Christ Jesus would not pray Iohn 17. Examination of CHAP. XXII Peace IN this Chapter was urged the scope of the Lord Jesus to wit to foretell the Antichristian state opposing the true Christian church and worship as also to comfort and strengthen the hearts of his followers against the grievances ariâ—ing therefrom and where it was urged that the church consisteth onely of good ground and that the three sorts of Bad ground visibly so declared are properly in the world and not in the church Master Cotton answers First Did not Christ preach to all these sorts of hearers in the church of the Jews Truth That national church of the Iews in its first visible constitution consisted onely of good ground Now that the other three sorts of hearers were in the church of the Iews it was an accident and corruption when they grew incurable and received not the admonitions of the Lord by the Lord Iesus and his servants preaching unto them the Lord cast them out of his sight destroyed that nationall church and established the Christian church Now what is this to the permitting of known hypocrites in the Christian church to the worlds end since that the proper seat of known hypocrisie and of all other wickedness is the world which indeed properly consisteth of the three sorts of Bad ground as the church and Garden of Christ of the honest and good ground Peace But further If saith Master Cotton the children of the church-members be in the church then they growing up to yeers become some of them like the high-way and some like the stony and some like the thorny ground Truth Admit the Christian church were constituted of the natural seed and off-spring which yet Master Cotton knows will never be granted to him and I believe will never be proved by him yet he knows that upon the discovery of any such portion of ground in the church the church is bound to admonish and upon impenitency after admonition to cast them into the world the proper place of such kind of hearers and professors Peace Master Cotton proceeds to a third answer to wit Though it be not the proper work of the church to bring up their own children to become the sincere people of God And Christ hath given his Church and his Gospel preached to it to lye like leaven in three pecks of meal till all be leavened Mat. 13. 31. And he hath given Pastors and Teachers as well for the gathering of the Saints as for the edification of the Body of Christ Truth I answer the proper work of the Pastors and Teachers is to feed the sheep and flock and not the Heards the wild Beasts in the world And although it is the duty of parents to bring up their children in the nurture and fear of the Lord yet what if those children refuse to frequent the Assemblies of the Church and what if those three sorts of bad ground or hearers will not come within the bounds of the Pastors and Teachers feeding hath not the Lord Iesus appointed other Officers in the same Ephes 4. for the gathering of the Saints that is sending out of the Church of Christ Apostles or Messengers to preach Christ Iesus to the three sorts of bad ground to labour to turn them into good ground But alas to salve up all this the civil sword is commonly run for to force all sorts of ground to come to church instead of the sending forth Rom. 10. the heavenly sowers according to the Ordinance of Christ Iesus Peace But what say you to his fourth answer viz. There is no such Resemblance between the high-way-high-way-ground and good ground as between the Tares and the wheate nor would the servants wonder at Tares in the high-way nor ask about their plucking up Truth I answer Let the high-way stony and thorny ground be considered in their several qualities of prophaneness stouiness and worldliness and all the sons of men throughout the whole world naturally are such and t is no wonder nor would the servants of Christ be so troubled as to desire their plucking up out of the world But yet againe consider all these sorts of men as professing the name and anointing of Christ Iesus in a false and counterfeit Antichristian way and then it may well be wondred whence such monstrous kind of Christians or anointed ones arose And Gods people may easily be tempted rather to desire their rooting out of the world then the rooting out of any such sorts of ground or men professing any other Religion Jewish Mahometan or Pagan Antichristian and false Christians being more opposite to the kingdome of Christ Jesus and more dangerous by how much more a counterfeit and Traytor is worse then a professed Fox an Antichristian whether Papist or Protestant worse then a Jew a Pagan Whether Indian Turke or Persian Examination of CHAP. XXIII Peace Still of the Tares THese tares saith Master Cotton are not such sinners as are opposite and contrary for then none should be opposite or contrary but they Truth I acknowledge as Master Cotton here observeth two sorts of persons opposite and contrary to Christ Jesus and his Kingdome First All sorts of sinners scandalous in their lives and courses 2. More especially opposite in point of Religion and worship as all idolaters and especially Antichristians Now every man by nature the best and wisest is opposite and contrary to Christ his word and kingdome but an idolater and Antichristian is more especially opposite to his glorious Name Truth and Ordinances And therein properly lyes the mystery of iniquity brought in by the man of sin that lawless person 2 Thess 2. most opposite or contrary to Christ Jesus the Son of God and Son of Righteousness Peace But this is a begging of the question saith Master Cotton for the question is about visible worshippers such as were discovered and declared to be what they were as well by their fruit as by their clads and therefore againe saith Master Cotton these tares were the seed and children of the Devil for why should they be called the seed of the One and the children of the Other Truth I answer the Lord Jesus distinguisheth thus He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man and the good seed are the children of the Kingdome he that soweth the tares is the devil and these tares are the children of the evil or evil one Hence by way of opposition these children of evil or evil ones being visibly such as are opposite to the children of the kingdome they cannot be hypocrites in the church untill they are discovered These children therefore of the evil one opposite to the visible kingdome and so to visible Christ Jesus in point of his kingdome church and worship though they be the children of the devil in a sence yet can they be no other but the children of the false Christ or Antichrist in the way of a false church and worship Peace Yea
