*" He that foweth the good feed is the Son of Man; "the field is the world; the good feed are the children "of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of "the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the << reapers are the angels."

This patience, this long-fuffering, and great forbearance belonging to my kingdom and the fubjects <of it, my doctrine fpeaks it, and mine example confirms it; and this can have no poffible agreement < with impofition and perfecution for confcience. It is true I once whipped out the profaners of my Father's temple; but I never whipped any in. I called, < I cried to every one that thirfted to come, and freely • offered my affiftance to the weary and heavy-laden; but I never impofed my help, or forced any to receive me; for I take not my kingdom by violence, but by fuffering. And that I might fufficiently deter my followers from any fuch thing, as I profefs myself to be their Lord and Master, fo have I commanded them to love one another in a more efpecial manner. But if, instead thereof, any fhall grow proud, highminded, and beat or abuse their fellow-fervants in my religious family, when I come to take an account of my houfhold, he fhall be cut afunder, and appointed his portion among the unbelievers. Behold the recompence I appoint to impofing lordly persons, fuch as count others infidels; and, to make them fuch believers as themselves, will exercife violence towards them, and if they prevail not, will call for fire from heaven to devour them; and if heaven refuse to gratify their rage, will fall a beating and killing, and think, it may be, they do God good ⚫ service too; but their lot fhall be with unbelievers ⚫ for ever.'

Nay, I have fo effectually provided againft all mastery, that I exprefly charged them, not to be many mafters; for one was their mafter: I told them, the

* Mat. xiii. 37, 38, 39.. y John xv. 12.

⚫ greatest

greatest amongst them was to be fervant to the reft, not to impofe upon the reft: nay, that to be great in . my kingdom, they must become as gentle and harmlefs as little children, and fuch cannot force and punish in matters of religion. In fine, I ftrictly com< manded them to love one another, as I have loved them, who am ready to lay down my life for the ungodly, instead of taking away godly mens lives. for opinions. And this is the great maxim of my 'holy religion,' "He that would be my difciple, "muft (not crucify other men, but) take up his cross "and follow me, who am meek and lowly;" and 'fuch as endure to the end, fhall find eternal reft to 'their fouls: this is the power I use, and this is the 'power I give.'

How much this agrees with the language, doctrine, and example of Jefus Chrift, the Son and Lamb of God, I fhall leave them to confider that read and believe fcripture. But fome, affected to prefent churchpower, and defiring their ruin that conform not to her worship and difcipline, will object, That Chrift did give his church power to bind and loose, and bid 'any persons aggrieved tell the church.'

I grant it; but what binding was that? Was it, I pray, with outward chains and fetters, in nafty holes and dungeons? Nothing lefs? or was it that his church had that true difcerning in her, and power with him, that what she bound, that is, condemned, or loosed, that is remitted, fhould stand so in God's fight, and Christ's account?

.

But tell the church; and what then? Obferve Chrift's extent in the punishment of the offender: "If the "offender will neither receive private admonition, nor "hear the church, then," fays Chrift, "let him be to "thee as an heathen," &c. Here is not one word of fines, whips, Stocks, pillories, gaols, and the like inftruments of cruelty, to punish the heretick: for the purport of his words feems to be no more than this;

If any member of the church refufe thy private exhortation, and the church's admonition, look upon

• fuch

• fuch a perfon as obftinate and perverfe; have no more to do with him; let him take his courfe; thou haft ⚫ done well, and the church is clear of him.'.

2

Well, but say the church-fighters of our age, Did not St. Paul with them cut off that troubled the • church in his time?' Yes: but with what fword think you? Such as Chrift bid Peter put up, or the "Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God?" Give him leave to explain his own words; "For though we "walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; for "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but "mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong"holds, cafting down imaginations, and every high "thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of "God, and bringing every thought into obedience to "Christ."

What think you of this? Here are warfares, weapons, oppofitions and conformity, and not only no external force about matters of religion used or countenanced, but the most express and pathetical exclufion and difclaiming of any fuch thing that can be given.

