black Catalogues it hath pleased the most jealous and righteous God to make of his fierie Judgements and most dreadfull stoakes on Eminent and remarkeable persecutours even in this life It hath been his way and course in all Countries in Germanie France and England especially what ever their pretences have been against Hereticks Rebells Schismaticks Blasphemers Seducers c. How hath he left them to be their owne Accusers Judges Executioners some by hanging some by stobbing some by drowning and poysoning themselves some by running mad and some by drinking in the very same Cup which they had filld to others Some may say Such persecutours hunted God and Christ but I but we c. I answer the Lord Jesus Christ foretold how wonderfully the wisest of the World should be mistaken in the things of Christ and a true visible Christ Jesus When did we see thee naked hungry thirstie sicke inprison How easie how common how dreadfull these mistakes Oh remember once againe as I began and I humbly desire to remember with you that every gray haire now on both our heads is a Boanerges a sonne of Thunder and a warning piece to prepare us for the waighing of our last Anchors and to be gone from hence as if we had never been 'T was mercy infinite that stopt provoked Justice from blowing out our Candles in our youths but now the feeding Substance of the Candle 's gone and 't is impossible without repentance to recall our Actions nay with repentance to recall our minutes past us Sir I know I have much presumed upon your many waighty affaires and thoughts I end with an humble cry to the Father of mercies that you may take Davids Counsell and silently commune with your owne heart upon your Bed reflect upon your owne spirit and believe Him that said it to his over-zealous Disciples You know not what spirit you are of That no sleepe may seize upon your eyes nor slumber upon your eye-lids untill your serious thoughts have seriously calmely and unchangeably through helpe from Christ Jesus fixed First On a Moderation toward the Spirits and Consciences of all mankinde meerly differing from or opposing yours with onely Religious and Spirituall opposition Secondly A deepe and cordiall Resolution in these wonderfull searching disputing and dissenting times to search to listen to pray to fast and more fearefully more tremblingly to enquire what the holy pleasure and the holy mysteries of the most Holy are In whom I humbly desire to be Your poore fellow-Servant unfainedly respective and faithfull R. VVilliams The Parliaments Labours and Labyriâ—ths Two Subsidies granted by the Parliament to the King of Kings The first Subsidy The second Subsidâ— The Bloody Tenent a common Pyrat Mr. Cottons Reply The first Petition Difference between the Piety and Mercy and State-necessity of granting freedâ—m to mens Consciences Constantines and Maximilians acts compared Two wayes of oppressing conscience in Religion The late King Charles his conscience to oppresse the consciences of others no small occasion of the ruine of him and his The Bishops kild the King Hollands policy The permission of conscience in Holland Gods wonderful goings in Holland from Stafore undone by Pride and Unthankfulness To Enchuysin undone by the bloody Tenent of Persecution From Enchuysin to Amsterdam raised to its present hight and glory by mercy to the persecuted Englands ship got into Harbour Striking of Colours The States of Holland yet to seek in the matters of liberty of Conscience Touching absolute freedome to every mans conscience impartially Freedome of Popish consciences Sâ—â— Chap. 59 more particularly Old images puld down and new set up All Images must down All violent courses must break The Act for Civill Engagement of great necessity The second Pettion Worldly wisdome in straits a most dangerous rock The third Petition Soul shipwrack Dangers of Parliament men Wonderfull Confessions of two mighty Kings True Heavenly wisdome The onely valour or cowardize True and best diligence True Justice and Righteousness Heavenly mercy Late zealous Reformations Jehu his zeal and reward Of the Parliaments patience Of the Crown of true Constancy The Controversies of late years about Religion So many opposite Churches so many opposite Christs to the onely true The Pageant of Perken Warbeck in K. H. 7. his dayes a picture of false Christs or Churches * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The six fundamentals of Christian Religion Heb. 6. with or without the first two salvation or no salvation N England Priviledge Whole Nation of Lyons or Persecutors The Bloudy Tenent more especially concerns N. E. The occasion of the present conâ—â—â—versie This Contestation is not with persons but against their bloody Doctrins and Tenents The end of this Treatise The cry of the Lord Jesus A Bar against Persecution Or a Testimony against it especially in the Papists A double prison of prejudice and Conscience 2 Foundamentall Hints against Persecution Libertie of trying forbidden Books c. New Englands Lessons Liberty of searching our Truth hardly got and as hardly kept Jan le petit The wonderfull deceitfulnesse of the hearts of Gods only people Mic. 3. N. England must be singular as in Mercies so in Judgments 2 of the loudest State crying sins Soul wounds the deepest The Akeldamaes or fields of Bloud caused by the Bloudy Tenent of Persecution Michael the son of God and Sathan the red Dragon the two great Generals Lamentable discordâ— about Religion even among the servants of the true and living God The Israelites divided Joseph sold by his brethren Israel force Aaron to make them Gods Israels murmurings Aaron and Miriam against Moses An Armie of 32000 Israelites shrunk into 300. Samson and David discouraged by their own brethren Benjamin almost destroyed by the 11 Tribes Israels rejecting of Samuel the Lord himself Saul persecuting David Ishbosheth and Israel against David and Judah David stabbing Vriah with his Pen. The divisions dispersions of the Tribes Asa imprisoning the Prophet Christs Disciples destrous of fire from heaven c Bitterness between Saul and Barrabas Gods mercy drawes one many sweet fruits from the bitter contentions of his servants Various affections of Readers expected The Model of N. English Church and Civil Power Of Mr. Cottons Reply to the Answer to his Letter Gods wisdom adored in the Discussing of the Bloudie Tenent A memorable Speech touching Mr. Cotton The strange retreats Mr. Cotton makes in this controversie The rearing of Lyon like persecution pag. The strange reluctancies of the Lamb. like spirit of Mr. Cotton forced to against the Persecuting Lyon Monstrous partiality as touching the Magistracy The slaughter of the Witnesses Revel 2. 10. Christ Jesus shortly ruining the two dreadfull Empites of the bloody Turk and Pope The Turks sorest enemies in Euope The Popes sorest enemies Freedome of Conscience in worship due even to the Papists themselvs See Chap. Truth peace rarely meet in this vale of tears Many dear Saints of God plead for persecution Oh how
Bloudy Tenents of Persecution Oppression and Violence in the Cause and matters of Conscience and Religion It is a Second Conference of Peace and Truth an Examination of the worthily honoured and beloved Mr. Cottons Reply to a former Conference and Treatise of this Subject And although it concern all Nations which have persecuted and shed the Bloud of Jesus the Bloudie Roman Empire with all the Savage Lyons thereof Emperours and Popes the bloudie Monarchies of Spain and France and the rest of Europs Kingdoms and States which under their several Vizards and Preteness of Service to God have in so many thousands of his Servants Murthered so many thousand times over his dear Son yea although it concern that Bloudie Turkish Monarchy and all the Nations of the World who practise violence to the Conscience of any Christian or Antichristians Jews or Pagans yet it concerns your selves with all due respect otherwise be it spoken in some more eminent degrees Partly as so many of yours of chief note beside Mr. Cotton are engaged in it partly as N. England in respect of Spiritual and Civil State professeth to draw nearer to Christ Jesus then other States and Churches and partly as N. England is believed to hold and practise such a Bloudie Doctrine notwithstanding Mr Cottons Vails and Pretences of not persecuting men for conscience but punishing them only for sinning against conscience and of but so and so not persecuting but punishing Hereticks Blasphemers Idolators Seducers c. It is Mr. Cottons great mistake and forgetfulnesse to charge me with a publick examination of his privat Letter to me whereas in Truth there never passed such Letters between himself and me about this Subject as he alledgeth But the Prisoners Arguments against Persecution with Mr. Cottons Answer thereunto which I examined I say these were unexpectedly and solemnly sent to me as no privat thing with earnest desire of my consideration or Animadversions on them These Agitations between Mr. Cotton and others so sent unto me as also the Model of Church and Civil Power by Gods Providence coming to hand I say they seem'd to me to be of too too Publick a nature And in which my soul not only heard the dolefull cry of the souls under the Altar to the Lord for Vengeance but their earnest sollicitations yea and the command of the Lord Jesus for Vindication of their blouds and lives spilt and destroyed by this Bloudie Tenent though under never so Fair and Glorious Shewes and Colours The most holy and allseeing knowes how bitterly I resent the least difference with Mr. Cotton yea with the least of the followers of Jesus of what conscience or worship soever How mournfully I remember this stroak as I believe on Mr. Cottons eye and the eyes of so many of Gods precious children and servants in these and other parts that those eyes so peircing and heavenly in other holy and precious Truths of God should yet be so over-clouded and bloudshotten in this I grieve I must contest and maintain this contestation with in other respects so dearly beloved and so worthy Adversaries And yet why mention I or respect I man that is but Grass and the children of men that must die whose Brains Eyes and Tongues even the holyest and the highest must shortly sink and rot in their skuls and holes Without remembring therefore who my Adversarie is nor all the Wormwood and the Gall so frequently in Mr. Cottons Reply against me I fully and only level with an upright and single eye the Lord Jesus graciously assisting against that fowl and monstrous bloudie Tenent and Doctrin which hath so slily like the old Serpent the Author of it crept under the shade and shelter of Mr. Cottons Patronage and Protection My end is to discover and proclaim the crying and horrible guilt of the bloudie Doctrin as one of the most Seditious Destructive Blasphemous and Bloudiest in any or in all the Nations of the World notwithstanding the many fine Vails Pretences and Colours of not persecuting Christ Jesus but Hereticks not Gods Truth or Servants but Blasphemers Seducers not Persecuting men for their Conscience but for sinning against their Conscience c. My end is to