Nor, secondly, is the scope to charge the magistrate with forcing the people, who have chosen him, to godliness, or God’s worship, according to his conscience—the magistrate keeping the peace of external godliness, and the church of internal, as is affirmed; but,
Secondly, positively; I say the Spirit of God by Paul in this place provokes Timothy and the church at Ephesus, and so consequently all the ministers of Christ’s churches, and Christians, to pray for two things:—
God’s people must pray for and endeavour the peace of the state they live in: although pagan or popish.
First, for the peaceable and quiet state of the countries and places of their abode; that is implied in their praying, as Paul directs them, for a quiet and peaceable condition, and suits sweetly with the command of the Lord to his people, even in Babel, Jer. xxix. 7, pray for the peace of the city, and seek the good of it; for in the peace thereof it shall go well with you. Which rule will hold in any pagan or popish city, and therefore consequently are God’s people to pray against wars, famines, pestilences, and especially to be far from kindling coals of war, and endeavour the bringing in and advancing their conscience by the sword.
Forcing of men to godliness or God’s worship, the greatest cause of breach of civil peace.
Secondly, they are here commanded to pray for the salvation of all men; that all men, and especially kings and magistrates, might be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth; implying that the grave—or solemn and shining—profession of godliness, or God’s worship, according to Christ Jesus, is a blessed means to cause all sorts of men to be affected with the Christian profession, and to come to the same knowledge of that one God and one Mediator, Christ Jesus. All which tends directly against what it is brought for, to wit, the magistrates’ forcing all men to godliness, or the worshipping of God. Which in truth causeth the greatest breach of peace, and the greatest distractions in the world, and the setting up that for godliness or worship which is no more than Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, a state-worship, and in some places the worship of the beast and his image, Dan. iii., Rev. xiii.
CHAP. LXXXVIII.
Thirdly, I query, whether the civil magistrate, which was then the Roman emperor, was keeper or guardian of both tables, as is affirmed?
The Roman Cæsars described.