God, Gal. vi. [16.] the temple of God, 1 Cor. iii. [17.] and the true Jerusalem, Heb. xii. [22.]

[Sidenote: The people of Israel different from all the world in their figurative and ceremonial worships.]

Lastly, all this whole nation, or people, as they were of one typical seed of Abraham, and sealed with a shameful and painful ordinance of cutting off the foreskin, which differenced them from all the world beside: so also were they bound to such and such solemnities of figurative worships. Amongst many others I shall end this passage concerning the people with a famous observation out of Num. ix. 13, viz., all that whole nation was bound to celebrate and keep the feast of the passover in his season, or else they were to be put to death. But doth God require a whole nation, country, or kingdom now thus to celebrate the spiritual passover, the supper and feast of the Lamb Christ Jesus, at such a time once a year, and that whosoever shall not so do shall be put to death? What horrible profanations, what gross hypocrisies, yea, what wonderful desolations, sooner or later, must needs follow upon such a course!

[Sidenote: Israel, God’s only church, might well renew that national covenant and ceremonial worship, which other nations cannot imitate.]

It is true, the people of Israel, brought into covenant with God in Abraham, and so successively born in covenant with God, might, in that state of a national church, solemnly covenant and swear that whosoever would not seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, should be put to death, 2 Chron. xv. [12, 13.] whether small or great, whether man or woman.

But may whole nations or kingdoms now, according to any one tittle expressed by Christ Jesus to that purpose, follow that pattern of Israel, and put to death all, both men and women, great and small, that according to the rules of the gospel are not born again, penitent, humble, heavenly, patient? &c. What a world of hypocrisy from hence is practised by thousands, that for fear will stoop to give that God their bodies in a form, whom yet in truth their hearts affect not!

[Sidenote: The hypocrisy, profanations, and slaughters which such imitations now in the gospel produce.]

Yea, also what a world of profanation of the holy name and holy ordinances of the Lord, in prostituting the holy things of God, like the vessels of the sanctuary, Dan. v., to profane, impenitent, and unregenerate persons!

Lastly, what slaughters, both of men and women, must this necessarily bring into the world, by the insurrections and civil wars about religion and conscience! Yea, what slaughters of the innocent and faithful witnesses of Christ Jesus, who choose to be slain all the day long for Christ’s sake, and to fight for their Lord and Master Christ, only with spiritual and Christian weapons!

CHAP. CXIV.

_Peace._ It seems, dear Truth, a mighty gulf between that people and nation, and the nations of the world then extant and ever since.

_Truth._ As sure as the blessed substance to all those shadows, Christ Jesus, is come, so unmatchable and never to be parallelled by any national state was that Israel in the figure, or shadow.

And yet the Israel of God now, the regenerate or new born, the circumcised in heart by repentance and mortification, who willingly submit unto the Lord Jesus as their only King and Head, may fitly parallel and answer that Israel in the type, without such danger of hypocrisy, of such horrible profanations, and of firing the civil state in such bloody combustions, as all ages have brought forth upon this compelling a whole nation or kingdom to be the antitype of Israel.

[Sidenote: The difference of the kings and governors of Israel from all kings and governors of the world. First, they were all members of the church.]

_Peace._ Were this light entertained, some hopes would shine forth for my return and restoration.

_Truth._ I have yet to add a third consideration, concerning the kings and governors of that land and people.

They were to be, unless in their captivities, of their brethren, members of the true church of God: as appears in the history of Moses, the elders of Israel, and the judges and kings of Israel afterward.

But first, who can deny but that there may be now many lawful governors, magistrates, and kings, in the nations of the world, where is no true church of Jesus Christ?

[Sidenote: Excellent talents vouchsafed by God to unregenerate persons.]

Secondly, we know the many excellent gifts wherewith it hath pleased God to furnish many, enabling them for public service to their countries both in peace and war, as all ages and experience testify, on whose souls he hath not yet pleased to shine in the face of Jesus Christ: which gifts and talents must all lie buried in the earth, unless such persons may lawfully be called and chosen to, and improved in public service, notwithstanding their different or contrary conscience or worship.

[Sidenote: A doctrine contrary to all true piety and humanity itself.]

Thirdly, if none but true Christians, members of Christ Jesus, might be civil magistrates, and publicly entrusted with civil affairs, then none but members of churches, Christians, should be husbands of wives, fathers of children, masters of servants. But against this doctrine the whole creation, the whole world, may justly rise up in arms, as not only contrary to true piety, but common humanity itself. For if a commonweal be lawful amongst men that have not heard of God nor Christ, certainly their officers, ministers, and governors must be lawful also.