perswade Gods Judah especially to wash their hands from Bloud to cleanse their hearts and wayes from such Vnchristian practices toward all that is man capable of a Religion and a Conscience but most of all toward Christ Jesus who cries out as he did to Saul in the sufferings of the least of his Servants Old England Old England New England New England King King Parliaments Parliaments General Courts General Courts Presbyterians Presbyterians Independents Independents c. Why persecute you me It is hard for you to kick against the Pricks My end is to prepare the Servants and Witnesses of Jesus what Truth soever of his they testifie for that great and general and most dreadfull slaughter of the witnesses which I cannot but humbly fear and almost believe is near approaching and will be Vshered in provoak'd and hastned by the preud security worldly pomp fleshly confidence and bloudy violences of Gods own children wofully exercised each against other and so rendred wofully ripe for such an Vniversal and dreadfull Storm and Tempest My end and scope is to put a Christian barr and just and merciful Spoaks in the wheels of such zealous reforming Jehues who under the Vizard and Name of Baals Priests may possibly be induced to account it good service unto God to kill and burn his precious Servants My end is that the greatest Sons of Bloud the Papists may know when ever as the Saints in Queen Maries days confessed when ever it shall please the jealous God for the sins of his Saints to turn the Wheels of his most deep and holy Providences and to give the Power to the Paw of the Beast against his Saints and Truths for their last dreadfull slaughter as Daniel and John do clearly seem to tell us I say those Sons of Bloud the bloudie Papists may know that their bloudy Doctrin of persecution was disclaimed by some whom they call Sectaries That equall and impartiall favour was pleaded to the Catholicks as wel as to their own or other mens Souls and Consciences And that if that great Whore shall yet proceed not only to drink the wine of their carnal Jollitie in the Bowles of the holy Ordinances of Christs Temple and Sanctuary but also to drink more drunk in the bloud of his Saints and witnesses This Testimony may stand as a Character of Bloud fixed by the hand of Gods eternal Truth and Peace upon the Gates of their bloudie Courts and upon the forehead of their bloudie Judges who under what pretence soever hunt and persecute the Souls and Consciences of any Child of God or Man My truly honoured and beloved Countrimen vouchsafe me I beseech you that humane and Christian Libertie to say that I fear your Spirits are
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
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
partiality the bloody doctrine of persebution Great shifting â—o â—sâ—â—â— Christs cross Christian weapons Christ Jesus betwen two Thieves The horible Hypocrisie of all persecutors Christs charge to Pergamus and Thiatira against Tolleration examined False Excommunication one kinde of persecution The word Persecution how ordinarily it is taken Persecution ordinarily implies corporall violence Speeches of Princes against Persecution No Civill Christian State Christs Sword Nurcing Fathers-dealt withall as children Active obedience cannot be given but to a competent Judge Persecutors if it were in their power would and are bound to persecute all Consciences and Religions in the World All persecutors hould the Popes trayterous Doctrine of deposing haereticall Princes The Popish and Protestant Clergie set the Popish and Protestant World on fire for their Maintenance The Dutch device to winne their Clergie to Tolleration of other Religions All that professe to be Christs Ministers must Dig or Beg or Steale All Antichristians are fundamentally opposite to Christ Jesus Touching the Tares Policie store but Pietie rare in Princes A Speech of King James considered No Man to he forced from his owne worship 〈…〉 c. Touching compelling to come to Church and to heare A second Speech of King James Papists may yeeld Civill obedience The Parliament at Paris although Popish yet condemned Bookes and Tenents against Civill obedience All England Papists and yet the Pope renounced A twofold holding the Pope as Head The two Sisters Lawes concerning Conscience Ceales of moderation and kindnesse may melt an Enemie as David melted Saul c. Cautions for preventing of disturbance by Papists c. Sufficient Provisions are made in other Nations against Distractions and Tumults from opposite Consciences and Worships Nâ—erâ—â— Comâ—â—tition home-bred oppositions most of all exâ—sperate c. The admired Prudence of the Parliament in preserving Civill Peace Increase of Papists unlikely in England M r John Robinson deceased his Testimonie in a Manus from Holland A third Speech of King James considered Persecution ordinarily the marke of a False Church Stephen King Poland his 〈…〉 The Spirituall Power of Christ Jesus betrusted not with Civill but spirituall Ministers An Argument used in Parliament against the Persecuting Bishops Of disturbance of Religion The Bishops as Tyrants justly suppressed and the Parliament therein prospered from Heaven Daniells Counsel to Bel-shazzar preserveth Parliaments Kingdomes Touching the Nationall Church of Israell Israell a miraculous Nation Two sorts of the Nations of the World Touching the true and false Christs King of Bohemia his Speech Spirituall Rapes All persecutours contumeliously object against Conscience Amnon his ravishing of Tamar a Type A Query who shall judge whether Conscience be convict Church Papists and Protestants also ravished Wars for Religion The bloudie Tenent Guiltie of all the bloud of Papists and Protestants lately spilt The strongest Arme sword the ordinarie Judge of the Conviction of Conscience Touching the Nationall Church of England Reall denying the greatest denying of Christ Jesus Two high Transgressions objected against M r Cotton Touching the Romane Emperours practices in Religious Affaires Christs Garden gaines by violent Stormes and looseth by sweete Sun-shines The Romane Emperours The Arrians persecuted and persecuting The great Difference between this World and Christ A Christianitie strange from Christ Antichristian Christianitie The bloudie Tenent tends to an universall Conquest of the whole World The bloudie Tenent in its colours No Booke or Writing ever so abused as the holy Writing Scripture of God is The Language of persecutours Julian his Tolleration Touching Infection of false Doctrine c. Hypocrites tollerated in the Church but not in the World Touching the Persecution of K James and Q Elizabeth Touching the Qualification of Princes Touching Magistrates suspending from acting in matters of Religion Monstrous partialitie Constantines Edict Foule imputations cast on Christ Jesus Vnchristian Tribunalls Dent. 13. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 16. Vnchristianly conjoyned Touching Excommunication in Israel Ans Spirituall Blessings and Curses the Antitypes of Corporall before Christ Great oversight imputed to Christ Jesus If civill punishments for spirituall offences they must be inflicted by holy and Christian Instruments and Officers A true Christ a true Sword a false Christ a false Sword Q Elizabeth her wars against the Papists The Warres of the Waldenses Acts 8. 11. Christian weapons Christs Sword Christs Warres and Victories Revel 17. Gideons Army typicall The Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted Worldly glory and persecution characters of the false Church The sins of Gods children Christs Witnesses A true Wife of Christ no persecutour Touching persecution what it is Difference between a civill and spirituall State The nature of spirituall punishment The nature of Christs spirituall Government The Civill Powers and Officers the Clergies Executioners Spirituall Judgements more terrible since Christ then corporall before his coming The cutting off or Excommunicating from the holy Land of Israel figurative and typicall A twofold wâ—y of constraint What it is to walke according to a mans Light Conviction twofold Sufficient in it selfe or to the partie efficacious Touching the Maintenance of the new English Ministers Of propagating Religion by the Sword Touching the Indians of New-England Worshipping of God and Christ before the foundation of Repentance is nothing but Antichristian disorder Touching preaching to the Indians in New-England Proprietie of Language necessary to the true preaching of Christ Jesus to any people Conscience to God in Worship a close Prisoner in New-England and no Petitioner could obtaine its Libertie Publikâ— marriage or giving ones selfe to Christ Judges 21. 25 Considered Supreame Authoritie in Spiritualls Tertullians Speech of one Religion not hurting or profiting another Considered * M r Cottons and Mr Edwards Gangrenes have little differd Blasphemie against the holy Scripture Mysteries of false Christs The true Christ despised for his povertie A base esteeme of the Spirituall Sword Earthly Christs need earthly supports The state of Christianity during the reigne of Antichrist Constantines peace a greater tryal and danger to Christians then 300 years persecution Sathans two wayes of quenching the Candle of Christianity The French Massacre must doe what their pretended disputation could not effect Pretended disputes in Q. Maries days ending in fiery flames The late Synodicall disputes A bloody and most unchristian speech The rash fury and madnesse of persecutors even against themselves Pleasantnesse of wit sanctified glorifies the giver The pretended particulâ—r Churches of N. E. indeed but a Nationall Church No permission of any Religion or worship but one in N. E. therefore are the Churches but a Nationall Church in the mould them c. Where the Supream Authority in a Church is Civill the Body cannot but be like the head and all make up but one Civil or Nationall mixt Church like the Jewish Nationall Church The purging a Countrey of Hereticks declares that Countrey is explicitly or implicitly a National Church A State Maintenance proveth a State Church Synods assembled by
