CHAP. CVIII.
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Williams, Roger and Underhill, Edward Bean
Peace. I shall now present you with their tenth head, viz., concerning the magistrates’ power in matters of doctrine.
“That which is unjustly ascribed to the pope, is as unjustly ascribed to the magistrates, viz., to have power of making new articles of faith, or rules of life, or of pressing upon the churches to give such public honour to the apocrypha writings, or homilies of men, as to read them to the people in the room of the oracles of God.”
Truth. This position, simply considered, I acknowledge a most holy truth of God, both against the pope, and the civil magistrates’ challenge, both pretending to be the vicars of Christ Jesus upon the earth. Yet two things here I shall propose to consideration:—
King Henry the Eighth set down in the pope’s chair in England.
First, since the parliament of England thrust the pope out of his chair in England, and set down King Henry the Eighth and his successors in the pope’s room, establishing them supreme governors of the church of England: since such an absolute government is given by all men to them to be guardians of the first table and worship of God, to set up the true worship, to suppress all false, and that by the power of the sword; and therefore consequently they must judge and determine what the true is, and what the false:—
If the magistrate must punish in spiritual cases, he must of necessity be judge in spiritual causes also.
And since the magistrate is bound, by these authors’ principles, to see the church, the church officers, and members do their duty, he must therefore judge what is the church’s duty, and when she performs or not performs it, or when she exceeds; so likewise when the ministers perform their duty, or when they exceed it:—
And if the magistrate must judge, then certainly by his own eye, and not by the eyes of others, though assembled in a national or general council:—
Then also, upon his judgment must the people rest, as upon the mind and judgment of Christ, or else it must be confessed that he hath no such power left him by Christ to compel the souls of men in matters of God’s worship.
Apocrypha, Common-prayer, and homilies, precious to our forefathers.
Secondly, concerning the apocrypha writings and homilies to be urged by the magistrate to be read unto the people as the oracles of God: I ask, if the homilies of England contain not in them much precious and heavenly matter? Secondly, if they were not penned, at least many of them, by excellent men for learning, holiness, and witness of Christ’s truth incomparable? Thirdly, were they not authorized by that most rare and pious prince, Edward VI., then head of the church of England?[218] With what great solemnity and rejoicing were they received of thousands!
Yet now, behold their children after them sharply censure them for apocrypha writings, and homilies thrust into the room of the word of God, and so falling into the consideration of a false and counterfeit scripture.
A case.
I demand of these worthy men, whether a servant of God might then lawfully have refused to read or hear such a false scripture?
Secondly, if so, whether King Edward might have lawfully compelled such a man to yield and submit, or else have persecuted him; yea, according to the authors’ principles, whether he ought to have spared him; because after the admonitions of such pious and learned men, this man shall now prove a heretic, and as an obstinate person sinning against the light of his own conscience?
In this case what shall the consciences of the subject do, awed by the dread of the Most High? What shall the magistrate do, zealous for his glorious reformation, being constantly persuaded by his clergy of his lieutenantship received from Christ?
Reformations are fallible. Bloody conclusions.
Again, what privilege have those worthy servants of God, either in Old or New England, to be exempted from the mistakes into which those glorious worthies in King Edward’s time did fall? and if so, what bloody conclusions are presented to the world, persuading men to pluck up by the roots from the land of the living, all such as seem in their eyes heretical or obstinate!