3. If we distinguish obedience, there is first a necessary and good, and lawful obedience. 2. There is an obedience complete and entire, and full, and sincere. Outward obedience, which the Magistrate commandeth, is good and lawful, and necessary obedience, and is, in the kind of external and necessary obedience (I mean) necessary for its end, the safety of the society, not hypocritical, unlawful or sinful. In this notion only, it is commanded by the Magistrate, and the omission of it unlawful, and punishable, by the Sword of the Deputy, and Minister of God; but if we speak of an obedience complete, full, and sincere; which is required from the whole man, in order to the Law of God. Then the outward obedience that the Magistrate demandeth is not complete, entire, nor sincere, but in relation to the Law of God, which requireth entire obedience from the whole man, soul and body, it is not full, not entire, not sincere obedience, but an outside of obedience but in this sense the Magistrate doth not demand obedience to the Law of God, for he hath to do with the outward man only, and as a Magistrate hath nothing to do with, the soul, and conscience: so than, though the Magistrate command to preach sound doctrine, forbid to preach lies in the name of the Lord, yet he commandeth not hypocrisy and sin; for this argument may as well prove the Magistrate should neither forbid nor ⟨p. 356⟩[…] ⟨p. 357⟩[…] ⟨p. 358⟩punish murder, nor command abstinence from murder to an unrenewed man, for an unrenewed man cannot but abstain from murder in a sinful way, and his abstinence from murder in order to the spiritual Law of God, is no better then the oblation of Swines blood, and the cutting off of a dogs head to God, Esa. 66. 1, 2. as is all external obedience of either Tables of the Law, first, or second, without faith, and spiritual inward moral principles, and heart-obedience, and Mr. Williams cannot answer this argument, but by the principles of Anabaptists, Familists, and Enthusiasts, who say all outward Ordinances, Ministry, Preaching Sacraments, yea Preachers and Magistrates, who command outward obedience to God are unlawful, now under the New Testament.
3. If we distinguish obedience, there is first a necessary and good, and lawfull obedience. 2. There is an obedience compleat and intire, and full, and sincere. Outward obedience, which the Magistrate commandeth, is good and lawfull, and necessary obedience, and is, in the kinde of externall and necessary obedience (I mean) necessary for its end, the safety of the society, not hypocriticall, unlawfull or sinfull. In this notion onely, it is commanded by the Magistrate, and the omission of it unlawfull, and punishable, by the Sword of the Deputy, and Minister of God; but if we speake of an obedience compleat, full, and sincere; which is required from the whole man, in order to the Law of God. Then the outward obedience that the Magistrate demandeth is not compleat, intire, nor sincere, but in relation to the Law of God, which requireth intire obedience from the whole man, soule and body, it is not full, not intire, not sincere obedience, but an outside of obedience but in this sense the Magistrate doth not demand obedience to the Law of God, for he hath to doe with the outward man onely, and as a Magistrate hath nothing to doe with, the soule, and conscience: so than, though the Magistrate command to preach sound doctrine, forbid to preach lies in the name of the Lord, yet he commandeth not hypocrisie and sin; for this argument may as well prove the Magistrate should neither forbid nor ⟨p. 356⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 357⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 358⟩punish murther, nor command abstinence from murther to an unrenewed man, for an unrenewed man cannot but abstaine from murther in a sinfull way, and his abstinence from murther in order to the spirituall Law of God, is no better then the oblation of Swines bloud, and the cutting off of a dogs head to God, Esa. 66. 1, 2. as is all externall obedience of either Tables of the Law, first, or second, without faith, and spirituall inward morall principles, and heart-obedience, and Mr. Williams cannot answer this argument, but by the principles of Anabaptists, Familists, and Enthysiasts, who say all outward Ordinances, Ministery, Preaching Sacraments, yea Preachers and Magistrates, who command outward obedience to God are unlawfull, now under the New Testament.