to Church for not obeying the Laws for withstanding the Kings oâ— Queens or Parliaments proceedings Truth Your observation is most serious and seasonable and your complaint as true as lamentable for since all States and Governments of the world which lies in wickedness set up their State or Commonweal-Religions Nebuchadnezzars golden Images and Jeroboams golden Calves the types of the State-Worships of after Ages whereby others are made to sin and bow down to their seeming glorious worships and since the dissenters refusers non-conformers non-covenanters the witnesses of God against such abominations are but few and what positive worship they hold or practice commonly is most retired and flying into private corners by reason of the violence of the persecution they are hence soonest in all places of their abode and more speedily and immediately called for and sought out in the several Parish-towns where they live to bow down to the common-Image the beastly and Calvish inventions of the Ieroboams of this perishing world and for refusing to subscribe to conforme to come to Church to do as their neighbours for being wiser then their Teachers their Fathers their Magistrates the Country the Parliament the Kingdome and sometimes the whole world in their Oecumenical or worldly Councels they are thus punished and hunted for their conscience for Gods for Jesus sake which is a point Master Cotton will say if the blood of his dear Redeemer split in the blood of his servants kindly affect him of greater weight then knots in bulrushes Examination of CHAP. IV. Peace IN the second distinction to wit of fundamentals without right belief whereof a man cannot be saved Master Cotton upon the point confesseth it was a just reproof and saith that he meant only of the first sort of foundations that concern salvation and not of those that concerne the foundation of the Church and Christian Religion Truth It is strange that Master Cotton should so distinguish of foundations when the holy Scripture attributes salvation to those foundations of the Church and the order of it The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved and the like figure whereunto Baptisme now saveth us and concerning the resurrection that we are saved by hope Rom. 8. Besides are not those first foundations which he saith concerne salvation foundations also of the Christian Religion If not of the Christian then I demand of what Religion are they foundations Peace It cannot therefore be denyed but that his distinction of fundamentals was most dangerous tending directly to condemne the generation of the righteous who have been generally for many generations ignorant of the Christian way of worship But what say you to this reply touching how far the New English implicite Parishes compare and partake with those of old Truth How far those Churches cannot be cleered from not comming out from the Parish-worship from being themselves implicitely Parish-Churches notwithstanding their Fig-leaves c. and from being persecutors of such as endeavour to cover their nakedness with better clothing will appear with Christs assistance in the examination of his reply to the Answer of his Letter Examination of CHAP. V. Peace THe discourse of this chapter is larger and more controversial and therefore dear Truth requires your most serious and deeper examination of it Master Cotton here distinguisheth worship into true and false and infers that if true worship fellowship with God is held but if false fellowship with God is lost And whereas he was thereupon minded by the discusser to have lived in a false Ministery in England and to have practised the false worship of the Common Prayer he labours to clear both and in particular he saith It is not truly said that the Spirit of God maketh the Ministery one of the foundations of the Christian religion Heb. 6. For it is saith he only a foundation of Christian order not of faith or religion and he adds The Apostle puts an express difference between faith and order Col. 2. 5. What can be said thereunto Truth 1. Alas what buildings can weak souls expect from such Master-builders when Master Cotton is so confounded about the very foundations In the former Chapter he distinguisheth between foundations that concern salvation and those that concern the the Church and Christian religion here he distinguisheth between those of Christian order and those of Faith or Christian religion In the former he opposeth faith against religion and order here he opposeth faith and religion to order Grant his memory in so short a turn failed him yet doubtless his mistakes about the foundation of Christian religion are most gross and inexcusable Truth 2. I finde no such distinction in the Testament of Christ Jesus between the Christian order and the Christian religion as if the order of the Church of God I might say the Church it self and the Ministery of it were no part of the Christian religion It is true Coloss 2. speaks of faith and order but yet denies not the Christian Church and the order of it to be any part of the Christian religion It is true that sometimes faith implies the particular grace of believing and yet sometimes it is put for the whole Christian religion as Jude 1. contend for the faith once delivered so that if Master Cotton confesseth the Ministery of the Word Heb. 6. to be a foundation of Christian or Church-order he cannot deny it to be a foundation of the Christian religion or worship reduced to those two of Faith and Order Peace What answer you to his saying It is not a true and a safe speech to call the fellowship and blessing of God vouchsafed to corrupt Churches or Ministers or ministrations unpromised or beyond a word of promise of God Against which he alleadgeth Ier. 13. That God will be merciful to his peoples iniquities and 2 Chron. 30. Gods mercy to every one that prepareth his heart c. although he be not cleansed after the preparation c. Truth The promises hold forth no blessing or fellowship of God to false worships against which all the holy Scripture denounceth cursings both in the old and new Testament nor in particular doth that of Ieremy promise any pardon of sin but to the repentant though most true also is that distinction of particular repentance for known sins and general for sins unknown Such was the sin it may be of the Israelites 2 Chron. 30. in their want of such their legal cleansing But I add how can that one act of covering or conniving at ceremoniall uncleanness about a true worship be brought to prove a promise of Gods blessing and fellowship to a constant course of a false and invented way of prayer by the Latine or English Masse-book as some have rightly called it Peace Concerning Ordination Master Cotton saith that it is no essential part of a call to the Ministery no more then Coronation is essential to the Office of a King And Jehoshua the high priest did not lose fellowship
wit an impossibility of repentance and forgiveness of sins either in this or the world to come And for the present at every turn he concludes them hypocrites blind guides which could not escape the judgement of Hell So that all other sences of those words Let them alone that is of not reprooving them cannot stand nor if it were the duty of the Ministers of Christ to stir up the civil Magistrate against such hypocritical and blasphemous Pharisees could Christ Jesus himself or his servants the Apostles be excused for not complaining to the Romane State against them So leaving the blame upon the conscience of the governors if the land were not purged of such blasphemers and fundamental opposers of the Son of God Let me me end sweet peace with the bottome of all such persecutions Satan rageth against God and his Christ that devil that cast the Saints into prison Rev. 2. what instruments soever he useth would cast Christ himself into prison againe and to the gallows againe if he came again in person into any the most refined persecuting state in the world Examination of CHAP. XXX Peace I Doubt not dear truth in the first place but you cast an observant eye on Master Cottons collections in this Chapter from Pauls words Acts 25. 11. I will mention the two first 1. That a man may be such an offender in matters of Religion against the law of God against the Church as well as in civil matters against Caesar as to be worthy of death 2. That if a servant of God should commit any such offence he would not refuse judgement to the death vers 11. Truth Paul onely saith in the general If I have committed ought worthy of death I refuse not to die Now therefore as Paul said No man that is no man justly may deliver me to the Jews So say I no man from these words of Paul without wronging him and his Master the God of Truth can draw such a conclusion as if Paul had acknowledged it evil in him to have preached against the laws of the Jews or the temple which the Lord Jesus and his servants after him so abundantly did although at this time in point of fact Paul might well say he had not done ought against the law of the Jews I mean the ceremonial law and the Temple for he had now observed the ceremonies of the Law and the holiness of the Temple although for this some use to blame him not discerning that Paul knew there was a time to honour those ceremonies even after Christs death and a time as much to debase dishonour and abolish them Peace His third collection is That it is lawfull even in Ecclesiastical causes to appeale to a Pagan Magistrate Truth As I utterly renounce such a conclusion any otherwise then in respect of civil violence offered for a mans conscience which violence Caesar ought to see revenged and punished so neither will this instance of Paul prove it for in appealing to an higher Judge a man alwayes presupposeth if not skill perfect yet competent skill and a true power committed from God to judge in such cases which Paul for many reasons both in this Chapter and elsewhere manifested could not suppose in the Romane Caesars or any civil Magistrate Peace Master Cotton urgeth that these words verse 9. These Things imply matters of Religion as well as civil things Truth Those words These Things were not the words of Paul but the words of Festus 2. Grant them Pauls words yet if for those things the Jews seek his life Paul well appeals to Caesar against them for Caesar is bound to protect the bodies goods or good names of his subjects either from false accusations in civil things or persecution for matters of conscience which is a violence against the civil state of which Caesar was the supreme officer Peace His fourth collection is that civil Magistrates may and ought to â—e acquainted with all matters of Religion especially capital Truth In twenty five parts of the world of thirty civil Magistrates cannot possibly be thus acquainted for the sound of Christ Jesus is not there to be heard as the best Historians and Cosmographers yeeld Peace It seemes strange if Christ Jesus had intended any such delegation of spiritual power to civil Magistrates that he should keep the very sound of his name from them Againe in the other five parts of the world where his name is sounded how rarely hath he acquainted any civil Magistrate with the saving knowledge of his will Truth I add that such rare ones that savingly know Christ Jesus and his will are no judges in such cases over the consciences of their brethren or any by way of civil judicature this very instance of Pauls appealing to Caesar hath and shall further declare and mainfest Peace But what should be the reason why Master Cotton affirmeth That the civil Magistrate ought to be able to judge of all capital offences against Religion but not of all questions Truth The truth is if the civil Magistrate were a Surgeon appointed of Christ Iesus to judge in causes that concern cutting of life and limbe c. he would beyond all question be able to judge of petty cuts wounds c. But Satan that old deceiver that knew by Gods permission how to cozen Adam David Solomon Peter the most perfect wise and holiest of Gods servants is not now to learn how to cheat Master Cotton also Satan well â—ees if Master Cotton should grant it the Magistrates duty to judge in lesser questions the hope of Benefices and Livings were gone and the trade of Synods would down And if he should not grant it to be the Magistrates duty to judge in capitals the Pope the Bishops and all persecuting priests would want the secular power the servile executioners of their most wicked and most bloody decrees and sentences Peace In the next place Master Cotton seemes to charge a contradiction upon the discusser for saying that civil Magistrates were never appointed by God defenders of the faith of Iesus and yet every one is bound to put forth his utmost powers in Gods business Truth Love hath charged the discusser to spare the â—â—â—rm of contradiction in many passages of Master Cottons writing where he hath to his understanding observed them to prevent exasperations c. contrarily Master Cotton against the discusser straines the text and Margin to sound out contradictions contradictions to all passengers But let us examine And first Master Cotton will not deny but the son of perdition the Pope of Rome whose coming and practice is by the work of the devil was the blasphemous author he and his Cardinals in Councel together of that title defender of the faith sent with great gratitude and solemnity to Henry the eighth as a kingly popelike reward for penning or bearing the name of a blasphemous writing against Christ Iesus in his holy truth proclaimed by Luther Peace With
