faithfull Witnesses of many truths have lived in more or lesse yea in maine and fundamentall points ever since the Apostacie Not to instance in all Mr. Cotton now professes to practise what thousands of Gods people for many ages have not seen but in some particulars which Mr. Cotton hath in new England reformed I earnestly beseech himself all wel to ponder how far he himself now professeth to see and practice that which so many thousands of godly persons of high note in all ages since the Apostacie saw not As First concerning the nature of a particular Church to consist only of holy and godly persons Secondly of a true Ministrie called by that Church Thirdly a true Worship free from Ceremonies Common-Prayer c. Fourthly a true Government in the hands only of such Governours and Elders as are appointed by the Lord Jesus Hence Gods people not seeing their Captivitie in these points must first necessarily be inlightned and called out from such Captivitie before they can be nextly fitted and prepared for the true Church Worship Ministrie c. CHAP. XI Secondly The Iewes of old in the type could not build the Altar and Temple in Babel but first they must come forth then build at Ierusalem this will be more cleare if wee consider Gods people and Church of old the Jewes captivated in materiall Babel they could not possibly build Gods Altar and Temple at Jerusalem untill the yoke and bonds of their captivity were broke and they set free to return with the vessels of the Lords house to set up his worship in Jerusalem as we see in the Bookes of Ezra Nehemia Daniel Haggai c. Hence in the Antitype Gods people the spiritual and mysticall Jewes cannot possibly erect the Altar of the Lords true worship and build the Temple of his true Church Gods mystical Israel in the Antitype must also come forth of Babel before they can build the Temple at Ierusalem without a true sight of their spirituall bondage in respect of Gods worship and a power and strength from Jesus Christ to bring them out and carry them through all difficulties in so mighty a work And as the being of Gods people in materiall Babell and a necessity of their comming forth before they could build the Temple did not in the least deny them to be Gods people no more now doth Gods people being in mystical Babel Rev. 18 nor the necessity of their comming forth hinder or deny the godlinesse of their persons Luther and other famous witnesses very grosse concerning Gods worship though eminent for personall grace or spirituall life within them Thirdly how many famous servants of God and witnesses of Jesus lived and died and were burnt for other truths of Jesus not seeing the evill of their Antichristian calling of Bishops c. How did famous Luther himself continue a Monk set forth the German Masse acknowledge the Pope and held other grosse abominations concerning Gods worship notwithstanding the life of Christ Jesus in him and wrought in thousands by his means Fourthly Mr. Cotton refuseth godly persons except they bee convinced of their Church Covenant Mr Cotton must be requested to remember his own practice as before how doth he refuse to receive persons eminent for personal grace and godlinesse to the Lords Supper other priviledges of Christians according to the profession of their Church-estate until they be convinced of the necessity of making entring into a Church covenant with them with a confession of farth c. and if any cannot bee perswaded of such a covenant and confession notwithstanding their godlinesse yet are they not admitted Lastly how famous is that passage of that solemne question put to Mr. Cotton and the rest of the new English Elders Mr. Cotton the English Elders refuse to permit eminent Ministers people of Old england to live in New England notwithstanding bee confesseth their godlines above his own if they joyn not in his Church-fellowship by divers of the ministers of old England eminent for personall godlinesse as Mr. Cotton acknowledgeth viz. Whether they might be permitted in new England to enjoy their consciences in a Church estate different from the New English unto which Mr. Cotton and the New English Elders returne a plain negative in effect thus much with the acknowledgment of their worth and godlines above their owne and their hopes of agreement Yet in conclusion if they agree not which they are not like to doe and submit to that way of Church-fellowship and Worship which in New England is set up they cannot only not enjoy Church-fellowship together but not permit them to live and breath in the same Aire and Common-weale together which was my case although it pleased Mr Cotton and others most incensed to give my selfe a testimony of godlines c. And this is the reason why although I confesse with joy the care of the New English Churches that no person be received to Fellowship with them in whom they cannot first discerne true Regeneration and the life of Jesus yet I said and still affirm that godlie and regenerate persons according to all the former instances and reasons are not fitted to constitute the true Christian Church untill it hath pleased God to convince their soules of the evill of the false Church Godly persons living trees living stones yet need much hewing and cutting to bring them from false to true worship Ministry Worship c. And although I confesse that godly persons are not dead but living Trees not dead but living Stones and need no new Regeneration and so in that respect need no felling nor digging out yet need they a mighty worke of Gods Spirit to humble and ashame them and to cause them to loath themselves for their Abominations or stincks in Gods nostrils as it pleaseth Gods Spirit to speak of false Worships Hence Ezek. 43. 11. Gods people are not fit for Gods House untill holy shame be wrought in them for what they have done Hence God promiseth to cause them to loath themselves because they have broken him with their whorish hearts Ezek. 6. 9. And hence it is that I have known some precious godly hearts confesse The comming forth of false worship a second kind as it were of regeneration to Gods people that the plucking of their souls out from the Abominations of false worship hath been a second kind of Regeneration Hence was it that it pleased God to say concerning his peoples returne from their Materiall Captivitie a figure of our Spirituall and mysticall that they should not say Jehovah liveth who brought them from the land of Egypt a type of first conversion as is conceived but Jehovah liveth who brings them from the land of the North a type of Gods peoples return from spirituall bondage to confused and invented Worships Return from the land of the North. CHAP. XII Now wheras Mr. Cotton addeth That godly persons are