principles also Papist and Protestant lead them necessarily to dispose and kill their heretical Apostate blaspheming Magistrates Peace But why should Master Cotton â—â— sinuate any affection in the discusser to that Tyrant of all earthly Tyrants the Pope Truth To my knowledge Master Cotton and others have thought the discusser too zealous against the bloody beast yea and who knows not this to be the ground of so much sorrowful difference between Master Cotton and the discusser to wit that the discusser grounds his separation from their churches upon their not seperating from that man of sin For Old England having compelled all to church compel'd the Papists and the Pope himself in them The daughter New England separaring from her mother in Old England yet maintaines and practises communion with the Parishes in Old Who sees not then but by the links of this mystical chaine New England Churches are still fastned to the Pope himself Peace Master Cottons third reply is this that it is not like that such Christians will be faithful to their prince who grow false and disloyal to their God and therefore consequently the civil Magistrate must see that the church degenerate and apostate not at least so far as to provoke Christ to depart from them Truth This is indeed the down right most bloody and Popish Tenent of persecuting the degenerate heretical and Apostate people of deposing yea and killing Apostatical and heretical princee and rulers The truth is the great Gods of this world are God-belly God-peace God-wealth God-honour God-pleasure c. These Gods must not be blasphemed that is evil spoke of no not provoked c. The servants of the living God being true to their Lord and Master have opposed his glory greatness honour c. to these Gods and to such religions worships and services as commonly are made but as a mask or vaile or covering of these Gods Peace I have long been satisfied that hence proceeds the mad cry of every Demetrius and crafts-Master of false worship in the world Great is our Diana c. These men blaspheme our goddess disturbe our City They are false to our Gods how will they be true to us Hence that bloody Act of Parliament in Henry the fifth his dayes made purposely against that true servant and witness of God in those points of Christianity which he knew and other servants of God with him the Lord Cobham concluding Lollardy not only to be heresie that is indeed true Christianity but also treason against the Kings person whence it followed that these poor Lollards the servants of the most high God were not only to be burnt as hereticks but hanged as traitors Truth Accordingly it pleased God to honour that noble Lord Cobham both with hanging and burning as an heretick against the church as a traiter against the king And hence those divelish accusations and bloody huntings of the poor servants of God in the reign of Francis the second in Paris because it was said that their meetings were to cousult and act against the life of the king Peace If this be the touchstone of all obedience will it not be the cut-throat of all civil relations unions and covenants between Princes and people and between the people and people For may not Master Cotton also say he will not be a faithful servant nor she a faithful wife nor he a faithful husband who grow false and disloyal to their God And indeed what doth this yea what hath this truly-ranting doctrine that plucks up all relations wrought but confusion and combustion all the world over Truth Concerning faithfulness it is most true that godliness is profitable for all things all estates all relations yet there is a civil faithfulness obedience honesty chastity c. even amongst such as own not God nor Christ else Abraham and Isaac dealt foolishly to make leagues with ungodly Princes Besides the whole Scripture commands a continuance in all Relations of government marriage service notwithstanding that the grace of Christ had appeared to some and the rest it may be an husband a wife a Magistrate a Master a servant were false and disloyal in their several kinds and wayes unto God or wholly ignorant of him 4. Grant people and Princes to be like Iulian Apostate from the true service of God and consequently to grow less faithful in their places and respective services yet what ground is there from the Testament of Christ Jesus upon this ground of their Apostacie to prosecute them as Master Cotton saith The civil Magistrate must keep the church from Apostatizing so as to cause Christ to depart from them 5. Can the sword of steel or arme of flesh make men faithful or loyal to God Or careth God for the outward Loyalty or Faithfullness when the inward-man is false and treacherous Or is there not more danger in all matters of trust in this world from an hyyocrite a dissembler a turncoat in his religion from the fear or favour of men then from a resolved Jew Turke or Papist who holds firme unto his principles c. Or lastly if one Magistrate King or Parliament call this or that heresie apostacie c. and make men â—ay so will not a stronger Magistrate King Parliament Army that is a stronger arm or longer and more prosperous sword call that heresie and Apostacie Truth and Christianity and make men call it so and do not all experiences and our own most lamentable in the changes of our English Religions confirme this 6. Lastly As carnal policy ever fals into the pit it digs and trips up its own heels so I shall end this passage with two paradoxes and yet dear peace thou and I have found them most lamentably true in all ages Peace God delights to befool the wise and high in their own conceit with paradoxes even such as the wisdome of this world thinks madness but I attend to hear them Truth First then The straining of mens cinsciences by civil power is so far from making men faithful to God or man that it is the ready way to render a man false to both my ground is this civil and corporal punishment do usually cause men to play the hypocrite and dissemble in their Religion to turn and return with the tide as all experience in the nations of the world doth testifie now This binding and rebinding of conscience contrary or without its own perswasion so weakens and defiles it that it as all other faculties loseth its strength and the very nature of a common honest conscience Hence it is that even our own histories testifie that where the civil sword and carnal power hath made a change upon the consciences of men those consciences have been given up not only to spiritual but even to corporal filthiness and bloody and mad oppressing each other as in the Marian bloody times c. Peace Indeed no people so inforced as the Papists and the