is abhord by the most holy and impartiall God and his holy Angells in Heaven Upon this occasion I call to minde that famous Act of the so greatly renowned Constantine who in his first wearing of the Diademe put forth his Colleauge Licinius concurring also a famous and most solemne Charter and Edict that no man throughout the whole Empire should be constraind in his Religion Truth M r Cotton according to his proviso of suspension must doubtles applaud Constantine for this his Forbearance untill he were better informed whereas afterward his Edicts against Arrius and Arrianisme testifie his practice to the contrary But he that shall reade seriously in Gods presence that first Edict of Constantine and Licinius will there finde Constantine to use such Arguments as might for ever have caused him to have forbore persecution to have still suspended to have gratified the Subjects of all his Empire with Libertie and Freedome in the Point of Worship and Religion But I will End this Passage with this Querie If Christ Jesus have left such Power with the Civill Rulers of the World Kingdomes and Countries of or for the Establishing Governing and Reforming his Church what is become of his Care and Love Wisdome and Faithfulnesse since in all Ages since he left the Earth for the generall beyond all exception he hath left her destitute of such qualified Princes and Governours and in the Course of his Providence furnished her with such whom he knew would be and all men finde as fit as Wolves to protect and feede his Sheepe and People Exam of Chap. 64. replying to Chap. 67. Peace VVHen it was questioned what good to the Soules or Bodies of their Subjects did those Princes bring in persecuting M r Cotton produceth a good â—iâ—â—fold that is brought to Princes and Subjects by the due punishment of Apostates Seducers Idolaters and Blasphemers Truth Let all that feare God and M r Cotton himselfe be perswaded to observe whether under this faire cloake of punishing these and these spirituall sinners he maintaine not strongly what elsewhere he denies to wit Persecution for cause of Conscience But we know the Evasion It is not for Apostatizing seducing out of Conscience but after Conviction against their Conscience c. Peace You have before satisfied me besides other Passages with this one that to this End of discerning the poore Hereticks sinning against his Conscience the Civill State the Earth the World must necessarily Erect its Tribunall to judge not onely Civill Things but even the Heart and Conscience also but now to M r Cottons five-fold good First sayth he it puts away Evill from the People by cutting off a Gangrene which would spread to further ungodlinesse Deut. 13. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 1. 6. 7. 13. Truth I answer these Scriptures though pure and holy in their places yet are here coupled together as Linsey Wollsey contrary to the Law Deut. 13. which concerns the typicall Nationall Church using Nationall temporall Weapons The 2 Tim. 2. concernes the Particular Congregations or Churches of Christians using onely the Sword of Gods Spirit the Word of God c. Beside Deut. 13. concerned such a People whom the Lord brought forth of Aegypt with Miracles into Canaan c. Let any such People be now produced excepting the Christian particular Churches Why doth M r Cotton then alledge this Scripture so frequently and in these five Reasons brings two from hence This the first and the Third to wit that all the People may heare and feare c. which is alone made good in the Antitype or Christian Church according to that 1 Tim. 5. 20. Rebuke them that sinne openly that others may learne to feare 2. Peace M r Cotton mentioneth a second good which is driving away Wolves from worrying and scattering the Sheepe of Christ Truth This was largely answered in discoursing the nature of mysticall or spirituall Wolves upon that very place which he quotes Acts 20. From whence it may evidently appeare that from the literall urging of such mysticall Scriptures all Peoples and Nations are enforced and that Conscientiously like Wolves and Lyons to teare and devoure each other 3. Peace M r Cotton addes that Punishments are wholesome Medicines to such as are curable of such Evills Zach. 13. 4 5 6. Truth I answer All the holy Appointments of God are most powerfull in their severall respective seasons and manner of Dispensations to his owne most holy Ends and purposes c. The Materiall Nationall Sword in the Nationall Church of Israel before Christ and the Spirituall Sword in the spirituall and Christian Church since his comming to abolish those shadowes As it was therefore in vaine to have cut off or Excommunicated spiritually in that Nationall State So is it in vaine to use the materiall or carnall Sword in the spirituall Wherefore according to this place of Zach. a true penitent will blesse God for the Wounds of Friends and Lovers faithfull and sharpe dealing and for Deliverance from the Kisse of deceitfull flatterie But what is this to prove that which is so much denied to wit Corporall Death or Wounds now to be inflicted upon false Teachers in these times of the Gospel and that in all parts and Nations of the World 4. Peace The punishment sayth M r Cotton executed upon false Prophets and seducing Teachers doe bring downe Showres of Gods blessing upon the Civill State 1 King 18. 40 41. Truth If that Nationall State of Israell and that Nationall or Corporeall killing of so many hundreth false Prophets and that literall drouth and literall showres of Raine and plentie were figures of no other Prophets and slaughters drouth and showers but literall materiall and corporeall now since the Body and Substance Christ Jesus is come What should hinder but that those Priests of Israel and Sacrifices and Temple and Nationall Church should all be in force for our Imitation literally the one as well as â—he other Peace I cannot possibly conceive but that all being of the same Nature the one is Typicall as well as the other and that they must flourish and be glorious as Gods Ordinances or vanish and disappeare giving place to brighter dispensations at the arising of Christ Jesus the Son of Righteousnesse Truth Hence false Apostles false Teachers false Prophets are Spiritually cut off Revel 2. 2 Pet. 2. Gal. 4. And spirituall showres of Blessings descend upon the Israel of God for although corporeall Blessings of Food and Raiment and plentie are Gods blessings yet principally under the Gospel God blesseth his Israel the Antitype with spirituall Blessings Eph. 1. Houses Lands Fathers Mothers Children c. with persecution Mark 10. Peace Me thinks Deare Truth If Christ Jesus had appointed such punishments such executions literall in the Christian Church he would also have appointed Offices and Officers suitable and proper for such Ends and purposes such punishments such executions Truth It cannot otherwise with Reason and
therefore Master Cotton elsewhere saith they must suspend to deal in Church matters untill they can judge c. And this First implies their light and judgement absolutely necessary in all such matters of the Church about which they are to Judge and act as often I affirme 2 I aske what kind of spirituall Physicians will Master Cotton have who shall be bound to suspend their power all their lives long unlesse they have skill to judge of Diseases will not the similitude hold against such spirituall Fathers Nurces Physicians who all their life long yea the greatest number beyond compare of all their spirituall Fathers upon the face of the Earth must wholly suspend from acting in spirituall diseases or cases to wit in reforming establishing c. 3 Although it excuseth not 't is true such Magistates Princes Common-wealths for making this Doctrine their ground of persecuting Christ and Christians yet doubtlesse it makes their sin the greater who feed them with such bloody Doctrines and so consequently occasion them upon the rocks of such fals and dangerous and bloudy practices Exam of Chap. 70. replying to Chap. 73. Peace IN this Chap. Dear Truth lye many stones of offence at which the feet of the unwary most easily many stumble I hope your carefull and steady hand may be a blessed Instrument of their Removall As First although Master Cotton subscribe unto Luther that the Government of the Civill Magistrate doth extend no further then over the Bodies and Goods of the subject yet saith he he may and ought to improve that power over their Bodies and Goods to the good of their Souls Truth Sweet Peace my hand the hand of Christ assisting shall not be wanting but what offence can be taken at the propositions Pea. The proposition like an aple of Sodom is fair and specious untill you crush it by examination For by maintaining the Magistrates power over the Bodies and Goods of the subject for the good of his Soul it is clear in this Chapter and others foregoing and following that Master Cottons words drive at no lesse then a seising upon and plundering of the goods the Imprisoning whipping Banishing and killing the Bodies of the poor people and this under the Cloak and colour of saving their Souls in the day of the Lord Jesus Truth The Civil State and Common-weal may be compared to a peice of Tapistry or rich Arras made up of the severall parts and parcels of the Families thereof Now by the Law of God Nature and Nations a Father hath a power over his Child the Husband over the Wife the Master over c. and doubtlesse they are to improve that power and Authority for the good of the souls of their Children Yoak-fellows c. But shall we therefore say that the Father and the Husband hath power under Christ over the conscienies and religion of the Child or Wife as a Father or Husband had under Moses Numb 30. Parents are commanded