it a sin meet to be censured but not with so deep a censure as to Excommunicate all the Churches or to separate from them before it do appeare that they doe tollerate their members in such their causeles reproachings We confesse the errors of men are to be contended against not with reproaches but the Sword of the Spirit but on the other side the saylings of the Churches are not forthwith to be healed by separation It is not chyrurgery but butcherie to heale every sore in a member with no other but abscision from the body Ans The Church of Salem was known to profes separation and was generally and publikely reproached and I could mencion a case wherin she was punished for it implicitly Mr. Cotton here confesseth these 2 things which I leave to himselfe to reconcile Mr. Cotton seemes to bee both for and yet against separation with his former profession here and elswhere against separation First saith he if any reproach them for separation it is a sin meet to be censured Secondly the Churches themselves may be separated from who tolerate their members in such causeles reproachings In these later passages he seems as in other his confessions and practises mentioned to be for it sensible of shame disgrace or reproach to be cast on it I grant with him the failings of Churches are not forthwith to be healed by separation Mr. Cottons own confessions are sufficient answers to himselfe yet himself within a few lines confesseth there is a lawfull separation from Churches that doe but tollerate their members in causeles reproaches I confesse also that it is not chyrurgerie but butcherie to heale every sore with no other medicine but with abscision from the body yet himselfe confesseth before that even Churches of godly persons must be separated from for immoderate worldlines Not for a sore of infirmity but a leprosie or gangrene of obstinacie ought a person to be cat off And again here he confesseth they may be separated from when they tolerate their members in such their causeles reproachings Beside it is not every sore of infirmitie or ignorance but an Ulcer or Gangrene of Obstinacy for which I maintained that a person ought to be cut off or a Church separated from But if he call that butcherie conscienciously and peaceably to separate from a spirituall communion of a Church or societie Mr. Cotton deeply guilty of cruelty both against consciences and bodies in persecuting of them yet cryes out against the appearance of due severitie in the Church of Christ what shall it be called by the second Adam the Lord Jesus who gives names to all creatures and all actions to cut off persons them and theirs branch and root from any civill being in their territories and consequently from the whole world were their territories so large because their consciences dare not bow down to any worship but what they beleeve the Lord Jesus appointed and being also otherwise subject to the civill state and Laws therof CHAP. XXIII Thirdly wheras I urged a speech of his own viz. that God had not prospered the way of separation and conceives that I understood him of outward prosperitie He affirms the Puritans to have been worse used in England then the Separatist thus writes The meeting of the Separatists may be known to the Officers in Court and winked at when the Conventicles of the Puritans as they call them shall be hunted out with all diligence and pursued with more violence then any Law can justifie Ans Doubtles the contraversie of God hath bin great with this Land Gods controversie for persecution that either of both have been so violently pursued and persecuted I beleeve they are both the Witnesses of severall truths of Jesus Christ against an impenitent and unchristian profession of the name of the Lord Jesus Now for their suffrings The suffrings of the Separatists and Puritants in England compared As the Puritans have not comparably suffred as but seldome congregating in separate assemblies from the common so have not any of them suffred unto death for the way of Non-conformitie to Ceremonies c. Indeed the worthy witnes Mr. Vdall was neere unto death for his witnes against Bishops and Ceremonies Mr. Vdal but Mr. Penry Mr. Barrow Mr. Penry Mr Barrow Mr. Greenwood Mr. Greenwood followed the Lord Jesus with their Gibbets on their shoulders and were hanged with him and for him in the way of separation many more have been condemned to die banished and choaked in prisons I could produce upon occasion Again Few conscientious Separatists but first were Puritans I beleeve that there hardly hath ever been a conscientious Seperatist who was not first a Puritan for as Mr. Can hath unanâ—werably proved the grounds and principles of the Puritans against Bishops and Ceremonies and prophanes of people proâ—essing Christ The Non-conformists grounds inforce separation and the necessitie of Christs flock and discipline must necessarily if truely followed lead on to and inforce a separation from such wayes worships and Worshippers to seek out the true way of Gods worship according to Christ Jesus But what should be the reason since the separatist witnesseth against the root of the Church constitution it selfe that yet he should find as Mr. Cotton saith more favour then the Puritan or Non-conformist Doubtles the reasons are evident Most of the separation of the lower sort of people First most of Gods servants who out of sight of the ignorance unbeliefe and prophanes of the body of the Nationall Church have separated and durst not have longer fellowship with it I say most of them have been poore and low The poverty of Mr. Ainsworth and not such gainfull customers to the Bishops their Courts and Officers That worthy instrument of Christs praise Mr. Ainsworth during some time and some time of his great labours in Holland lived upon 9. d. per week with roots boiled The Nonconformists have been a faire booty for the Bishops c. Wheras on the other side such of Gods servants as have been Nonconformists have had faire estates been great persons have had rich livings and benefices of which the Bishops and theirs like greedie Wolves have made the more desirable prey The Separatists have been professed enemies but the Puritans in many things professed friends subjects to the Bishops Secondly it is a principle in nature to preferre a professed enemie before a pretended friend Such as have separated have been lookt at by the Bishops and theirs as known and professed enemies wheras the Puritans profest subjection and have submitted to the Bishops their Courts their Officers their Common Prayer and Worships and yet as the Bishops have well known with no greater affection then the Israelites bare their Egyptian cruel Taskmasters He saith Mr. Cotton God hath not prospered the way of Separation with peace amongst themselves and growth of Grace Ans The want of peace may
