Ans. Will this man let us hear Logic? the Lord waited on the old world 120 years; 1and sent his Prophets early, I dare say, many hundred years; Ergo, The Blasphemer and the false Prophet contrary to Deut. 13. Levit. 24. must be spared 120 years? so Ergo, We must exercise much long suffering in the old Testament while these Laws were in vigour, (for then it must be that the Prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah were never charged that Magistrates compelled not consciences,) toward seducing Prophets: Why, but God using much longsuffering toward the old world, and Israel not a world (I judge) of innocent and godly Heretics, but of men that corrupted their way, despised the Prophets, hardened their faces and hearts, were murderers, oppressors, grinders of the poor, killed their children to Devils; Ergo, the Magistrate should extend long-suffering for as many years as this man will to these ill-doers, no less then to seducing teachers, should not Pastors & Rulers extend long-suffering to all sorts of sinners as well as to Heretics? but where (answers the Prophet) doth the Lord lay it to the charge of Prophet or Magistrate, that they did not force or compel the people, to repent, to leave their murdering, their oppressing their grinding of the face of the poor? We teach not that the Prophet ought to compel any, nor that the Sword is an ordinance of God to convert oppressors, and murderers, to turn meek and righteous judges, co-action by fire and sword in Old or New Testament can convert none to Christ, the word and the Spirit must ever do the turn: By accident God can change the nature of the rod and sanctify it to Manasseh, for to bring him to humiliation and repentance. But were these that Christ would have gathered Matth. 23. only false Prophets, to whom he extended patience many hundred years, even from Moses till his own coming in the flesh? Ergo, We should extend to bloody Murderers of the Lords Prophets, the like patience, and not kill them, for then they are past hope of being gained? Now the Text means no such thing, but that Christ waited long ⟨p. 342⟩on, and sent his Prophets early in the morning, to those that were thieves, Isai. 1. murderers, adulterers, Jer. 5. that sl•w their Children to Moleth; by this argument the Magistrate should not draw his Sword against adulterers, murderers; and I judge the Rulers were called Lions and Wolves, Ezek. 22.
Ans. Will this man let us hear Logick? the Lord waited on the old world 120 yeers; 1and sent his Prophets early, I dare say, many hundred yeers; Ergo, The Blasphemer and the false Prophet contrary to Deut. 13. Levit. 24. must be spared 120 yeeres? so Ergo, Wee must exercise much long suffering in the old Testament while these Lawes were in vigour, (for then it must bee that the Prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah were never charged that Magistrates compelled not consciences,) toward seducing Prophets: Why, but God using much longsuffering toward the old world, and Israel not a world (I j•dge) of innocent and godly Hereticks, but of men that corrupted their way, despised the Prophets, hardned their faces and hearts, were murtherers, oppressors, grinders of the poor, killed their children to Devils; Ergo, the Magistrate should extend long-suffering for as many yeers as this man will to these ill-doers, no less then to seducing torchers, should not Pastors & Rulers extend long-suffering to all sorts of sinners as well as to Hereticks? but where (answers the Prophet) doth the Lord lay it to the charge of Prophet or Magistrate, that they did not force or compell the people, to repent, to leave their murthering, their oppressing their grinding of the face of the poor? We teach not that the Prophet ought to compell any, nor that the Sword is an ordinance of God to convert oppressars, and murtherers, to turn meek and righteous judges, co-action by fire and sword in Old or New Testament can convert none to Christ, the word and the Spirit must ever doe the turn: By accident God can change the nature of the rod and fanctifie it to Manasses, for to bring him to humiliation and repentance. But were these that Christ would have gathered Matth. 23. only false Prophets, to whom he extended patience many hundred yeers, even from Moses till his owne coming in the flesh? Ergo, We should extend to bloodie Murtherers of the Lords Prophets, the like patience, and not kill them, for then they are past hope of being gained? Now the Text means no such thing, but that Christ waited long ⟨p. 342⟩on, and sent his Prophets early in the morning, to those that were theeves, Isai. 1. murtherers, adulterers, Jer. 5. that sl•w their Children to Moleh; by this argument the Magistrate should not draw his Sword against adulterers, murtherers; and I judge the Rulers were called Lions and Wolves,
- 1The Lords patience towards sinners in the old Testament was no argument of not coercing false Prophets in that O•d Testament, as the Author of Ancient bonds &c. supposeth.