in the Gospel to bring up their Children in the instruction and fear of the Lord the Husband is commanded to labour to win and save his Wife with no other power then the Wife also her Husband whether Turke or Jew Antichristian or Pagan but such a power and sword to be improved as Mr. Cotton here pretends for soul-good Master Cotton will never finde in the Testament of Christ Jesus The Plain English is what ever be the Cloak or cover which the States Kings and Rulers of this world use in this case this terme for souls good is no more then the old Popish Jesabels painting pro salute animae pro redemptione animae or as that noble St. John observed in a speech at Guild-hall that the Kings party made use of the name of Peace as the Papists used the name of God In nomine Domini c. Peace It is most lamentable to see how the Kings of the Earth are grosly flattered by their Clergy into as grosse a belief that they are most Catholick Kings as in Spain most Christian Kings as in France Defendors of the Faith in England Hence those two bloody Persecutors of Luther Charles the Fifth and Henry the Eighth were celebrated even upon the posts of the doors in Guild-Hall Carolus Henricus vivant defensor uturque Henricus Fidei Carolus Ecclesiae Peace And yet to what other end have or doe ordinarily the Kings of the Earth use their power and authority over the Bodies and Goods of their Subjects but for the filling of their pauâ—ches like Wolves or Lions never pacified unlesse the peoples bodies goods and Souls be sacrificed to their God-belly and their owne Gods of profit honour pleasure c. Peace But in the second place Master Cotton affirmes that by procuring the good of their souls they may much advance the good of their bodies and outward man also Truth This Proposition is as fair as the former but in the searching and crushing is as rotten for however it is most true as he quoteth 1 Tim. 4. that Godlinesse hath the promise of this Life and of a better and also that such as seek first the Kingdome of God may expect outward mercies to be cast upon them yet these promises can never by any rule of Christ be stretched to proue outward prosperity and flourishing to the followers of Christ Jesus in this present evill world Peace He that is in a pleasant Bed and Dreame though he talke Idly and insensibly yet is loath to be awaked Truth Those sweet promises supply Gods servants with what outward blessings his holy Wisdome seeth they have need of for his service But when wil Master Cotton indeed witnesse against a Nationall Church and cease to mingle Heaven and Earth the Church and worldly state together when will he cease to propose the rich and peaceable victorious and flourishing Nationall State of the Jewes as the Type of the Carnall peace and worldly wealth and honour of the spirituall Nation and Kingdome of Christ Jesus when will he more plainely and simply conforme the members to the head Christ Jesus in the Holinesse Glory of his spirituall poverty shame and sufferings Peace I have in the experience of many Ages observed the flourishing prosperity of many Cities Common wealths and Nations where no sound of Christ hath come and that for hundreths yea some thousands of years together as hath formerin this discourse been instanced Truth You have found that when the Red and Black and Pale horse of War Famine and Death have thundered upon the Nations it hath not been upon the decay of a State Religion but most commonly upon the rejecting and persecuting of the Preachers and Witnesses against it Peace Yea Master Cotton himselfe observeth that such of Gods servants as grow fattest in Godlinesse grow not outwardly in wealth but God keepeth them low in outward estate Truth I conclude this passage with an observation of constant experience ever since the Son of God ascended the
Heauens The neerer Christs followers have approached to worldly wealth ease liberty honour pleasure c. the neerer they have approached to Impatience Pride Anger and Violence against such as are opposite to their Doctrine and Profession of Religion And 2 The further and further have they departed from God from his Truth from the Simplicitie Power and Puritie of Christ Jesus and true Christianitie Peace In the next Passage M r Cotton though with another heart yet in the Language and Tongue of the Pharisees seemes to take part with the Prophets against the persecuting Fathers and amongst many things he prohibites Magistrates this one to wit that he must not make Lawes to binde Conscience Truth What is a Law but a binding Word a Commandement What is a Law to binde Conscience but a Commandement that calls for Obedience And must wee raise up such Tumults such Tragedies and fill the face of the World with streames of bloud about the Christian Mâ—gistrates reforming Religion establishing Religion killing the Heretick Blasphemer Idolater Seducer and yet all this without a Law that may in the name of Christ exact obedience Peace I wonder what we shall thinke of those Lawes and Statutes of Parliament in old or New England that have bound the peoples Consciences at least so farre as to come to the Parish Church improving as M r Cotton sayth the power and Authoritie over their Bodies for their Soules good What shall wee call all those Lawes Commandements Statutes Injunctions Directions and Orders that concerne Religion and Conscience Truth The plaine truth is M r Cottons former reforming zeale cannot be so utterly extinguished as to forget the name and Notion of Christian Libertie although in this bloudie Discourse he hath well nigh if not wholly sold away the Thing The Conscience sayth he must not be bound to a Ceremonie to a pretended indifferent Ceremonie And yet loe throughout this Discourse he pleades for the binding of it from these and these Doctrines from these and these Worships and binding to this or that Worship I meane to come to the publike Towne or Countrey Worship Just for all the world as if a Woman should not be bound to make a Curtsie or Salutation to such a Man but yet shee should be bound will she nill she to come to his bed at his pleasure Worship is a true of false Bed Cant. 1. 16. Peace It is observable in the next place what M r Cotton observeth concerning the Principles of saving Truth to wit that no good Christian much lâ—sse good Magistrate can be ignorant of them Truth In the Consideration of the Modell this Goodnesse or Badnes of the Magistrate is Examined and easily it is proved to my understanding that this Assertion confounding the nature of Civill and Morall goodnesse with Religious is as farre from Goodnes as Darknes is from Light Peace To this Issue tends M r Cottons Conclusion of this passage verily the Lord will build up and establish the House and Kingdome of such Princes as doe thus build up his Truth The promise of God to David concerning his House and Kingdome in the Letter is most true in the Mystery and Antitype as to the Spirituall House and Kingdome of King David King Jesus in such Princes or Propheticall Kingly Spirits who Spiritually in the Word of Prophesie the Sword of Gods Spirit contend for the Spirituall Kingdome of Christ Jesus God will establish them in Spirituall Dignitie and Authoritie But take this literally as M r Cotton carries it and as he never will finde any such Dutie lying upon Princes in the Gospell nor any such promise of temporall prosperitie but holy praedictions foretellings of the crosse and persecution ordinarily to all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus and the greater persecution to the most zealous and faithfull Servants of Christ Jesus So neither can he give any true Instance truely proper and parallell to this purpose Peace Me thinks 〈…〉 hough successe be no constant rule to walke by yet Gods providence in successe of Journies Victories c. are with great care and feare to be attended to and pondered and the Hand and Eye of God to be observed in them of what sort or Nature so ever they be Truth Two instances of greatest successe and temporall prosperitie we have presented to us on the publike stage of this world before our owne Dores crowning the Heads of such States and States-men as have attended to mercy and freedome toward oppressed Consciences The first is that of the State of Holland The second of our owne Native England whose renowned Parliament and victorious Armie never so prospered as since their Declaration and practice of pitie and mercy to Consciences oppressed by M r Cottons bloudie Tenent Peace In the next Passage it being a Grievance that M r Cotton should grant with Luther the Magistrates power to extend no further then the Bodies and Goods of the Subject and yet withall maintaineth that they must punish Christians for sinning against the Light of Faith and Conscience M r Cotton answers First He supposeth the chiefe good to be that of Christian Faith and Good Conscience Secondly Suppose sayth he by Goods were meant outward Goods yet the Magistrate may punish such in their Bodies and Goods as seduce c. for sayth he in seeking Gods Kingdome and the Righteousnesse thereof Men prosper in their outward Estates Matth. 6. 23. Otherwise they decay Lastly He remembers not the proposition to be his The Magistrates power extendeth no further then the Bodies and Goods of the Subject He answereth it is true in respect of the Object though not in respect of the End which sayth he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bene administrare Rempublicam And he asketh if it be well with a Common-weale enjoying bodily health and worldly wealth without a Church without Christ And he concludes with the Instance of the Romane Empire which had it not cast away Idolatrie sayth he had been ruined Truth For answer First the distinction is famous among all Men of the Bona or Goods of Animi Corporis Fortunae and againe that of the Minde Soule and Conscience within and that of the Body and Goods without that it can be no lesse then a Civill as well as a Spirituall Babell to confound them Secondly To his Supposition suppose sayth he by Goods were meant outward Goods yet the Magistrate may punish such in their Bodies and Goods as doe Seduce c. I see not how these Cohere any better then the grant of some Papists that the Churches power extends no further then the matters of Faith and Conscience But yet say they they may punish such in their Bodies and Goods as seduce c. M r Cottons Suppositions and the Papists come both out of the same Babylonian Quiver But thirdly let us minde his Reason from Matth. 6. In seeking Gods Kingdome men prosper in outward estate otherwise not I answer this Proposition