Calling and Commission I say Mr. Cotton doth not nor will he ever prove that these or any of these ought to be put to Death or Banishment in every Land or Countrey The selling or withholding of spirituall corne Spirituall offences are only liable to a spiritual censure are both of a spirituall nature and therfore must necessarily in a true parallell beare relation to a spiritual curse Paul wishing himselfe accursed from Christ for his Countrey mens sake Rom. 9. he spake not of any temporall death or banishment Yet neerer being fitly qualified and truly called by Christ to the Ministrie Paul not to be banished or kild by Nero for not preaching the Gospel he cries out 1 Cor. 9. Wee to me if I preach not the Gospel yet did not Paul intend that therfore the Roman Nero or any subordinate power under him in Corinth should have either banished or put Paul to death having committed nothing against the civill State worthy of such a civill punishment yea and Mr. Cotton himselfe seemeth to question the sandines of such a ground to warrant such proceedings for thus he goes on CHAP. VI. Mr. Cotton And yet it may be they passed that sentence against you not upon that ground but for ought I know for your other corrupt Doctrines which tend to the disturbance both of civill and holy peace as may appeare by that answere which was sent to the Brethren of the Church of Salem and your selfe M. Cotton himselfe ignorant of the cause of my sufferings I answere it is no wonder that so many having bin demanded the cause of my suffrings have answered that they could not tell for what since Mr. Cotton himselfe knows not distinctly what cause to assigne but saith it may be they passed not that sentence on that ground c. Oh where was the waking care of so excellent worthy a man to see his brother and beloved in Christ so afflicted he knows not distinctly for what He alleadgeth a Scripture to prove the Sentence righteous and yet concludeth it may be it was not for that but for other corrupt Doctrines which he nameth not nor any Scripture to prove them corrupt or the sentence righteous for that cause O that it may please the Father of lights to awaken both himself and other of my honoured Countreymen to see how though their hearts wake in respect of personall grace and life of Jesus yet they sleep insensible of much concerning the purity of the Lords worship or the sorrows of such whom they stile Brethren and beloved in Christ afflicted by them But though he name not these corrupt Doctrines a little before I have as they were publikely summed up and charged upon me and yet none of them tending to the breach of holy or civill peace Civill peace and civil Magistracie blessed ordinances of God of which I have ever desired to be unfainedly tender acknowledging the Ordinance of Magistracie to be properly and adequatly fitted by God to preserve the civill State in civill peace and order as he hath also appointed a spirituall Government and Governours in matters pertaining to his worship and the consciences of men both which Governments Governours Laws Offences Punishments are Essentially distinct and the confounding of them brings all the world into Combustion He addes CHAP. VII Mr. Cotton And to speak freely what I think were my soule in your soules stead I should think it a worke of mercy of God to Banish me from the civill societie of such a Common-weale where I could not enjoy holy fellowship with any Church of God amongst them without sin What should the daughter of Sion do in Babel why should she not hasten to flee from thence Ans Love bids me hope that Mr. Cotton here intended me a Cordiall to revive me in my sorrows yet if the ingredients be examined there will appeare no lesse then Dishonour to the name of God Danger to every civill State a miserable Comfort to my selfe and contradiction within it selfe For the last first A land cannot be Babel and yet a Church of Christ If he call the Land Babel mystically which he must needs doe or els speak not to the point how can it be Babel and yet the Church of Christ also Secondly it is a dangerous Doctrine to affirme it a misery to live in that State where a Christian cannot enjoy the fellowship of the publike Churches of God without sinne Do we not know many famous states wherin is known no Church of Jesus Christ Famous civill States where yet no sound of Iesus Christ Did not God command his people to pray for the peace of the materiall Citie of Babel Jer. 27. and to seek the peace of it though no Church of God in Babel in the form and Order of it Or did Sodome Aegypt Babel signifie material Sodome Egypt Babel Rev. 11. 8. 18. 4 There was a true Church of Jesus Christ in materiall Babel 1 Pet. 5. 13. A true church of Iesus Christ in materiall Babylon Was it then a mercy for all the inhabitants of Babel to have been banished whom the Church of Jesus Christ durst not to have received to holy fellowship Or was it a mercy for any person to have been banished the City and driven to the miseries of a barbarous wildernes him and his if some barre had layn upon his conscience that he could not have enjoyed fellowship with the true Church of Christ Thirdly for my selfe I acknowledge it a blessed gift of God to be inabled to suffer The mercy of a civill State distinct from mercies of a spirituall nature and so to be banished for his Names sake and yet I doubt not to affirm that Mr. Cotton himselfe would have counted it a mercy if he might have practised in Old England what now he doth in New with the injoyment of the civill peace safetie and protection of the State Or should he dissent from the New English Churches and joyn in worship with some other as some few yeares since he was upon the point to doe in a separation from the Churches there as legall would he count it a mercy to be pluckt up by the roots Old and New England for the Countries and civill government incomparable him and his and to endure the losses distractions miseries that doe attend such a condition The truth is both the mother and the Daughter Old and New England for the Countries and Governments are Lands and Governments incomparable And might it please God to perswade the mother to permit the inhabitants of New England her daughter to enjoy their conscience to God after a particular Congregationall way and to perswade the daughter to permit the inhabitants of the mother Old England to walke there after their conscience of a Parishionall way which yet neither mother nor daughter is perswaded to permit I conceive Mr. Cotton himselfe were he seated in Old England againe would not count it a mercy to