[Sidenote: The papists’ doctrine of deposing magistrates, confessed in effect to be true by the protestants.]

Fourthly, it is notoriously known to be the dangerous doctrine professed by some papists, that princes degenerating from their religion, and turning heretics, are to be deposed, and their subjects actually discharged from their obedience. Which doctrine all such must necessarily hold, however most loath to own it, that hold the magistrate guardian of both tables; and consequently such a one as is enabled to judge, yea, and to demonstrate to all men the worship of God: yea, and being thus governor and head of the church, he must necessarily be a part of it himself; which when by heresy he falls from—though it may be by truth, miscalled heresy—he falls from his calling of magistracy, and is utterly disabled from his (pretended) guardianship and government of the church.

[Sidenote: No civil magistrate Christian in Christ’s time.]

Lastly, we may remember the practice of the Lord Jesus and his followers, commanding and practising obedience to the higher powers, though we find not one civil magistrate a Christian in all the first churches. But contrarily, the civil magistrate at that time was the bloody beast, made up (as Daniel seems to imply concerning the Roman state, Dan. vii. 7) of the lion, the bear, and the leopard, Rev. xiii. 2.

CHAP. CXV.

_Peace._ By these weights we may try the weight of that commonly received and not questioned opinion, viz., that the civil state and the spiritual, the church and the commonweal, they are like Hippocrates’ twins, they are born together, grow up together, laugh together, weep together, sicken and die together.

[Sidenote: Five demonstrative arguments proving the unsoundness of that maxim: the church and the commonwealth are like Hippocrates’ twins.]

Truth. A witty, yet a most dangerous fiction of the father of lies, who, hardened in rebellion against God, persuades God’s people to drink down such deadly poison, though he knows the truth of these five particulars, which I shall remind you of:—

[Sidenote: Many flourishing states without a true church.]

First, many flourishing states in the world have been and are at this day, which hear not of Jesus Christ, and therefore have not the presence and concurrence of a church of Christ with them.

[Sidenote: Many of God’s people far off from a true church state, yet fit for civil services.]

Secondly, there have been many thousands of God’s people, who in their personal estate and life of grace were awake to God; but in respect of church estate, they knew no other than a church of dead stones, the parish church; or though some light be of late come in through some cranny, yet they seek not after, or least of all are joined to any true church of God, consisting of living and believing stones.

So that by these New English ministers’ principles, not only is the door of calling to magistracy shut against natural and unregenerate men, though excellently fitted for civil offices, but also against the best and ablest servants of God, except they be entered into church estate: so that thousands of God’s own people, excellently qualified, not knowing or not entering into such a church estate, shall not be accounted fit for civil services.

[Sidenote: God’s people permitted and favoured by idolaters.]

Thirdly, admit that a civil magistrate be neither a member of a true church of Christ, if any be in his dominions, nor in his person fear God, yet may he (possibly) give free permission without molestation, yea, and sometimes encouragement and assistance, to the service and church of God. Thus we find Abraham permitted to build and set up an altar to his God wheresoever he came, amongst the idolatrous nations in the land of Canaan. Thus Cyrus proclaims liberty to all the people of God in his dominions, freely to go up and build the temple of God at Jerusalem, and Artaxerxes after him confirmed it.

Thus the Roman emperors, and governors under them, permitted the church of God, the Jews, in the Lord Christ’s time, their temple and worship, although in civil things they were subject to the Romans.

[Sidenote: Christ’s church gathered and governed without the help of an arm of flesh.]

Fourthly, the scriptures of truth and the records of time concur in this, that the first churches of Christ Jesus, the lights, patterns, and precedents to all succeeding ages, were gathered and governed without the aid, assistance, or countenance of any civil authority, from which they suffered great persecutions for the name of the Lord Jesus professed amongst them.

The nations, rulers, and kings of the earth, tumultuously rage against the Lord and his anointed, Ps. ii. 1, 2. Yet, ver. 6, it hath pleased the Father to set the Lord Jesus King upon his holy hill of Zion.

Christ Jesus would not be pleased to make use of the civil magistrate to assist him in his spiritual kingdom, nor would he yet be daunted or discouraged in his servants by all their threats and terrors: for love is strong as death, and the coals thereof give a most vehement flame, and are not quenched by all the waters and floods of mightiest opposition, Cant. viii. [6, 7.]

