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. CXXXII. Peace. Oh! that thy light and brightness, dear Truth, might shine to the dark world in this particular: let it not therefore be grievous, if I request a little further illustration of it. The magistrate like a pilot in the ship of the commonweal. Christianity steers a Christian pilot’s course. The Christian pilot hath no more power over the souls of his mariners or passengers, than the unchristian or pagan pilot. Truth. In his season, God will glorify himself in all his truths. But to gratify thy desire, thus: A pagan or anti-christian pilot may be as skilful to carry the ship to its desired port, as any Christian mariner or pilot in the world, and may perform that work with as much safety and speed: yet have they not command over the souls and consciences of their passengers, or mariners under them, although they may justly see to the labour of the one, and the civil behaviour of all in the ship. A Christian pilot, he performs the same work, as likewise doth the metaphorical pilot in the ship of the commonweal, from a principle of knowledge and experience; but more than this, he acts from a root of the fear of God and love to mankind in his whole course. Secondly, his aim is more to glorify God, than to gain his pay, or make his voyage. Thirdly, he walks heavenly with men and God, in a constant observation of God’s hand in storms, calms, &c. So that the thread of navigation being equally spun by a believing or unbelieving pilot, yet is it drawn over with the gold of godliness and Christianity by a Christian pilot, while he is holy in all manner of Christianity, 1 Pet. i. 15. But lastly, the Christian pilot’s power over the souls and consciences of his sailors and passengers is not greater than that of the anti-christian, otherwise than he can subdue the souls of any by the two-edged sword of the Spirit, the word of God, and by his holy demeanour in his place, &c. Peace. I shall present you with no other consideration in this first part of the picture, but this only. The terms heathen and Christian magistrate. Although the term heathen is most commonly appropriated to the wild naked Americans, &c., yet these worthy men justly apply it even to the civilized Romans, &c.; and consequently must it be applied to the most civilized anti-christians, who are not the church and people of God in Christ. Truth. The word ‎ ‏גּוֹיִם‏‎‏ in the Hebrew, and ἔθνη in the Greek, signifies no more than the Gentiles, or nations of the earth, which were without and not within the true typical national church of the Jews before Christ; and since his coming, the Gentiles, or nations of the world, who are without that one holy nation of the Christian Israel, the church gathered unto Christ Jesus, in particular and distinct congregations all the world over. All out of Christ are heathens, that is of the nations, or Gentiles. Translators promiscuously render the words, Gentiles, heathens, nations: whence it is evident that even such as profess the name of Christ in an unregenerate and impenitent estate, whether papist, or protestant, are yet without: that is, heathen, Gentile, or of the nations.