Gods Worship And therfore to that instance of the Fathers Poligamie I answer First by observing what great sins godly persons may possibly live and long continue in notwithstanding godlinesse in the root Secondly I aske if any person of whose godlines Mr. Cot. hath had long perswasion should beleeve and maintaine as questionles the Fathers had grounds satisfying their consciences for what they did that he ought to have many Wives and accordingly so practised The case of Poligamy or many wives of the Fathers I say I aske whether Mr. Cotton would receive such a godly person to Church fellowship yea I aske whether the Church of the Jewes had they seen this evill would have received such a Proselite from the Gentiles and when it was seen whether any persons so practising would have been suffred amongst them But lastly what was this personall sinne of these godly persons was it any matter of Gods worship any joyning with a false Church Ministry Worship Government from whence they were to come before they could constitute his true Church and enjoy his Worship Ministery Government c. Mr. Cotton concludeth this passage thus The Church of Corinth had such as partook with Idolaters in their Idolls temple and was not this saith he touching of an uncleane thing and did this reject these members from Church fellowship before conviction and did it evacuate their Church estate for not casting out of such members Ans This was an uncleane thing indeed from which God calls his people in this place with glorious promises of receiving them and Mr. Cotton confesseth that after conviction any member obstinate in these unclean touches ought to be rejected for saith he did this sin reject these members from Church fellowship before conviction And upon the same ground that one obstinate person ought to be rejected out of Church estate It lesseneth not a rebellion that it is in a multitude hence a Citie in Israel idolatrous was to be destroyed upon the same ground if a greater company or Church were obstinate in such uncleane touches and so consequently in a rebellion against Christ ought every sound Christian Church to reject them and every sound member to withdraw from them And hence further it is cleare that if such unclean touches obstinately maintained as Mr. Cotton confesseth and practiseth be a ground of rejection of a person in the Church Obstinacte that casteth out will keep out from communion with the Lord Iesus in his Church questionlesse it is a ground of rejection when such persons are to joyne unto the Church And if obstinacie in the whole Church after conviction be a ground for such a Churches rejection questionlesse such a Church or number of persons obstinate in such evills cannot congregate nor become a true constituted Church of Jesus Christ The greatest question here would be The Church of Corinth every true Church separate from Idols as a chast virgin to Christ Whether the Corinthians in their first constitution were separate or no from such Idoll Temples and this Mr. Cotton neither doth nor can deny a Church estate being a state of mariage unto Jesus Christ and so Paul professedly saith he had espoused them as a chast virgin to Christ Iesus 2 Cor. 11. CHAP. XVII Mr. Cotton proceeds to answer some other allegations which I produced from the confession of sinne made by Iohns Disciples and the Proselite Gentiles before they were admitted into Church fellowship Mat. 3. 6. Acts 19. 18. Unto which he returneth a 3 fold answere The first is grounded upon his apparent mistake of my words in a grant of mine viz. Such a confession and renunciation is not absolutely necessary if the substance of true repentance be discerned Whence saith he according to your own confession such persons as have the substance of true Repentance may be a true Church I answere it is cleare in the progresse of the whole contraversie The substance of true generall repentance in all Gods children though living in many grosse abominations of false worship Ministry c. that I ever intend by the substance of true Repentance not that generall grace of Repentance which all Gods people have as Luther a Monk and going to yea publishing the German Masse and those famous Bishops burnt for Christ in Qu. Maries dayes but that substance of Repentance for those false wayes of Worship Church Ministry c. in which Gods people have lived although the confessing and renouncing of them be not so particularly exprest and with such godly sorrow and indignation as some expresse and may well become And indeed the whole scope of that caution was for Christian moderation Not the same measure and degrees of repentance in all and gentlenes toward the severall sorts of Gods people professing particular repentance for their spirituall captivity and bondage during which captivitie also I readily acknowledge the substance of repentance and of all the graces of Christ in generall In his second Answere Mr. Cotton saith Mr. Cotton I grant with the one hand and take away with the other for he denies it necessary to the admission of members that every one should be convinced of the sinfullnes of every sipping of the Whores cup for saith he every sipping of a drunkards cup is not sinfull Some have drunk deep of the Whores cup and some but sipt yet intoxicated Ans First he doth not rightly aledge my words for a little before he confesseth my words to be that Antichristian drunkennesse and whoredome is to be confest of all such as have drunk of the Whores cup or but sipt of it In which words I plainly distinguish between such as have drunk deeper of her cup as Papists Popish Priests c. and such as in comparison have but sipt as Gods own people who yet by such sipping have been so intoxicated as to practise spirituall whoredome against Christ in submitting to false Churches Ministrie Worship c. Secondly whereas he saith every sipping of a drunkards cup is not sinfull I answere neither the least sipping nor constant drinking out of the cup which a drunkard useth to drinke in is sinfull but every drunken sip which is our question is questionlesse sinfull and so consequently to be avoyded by the sober whether the cup of corporall or spirituall drunkennes CHAP. XVIII Mr. Cotton Mr. Cotton Yea but saith he the 3000. Jewes were admitted when they repented of their murthering of Christ although they never saw all the superstitious leavenings wherwith the Pharises had bewitched them and so no doubt may godly persons now although they be not yet convinced of every passage of Antichristian superstition c. and that upon this ground that spirituall whoredome and drunkennesse is not so soon discerned as corporall I answer it is not indeed so easily discerned and yet not the lesse sinfull but infinitly transcendent as much as spirituall sobriety exceeds corporall and the bed of the most high God