and notwithstanding all other meanes in the World used by men as helps and hindrances yet his holy End shall not be disappointed but fulfilled Beside the Difference between soule-killing and body-killing is but as M r Cotton here useth the word so much as in us lieth that is by attempt or endeavour which may be many wayes frustrated and disappointed by the holy hand of God and the soule yet saved and live in the day of the Lord Jesus Peace Whereas you said that the imprisoning of Men in a Nationall or State Religion is guiltie of their Destruction together with the monstrous sword of Civill Warres which cuts off Men from all meanes of Repentance M r Cotton answers If the Religion be good it is no Imprisonment If it be naught then there should be no Imprisonment To the second sayth he this Feare is causeles for if Men belong to God he will give Repentance and how ever sayth he Godâ— revealed Will is fullfilled in their just Executions Truth I could here ask M r Cotton where amongst all the Religions and Worships of the sonnes of men he ever met in the whole World with above one Nation which Nationally profest a true Religion and where ever since Christ Jesus ending of the shadowes any State Religion or Nationall Worship can be found true notwithstanding M r Cotton knowes I grant Gods people in Kingdomes Nations Cities Townes c. to be Gods Kingdome Nation Citie c. Peace And since M r Cotton speakes thus of Imprisonment me-thinkes that every peaceable man and woman may bring in here against him at the Tribunall of Christ Jesus an Action of false Imprisonment indeed false every way not onely of the sensible and outward man but of the most noble and inner part the minde the spirit and Conscience for who knowes not that Jerusalem it selfe may be a prison to false-hearted Shimei Who hath not found a pallace a prison when forc't to keepe within it yea confine a man to his own house and home though deare and familiar and most intimate to him his owne house during that force and restraint is a prison to him Truth Yea it is most wofully found evident that the best Religion like the fairest Whores and the most golden and costlie Images yea the most holy and pure and onely true Religion and Worship appointed by God himselfe is a Torment to that Soule and Conscience that is forc't against its owne free love and choice to embrace and observe it And therefore whether the Religion be good oâ—â—aught as M r Cotton here distinguisheth there ought to be no forcing but the soule and minde and conscience of man that is indeed the man ought to be left free as in his Earthly marriage-choice so here ten thousand times rather in his heavenly and spirituall Peace But what say you to his unmercifull conclusion in the bloudshed and destruction of so many thousands and millions formerly and lately slaine and murthered by this bloudie Tenent of persecution Yea the late and lamentable streames of English bloud and the bloud of our neighbours friends Brethren Parents powred forth by these late Episcopall or Bishops Warres M r Cottons conclusion is The revealed will of God sayth he is fullfilled in their just Execution whether they belong to God or no. Truth I wish M r Cotton more mercy from God and a more mercifull minde toward the afflicted and I say as the Lord Jesus said in the case of offence Great offences Nationall offences will come for Religions sake for Nationall Religion sake but woe unto those that beare the guilt of so many thousand slaughters murthers ravishings plunderings c. The Pope the Bishops the Presbyterians the Independants so farre as they have been Authours or Actors in these horrible Calamities out of the perswasion of the bloudie Tenent of persecution for Religion and Conscience the voyce of so many Rivers of bloud cry to Heaven for vengeance against them Peace But may not blessed Truth the sword of Civill power which is from God Rom. 13. be drawne and drunke with bloud for Christ his sake What say you among the many Examples of Religions Warres to the most famous Battles of Constantine against the bloudie persecutour Maxentius Was not Constantine Christs Champion as once that valiant Scanderbeg cald himselfe against the bloudie Turks Truth Sweet Peace the sword of Civill power was Gods sword committed by Gods most wise Providence into the hands of that famous Constantine Doubtles his warre was righteous and pious so farre as he broke the Jawes of the oppressing persecuting Lyons that devoured Christs tender Lambes and sheepe And famous was his Christian Edict wherein Licinius joyned with him when he put forth that imperiall Christian Decree that no mane Conscience should be forced and for his Religion whether to the Romane Gods or the Christian no man should be persecuted or hunted When Constantine broke the bounds of this his owne and Gods Edict and drawes the sword of Civill power in the suppressing of other Consciences for the establishing of the Christian then began the great Mysterie of the Churches sleepe the Gardens of Christs Churches turned into the Wildernesse of Nationall Religion and the World under Constantines Dominion to the most unchristian Christendome Peace I am unquestionably satisfied that there was never any Nationall Religion good in this world but one and since the Desolation of that Nation there was never there shall be never any Nationall Religion good againe and this will be most evident to such as hould the Truth of the continuance of Christs visible Church in the way of particular Congregations 6. But now to the Sixt Argument which M r Cotton thus repeats from the possibilitie of a false Teacher a spirituall Wolves recoverie from the estate of a soule-killer to become a soule-Saviour as it was in the case of Paul And thus he answers If men be such Blasphemers and such Wolves as Paul was before his Conversion neither the Law of God nor man would put such a Man to death who sinned of Ignorance and walked as himselfe professed in all good Conscience even in his former evill times Acts 23. But as for such as apostate from the knowne truth of Religion and seeke to subvert the foundation of it and to draw away others from it to plead for their Tolleration in hope of their Conversion is as much as to proclaime a generall pardon to all malefactours save onely such as sin against the Holy Spirit for he that is a willfull murtherer and adulterer now may come to be converted and die a martyr hereafter Truth I see not why M r Cotton should passe a more charitable censure on Pauls Conscience then on other Mens professing Conscience also and the feare of God nor an harder censure upon other Men to wit that they are convinced and sinne against their owne Conscience more then upon Paul
Carpenters p. 144 Master Cotton slights stocks and whips c. and provokes to banish and kil hereticks c. ibid. All civil violence in spirituals is for an interest p. 145 The civil sword esteemed more powerful then the spiritual p. 146 That great fort of Rom. 13. considered p. 147 The civil Magistrate not charged with the keeping of two tables ibid. Calvin and Beza's judgement on Rom. 13. p. 148 Vnrighteousness civil and spiritual ibid. Spiritual wars without civil disturbance p. 149 Of the Romane Emperors power in spirituals p. 150 Foul imputation against Christ Jesus and yet his wise provision for his Kingdome p. 151 The Clergies evil dealing with the civil magistrate p. 152 The nature of the Church and of Christs true order but lately discovered since the Apostacy ibid. Spiritual Courts and Judges p. 153 Touching Pauls appeal to Caesar p. 154 155. Spiritual rights and civil p. 156 The true and only Christendome p. 157 Christ Jesus robbed of his crown p. 158 Of custome tribute c. p. 159 Of praying for Magistrates p. 160 Civil Ministers and spiritual ibid. The God of heaven hath many sorts of Ministers p. 161 Ordinarily the truth is persecuted ibid. Touching the tearm evil Rom. 13. p. 162 The civil Magistrate robbed of his civil power ibid. Of toleration which Master Cotton in cases makes large enough p. 163 The land of Israel a type p. 164 Touching false and seducing teachers p. 165 The great difference of sin against the civil or spiritual estate p. 166 The gross partiality of the bloody doctrine of persecution ibid. Gods children much labor to shift off the cross of Christ p. 167 Christ Jesus between two theeves p. 168 The horrible hypâ—câ—isie of all persecutors ibid. Christs charge to Pergamus and Thyatira against toleration examined p. 169 The word persecution how ordinarily taken ibid. Famous speeches of some kings against persecution p. 170 No civil state or country can be truly called Christian although true Christians be in it p. 171 Nursing fathers dealt with all as children p. 172 Persecutors if it were in their power would and are bound to persecute all consciences and Religions in the world p. 173 All persecutors hold the Popes traiterous doctrine of deposing Hereticks c. p. 174 The Popish and Protestant Clargy set the Popish and Protestant world on fire for their maintenance ibid. The Dutch device to win their Clergy to toleration of other Religions p. 175 All that profess to be Christs Ministers must resolve to dig or beg or steal ibid. All Antichristians are fundamentally opposite to Christ Jesus p. 176 Of letting the Tares alone p. 177 A speech of King James considered p. 178 Touching compelling to come to Church to hear p. 179 A second speech of King James proving it possible that a Papist may yeeld civil obedience ibid. The Parliament at Paris although Popish yet condemned books against civil obedience p. 180 All England was Catholick and yet the Pope renounced ibid. A twofold holding the Pope as head ibid. The two English sisters Laws concerning conscience p. 181 Cautions for preventing disturbance by Papists ibid. Other Nations well provide against distractions and tumults from opposite consciences p. 182 Neerer competitors to the truth among our selves then the Papist ibid. The admired prudence of the Parliament in preserving civil peace p. 183. Increase of Papists unlikely as things stand in England ibid Master Jo. Robinson from Holland as touching permission of Papists his testimony p. 184 A third speech of King James considered ibid. Persecution ordinarily the mark of a false Church ibid. Stephen King of Poland his speech ibid. The spiritual power of Christ intrusted not with civil but spiritual Ministers p. 185 An excellent argument used in Parliament against the persecuting Bishops ibid. Two wayes of disturbing and destroying Religion p. 186 The Bishops as Tyrants justly suppressed and the Parliament therein prospered from heaven ibid. Daniels councel to Belshazzar preserveth Parliaments and nations ibid. Israel a miraculous nation p. 187 Two sorts of nations in the world ibid. Touching the true Christ and the false p. 188 The King of Bohemia his speech p. 189 Spiritual Rapts and violence upon conscience p. 189 Amnon his ravishing of Tamat a Type p. 190 The Judge of conviction of conscience ibid. Wars for Religion p. 191 The bloody tenent guilty of all the blood of Papists and Protestants formerly and lately spilt p. 192 Touching national Churches ibid. Practical denying of Christ Jesus the greatest p. 193 Two high transgressions objected against Master Cotton p. 194 Touching Julian his toleration p. 199 Touching the infection of false doctrine ibid. King James and Queen Elizabeth their persecutions compared p. 200 Fit qualification of Princes p. 201 Master Cotton suspends most part of the Magistrates in the world from acting in matters of Religion ib. Constantines Edict as to Religion p. 202 Foule imputations cast on Christ Jesus ibid. Vnchristian Tribunals and proceedings p. 203 