Animadversions on Mr. William Dells book intituled The crucified and quickned Christian. By Humfry Chambers, D.D. Pastor of Pewsy in the county of Wilts. Novemb. vicessimo, 1652. Imprimatur John Owen Vicecan. Oxon.

(C) It is dangerous and unwarrantable distinguishing upon the Scriptures, without the Scriptures. If that liberty be in∣dulged unto men, they will have a bridle in the mouth of Scri∣pture to make it turn, and speak at pleasure. Evill doers, with∣out distinction, are made the objects of Magistratical restraint, Rom. 13.4. 1 Pet. 2.14. And the corrupters of Gods truth and worship are expresly called evil doers, Phil. 3.2. When therefore men manifestly appear to be such, they cannot plead or expect exemption from magistratical restraint by Scripture authority. The Parliament hath lately published an Act against blasphemy, and revived and enlarged some Acts for the due observation of the Lords Day; and I think therein have dis∣charged a duty which belongs to Christian Magistrates. Should any attempt to introduce surcisme, Paganisme, Judaisme or Socinianisme into our Land, would the governours thereof do well, like Gallio, to sit down and care for none of these things? would they be able to satisfie their conscience, that they did satisfie their duty towards God, in case they should look on, stand still, and cry God help. I think there are few who would have a face, though it be much to be feared, that many have a heart to professe so much, which is the necessary result of Mr Dells principles: Blessed be God that the present heads of our State in Parliament, by what they have lately done about the Turkish Alcaron, and the Sociman Catechism, to∣wards the suppressing of them, have declared themselves to be of more sound judgement. I cannot yet otherwise apprehend but that they who hold, that Magistrates may not at all Judg, and do justice, in case of manifest immediate injury done to God, are not through strength of reason, but by reason of the Magistrates strength only held to an acknowledgement, that they may Judge and do justice in point of injury towards men.

For the reason taken from Gods being alwayes present in the world as moderatour, and governour himself, to prove that he is the immediate Judge in all things that immediately concern himself and his kingdom, being pressed home will prove him to be immediate Judg also, in all things pertaining to Judgement and Justice amongst men, seeing his throne is in the heavens, and his kingdom rules overall, and so a fair way will be made to an utter extirpation of Magistracy from the very founda∣tions.

And as for tender-hearted Magistrates, who may be stag∣gered at the use of their power, for the suppressing of such, as in the judgement of their conscience, regulated by the word of God, are manifest and pernicious offenders in such affairs as immediately concern God and his kingdom; I would offer these things briefly to their judicious consideration.

1. That the tendernesse of good Magistrates to act for God, will breed no tendernesse in evil Magistrates to act against God, when they have power in their hands.

2. That the abuse of Magistratical authority by evil men, doth not make that authority void in the hands of good men, else all authority of Magistrates, in things relating as well to men as God, would be extinguished.

3. That whilest Magistrates, not only neglect but refuse, and that out of conscience to act for God in all such affairs, as immediately concern him and his kingdom, they may provoke him to set up others in their stead, who will make conscience to be zealous and valiant for him, his truth and worship upon earth, against manifest offenders. * 1.1

4. That it is a fruit of carnal wisdom in Gods people to pro∣ject, and folly to expect freedom from persecution for truth, and righteousnesse, when wicked men are exalted, specially considering that suffering patiently and joyfully for righteous∣nesse, when God calleth them thereunto, is a part of the pecu∣liar happiness and honour of Gods servants upon earth.

5. That the nourishing of the open corrupters of Gods truth and worship, by Magistrates in any state, is not only by way of provocation in regard of God, but preparation also in regard of men, a very ready course to ripen such a state to the

hottest persecution for truth and righteousnesse; He that nou∣risheth a serpent is likely to be bitten thereby.

6. That the Law of God is open to the consciences of Chri∣stian Magistrates, as well in things immediately concerning God as men, and they are deputies for God towards men, in relation to his whole Law.

7. That no godly governour of a family holdeth himself bound to permit such to abide unrestrained under his roof, who are openly corrupt and corrupters of others, in things immedi∣ately concerning God and his kingdom, Josh. 24.15. and that oeconomical and political governours are to proceed by the same rules in their several administrations, as we are plainly taught, from that much to be regarded Scripture, Psal. 101.

8. That Christian Magistrates are in the same manner to seek the happinesse of their states, as of their own persons, even by seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, Mat. 6.33. Ne{que} enim aliunde beata civitas, aliunde homo, cum aliud civitas non sit quam concors hominum multitudo, as Austin truly speaks: A society is no otherwise made happy, then a man, seeing a society is nothing else but a combined multitude of men. De civit. dei lib. 1. cap. 15.