Haggai mine argument stands good and Mr. Cotton here acknowledgeth it that holy things may be all uncleane to Gods people when they lie in their uncleannes Ceremoniall uncleannesse in the nationall Church typed out morall uncleannesse in the particular as this people did Those Scriptures Levit. 16. Numbers 19. which discourse of typicall and Ceremoniall uncleannesse he acknowledgeth to type out in the Gospel the Morall uncleannes either of dead works Ephes 5. 11. or dead persons 2 Cor. 6. 14. or dead world Gal. 6. 14. and in this place of Haggai he acknowledgeth that Gods people Prince and people were defiled by worldlines in which condition saith he their oblations their bodily labours were all uncleane and found neither acceptance nor blessing from the Lord. Therfore saith he afterward In the Church godly Christians themselves while they attend to the world more then to the things of God are uncleane in the sight of God therfore the Church cannot be constituted of such or if it be constitute of such the people of God must separate from them And lastly he saith the Church of Christ and members therof must separate themselves from their hypocrisie and worldlynes els they and their duties will be unclean in the sight of God notwithstanding their Church estate Ans What have I more spoken then Mr. Cotton himselfe hath uttered in this his explication and application of this Scripture As First that godly persons may become defiled and unclean by hypocrisie and worldlines Secondly while they lie in such a condition of uncleannes all their offerings Mr. Cottons own confession concerning unclean worships even of godly persons persons labours are unclean in the sight of God and have neither acceptance nor blessing from him but they and their duties are unclean in his sight notwithstanding their Church estate Thirdly the Church of Christ cannot be constituted of such godly persons when defiled with such worldlinesse Fourthly the Church câ—nsisting of such worldly persons though otherwise godly and Christian the people of God must separate from them These are Mr. Cottons owne expresse words which justifie Inferences from Master Cottons grant First my former distinction of godly persons in their personall respect between God and themselves and yet becoming ungodly in their outward defilements Secondly they justifie my assertion of a necessitie of cleansing from Antichristian filthines and communions with dead works dead worships dead persons in Gods worship if the touches of the dead world or immoderate love of it doe so defile as Mr. Cotton here affirmeth Thirdly if as he saith the Church cannot be constituted of such godly persons as are defiled by immoderate love of the world much lesse can it be constituted of godly persons defiled with the dead Inventions Worships Communions of unregenerate and ungodly persons Fourthly he justifies a separation from such Churches if so constituted or so constituting because though worldlines be Adulterie against God James 4. yet not comparable to spirituall Adultery of a false bed of Worship Ministrie c. CHAP. XXI Mr. Cotton proceedeth The second stumbling block or offence which you have taken at the way of these Churches is that you conceive us to walk between Christ and Antichrist First in practising separation here and not repenting of our preaching and Printing against it in our own Countrie Secondly in reproaching your selfe at Salem and others for separation Thirdly in particular that my selfe have conceived and spoken that separation is a way that God hath not prospered yet say you the truth of the Churches way depends not upon the countenance of men or upon outward peace and liberty Unto this he answers that they halt not but walke in the mid'st of 2 extreames the one of being defiled with the pollution of other Churches the other of renouncing the Churches for the remnant of Pollutions This moderation he with ingenuous moderation professeth he sees no cause to repent of c. Ans With the Lords gracious assistance we shall prove this middle walking to be no lesse then halting for which we shall shew cause of repentance beseeching him that is a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto his Israel Acts 5 3. First Mr. Cotton himselfe confesseth that no Nationall Provinciall Diocesan or Parish Church wherin some truly godly are not are true Churches Secondly he practiseth no Church estate but such as is constituted only of godly persons nor admitteth any unregenerate or ungodly person Thirdly he confesseth a Church of Christ cannot be constituted of such godly persons who are in bondage to the inordinate love of the world Fourthly if a Church consist of such Gods people ought to separate from them Upon these his owne confessions Mr. Cotton extenuates minceth the â—oot masse and substance of the matter of national churches which he acknowledgeth to be unregenerate not yet born again by naming onely a remnant of pollutions I earnestly beseech Mr. Cotton and all that feare God to ponder how he can say he walks with an even foot between 2 extreams when according to his own confession Nationall Churches Parish Churches yea a Church constituted of godly persons given to inordinate love of the world are false and to be separated from and yet he will not have the Parish Church to be separated from for the remnant of pollution I conceive he meaneth ceremonies Bishops notwithstanding that he also acknowledgeth that the generality of every Parish in England consisteth of unregenerate persons and of thousands inbondaged not only to worldlines but also ignorance superstition scoffing swearing cursing whoredome drunkennesse theft lying What are 2. or 3. or more of regenerate and godly persons in such communions The estate of the godly mingled with the ungodly in worships but as 2 or 3 Roses or Lillies in a wildernesse a few grains of good corne in a heap of chaffe a few sheep among heards of Wolves or Swine or if more civill flocks of Goats a little good dough swallowed up with a whole bushell of leaven or a little precious gold confounded and mingled with a whole heap of drosse The Searcher of all Hearts knowes I write not this to reproach any knowing that my selfe am by nature a child of wrath and that the father of mercies shews mercy to whom and when he will The state of men must be faithfully discovered unto them but for the Name of Christ Jesus in loving faithfullnes to my Countrymens soules and defence of truth I remember my worthy adversary of that state and condition from which his confessions say he must separate his practise in gathering of Churches seemes to say he doth separate and yet he professeth there are but some remnants of pollution amongst them for which he dares not separate CHAP. XXII Mr. Cotton Secondly saith he I know no man that reproacheth Salem for their separation nor doe I beleeve that they doe separate howsoever if any do reproach them for it I think
