CHAP. XCIX.
Peace.Again, say they, the magistrate should send him first to the church to heal his conscience.
Like mother like daughter.
Truth.Is not this as the prophet speaks [Ezek. xvi. 44,] like mother like daughter? So the mother of whoredoms, the church of Rome, teacheth and practiseth with all her heretics: first let the holy church convince them, and then deliver them to the secular power to receive the punishment of heretics.
Conscience not so easily healed and cured.
Peace.Methinks also they approach near that popish tenent,ex opere operato: for their exhortations and admonitions must necessarily be so operative and prevalent, that if the heretic repent not, he now sins against his conscience: not remembering that peradventure, 2 Tim. ii. [25,]If peradventure, God will give them repentance; and how strong delusions are, and believing of lies, and how hard it is to be undeceived, especially in spirituals!
Truth.And as it may so prove, when a heretic indeed is brought to this college of physicians to have his conscience healed, and one heretic is to cure another. So also when any of Christ’s witnesses, supposed heretics, are brought before them, how doth the Lord Jesus suffer whippings and stabs, when his name, and truths, and witnesses, and ordinances, are all profaned and blasphemed.
Wounding instead of healing of consciences.
Besides, suppose a man to be a heretic, and yet suppose him brought as the magistrate’s prisoner, though to a true church, to heal his conscience: what promise of presence and blessing hath the Lord Jesus made to his church and spouse in such a way? and how common is it for heretics either to be desperately hardened by such cruel courses (yet pretending soul-healing), or else through fear andterror to practise gross hypocrisy, even against their consciences. So that these chirurgeons and physicians pretending to heal consciences by such a course, wound them deeper, and declare themselves chirurgeons and physicians of no value.
Peace.But what think you of the proviso added to their proposition, viz., “Provided the church be able and willing?”
Christ’s spouse able and willing to heal wounded consciences.
Truth.Doubtless this proviso derogates not a little from the nature of the spouse of Christ. Forshe, like that gracious woman, Prov. xxxi. 26,openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of grace: she isthe pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. iii. 15, the golden candlestick from whence true light shineth: the angels or ministers thereof able to try false apostles, Rev. ii. 2, andconvince the gainsayers, Tit. i. 9.
Again, according to their principles of suppressing persons and churches falsely worshipping, how can they permit such a blind and dead church not able and willing to heal a wounded conscience?
Peace.What should be the reason of this their expression?
Truth.Doubtless their consciences tell them how few of those churches which they yet acknowledge churches, are able and willing to hold forth Christ Jesus the Sun of righteousness, healing with his wings the doubting and afflicted conscience.
Lastly, their conscience tells them, that a servant of Christ Jesus may possibly be sent as a heretic to be healed by a false church, which church will never be willing to deal with him, or never be able to convince him.
Peace.Yea, but they say, “by such a course the magistrate shall convince such a one’s conscience that he seeks his good,” &c.
Truth.If a man thus bound be sent to a church to behealed in his conscience, either he is a heretic or he is not.
A persecuting church disputes with a heretic as a cat with the mouse; and with a true witness as a lion with a lamb in his paw.
Admit he be: yet he disputes in fear, as the poor thief; [or as] the mouse disputes with a terrible persecuting cat, who while she seems to play and gently toss, yet the conclusion is a proud, insulting, and devouring cruelty.
If no heretic, but an innocent and faithful witness of any truth of Jesus, disputes he not as a lamb in the lion’s paw, being sure in the end to be torn in pieces?
Peace.They add, “The censure, this way, proceeds with more power and blessing.”
Truth.All power and blessing is from the blessed Son of God, unto whom all power is given from the Father, in heaven and earth. He hath promised his presence with his messengers, preaching and baptizing, to the world’s end, ratifying in heaven what they bind or loose on earth.
But let any man show me such a commission, instruction, and promise, given by the Son of God to civil powers in these spiritual affairs of his Christian kingdom and worship?
Peace.Lastly, they conclude, “This course of first sending the heretic to be healed by the church, takes away all excuse; for none can say that he is persecuted for his conscience, but for sinning against his conscience.”
Persecutors endure not so to be called.
Truth.Jezebel, placing poor Naboth before the elders as a blasphemer of God and the king, and sanctifying the plotted and intended murder with a day of humiliation, may seem to take away all excuse, and to conclude the blasphemer worthy to be stoned. But Jehovah, the God of recompences (Jer. li. 56), when he makes inquisition for blood, will find both Jezebel and Ahab guilty, and make the dogs a feast with the flesh of Jezebel, and leave not to Ahab a man to piss against the wall; for (as Paul in his own plea) there was nothing committed worthy ofdeath: and against thee, O king, saith Daniel, I have not sinned (Dan. vi. 22) in any civil fact against the state.