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
the wife or the wife to the husband Yea whether they spake any thing though never so little out of any line of holy Scriptures or any of Wickliffes books or any good English writings By which abhorred practices the fathers caught in this bloody Bishops oath vehemently forced upon all suspected the fathers I say were forced to accuse and betray their children the children their fathers husbands their wives wives their husbands for fear of horrible death on the one side or else of running upon the rocks of Perjury on the other side Peace Hold dear truth and stop my spirit is wounded with such relations Truth O how were the Saints and Christ Jesus in them wounded with such tenents and practices Peace Master Cotton will salve this up with what he elsewhere saith thus Longlands and the Papists religion and the religion of England was then false in that kings time Truth What then No pious and sober man can hold all mâ—n devoid of conscience to God except himself In all religions sects and consciences the sons of men are more or less zealous and precise though it be in falshood 2. But let it be granted that the religion persecuted is false and that a false religion like leaven will spread as did this idolatry of Michal Jeroboam and others and grant that this idolatry will bring judgements from heaven in the end yet I desire Master Cotton or any knowing man to answer to these two questions 1. Where finde we since the comming of Christ Jesus a land like Canaan a state-religion a City or Town-religion wherein the Townes or Cities or kingdomes apostacie may be feared as Master Cotton here writes of Lâ—â—sh and consequently the Townes or Cities captivity for that sin 2. Where read we of the destruction of a land for idolatry or images without a ripeness in other sins and especially of violence and oppression of which persecution is the greatest And therefore to follow Master Cottons instance of the Turks beside idolatry which saith Master Cotton brought the plague of the Turks Rev. 9. read we not also in that Scripture and in all histories of their detestable and wonderful whoredomes witchcrafts thefts slaughters and murthers amongst which this bloody Tenent of persecution was ever in most high esteem c. Peace Indeed Bâ—â—â—â— hath been filled with blood of all sorts Râ—â—â—lations the 18. but in especial manner hath the whâ—re been drunk with the blood of the Saints and witnesses of Jesus Revel 17. Truth Hence then not idolatry onely but that bloody doctrine of persecution the great fire-brand and incendiary of all Nations and Commonweals brought in the bloody Turkes to revenge Gods truth and witnesses slaine by the idolatrous and bloody Antichristians Peace I something question that it can be proved that the most righteous Judge of the whole world ever destroyed state or nation for idolatry but where this bloody doctrine of persecution was joyned with it that is until he had graciously sent witnesses against such idolatries and till such witnesses were despised and persecuted and therefore here comes in seasonably the sad exprobration of the Lord Jesus against Jerusalem threatning the ruine and desolation of it Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them which were sent unto thee c Truth I add lastly Let it be granted that a soul is corrupted with a false religion and that that false Religion like a leaven in time hath corrupted the state Yet first that state or land is none else but a part of the world and if so since every part more or less in degree follows the nature of the whole it is but natural and so lieth as the whole world doth in wickedness and so as a state or part of the world cannot but alter from one false way or path to another upon this supposition as before that no whole state kingdome City or Town is Christian in the new Testament Secondly Grant this state to be so corrupted or altered from one corrupt religion to another yet that state may many ages enjoy civil peace and worldly prosperity as all histories and experience testifies Thirdly That idolatry may be rooted out and another idolatrous religion of the conquerer as in the Roâ—aâ—e and other conquests brought in or the religion may be changed something to the better by the coming of new Princes to the crown as we see in Henry the eighth King Edward and Queen Elizabeth in our own Nation and of late times Lastly A soul oâ— souls thus leavened may be reduced by repentance as often it pleaseth God so to work why then should there as Master Cotton intimates such a peremptory bloody sentence be thundred out as life for life c. Peace But saith Master Cotton false prophets in the old Testament were to die but for attempting and the reason was not from any typical holiness of the land but from the dangerous wickedness of the attempting to thrust away a soul from God which is a greater injury then to deprive a man of bodily life Truth The reason to me appears plainly typical with respect to that holy nation and the seducers seeking to turn the soul away from the Lord their God who had brought them forth from the land of Egypt by such signes miracles c. Let Master Cotton now produce any such nation in the whole world whom God in the New Testament hath literally and miraculously brought forth of Egypt or from one land into another to the truth and purity of his worship c. then far be it but I should acknowledge that the seducer is fit to be put to death But draw away the curtaine of the shadow and let the substance appear not a whole Nation City c. but the Christian church brought by spiritual signes and wonders from the Egypt of this world in all nations of the world where the Gospel comes Justly therefore he that seduceth a soul from his God in Christ and so endangereth to leaven that only true Christian state or kingdome the church of Christ he ought to die upon his obstinacy without mercy as well under Christ as under Moses Yea he is worthy of a sorer punishment as saith the Spirit of God who trampleth under feet the blood of Christ such a deceiver or seducer except he repent is to be cut from the presence of the Lord and to lose an eternal life He that is cut off from material Israel might yet repent and live eternally but he that is cut off from mystical Israel under the Gospel that is for obstinacy in sin the proper hereticke he is cut off to all eternity which punishment as it is infinitely transcendent and more dreadful in the nature and kind of it so answereth it fully and infinitely that clause of Master Cotton to wit To thrust a soul from God is a greater injury then to deprive a man of his bodily life Peace Now whereas the discusser added
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-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
an objection that this distinction concerns not Truth or errour but the manner of holding or divulging Master Cotton affirmes the distinction to speak expresly of things unlawfull and erroneous and therefore that it cannot be said with Truth that the distinction concernes not truth and error Truth The truth is this the former distinction speakes of matter and this distinction seems wholly to intend the manner of holding forth The words were these Again in points of Doctrine and Worship less principal either they are held forth in a meek and peaceable way though the things be erroneous and unlawful or they are held forth with such Arrogance and Impetuousness as tendeth to the disturbance of civil peace In which although things erroneous and unlawful are mentioned yet who sees not but that those words are brought in by the way of Parenthesis which may or may not be left out and the distinction be whole and intire And therefore Master Cotton doth not well to spend precious time and life upon seeming advantages Peace Yea but saith he why is this distinction blamed when the discusser himself acknowledgeth that there may be a way and manner of holding forth which may tend to break the civil peace Truth That which was excepted most against in the distinction was the persecuting language of arrogance impetuousness boisterousness without declaring what that was to which Master Cotton answers that the discussers request was not that he should compile a discourse but return an answer to the letter of his friend as also that he charged none of Gods children with such things I reply as formerly Master Cotton's memory though otherwise excellent herein faileth for such a request the discusser never made unto him by letter or otherwise 2. Although he charged not Gods people with arrogance and impetuousness yet mostly and commonly Gods children though meek and peaceable are accused to be arrogant impetuous c. and 't is the common notorious language of persecutors against them Peace Concering those six instances wherein Gods children were occasion of great opposition and spiritual hostility yea and of breach of civil peace notwithstanding the matter delivered was holy and the manner peaceable Master Cotton answers they nothing concern the distinction which speaks of holding forth things erroneous and unlawful for the matter and for the manner in a way of arrogance and impetuousness to the disturbance of civil peace Truth I reply first it speaks not only of erroneous and unlawful things though erroneous and unlawful things be admitted in way of Parenthesis as before 2. He describes not what this arrogance and impetuousness is but wraps up all in one general dark cloud wherein the best and most zealous of Gods Prophets and servants are easily wrapt up as proud arrogant and impetuous Examination of CHAP. IX Peace IN this Chapter I remember you affirmed that one cause of civil dissention and uproar was the lying of a State under false worship whence it endures not the preaching of light and truth c. Master Cotton answers This is not to the purpose because this is by accident Truth It is as much to the purpose to declare in the examination of the breach of civil peace about matters of Religion I say to declare the true cause of such troubles and uproares as it is in the search after the leaks of a ship to declare where the leake is indeed when many are said to be where they are not 2. Whereas he confesseth that vigilant and faithful ones are not so troubled at the false Religion of Jew or Gentile as not to tolerate them amongst them in a civil body he alleadgeth for instance that the Indians subjected to their government are not compelled to the confession or acknowledgement of their Religion I reply first who sees not herein unchristian partiality that Pagans Barbarians who happily might more easily be brought from their natural Religion to a new forme then any other I say that they should be tolerated in their hideous worships of creatures and devils while civil people his countrymen yea it may be the precious sons and daughters of the most high God shall be courted fined whipt banished c. for the matters of their conscience and worship to the true and living God 2. Is not this passage contradictory to all Master Cottons whole discourse in this book which pleades for the purity of Religion to be maintained by all Magistrates and civil governments within their jurisdictions and the suppressing of the contrary under the penalty of the destruction of their lands and countries and accordingly hath not the practice of New England answered such a doctrine and yet saith he we tolerate the false Religion of Jew or Gentile Peace Possibly Dear Truth the distinction between Jew Pagan and Christian may satisfie for the present Master Cottons conscience so to write and practise for thus he addeth But if Christians shall apostate or if Jews and Pagans be blasphemous and seducing then