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. LXXXIX. Constantine, Theodosius, &c., misinformed. CHAP. LXXXIX. Constantine, Theodosius, &c., misinformed. Peace. You remember, dear Truth, that Constantine, Theodosius, and others, were made to believe that they were the antitypes of the kings of Judah, the church of God; and Henry VIII. was told that that title, Defensor fidei, defender of the faith, though sent him by the pope for writing against Luther, was his own diadem, due unto him from Heaven. So likewise since, the kings and queens of England have been instructed. Truth. But it was not so from the beginning, as that very difference between the national state of the church of God then, and other kings and magistrates of the world, not so charged, doth clearly evince, and leadeth us to the spiritual king of the church, Christ Jesus, the king of Israel, and his spiritual government and governors therein. Masters of families under the gospel, not charged to force all under him from their own consciences to his. Fifthly. I ask, whether had the Roman Cæsars more charge to see all their subjects observe and submit to the worship of God in their dominion of the world, than a master, father, or husband now, under the gospel, in his family? Families are the foundations of government; for what is a commonweal but a commonweal of families, agreeing to live together for common good? Now in families, suppose a believing Christian husband hath an unbelieving, anti-christian wife, what other charge in this respect is given to a husband, 1 Cor. vii. [12-15], but to dwell with her as a husband, if she be pleased to dwell with him? but, to be so far from forcing her from her conscience unto his, as that if for his conscience’ sake she would depart, he was not to force her to tarry with him, 1 Cor. vii. Consequently, the father or husband of the state differing from the commonweal in religion, ought not to force the commonweal nor to be forced by it, yet is he to continue a civil husband’s care, if the commonweal will live with him, and abide in civil covenant. Now as a husband by his love to the truth, and holy conversation in it, and seasonable exhortations, ought to endeavour to save his wife, yet abhorring to use corporal punishment, yea, in this case to child or servant: so ought the father, husband, governor of the commonweal, endeavour to win and save whom possibly he may, yet far from the appearance of civil violence. If the charge of God’s worship was left with the Roman emperor, then was he bound to turn the whole world into the garden, flock, and spouse of Christ. Sixthly. If the Roman emperors were charged by Christ with his worship in their dominion, and their dominion was over the world, as was the dominion of the Grecian, Persian, and Babylonian monarchy before them, who sees not, if the whole world be forced to turn Christian—as afterward and since it hath pretended to do—who sees not then, that the world, for whom Christ Jesus would not pray, and the god of it, are reconciled to Jesus Christ, and the whole field of the world become his enclosed garden? Millions put to death. Seventhly. If the Roman emperors ought to have been by Christ’s appointment keepers of both tables, antitypes of Israel and Judah’s kings; how many millions of idolaters and blasphemers against Christ Jesus and his worship, ought they to have put to death, according to Israel’s pattern! Christ never sent any of his ministers or servants to the civil magistrate, for help in spiritual matters. Lastly. I ask, if the Lord Jesus had delivered his sheep and children to these wolves, his wife and spouse to such adulterers, his precious jewels to such great thieves and robbers of the world, as the Roman emperors were, what is the reason that he was never pleased to send any of his servants to their gates to crave their help and assistance in this his work, to put them in mind of their office, to challenge and claim such a service from them, according to their office, as it pleased God always to send to the kings of Israel and Judah, in the like case? Peace. Some will here object Paul’s appealing to Cæsar. Truth. And I must refer them to what I formerly answered to that objection. Paul never appealed to Cæsar as a judge appointed by Christ Jesus to give definitive sentence in any spiritual or church controversy; but against the civil violence and murder which the Jews intended against him, Paul justly appealed. For otherwise, if in a spiritual cause he should have appealed, he should have overthrown his own apostleship and power given him by Christ Jesus in spiritual things, above the highest kings or emperors of the world beside.