If no heretic, but an innocent and faithful witness of any truth of Jesus, disputes he not as a lamb in the lion’s paw, being sure in the end to be torn in pieces?
Peace. They add, “The censure, this way, proceeds with more power and blessing.”
Truth. All power and blessing is from the blessed Son of God, unto whom all power is given from the Father, in heaven and earth. He hath promised his presence with his messengers, preaching and baptizing, to the world’s end, ratifying in heaven what they bind or loose on earth.
But let any man show me such a commission, instruction, and promise, given by the Son of God to civil powers in these spiritual affairs of his Christian kingdom and worship?
Peace. Lastly, they conclude, “This course of first sending the heretic to be healed by the church, takes away all excuse; for none can say that he is persecuted for his conscience, but for sinning against his conscience.”
Persecutors endure not so to be called.
Truth. Jezebel, placing poor Naboth before the elders as a blasphemer of God and the king, and sanctifying the plotted and intended murder with a day of humiliation, may seem to take away all excuse, and to conclude the blasphemer worthy to be stoned. But Jehovah, the God of recompences (Jer. li. 56), when he makes inquisition for blood, will find both Jezebel and Ahab guilty, and make the dogs a feast with the flesh of Jezebel, and leave not to Ahab a man to piss against the wall; for (as Paul in his own plea) there was nothing committed worthy of death: and against thee, O king, saith Daniel, I have not sinned (Dan. vi. 22) in any civil fact against the state.
CHAP. C.
Peace. Their eighth question is this, viz., what power magistrates have about the gathering of churches?
“First, the magistrate hath power, and it is his duty to encourage and countenance such persons as voluntarily join themselves in holy covenant, both by his presence (if it may be) and promise of protection, they accepting the right hand of fellowship from other neighbour churches.