Controversies of Religion That Soul that most possesseth it selfe in patient suffering and dependeth not on the arme of flesh but upon the arme of God Christ Jesus for his comfort and protection that Soul is most likely in my observation to see and stand for the Truth of Christ Jesus Peace In the next place Master Cotton denyes to compell to the Truth by penalties but onely by withdrawing such favours as are comely and safe for such persons Truth I have formerly answered and doe that a great Load may be made up by Parcels and particulars as well as by one masse or bulke and that the backs of some men especially Merchants may be broke by a withdrawing from them some Civill priviledges and rights which are their due as well as by afflicting them in their Purses or Flesh upon their backs 2 Christ Jesus was of another opinion who distinguisheth between Gods due and Caesars due and therfore with respect to God his cause and Religion it is not lawfull to deprive Caesar the Civil Magisteate nor any that belong to him of their Civil and Earthly rights I say in this respect although that a man is not Godly a Christian sincere a Church member yet to deprive him of any Civill right or Priviledge due to him as a Man a Subject a Citizen is to take from Caesar that which is Caesars which God indures not though it be given to himselfe Peace Experience oft-times tell us that however the stream of just Priviledges and Rights hath out of Carnal Policy been stopt by Gods people when they have got the Staffe into their hands in divers Lands and Countreys yet hath that streame ever returned to the greater calamity and tryal of Gods people Truth But thirdly it hath been noted that even in New-England penalties by Law have been set to force all to come to Church which will appear upon a due search to be nothing else but an outward profession of force and violence for that Doctrine which they suppose is the Truth Peace Concerning coming to Church wee tolerate saith Master Cotton Indians Presbyterians Antinomians and Anabaptists and compell none to come to Church against their conscience and none are restrained from hearing even in England Truth Compelling to come to Church is apparant whether with or against their Conscience let every man look to it The toleration of Indians is against professed principles and against the stream of all his present dispute as before I proved Touching the Magistrates duty of suppressing Idolatry Witchcraft Blasphemy c. such Indians as are pofessedly subject to English in N. England notoriously continue and abound in the same which if they should not permit it as apparant their subjection is hazarded T is true this Toleration is a Duty from God but a sin in them because they professe it their Duty to suppresse Idolatry Blasphemy adde Master Cotton may say we not onely tolerate the Indians in their abominable and barbarous worships but which may seem most incredible we tolerate the Indians also in that which by our civil principles we ought to tolerate no subject in that is in abominable lying whoring cursing thieving without any active course of restraint c. T is true Those Indians submitting to their Government as it may be Master Cotton will say to the ten Commandements yet living in all kind of Barbarisme live some miles more remote how ever they are they say their subjects were every miles distance an hundreth Peace But is there any such and professed tolleration of Antinomians Presbyterians Anabaptists as is here insinuated Truth I know of no toleration of Presbyterian Antinomians Anabaptists worshipping God in any meetings separate from the common Assemblies If any such persons be amongst them like Church-Papists it is their sin that they separate not from such opposite Assemblies and Worships and it is the sin of such assemblies to tolerate such persons after due admonitions in the name of Christ rejected But further Master Cotton grants a Communion in hearing in a Church-Estate by Church members but not in any as are no Church-members but come in as the Pagan Infidell 1 Cor. 14. Truth Communion is twofold First open and professed among Church-Members Secondly Secret and implicite in all such as give their presence to such Worships without witnessing against them For otherwise how can a Church-Papist satisfie the Law compelling him to come to Church or a Protestant satisfie a Popish Law in Popish Countries but by this Cloake or Covering hiding and saving of themselves by bodily presence at Worship though their Heart be farre from it Peace Whereas it was said that Conscionable Papists and all Protestants have suffered upon this ground especially of refusing to come to each others Church or meeting M r Cotton replies They have suffred upon other points and such as have refused to come to Church have not refused because such hearing implanted them into Church-Estate but out of feare to be leavened Truth 'T is true many have suffred upon other points but upon due Examination it will appeare that the great and most universall Tryall hath been amongst both Papists and Protestants about coming to Church and that not out of feare of being leavened for what Religion is ordinarily so distrustfull of its owne strength as of Countenancing what they believe false by their presence and appearance Exam of Chap. 71. replying to Chap. 74. Peace COncerning the Papists testimonie against persecution M r Cotton replyes First why may not their Testimonie be wicked as well as their Booke confest so to be Secondly He grants that Conversion of Soules ought not to be but by Spirituall meanes Truth It is true the Authour of the Letter calls their booke wicked and themselves the Authours of persecution yet their Testimonie is in part acknowledged by M r Cotton to be true and will further appeare so to be upon Examination But whether M r Cotton allow of no other Armes then Spirituall to be used about Spirituall conversion it hath and will be further examined Peace Whereas the Papists alledge Matth. 10. that Christ Jesus sent his Ministers as sheepe among Wolves not as Wolves among sheepe to kill imprison c. M r Cotton grants this true yet adds that this hindreth not Excommunication Tit. 3. nor miraculous Vengeance against Spirituall Wolves Acts 13. where there is a gift nor their Prayers against such 2 Tim. 4. 4. nor their stirring up of the Civill power against them as Elijah did Ahab and the people against the Prophets of Baal 1 Kings 18. 40. Truth Concerning the two first we agree for the third the Prayers of Gods people against Gods Enemies we finde two-fold First Generall against all secondly Particular against some and that two-fold First for Gods Vengeance in Gods time leaving it to his holy Wisdome as Paul prayd against Alexander Secondly For present Vengeance as the Disciples desired in the case of Christ Luke 9. And against
