The Storming of Antichrist, in His Two Last and Strongest Garrisons of Compulsion of Conscience and Infant Baptism

p. 13The storming of ANTICHRIST In his two last and strongest GARRISONS, of Compulsion of CONSCIENCE, And Infants BABPTISME. The First Part.

Question.

WHether it be lawfull for any person whatsoever to compell the conscience?

Answer. It is not.

1 Because the Apostle himselfe though hee had many revelations from God, acknowledge◊h hee had no dominion over the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 1.24. ◊f such an Apostle disclaime it, upon what pretence can any Magistrate, or Presbiter in the world require it? now is it not a dominion, when in case of scruple of compliance with publike practice, or practizing according to the light the Lord gives us, we shall be forced from the one to the other, 1 Pe◊. 5. not as Lords over Gods heritage. Now he lords it, that imposes lawes upon the conscience.

2 Persecution for conscience is unlawfull, because of the neer relation Gods people are to God They are Gods anoynted, Psal. 105.15. Touch not mine annointed; much lesse, fine, bannish, imprison. And whe◊ Paul would have brought the brethren bound to Jerusalem, for professing the saith of Christ, and renouncing Judaisme, its cald no lesse then persecution, Acts 9.2, 3, 4. Matth. 18.6. whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which beleeve in me, it were better for him, that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea: what guilt then lies on the soules of those that offend many such, and that for small matters, as difference of judgement?

p. 413 Because there may be difference of beleefe in smaller matters, and yet both do it unto God, Rom. 14.2. One beleeveth that he may eate all things; another who is weak eateth herbes, that is, he beleeved it was not lawfull for him to eat something, and yet he that did eate, did eat to the Lord, and he that did not eate to the Lord, he did not eate, both did it cons◊ienciously to God, now it is so far from deserving persecution to do things to God, that it deserves praise.

4 It is a note of the false church to persecute, and of the true Church to be persecuted. Mat. 10.16 A sheep will be a sheep, though you handle it never so roughly, but Wolves will persecute, and persons are more or lesse wolvish, as they more or lesse persecute, Gal. 4.29. As he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him th◊t is borne after the Spirit; So it is now, 2 Tim. 3 12. Whosoever will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution.

p. 415 Because it is not in the power of a man, to beleeve what he would; A man trying all thigns according to 1 Thes. 5. cannot beleeve what he would, but according as the strength of Arguments present themselves to his understanding, therefore it is not just that he should be punish◊d, for beleeving what he cannot see grouds to beleeve, there being no volun◊arinesse therein. It is not just he shold be punished, as in some cases its plaine when a man forgoes some enjoyments, and exposes himselfe to sufferings. When a man sees crosses on the one hand, and temporall ends on the other, doubtlesse hee would beleeve, so that hee might enjoy the one, and escape the other, could hee have light so to doe; Especially, when the persecutor saith, beleeve this or you shall dye, Burne.

6 Christ forbids pulling up Tares, lest they pull up good Wheate: But they must both grow together in the world, Mat. 13.30. which cannot be meant of Hypocrites, unlesse the field were the church, but the field, is the world as Christ expounds it, verse 38. where he also expounds what he meanes, both by Tares and Wheate, the Tares are the children of the wicked one, and these must grow in the field of the world, till the harvest; That is, till the end of the World, as Christ expounds it, God intended many of these should be brought home in future time, therefore they should not be banished from their seats and dwellings, but let alone, if God at any time would give them repen◊ance. By Tares are meant persons, not doctrines, as verse 38. and for persons Christ uses a generall word, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 signifying all those weedes that spring up with the corne, to show that all prsons opposite to true worshipers ought to be permited in the field of the World: But for as much as God hath appointed the civil sword to take away wicked men; as theeves, murderers, &c. And that the children of the Kingdome are the visible Church of Christ, Mat. p. 158.12, 21.43 erefore the Tares are Idolaters, Will-worshippers which are to remain in the field of the world.

p. 157 Persecu◊ion for religion makes us uncapeable of amending what is amisse, or seeing our own errors, yea by this ground the R◊formers themselves tha◊ sit abou◊ Refo mation would be made uncap◊ble of reforming any thing amisse in the churches, wer◊ there such m◊gistrates as formerly, ◊o put the lawes yet standing in execution, yet do the be◊t see but in part, and many glorious truths have been lately revealed, a◊d more may we expect, if the compulsions of conscience, which is in most places of the Christian world, hinder not.

8 It is against all equity for it is unequall, for to bid me to see with other mens eyes, they have read other books, heard other conferences and reasons then I have, yet I must see with their eyes.

9 Because there is a possibility of error in those that thinke they s◊e most, yea, even Paul said of himselfe, and his collegus; We know onely in part, and prophesie in part, 1 Cor. 13.9.12. How oft have the most glorious Fathers of the church erred, not one of them that ever I heard of, but have erred, the fure Generall Councels, though many good things concluded, yet I suppose in many things, have erred; Have not Parliaments sometimes erred doing and undoing, did not those godly Martyrs, who laid down their lives for some truths, remain in other things erronious, and left the ceremonies the stumbling blocke of the godly, for so many yeers. Now there being a possibility of error, how know you, but you in p◊rsecuting and compelling may persecute and compell a man who retaines the trurh, your selfe mean time retaining the errour.