befall the truest Churches of the Lord Jesus at Antioch Corinth Galatia who were exercised with great distractions Secondly it is a common character of a false Church maintained by the Smiths and Cutlers Shop to enjoy a quiet calme and peaceable tranquility A false church may enforce a present greater though false grace then the true Spouse of Christ Iesus none daring for feare of civill punishment to question object or differ from the common roade and custome Thus sings that great Whore the Antichristian Church Revel 18 I sit as a Queen am no Widow see no sorrow while Christs dearest complaines she is forsaken sits weeping as a Widow Lam. 1. Thirdly Gods people in that way have somtimes long enjoyed sweet peace and soul contentment in England Holland New England and other places and would not have exchanged a day of such an holy and peaceable harmonie for thousands in the Courts of Princes seeing no other Gods people have found infinit sweetnes and peace in some times of their holy communion and in sinceritie seeking after the Lord Jesus And yet I humbly conceive that as David with the Princes and 30 thousand Israelites carrying the Ark on the shoulders of the Oxen leaped and danced with great rejoycing untill God smote Vzzah for his Error and Disorder and made a breach and a teaching Monument of Perez Vzzah the breach of Vzzah So in like manner all those celebrations of the spirituall Arke or Ordinances Breaches have been and must be among all Gods people to make them celebrate the Lords holy ordinances according to due order which yet I have know although for the present accompanied with great rejoycing and tryumphing yet as they have not been after the Due Order so have they all met with and still must a Peâ—â—â— Vzzah breaches and Divisions untill the Lord Jesus discover direct and incourage his servants in his own due holy Order and appointment And for growth in Grace notwithstanding that amongst all sorts of Gods Witnesses some false brethren creep in as cheaters and spies and Judasses dishonouring the name of Christ Jesus Many gracelesse Iudasses amongst Gods people and betraying his Witnesses yet Sathan himselfe the accuser of the Saints cannot but confesse that multitudes of Gods Witnesses reproached with the names of Brownists and Anabaptists have kept themselves from the error of the wicked and grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus endevouring to clense themselves from all filthines both of flesh and spirit Multitudes of gracions and holy persons that have professed Separation and to finish holines in the feare of God I will not make odious and envious comparisons but desire that all that name the name of the Lord Iesus may depart wholly and for ever from iniquity CHAP. XXIIII Lastly he addeth M. Cotton That such as erring through simplicitie and tendernes have grown in grace have grown also to discern their lawfull liberty in the hearing of the Word from English preachers Ans I will not question the uprightnes of some â—oure sorts of back-sliders from Separation far from growth in grace who have gone back from many truths of God which they have professed yet mine own experience of 4 sorts who have back-sliden I shall report for a warning to all into whose hands these may come to be like Antipas Revel 2. a faithfull witnesse to the death to any of the truths of the Lord Jesus which he shall please to be trust them with First I have known no small number of such torn to absolute Familisme Some back-sliding turn to Familisme and under their pretences of great raptures of Love deny all obedience to or seeking after the pure Ordinances and appointments of the Lord Jesus Secondly Some to prophanesse others have laid the raines upon the necks of their consciences and like the Dog lickt up their vomit of former loosnes and prophanes of lip and life and have been so farre from growing in grace that they have turned the grace of God into wantonnes Thirdly Some to persecuting of others others backsliding have lost the beautie and shining of a tâ—nder conscience toward God and of a mercifull compassion toward men becomming most fierce persecutors of their own formerly fellow witnesses and of any other who have differd in conscience from them Lastly Some tâ— languishing in sorrow and sadnesse c. others although preserved from Familisme prophanes and persecuting of others yet the leafe of their Christian course hath withered the later beautie and savour of their holines hath not been like their former and they have confest do their sin their weaknes their bondage and wish they were at liberty in their former freedom and some have gone with little peace but sorrow to their graves confessing to my selfe and others that God never prospered them in soule or body since they sold away his truth which once they had bought and made profession of it never to sell it CHAP. XXV Yea but saith he they have grown to discern their lawfull libertie Mr. Cotton to return to the hearing of the Word from English preachers Ans Here I might ingage my selfe in a contraversie which neither this Treatise will permit Mr. Cans answer to Mr Robinsons Liberty of hearing nor is there need since it hath pleased the Father of lights to stirre up the spirit of a faithfull Witnes of his truth in this particular Mr. â—ann to make a large and faithfull reply to a Book Printed in Mr. Robinsons name tending to prove such a lawfull Liberty For such excellent and worthy persons whom Mr. Cotton here intends by the name of English preachers I acknowledge my selfe unworthy to hold the candle to them Mr Cottons confession concerning the ministry yet I shall humbly present what Mr. Cotton himselfe professeth in 3 particulars First concerning this title English preachers Secondly hearing the Word from such English preachers Thirdly the lawfull calling of such to the Ministry or service according to Christ Jesus For the first he acknowledgeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the ordinarie Ministers of the Gospel are Pastors Teachers Bishops Overseers Elders and that their proper worke is to feed and govern a truly converted holy and godly people gathered into a flock or Church estate and not properly preachers to convert beget make Disciples Matth. 28. which the Apostles and Evangelists professedly were Now then that man that professeth himselfe a Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and professeth to feed a Flock or Church with the Ordinances of Word and Prayer he must needs acknowledge that his proper worke is not to preach for conversion Preachers and Pastor fâ—â—re different which is most preposterous amongst a converted Christian people fed up with Ordinances in Church estate So that according to Mr. Cottons confession English preachers are not Pastors Teachers Bishops Elders but preachers of glad news Evangelists men sent to convert and
