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Show 1679' ~ Part II. sea. 6. An Addrefs to 'Proteftanls. V.oL. I. ture and Religion of my Kingdom, and therefore ought to be cherilbt ra~ ther than forbid. That I might fufficiently declare and inculcate my Min.l in this Matter, I did at 3norher 'J'ime, and upon a difl:'erent Occafioo. preach againft all Coertion and Perfecution for Matters of Faith and Prac!l:ice rowards God, in my Parable of the Sower, as my Words manifeft which were rhefe; The Kingdom of Heatun is likened unto a Man tiJbic/J foU:. etl good Seed in bit F1e/d; hut while Men jlept, bis Enemy came, anJfoweJ. Xares among the Wheat, and r»tnl his Way\ but when the B!adefPnmg up and brought [orlh Fruit, tbt~t apl'.tartd the Tartt ol{oJ f o tb~ Servants oj the Houfooltltr came andfatd, Jidfl thou not forN goo Sttd m thy Field? Mat. from whence then both it Tares? be anfwered, an l!.'nemy bath clone this 1 2s 2;1~71~ the Servanu{aid unto him, wilt thoM then that fl18 go anti gather them •P? 19; 30:J ' bMt b6_faid, Nay, leU while ye gtJtber up the Toru, ye root up alfo the Wheat fDith tbem, Itt both grow together riU the Harve[l, and in the Time of Harveft I wiD fay to the RetJpers, gather ye together firfl the Tares, and bind them in &ndltt to burn them, but gather the Wheat into my Barn. And that I might not leave fo nece!fary a Truth mif.apprehended of my dear Followers, or liable to any Mif~conftruEtions, my Difciples, when to .. gether, defiring an Explanation, I interpreted my Words thus: ver. 37, 11_ He that fowetb the good Seed is the Son of Man; the Field it the Wor/J 4 19• the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom; huttbe1'aret are the Children of tiJt Wicked One; the Enemy that f owed the111 is tbe Devil; tbe Harveft is tht Eml of tbe World; and the Reapers are the Angels. This Patience, this Lon~ Suffering and great Forbearance belonging to my Kingdom and the Sub1efu of it; my Doarinc fpeaks it, and mine Ex• ample confirms it, and this can have no poffible Agreement wich lmpoficion and Perfecution for Confcience. 'Tis true, I once whipt out the Profaners of my Father's Temple; but I nroer wf?jpt any in. I call'd, I cry'd to every one that thlrfted to come, and freely offer'd my Affiftance to the Weary anl heavy Laden; but I never impdld my Help, or forced any to receive •e; for I take not my Kingdom by Violence, hut by Suffering. And that l might fufficiendy deter my Followers from any fuch Thing, as l profefs my fe[f to be their Lord and Mafter~ fo have I commanded therq to love one ana- John 1~~ l2· ther in a more efpecial Manner. But if inftead thereof any fhall grow proud, high·minded, and beat or abufe their Fellow· Servants in my Reli .. gious Family, when I come to take an Account of my HouChold, he fhall be cut afunder, and appointed his Portion among the Unbelievers. Behold the Recompence I appoint to impofing Lordly Pedbns, fut;h as count others )nfidels, and to m:1ke them fuch Believers as themfelves, will exercife Violence towards them, and if they prevail not, will call for Fire from Jiell1JM to Jevour them; and if Heaven refufe to ~ratify their Rage, will fall a ~~~~b~iraL~/&~{\t~ ~~htTI~~fie~e~! 'fa~ etve7. do God good Service too, Nay, I have fo elfe<lually provided againfr all Mafrery, that I exprelly charr;ed them, not to be mtnty Maflers; f or one uuu their Majler: I told' them, the greareft amongft them W:lS to be Servant to the relt. not to im .. pofe upon rhe relt: Nay, that to be great in my Kingdom, they muft be· come as gentle and h:1rmlefs as little Children, and fucb cannot force 3n& puni!h in Matters of Religion. In fine, I fhiaty commanded them to love one anotl1er, as I have loved them, who am ready to lay down my Life for the Ungodly, in !lead of taking away Godly Men's Lives for Opinions. And this is rhe gre:1t Maxim of my Holy Religion, lit that would be my Difli· pie, mufl not Crucifie other Men, but taM up his Croft tmd foOow me, tv/.~ 11111 meek. and lowly, and fuch as endure to the End, fhall find Eternal Re!t to their Souls; this is the Power I ufe, and this is the Power I give. How much this agrees with the Langu:1ge, Do8:rine and Example of Jefus Chrift, the Son and Lamb of God, 1 fhall leave them ro confider that read :1nd believe Scripture. But fame afFeaed to prefent Church·Power, and defiring theiJ Ruin that ~;onform not to her Wor(hip ~nd Difcipt;iii ~ oL:_ J: An Adarefs to 'Proteflants: will objett, That Cbri)l did giv• bir Cburcb . 