8. The case of the seducer, from Deut. xiii., is urged with more show of reason than any of the others to the business in hand ; but yet the extreme discrepancies between theproofand the thing intended to be proved make any argumentation from this place, as to the matter in hand, very intricate, obscure, and difficult. For, —
(1.) The person here spoken of pretends an immediate revelation from heaven : he pretends dreams, and gives signs and wonders, verse 1, and so exempts his spirit from any regular trial. Heretics, for the most part, offer to be tried by the rule that is " in medio," acknowledged of all, — a few distempered enthusiasts excepted.
(2.) His business is to entice from the worship of Jehovah, — not in respect of the manner, but the object, verse 5. All heretics pretend the fear of that great name.
(3.) The accepting and owning idol, dunghill gods in his room, is the thing persuaded to, verse 2 (and those were only stocks and stones) ; and this in opposition to Jehovah, who had revealed himself by Moses. Heretics worship him, own him, and abhor all thoughts of turning away from following after him, according to their eiToneous
' Orleans f)lo/s,—si very ancient proverbial sayinj? in France, used in ridicule of comments more obscure "than the text.— M6iiage,l)ict. Etyniol., sub. v. Gloz^. — Ed.
OF TOLERATION. 169
appreliensions. Manichees, Marcionites, Valentinians, and such like names of infidels, I reckon not among heretics ; neither will their brain-sick, paganish follies be possibly comprehended under that defi- nition of heresy which is now generally received. Mohammedans are far more rightly termed heretics than they.
(4.) This seducer was to die without mercy. And Ainsworth ob- serves from the rabbins, that this offender alone had traps laid to catch him ; and were he but once overheard to whisper his seduction, though never so secretly, there was no expiation of his transgression with- out his own blood. But now this place is urged for all kind of restraint and punishment whatsoever. Now, where God requires blood, is it allowed to man to commute at an inferior rate? So, I confess, it is urged. But yet what lies at the bottom, in the chambers of their bellies who plead for the power of the magistrate to punish erring persons from those, and such like places as these, is too apparent. Blood is there : swiftly or slowly, they walk to the chambers of death.
(5.) Obstinacy after conviction, turbulency, &c., which are now laid down as the main weights that turn the scale on the side of severity, are here not once mentioned, nor by any thing in the least intimated. If he have done it, yea, but once, openly or secretly, whether he have been convinced of the sinfulness of it or no, be he obstinate or other- wise, it is not once inquired, — die he must, as if he had committed murder, or the like indisj^ensable death-procuring crime. If the pu- nishment, then, of erring persons be urged from this place, all consi- deration of their conviction, obstinacy, pertinacy, must be laid aside : the text allows them no more plea in this business than our law doth in the case of wilful murder.
(6.) Repentance and recantation will, in the judgment of all, re- prieve an erring person from any sentence of any punishment corporeal whatsoever ; and many reasons may be given why they should so do. Here is no such allowance. Repent or not repent, recant or not re- cant, he hath no sacrifice of expiation provided for him, — die he must.
(7.) The law contains the sanction of the third commandment, as the whole was a rule of the Jewish polity in the land of Canaan. This amongst us is generally conceived not binding, as such.
(8.) The formal reason of this law, by some insisted on, — because he sought to turn a man from Jehovah,—
[1.] Is of force only in this case of the object whereunto seduction tends, — viz., strange gods, — and no other.
[2.] Turning from Jehovah respects not any manner of backshding in respect of the way of worship, but a falling away from him as the object of worship.
Now, there being these and many other discrepancies hindering the cases proposed from running parallel, I profess, for my part, I
1 70 OF TOLEllATIOX.
cannot see liow any such evident deductions can possibly be drawn from hence as to be made a bottom of practice and acting in things of so high concernment. What may be allowed from the equity of those and the like constitutions, and deduced by analogy and propor- tion to the business in hand, I shall aftenvard declare.
II. The sum of what is usually drawn from holy ^vrit against such forbearance as I suppose may be asserted, and for the pimishing heretics with capital punishments, being briefly discussed, I proceed, in the next place, to such other general obseiTations as may sei-ve to the farther clearing of the business in hand ; and they are these that follow : —
The forbearance of or opposition unto errors, may be considered with respect either unto ci^dl or spiritual judicature.
First, For the latter, it is either personal or ecclesiastical, properly so called. Personal forbearance of errors, in a spiritual sense, is a moral toleration or approbation of them ; so also is ecclesiastical. The wan-ant for precedence against them on that hand is plain and evi- dent : certainly this way no eiTor is to be forborne. All persons who have any interest and share in truth are obliged, in their several ways and stations, to an opposition unto every en"or, — an opposition to be carried on by gospel mediums and spiritual weapons. Let them, according as they are called or opportuned, disprove them from the word, " contending earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints." Erring persons are usually " bono animo," says Salvian, — very zealous to propagate their false conceptions ; and shall the chil- dren of truth be backward in her defence? Precepts unto this as a duty, commendations of it, encouragements unto it, are very frequent in the gospel. Alike is this duty incumbent on all churches w^alking to the rule. The spiritual sword of discipline may be laAvfully sheathed in the blood of heresies. No spiritual remedy can be too sharp for a spiritual disease. When the cure is suited to the malady, there is no danger of the application. And this is not denied by any. He that submits himself to any church society, does it " ea lege," — of being obedient to the authority of Christ in that church in all its censures. " Volenti uon fit injuria." En'or is offensive, and must be proceeded against. Examples and precepts of this abound in the Scriptures. The blood of many ening persons, I doubt not, will one day have a "quo warranto" granted them against their (as to the particulars in debate) orthodox slayers, who did it to promote the service of God. Lot them not fear an after- reckoning who use the discipline of Christ according to his appointment.