c. Truth Who knows not but that the very Religion of Jew or Pagan is a blaspheming of the true Religion Revel 2. I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue or church of Sathan And whereas Master Cotton alleadgeth for proof of this Pauls blaming of false teachers for being troublers to the churches of Galatia Gal. 5. and Acts 15 c. Who that puts this inference into Christs balance but will see the lightness of it thus The churches of Christ are to draw forth the sword and power of Christ and are not to suffer such as with false doctrine trouble their peace Ergo Therefore the civil state must not permit such persons to live in the world c. Peace The second cause I remember you alleadged of civil disturbances and hubbubs about Religion was the praeposterous way of healing of corruptions in Religion as by whips stocks imprisonment c. unto this Master Cotton answers Then the Mariners casting Jonah over-boord for his sin was the cause of the storme Truth I answer if that extraordinary and miraculous instance be sufficient ground for Magistrates casting over-boord whomsoever they judge Hereticks then all civil states and ships must so practise in stormes and troubles on sea or shore to wit throw over-boord put to death not only Hereticks Blasphemers Seducers c. but the best of Gods Prophets or servants for neglect of their duty Ministery c. which was Jonahs case And if so doth not this set up and all the world over by land or sea all Kings and Magistrates all Masters of ships and captaines to be the spiritual and Ecclesiastical Judges of the religion and spiritual neglects of all their subjects or Passengers Such doctrine I cannot imagine would have relished with Master Cotton in his passage to New England and I humbly desire of God that he may never tast the bitter fruit of this Tree of which yet so many thousands
their dominions that all true Christian meanes be used for the spreading of the name and truth of the Lord Iesus I say this serves not the turn and gives not content except also the Magistrate defend by civil sword the purity of the doctrine and the ordinances of Christ Iesus in his church in punishing and suppressing the contrary by arme of flesh whether within or without the church Peace In this last respect I must speak an high and bold word to wit That the poorest youth or maid who hath more knowledge and graâ—e of Christ then a king or Emperour hath as well sometimes it hath and may come to pass may be a greater contender for the truth and a great defender of the faith of Iesus then the king or Emperor and so consequently then all the kings of the whole world Truth Paul was set for the defence of the Gospel and consequently every believer in Iesus according to his measure of grace received and therefore your word is not more bold then true For spiritual defences are most proper to a spiritual estate and so accordingly most potent prevalent and mighty Examination of CHAP. XXXI Peace HEre first Master Cotton will not own it that the title of Iudges of spiritual causes be given to Civil Magistrate Truth The Parliament of England established King Henry the eighth supreame head and Governor over the church of England and what is this but supreme Iudge in all Ecclesiastical causes What though the tearme judge be stumbled at by some and the tearm head will not down with others yet take but what Master Cotton grantâ— And as the devil himself lay hid under Samuels mantle so under Master Cottons tearm of fathers mothers shepherds that is spiritual fathers mothers shepherds must of necessity be concluded an headship and power and office of judging when this child doth a miss when these sheep go astray who are schismaticks who hereticks who sheep who Wolves that the sheep may be corrected and reduced and the Wolves braines knockt out Peace They may judge saith Master Cotton but not with a church but politick power and for want of which and for giving their kingdome to the Beast Revel 17. 12 13. God saith he opened a way for the Turkes to break in and destroy the third part of Christendome Rev. 9. 14. to 21. Truth Let it be under what cloake or colour or notion soever let it be politick indeed and subtle or plaine and simple yet it seemes it is true that he must judge which will not be owned in plaine tearms but as a Protector a Father or a Shepheard Secondly Those Scriptures quoted do not lay a guilt upon the ten horns or kings for suffering the beast in their dominions but for giving their power and authority unto him Thirdly the civil peace was not dissolved but preserved for many hundred yeers before the Turkes rose to punish either the Eastern or Western part of Antichristian Christendome So that a false religion doth not immediately and instantly dissolve the civil peace but kingdomes and states professing false religions may flourish T is true God in his deep councels and times brings judgements eternal and temporal upon false worshipping states especially where the truth of Christ is presented and persecuted Yet divers ages of temporal prosperity to the Antichristian kingdom prove that common Assumption and maxime false to wit that the church and Commonweale are like Hipocrates twins weep and laugh flourish and fade live and die together Peace I cannot reach the bottome of this next passage of Master Cotton viz. that Magistrates may be subject to the church and lick the dust of her feet and yet be supreme governors of the church also In spiritual matters saith he and in a right administration of them he is subject but is civil things and in the corrupt administration of church-affaires so far corrupt as tendeth to the disturbance of civil peace there the Magistrates saith he are supream governors even over the churches in their own dominions Truth Who sees not here but by this Doctrine Magistrates must judge when the church is rightly administred and when it is corruptly administred And that whatever the Ministers of the church or the whole church judge that is nothing for the Magistrate if he be supream governor he must judge and what is this but even in the very same respect I say in one and the same respect to make them high and low up and down mountaines and vallies supream governors and so above the church anon ageâ— to lick the dust of the feet of the church which Master Cotton will as soon make good as bring the East and the West together Besides as elsewhere I observed what if the people will have no kings governors c. nay no Parliament nor general courts but leave vast interregnums or Ruptures of government yea conclude upon frequent changes as all nations of the world have had great changes this way shall the churches of Christ Jesus be without an head a governor defender protector What a slavery doth this bloody doctrine bring the faire Spouse of Christ into Peace In the passage concerning Saul Master Cotton observeth that Saul was not taken away for exercising civil power against spiritual wickedness in the case of witches Truth Saul was king of Israel the church of God and a typical king the anointed or Christ of God and Master Cotton himself will subcribe to the confession of Nathaniel to Christ Iesus Thou art the king of Israel which he was and is in his own most holy person as also in his Ministers and governors during his absence It was now Sauls duty to put literal witches to death in his Christian Israel his church and Congregation It is true Saul forsaking the God of Israel perished for other wickedness and among other his sins for persecuting or hunting righteous David and therein Saul is a type and warning to all the apostates and persecuting Sauls of the earth that desperation and desperate self-destruction attend them Peace But whither tends this last passage concerning David We read not saith Master Cotton that he did exercise any spiritual power as a King but as a prophet Will he commend Sauls kingly acting in spiritual things as just and shall not David whose name and throne were most eminently figurative of Christ Jesus be found a king in Israel the house and church of God Truth The patern of David Solomon and the good kings of Israel and Judah is the common and great argument of all that plead for Magistrates power in spiritual cases And indeed what power was that but spiritual which he exercised in bringing up the Arke expresly said to be done by king David 2 Sam. 6. What power was that but kingly put forth in ordering and disposing the services of the Priests and Levites and singers 1 Chron. 16 Peace Master Cotton not ignorant of this it may be was not
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
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
be found upon examination incomparably greater and wrought in the eighth part of the time that the changes of the church of Iudah were And yet this instance will not infringe that the civil sword of the Magistrate in a national way is ordinarily able to turn about a Nation to and againe to and from a truth of God in national hypocrisie and therefore most wisely hath the most holy and only wise by the most golrious brightness of his person and wisdom of the Father Christ Jesus abolished his own national and state church whether explicit or implicit that the two-edged sword of the word of the Lord in the mouths of his true messengers might alone be brandished and magnified Peace Master Cotton concludeth this Chapter with the observation that the revolt of England againe to Popery wanteth Scripture-light Truth He that loves Christ Iesus in sincerity cannot but long that Christ Iesus would speedily be pleased with the breath of his mouth to consume that man of sin But yet that worthy servant of God according to his conscience Master Archer doth not barely propose his opinion but also his Scripture-grounds which I believe compared with all former experiences will seem to be of great and weighty consideration and call all that wait for Christ Iesus to beg his Spirit deeply to weigh and ponder them Examination of CHAP. XL. Peace TO the several allegations concerning the woful slavery of all opposites of Christ Iesus and the mighty power of free grace only able to release them Master Cotton replies So is it with scandalous offenders against the Civil state and yet this doth not restraine Magistrates from executing just judgements upon them c. And he adds that better a dead soul in a dead body and that seducers die without faith then murther and seduce many precious souls from the faith Truth The Lord Iesus commanding to give God the things that be Gods and to Caesar the things that be Caesars gives all his followers a clear and glorious torch of light to distinguish between offenders against God in a spiritual way and offenders against Caesar his Lawes state and government in a civil way T is true slatterers and time-servers use to make Religion and justice the two pillars of a State and so indeed do all such states in the world as maintaine a state-Religion invented and maintained in civil policy to maintaine a civil state But all men that have tasted of history or travel are witnesses sufficient of these two particulars First concerning justice that if the sword and balances of justice in a sort or measure be not drawn and held forth against scandalous offenders against civil state that civil state must dissolve by little and little from civility to barbarisme which is a wilderness of life and manners Peace Yea the very barbarians and Pagans of the world themselves are forced for their holding and hanging together in barbarous compaines to use the ties and knots and bands of a kind of civil justice against scandalous offenders against their Commonweale and profit Truth But too many thousands of Cities and states in the