Touching excommunication in Israel p. 204 Spiritual blessings and cursings the Antitypes of Corporal in Israel p. 205 Holy and spiritual Constables prisons stocks posts gibbets Tyburnes c. ibid. A true Christ a true sword a false Christ a false sword p. 206 Queen Elizabeth her wars against the Papists ibid. The Wars of the Waldenses p. 207 Christian weapons wars and victories p. 208 Gideons army typical ibid. The Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted p. 209 Poverty and persecution the most common companions of Gods Church p. 210 The sins of Gods children ibid. Christs witnesses in all Ages p. 211 A true wife of Christ no persecuter ibid. The difference between excommunication and persecution ibid. Difference between a spiritual and civil state p. 212 The civil powers made the Clergies executioners p. 213 Spiritual judgements more terrible since Christ then corporal before his coming p. 214 A twofold way of constraint p. 215 What it is to walk according to mans light ibid. Conviction twofold p. 216 The maintenance of the New English Ministers ibid. Of propagating Religion by the sword p. 217 Touching the Indians of New England p. 218 219 Propriety of Language necessary to all Preachers p. 220 Conscience a close prisoner in New England c. p. 221 Publike Marriage of a soul to Christ ibid. Spream Authority in spirituals p. 222 Mysteries of false Christs p. 225 The true Christ despised for his poverty ibid. A base esteem of the spiritual sword ibid. Earthly Christs need earthly supports p. 226 The state of Christianity during the reigne of Antichrist ibid. Satans two wayes of quenching the candle of Christianity p. 227 A note of the French Massacre ibid. The pretended disputes in Queen Maries dayes p. 228 The late Synodical disputes ibid. A bloody and most unchristian speech ibid. The rash madness of persecutors against themselves p. 229 Pleasantness of wit sanctified c. ibid. The Churches of New England proved an implicite national Church ibid. A
Hall not being satisfied he sends them unto the discusser who never saw the said Hall nor those Arguments in writing though he well remember that he saw them in print some yeers since and apprehending no other but that Master Cottons Answer was as publike as Master Cottons profession and practice of the same Tenent was and is what breach of rule can Master Cotton say it was to answer that in the streets which Master Cotton proclaimeth on the House top Peace But grant it had been a private letter and the discourse and the opinion private yet why doth he charge the discusser with breach of rule in not using orderly wayes of Admonition and telling the Church when Master Cotton himself in this Book blames the discusser for disclaiming Communion with their Church and they also after he was driven by banishment from civil habitation amongst them had sent forth a bull of excommunication against him in his absence Such practise the Lord Jesus and his first Apostles or Messengers never taught nor any that are truely their successors ever will But to end this Chapter in the last place why doth Master Cotton complaine of the loss of the liberty of his conscience and of the punishing of his conscience by the publishing of his letter aggravating it because the discusser pleads for liberty of conscience Is he indeed on the Lord Jesus mind for the sparing mens bodies and present life for their souls and eternal lives sake Doth he indeed plead for liberty of conscience Let the following discourse and this present passage manifest how tender he is of his own conscience and of the liberty of it But how censorious and senseless of the pangs and agonies of other mens conscience and spirits and sorrows As if his alone were the Apple of his eye but Theirs like the brawny hoofs of the roaring Bulls of Bashan Peace Complaines Master Cotton of persecution for such dealing against him I never heard that disputing discoursing and examining mens Tenents or Doctrines by the word of God was in proper English acceptation of the word persecution for conscience well had it been for New England that no servant of God nor witness of Christ Jesus could justly take up no other complaint against New England for other kinds of persecution surely the voice of Christ Jesus to Paul Saul Saul why persecutest thou me was for another kind of persecution Truth Deare Peace if the Bishops of Old England or new had never stirred up the Civil Magistrate to any other suppressing of mens consciences nor no other persecuting then discussing disputing c. they should never have needed to have been charged so publikely in the face of the world with the bloody Tenent of persecution for cause of conscience Examination of CHAP. II. Peace IN this Chapter Master Cotton much complaines that he is charged in the Title to maintaine persecution for cause of conscience and professeth That he would have none be punished for conscience unless his errour be fundamental or seditiously or turbulenly promoted and that after due conviction of conscience and that it may appear he is not punished for his conscience but for sinning against his conscience Truth Persecution for conscience is in plaine English hunting for conscience and Master Cotton being a son of wine as the Jews speak in their Proverb is loth to be counted a son of vinegar and therefore would avoid the word persecuting or hunting as something too wilde and fierce an expression more sutable to the bloody sons of vinegar and gall the Roman Emperors Popes and Bishops and he much desires to have the word persecuting changed for the word punishing a tearm more proper to true Justice But is not this the guise and profession of all that ever persecuted or hunted men for their Religion and conscience are not all histories and experiences full of the pathetical speeches of persecutors to this purpose You will say you are persecuted for your conscience you plead conscience Thou art a heretick the devil hath deceived thee thy conscience is deluded c. And 2. Whether such punishing as Master Cotton assigneth to that threefold degree of heretical wickedness chap. 5. to wit To hold a fundamental error To persist therein after conviction and lastly To seduce others thereunto Or these five summed up page 186 of his book subverters of the Christian Faith persisters therein after conviction blasphemers idolaters seducers I say such a punishing which he affirmes to be death and killing will not amount to make up a persecution for cause of conscience let the Spanish Inquisitions be an instance who when they torture and rack and kill and burn for such crimes yet varnish they and guild all over with the painted Title of Gods Glory holy zeal just punishment of hereticks blasphemers c. Peace But Master Cotton blameth that he should be charged with the Doctrine of persecution by consequence Truth Let his whole book and the prosecuting of this controversie be judge whether it be only drawn from consequences and not express Tearms And for the washing of this bloody Tenent in the blood of the Lambe Time hath and will discover that such a Blackamore cannot be washed in the blood of Christ himself without Repentance for they that washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb Revelations the 7. were true penitents untill therefore that persecutors repent of this bloody Doctrine and practice they must hear as the men of Judah did the prophet Isaiahs thunder Isa 1. Your hands are defiled with blood wash you make you clean c. Examination of CHAP. III. Peace BUt what knot in a Bulrush is that which Master Cotton observes the discusser findes in his first distinction of persecution for cause of conscience Truth For the matter upon the point they both agree as Master Cotton hath penned himself that persecution for cause of conscience is not onely when a man is punished for professing such Doctrines and Worships as he believes to be of God but also when he is punished for renouncing such Doctrine and not practising such Worships which he believes are not of God c. All the difference is this that the discusser saith This should have been expressed in the distinction Master Cotton saith it was implied and therefore the observing of the not expressing of it was but a knot in a Bulrush Peace T is wofully true that the peace of the Saints and the peace of the world hath been lamentably broake and distracted in punishing or persecuting of men but especially the Saints upon both these grounds but yet the records of time and experience will tell us that since the Apostasie from the truth of Jesus the rising of Antichrist and the setting up of many State Religions the forest and frequentest punishing or hunting of the children of God hath been as in the case of Nebuchadnezzars Image for not bowing down to the State-Images for not coming
the twelve and the seventy Secondly By his visible kingly power left in the hand of his true churches and the officers and governors thereof In which sence that church of Antioch and the governors thereof rightly invested with the kingly power of Christ Jesus sent forth Paul and Barnabas with prayer and fasting and saying on of hands And Paul and others of Christs messengers being furnished with this kingly power not only planted churches but also ordained elders visited these churches or visible cities of Judah that knowledge and teaching and the word of God might dwel plenteously among them Thirdly Christ Iesus as king of his church and head of his body during the distractions of his house and kingdome under Antichrists apostacy immediately by his own holy Spirit stirs up and sends out those fiery witnesses Rev. 11. to testifie against Antichrist and his several abominations For as for lawful calling to a true ordinary Ministery neither Wickliff in England nor Waldâ—â— in France nor Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prauge in Bohemia nor Luther in Germany nor multitudes more of famous preachers and prophets of Christ both in these countries and also in Spaine Italy c. I say no true ordinary Ministerial calling can they ever shew but Christ Jesus by the secret motion of his own holy Spirit extraordinarily excited in couraged and sent them abroad as an Angel or messenger Rev. 14. with the everlasting Gospel c. Peace To apply these three wayes or any of them to the civil Magistrates and rulers of the world of whom Iehosaphat in that his act should be a type is but to prophane the holy name of God to leane upon and â—dolize an arme of flesh c. Truth I grant the civil Magistrate is bound to countenance the true Ministers of Christ Iesus to incourage protect and defend them from injuries but to send them armed as the Popes Legats and Priests with a sword of steel and to compel people to hear and obey them this savours more of the spirit of the Pope his courses and practises Yea of Mahomet his Mussel-men Dâ—rgâ—es c. then the Lambe of God and his followers Peace What Iehosophat Asa Hezekiah Iosiah c. did they did not only by perswasion countenance example by which all are bound to further the preaching of Christ Iesus but also by force of armes and corporal punishments Truth Yea even to the death