the Conscience of the Magistrate may know First That the carriage of the Lord Jesus about this case when the Question was precisely put to him was extraordinary and strange For although unto other Questions even of the Pharisees Herodians Sadduces the High Priest and Pilate he gave more or lesse first or last punctuall Resolutions yet here he condemnes the sinne yet he neither confirmes nor disanulls this punishment but leaves the Question in all probabilitie and leaves the severall Nations of the World to their owne severall Lawes and Agreements as is most probable according to their severall Natures Dispositions and Constitutions and their common peace and wellfare Secondly The Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 2. approveth of the severall humane Ordinances or Creations which the severall peoples and Nations of the World shall agree upon for their common peace and subsistence Hence are the severall sorts of Governments in the Nations of the World which are not framed after Israels Patterne And hence consequently the Lawes Rewards and Punishments of severall Nations vastly differ from those of Israell which doubtles were unlawfull for Gods people to submit unto except Christ Jesus had at least in generall approved such humane Ordinances and Creations of Men for their common peace and wellfare Peace Me-thinks M r Cotton and such as literally stick to the punishment of Adultery Witchcraft c. by Death must either deny the severall Governments of the World to be lawfull according to that of Peter and that the Nature and Constitutions of peoples and Nations are not to be respected but all promiscuously forced to one common Law or els they must see cause to moderate this their Tenent which else proves as bloudie a Tenent in civill affaires as persecution in affaires religious Truth Yea of what wofull consequence must this prove to the state of Holland and Low-Countries to the State of Venice to the Cantons of Switzerland to our owne deare State of England and others who have no King as Israells last established Government had especially no King immediately designed as Israells in the Roote was Yea what becomes of all Christianitie and of Christs Church and Kingdome in the World for ever if it want the Government of a King for sayth Bishop Hall in his Contemplation on Michaes Idolatrie in plaine and expresse words No King therefore no Church Peace To end this passage upon the former grounds methinks the Conscience of a New English Magistrate being calld to be a Magistrate in Old England may in Faith execute any other punishment according to Law established beside Death upon Adulterers And the New English Colonies may be exhorted to rectifie their wayes and to moderate such their Lawes which cannot possibly put on the face of morall Equitie from Moses c. Truth Your Satisfaction Deare Peace now praesupposed I proceed and grant with that Limitation forementioned that Christ Jesus neither abrogated Moses Moralls nor Judicialls yet who will deny that Moses established beside the two former a third to wit Lawes meerly figurative typicall and ceremoniall proper and peculiar to that Land and people of Israel Those Lawes necessarily wrapt up that Nation and people in a mixt constitution of Spirituall and Temporall Religious and Civill so that their Governours of Civill State were Governours of the Church and the very Land and People were by such Governours to be compelled to observe a ceremoniall puritie and Holines But Christ Jesus erected another Common-weale the Common-weale of Israel the Christian Common-weale or Church to wit not whole Nations but in every Nation where he pleaseth his Christian Congregation c. Peace Deare Truth I cannot count him a peaceable childe of mine that rests not herewith satisfied M r Cottons next Exception is against your excepting against a Magistrates Membership in a Church-estate joyned with an Head-ship over it to establish reforme c. as being impossible that a Magistrate should sit Head and Supreame on the spirituall Bench yet stand as a delinquent at the spirituall Barre of Christ Jesus M r Cotton answers that in severall respects a Magistrate may be a nursing Father and Judge in causes Ecclesiastiall and yet be subject to Christs censure in the offensive Government of himselfe against the Rules of the Gospel And where it might be said that the Church is subject to the Magistrate in civill causes and the Magistrate is subject to the Church in spirituall cases M r Cotton answers this easeth not the Difficultie for suppose sayth he the Magistrate fall into Murther Adulterie c. which are civill Abuses shall the Church tollerate him herein And he concludes Let the like Power be granted to the civill Magistrate to deale faithfully with the Church in the notorious Transgression of the first Table as is granted to the Church to deale with the Magistrate in the notorious Transgression of the second Table and the Controversie is ended Truth This Answer and instance of M r Cotton carries a seeming Beautie with it but bring it to the Triall of the Testament of Christ Jesus and it will appeare to be but a vanishing Colour For there is a vast Difference The sins of each Church-member whether against the first or second Table are proper to the Cognizance and Judgement of the Church as the sinne of the Incestuous person was punished by Christs Ordinances in the Church at Corinth as well as the Abuse of the Lords Supper But it is not so with the civill Magistrate whose Office is essentially civill one and the same all the world over among all Nations and people For having no spirituall power as the Authours of the Modell afterwards acknowledge he cannot possibly act as a Civill Magistrate in spirituall matters though as a Church-member he may in Church-estate as also may the rest of the Members of that spirituall Body Peace Me-thinks it it cleare as the Light that if that incestuous person in the Church of Corinth had beene a Magistrate of the Citie of Corinth the Church might justly have proceeded against him because all sinne is directly opposite to the holy Kingdome of Christ But in that abuse of the Lords Supper which was meerly unchristian neither that Magistrate nor all the Magistrates of Corinth or the World to helpe him could justly punish the Church because that Supper in the Institution and Spirituall use of it was not onely of the Nature of the Suppers of the meates and drinks of the Citie of Corinth but also of a divine and spirituall Institution of a heavenly and mysticall Nature and Observation But to Conclude this piece and the whole M r Cotton corrects himselfe for putting in his Sickle into the Harvest of his Brethren unto whom he refers the defence of their Modell and for himselfe ends with desires that Christ Jesus would blast that peace which he sayth the Examiner proclaimeth to all the wayes of false Religion to Heresie in Doctrine c. Truth If