shall perish in their way Ans However Mr. Cotton beleeves and writes of this point yet hath he not duly considered these following particulars First the faithfull labours of many Witnesses of Iesus Christ extant to the world abundantly proving that the Church of the Jews under the Old Testament in the type and the Church of the Christians under the New Testament in the Antitype were both separate from the world When Gods people neglect to maintain that hedge or wall God hath turned his garden into a wildernesse and that when they have opened a gap in the hedge or wall of Separation between the Garden of the Church and the Wildernes of the world God hath ever broke down the wall it selfe removed the Candlestick c. and made his Garden a Wildernesse as at this day And that therfore if he will ever please to restore his Garden and Paradice again it must of necessitie be walled in peculiarly unto himselfe from the world and that all that shall be saved out of the world are to be transplanted out of the Wildernes of the world The Nonconformists grounds necessarily inforce a separation of the Church from the unclean in clean and holy things and added unto his Church or Garden Secondly that all the grounds and principles leading to oppose Bishops Ceremonies Common Prayer prostitution of the Ordinances of Christ to the ungodly and to the true practise of Christs own Ordinances doe necessarily as before I intimated and Mr. Caâ—â— hath fully proved conclude a separation of holy from unholy penitent from impenitent godly from ungodly c. and that to frame any other building upon such grounds and foundations is no other then to raise the form of a square house upon the Keele of a Ship which will never prove a soul saving true Arke or Church of Christ Jesus according to the Patterne Thirdly the multitudes of holy and faithfull men and women who since Q. Maries dayes have witnessed this truth by writing disputing and in suffring losse of goods and friends The great suffeâ—ing for this cause in impresonment banishments death c. I confesse the Nonconformists have suffred also but they that have suffred for this cause have farre exceeded in not only witnessing to those grounds of the Non-conformists but to those Truths also the unavoidable conclusions of the Non-conformists principles Fourthly what is that which Mr. Cotton and so many hundreths fearing God in New England walk in but a way of separation Mr. Cottonâ— and others zealous practice of separation in New England Of what matter doe they professe to constitute their Churches but of true godly persons In what form doe they cast this matter but by a voluntary uniting or adding of such godly persons whom they carefully examine and cause to make a publike confession of sinne and profession of their knowledge and grace in Christ Nay when other English have attempted to set up a Congregation after the Parishionall way have they not been supprest Yea have they not professedly and lately answered many worthy persons whom they account godly Ministers and people that they could not permit them to live in the same Common-wealth together with them if they set up any other Church and Worship then what themselvs practise Mr. Cotton allowing libertie to frequent those parishes in Old England which parishes be himselfe persecutes in New England Let their own soules and the soules of others seriously ponder in the feare of God what should be the Reason why themselves so practising should persecute others for not leaving open a gap of Liberty to escape persecution and the Crosse of Christ by frequenting the Parishes in Old England which Parishes themselves persecute in New England and will not permit them to breath in the common aire amongst them Fifthly in the Parishes which Mr. Cotton holds but inventions of men however they would have liberty to frequent the Worship of the Word A great mystery in the escaping of the crosse of Christ yet they separate from the Sacraments and yet according to Mr. Cottons own principles as before there is as true Communion in the Ministration of the word in a Church estate as in the seales What mystery should be in this but that here also the Crosse or Gibbet of Christ may be avoyded in a great measure if persons come to Church c Lastly however he saith he hath not found such presence of Christ and evidence of his Spirit in such Churches as in the Parishes What should be the reason of their great rejoycings and boastings of their own Separations in New England The New English Churches 〈…〉 by some to 〈◊〉 purer then the first establiâ—â—ed by the Apostles insomuch that some of the most eminent amongst them have affirmed That even the Apostles Churches were not so pure Surely if the same New English Churches were in Old England they could not meet without Persecution which therfore in Old England they avoid by frequenting the way of Church-worship which in New England they Persecute the Parishes Upon these considerations how can Mr. Cotton be offended that I should help as he calls them any zealous soules not against the mighty Ordinances of the Lord Jesus but to seek after the Lord Jesus without halting The reformation desired now had been accounted Heresie in Ed. â— his dayeâ— Yea why should Mr. Cotton or any desirous to practice Reformation kindle a fire of Persecution against such zealous soules especially considering that themselves had they so inveighed against Bishops Common Prayer c. in Edward the 6. his dayes had been accounted as great Hereticks in those Reforming times as any now can be in these yet would it have been then and since hath it been great oppression and Tyranny to persecute their consciences and still will it be for them to persecute the consciences of others in Old or New England How can I better end then Mr. Cotton doth by warning that all that will not kisse the Son that is heare and embrace the words of his mouth shall perish in their way 〈◊〉 unjust 〈◊〉 wheresoever Psal 2. 12. And I desire Mr. Cotton and every soule to whom these lines may come seriously to consider in this Contraversie if the Lord Jesus were himselfe in person in Old or New England what Church what Ministry what Worship what Government he would set up and what persecution he would practice toward them that would not receive Him FINIS