world have and do flourish for many generations and ages of men wherein whatever Caesar gets God cannot get one penny of his due in any bare permission or toleration of his religion and worship Peace Dear Truth these two points being so constantly proved I can but wonder that Master Cotton or any servant of Christ Iesus should cry out to the Caesars of this world to help the eternal God to get his due because Christ Iesus grants them a civil sword in civil cases to preserve their civil states from barbarisme and confusion Truth That worthy Emperor Antoninus Pius in his letters for the Christians plainly tels the governors of his provinces that the gods were able to punish those that sinned against their worship evidently declaring by that light of conscience and knowledge which God had lighted up in his soul the vast difference between offenders in the civil state and offendors against the true and only religion and worship about which the whole world disagreeth and is hist together by this bloody tenent I say hist together by the ears and throat in blood and fire as the tide of times major vote armies and armes of flesh prevaile Peace Ah Dear truth is there is no Balme in Gâ—â—ead no balances no sword of spiritual justice in the City and kingdome of Christ Jesus but that the officers thereof must run to borrow Caesar Are the Armories of the true king Solomon Christ Jesus disarmed Are there no spiritual swords girt upon the thighs of those valiant ones that should guard his heavenly bed except the sword of steel be run for from the cutlers shop Is the Religion of Christ Jesus so poor and so weak and feeble grown so cowardly and base since Paul spake so gloriously of it and the weapons of it 2 Cor. 10. that neither the souldiers nor Commanders in Christs Army have any courage or skill to withstand sufficiently in all points a false teacher a false prophet a spiritual cheater or deceiver Truth This must all that follow Jesus bitterly lament that not a spiritual sword or spear is to be found in the spiritual Israel of God but that his poor Israelites are forced down to the Philistins of this worlds Smiths c. And that the princes of Zion are become feeble like harts without pasture as Jeremy complaineth in his Lamentations Peace Now whereas it was added that a civil sword hardens the followers of false teachers in the suffering of their leaders and begets an impression of the falshood of that religion which cannot uphold it self all the world over but with such instruments of violence c. Master Cotton replies that the Magistrate ought not to draw out his sword against seducers untill he hath used all good means for conviction c. and then saith he he should be cruel to Christs Lambs in sparing the Foxes c. Truth Who knows not this to be the plea and practise of all Popish persecutors in all ages to compass sea and land to reduce the heretick to the union and bosome of the church not only with promises threatnings c but oftimes with solemn disputations and sometimes writings and waitings before they come to the definitive sentence and deliver him to the secular power and so to the use of those desperate remedies of hanging burning c. How do the bloody Popes and the bloody Bonners in their hypocritical letters and bloody sentences profess their lamentable grief at errors and heresies their clemency and mercy and great pains taken to reduce that wandring to return the lost childe to heal the scabbed sheep yea and when they are forced as they say for the saving of the flock from infection to deliver such sheep to the secular power as their butchers and executioners yet beseech they that power and that
contradict Master Cottons church way though before dear brethren familiar and intimate he not only drives them out as wolves blasphemers seducers c. by his pretended spiritual weapons of Christ Jesus but also by civil sword imprisoning banishing whipping c. But more particularly The discusser indeed useth this word the same power but not as Master Cotton seemeth to understand it for the same weapon He hath in this very place printed the discussers words that a staff is for the wolfe and a rod or hook for the sheep The dog that teares the wolf is but to affright the sheep and consequently the father that hath a stick or rod for the child But yet these swords staves-sticks and rods are all of the same nature in general that is of a material temporal and civil nature which may be used about natural wolves sheep children c. And if they may be used also about spiritual or mystical wolves to force them out it is as cleare as the Sun-Beames that they may be used that is such civil weapons as are fit for mystical wolves to force them into the sheepfold And thus have all Popish persecutors practised in our own and other countries to wit by civil power as well as by their own pretended spiritual in forcing their supposed sheep to church and to conformity as well as by whips and Prisons Ropes and Fires driving out the supposed wolves or hereticks Peace In the close of this Master Cotton adds that Rev. 6. 6. the Antichristian wolves shall drink blood for they are worthy Truth I have in former passages declared the misconceit of Master Cotton and others as touching that Scripture and that although they shall drink blood filled out of the cups of Gods righteous vengeance yet not by judicial prosecution in civil courts for spiritual offences although yet it is most righteous for the kings and powers of the earth meerly with respect to these wolves their oppressions and bloodsheddings to repay them again with the like smart and paine and kinds of punishment Peace Yea and t is for ever memorable that while the kings of the earth have given their power to the beast against the bodies of the Saints what cups of blood hath the righteous hand of the most high filled to Antichristian kings and kingdomes by the bloody Turkes and by their own more bloody wars sometimes for the empty puffs of their titles and honors but as frequently for God as they pretend and for his Religion Examination of CHAP. XLII Peace IN this Chapter Master Cotton chargeth the discusser for making work to wit for examining more particularly the similitude of wolves brought in by Master Cotton himself yet he consenteth with him in the first quaery that those Wolves of which Paul warns the elders at Ephesus were mystical and spiritual wolves yet he adds that such cannot be good subjects loving neighbors faire dealers because they spiritually are not such and he argues that then it will be no advantage to civil states when the kingdomes of the earth shall become the kingdomes of the Lord and that then they may do as good service to the civil state who bring the wrath of God upon them by their apostacy as they that bring dow blessings from heaven by profession and practise of the true religion in purity Truth I desire that this reply be well pondred for it will be found dangerously destâ—â—ctive to the very roots of all civil relations converse and dealing yea and any civil being of the world it self For if none be peaceable subjects loving neighbors faire dealers but such of Master Cottons conscience and religion which he conceives to be the only true religion what will become of all other states governments cities towns peoples families neighbors upon the face of the earth I say what will become of them especially if power were in Master Cottons hand to deal with them as Wolves Peace Alas too too frequent experience tels us in all parts of the world that many thousands are far more peaceable subjects more loving and helpful neighbors and more true and fair dealers in civil conversation then many who account themselves to be the only religious people in the world Truth But againe What the state of things shall be and what the manner of the administration of Christs kingdome when the kingdomes of the earth shall become the kingdomes of the Lord Master Cotton doth not express and for wrath brought upon civil states for their apostacy I' desire Master Cotton to shew where ever God destroyed any Nation in the world one only excepted for Apostacy from his truth and worship Yea and where was ever Israel the only true national church that Master Cotton will acknowledge meerly for apostasie destroyed without general ripeness in other sins also and especially for their persecuting of such as declared their apostasie superstition and will-worship from God unto them Peace In the next place Master Cotton granting that the charge given to watch against these Wolves was not given to the Magistrates of the City of Ephesus but to the elders of the church of Christ in Ephesus he yet chargeth the discusser with a palpable and notorious slander for saying that many of those charges and exhortations given by the Lord Jesus to the shepherds and Ministers of the churches are commonly attributed by the answerer in this discourse to the civil Magistrate Truth This heavy charge of Master Cottons against the discusser will be found to be a fruit of Anger and passion and not of reason and moderation as also his denyal that one of those charges given to Ministers were directed by him to Magistrates For if Master Cotton or any please to view over Master Cottons allegations from the New Testament in this discourse he shall finde that Tit. 3. reject the heretick a charge given by the Lord Jesus to Titus and the church at Crete is brought for the proof of the Magistrates punishing imprisoning banishing killing the heretick idolater c. The like charges of Christ Jesus sent to the Ministers and churches of Asia for tolerating amongst them Balaam and Jezabel are produced to prove prosecutions against false Prophets and professors in the City and Commonweal Yea although Master Cotton name not Act. 20. yet in that Master Cotton affirmeth that Magistrates with the civil sword must drive away Wolves from the sheepfold of Christ the church meaning spiritual wolves false teachers he may be truly said to quote all such Scriptures as give charge against such Wolves Peace Indeed Master Cotton more then once pleaseth himself with this similitude of Wolves to prove the Magistrates piety and pity to the sheep in slaying and driving away the wolves false teachers c. Truth Hence was it for commonly where state-Religions are set up the Magistrate is but the Ministers Cane through whom the Clergy speaks I say probably hence from such misapplyed Scriptures in their churches that in
their solemn civil general court at the banishment of one poor man amongst them hunted out as a wolf or heretick the governor who then was standing up alleadged for a ground of their duty to drive away such by banishment that famous charge of Christ Jesus to his Ministers and Church at Rome Rom. 16 Marke them that cause divisions contrary to the doctrine which you have received and avoid that is by banishment By all which and more it may be found how Sathan hath abused their godly minds and apprehensions in causing them so to abuse the holy writings of truth and Testament of Christ Jesus and that how ever they deny it in express tearms yet by most impregnable consequence and implication they make up a kind of national church and as the phrase is a Christian state and government of church and Commonweale that is of Christ and the world together Peace To proceed it being further inquired into whether in all the New Testament of Christ Jesus there be any such word of Christ either by way of command Promise or example countenancing the civil state to meddle with these mystical Wolves if in civil things peaceable and obedient Master Cotton replieth that this condition of peaceable and obedient implies a contradiction to the nature and practise of wolves How can saith he wolves be peaceable and obedient unless restrained Can there be peace Jehu so long as the whoredomes of Jezabel and her witchcrafts are so many And when it might be objected that spiritual whoredomes and witchcrafts might stand with civil peace He answers No verily for the whoredomes and witchcrafts of the Jezabel of Rome took away civil peace from the earth and brought the Turks to oppress both the peace of Christian churches and Commonweals Rev. 9. 15 21. Truth I wonder since Master Cotton in this very passage mentioneth the spiritual wolves whores and witches as well as natural and moral How he can imagine that a spiritual wolf or witch to wit so or so in matters of spiritual worship and religion might not possibly be peaceable and obedient in civil things Peace Yea but he alleadgeth the whoredomes of the Jezabel of Rome Truth Why was not the State of England the Kings and Queens and Parliaments thereof lawful as kings and states though overwhelmed and overspread universally with the Romish abominations If such wolves whores and witches could yeeld no civil obedience could they then exercise by the same argument any civil authority And shall we then conclude all the former Popish kings and Parliaments and consequently lawes unlawful because in spiritual things they were as Wolves c. tearing and burning the poor sheep of Christ will it not then be unlawful for any man that is perswaded the whole nation where he lives is idolatrous spiritually whorish c. I say unlawful for him to live in such a state although he might with freedome to his own conscience whither will such kind of arguing drive at last but to pluck up up the roots of all states and peoples in the world as not capable to yeeld civil obedience or exercise civil authority except such people Magistrates c. as are of Master Cottons church and religion Peace Methinks experience were there no Scripture nor reason might tell us how peaceable and just neighbors and dealers many thousands and millions of Jews Turks Antichristians and Pagans are to be found notwithstanding their spiritual whoredoms witchcrafts c. Truth Yea and why doth Master Cotton alleadge the Jezabel of Rome and the comming in of the Turks It is true God brought in the Armies of the Turkes upon the Eastern Empire which yet flourished many ages even in their apostacies before their destruction by the Turkes And how many ages and generations hath Iezabel of Rome sitten as a Queen in triumphant peace and glory even since the rising of the Turks and so shall sit probably in greater and greater untill the time of her appointed judgement and downfal If Christ Jesus were a true Prophet Iohn 16. outward peace prosperity riches honor is the portion of this world notwithanding their idolatries apostacies blasphemies But the portion of Christs followers like his own and both like a woman in travel paine and sorrow yea poverty and persecution untill the great day of refreshing neer approaching Peace Master Cotton againe sends us to Revelations the 16. 4 5 6 7. Truth And I must also send Master Cotton and the Reader to our disproving of that proof abovesaid Further whereas he calls Rom. 13. the great Charter for all Magistrates to deal in spiritual matters I have and shall manifest in the examinations upon that place how weak a warrant it is for the civil state and the officers thereof to conceive themselves spiritual Physitians by vertue of their office appointed by God in spiritual and soul-evils Peace Whereas it was urged that Magistrates beside their skil in civil laws and government must be able if Master Cottons bloody tenent be true as judges and heads to determine spiritual causes and controversies and that by the sight of his own eyes and not other mens Master Cotton replies that Magistrates ought to be skilled in the fundamentals of religion and that their ignorance excuseth not Truth In this passage Master Cotton waâ—eth that inference That then Magistrates must be heads and judges in spiritual causes That inference cannot possibly be avoided if we grant it their duty as Master Cotton seemes to do to pass sentence in the fundamentals of religion and in those points which have been and are so greatly controverted among all sorts of men that name the name of Christ 2. If Magistrates must thus judge reforme c. where hath been the care of Christ Iesus to appoint in all parts of the world such Magistrates as might take care of his religion and worship why hath he not furnished them with some capacity and ability to the work Peace It is lamentable to think that most of the Magistrates in the world beyond compare know not so much as whether there be a Christ or no. Truth If Christ Iesus had forgotten himself for three hundred yeers together furnishing his church with no other heads but of Wolves Bear Lyons and Tygers the Romane Emperors yet after a little refreshing by Constantine Theodosius c. why should he still forget himself even a thousand yeers together providing no other heads but bloody and Popish kings and Emperors Peace What think you dear truth of Master Cottons grant of Gallios not being bound to judge in matters of religion because he had no Law from Caesar whose deputy he was Truth I answer what if he had not a law from Caesar if yet he had a law from Christ Iesus as Master Cotton implies Or will Master Cotton suspend the execution of Christs will upon the kings states or peoples minds that choose such Magistrates to be their deputies in the Commonweale But the
is said that such Magistrates as suffer the people to live in ungodliness fall short in returning spiritual Recompence I answer By this Doctrine most of the free Inhabitants of the world who live in ignorance of God and in abominable Religions without him must yet be supposed to choose and set up such Ministers or Servants of civil Justice amongst them who during their termes of administration or service should not suffer their Choosers and Makers to enjoy their owne Conscience but force them to that which their Officers shall judge to be Godliness but the neck of no free people can bow to such a Yoak and Tyrany Peace But lastly to that Argument of Rom. 13. from the title which God gives to Magistrates to wit Gods Ministers and to the Distinction of Spiritual Ministers for spiritual and civil Ministers for civil matters Master Cotton replies If Magistrates be Gods Ministers or Servants then must they do his work and be for God in matters of Religion And further saith he Magistracy is of God for light of Nature and not onely for civil things but also in matters of Religion and he produceth divers instantces of Pagans zeal for their Religion and worship Truth Because Magistrates are Gods Servants or Ministers civil and receive civil wages for their civil service will it therefore follow that they must attend and that chiefly and principally a spiritual work That noble-man or Lord that sets one to keep his children and another to keep his sheep expects not of him appointed to keep his sheep though a Minister or Servant to attend upon the keeping of his children nor expects he of the waiter on his children to attend the keeping of his sheep T is true that Magistrasie is of God but yet no otherwise then Mariage is being an estate meerly civil and humane and lawfull to all Nations of the World that know not God T is true that Magistrates be of God from the light of nature but yet as the Religions of the World and the worlds zealous contending for them with persecuting of others are from the Father of lies and murther from the beginning so seldome is it seen that the nations of the world have persecuted or punished any for error but for the truth condemned for error Peace Alas who sees not that all nations and people bow down to Idels and Images as all the world did to Nebuchaduezzars Image If any amongst them differ from them it is commonly in in some truths which God hath sent amongst them for witnessing of which they are persecuted Truth Your observation deare peace is evident from the cases of those Philosophers by Master Cotton alledged how weak and poor therefore is that Argument from the zeal of Pagans c. It is evident that such Builders frame by no other then that of nature depraved and rotten and not by the Goulden reed of the glorious gospel of Christ Jesus Examination of CHAP. LI. Peace IN the discourse concerning that terme Evil Master Cotton produceth Pareus who makes that Evil punishable by the Magistrate fourfold natural civil moral and spiritual Truth That excellent and holy witness of Christ Jesus in many of his precious truths Pareus being here produced without Scripture or Argument for the Magistrates punishing of the fourth sort of evil to wit spiritual nor answering my Arguments brought against such an Interpretation gives me occasion of no further answer to Master Cotton or him in this place Peace Whereas it was alleadged that the Elders of the New English Churches in the model prohibite expresly the Magistrates from the punishing or taking notice of some Evils and that therefore as they ascribe to the Civil Magistrates more then God gives so they take away and disrobe him of that Authority which God hath cloathed him with Master Cotton replies when we say that the Magistrate is an avenger of evil we mean of all sorts or kindes of evil and not every particular of each kind and further he saith that domestick evils may be healed in a domestick way Truth I readily concur with him that the Magistrate may not punish evils that he knowes not of in a due and orderly way sufficiently proved before him as also that many domestick evils are best healed in a domestick way but yet that Limitation added to wit without acquainting the Church first seems to bind the Magistrates hand where no true Church of Christ is to acquaint with such things yea and further where it is why should the Magistrate be denied to exercise his power in cases meerly civil the old practice of the Popish Church And to whom should the Servant or Child or Wife petition and complaine against oppression unless to the publike Father Master and Husband of the Common-weal And therefore from their own Interpretation they may well spare that strict and literal aception of the word evil and cease to cry Heresie is evil Idolatrie evil Blasphemie evill c. Examination of CHAP. LIII Answering to Chap. LIII LIV LV. Peace IN these three Chapters the last Reason which the Author of the Arguments against persecution produced was discussed to wit that the disâ—â—ples of Christ should be so far from persecuting that contrariwise they ought to bless such as curse them c. and that because of the freeness of Gods grace and the deepness of his counsels calling home them that be enemies persecutors no people yea some at the last hour In answer to which Master Cotton complaineth that two of his Answers were omitted and suspecteth that as children skip over hard places so they were skipt over c. Truth It is true those two answers were omitted not because the chapter was too hard c. but because the Discusser saw nor sees not any controversie or difference between Master Cotton and himself in those passages and also studying brevity and contraction as Master Cotton himself hath done omitting far more and contracting three Chapters in one in this very passage Upon the same ground I see no need of mentioning his Reply in these three Chapters wherein Master Cotton concurs in the point of the necessity of tolerating even notorious offenders in the State in some cases Peace The result of all agitations in this passage is this Master Cotton denies not but that in some cases a notorious malefactor may be tolerated and consequently as I understand him an â—â—reâ—iâ—k seducer c. But that ordinarily it is not lawful to tolerate a seducing teacher and that from the clearness of Gods command Deut. 13. and from the reason of it vers 10 Because he hath sought to turn thee away from the Lord thy God Withal he concludes that all Moses capital Politicks are eternal Truth Thus far is gained that it was no vain exception against Master Cotton's general proposition to wit that it is evil to tolerate notorious evil doers seducing teachers scandalous livers because he sees cause of toleration in
be found fit to use the civil sword in matter of Religion and that is in plaine English to fight only for his conscience Peace But to proceed it will be hard saith Master Cotton for the discusser to finde Antichristian seducers clear from disobedience to the civil laws of the state in case that Antichrist to whom they are sworn shall excommunicate the civil magistrate and prescribe the civil state to the invasion of his followers Truth Most properly seducing teachers sin against the church and spiritual kingdome of Christ Jesus which if erected and governed according to Christ Jesus she is a Castel or Fort sufficiently provided with all sorts of heavenly ammunition against all sorts of her spiritual adversaries yea and in the desolation of the churches during the Apostacy Christ Jesus as I have elsewhere observed hath not left his witnesses destitute of terrible defence against all gainesayers But grant what Master Cotton supposeth such seducers from obedience to the civil state c. Such as the Seminaries and bringers over of Pope Pius the 5 his Bul against Queen Elizabeth c. The answer is short and plaâ—â— civil officers bear not the sword in vain when the civil state is assaulted as the spiritual officers and governors of the church bear not in vain the spiritual and two-edged sword coming out of the mouth of Christ Peace Whereas now secondly there was observed by the Discusser in such coupling of seducing teachers scandalous livers a silent and implicite justification of the Jews and Gentiles their coupling Christ Jesus and his followers as seducing teachers with scandalous livers Christ between two thieves c. The sum of what Master Cotton replies is that the Lord Jesus and his followers suffering under those names weakens not the hand of Authority to punish such who are seducing teachers scandalous livers Truth It hath ever been the portion of the Lord Jesus and his followers for the most part theirs onely to be accounted seducing teachers deceivers and cheaters of the people blasphemous against God seditious against the State and accordingly to be numbred as Christ Jesus between two thieves both in esteem and punishment with scandalous and notorious malefactors and this for no other cause but cause of conscience in spiritual matters and most commonly for differing from and witnessing against the several State and City-Religions and Worships wherein they lived Peace If the Jews notwithstanding their fair colours to the contrary walking in the doctrine of Persecution for conscience justified their fathers for murthering the Prophets c. I cannot dear Truth but subscribe to your sorrowful observation that Master Cotton and others otherwise excellent servants of God in coupling seducing teachers and scandalous livers as the proper object for the civil sword to strike at they do no other but act the Jews true Antitype coupling Christ Jesus the seducing teacher with Barabbas the scandalous liver and murtherer Truth Yea and who sees not how often Barabbas the scandalous liver is cried out of the Magistrates hands by the scandalous people while Christ Jesus in his servants is cried to the Cross to the Gallows to the Stake to Banishment c. Their Persecutors also are applauded for not persecuting men for their Consciences but righteously legally and with great sorrow punishing them for sinning against their own conscience for disturbing of the civil State and peace for contemning of Magistrates Kings Queens and Parliaments for blaspheming God and for seducing and destroying the souls of the people CHAP. 55. Replying to CHAP. 66. Exam Peace THe Discusser admired in this Chap how Mr. Cotton should alledge Revel 2. Christs charge against the Church of Pergamus for tollerating them that hould the Doctrine of Balaam and against the Church of Thiatira for tollerating Jezabell to teach and seduce M r Cotton here replies that he meant not in alledging those Scriptures to prove it unlawfull for Magistrates to tollerate seducing Teachers but unlawfull for Churches adding that the Letter of the Prisoner was so stated in generall tearmes that he knew not upon the point what Tolleration or Persecution should be meant or intended otherwise then generall against all Persecution for Conscience withall affirming that an unjust Excommunication is as true Persecution as unjust Banishment Truth It is true what M r Cotton saith An unjust Excommunication is as true Persecution as an unjust Banishment and therefore some may justly complaine against M r Cotton and others for practicing such persecution in both kindes being not onely banished from their civill State but unjustly and after the Popes way Excommunicated also from their Churches but of that more elsewhere 2. We doe not in ordinarie English read but that the word Persecution is taken for civill corporall violence and punishment inflicted on the body for some spirituall and religious matter according to the Lord Christ his words to Paul Actâ— 9. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me 3. The passages in the Letter shew that the whole scope of the Letter was to contend against outward violence and corporall affliction in matters of Conscience Peace It may not be a lost Labour Deare Truth to draw a taste of some passages in the Letter Truth For further satisfaction my paines shall be a pleasure and first From the Arguments from holy Scripture observe Luc. 9. the Lord Christ reproving his two zealous Disciples You know not of what Spirit you are of The Son of Man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Againe That of the Prophets Isaiah and Micah They shall breake their Swords into Mattocks and their Speares into Sithes Againe Christs charge unto his Disciples that they should be so farre from persecuting those that would not be of their Religion that when they were persecuted they should pray and blesse c. Peace These holy Passages Me thinks are not unlike the Stones in Davids sling smooth and plaine enough yet powerfull and dreadfull both against this Goliah Tenent of persecution and also prove a corporall persecution intended Truth Now a taste of the speeches of severall Kings produced by the prisoner 1. That of King James God never loves to plant his Church by Violence and Bloudshed 2. That of Stephen King of Poland I am King of Men not of Consciences of Bodies not of Soules 3. Of the King of Bohemia When ever Men have attempted any thing in this violent course the issue hath been ever pernicious and the cause of great and wonderfull Innovations 4. Another of King James That he was resolved not to persecute or molest or suffer to be persecuted or molested any Person whatsoever for matter of Religion In the third place a taste of the Speeches of the ancient Writers produced by the Prisoner 1. That of Hilarius That Church which formerly by enduring misery and imprisonment was knowne to be the true Church doth now terrifie others by imprisonment banishment and miserie
could chaine up all Papists in an Impossibilitie of yeelding Civill obedience when a whole Popish Kingdome breakes and abhorres the chaines of such bloudy and unpeaceable Doctrines and Practices 2. Experience hath proved it possible for Men to hould other maine and fundamentall Doctrines of that Religion and yet renounce the Authoritie of the Pope as all England did under King Henry 8. when the six bloudie Articles were maintained and practiced and in them the Substance of that Idolatrous Religion although the Power of the Pope of Rome was generally acknowledged no other then of a forreigne Bishop in his owne Diocesse 3. But grant the English Catholicks maintaine the Supreame Authoritie of the Pope even in England it must be considered and declared how farre If so farre as to owne his Power of absolving from obedience against which the aforesaid Parliament of Paris declared the wisdome of the State knowes how to secure it selfe against such Persons But if onely as Head of the Church in spirituall matters they give Assurance for Civill obedience why should their Consciences more then others be oppressed Peace M r Cotton as all men and too justly in this Controversie alledgeth the Papists practices what ever professions otherwise have been So long as they hould the Pope they are sure of a Dispensation to take any Oath subscribe to any Engagement and of Absolution for the Acting of any Crime of Treason or Murther against the chiefest States-men and the State it selfe Truth What is it that hath rendred the Papists so inraged and desperate in England Ireland c What is it that hath so imbittered and exasperated their minds but the Lawes against their Consciences and Worships Peace The two Sisters Lawes compared Maries and Elizabeths concerning mens Consciences while Maries were certainly written with bloud against the Protestants Elizabeths may seeme to be written with milke against the Papists Truth Deare Peace Chaines of Gold and Diamonds are chaines and may pinch and gall as sore and deepe as those of Brasse and Iron c. all Lawes to force even the grossest Conscience of the most besotted Idolaters in the world Jew or Turke Papist or Pagan I say all such Lawes restraining from or constraining to Worship and in matters meerly Spirituall and of no Civill nature such Lawes such Acts are chaineâ— are yoakes not possibly to be fitted to the Soules neck without oppression and exasperation Peace It is no wonder indeed that the Brains of those of the Popish Faith are so distempered and enraged by yoakes clapt on the neck of their Consciences when Solomon the wisest observes it common that Civill oppression how much more Soule-oppression the most grievous and intollerable doth use to render the Braines of men otherwayes most sober and judicious madde and desperate 2. Truth I answer secondly grant the Practices of the Papists against the Civill State fowle dangerous c. yet why should there not be hope according to the rules of pietie in Scripture and policie in Experience that the coales of mercy and moderation may melt the Head of an Enemie as hard as any stone or mettall and render imbittered Enemies loving Friends combined and resolved for their common safetie and Liberties Thirdly Against the feare of Evill practices the Wisdome of the State may securely provide by just cautions and provisoes as of Subscribing the Civill Engagement of yeelding up their Armes the Instruments of mischiefe and disturbance of being noted as the Jewes are in some parts by some distinction of or on their Garments or otherwise according to the Wisdome of the State And without such or the like sufficient cautions given it is not Civill Justice to permit justly suspected persons dangerous to the civill peace to abide out of places of Securitie and safe Restraint Peace If such a course were steered with the Consciences of that Religion yet are there some Objections waighty concerning the Body of the People First There will be alwayes danger of tumâ—lâ—s and uproares between the Papists and the Protestants 1. Truth Sweet Peace thou mayst justly be tender of the quiet repose and secure Tranquilitie of all men and with All men if it be possible as the Scripture speakes as thou art â—n heavenly daughter of the God of peace and love But yet thou