[Sidenote: Christ’s true spouse, chaste and faithful to Christ Jesus, in the midst of fears or favours from the world.]

Christ’s church is like a chaste and loving wife, in whose heart is fixed her husband’s love, who hath found the tenderness of his love towards her, and hath been made fruitful by him, and therefore seeks she not the smiles, nor fears the frowns, of all the emperors in the world to bring her Christ unto her, or keep him from her.

[Sidenote: The ten horns, Rev. xiii. and xvii.]

Lastly, we find in the tyrannical usurpations of the Romish anti-christ, the ten horns—which some of good note conceive to be the ten kingdoms into which the Roman empire was quartered and divided—are expressly said, Rev. xvii. 13, to have one mind to give their power and strength unto the beast; yea, ver. 17, their kingdom unto the beast, until the works of God shall be fulfilled. Whence it follows, that all those nations that are gilded over with the name of Christ, have under that mask or vizard (as some executioners and tormenters in the inquisition use to torment) persecuted the Lord Jesus Christ, either with a more open, gross, and bloody, or with a more subtle, secret, and gentle violence.

[Sidenote: The great mystery of persecution unfolded. Christian Naboths slaughtered.]

Let us cast our eyes about, turn over the records, and examine the experience of past and present generations, and see if all particular observations amount not to this sum, viz., that the great whore hath committed fornication with the kings of the earth, and made drunk thereof nations with the cup of the wine of her fornications: in which drunkenness and whoredom (as whores use to practise) she hath robbed the kings and nations of their power and strength, and, Jezebel like, having procured the kings’ names and seals, she drinks [herself] drunk, Rev. xvii. [6,] with the blood of Naboth, who, because he dares not part with his rightful inheritance in the land of Canaan, the blessed land of promise and salvation in Christ, as a traitor to the civil state and blasphemer against God, she, under the colour of a day of humiliation in prayer and fasting, stones to death.

CHAP. CXVI.

_Peace._ Dear Truth, how art thou hidden from the eyes of men in these mysteries! how should men weep abundantly with John, that the Lamb may please to open these blessed seals unto them!

_Truth._ Oh that men more prized their Maker’s fear! then should they be more acquainted with their Maker’s councils, for his secret is with them that fear him, Ps. xxv. 14.

I pass on to a second difference.

[Sidenote: Second difference. The mystery of the anointing the kings of Israel and Judah.]

The kings of Israel and Judah were all solemnly anointed with oil, Ps. lxxxix. 20, _I have found David my servant, with my oil have I anointed him._ Whence the kings of Israel and Judah were honoured with that mystical and glorious title of the anointed, or Christ of the Lord, Lam. iv. 20, _The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits_, &c.

Which anointing and title however, the man of sin, together with the crown and diadem of spiritual Israel, the church of God, he hath given to some of the kings of the earth, that so he may in lieu thereof dispose of their civil crowns the easier: yet shall we find it an incommunicable privilege and prerogative of the saints and people of God.

For as the Lord Jesus himself in the antitype was not anointed with material but spiritual oil, Ps. xlv. 7, _with the oil of gladness_; and Luke iv. 18, from Isaiah lxi. 1, with the Spirit of God, _The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings_, &c.; so also all his members are anointed with the Holy Spirit of God, 2 Cor. i. 21, and 1 John ii. 20.

[Sidenote: The name Christian, or anointed.]

Hence is it that Christians rejoice in that name, as carrying the very express title of the anointed of the Lord; which most superstitiously and sacrilegiously hath been applied only unto kings.

[Sidenote: A sacrilegious monopoly of the name Christian.]

_Peace._ O dear Truth, how doth the great Searcher of all hearts find out the thefts of the anti-christian world! how are men carried in the dark they know not whither! How is that heavenly charge, _Touch not mine anointed_, &c., Ps. cv. 15, common to all Christians, or anointed [ones] with Christ their head, by way of monopoly or privilege appropriated to kings and princes!

[Sidenote: The crown of Christ’s kingly power.]

_Truth._ It will not be here unseasonable to call to mind that admirable prophecy, Ezek. xxi. 26, 27, _Thus saith Jehovah God, remove the diadem, take away the crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high; I will overturn, overturn, overturn, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him._ The matter is a crown and diadem to be taken from a usurper’s head, and set upon the head of the right owner.

_Peace._ Doubtless this mystically intends the spiritual crown of the Lord Jesus, for these many hundred years set upon the heads of the competitors and co-rivals of the Lord Jesus, upon whose glorious head, in his messengers and churches, the crown shall be established. The anointing, the title, and the crown and power, must return to the Lord Jesus in his saints, unto whom alone belongs his power and authority in ecclesiastical or spiritual cases.

