The Rogerenes: some hitherto unpublished annals belonging to the colonial history of Connecticut

by John R. Bolles; Anna B. Williams

... But Christ’s doctrine doth not give his disciples so much liberty as to defend themselves by the law of justice from the hands of earthly judges, Mat. 5, 38 etc. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’; but I say unto you that ye resist not evil, etc,” “And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also, etc.”... We are to love our enemies, and to bless them that curse us and to do good to them that hate us, and to pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us, Mat. 5, 44, and to do violence to no man, and to live peaceably with all men, as much as in us lies, by suffering ourselves to be defrauded, Rom. 12, 18. I Cor. 6, 7.

Thus we may see, by the doctrine and example of Christ, that it cannot stand with perfect Christianity to be either governor, judge, executioner or jury man, or to be active in the making any laws which may be useful in the body of the kingdoms of this world, who are only under the ministration of the moral law, and their weapons are carnal, with which weapons they fight against flesh and blood only, punishing both the righteous and the wicked, according to what is written, “And he was numbered with the transgressors” (by the judges of this world) Mark 15, 28.

... And this His kingdom and peaceable government was before prophesied of, and how he should put an end to wars, and reconcile sinners to his church, ...

... Then said Jesus unto him, “Put up again thy sword into his place, for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” Matt. 26, 52. “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” Rev. 13, 10. Here He rebuketh the use of the sword, according to what was before prophesied of him, threatening them that use it to measure the same measure to them.... From hence it appears plainly that the very reason why Christ bid them provide swords was that He might fulfil those prophesies which prophesied of him beforehand; that He should rebuke the use of the sword when he should come, and cause them to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and that they should learn war no more. For when they told Him there were two swords, He said, “It is enough;” but when they came to make use of them, he rebuked the use of them, saying, “Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” So that it appears he did not bid them provide swords to kill and slay with them, but put an end to the use of them in his church....

We thus seeing that Christ hath rebuked the use of the sword in his church, and that they are to learn war no more, but are to beat their swords into useful tools, for necessary uses, it is an evil thing for a Christian to practice any gesture that tendeth to war, as watching, warding or training, or exercising any posture leading to war; for it is some degree of contempt to the doctrine of Christ, who hath taught us to learn war no more, but to live the life of faith and love, who hath promised us his protection and preservation from famine, pestilence and sword, when we love him and keep his commandments, as throughout the 91st psalm, Job 5, 19, 20. Isa. 26, 1, 2, 3, 4. Rev. 3, 10.

... But forasmuch as we have obtained mercy and grace by Jesus Christ, and are thereby reconciled to God, and made heirs of a better kingdom, and are but strangers, pilgrims and sojourners here, we are not to mix ourselves with the children of this world, by joining with them in their kingdom, to judge, or condemn, or torture any man for his sin, seeing we are under another ministration, having not been condemned by Christ for our sins; neither are we to join with them to kill or slay our fellow creatures, seeing Christ hath rebuked the use of the sword in the hands of his followers; and except we deny ourselves in all these things, and take up our cross and follow him, we cannot be his disciples....

CONCERNING THE SABBATH.

Extracts from a Reply by John Rogers, Sr. (1721), to a Book by Benj. Wadsworth, entitled “The Lord’s Day Proved to be the Christian Sabbath.”

... When God’s children were in a holy frame and agreed to fast and pray, they did it not with a mixt multitude in public assemblies, as hypocrites are wont to do; as appears Neh. 9, 1, 2. The children of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, in time of offering up their prayers unto God. Acts 1, 13, 14. And we nowhere read, throughout the whole Bible that God’s children ever prayed in a public assembly, with a mixt multitude, and in a customary way, as hypocrites are wont to do, as throughout the whole scripture doth appear. Rom. 8, 26.

... This have I written that people may not be misled, by thinking they worship God in forms and set times of prayer, while they are in a state of sin; and that they may consider the publican, upon his first prayer, accompanied with true repentance, went away justified rather than the other that was zealous in his often fasting and prayers....