9. That it would greatly sadden the hearts of many of God; people, who have often, and earnestly, in publike and private, importuned the Lord by prayer, happily to carry on in the Land the work of a Scripture reformation in the things of God, by and under Godly Magistrates, ruling in the fear of the Lord, and who did, and do still hope that the spirit it self did then make intercession in them, according to the will of God, to see all these prayers buried in the grave of a sad resolution, that Christian Magistrates must make conscience to do nothing for God in things immediately concerning himself, and his king∣dom; how much soever they are corrupted by corrupt pre∣tenders to light and conscience.

10. That amongst all disputers against Magistrates power in the things of God and his kingdom, never any one of them, for ought I know, have pretended to shew Magistrates a plain discharge from that part of their duty, to look that sound and nourishing food be afforded to Gods people, Isaiah 49.23. in

open words under the Lords hand. I know the parable of the ta••es hath been much insisted upon by some, & as often & fully an∣swered by others; But (to say no more of that at present) methinks Christian Magistrates should be affraid to adventure the neglect of so great a part of their trust, in relation to God, upon the disputable, and (to say the least) doubtful interpretation of a parable; the main scope whereof (for certain) is not to set out the limits of Civil Magistracy: I humbly conceive that those words uttered by the wisdom of God, which is God, Prov. 8.15 16. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth, are a fair and full commission granted by the Lord, as it were, under his hand and seal, to all Magistrates, both Jewish and Gentile, to decree and act according to their place from him, and for him in all righteous wayes, for the good both of the bodies and souls of those who are subject to them; and for the execution of this divine commission; I believe that all Magistrates, spe∣cially Christian, when they that seek to word and wooe them out of the most honourable part of their charge, have spo∣ken their last, shall be called to an account before the Lord of lords, at his appearing and his kingdom; verbum sapienti: I know Christian Magistrates of tender spirits, who have tasted of the grace of the Gospel, know a wide difference between rigour and righteousnesse, Christian zeal and antichristian seve∣rity, and will be as they ought to be, duly careful not to grieve the w••ak in things questionable, whilest they restrain the wicked in things unquestionably evil, and opposite to the word of God. Must such as are professed libertines, and all other misbe∣lievers (as Mr Dells words are), be left by Magistrates to them∣selves, according to their own notions to speak and act as they list, immediately against God and his kingdom, provided they act not wickedly and presumptuously (of which a Magistrate can very hardly, if possibly judge in any case) against their neigh∣bour, and civil society? Must Christian Magistrates let spiritual Jezabels alone to seduce and corrupt as many of Gods servants as they can, in all things immediately concerning God and his kingdom, and make conscience not to restrain them? Should this be their duty, they would prove poor healers to the peo∣ple

committed to their charge, Esay 3.7. having not so much power, or liberty of conscience, as to make use of Gods sword in their hand, to restrain such as have spiritual plague sores running upon them, from maliciously intermixing themselves with, and desperately infecting of those that are sound, 2 Tim. 2.17. I would but propose one question in the fear of God, to the serious thoughts of such as would clip the wings of civil Christian Magistrates, as to all affairs and offences, how open and odious soever, immediately relating to God and his kingdom. Why should it be thought more unsutable to Gods goodnesse, greatness, all-filling presence in the world, and zeal of his own glory, in the time of the Gospel then of the Law, to have Christian Magistrates whom he makes his substitutes, in the government of such a people, amongst whom his Name is pro∣fessed, imployed for him, & under him in the judicial suppressing of manifest corruptions and corrupters of his truth and worship, & so in the wel managing of such affairs as immediately concern himself and his kingdom? It is certain that with the Lord is no shadow of turning; he is still as truly and as much the author of peace and righteousnesse, of purity in doctrine and worship amongst such as are called by his Name, as in the dayes of old. And it is most evident that the godly Magistrates of Judah laid out themselves with Gods special approbation in the suppressing of open corruptions, and corrupters in point of divine worship, and acted zealously as Magistrates, for the well ordering of af∣fairs immediately concerning God and his kingdom amongst the people, the histories of Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Josiah, and Manasseh after his repentance plainly evidence so much: And who can shew when God razed that branch of the divine commission by which these servants of God were guided and warranted in their actings, out of the grant which Christian Magistrates have now from him for their authority? Doubt∣lesse, neither Great Constantine, and those other Christian go∣vernours whom the Lord made glorious in the Primitive times, by being instrumental to introduce and settle Christianity in the world, who oft-times called, and presided in councels for the well ordering of matters of religion, both in doctrine and pra∣ctise, nor any of those Christian Princes, by whom the Lord