righteous is it with God to send them persecution Quaere why Master Cotton leaps over the Epistles to the Parliament and Reader N. E. Persecution guilty of the persecution in old especially since this Rejoynder by their Law for Banishing such as hold not childrens Baptisme and their late fourscore and ten bloody lashes to the body of the Lord Jesus in the sufferings of his faithful witness Obadiah Holines at Boston meerly about that point of Baptisme â—he occasion of â—â—blishing the â—â—oody Tenent Master Cotton blames the discusser for not walking in contradictions Vnchristian partiality Master Cotton complaining of being persecuted by the discusser Persecution in plaine English is hunting Master Cottons tender conscience can hardly digest to be a persecutor but a punisher Gods children commonly persecuted for not yeelding to State-worships Act. 2. 2 Pet. 3. Ordination of Christs Ministry undfily compared to the coronation of Kings Master Cotton pleads for Common prayer Examination of Num. 6. 20. Acts 6. Three causes for which Master-Cotton maintaines persecution Christs Church may be gathered and dissolved without disturbance of civil Peace The doctrine and practise of Persecution breaks the peace where-ever it comes The Civil peace of a place or people is one thing and the welfare or presperity in health wealth c. another The Cities of the world enjoy peace and prosperity where Christ is not heard of Christianity lost most under such Emperours as claimed Christs power to reform the Church c. The Societies or Churches of the Saints are meerly voluntary in combinning or dissolving Christs Church is called out of the world The flourishing of civil states No Civil state can either by Christs Testimony or true reason be judge of the Ecclesiastical and spiritual Difference of spiritual and civil peace When Gods people flourish most in godliness then most persecuted A monstrous mingling of spiritual and civil resistance or disturbance Six instances of holy zeal in Scripture far from arrogance or impetuousness These were aleadged from Scripture in the bloody Tenent and acknowledged by Master Cotton The Indians prosessing subjection to the English in New England permited in their devillish worships when English fearing God persecuted Vnchristian conclusions Jonahs casting over-boord a ground of persecution c. examined The killing of the false Prophet Zech. 13. 6. examined Esa 26. Hos 6. 2. examined 2 Cor. 10. conviction of conscience The violation of civil peace though out of consciencâ— to be punished An over-ruling finger of God ordering Master Cotton to alleadge Gamaliel sure he had forgotten Master John Goodwins excellent labour in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fighting against God Christ Jesus never persecuted as Christ but as a deceiver brasphemer seduced Cant. 5. I sleep yet my heart waketh A deep mystery in persecution Wolves complaining that the sheep persecute them The blood of the souls under the Altar is a sealed mystery Rev. 6. A challenge to the devil himself All Antichristian 〈…〉 persecutors make Tit. 3. their den and Fortress Tit. 3. Discussed The horrible abusing and profaning of that word Heretick Great sins of Gods own children A child of God may possibly be an Heretick For which service through the hurry of the times and the necessity of his departure he lost his recompence to this day The straights of the discussers time in composing of the Bloody Tenent * I prejudice not the free and comfortable supplies of temporals which the Saints ought to make so their Teachers in spirituals only I affirme that such as will not teach will out money they must and do beg or steal Christ Jesus his distinction of Diggers Beggers Stealers Persecution not properly noâ— usually taken for any spiritual punishment Examination of Phil. 3. and Rom. 14. Very severe but not Christian more then Judaical punishment of Theeves in England The civil and spiritual life confounded God Caesar The great peace breakers English Diana's Gross partiality to private interests England in all Ages guilty of much persecution Two seasonable petitions of any persâ—outed The Parable of the Tares The Parable of Tares grosly abused Hypocrisie secret and open hypocrisie Spiritual whoredome in worship may and doth in all Nations subsist with Civil Beings Relations c. Of the Tares Of the wise and foolish Virgius No true church of Christ consisting of visible hypocrites The field of the World The mystery of Antichristians or false Christians Master Cotton knows not his own desire The first rise of Antichristians argued The judgement of the great whore Christs Church by 〈…〉 properly consisting of good ground The â—â—â—uâ—e of Jewish Church The nature of Christs true Apostles Antichristians monsters in rereligion Two sorts of sinners Two sorts of hypocrites Two sorts of opposites to Christ Jesus The rivers and fountaines of blood Rev. 16. Of hypocrites in profession of Christianity Corrupt consciences distinguished Tolleration of idolaters considered Civil weapons in spirituals blur and flight the spiritual The tolleration of Jezabel in Thyatira Christ Jesus under pretence persecuted The weapons of the Saints Rev. The difference between civil and spiritual slander The dreadful nature of Christs spiritual punishments Not such spiritual punishments in the national church of Israel Prayer against present destruction of tares Pastors and Teachers not Apostles and messengers Elijah stirring up Ahab to slay the Baalites Concerning Israel in the Apostacy of Jeroboam * Hence Baalls Priests Monks Friars and Bishops have not been civilly actually slaine in England c. but spiritually by Gods word the sword of his spirit cashiered and cut off eternally Touching Christs Apostles or messengers Touching fundamentals Laws for persecuting of Christ Jesus The Pharisees blaspheming of Christ Jesus * Magistrates kings high priests Herod â—ad kings good kings c. Acts 25. 11. considered No appeals to the civil powers in matters meerly spiritual Few Magistrates in the world know Christ Jesus Mystical and cruel Surgery The title of defender of the faith To serve God withal our might literally taken horribly abused Christ Jesus hath rarely furnished his people with godly Magistrates Defendor of the faith A bold but a true word The title of supream head oath of supremacy c. The plague of the Turkes upon the Antichrististian world The Civil Magistrate no governor over the spiritual kingdome of Christ Whether Saul a type of Christ The kings of Israel and Judah types The priests and Clergy in all Nations the greatest peace-breakers Touching the seducer Of seducing Bishop Longlands subtle Oaths of inquisition Canses of destruction to a Nation All nations Cities Towns c. are part of the world Change of Religions The state of Israel unparlleld The punishments of Christ sorer then the punishments of Moses Of Seducing What meant by twice dead Of Infection The sword of typical Israel a type of Christs spiritual sword Magistrates cannot receive from the people a spiritual power The charge of the civil Magistrate The plague of the Turkes A twofold care and