CHAP. CXVII.

[Sidenote: Third. The kings of Israel and Judah invested with a spiritual power.]

_Truth._ I therefore proceed to a third difference between those kings and governors of Israel and Judah, and all other kings and rulers of the earth. Look upon the administrations of the kings of Israel and Judah, and well weigh the power and authority which those kings of Israel and Judah exercised in ecclesiastical and spiritual causes; and upon a due search we shall not find the same sceptre of spiritual power in the hand of civil authority, which was settled in the hands of the kings of Israel and Judah.

David appointed the orders of the priests and singers, he brought the ark to Jerusalem, he prepared for the building of the Temple, the pattern whereof he delivered to Solomon: yet David herein could not be a type of the kings and rulers of the earth, but of the king of heaven, Christ Jesus: for,

First, David, as he was a king, so was he also a prophet, Acts ii. 30; and therefore a type, as Moses also was, of that great prophet, the Son of God. And they that plead for David’s kingly power, must also by the same rule plead for his prophetical, by which he swayed the sceptre of Israel in church affairs.

[Sidenote: David immediately inspired by the Spirit of God, in his ordering of church matters.]

Secondly, it is expressly said, 1 Chron. xxviii. 11, 12, 13, that the pattern which David gave to Solomon, concerning the matter of the temple and worship of God, he had it by the Spirit, which was no other but a figure of the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God unto the Lord Jesus, the true spiritual king of Israel, John i. 49, _Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; Rabbi, thou art the King of Israel._

[Sidenote: Solomon’s deposing Abiathar (1 Kings ii. 26, 27,) discussed.]

Again, what civil magistrate may now act as Solomon, a type of Christ, doth act, 1 Kings ii. 26, 27? Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto Jehovah.

_Peace._ Some object that Abiathar was a man of death, ver. 26, worthy to die, as having followed Adonijah; and therefore Solomon executed no more than civil justice upon him.

[Sidenote: Solomon’s putting Abiathar from the priesthood, examined.]

_Truth._ Solomon remits the civil punishment, and inflicts upon him a spiritual; but by what right, but as he was king of the church, a figure of Christ?

Abiathar’s life is spared with respect to his former good service in following after David; but yet he is turned out from the priesthood.

[Sidenote: A case put upon occasion of Abiathar’s case.]

But now put the case: suppose that any of the officers of the New England churches should prove false to the state, and be discovered joining with a French Monsieur, or Spanish Don, thirsting after conquest and dominion, to further their invasions of that country; yet for some former faithful service to the state, he should not be adjudged to civil punishment:—I ask now, might their governors, or their general court (their parliament), depose such a man, a pastor, teacher, or elder, from his holy calling or office in God’s house?

[Sidenote: Another case.]

Or suppose, in a partial and corrupt state, a member or officer of a church should escape with his life upon the commission of murder, ought not a church of Christ upon repentance to receive him? I suppose it will not be said, that he ought to execute himself; or that the church may use a civil sword against him. In these cases may such persons, spared in civil punishments for some reason of or by partiality of state, be punished spiritually by the civil magistrate, as Abiathar was. Let the very enemies of Zion be judges.

Secondly, if Solomon in thrusting out of Abiathar was a pattern and precedent unto all civil magistrates, why not also in putting Zadok in his room, ver. 35? But against this the pope, the bishops, the presbyterians, and the independents, will all cry out against such a practice, in their several respective claims and challenges for their ministries.

[Sidenote: The liberties of Christ’s churches in the choice of their officers.]

We find the liberty of the subjects of Christ in the choice of an apostle, Acts i.; of a deacon, Acts vi.; of elders, Acts xiv.; and guided by the assistance either of the apostles or evangelists, 1 Tim. i., Tit. i., without the least influence of any civil magistrate: which shows the beauty of their liberty.

[Sidenote: A civil influence dangerous to the saints’ liberties.]

The parliaments of England have by right free choice of their speaker: yet some princes have thus far been gratified as to nominate, yea, and implicitly to commend a speaker to them. Wise men have seen the evil consequences of those influences, though but in civil things: how much far greater and stronger are those snares, when the golden keys of the Son of God are delivered into the hands of civil authority!

_Peace._ You know the noise raised concerning those famous acts of Asa, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Josiah. What think you of the fast proclaimed by Jehoshaphat? 2 Chron. xx. 3.