If it be said, that what hath been spoken in the1 doctrine, and on these places, Rev. 2. concerning the not suffering of corrupt teachers to vent their errors, doth belong to Ministers and Church-officers, and not to Magistrates. Answ. 1. If thou be a Magistrate that moveth this objection, pose thy own heart, if that which is so displeasing in Ministers and Church-officers, to wit, toleration of corrupt men to spread their errors; If, I say, that will be well pleasing and approven in Magistrates, when Christ Jesus shall come to judge both in reference to this thing; Or, if in that day when the great Judge will Sentence Ministers for tolerating in such a case, He will take another rule to proceed by, with the Magistrate? Or if it be like, that Christ out of love to His Church, shall peremptorily require Ministers, not to suffer false teachers, but to restrain them, according to their stations, and not to endure them to teach and seduce His Servants, and yet, that the same Lord, for the good of His Church, should require Magistrates to tolerate and maintain the same. 2. Consider if the grounds and reasons that bind this duty on Ministers, will not equivalently and proportionably bind all men according to their stations; for, the grounds are in sum, love to God, and love to the edification and salvation of others, which are the substance and fulfilling of the moral Law. 3. If in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, or in History since▪ these two be not ever joined together, the most commended Magistrate, and one who is most zealous against corrupt teachers; the fathers of old were no• to spare their children, Deut. 13. nor suffer them to teach or seduce to the dishonour of God, and hazard of souls; and can it be said that souls now are less precious, or error now less infectious and dangerous, ⟨p. 245⟩or these things less to be cared for now in the days of the Gospel than formerly, that concern the glory of God, and edification or destruction of souls? 4. Consider if in the Book of the Revelation, the suffering of Antichrist to delude souls, be not mentioned as reprovable; and if the destroying of that beast, and putting him from corrupting the earth, be not spoken of as a main piece of the commendation of such as shall be instrumental therein.
If it be said, that what hath been spoken in the1 doctrine, and on these places, Rev. 2. concerning the not suffering of corrupt teachers to vent their errours, doth belong to Ministers and Church-officers, and not to Magistrates. Answ. 1. If thou be a Magistrate that moveth this objection, pose thy own heart, if that which is so displeasing in Ministers and Church-officers, to wit, toleration of corrupt men to spread their errours; If, I say, that will be well pleasing and approven in Magistrates, when Christ Jesus shall come to judge both in reference to this thing; Or, if in that day when the great Judge will Sentence Ministers for tolerating in such a case, He will take another rule to proceed by, with the Magistrate? Or if it be like, that Christ out of love to His Church, shall peremptorily require Ministers, not to suffer false teachers, but to restrain them, according to their stations, and not to endure them to teach and seduce His Servants, and yet, that the same Lord, for the good of His Church, should require Magistrates to tolerate and maintain the same. 2. Consider if the grounds and reasons that bind this duty on Ministers, will not equivalently and proportionably bind all men according to their stations; for, the grounds are in sum, love to God, and love to the edification and salvation of others, which are the substance and fulfilling of the morall Law. 3. If in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, or in History since▪ these two be not ever joyned together, the most commended Magistrate, and one who is most zealous against corrupt teachers; the fathers of old were no• to spare their children, Deut. 13. nor suffer them to teach or seduce to the dishonour of God, and hazard of souls; and can it be said that souls now are lesse precious, or errour now lesse infectious and dangerous, ⟨p. 245⟩or these things lesse to be cared for now in the dayes of the Gospel than formerly, that concern the glory of God, and edification or destruction of souls? 4. Consider if in the Book of the Revelation, the suffering of Antichrist to delude souls, be not mentioned as reproveable; and if the destroying of that beast, and putting him from corrupting the earth, be not spoken of as a main piece of the commendation of such as shall be instrumentall therein.
- 1That the grounds against toleration concern Magistrates as well as Ministers.