knowest the Wisdome of the English State needâ— not be taught from abroad where Liâ—ertie abroad is granted to the Popish oâ— Protestanâ— Consciences of making safe and sufficient provision against all Tumults and feare of uproares 2. But secondly it is too too fully and lamentably true that the Congregations or Churches of the severall sortâ— of such as in whole or in part seperate from the Parish worship and â—orshipperâ— are â—arrâ— more odious to and doe more exâ—sperâ—â—e a thousand times the Parish Assemblies then the Papistâ— or Catholiques themselues are or doe So that if the People were let loose to take their choice of exercising violence and furie either upon a â—opish oâ— a Protestant Seperate Assembly it is cleare from the greater corrivation and competition made by the Protestants that seperate to the true Church true Government true Worship true Ministrie true Seales c. the rage of the People would mount up incomparably fiercer against the one then the other Hence iâ— was the Papists ever found more favour with the last two Kings and theiâ— Bishops then the Puritants so called did and the seperate Assemblâ—es were not so maligned by them as the Nonconâ—ormists noâ— they so much as the very conforming Puritants And therefore suitably it was bâ—lcht out from a fowle-mouth 〈…〉 a Chaplâ—ine to one of the late Bishops Aâ—plaguâ— said â—â— on all Conforming Puritants they doe us most mischiefe Notwithstanding all this and the bitter Indignation of People against these Sectaries so called and their Assemblies yet the most holy wisdome of the Father of Lights hath taught the Parliament of England that wonderfull skill in the midst of so many Spirituall oppositions to preserve the Civill peace from the dangerâ— and occasions of civill Tumults and Distractions Peace Admit the civill peace be kept inviolate yet how satisfie we the feares and jealousies of many who cry out of danger of Infection and that Jezabels Doctrine will leaven and seduce the Land c. Truth I will not here repeate what in other parts of this booke I have presented touching that Point of Infection At present I answer First It is to me most improbable that except the Body of the Nation face about from Protestanisme to Poperie as in Queene Maries dayes that the number of Protestants turning Papists will be great in a Protestant Nation especially if such securitie be taken as was above-mentioned and otherwise as the State shall order c. together with such publick notes and markes before mentioned on the People of that Way because of their former practices Secondly Yea why should not rather the glorious Beames of
the Sunne of Righteousnesse in the free Conferrings Disputings and Preachings of the Gospel of Truth be more hopefully like to expell those Mists and Fogs out of the minds of Men and that Papists Jewes Turkes Pagans be brought home not onely into the common roade and way of Protestanisme but to the grace of true Repentance and Life in Christ I say why not this more likely by farre then that the mists and fogs of Poperie should over cloud and conquer that most glorious Light Peace 'T is true the holy Historie tells us of one Sampson laying heapes upon heapes of the proudest Philistims of one David and of his Worthies encountring with and slaying their stoutest Gyantâ— and Champions yet it is feared such is the depraved nature of all mankinde and not of the English onely that like a corrupted full Body it sooner sucks in a poysoned breath of Infection then the purest Ayre of Truth c. Truth Grant this I answer therefore thirdly If any of many conscientiously turne Papists I alledge the Experience of a holy wise and learned man experienced in our owne and other States affaires who affirmes that he knew but few Papists increase where much Libertie to Papists was granted yea fewer then where they were restrained Yet further that in his Conscience and Judgement he believed and observed that such Persons as conscientiously turned Papists as believing Poperie the truer way to Heaven and Salvation I say such Persons were ordinarily more conscionable loving and peaceable in their dealings and neerer to Heaven then thousands that follow a bare common trade and roade and name of Protestant Religion and yet live without all Life of Conscience and Devotion to God and consequently with as little love and faithfulnesse unto Men. Peace But now to proceed a third Speech of King James was Persecution is the note of a false Church the wicked are Besiegers the Faithfull are besieged upon Revel 20. M r Cotton here grants that it is indeed a Note of a false Church but not a certaine One for sayth he which of all the Prophets did not the Church of the Old Testament persecute Truth M r Cotton granting persecution to be a degree of Falsehood and Apostacie as he doth in his following words he must also grant that where such a Doctrine and practice prevailes and the Church growes obstinate after all the Lords meanes used to reclaime such a Church will proceede to further degrees untill the whole be leavened with Falshood and Apostacie and the Lord divorceth her and casts her out of his Heart and Sight as he dealt with Israel and Judah And it will be found no false but a dutifull part of a faithfull childe to abhorre the whoredomes of such an one though his own Mother who for her obstinacie in whoredomes is justly put away by his heavenly Father but of that the Lord assisting more in its place Peace Further Whereas it was said that M r Cotton had passed by King Stephen of Poland his Speech to wit the true Difference between the Civill and Spirituall Government M r Cotton answers that it is true that the Magistrate cannot command their Soules nor binde their Consciences nor punish their Spirits All that he can doe is to punish the Bodies of Men for destroying or disturbing Religion Truth It is true the Lord alone reacheth the Soules or Spirits of Men but he doth it two wayes First Immediately stirring up the Spirits of the Prophets by Visions Dreames c. Secondly By instituted Meanes and Ordinances of which is the Question Now Stephen King of Poland professed that he was King of bodies and not of Consciences It being most true that the Lord Jesus hath appointed spirituall Rulers and Governours to binde and loose Soules and Consciences to wound and kill Comfort and save alive the Spirits and Consciences of Men. This power Christ Jesus committed to his true Messengers but oh how many are there that pretend to this Apostleship or Ministrie who yet have sold away this spirituall Power to the Earthly or worldly powers upon an implyed secret Condition or Proviso to receive a broken Reed an Arme of Flesh in stead of the Everlasting Armes of Mercy to protect them Peace With your leave Deare Truth let me adde a second If the Magistrate as M r Cotton sayth punish the body for a spirituall offence why doth he not punish by a spirituall power as a spirituall Officer with a spirituall Censure and punishment Truth M r Cotton will tell us that the bodies of the Israelites were punished for spirituall offences And we may againe truely affirme that the very cutting off by the materiall Sword out of the typicall Land of Canaan was in the type a spirituall punishment Peace M r Cotton is not ignorant of this and hath often taught of these Types from Passages on Genesis and other bookes of Moses c. Truth The Father of Lights graciously be pleased to set home the light he hath vouchsafed him fix and imprint the beames thereof in his heart and affections also Peace This Argument of punishing the body for the soules good I remember was feelingly resented by an honourable Gentleman in the parliament against the Bishops urging how contrary unto Christ Jesus those Prelates were for Christ Jesus did make way for his working upon Mens soules by shewing kindnesse to their bodies c. but Prelates contrarily c. Truth All the Angells ' of God will one day witnesse that Christ Jesus was never Captain to Pope nor Prelate Presbyter no nor Independent Emperour nor King Parliament nor Generall Court who punish and afflict persecute and torture the bodies of Men under pretence of a spirituall and religious medicine Peace Yea but sayth M r Cotton Religion is disturbed and destroyed what shall be done Truth Religion is disturbed and destroyed two wayes First When the Professors or Assemblies thereof are persecuted that is hunted and driven up and downe out of the world Against such Destroyers or Disturbers being Tyrants and Oppressours the Civill Sword ought to be drawen Peace The drawing of the Sword of Justice against such Tyrants I believe hath prevailed in Heaven for the Parliaments successes and prosperitie The turning from the violence that was in the hands of those Men of Bloud the Bishops as in the Men of Ninivies case hath laid the long and violent storme of Fire and Bloud c. Truth Yea let the most renowned Parliament of England and all England know that when they cease to listen to Daniells counsell to Belshazzar to wit to shew Mercy to the poore even the poorest and most afflicted in the World the Consciences of Men then is their Parliamentarie Glory and Tranquillitie ecclipsed Till then I confidently believe their Government which hath now so many yeares with so many Wonders continued shall not be numbred nor another fatall change surprize them But now 2 the Disturbance or Destruction
literally Guns Swords c. But of the Word of Meeknesse Innocencie and Righteousnesse which is interpreted the Fine Linnen vers 8. Truth To shut up this Chapter Gideons Armie and Artillerie and Victorie cannot be type of such Materiall Armies Artillerie and Victories but of a Spirituall Armie fighting with the Light and Testimonie of Gods Truth openly proclaimed and the chearefull breaking of the earthen Vessells of their Bodies for Christs Cause when in conclusion the Antichristian Midianites by their Divisions and Combustions run their Swords in each others Bowells with mutuall slaughters and Destructions as woefull experiences hath declared Exam of Chap. 65. replying to Chap. 68. Peace FRom the Argument of the Testimonie of Kings and Princes concerning persecution for matters of Religion in their Kingdomes and Dominions the Prisoner descended to the Argument from ancient Writers unto some of which sayth the Discusser the Answerer pleaseth to make Answer Unto this M r Cotton replyes As if any of them were omitted or as if all of them were not answered Compare the Prisoners Letter and mine together and see if I have balked any one of them Truth M r Cotton would here insinuate a false Charge I have compared the Prisoners Letter and the Answer and although M r Cotton hath said some-thing to some-thing which every one of them spake Yet he that impartially will view the Passages shall finde that although in strictnesse of Gammar Rules he may not be said to omit to say something to each of them yet in respect of Matter and Argument he hath toucht but some and that but lightly as the Candle of Examination will make it appeare Peace Hilarius words in the Letter are these The Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted and lamentable it is to see the great folly of these Times and to figh at the foolish opinion of this World in that Men thinke by humane ayde to helpe God and with worldly pompe and power to undertake to defend the Christian Church I aske you Bishops what helpe used the Apostles in the publishing of the Gospel With the ayde of what power did they Preach Christ and convert the Heathen from their Idolatrie to God When they were in prisons and lay in chaines did they praise or give thankes to God for any Dignities or Graces and Favours received from the Court Or doe you thinke that Paul went about with Regall Mandates or Kingly Authoritie to gather and establish the Church of Christ Sought he protection from Nero Vespatian c The Apostles wrought with their own hands for their Maintenance travelled by Land and wandred from Towne to Citie to preach Christ Yea the more they were forbidden the more they taught and preached Christ But now alas Humane helpe must assist and protect the Faith and give countenance to it and by vaine and worldly Honours doe men seeke to defend the Church of Christ as if he by his power were unable to performe it Truth How many goulden heavenly Sentences like so many precious Jewells are treasured up in the Cabinet of this holy Testimonie of Hilarius And yet but some of them nay onely one of them doth M r Cotton choose to answer to wit this The Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted Truth Deare Peace Each inch and shread of heavenly Gold is precious forget not therefore the Addition in the Letter Hilarie against the Arrians thus The Church which formerly by enduring miserie and Imprisonment was knowne to be the true Church doth now terrifie others by Imprisonment Banishment and Miserie and boasteth that â—hee is highly esteemed of the World whereas the true Church cannot but be hated of the same In which and other Passages of Hilarius M r Cotton might see as in a Glasse the foule spots of his owne and New Englands face in a most lively Testimonie against both bloudie Tenents and practices Peace To close upon the Point M r Cotton sayth He cannot make it a marke of a Christian Church to be persecuted for Acts 9 31. the Churches had rest c. Nor a marke of a false Church to persecute for Asa persecuted the Prophet 2 Chron. 