judgement of the great whore p. 55 Christs church by institution properly consisting of good ground p. 57. The nature of the Jewish church ibid. The nature of Christs true Apostles or Messengers p. 58 Antichristians monsters in Religion p. 59 Two sorts of sinners p. 60 Two sorts of Hypocrites ibid. Two sorts of opposites to Christ Jesus p. 61 The Rivers and Fountaines of Blood Rev. 16. p. 63 Of hypocrites in the profession of Christianity p. 64 Corrupt consciences distinguished p. 66 Toleration of idolaters considered ibid. Civil weapons in spirituals blur and slight the spiritual p. 67 The toleration of Jezabel in Thyatria p. 68 The difference between spiritual and civil slander p. 69 The dreadful nature of Christs spiritual punishments ibi The punishments in the national Church of Israel were material and corporeal p. 70 Touching Prayer against present destruction of the Tares p. 71 Pastors and teachers are not Apostles or messengers ib. Elijah stirring up Ahab to slay the Baalites p. 72 Touching the state of Israel in the Apostacy of Jeroboam and more of the Baalites p. 72 Touching Apostles or Messengers p. 74 Touching fundamentals p. 75 Persecuting of Christ Jesus by a Law p. 76 The greatest blasphemy against Christ Jesus that ever was yet not punished but spiritually ibid. Pauls appeal to Caesar more examined p. 78 Few Magistrates in the world that bear the very name of of Christ Jesus p. 79 Fewer truely Christians ibid. Mystical and most cruel Surgery ibid. To serve God with all our might literally taken horribly abused p. 80 The title of defender of the Faith in England p. 81 A bold but true Word touching defend or of the faith p. 83 The title of supream head of the church examined p. 84 The plague of the Turkes upon the antichristian world p. 84 Whether Saul was a type of Christ and the Kings of Israel c. p. 85 The Priests and Clergy in all nations the greatest peace-breakers p. 88 Touching the seducer and seducing p. 89 Bishop Longlands subtle and bloody oaths of inquisition against seducing christians ibid. Causes of destruction to a nation p. 90 All nations Cities and Towns of the world parts of the world c. p. 91 Changes of state Religions ibid. The state of Israel unparalleled p. 92 The punishments of Christ sorer then the punishments of Moses ibi That of Jude twice dead examined p. 93 Of spiritual infection p. 94 The sword of typical Israel a type of Christs spiritual sword p. 95 Magistrates cannot receive from the people a spiritual power p. 69 The proper charge of the civil Magistrate p. 97 The plague of the Turke upon the Antichristian world p. 98 A twofoldcare and charge of souls ibid. Christ the true King of Israel ibid. Christs threefold sending of Preachers p. 99 No true office of Ministery since the Apostacy but that of Prophesie ibid. Great neglects charged on Christ Jesus p. 100 Pretended order monstrous disorder p. 101 The Parliaments high justice against oppressors p. 102 The title head of the church p. 103 The civil Magistrate no spiritual officer now as in Israel p. 104 All commonweals that ever have been are or shall be in the world excepting that of typical Israel meerly civil p. 105 The decrees of Pagan kings for Israel and the God of it considered ibid. The Ministers lay heavy load upon the Magistrates back ibid. The great desolation of the visible order of Christs Saints and servants p. 107 The Wolves at Ephesus considered Act. 20 p. 108 The duty of the civil Magistrate in spirituals ibid. The changing of Persecutors is one thing the abolishing of persecution another ibid. The persecuting cleargy no cordial friends to Magistracy ibid Master Cotton and Bellarmine all one for the deposing heretical princes p 109 The Lord Cobham his troubles in Henry the fifths dayes p 110 Civil society plucke up by the roots ibid. A turn-coat in Religion more faithless then a resolved Jew Turk or Papist 111 Doctor Pearnes turning and returning and turning againe in Religion p. 111 Consciences yeelding to be forced lose all conscience ibid. Two strange Paradoxes about force in spirituals p. 112 How the kings of Israel and Judah were Types â—f Jesus Christ to come p. 113 Cyrus called Christ a figure of Christ p. 114 The fire from Heaven Revel 13. p. 115 All truth not only heavenly but moral civil c. precious p. 116 Many excellent Prophets in eminency and power and yet may not use a civil but a spiritual sword in spirituals p. 117 More confidence commonly put in the civil sword then the spiritual p. 118 Englands changes in Religion compared with those of Judah ibid. Whether England may not possibly receive the Pope againe 119 The Religions of the world politick inventions to maintaine a civil state p. 120 The absolute necessity of some order of Government all the world over ibid. The Emperor Antoninus Pius his distinction and Edict against persecution p. 120 123 The degeneracy of Christianity now professed p. 121 The horrible dâ—ssâ—mbling of some persecutors ibid. Too short a time set for repentance in New England p. 122 False Teachers commonly hardned by persecution ibid. The great sufferings of Master Gotton and his friends in England p. 123 The difference between spiritual and corporal murther p. 124 Civil Justice ought impartially to permit one conscience as well as another p. 124 The difference of the persecution of the Romane Emperors and Roman Popes p. 125 The difference between the persecuted for conscience and punished for civil crimes p. 127 Every true Moses will make a difference between Israelites and Egyptians p. 128 Whether a Commonweal may prosper in the permission of divers Religions p. 129 Cups of blood given into the hand of persecuting nations p. 129 Scripture perverted from the spiritual to the civil state p. 131 The Magistrate usually but the Clergies Cane and Trumpet ibid. Rom. 16. 17. grosly abused by a Governor in New England ibid. The bloody Tenent plucks up the Nations and all civil being p. 132 Romes glory and downfal p. 133 The civil state and officers thereof cannot be spiritual Judges ibid. The case of Gallio p. 134 The sufficiency of Christs spiritual weapons p. 135 A vaine fear of false Teachers p 136 Christ Iesus nor Paul addrest themselves to the civil state ibid. Turke and Pope and the generality of all Protestants against free conference p. 137 David and Goliah Types ibid. Difference between spiritual and civil Ministers p. 138 Israels corporcal killing types of spiritual ibid. The duty of the civil state in spirituals p. 139 The kingdomes of the world becoming Christs ibid. Touching forcing men to Church p. 140 A Spanish inquisition all the world over p. 141 Master Cotton kindling a twofold fire ibid. Mathias the second Emperor granting liberty of conscience p. 142 Christian weapons considered ibid. A fallacious distinction of using the civil sword not in but about spiritual matters p. 143 Wonderful strange