it self and this is not a bare sending out of Ministers as Master Cotton gives the instance For by his argument all rulers kings and Emperors and other states of the world ought to embrue their hands in the blood of the many thousands and millions of millions of the poor people if they forsake not their idolatry and embrace the religion which they say is Christian and the only true Peace No saith Master Cotton this ought not to be because only godly and truly Christian Magistrates may so put forth this power of Christ others must stay until they be informed Truth Can it enter into any Christian heart to believe that Christ Jesus should so loosly provide for his affaires so slightly for his name and Fathers work and so regardlesly for his dearest Spouse as to leave so high a care and charge with such as generally and constantly throughout the whole world are ignorant of yea and opposite to the very name of Christ and true Christianity Peace Surely if this payment were offered to the governour as Malachy saith to the world or governments of it it would not pass Truth I never knew a king or captaine councellor or constable officers of high or low condition rightly called according to to God who were not invested with ability more or less for the maine and principal points of their charge and duty Peace It seemes indeed a marvelous and yet it is Master Cottons conclusion that such Magistrates yea all or most of the Magistrates that ever have been since Christ and now extant upon the face of the earth must sit down stay and suspend and that all their life long from the executing of the maine and principal part of their office to wit in matters concerning the conscience religion and worship of the people Truth Yea Secondly in a due survey of the whole universe and globe of this world will one of a thousand or ten thousand according to Master Cottons disabling of them from the chief part of their office be found I will not say fit to be but to be at all lawful civil Magistrates or rulers according to Gods ordinance of Magistracy but meer shadows or images set on high with empty names or titles only of Magistrates Peace Master Cotton adds Although the good of souls is the proper or adequate object of the spiritual officers of Christ and the bodies and goods of the people the proper or adequate object of the civil Magistrate yet in order to the good of their souls he ought to procure spiritual helpes and to prevent spiritual evils Truth I reply If he mean as it is clear he doth that the civil Magistrate ought to do this not only as a Christian by spiritual meanes but as a civil Magistrate by force of armes It is not in order but monstrous disorder for then he the civil Magistrate must sit Judge judicially and formally in those spiritual causes and cases which Master Cotton grants are proper and adequate objects of the spiritual officers which Christ hath appointed Peace Yea why may not saith Master Cotton the Magistrate use his power spiritually in order to the good of bodies as the officers of Christ dehort from idleness and intemperance of meats and drinks c. in order to the good of souls Truth The spiritual officers in dehorting from these evils or any other of that kind interfere not nor take cognizance of that which belongs not to their spiritual court for holiness in all manner of conversation is the circle wherein they ought to see all their spiritual subjects to walk If the spiritual officers should cause by force of armes their people to walk justly temperately c. as Master Cotton saith the civil Magistrate in order to the good of bodies ought to deal in spiritual and soul-matters I say then the eyes of the civil Magistrate would begin to open and to see the horrible disorder and Babylonish confusion of that which is here masked under the abused name of order Peace Master Cotton closeth up this chapter with very bitter censures against the discusser Truth The discusser may well reply that although since the apostacy he sees not the visible thrones and tribunals of Christ Jesus according to his first institution erected and although the civil Magistrate hath not the power of Christ in matters of religion yet they that slay the Lords sheep are not exempted from all judgement For if the offenders slay them corporally the Lord hath armed the civil Magistrate with the sword of God to take vengeance
on them In which respect God hath crowned the supream court of Parliament with everlasting honour in breaking the jaws of the oppressing Bishops c. Oh that such glorious Justice may not be blemished by erecting in their stead a more refined but yet as cruel an Episcopacy 2. If the offence be of a spiritual nature is there no spiritual way of judging except the church of Christ be granted visible during Antichrists Apostacy Hath not Christ Jesus given power to his two prophets even all the Raigne of the Beast to speak fire Revelations the 11. to shut up heaven to turn the waters into blood to smite the earth with all manner of plagues and this untill the time of the finishing of their prophecie or Testimony when their great slaughters shall prepare the way for the downfal of Antichrist and their own most glorious raising and exaltation There was no Chapter 34 which probably was Master Cottons oversight or the Printers therefore I pass to Chapter 35. Examination of CHAP. XXXV Peace HEre whereas it was said if it were the Magistrates duty or office to punish hereticks c. then he is both a temporal and Ecclesiastical officers Master Cotton answers It follows not except the Magistrate were to punish with Ecclesiastical censures his punishment is meerly civil whether imprisonment banishment or death Truth I reply first the statutes of the English nation and the oath of supremacy have proved the Kings and Queens of England heads and governors of the church of England And if to be an head or governor be not an office let Master Cotton be againe requested to ponder the instance given which he passeth by in silence deny it ingenuously he cannot and to justifie it I hope his light from heaven will not suffer him although yet he would â—aine excuse it by saying they punish only with civil punishment imprisonment banishment or death Therefore 2. Here lies the mystery of iniquity and the Babel and confusion of it that either according to Popish Tenents the kings of the earth must give their power to the beast and enslave themselves under the name and vizard of the secular power to be the Popes executioners or according to Protestant Tenents to wit that Kings and Governours be heads of the church and yet be furnished with no Church-power nor spirituall censures Peace It would be thought some mystical and monstrous thing that Kings and Governors should be obliged to act in civil Judicature and yet be furnished with no civil power but ought to punish onely with spirituall or Church-censures Truth The blinde and the lame mans robbing the Orchard is here verified The Minister though a blindeguide he is the seer but wanting legs and strength of civil power he is carried upon the civil Magistrates shoulders whose blindness the subtle Clergy abuseth c. but both together rob the Orchard of the most high and sureaâ—enging God Truth I conceive it true that the Kings and Governors of the national church of Israel had a national power and had the Kord Jesus been pleased to have continued national churches the Lings and governors of such states might well as they of Israel were have been both Temporal and Ecclesiastical officers Peace But now the Lord Jesus abolishing that national state and instituting and appointing his worshippers and followers to be the Israel of God the holy nation and proper Antitype of the former Israel it seems most unchristian that either the work or the title should remaine whether with open or a masked face or vizard Truth Therefore as it pleased God in wonderful wisdome and inconceiâ—eable depths of councel for a while to continue a national church national covenant c. and to take them away as unsufficient beggarly and weak either for the further advancement of his own glory or salvation of men so hath he taken away the administration thereof by carnal weapons armes of flesh c. In stead of fire and sword and stoning the oppositâ—es in stead of imprisonment banishment death he hath appointed exhortations reprehensions denunciations excommunications and together with preaching patient waiting if God peradventure will give repentance Lastly If the civil Magistrate must imprison and banish and put to death in spiritual cases and the civil Magistrate is but a Minister or servant of the people and so of God and if the people make the laws and give the Magistrate his commission and power doth it not follow by this doctrine that the people of the nations of the world are fundamentally and originally both Temporal and Ecclesiastical And then what is become of the foundations of the Christian faith And also are not hereby the people and nations of the world whatever care be had to the contrary to restraine incouraged according to their several consciences I say encouraged and hardened in their bloody wars imprisonings banishings and putting to death for cause of conscience Peace Whereas it was said to be Babel or confusion for the church to punish the offences of such as are not within its jurisdiction with spiritual censures or the civil state spiritual offences with corporal or temporal weapons Master Cotton answers No confusion for so Paul directs the church of Corinth Truth That very Parenthesis which Master Cotton stumbleth at takes away his answer For as it would be confusion for the church to censure such matters and of such persons as belong not to the church So is it confusion for the state to punish spiritual offenders for they are not within the sphear of a civil jurisdiction The body or Commonweal is meerly civil the Magistrate or head is a civil head and each member is a civil member and so far forth as any of this civil body are spiritual or act spiritually they and their actions fall under a spiritual cognizance and judicature Peace The reason saith Master Cotton is the same for there be offences which tend to provoke wrath against the civil state Ezra 7. Why should there be wrath against the king or his sons Truth This reason indeed Master Cotton often inculcates and beates upon it that the Pagan kings of Persia were of his mind â— I believe Master Cotton out of a zeal to God but the Pagan kings out of a slavish terror which never prevailed so far that I know of as to bring them to a kindly repentance of their own idolatries or a true love to the God of Israel or his people Peace However your former answer is to me sufficient to wit that thousands of famous Towns Cities and Kingdomes have flourished in peace and tranquillity for many ages and generations where God hath had no house and not only where it was by the civil state neglected but also wholly persecuted Truth In the time appointed and full ripeness of their sins the vengeance of God after patience many generations abused hath surely and fearefully visited yet in the interim it is clear it is no ground