16. 10. Acts 7. 51. the true Church persecuted the Prophets Truth When the Scripture or common Reason speakes of a common marke or Character proper to one they deny not but in an Act or unusuall cases that Marke or Character may be worne by the Contraries Noah was drunk Abraham lyes David commits Adulterie yet lying drunkennesse and whoredome were not their ordinarie Characters but the Markes of the common Lyars Drunkards and Adulterers of this World David stobd Vriah with his Pen and Asa imprisoned the Prophet yet these Acts were not their ordinarie Badges but rather Spots or Blemishes Warts or Scabs which grew on and were cast off like Pauls Viper without the note of a constant marke or character It is the propertie of Fire to ascend and Water to descend yet the Scripture relates of the descending of Fire and the ascending of Water which takes not away the ordinarie Nature of the marke and character of Fires ascending and Waters descending the Hills and Mountaines An arrant Whore is not alwayes in actuall Whoredome and Bloud though both are her Markes and Dispositions A chast wife or Virgin abhorres both and yet by force or great Temptation may be vanquished as Bathsheba which afterwards the Teares of godly Sorrow and Repentance wash away Peace Yea but the Question is sayth M r Cotton whether Magistrates may not punish arrogant Hereticks and Seducers Truth In all ages God hath permitted Goulden Images like Nebuchadnezzars to be set up I say State Worships and Religions And he hath also provided his Witnesses to testifie his Truth against such Abominations Such Witnesses dissenting Non-conforming and refusing to come to the Common Assemblies of such Worshippers to come to Church in plaine English to yeeld Conformitie to Subscribe to Sweare c. are commonly cryed downe for Hereticks Schismaticks c. And if they open their Lips in defence of their owne Conscience and profession of Gods Truth Seducers Seducers Blasphemers Blasphemers 2. Peace But 2. sayth M r Cotton it is another begging of the Question to take it for granted that it is a marke of no true Church to procure the Civill punishment of incorrigible obstinate Hereticks and Seducers Truth I intend by a marke of character an inbred constant disposition put forth in a constant and ordinarie practice And then I dare challenge M r Cotton to produce any true Church of Christ eyther in Scripture or Historie that did ordinarily and constantly professe and practice to stirre up the Civill Magistrate against such whom they judged incorrigible obstinate Hereticks and Seducers Peace That which follows is full of Wonder and Astonishment for M r Cotton confessing the Christian Church doth not persecute that is sayth he persecute in Excommunicating the Heretick it was replyed this is but
rendring such Laicks and Seculars as they call them but slavish Executioners upon the point of their most imperious Synodicall Decrees and Sentences A Tenent that renders the highest civill Magistrates and Ministers of Justice the Fathers and Gods of their Countries either odious or lamentably grievous unto the very best Subjects by either elapping or keeping on the iron yoakes of cruellest oppression No yoake or bondage comparably so grievous as that upon the Soules necke of mens Religion and Consciences A Tenent all besprinckled with the bloudie murthers stobâ— poysonings pistollings powder-plots c. against many famous Kings Princes and States either actually performed or attempted in France England Scotland Low-Countries and other Nations A Tenent all red and bloudie with those most barbarous and Tyger like Massacres of so many thousand and ten thousands formerly in France and other parts and so lately and so horribly in Ireland of which what ever causes be assigned this chiefly will be found the true and while this continues to wit violence against Conscience this bloudie Issue sooner or later must breake forth againe except God wonderfully stop it in Ireland and other places too A Tenent that stunts the growth and flourishing of the most likely and hopefullest Common weales and Countries while Consciences the best and the best deserving Subjects are forct to flie by enforced or voluntary Banishment from their native Countries The lamentable proofe whereof England hath felt in the flight of so many worthy English into the Low Countries and New-England and from New-England into old againe and other forraigne parts A Tenent whose grosse partialitie denies the Principles of common Justice while Men waigh out to the Consciences of all others that which they judge not fit not right to be waighed out to their owne Since the persecutours Rule is to take and persecute all Consciences onely himselfe must not be touched A Tenent that is but Machevilisme and makes a Religion but a cloake oâ— stalking horse to policie and private Ends of Jeroboams Crowne and the Priests Benefice c. A Tenent that corrupts and spoiles the very Civill Honestie and Naturall Conscience of a Nation Since Conscience to God violated proves without Repentance ever after a very Jade a Drug loose and unconscionable in all converse with men Lastly a Tenent in England most unseasonable as powring Oyle upon those Flames which the high Wisedome of the Parliament by easing the yoakes on Mens Consciences had begun to quench In the sad Consideration of all which Deare Peace let Heaven and Earth judge of the washing and colour of this Tenent For thee sweete heavenly Guest goe lodge thee in the breasts of the peaceable and humble Witnesses of Jesus that love the Truth in peace Hide thee from the Worlds Tumults and Combustions in the breasts of thy truely noble children who professe and endeavour to breake the irony and insupportable yoakes upon the Soules and Consciences of any of the sonnes of Men. Peace Me-thinks Deare Truth if any of the least of these deepe charges be found against this Tenent you doe not wrong it when you stile it bloudie But since in the wofull proofe of all Ages past since Nimrod the Hunter or persecutour before the Lord these and more are lamentably evident and undeniable it gives me wonder that so many and so excellent eyes of Gods servants should not espie so fowle a monster especially considering the universall opposition this Tenent makes against Gods Glory and the Good of all mankinde Truth There have been many fowle opinions with which the old Serpent hath infected and bewitched the sonnes of men touching God Christ the Spirit the Church against Holines against Peace against civill Obedience against chastitie in so much that even Sodomie it selfe hath been a Tenent maintained in print by some of the very pillars of the Church of Rome But this Tenent is so universally opposite to God and man so pernicious and destructive to both as hath been declared that like the Powder-plot it threatens to blow up all Religion all civilitie all humanitie yea the very Being of the World and the Nations thereof at once Peace He that is the Father of Lies and a murtherer from the beginning he knowes this well and that this ugly Blackmore needs a maske or vizard Truth Yea the bloudines and inhumanitie of it is such that not onely M r Cottons more tender and holy Breast but even the most bloudie Bonners and Gardiners have been forced to arme themselves with the faire shewes and glorious pretences of the Glory of God and zeale for that Glory the Love of his Truth the Gospel of Christ Jesus love and pitie to mens soules the peace of the Church uniformitie Order the peace of the Common-weale the Wisedome of the State the Kings Queenes and Parliaments proceedings the odiousnesse of Sects Heresies Blasphemies Novelties Seducers and their Infections the obstinacie of Heretickâ— after all Meanes Disputations Examinations Synods yea and after Conviction in the poore Hereticks owne Conscience Add to these the flattring sound of those glosing Titles the Godly Magistrate the Christian Magistrate the Nurcing Fathers and Mothers of the Church Christian Kings and Queenes But all other Kings and Magistrates even all the Nations of the World over as M r Cotton pleads must suspend and hould their hands and not meddle in matters of Religion untill they be informed c. Peace The dreadfull righteous hand of God the Eternall and avenging God is pulling off these maskes and vizards that thousands and the World may see this bloudie Tenents Beautie Truth But see my heavenly Sister and true stranger in this Sea-like restles raging World see here what Fires and Swords are come to part us Well Our meetings in the Heavens shall not thus be interrupted our Kisses thus distracted and our eyes and cheekes thus weâ— unwiped For me though censured threatned persecuted I must professe while Heaven and Earth lasts that no one Tenent that either London England or the World doth harbour is so hereticall blasphemous seditious and dangerous to the corporall to the spirituall to the present to the Eternall Good of all Mâ—n as is the bloudie Tenent how ever wash't and whited I say as is the bloudie Tenent of persecution for cause of Conscience The Copie of a Letter of R. Williams of Providence in New England to Major Endicot Governour of the Massachusets upon occasion of the late persecution against M r Clarke and Obadiah Holmes and others at Boston the chiefe Towne of the Massachusets in New England SIR HAving done with our transitorie Earthly Affaires as touching the English and the Indians which in Comparison of heavenly and Eternall you will say are but as dung and drosse c. Let me now be humbly bold to remember that Humanitie and pietie which I and others have formerly observed in you and in that hopefull Remembrance to crave your gentle audience with patience and
