A discourse about civil government in a new plantation whose design is religion written…

Distinct. 2 The second Distinction to be premised for clearing the true state of the Question, is [Inter Remp. constitutam & constituendam] Between a Common-wealth already settled, and a Common-wealth yet to be settled, and wherein men are free to choose what Form they shall judge best. For I conceive, when Paul exhorted the Romans to be subject to the higher Powers, who at that time were Heathen men, and Persecutors, he considered that Civil State as settled, and suited his Advice accordingly. But if he had been to Direct them about laying the Foundation of a Christian Common-wealth, he ⟨p. 10⟩would not have advised them to choose such Governors as were on• of the Church, but would have seriously forewarned them of the danger whereunto the Church would have been exposed thereby, and that unavoidably. And that this may not be thought a slight and uncertain conjecture, let us consider what advice he gave in like cases: Ye know, that writing to persons already Married he exhorteth the believing wife to live with the unbelieving husband; ¹yet the same Apostle directeth the same Church, in case they were free to make their own choice, to avoid such matches: Be not unequally yoked (saith he) with Infidels; ²for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what part hath the believer with the infidel? In like manner,³ when Peter exhorted Christian Servants to be subject to their Masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, he did accommodate his instruction to their present condition. But had he been to direct them in another state being free, to choose what might be best for themselves, he would have expressed himself otherwise, as may appear by this. The same Spirit that inspired Peter thus to advise in this case, guided Paul further in a different case:⁴ Art thou called being a servant, (saith he) care not for it• but if thou mayest be free, use it rather. And that if he had written to a company of Believers in a New Plantation, where the Foundations of the Church and Civil State, and the communion of both, was to be laid for many Generations to come, he would have advised them to take the same course which we plead for, may appear by his reproving the Church in Corinth, for carrying their differences before Heathen Magistrates to be judged by them, though he press them to be subject to their power: