Peace. Yea; but they fear the false spiritual wall may destroy their civil, because it is made of the stones of churches.
Truth. If this have reference to that practice amongst them, viz., that none but members of churches enjoy civil freedom amongst them, ordinarily,[213] in imitation of that national church or state of the Jews, then I answer, they that follow Moses’s church constitution, which the New English by such a practice implicitly do, must cease to pretend to the Lord Jesus Christ and his institutions.
Many flourishing civil states where true churches are not found.
Secondly. We shall find lawful civil states, both before and since Christ Jesus, in which we find not any tidings of the true God or Christ.
Lastly. Their civil New English state, framed out of their churches, may yet stand, subsist, and flourish, although they did—as by the word of the Lord they ought—permit either Jews, or Turks, or anti-christians to live amongst them subject unto their civil government.
CHAP. CII.
Peace. One branch more, viz., the third, remains of this head, and it concerns the hearing of the word; “Unto which,” say they, “all men are to be compelled; because hearing of the word is a duty which even nature leadeth heathens to.” For this they quote the practice of the Ninevites hearing Jonah, and Eglon, king of Moab’s rising up to Ehud’s pretended message from God, Judg. iii.
Hearing discussed. Every religion prefers its own priests and ministers before all other.
Truth. I must deny that position: for light of nature leadeth men to hear that only which nature conceiveth to be good for it, and therefore not to hear a messenger, minister, or preacher, whom conscience persuades is a false messenger or deceiver, and comes to deceive my soul: as millions of men and women in their several respective religions and consciences are so persuaded, conceiving their own to be true.
Jonah’s preaching to the Ninevites, and their hearing of his message, examined.