gather Churches Apostles embassadors trumpeters with Proclamation from the King of Kings to convert subdue bring in rebellious unconverted unbeleeving unchristian soules to the obedience and subjection of the Lord Jesus I readily confesse that at the Pastors or Shepheards feeding of his flock Conversion in a Church accidentall and the Prophets prohecying in the Church an unbeleever coming in is convinced falls on his face and acknowledgeth God to be there yet this is accidentall that any unbeleever should come in Personall repentance â—â—ought in thousands be godly personâ— in Popish ministries and the Pastors worke is to feed his Flock Acts 20. and prophecie is not for unbeevers but for them that beleeve to edefie exhort and comfort the Church 1 Cor. 34. â— 22. I also readily acknowledge that it hath pleased God to work a person 〈◊〉 repentance in the hearts of thousands in Germanie England Low Countries France Scotland Ireland c. Yea and who knows but in Italy Spain Rome not only by such men who decline the name of Bishops Priests Deacons the constituted Ministry of England hitherto but also by such as have owned them as Luther remaining a Monke and famous holy men remaining and burning Lord Bishops To preach mainly for conversion of that people to whom a man stands Shepheard as to a converted people and Flock of Christ a dangerous disorder But all this hath been under the notion of Ministers feeding their flocks not of preachers sent to convert the unconverted and unbeleeving This passage I present for 2 Reasons First because so many excellent and worthy persons mainly preach for conversion as concieving and that truly the body of the people of England to be in a naturall and unregenerate estate and yet account they themselvs fixed and constant Officers and Ministers to particular Parishes or congregations unto whom they also administer the holy things of God though sometimes few and sometimes none regenerate or new borne have been found amongst them which is a matter of high concernment touching the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Gods people must seeke after a ministry sent by Christ to convert and the soules of men Secondly that in these great Earthquakes wherein it pleaseth God to shake foundations civill and spirituall such a Ministry of Christ Jesus may be sought after whose proper worke is preaching for converting and gathering of true penitents to the fellowship of the Son of God CHAP. XXVI The second thing which Mr. Cotton himselfe hath profest concerning English preachers is Mr. Cotton that although the Word yet not the Seales may be received from them because saith he there is no communion in hearing and the Word is to be preached to All but the seales he conceives and that rightly are prophaned in being dispensed to the ungodly c. Ans Mr. Cotton himselfe maintaineth The communion or fellowship of the word taught in a Church estate that the dispensing of the Word in a Church estate is Christs feeding of his flock Cant. 1. 8. Christs kissing of his Spouse or Wife Cant. 1. 2. Christs embracing of his Spouse in the mariage bed Cant. 1. 16. Christs nursing of his children at his wives brest Cant. 4. and is there no communion between the Shepheard and his Sheep the Husband and his Wife in chast kisses and embraces and the Mother and her Child at the brest Beside he confesseth that that Fellowship in the Gospel Phil. 1. 3. is a fellowship or communion in the Apostles doctrine communitie breaking of bread and prayer in which the first Church continued Acts 2. 46. All which overthrows that Doctrine of a lawfull participation of the Word and Prayer in a Church estate where it is not lawfull to communicate in the breaking of bread or seales CHAP. XXVII Thirdly concerning the lawfull Commission or calling of English preachers Mr. Cotton himselfe and others most eminent in New England have freely confest Eminent Ministers so accounted in old England professe themseves private Christians in new England that notwithstanding their former profession of Ministry in Old England yet in New England untill they received a calling from a particular Church that they were but private Christians Secondly that Christ Jesus hath appointed no other calling to the Ministrie but such as they practice in New England and therfore consequently that all other which is not from a particular Congregation of godly persons is none of Christs As first a calling or commission received from the Bishops False callings or commissions for the Ministry Secondly from a Parish of naturall and unregenerate persons Thirdly from some few godly persons yet remaining in Church fellowship after the Parish way Lastly the eminent gifts and abilities are but Qualifications fitting and preparing for a call or Office according to 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. All which premises duly considered I humbly desire of the Father of Lights that Mr. Cotton and all that feare God may try what will abide the firie triall in this particalar when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire c. CHAP. XXVIII The close of his Letteâ— is an Answer to a passage of mine M. Cotton which he repeateth in an Objection thus But this you feare is to condemn the witnesses of Jesus the Separate Churches in London and elswhere and our jealous God will visit us for such arrearages yea the curse of the Angel to Meros will fall upon us because we come not forth to help Jehovah against the mighty we pray not for them we come not at them but at Parishes frequently yea we reproach and censure them To which he answereth that neither Christ nor his Apostles after him nor Prophets before him ever delivered that way That they feare not the Angels curse because it is not to help Iehovah but Sathan to withdraw people from the Parishes where they have found more presence of Christ and evidence of his Spirit then in separated Churches That they pray not for them because they cannot pray in faith for a blessing upon their Separation and that it is little comfort to heare of separated Churches as being the inventions of men and blames them that being desirous of Reformation they stumble not only at the Inventions of men but for their sakes at the Ordinances of the Lord because they separate not only from the Parishes but from the Church at Plimmouth and of that wherof Mr. Lathrop was Pastor who as he saith not only refuse all the Inventions of men but choose to serve the Lord in his own Ordinances Only lastly he professeth his inward sorrow that my self helpe erring though zealous soules against the mighty Ordinances of the Lord which whosoever stumble at shall be broken The garden of the churches of both old and new Testament planted with an hedge or wall of separation from the world because whosoever will not kisse the Sonne that is will not heare and embrace the words of his mouth