contradict Master Cottons church way though before dear brethren familiar and intimate he not only drives them out as wolves blasphemers seducers c. by his pretended spiritual weapons of Christ Jesus but also by civil sword imprisoning banishing whipping c. But more particularly The discusser indeed useth this word the same power but not as Master Cotton seemeth to understand it for the same weapon He hath in this very place printed the discussers words that a staff is for the wolfe and a rod or hook for the sheep The dog that teares the wolf is but to affright the sheep and consequently the father that hath a stick or rod for the child But yet these swords staves-sticks and rods are all of the same nature in general that is of a material temporal and civil nature which may be used about natural wolves sheep children c. And if they may be used also about spiritual or mystical wolves to force them out it is as cleare as the Sun-Beames that they may be used that is such civil weapons as are fit for mystical wolves to force them into the sheepfold And thus have all Popish persecutors practised in our own and other countries to wit by civil power as well as by their own pretended spiritual in forcing their supposed sheep to church and to conformity as well as by whips and Prisons Ropes and Fires driving out the supposed wolves or hereticks Peace In the close of this Master Cotton adds that Rev. 6. 6. the Antichristian wolves shall drink blood for they are worthy Truth I have in former passages declared the misconceit of Master Cotton and others as touching that Scripture and that although they shall drink blood filled out of the cups of Gods righteous vengeance yet not by judicial prosecution in civil courts for spiritual offences although yet it is most righteous for the kings and powers of the earth meerly with respect to these wolves their oppressions and bloodsheddings to repay them again with the like smart and paine and kinds of punishment Peace Yea and t is for ever memorable that while the kings of the earth have given their power to the beast against the bodies of the Saints what cups of blood hath the righteous hand of the most high filled to Antichristian kings and kingdomes by the bloody Turkes and by their own more bloody wars sometimes for the empty puffs of their titles and honors but as frequently for God as they pretend and for his Religion Examination of CHAP. XLII Peace IN this Chapter Master Cotton chargeth the discusser for making work to wit for examining more particularly the similitude of wolves brought in by Master Cotton himself yet he consenteth with him in the first quaery that those Wolves of which Paul warns the elders at Ephesus were mystical and spiritual wolves yet he adds that such cannot be good subjects loving neighbors faire dealers because they spiritually are not such and he argues that then it will be no advantage to civil states when the kingdomes of the earth shall become the kingdomes of the Lord and that then they may do as good service to the civil state who bring the wrath of God upon them by their apostacy as they that bring dow blessings from heaven by profession and practise of the true religion in purity Truth I desire that this reply be well pondred for it will be found dangerously destâ—â—ctive to the very roots of all civil relations converse and dealing yea and any civil being of the world it self For if none be peaceable subjects loving neighbors faire dealers but such of Master Cottons conscience and religion which he conceives to be the only true religion what will become of all other states governments cities towns peoples families neighbors upon the face of the earth I say what will become of them especially if power were in Master Cottons hand to deal with them as Wolves Peace Alas too too frequent experience tels us in all parts of the world that many thousands are far more peaceable subjects more loving and helpful neighbors and more true and fair dealers in civil conversation then many who account themselves to be the only religious people in the world Truth But againe What the state of things shall be and what the manner of the administration of Christs kingdome when the kingdomes of the earth shall become the kingdomes of the Lord Master Cotton doth not express and for wrath brought upon civil states for their apostacy I' desire Master Cotton to shew where ever God destroyed any Nation in the world one only excepted for Apostacy from his truth and worship Yea and where was ever Israel the only true national church that Master Cotton will acknowledge meerly for apostasie destroyed without general ripeness in other sins also and especially for their persecuting of such as declared their apostasie superstition and will-worship from God unto them Peace In the next place Master Cotton granting that the charge given to watch against these Wolves was not given to the Magistrates of the City of Ephesus but to the elders of the church of Christ in Ephesus he yet chargeth the discusser with a palpable and notorious slander for saying that many of those charges and exhortations given by the Lord Jesus to the shepherds and Ministers of the churches are commonly attributed by the answerer in this discourse to the civil Magistrate Truth This heavy charge of Master Cottons against the discusser will be found to be a fruit of Anger and passion and not of reason and moderation as also his denyal that one of those charges given to Ministers were directed by him to Magistrates For if Master Cotton or any please to view over Master Cottons allegations from the New Testament in this discourse he shall finde that Tit. 3. reject the heretick a charge given by the Lord Jesus to Titus and the church at Crete is brought for the proof of the Magistrates punishing imprisoning banishing killing the heretick idolater c. The like charges of Christ Jesus sent to the Ministers and churches of Asia for tolerating amongst them Balaam and Jezabel are produced to prove prosecutions against false Prophets and professors in the City and Commonweal Yea although Master Cotton name not Act. 20. yet in that Master Cotton affirmeth that Magistrates with the civil sword must drive away Wolves from the sheepfold of Christ the church meaning spiritual wolves false teachers he may be truly said to quote all such Scriptures as give charge against such Wolves Peace Indeed Master Cotton more then once pleaseth himself with this similitude of Wolves to prove the Magistrates piety and pity to the sheep in slaying and driving away the wolves false teachers c. Truth Hence was it for commonly where state-Religions are set up the Magistrate is but the Ministers Cane through whom the Clergy speaks I say probably hence from such misapplyed Scriptures in their churches that in
