But now the Lord Jesus being come himself, and having fulfilled the former types, and dissolved the national state of the church, and established a more spiritual way of worship all the world over, and appointed a spiritual government and governors, it is well known what the Roman Cæsars were, under whom both Christ Jesus himself, and his servants after him, lived and suffered; so that if the Lord Jesus had appointed any such deputies—as we find not a tittle to that purpose, nor have a shadow of true reason so to think—he must, I say, in the very first institution, have pitched upon such persons for these custodes utriusque tabulæ, keepers of both tables, as no man wise, or faithful, or loving, would have chosen in any of the former instances, or cases of a more inferior nature.
Beside, to that great pretence of Israel, I have largely spoken to.
Secondly. I ask, how could the Roman Cæsars, or any civil magistrates, be custodes, keepers of the church and worship of God, when, as the authors of these positions acknowledge, that their civil power extends but to bodies and goods?
And for spiritual power they say they have none, ad bonum temporale (to a temporal good), which is their proper end; and then, having neither civil nor spiritual power from the Lord Jesus to this purpose, how come they to be such keepers as is pretended?
The true keepers which Christ Jesus appointed of his ordinances and worship.
Thirdly. If the Roman emperors were keepers, what keepers were the apostles, unto whom the Lord Jesus gave the care and charge of the churches, and by whom the Lord Jesus charged Timothy, 1 Tim. vi. 14, to keep those commands of the Lord Jesus without spot until his coming?
These keepers were called the foundation of the church, Eph. ii. 20, and made up the crown of twelve stars about the head of the woman, Rev. xii. 1; whose names were also written in the twelve foundations of [the] New Jerusalem, Rev. xxi. 14.
Yea, what keepers then are the ordinary officers of the church, appointed to be the shepherds or keepers of the flock of Christ; appointed to be the porters or doorkeepers, and to watch in the absence of Christ? Mark xiii. 34; Acts xx. [28-31.]
Yea, what charge hath the whole church itself, which is the pillar and ground of the truth, 1 Tim. i. 15, in the midst of which Christ is present with his power, 1 Cor. v. 4, to keep out or cast out the impenitent and obstinate, even kings and emperors themselves, from their spiritual society? 1 Cor. v.; James iii. 1; Gal. iii. 28.
The kings of the Assyrians, &c., not charged with God’s worship as the kings of Judah, in that national and typical church.