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had cheated them into fubjection, took upon them the care and overfight of all Religious things: among our felves we reap the advantage of our Kings and Princes care and Concern in that enjoyment we have of the Proteftant Religion. Now this Affertion of that learned Gentleman is evidently true; but then it happens here as it useth in the other Difcourfes for Toleration: When the Evidence of Truth hath forced from them one reasonable Conceffion, that one Conceffion doth plainly give away from them nothing lefs than their whole Caufe: For, pray tell me, Conftantine and the Chriftian Emperours are here commended for their care and oversight in Religous things; and fo our own Kings for fecuring to us the Prote stant Religion: Now was not all this done by Laws and Penalties, and the Civil Sword, and was there any poffibility of having it done any other way?

This being premised, as to the Exceptions themselves, I briefly say this; If no force is to be used in matters of Religion, because it is an incompe

tent

tent Method, as being able to reach only to the Body and Estate, but is by much too weak to reach unto the Mind; this is a Difficulty not at all peculiar to the Gospel, but common to that with all other Dispenfations. The Mind of a Man was as much a Spirit under the Law as it can be now; and the Sword was made of as meer Matter in those days, as it can be in thefe: and therefore thus far the Cafe is one and the fame. As to the Second Exception, That all Force is now unlawful, because Christ hath not commanded it, they have been told, and have had it proved to them too in many parts of the Puritan Controversie, that many things are lawful which there is no particular Command for; that a thing becomes unlawful, not by being not commanded, but by being forbidden: And this leads me directly to the Third Exception, That all Force is plainly forbidden by St. Paul, when he fays, 2 Cor. 10. v. 4. that The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Now this faying of the Apostle is fo far from being a

pro

be

hibition of all Coercion in the Affairs of Religion, that it doth plainly refer to a very great Coercion, which himself did in these very words threaten for to use, viz. the Cenfures of the Church in fuch a manner as to carry temporal Penalties along with them, in manner miraculous, vifible and extraordinary: And therefore it followeth in the next words, that those Weapons which in themselves might be fuppofed weak, yet if they were better looked into would found to have a ftrength from God, which they had not from themfelves; for they were not meerly carnal, but mighty through God for the bringing down ftrong holds: And to render it clear that these words have a penal meaning in them, it follows, that these Weapons are able to cast down imaginations, and every high thought that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ: And to put it out of all doubt, that thofe Weapons had a coercive power in them, the Apostle adds,

adds, in a stile much beyond exhor. tation and advice, nay, much beyond a bare reproof, that in the strength of them he would revenge all difobedience. And as for the last most preffing and convincing Confideration, That if Force was to be used in any affair of Religion at all, it was of all others the most to be justified in order to the pulling down of Antichrift, the greatest of all other Gospel-enemies: But even in that Cafe it ought not to be used, and therefore most certainly not in any other; The Sword of the Spirit being the only Weapon by which Chrift will deftroy Antichrift, the greateft Gospel-enemy which the World bath produced. I fhall not here take an advantage which I have already mentioned, that the Sword of the Spirit doth in Scripture fignifie fomething which carries Coercion along with it; but shall be contented that that word be understood in the common meaning of it: And upon that Suppofition I believe that this Affertion of this learned Gentleman will scarce pass for true Doctrine in the Separated Con

gregations

gregations; I am fure that there was a time when it would not have done fo, and I never yet heard that in this Point their Minds were altered: How unlawful foever it may be for the Magistrate to make use of the Civil Sword in a Cause of Religion; I am sure that it hath been often preached as a great Gospel Duty, though in a Rebellion, to make use of the Military one. We have not forgot how often the Zeal of the Common People was inflamed against the King, by telling them that the Cause then fought for was the Cause of God, that their Perfons and Estates were all too little to be facrificed in this Concern of Religion, and the queftion really was, whether Chrift or Anti-Christ should be King? And fo I return to our Author.

Amongst all the Arguments which are brought to prove the Compulsory Power of the Magistrate under the Gospel, the greatest weight is laid проп the practice of the Kings of Ifrael and Judah, and what they did under the Law in compelling men to the Worship of God then

established.

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