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Other instances might be mentioned, but the above is sufficient to demonstrate that the author, to be consistent, could not have acknowledged, or, to use his own words, homologated the peculiar government of Israel. Nor could he have acknowledged the government of Constantine, Theodosius, &c. They indeed punished for many things; for doing which they had no authority from the law of God; but they also patronized certain kinds of idolatry, such as relicks, pilgrimages, and tradition, which they set above, or, at least made equal to, the laws of the most high God; and they were themselves the high priests of Jupiter, viz. of the heathen idolatrous religion, while at the same time they had usurped the headship of, and sovereignty over, the church of Christ. Certainly, on the author's principles, he could not homologate such a government, or do any thing that would amount to a tessera of obedience to it. Consequently, as far as known, there never has been a civil government in the world, which the author, on his declared principles, could have acknowledged as a moral or legiti mate government, or even whose lawful commands ought to have been obeyed. I will conclude with a quotation from a learned and judicious commentator, Scott.

Exod. xxi. 2" In these ways, slavery had been, or would soon be, introduced among them; even that of their brethren as well as strangers: and God did not see good in the judicial law totally to prohibit this, and several other things which are not agreeable to the perfect demands of the moral law, which is the standard of every action, whether right or wrong in itself. In the government of nations, legislators must

judge how far it is practicable, expedient, or conducive to the grand ends of magistracy, to require all that is right, and forbid all that is wrong, under penal sanctions: and in this respect, Israel was like other nations. Indeed, the moral and judicial law were enacted by the same Lawgiver, and coincided, as far as infinite wisdom saw it to be conducive to the grand ends in view but as they were intended for such distinct purposes, they must in many things vary. The moral law commanded every thing spiritually good in its utmost perfection, and tolerated nothing wrong in the smallest degree: but the sentence of it is reserved to that day, when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.' The judicial law commanded nothing morally bad, and forbade nothing morally good; but as sentence according to it would be pronounced by the civil magistrate, it did not insist on the same perfection: and, besides that, it enjoined nothing concerning the state of the heart, except as the intentions could be judged of by words and actions; it had also respect to the situation, character, and peculiar circumstances of the nation to be governed; and supposed the existence of some evils which could not be eradicated without a constant miracle; and provided against their effects.-This distinction, carefully attended to, will account for many things seemingly tolerated in the Mosaic law, which are condemned in the New Testament; and not only there, but in the moral law of loving our neighbour as ourselves. They are not sanctioned, but merely suffered, because of the hardness of the people's hearts, or on some account to prevent worse consequences. Slavery was almost universal in the world: and though

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like wars, it always proceeded of evil, and was generally evil in itself; yet the wisdom of God deemed it better to regulate, than to prohibit it: yet we should not judge of the practice itself by these judicial regu lations, but by the law of love."

CHAPTER V.

Of persecution-The author's glosses on Romans xiii. 1—7, and Mat. xxii. 21, examined and refuted, by extracts from the venerable divines of Westminster, approved by the Assembly of the church of Scotland-The testimonies of the Presbyterian clergy of England and Scotland, against Cromwell's usurpation, and of Luther, Calvin, and other approved commentators-Martyrdom a test of sincerity, not of truth-The Protestant martyrs under Popery against the author-Thoughts on creeds-Opinions of the Reformers-Objection, that the apostles' doctrine was not applicable to that period, refuted.

THE

HE reverend author's thirteenth supposed objection (p. 74) is, that we say, "Your principles lead to persecution, and are cruel and unmerciful." This objection I admit in all its force. I admit also his reply to it, which is " The church of Christ never persecuted. If our principles lead to it we are certainly wrong." In this I perfectly agree with him; but with his following arguments to evade the force of his own concession, I do not agree. There is no principle of persecution in the religion of Jesus, the blessed Saviour of the chief of sinners; who waiteth long and is kind; who waiteth even to the eleventh, i. e. to the last hour, on careless and negligent sinners; and who

brought the thief on the cross to repentance at the last hour, as he has done many sinners since; and who himself declared that he did not come to destroy mens' lives, but to save them; and who, on his last parting, gave a solemn charge to his apostles" And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." This solemn, gracious, and awful commission is given to the ministers of the gospel, who are thereby constituted—2 Cor. v. 20, Ambassadors of Christ to pray and beseech men to be reconciled to God. There is not a word here of persecution, but of teaching or beseeching men to be reconciled to God. There is not here, nor any place else, a commission given by the Saviour to ecumenical councils or emperors to ratify or sanction his laws, in order to give them validity; nor is there any commission given them as officers of his kingdom, which he has, in the most solemn manner declared, is not of this world. There is no commission given to convert sinners by the sword, or other physical force.

The author is fond of dilemmas, and ingenious in stating them; but having admitted that the church of Christ does not persecute, his detailed arguments immediately following in favour of persecution, may be safely passed without further notice, except one observation, viz. that by the church of Christ, I mean, the church or spiritual kingdom instituted by Christ and his apostles, with express provision that they should not add to his laws, under the penalty of having the plagues written in God's book added to them-Rev.

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