Reason 4. The precepts given unto them, and the promises made concerning them, do abundantly confirm all that hath been asserted. Psal. ii. ID, 11. they are commanded as kings and judges to serve the Lord, in promoting the king- dom of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is promised, Isa. xlix. 23. that 'they shall be nursing fathers, and nursing mothers to the church' of Christ, even then, when she shall 'suck the breasts of kings' (earthly things are the milk of kingly breasts), ' when her officers shall be peace, and her exactors righteousness;' Isa. Ix. 16, 17. This at least reacheth to all we have ascribed to them. All is but bowing the knee of magistracy at the name of Jesus.
Hence are these positions.
III. The providing, or granting of places requisite for the performance of that worship, wiiich in the gospel is instituted, is the duty of the Christian magistrate.
IV. Protection as to peace and quietness, in the use of the ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ, from violent dis- turbers, either from without or within, is also incumbent on him.
V. Supportraent and provision as to earthly things, where regularly failing, is oi'him required.
And in the neglect of any of these that takes place, which is threatened, Isa. Ix. 12. two or three consectaiies added hereunto shall close this part of the magrstrate's power or rather duty about the things of religion. As,
CoTisecl. 1. Positive actings byway of supportment and assistance, maintenance, allowance of public places, and the like, in the behalf of persons deviating from the truth, in those things wherein they deviate, is contrary to the rule of the word, and duty of them in authority. For,
Error hath neither right, nor promise, nor is any precept given in the behalf thereof.
Connect. 2. The defence and protection of erring persons from violence and injury, in those things wherein they have a right, is no acting of his duty about religious things, but a mere dealing for the preservation of human society.
or TOLERATION. 237
by the defence of persons not acting against the rules thereof.''
Consect. 3. Every particular minute difference among the professors of the truth cannot be proved to come under the cognizance of the magistrate, he being to attend the worship which for the main is acceptable to God in Christ ; neither do any testimonies extend his duty any farther. Hence
Corollary 1. The present differences about church society, and the subject or seat of discipline, which are between those dissenters who are known by the names of Presbyterians and Independents, as they are in themselves (not heightened by the prejudices, lusts, corruptions, and interests of men), hinder not at all, but that the magistrate is bound to the performance of the duties before mentioned unto both par- ties. And the reasons of this are, because
Reason 1. The things wherein they are agreed are clearly as broad, as the magistrate's duty can be stretched to cover them.
Reason 2. Neither party, I am persuaded, in their retired thoughts dare avow the main of the worship by their dis- senters embraced, to be, as such, rejected of the Lord.
Reason 3. No example in the world can be produced out of the Old Testament, or New, or ecclesiastical history, of a forcible decision of such minute differences. See Socrat. Eccles. Hist. lib. 6. cap, 20.
Corollary 2. All the plea of persons erring in doctrine, or worship, is not from what the magistrate must do, but from what he may not do.
And this for the first part shall suffice.
2. There is another part of the magistrate's power, the other side of his sword, to be exercised towards the opposi- tion of that truth which he hath embraced.
And this hath a twofold object.
(1.) Things.
(2.) Persons.
(1.) Things are of two sorts :
[1.] Ways of worship.
[2.] Outward appearances, monuments, accommodations, and declarations of those ways.
b For this cause the emperors of old still allowed the Novatians the liberty of worship.
23S OF TOLERATION".
Of the first I shall speak afterward.
By the second I mean all the outward attendances of any false or erroneous worship, which are either helps to, or de- clarations of, the superstition, idolatry, error, or falseness of it ; as temples for idolatrous service, crosses, pictures, and the like abused relics of old unwarranted zeal. Now con- cerning these I aflSrm,
1st. That the magistrate ought not to make provision of any public places, for the practice of any such worship, as he is convinced to be an abomination unto the Lord. When I say he ought not to make provision, I understand not only a not actual caring that such be, but also a caring that such may not be. He should not have a negation of acting as to any tiling of public concernment. His not opposing here is providing. For instance, he must not allow, that is, it is his duty to oppose, the setting apart of public places under his protection, for the service of the mass (as of late in Somerset-house) or for any kind of worship in itself disal- lowed, because not required, and so not accepted. This were to be bound to help forward sin, and that such sin whereof he is convinced, which is repugnant to the whole revealed will of God. A magistrate, I told you before, is not to act according to what he may do, but what he must do. Now it cannot be his duty to further sin.