their solemn civil general court at the banishment of one poor man amongst them hunted out as a wolf or heretick the governor who then was standing up alleadged for a ground of their duty to drive away such by banishment that famous charge of Christ Jesus to his Ministers and Church at Rome Rom. 16 Marke them that cause divisions contrary to the doctrine which you have received and avoid that is by banishment By all which and more it may be found how Sathan hath abused their godly minds and apprehensions in causing them so to abuse the holy writings of truth and Testament of Christ Jesus and that how ever they deny it in express tearms yet by most impregnable consequence and implication they make up a kind of national church and as the phrase is a Christian state and government of church and Commonweale that is of Christ and the world together Peace To proceed it being further inquired into whether in all the New Testament of Christ Jesus there be any such word of Christ either by way of command Promise or example countenancing the civil state to meddle with these mystical Wolves if in civil things peaceable and obedient Master Cotton replieth that this condition of peaceable and obedient implies a contradiction to the nature and practise of wolves How can saith he wolves be peaceable and obedient unless restrained Can there be peace Jehu so long as the whoredomes of Jezabel and her witchcrafts are so many And when it might be objected that spiritual whoredomes and witchcrafts might stand with civil peace He answers No verily for the whoredomes and witchcrafts of the Jezabel of Rome took away civil peace from the earth and brought the Turks to oppress both the peace of Christian churches and Commonweals Rev. 9. 15 21. Truth I wonder since Master Cotton in this very passage mentioneth the spiritual wolves whores and witches as well as natural and moral How he can imagine that a spiritual wolf or witch to wit so or so in matters of spiritual worship and religion might not possibly be peaceable and obedient in civil things Peace Yea but he alleadgeth the whoredomes of the Jezabel of Rome Truth Why was not the State of England the Kings and Queens and Parliaments thereof lawful as kings and states though overwhelmed and overspread universally with the Romish abominations If such wolves whores and witches could yeeld no civil obedience could they then exercise by the same argument any civil authority And shall we then conclude all the former Popish kings and Parliaments and consequently lawes unlawful because in spiritual things they were as Wolves c. tearing and burning the poor sheep of Christ will it not then be unlawful for any man that is perswaded the whole nation where he lives is idolatrous spiritually whorish c. I say unlawful for him to live in such a state although he might with freedome to his own conscience whither will such kind of arguing drive at last but to pluck up up the roots of all states and peoples in the world as not capable to yeeld civil obedience or exercise civil authority except such people Magistrates c. as are of Master Cottons church and religion Peace Methinks experience were there no Scripture nor reason might tell us how peaceable and just neighbors and dealers many thousands and millions of Jews Turks Antichristians and Pagans are to be found notwithstanding their spiritual whoredoms witchcrafts c. Truth Yea and why doth Master Cotton alleadge the Jezabel of Rome and the comming in of the Turks It is true God brought in the Armies of the Turkes upon the Eastern Empire which yet flourished many ages even in their apostacies before their destruction by the Turkes And how many ages and generations hath Iezabel of Rome sitten as a Queen in triumphant peace and glory even since the rising of the Turks and so shall sit probably in greater and greater untill the time of her appointed judgement and downfal If Christ Jesus were a true Prophet Iohn 16. outward peace prosperity riches honor is the portion of this world notwithanding their idolatries apostacies blasphemies But the portion of Christs followers like his own and both like a woman in travel paine and sorrow yea poverty and persecution untill the great day of refreshing neer approaching Peace Master Cotton againe sends us to Revelations the 16. 4 5 6 7. Truth And I must also send Master Cotton and the Reader to our disproving of that proof abovesaid Further whereas he calls Rom. 13. the great Charter for all Magistrates to deal in spiritual matters I have and shall manifest in the examinations upon that place how weak a warrant it is for the civil state and the officers thereof to conceive themselves spiritual Physitians by vertue of their office appointed by God in spiritual and soul-evils Peace Whereas it was urged that Magistrates beside their skil in civil laws and government must be able if Master Cottons bloody tenent be true as judges and heads to determine spiritual causes and controversies and that by the sight of his own eyes and not other mens Master Cotton replies that Magistrates ought to be skilled in the fundamentals of religion and that their ignorance excuseth not Truth In this passage Master Cotton waâ—eth that inference That then Magistrates must be heads and judges in spiritual causes That inference cannot possibly be avoided if we grant it their duty as Master Cotton seemes to do to pass sentence in the fundamentals of religion and in those points which have been and are so greatly controverted among all sorts of men that name the name of Christ 2. If Magistrates must thus judge reforme c. where hath been the care of Christ Iesus to appoint in all parts of the world such Magistrates as might take care of his religion and worship why hath he not furnished them with some capacity and ability to the work Peace It is lamentable to think that most of the Magistrates in the world beyond compare know not so much as whether there be a Christ or no. Truth If Christ Iesus had forgotten himself for three hundred yeers together furnishing his church with no other heads but of Wolves Bear Lyons and Tygers the Romane Emperors yet after a little refreshing by Constantine Theodosius c. why should he still forget himself even a thousand yeers together providing no other heads but bloody and Popish kings and Emperors Peace What think you dear truth of Master Cottons grant of Gallios not being bound to judge in matters of religion because he had no Law from Caesar whose deputy he was Truth I answer what if he had not a law from Caesar if yet he had a law from Christ Iesus as Master Cotton implies Or will Master Cotton suspend the execution of Christs will upon the kings states or peoples minds that choose such Magistrates to be their deputies in the Commonweale But the