Answ. That was their Error, they knew not the Law of God,1 but it was their duty, that they ratified it. 2. Those Princes did their duty as Magistrates in those Laws, no matter what Conscience, renewed, or not renewed put them on to act, the duties in the substance of the act were lawful, the corruption of nature (they being unrenewed) might vitiate the work, and put them a working to act lawfully, in the duties. Saul as King did fight the battles of the Lord, and led his people, and that lawfully according to the substance of the work, but God knows his motives and end. 3. This ignorant man never hears of a Magistratical act to promote the worship of God in a civill way, but he dreams of a spiritual tribunal given to the Magistrate, which we abhor as much as he; for the material object of the Magistrates power though spiritual, rendereth not his power spiritual, as the Magistrate punisheth spiritual confederacy with Satan, in Magicians, and Sorcerers, a Witch should not be suffered to live, and Sodomy flowing from Gods judicial delivering men up to a reprobate mind, Rom. I. 28. and yet the Magistrate's ⟨p. 385⟩power is not spiritual, nor terminated upon the consciences of men. Not is this Argument of strength, that men cannot be persuaded to cast off opinions of God for fear: For 1. Some must be saved through fear, and pulled out of the fire, Jude v. 23. 2. Augustine answered this argument of Donatists, fear of Princes Laws, 1. compelleth men to come in and hear truth, and truth persuadeth, Epist. 48. ad Vincent. Ali• dicant nos false rumor••• terribam•r […], qu•• false• esse nesciremus, si non intraremus, nec intrarimus, nisi cogere••er, gratias domino qui trepidationem nostram flagello abstulit. 2. Fear of Civill laws may draw men out of the society of bewitching Seducers,2 where they are •ettered with chains of lies, Epist. 50. ad […]. Quid de […] confitentur, quod jam olim volebant esse Cath••, […] eos habitabant, inter quos id quod v••ebant esse non pote•••t per infirmitatem timoris, ubi si unum verb•m pro Catholica fide di•• rent, & ipsi, & domus corum funditus ever•••entur. Qu•• est tam ••ens qui neget, istie […] per ••ssa […] tanto •uerentur […], &c. 3. Fear of Laws, as Augustine saith to the Donatist Vincentius Epist. 48.
Answ. That was their Error, they knew not the Law of God,1 but it was their dutie, that they ratified it. 2. Those Princes did their dutie as Magistrates in those Laws, no matter what Conscience, renewed, or not renewed put them on to act, the duties in the substance of the act were lawfull, the corruption of nature (they being unrenewed) might vitiate the work, and put them a working to act lawfully, in the duties. Saul as King did fight the battels of the Lord, and led his people, and that lawfully according to the substance of the work, but God knowes his motives and end. 3. This ignorant man never heares of a Magistraticall act to promote the worship of God in a civill way, but he dreames of a spirituall tribunall given to the Magistrate, which we abhorre as much as he; for the materiall object of the Magistrates power though spirituall, rendreth not his power spirituall, as the Magistrate punisheth spirituall confederacie with Satan, in Magitians, and Sorcerers, a Witch should not be suffered to live, and Sodomie flowing from Gods judiciall delivering men up to a reprobate mind, Rom. I. 28. and yet the Mastrates ⟨p. 385⟩power is not spirituall, nor terminated upon the consciences of men. Not is this Argument of strength, that men cannot be perswaded to cast off opinions of God for feare: For 1. Some must be saved through feare, and pulled out of the fire, Jude v. 23. 2. Augustine answered this argument of Donatists, feare of Princes Laws, 1. compelleth men to come in and hear truth, and truth perswadeth, Epist. 48. ad Vincent. Ali• dicant nos fals•s rumor••• terribam•r 〈…〉, qu•• false• esse nesciremus, si non intraremus, nec intrarimus, nisi cogere••er, gratias domino qui trepidationem nostram flagello abstulit. 2. Fear of Civill laws may draw men out of the societie of bewitching Seducers,2 where they are •ettered with chaines of lies, Epist. 50. ad 〈…〉. Quid de confitentur, quod iam olim volebant esse Cath, eos habitabant, inter quos id quod vebant esse non potet per infirmitatem timoris, ubi si unum verbm pro Catholica fide di rent, & ipsi, & domus corum funditus everentur. Qu est tam ens qui neget, istie per ssa tanto uerentur , &c. 3. Feare of Laws, as Augustine saith to the Donatist Vincentius Epist. 48.
- 1The Laws of Artaxerxes Cyrus, Darius, Nebuchadnezzar, ratifying the Law of God by civil punishments were their Magistratical duties.The Laws of Artaxerxes Cyrus, Darius, Nebuchadnezzar, ratifying the Law of God by civil punishments were their Magistraticall duties.
- 2How fear of civill Laws may work men to soundness in the faith.How fear of civill Lawes may work men to soundnesse in the faith.