hath in later times graciously demolished Antichristianity, and restored Gospel truth and worship in several places of Eu∣rope, ever heard of any such thing; which had it been dis∣covered unto them, would have bound up their hands from that blessed work wherein they travelled as Gods vicegerents upon earth, for the good of his Church, and the glory of his Name. And I confidently believe, that his eyes will fail, who∣soever looks after it, before he find it in the book of God. Whereas some go about to put off the argument which is taken from the actings of the Magistrates of Judah, in things immedi∣ately concerning God and his kingdom, from concluding a like authority upon Christian Magistrates, by saying that those ma∣gistrates were types of Christ, and therefore that their actings in the things of God are to be looked upon as typical, and determinable at the death of Christ. Before such men boast much of, and rest in this their answer, they should well consi∣der, 1. Whether admitting the Magistrates of Judah, as the Magistrates of that peculiar people, to have been types of Christ to come, reigning over the house of Jacob for ever: Magistracy in general became thereby legally typical, and de∣terminable at the death of Christ; for if it did not, as all know∣ing men acknowledge; but Magistracy retained the nature of a perpetual ordinance in the hands of typical Magistrates, so also their Magistratical actings might and did retain the nature of perpetual moral duties in general, though in the particular dis∣charge of them by such persons, they were some way typical. 2. Whether those Magistrates of Judah, who unquestionably were types of our Saviour in his regal soveraignty, as David, and Solomon, were not representative figures of him, as well in their righteous actings towards men, as in their religious actings towards God; The Scripture is most plain that they were, Psal. 72,1,2,3,4. Esay 32.1. Jer. 23.5. and therefore their being types of Christ doth no more take them off from be∣ing a cloud to conduct Christian Magistrates in their righteous, eminent, exemplary actings in the things of God, then in those which appertain to men, wherein all of understanding look up∣on them as obliging presidents to Christian Magistrates. This being considered, sheweth, that their answer who would not

have Christian Magistrates obliged by the divinely approved practise of Godly Magistrates amongst the Jews, to mind and act for God, according to the mind of God revealed in his word, in all things immediatly concerning him and his kingdom; when they say that the Magistrates of Judah were types of Christ, and therefore are not to be looked upon by Christian Magi∣srrates, as presidents to which they are to conform themselves in their Magistratical actings, is but a blind put before the eyes of the weak, who are not able to discern a moral duty, under a typical use and application of the same, which under∣standing Christians may easily do. Upon the whole, I cannot but apprehend that Christian Magistrates in their place, have a special part belonging to them in the honourable discharge of that com∣mand of our Saviour for the good of his Church, Song 2.15. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, which spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. And I believe that if any prevailingly intice or terrifie Christian Magistrates by fair or menacing words, from the conscience of yielding obedience to this com∣mand of Christ, they will not be their sufficient advocates at the bar of the Lord Jesus, when they shall be there impleaded for sinful neglect of that their duty towards God, to his disho∣nour, and the damage of his people. I can therefore as yet judge no otherwise of their attempt, but as very pernicious, and antiscriptural, who that they may not seem to idolize Ma∣gistrates, stick not to make meer idols of them, as to all things immediately respecting God and his kingdom, not suffering them, though they have eyes, and ears, and feet, and hands, to see, or hear, or stir, or act any thing magistratically for God in such affairs as immediately concern himself, and his kingdom: If such studious obstructers of magistratical administrations in the things of God according to truth, charity, and righteousness, do look for thanks from God or men, for their attempt; I am greatly mistaken if they be not greatly disappointed of their hope, when they look with strongest expectation to have it accomplished unto them. Besides, if as Mr Dell here affirms the Lord is alwayes immediate moderatour and governour himself in all such affairs, as immediately concern himself and his kingdom; then not only civil magistrates, but all Churches and Church

officers whatsoever are discharged from attempting, under God, in Ecclesiastical ways, to protect the truth and worship of God, and endeavouring the suppression of what is contrary to the same, which is certainly very dissonant from the judgement, and practise of the Apostle Paul, 1 Tim. 1. vers. 3, 4. and vers. 19, 20.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ezech. 34.7,8,9,10. See Burroughs on Hosea, chap. 1. verse 11. And Phil. 1.29. 1 Pet. 4.19.