The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution for Cause of Conscience Discussed and Mr. Cotton's Letter Examined and Answered, by Roger Williams CHAP. CXXV. CHAP. CXXV. Peace. Dear Truth, you know the noise is made from those prophecies, Isaiah xlix. 23, kings and queens shall be nursing fathers, &c., and Rev. xxi. 24, the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour to the new Jerusalem, &c. A time when God’s people are wholly at a loss for God’s worship. Truth. I answer with that mournful prophet, Ps. lxxiv., I see not that man, that prophet, that can tell us how long. How many excellent penmen fight each against other with their pens (like swords) in the application of those prophecies of David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, John, when and how those prophecies shall be fulfilled! Nursing fathers and mothers. Secondly, whenever those prophecies are fulfilled, yet shall those kings not be heads, governors, and judges in ecclesiastical or spiritual causes; but be themselves judged and ruled, if within the church, by the power of the Lord Jesus therein. Hence saith Isaiah, those kings and queens shall lick the dust of thy feet, &c. Peace. Some will here ask, What may the magistrate then lawfully do with his civil horn, or power, in matters of religion? The civil horn or power being of a human constitution cannot but be of a human operation. Truth. His horn not being the horn of that unicorn, or rhinoceros, the power of the Lord Jesus in spiritual cases: his sword not the two-edged sword of the Spirit, the word of God, hanging not about the loins or side, but at the lips, and proceeding out of the mouth of his ministers, but of a human and civil nature and constitution; it must consequently be of a human and civil operation: for who knows not that operation follows constitution? and therefore I shall end this passage with this consideration: The civil power owes three things to the true church of Christ. The civil magistrate either respecteth that religion and worship which his conscience is persuaded is true, and upon which he ventures his soul: or else that and those which he is persuaded are false. Concerning the first; if that which the magistrate believeth to be true, be true, I say he owes a threefold duty unto it: 1. Approbation. First, Approbation and countenance, a reverent esteem and honourable testimony, according to Isaiah xlix., Rev. xxi., with a tender respect of truth, and the professors of it. 2. Submission. Secondly, Personal submission of his own soul to the power of the Lord Jesus in that spiritual government and kingdom, according to Matt. xviii., 1 Cor. v. 3. Protection. Thirdly, Protection of such true professors of Christ, whether apart, or met together, as also of their estates from violence and injury, according to Rom. xiii. The civil magistrate owes to false worshippers. Now secondly, if it be a false religion, unto which the civil magistrate dare not adjoin: yet, he owes, 1. Permission. First, Permission, for approbation he owes not to what is evil, and this according to Matt. xiii. 30, for public peace and quiet’s sake. 2. Protection. Secondly, he owes protection to the persons of his subjects, though of a false worship, that no injury be offered either to the persons or goods of any, Rom. xiii. Peace. Dear Truth, in this eleventh head concerning the magistrates’ power in worship, you have examined what is affirmed the magistrate may do in point of worship; there remains a second, to wit, that which they say the magistrate may not do in worship. They say, “The magistrate may not bring in set forms of prayer: nor secondly, bring in significant ceremonies: nor thirdly, not govern and rule the acts of worship in the church of God;” for which they bring an excellent similitude of a prince or magistrate in a ship, where he hath no governing power over the actions of the mariners: and secondly, that excellent prophecy concerning Christ Jesus, that his government should be upon his shoulders, Isa. ix. 6, 7. The civil magistrate’s conscience torn and distracted between the divers and contrary affirmations, even of the most godly reformers. Truth. Unto all this I willingly subscribe: yet can I not pass by a most injurious and unequal practice toward the civil magistrate: ceremonies, holy days, common prayer, and whatever else dislikes their consciences, that the magistrate must not bring in. Others again, as learned, as godly, as wise, have conceived the magistrate may approve or permit these in the church, and all men are bound in obedience to obey him. How shall the magistrate’s conscience be herein (between both) torn and distracted, if indeed the power either of establishing or abolishing in church matters be committed to him! The authors of these positions deal with the civil magistrate as the soldiers dealt with the Lord Jesus. Secondly, methinks in this case they deal with the civil magistrate as the soldiers dealt with the Lord Jesus: First, they take off his own clothes, and put upon him a purple robe, plat a crown of thorns on his head, bow the knee, and salute him by the name of King of the Jews. They tell him that he is the keeper of both tables, he must see the church do her duty, he must establish the true church, true ministry, true ordinances, he must keep her in this purity. Again, he must abolish superstition, and punish false churches, false ministers, even to banishment and death. The rise of high commissions. Thus indeed do they make the blood run down the head of the civil magistrate, from the thorny vexation of that power which sometimes they crown him with; whence in great states, kingdoms, or monarchies, necessarily arise delegations of that spiritual power, high commissions, &c. Pious magistrates and ministers’ consciences are persuaded for that which other magistrates’ consciences condemn. Anon again they take off this purple robe, put him into his own clothes, and tell him that he hath no power to command what is against their conscience. They cannot conform to a set form of prayer, nor to ceremonies, nor holy days, &c., although the civil magistrate (that most pious prince, Edw. VI., and his famous bishops, afterwards burnt for Christ) were of another conscience. Which of these two consciences shall stand? if either, [the] magistrate must put forth his civil power in these cases: the strongest arm of flesh, and most conquering, bloody sword of steel can alone decide the question. To profess the magistrate must force the church to her duty, and yet must not judge what that is, what is it but to play in spiritual things? I confess it is most true, that no magistrate, as no other superior, is to be obeyed in any matter displeasing to God: yet, when in matters of worship we ascribe the absolute headship and government to the magistrate, as to keep the church pure, and force her to her duty, ministers and people, and yet take unto ourselves power to judge what is right in our own eyes, and to judge the magistrate in and for those very things wherein we confess he hath power to see us do our duty, and therefore consequently must judge what our duty is: what is this but to play with magistrates, with the souls of men, with heaven, with God, with Christ Jesus? &c.