Now, who must these be ?
(\st) Are they the ministers of the gospel? — of all others, they are the most likely to be the most competent judges in spiritual causes. Let it be so ; but then, also, they must be the determiners and inflicters of the punishment upon default. Now, let them pour out upon obstinately eniug persons all the vengeance that God hath betrusted them withal, " The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God," &c. By this course, admonition, avoiding, rejection, excommunication, will be the utmost that can be inflicted on them ; which, for my part, I desire may be exercised to the utmost extent of the rule.
(^dly) Shall the magistrate be made judge of the cause as Avell as of the person ? Is he intnisted to determine what is en'or, what not, — what heresy, what not, — who is an heretic, who not ; and so what punishment is due to such and such errors, according to the degrees wherein they are ?
[Is^.] I desire an institution of this ordinance in the church.
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Where is the magistrate intrusted with such a power? where ai'e rules prescribed to him in his proceedings ?
[2dl'i/.] Is not a judiciary determination concerning truth and error (I mean truths of the gospel) a mere church act ? and that church power whereby it is effected ? Must not, then, the magistrate, " qua talis," be a church officer ? Will men of this mind tolerate Eras- tianism ?
{odly.] If there be a twofold judicature appointed for the same person, for the same crime, is it not because one crime may in divers respects fall under several considerations? and must not these consi- derations be preserved immixed, that the foraial reason of proceeding in one court may not be of any weight in the other? We proved before, and it is granted of all, that the church is judge in case of heresy and error, as such, to proceed against them, as contrary to the gospel ; — -their opposition to the faith delivered to the saints is the formal reason upon which that proceedeth to censure. If, now, this be afterward brought under another sentence, of another judicature, must it not be under another consideration? Now, what can this be, but its disturbance of civil society; which, when it doth so, — not in pretence, but really and actually, — none denies it to be the magis- trate's duty to interpose Avith his power.
[■ithly.] If the magistrate be judge of spiritual offences, and it be left to him to determine and execute judgment, in such proportion as he shall think meet, according to the quality and degrees thereof, — it is a very strange and unlimited arbitrariness over the lives and estates of men : and surely they ought to produce very clear testi- monies that they are intrusted from the Lord herewith, or they can have no great quiet in acting.
[othly.] It seems strange to me, that the Lord Jesus Christ shoidd commit this architectonical power in his house unto magistrates, foreseeing of what sort the greatest number of them would be, yea, determining that they should be such, for the trial and affliction of his own. View the times that are past, considt the stories of former ages, take a catalogue of the kings and rulers that have been, since first magistrates outwardly embraced Christian religion in this and other nations where the gospel hath been planted ; and ask jj-our own consciences whether these be the men to whom this high trust in the house of God is committed? The truth is, they no sooner left serving the dragon in the persecution of the Pagans, but presently, in a veiy few years, they gave up their power to the beast, to set up another state in opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel ; in the supportment whereof the most of them continue laboi;ring till this very day. "Hse manus Trojam exigent?" What may be added in this case, I refer to another opportunity.
202 OF TOLERATION.
2dly. Gospel constitutions in the case of heresy or eiTor seem not to favour any course of violence, — I mean, of civil penalties. Fore- told it is that heresies must be, 1 Cor. xi. 19; but this for the mani- festing of those that are approved, not the destroying of those that are not ; — I say destroying, I mean with temporal punishment, that I may add this by the way ; for, — all the arguments produced for the punishment of heretics, holding out capital censures, and these being the tendence of all beginnings in this kind, — I mention oidy the great- est, including all other arbitrary penalties, being but steps of walking to the utmost censures. Admonitions, and excommunication upon re- jection of admonition, are the highest constitutions (I suppose) against such persons : " Waiting wnth all patience upon them that oppose themselves, if at any time God will give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth." Imprisoning, banishing, slaying, is scarcely a patient waiting. God doth not so wait upon unbelievers. Perhaps those who call for the sword on earth are as unacquainted with their own spirits as those that called for fire from heaven, Luke ix. 54. And perhaps the parable of the tares gives in a positive rule as to this whole business: occasion may be given of handling it at large; for the present I shall not fear to assert, tliat the answers unto it, bon'owed by our divines from Bellarmine, will not endure the trial. We hope that spiritual quiet, and inoffensiveness in the whole moun- tain of the Lord, which is Avrapped up in the womb of many promises, will at length be brought forth to the joy of all the children of Zion.