803 btd anJ Per[om aggrieved tell the Church. Powtl' to bmd and Iooft and 6 I sranr 1t; but what binding was that> . , ~ ~hatns and Fetters, in nafiy Holes d D · was It I PraY with outward Part JI HthathisChurch had that true nffc .un&eons? nothinglefs: Or was ' sea 6. thac whac fhe bound that is cond ermdg m her, and Power with' him . thould fb nd fo jn GochSight;nd Che~~e A or loofed, that is, temitrel . Bur tell the Church~ a2d whac the~'> s ccount? . ' • mlhment of the Offender: If rh• OffindeObferve Cbn!l s Extent in the Pu. , 111flon~ :;or bear t,he Church, then (t3.ys chr~fi~ ~euz~r receive private Adm~ then, Be. Heres nor one Word ofF: f ~t um he to thee tU an Hea-and the like Infiruments of Cruelty t mer, ,V.fhhlpr, Stockr, Pillorits, Go•l.r pore of his Words feems to be no ' o pum !he Heretick : For rhe Pur~ Church refufe thy private Exhonar~ore than thts; If any Member of the lpon .fuch a Perfon :lS ohftinate and p:;v~~t t~e Church's Admonition, look ~t htm take his Courfe, thou hafi d e, Ilave no mole to do with him; htm. one we ' and the Church is clear of Well, but fay the Church Fi burr of . them cur off tbtu troubled the c§. l . ~u_r Ase, DJd nor St. Paul roifh S"':o~d thi~k you? Such as Ch;iftrbi/Pere~ Ttmt? Yes: Buc with what Sptnt, wlmb is the Word of God l G' . put up, or the Sword of tbe . . Words; For though a;cwa/lt. m the F!ejh ~~ ~m leave to explain his own ~~t;26: ~2· the !VeapoH.t of ot~r Warfare are not Ca;na/ o nor. War after the Flejb ~for ttthe6'18~' pul1atg down of jlrong Ho/Js caflin J ' bll.t m~gbry through God, to the 2 Cor, IO. 3; ~bat exa!tetb it felf ngainjl /be Kno!Jedwn .~mGgznatJOns, .an~ every high n,ing ... , S: mto Obdu'!ce 10 Cbrifi, ge o; od, and bnngmg roery Thoulbt 1 T1m, I. zl~ What .rhmk you of this~ Here are War£; Confonmty, and not only no exrernal Fo arbs, WMeapons, Oppofirions and or countenanced but the moft £ rce.a our artersof Religion ufed claimi~ of .any'fuch Thing thate~f~\~ anid' pathetical Exclufion and dif· It was this greac Apoftle that afh that~ eft. e{l tbe Servant of another? To his own Lo~j lOn, Wbo art thou that juJg· foall fland ; f or God if able 10 make himftand ~ flandttl! or [a/Jerb: but be Rom. 14, ~ or Perfecuuon is able to Anfwer him this QJ. ft' an .we rp~nk that lmpofition Dllio we lf!ith Reafon deny ir to the Papncy l uwitoh tnhcheRDay of Judgment? a .u~e IC ro our felves? Lee us rememb · t _w at., eafon then can we. mmwn over your Fairb but are He!J er who fatd, 1\ot th•t tDe have Do· poJe~$ nor Perfocuror;, What Joic~~o~~:urbJ~y. hHelpers, then not lm· B~t tf Paul had no fuch Commiflion or p e e Jn t at to ~he Perfecuted? fa I~ know by wh:lt Authority more inferi~:reM?v.eftr Confctence, I would claim and ure it. 1m ers and Chrjfii:tns do The Apollle J?mr is of the fame Mind F. d f: not .by Conftr3int, f.!! c. neilher tU bein L; dee ays he: the F!od. of God, Her_nage of God is free they hav b 'C or s ov~r God I Hen.tage. The J P~ Cbn/1 ]e}il~, and theya~eBrethren~ ur one Lord Ill and of theJI Religion, ll'lu.~tS:l· The Apoftle Paul fays That wb b S . . . r herty, hut where Cou · ' F/ ere t e plrll 0J the Lord is there H Li., to be fi1ppofed thac M~~nin :~~fe3])~~0=~~ ~~~r~~ere is no Lihe_r~y. Is it 2 Cor•3·7• T.ord to defrroy People in this World fortb . F . h "t by the Spult of the ;rha.t ~annat poffibly he; klch mock at it e~ ~It, f. out the other World? Chnfttans of his Time You are caUed to. L 'bgam, ays that Apoftle to the mJ tke Cer(moniet of rbe Law? And fha)] :he;ri,; d frfm what I pray, Sin Ga.l. 5· Jj~ t~rallmg Confcience to human Edict . R 1' . n o that call be the eo-mes of Religion, under the Gor~t>'Th~.~~on,l yea, about meer Ceremo· th:Jn the ]cwr for rheir Worfhip ft~od d' ~u d make. our C:Jfe worfe carne to mak~ Men free from rh on I VIne Authonty; :Jnd ifChrift are by the Apoftle call'd begg l Jit• and that thofe very Ordinances reafonahle that we muft be fubj~£/to t~~in.ts t-l~ a hl?t1nfo.m Yoak~ Is it of God, that arc not of equal authority ~i~~ t~oe~ ~ en m the Wvrlhip 5 K 2 TJ.e |