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them to judge of, and punish those crimes? Do God's infinite holiness and equity, difqualify him from judging of sinners?

OBJECT. XXX. "If heretics, blafphemers, and idolaters, be punishable, orthodox magiftrates, who happen to become. governors of heretical, blafphemous and idolatrous nations, muft kill the most of their fubjects."

ANSW. I. We hold none punishable, especially in any fevere manner, till they appear openly obfti nate in it, notwithstanding fufficient means of conviction, which thefe fubjects are not fuppofed to have had; and fo are not punishable at all by magif

trates.

2. Nothing, and particularly the infliction of punifhment, ought to be done, merely, because it is lawful, till it alfo become expedient, 1 Cor. vi. 12. & x. 23. Eccl. iii. 1, 11. Now it would be highly inexpedient to proceed to extremities against the greater part of a fociety. Nay, in the cafe fuppofed, they would prove a barbaroufly finful mean of prejudicing men against the gospel of Chrift.

3. Great difference ought to be made between fuch as were never reformed from a falle religion, and those who obftinately apoftatize from the true religion to a falfe one;--between fuch as live in a nation generally corrupted with a false religion, and thofe who live in a nation generally enlightened and reformed by the gofpel of Chrift; and between fuch as are only feduced, and those who exert themfelves to feduce others. Much more forbearance is due to the former than to the latter; for

4. However peremptorily the Jews were commanded by God to punish even unto death, the obftinate falfe prophets, idolaters and blafphemers of their own Church or nation, they were never required to punish their idolatrous tributaries in their

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conquered countries of Syria, Philiftia, Edom, Ammon, or Moab. And mean-while, were never allowed, and never did grant them any legal establish ment or authoritative toleration, of their idolatry.

5. Even God himself, for the ends of his glory, exercifeth much forbearance towards heretics, blafphemers and idolaters, but never grants them any legal eflablifhment or authoritatve toleration, fecuring them of protection in their wickednefs. Let magifirates, who are his minifters for good to men, go and do fo likewife.

OBJECT. XXXI. "The Chriftian law of doing to others that which we would have them do to us, demands, That we fhould allow every man to think, profess, and act in religion as he pleafeth. If we think men heretics, blafphemers or idolaters, our proper method is to manifeft the utmoft kindness and familiarity to them, that we may gain them to the truth. Every other method is no lefs dangerous than uncharitable. If orthodox Chriftian magiftrates reftrain and punish the fpreading of Heathen, Mahometan, and Popish errors or worship,-Heathen, Mahometan and Popifh princes will be thereby, tempted to reftrain and punish the fpread of gofpeltruth in their dominions, and can plead the very fame right for their conduct."

ANSW. 1. Strange! Did not God know the meaning of his own law of equity and kindness between man and man, and the true method of fecur ing or propagating his own religion, when he made or encouraged the laws against feducers, idolaters, and blafphemers above mentioned;when he commanded his people to avoid falfe teachers, and not fo much as to lodge them in their houses.

2. With all your pretended benevolence, Would you familiarly lodge in your family a notorious pickpocket or an harlot, along with your own children,

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in order to gain them to the ways of piety and vir tue? You would not. Why then, in direct contradiction to the command of God, do you plead for familiarity with robbers of God, defilers, or murderers of fouls!

3. The Chriftian law of kindness and equity requires me to do all that for the real welfare of my neighbour, in fubordination to the glory of God, which I could lawfully with him, in like circumftances, to do for me? But, muft I do evil that good may come, rendering my damnation juft? Muft Iproeure my juft liberty to believe and ferve God according to his own appointment, by granting my neighbour an unjust, an authoritative licence to infult and blafpheme God, and worship the devil in his ftead? Because I with my neighbour to be helpful to me, in honouring God, and in labouring to render my felf and others happy in time and eternity, Muft I affift and encourage them in horribly difhonouring God, and destroying themselves and others. None but an atheist, who believes no real difference bétween moral good and evil, can pretend it.

4. When and where have faithful adherents to gofpel-truth, got much liberty and fafety by means of their friends encouraging and protecting grofs herefy, blafphemy and idolatry? Since Proteftants became fo kind to Papists in their dominions, Have not the Popish powers, in return, cruelly murdered, banished, or oppreffed their Proteftant fubjects, in Hungary, Poland, Germany, France, &c. till they have left few of them remaining? While Britions were lavishly expending their blood and treafure in fupport of the Popifh houfe of Auftria about 1709 and 1741, She returned our kindness in the most villanous deftruction of about 230 Congregations of our Proteftant brethren in Silefia and Hungary.

5. Ought Elijah to have fpared, nay protected

and encouraged the prophets of Baal, as a mean of fecuring for himself the protection of Ahab and Jezebel, or, because she was difpofed to avenge their death? Mult thieves and robbers be benevolently ufed, protected and fuffered to pafs unpunished, for fear of provoking their affociates to revenge the just feverities used towards them? Let magiftrates do their duty, and leave events to God.

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6. Till you honestly profess yourself an atheist, who believes no intrinfical difference between moral good and evil, never pretend that magiftrates, who have their whole power from God, have any power against the truth, or have a right to exercise that power derived from God for the good of mankind, to his dishonour and to the hurt of mankind. nishing! Because a power originating from God may be rightfully exercifed in promoting his declarative glory, the fpread or protection of his gofpel, and the happiness of mankind,May it, muft it, therefore, in the hand of other magiftrates, be rightfully exercised in promoting blafphemy and robbery of God, and worshipping of devils?Becaufe may be rightfully exercifed in punishing obftinate and notorious heretics, blafphemers and idolaters, May it, muft it, therefore be rightfully exercised in perfecuting and murdering the faithful preachers and profeffors of Gofpel-truths, and worshippers of the true God?Because magiftrates in Britain have a right to punish thieves and murderers, must thefe in France have as good å right to ufe Alms givers and skilful and diligent Phyficians in the fame manner?--Because that which tends to the highest honour of God, and temporal and eternal happiness of mankind ought to be authoritatively tolerated, nay established, every where,-may,-muft, that which tends to his higheft difhonour, and the moft dreadful temporal and eternal ruin of mankind, be every

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where, in like manner, tolerated or established?Because in a dearth, benevolent perfons may be tolerated, nay highly encouraged in freely diftributing wholesome provifions to the poor and needy, may, or muft, malicious murderers be therefore tolerated and encouraged in diftributing their poifoned morfels, especially if abundantly fweetened among the unwary infants or others?

7. The restraint or fuitable and feafonable punishment of that which is contrary to God's law, being commanded by himself, can never have any tendency to introduce corruptions in religion, or perfecution for an adherence to gospel-truth. And if fome will abufe their power, that muft not hinder others, either in Church or State, to use theirs aright.

OBJECT. XXXII. "If infidelity and difference in religion do not make void magistrates' right to govern nations, much lefs can herefy, idolatry, or blafphemy, invalidate subjects' right to protection, or of admiffion to all the privileges of other fubjects."

ANSW. 1. In almoft every cafe, the restraint or punishment of superiors is more difficult than that of inferiors.

2. If the profeffors of the true religion be the minority in number and power, both Scripture and reafon demand their fubjection to their common-ruiers, in all their lawful commands, till they become manifeft tyrants, and Providence afford a proper opportunity of shaking off their yoke. But, if the profeflors of the true religion be the majority in a nation or fociety, both Scripture and reason forbid their fetting up a magiftrate of a falfe religion, or a wicked practice, and allow that, if after his advancement, he apoftatize, and obftinately attempt to promote a falfe religion, or notoriously wicked practice, he may be depofed and even punished, as far as the

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