It was this great apostle that asked that question, "Who art thou that judgeft the fervant of another? "To his own lord he ftandeth or falleth: but he fhall "ftand; for God is able to make him ftand." Can we think that impofition or perfecution is able to anfwer him this question in the day of judgment? Do we with reafon deny it to the papacy? with what reason then can we affure it to ourselves? Let us remember who faid, "Not that we have dominion over your faith, " but are helpers of your joy." Helpers, then not impofers nor perfecutors. What joy can there be in that to the perfecuted? But if Paul had no fuch commiffion or power over confcience, I would fain know by what authority more inferior ministers and Christians do claim and use it.

Eph. vi. 12 to the 18. 2 Cor. x. 3, 4, 5. Rom. xiv. 4.

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The apostle Peter is of the fame mind; " Feed" fays he," the flock of God, not by constraint, &c. "neither as being lords over God's heritage." The heritage of God is free; they have but One Lord in and of their religion, Chrift Jefus, and they are brethren. The apostle Paul fays, "That where the Spirit of "the Lord is, there is liberty;" but where coercion, fines, and gaols are, there is no liberty. Is it to be fuppofed that men in these days are inftructed by the Spirit of the Lord to destroy people in this world for their faith about the other world? That cannot poffibly be; fuch mock at it. Again, fays that apoftle to the Christians of his time, "You are called to liberty;' from what, I pray? "Sin and the ceremonies of the "law?" And fhall the end of that call be the enthralling of confcience to human edicts in religion, yea, about mere ceremonies of religion, under the Gospel? This would make our cafe worse than the Jews, for their worship stood on divine authority; and if Chrift came to make men free from them, and that thofe very ordinances are by the apoftle called beggarly elements and a burdenfome yoke, is it reasonable that we must be subject to the injunctions of men in the worship of God, that are not of equal authority with

them?

The apoftle yet informs us, "For this end," • fays he, "Chrift both died and rofe again, that he might be "Lord both of the dead and living: but why doft thou

judge thy brother?" Than which nothing can more exprefly oppose the impofition, excommunication, and perfecution that are among us: it is as if he had faid, Chrift is Lord of Chriftians; by what authority • dost thou pretend to judge his fervants? Thou alfo ⚫art but one of them: a brother at moft. Thou haft • no dominion over their faith, nor haft thou commiffion to be lord over their confciences; it is Chrift's right, his purchase, he has paid for it: " for this

"end he both died and rofe again, that he might be "Lord of dead and living;" that he might refcue them from the jaws of oppreffion, from thofe that ufurp over their confciences, and make a prey of their ⚫ fouls.' "But why doft thou judge thy brother?" If not judge, then not perfecute, plunder, beat, imprifon to death, our brethren, that must needs follow. Come, let us Proteftants look at home, and view our actions, if we are not the men.

In fhort, "Let every man be fully perfuaded in his "own mind; and if any thing be fhort, God will re"veal it.". let us but be patient. It was not flef and blood that revealed Chrift to Peter; they are Chrift's words; therefore let us leave off the confultation and weapons of flesh and blood, and truft Chrift with his own kingdom: he hath said, that the "gates of hell "fhall not prevail against it ;" and we cannot think that he would have us feek to hell's gates to maintain it and if it is not of this world, then not to be maintained by force and policy, which are the props of the kingdoms of this world. "God," the apoftle tells us," has chofen the weak things of this world, "to confound the mighty:" therefore he has not chosen the strength and power of this world, to fupprefs confcientious people, that, as to human force, are justly accounted weakest and most destitute, in all ages, of defence.

I will here conclude my fcripture-proofs with this exhortation, or injunction rather, of the apoftle. "Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the fervants "of men." The fubject here is not buman, wherein human ordinances are to be obeyed; that is not the queftion; but divine; and those that for fear or favour of men defert their principles, and betray their confciences, they renounce their Lord, deny him that bought them, and tread his blood, the price of their fouls, under their feet: "Ye are bought with a price;' Christ has purchased you; you are not your own, but

Rom. xiv. 5. 8 1 Cor. vii. 23.