For 1. Is not Christ as meek to whores, publicans, the thief and robber on the cross, persecutors, and to seducing teachers and heretics?1 and should not Ministers in all gentleness, teach and instruct, drunkards, adulterers, murderers; yea, and as many as are taken Captives in the snare of the Devil at his will, and are in such a case, as God peradventure may give them repentance? For of such speaketh the place 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25. and must not Pastors be gentle, patient, apt to teach, and labour the conversion of all drunkards, whores, bloody men, as well as heretics; What warrant have Libertines to straiten the meekness of our Saviour, and his Ambassadors in these Scriptures, and confine and limit the sweet qualifications of Christ to only seducing ⟨p. 292⟩teachers, whereas the word doth extend these to all sinners of what ever rank, that are slaves of Satan, but especially, if they be sin-sick for Christ, and bruised reeds (such as seducing teachers, and Wolves that worry the Lambs, and lead silly women captives, are seldom) and such sinners as the Physician came to cure; whereas false teachers are all for the most part self righteous, sons of pride. Now make an argument from these Scriptures,2 and it concludeth, that it is against the meekness of Christ that murderers, drunkards, adulterers be punished by the Sword, for since Christ and his Ministers are no less with all patience, gentleness, forbearance to instruct these, if at any time God shall give them repentance, and this strongly smells of Anabaptists and Socinians way, who contend that the meekness of our Saviour hath deposed the Magistrate from his place of shedding any mans blood,3 be he never so notorious an il-doer, so saith Socinus, Catechesis, Raccoviensis, Ostorodius, Smalcius, Meek Jesus warranteth no Magistrate to take away any mens life for any fault, 4or to make war, for the Scripture will have the meekness and mercy of Christ (if it stand in not punishing with bodily violence,5 evil-doers, as these men suppose) to be extended to all sinners of whatsoever kind.6
For 1. Is not Christ as meek to whores, publicans, the theife and robber on the crosse, persecutors, and to seducing teachers and hereticks?1 and should not Ministers in all gentlenesse, teach and instruct, drunkards, adulterers, murtherers; yea, and as many as are taken Captives in the snare of the Devill at his will, and are in such a case, as God peradventure may give them repentance? For of such speaketh the place 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25. and must not Pastors be gentle, patient, apt to teach, and labour the conversion of all drunkards, whores, bloody men, as wel as hereticks; What warrant have Libertines to straiten the meeknesse of our Saviour, and his Embassadors in these Scriptures, and confine and limit the sweet qualifications of Christ to onely seducing ⟨p. 292⟩teachers, whereas the word doth extend these to all sinners of what ever rank, that are slaves of Sathan, but especially, if they be sin-sicke for Christ, and bruised reeds (such as seducing teachers, and Wolves that worry the Lambs, and lead silly women captives, are seldome) and such sinners as the Phisician came to cure; whereas false teachers are all for the most part selfe righteous, sonnes of pride. Now make an argument from these Scriptures,2 and it concludeth, that it is against the meeknesse of Christ that murtherers, drunkards, adulterers be punished by the Sword, for since Christ and his Ministers are no lesse with all patience, gentlenesse, forbearance to instruct these, if at any time God shall give them repentance, and this strongly sinels of Anabaptists and Socinians way, who contend that the meeknesse of our Saviour hath deposed the Magistrate from his place of shedding any mans blood,3 be he never so notorious an il-doer, so saith Socinius, Catechesis, Raccoviensis, Ostorodius, Smalcius, Meek Jesus warranteth no Magistrate to take away any mens life for any fault, 4or to make warre, for the Scripture wil have the meeknesse and mercy of Christ (if it stand in not punishing with bodily violence,5 evil-doers, as these men suppose) to bee extended to all sinners of whatsoever kind.6
- 1The meekness of Christ being extended to Publicans, Extortioners, and Harlots, doth as well conclude, such ought not to be punished by the Magistrate, as that false Teachers ought not to be punished by him.The meeknesse of Christ being extended to Publicans, Extortioners, and Harlots, doth as well conclude, such ought not to be punished by the Magistrate, as that false Teachers ought not to be punished by him.
- 2By places from the meekness of Christ Socinians labour to prove the Magistrate is to shed •o blood under the New Testament,By places from the meeknesse of Christ Socinians labour to prove the Magistrate is to shed •o blood under the New Testament,
- 3S•cinius defens. verae sent. de Magist. polit. adver. Jac. Pal. bar. 2. so. 233. 235. Sed negant (Raccovienses) cum qui Christianus effe velit, humanum sanguinem fundere posse, sive privatus sit, sive Magistratum gerat par. 3. fo. 288. Christianus Judex in sententia ferenda, Christianae aequitatis & clementiae non est obliturus.
- 4Ostorodi•s inst. Roll. c. 28. Praecepta Christi (elementissimi) non permittunt ulli homini ad amore vitam.Ostorodi•s inst. Rol. c. 28. Praecepta Christi (elementissimi) non permittunt ulli homini ad amore vitam.
- 5•malcius contra Frantz dis. 6 de •on-oper. Nec Christus praecepit homicidas morte plectere, disp 6. de reb. c v. semper (Magistratus) habenda est ratio legum Christi.•malcius contra Frantz dis. 6 de •on-oper. Nec Christus praecepit homicidas morte plectere, disp 6. de reb. c v. semper (Magistratus) habenda est ratio legum Chri•ti.
- 6Catech Raccoviensis de proph. Mun. Chi. c. 2 fo. 136 Some. defen. vet. sent. de Magist. poht. li. 1. fo. 13. Smaltius disp: 6 dereb: eiv
