If the charge of God’s worship was left with the Roman emperor, then was he bound to turn the whole world into the garden, flock, and spouse of Christ.
Sixthly. If the Roman emperors were charged by Christ with his worship in their dominion, and their dominion was over the world, as was the dominion of the Grecian, Persian, and Babylonian monarchy before them, who sees not, if the whole world be forced to turn Christian—as afterward and since it hath pretended to do—who sees not then, that the world, for whom Christ Jesus would not pray, and the god of it, are reconciled to Jesus Christ, and the whole field of the world become his enclosed garden?
Millions put to death.
Seventhly. If the Roman emperors ought to have been by Christ’s appointment keepers of both tables, antitypes of Israel and Judah’s kings; how many millions of idolaters and blasphemers against Christ Jesus and his worship, ought they to have put to death, according to Israel’s pattern!
Christ never sent any of his ministers or servants to the civil magistrate, for help in spiritual matters.
Lastly. I ask, if the Lord Jesus had delivered his sheep and children to these wolves, his wife and spouse to such adulterers, his precious jewels to such great thieves and robbers of the world, as the Roman emperors were, what is the reason that he was never pleased to send any of his servants to their gates to crave their help and assistance in this his work, to put them in mind of their office, to challenge and claim such a service from them, according to their office, as it pleased God always to send to the kings of Israel and Judah, in the like case?
Peace. Some will here object Paul’s appealing to Cæsar.
Truth. And I must refer them to what I formerly answered to that objection. Paul never appealed to Cæsar as a judge appointed by Christ Jesus to give definitive sentence in any spiritual or church controversy; but against the civil violence and murder which the Jews intended against him, Paul justly appealed. For otherwise, if in a spiritual cause he should have appealed, he should have overthrown his own apostleship and power given him by Christ Jesus in spiritual things, above the highest kings or emperors of the world beside.
CHAP. XC.
Peace. Blessed Truth, I shall now remember you of the fourth query upon this place of Timothy; to wit, whether a church of Christ Jesus may not live in God’s worship and comeliness, notwithstanding that the civil magistrate profess not the same but a contrary religion and worship, in his own person and the country with him?