righteous is it with God to send them persecution Quaere why Master Cotton leaps over the Epistles to the Parliament and Reader N. E. Persecution guilty of the persecution in old especially since this Rejoynder by their Law for Banishing such as hold not childrens Baptisme and their late fourscore and ten bloody lashes to the body of the Lord Jesus in the sufferings of his faithful witness Obadiah Holines at Boston meerly about that point of Baptisme â—he occasion of â—â—blishing the â—â—oody Tenent Master Cotton blames the discusser for not walking in contradictions Vnchristian partiality Master Cotton complaining of being persecuted by the discusser Persecution in plaine English is hunting Master Cottons tender conscience can hardly digest to be a persecutor but a punisher Gods children commonly persecuted for not yeelding to State-worships Act. 2. 2 Pet. 3. Ordination of Christs Ministry undfily compared to the coronation of Kings Master Cotton pleads for Common prayer Examination of Num. 6. 20. Acts 6. Three causes for which Master-Cotton maintaines persecution Christs Church may be gathered and dissolved without disturbance of civil Peace The doctrine and practise of Persecution breaks the peace where-ever it comes The Civil peace of a place or people is one thing and the welfare or presperity in health wealth c. another The Cities of the world enjoy peace and prosperity where Christ is not heard of Christianity lost most under such Emperours as claimed Christs power to reform the Church c. The Societies or Churches of the Saints are meerly voluntary in combinning or dissolving Christs Church is called out of the world The flourishing of civil states No Civil state can either by Christs Testimony or true reason be judge of the Ecclesiastical and spiritual Difference of spiritual and civil peace When Gods people flourish most in godliness then most persecuted A monstrous mingling of spiritual and civil resistance or disturbance Six instances of holy zeal in Scripture far from arrogance or impetuousness These were aleadged from Scripture in the bloody Tenent and acknowledged by Master Cotton The Indians prosessing subjection to the English in New England permited in their devillish worships when English fearing God persecuted Vnchristian conclusions Jonahs casting over-boord a ground of persecution c. examined The killing of the false Prophet Zech. 13. 6. examined Esa 26. Hos 6. 2. examined 2 Cor. 10. conviction of conscience The violation of civil peace though out of consciencâ— to be punished An over-ruling finger of God ordering Master Cotton to alleadge Gamaliel sure he had forgotten Master John Goodwins excellent labour in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fighting against God Christ Jesus never persecuted as Christ but as a deceiver brasphemer seduced Cant. 5. I sleep yet my heart waketh A deep mystery in persecution Wolves complaining that the sheep persecute them The blood of the souls under the Altar is a sealed mystery Rev. 6. A challenge to the devil himself All Antichristian 〈…〉 persecutors make Tit. 3. their den and Fortress Tit. 3. Discussed The horrible abusing and profaning of that word Heretick Great sins of Gods own children A child of God may possibly be an Heretick For which service through the hurry of the times and the necessity of his departure he lost his recompence to this day The straights of the discussers time in composing of the Bloody Tenent * I prejudice not the free and comfortable supplies of temporals which the Saints ought to make so their Teachers in spirituals only I affirme that such as will not teach will out money they must and do beg or steal Christ Jesus his distinction of Diggers Beggers Stealers Persecution not properly noâ— usually taken for any spiritual punishment Examination of Phil. 3. and Rom. 14. Very severe but not Christian more then Judaical punishment of Theeves in England The civil and spiritual life confounded God Caesar The great peace breakers English Diana's Gross partiality to private interests England in all Ages guilty of much persecution Two seasonable petitions of any persâ—outed The Parable of the Tares The Parable of Tares grosly abused Hypocrisie secret and open hypocrisie Spiritual whoredome in worship may and doth in all Nations subsist with Civil Beings Relations c. Of the Tares Of the wise and foolish Virgius No true church of Christ consisting of visible hypocrites The field of the World The mystery of Antichristians or false Christians Master Cotton knows not his own desire The first rise of Antichristians argued The judgement of the great whore Christs Church by 〈…〉 properly consisting of good ground The â—â—â—uâ—e of Jewish Church The nature of Christs true Apostles Antichristians monsters in rereligion Two sorts of sinners Two sorts of hypocrites Two sorts of opposites to Christ Jesus The rivers and fountaines of blood Rev. 16. Of hypocrites in profession of Christianity Corrupt consciences distinguished Tolleration of idolaters considered Civil weapons in spirituals blur and flight the spiritual The tolleration of Jezabel in Thyatira Christ Jesus under pretence persecuted The weapons of the Saints Rev. The difference between civil and spiritual slander The dreadful nature of Christs spiritual punishments Not such spiritual punishments in the national church of Israel Prayer against present destruction of tares Pastors and Teachers not Apostles and messengers Elijah stirring up Ahab to slay the Baalites Concerning Israel in the Apostacy of Jeroboam * Hence Baalls Priests Monks Friars and Bishops have not been civilly actually slaine in England c. but spiritually by Gods word the sword of his spirit cashiered and cut off eternally Touching Christs Apostles or messengers Touching fundamentals Laws for persecuting of Christ Jesus The Pharisees blaspheming of Christ Jesus * Magistrates kings high priests Herod â—ad kings good kings c. Acts 25. 11. considered No appeals to the civil powers in matters meerly spiritual Few Magistrates in the world know Christ Jesus Mystical and cruel Surgery The title of defender of the faith To serve God withal our might literally taken horribly abused Christ Jesus hath rarely furnished his people with godly Magistrates Defendor of the faith A bold but a true word The title of supream head oath of supremacy c. The plague of the Turkes upon the Antichrististian world The Civil Magistrate no governor over the spiritual kingdome of Christ Whether Saul a type of Christ The kings of Israel and Judah types The priests and Clergy in all Nations the greatest peace-breakers Touching the seducer Of seducing Bishop Longlands subtle Oaths of inquisition Canses of destruction to a Nation All nations Cities Towns c. are part of the world Change of Religions The state of Israel unparlleld The punishments of Christ sorer then the punishments of Moses Of Seducing What meant by twice dead Of Infection The sword of typical Israel a type of Christs spiritual sword Magistrates cannot receive from the people a spiritual power The charge of the civil Magistrate The plague of the Turkes A twofold care and
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
Civill Power prove the Churches of the same Nature with the Head that acts and calls them Touching the difference between the Church of the Jewes and the Christian Churches The holy Land of Canaan a Nonesuch A Figure of the Chrâ—stian The weapons of the Jewes and Christians compared No Speare nor Sword in Israel New-England loath to be accounted persecutours Lawes concerning Gods Worship Dangerous distinctions Touching keeping of both Tables Of Magistrates Judgement in Spirituals c. Of Qualifications of Magistrates Of Magistrates Abilities David and Hezekiah figurative Kings c. Magistrates suspending in matters of Religion Wofull Soul-saving The power of Parents Husbands Magistrates in spirituals 1 Cor. 7. The tearme Souls-good commonly but a paint c. The promises of temporall mercies considered Worldly prosperity ever dangerous to Gods children Of Lawes binding Conscience Persecution the ordinarie Portion of Christs Followers Two States wonderfully favoured by God upon mercy shewed to oppressed Consciences formerly Holland and now the State of England Bodies and Goods the Magistrates object Oppression in Bodies Goods and Minde Wealth Honour and Prosperitie seldome attending Christs true Followers What is the CoÌ„mon weale of Israel The Roman Empire flourisheth in worldly glory without Christ The Citie of Rome famous for prosessing Christ Jesus Christs Spouse most chast under persecution The Roman Monarchy bloody to the Saints Constantine a friend and enemy to Christs Spouse The state of the Romane Empire before and after Christ God will not wrong nor have Caesar wronged Concerning toleration in New England Witnesse the bloody whipping of Obadiah Homes for the point of Baptisme lately at Bostonâ— Communion Spirituall two-fold The great Triall among Papists Protestants concerning comming to Church Touching prayers for Vengeance upon Gods Enemies Stirring up of the Civill State to persecure The bloudie Tenent of persecution is alone the King killing and Stare-killing Doctrine Amoninus Pius his Edict for the Christians Transgression against the Spirituall or Civill peace Persecutours of Christs Sheepe pretend to save them and kill none but Wolves Antichristian Ministers great Thieves Hireling Ministers Fryars in Chancers time and the Cleargie in our time considered The Turkes themselves will be Muslemanni or right beleevers The horrible partialite of persecutors Misticall sheep Paul his striking Elimas blind considered Of the power of miracles Spirituall sheep and wolves considered The Pope and all proud Popish Priests and Cleargie use the Civill Powers but as Dogs The Protestant Cleargie their dealing with Magistrates A suspending or hanging up of Magistrates The great spirituall differences of these late Times Of rest from persecution Gods children may possibly fight each against the other 〈…〉 Antichristians against Antichristians but principally against Christ Touching spirituall murther Touching Seducers The hainousnes of spirituall stumbling blocks Punishing of Seducers Common-weale twofold and Rebellion twofold Mysticall Wolves and Muskeetoes Of Soule-killing Touching State Religions Gods children Gods Citie Nation and Kingdome A State Religion a prison A forc't Religion Of the late Warres The bloudie Tenent guilty of the Rivers of Bloud c. Warres for Religion Constantines warres for the Christians Constantines Edict against forcing in Religion Never any true Nationall Religion in the World but one Touching Pauls blasphemy before his Conversion Of Apostates Fallacious mixture and confusion Spirituall Treason recanted forgiven but not so by way ofcourse the Civill An Instance from â—â— Haywood and the Lord Cromwell in King Henry the 8. his dayes Of Moses Judicialls The first three hundred years after Christ The Primitive Church the purest and yet without a Civill Sword Christ no Author of Civill violence for Religion The Levites killing 3000. Exod 32. typicall Phineas his Act. The spirituall Civill State vastly different in their frame Lawes Officers c. Elijah and the Baalites The types and figures of the old Testament Righteousnes two fold The state oâ— Israel typicall Not only morall but naturall Actions of the Israelites typicall Whether Eliahs procuring the slaughter of the Baalites was Typicall or Morall No Commission from Christ for corporall punishment in religious matters Strange and monstrous duties of Morall Righteousnesse Gods children are wonders and monsters accounted Elijah his slaying the Captaines and their fifties Wonderfull Spiders and Cobwebs Prov 30 Touching Seducers and their punishments Christ Jesus abolished former figures though he name not each of them in particular The Mysterie of the Bloudy Tenent The bloudie consequences of the bloudy Tenent The sad Effects of the bloudie Tenent on M r Cottons owne Spirit A lamentable Character of the change of M r Cottons Spirit Differences of Gods own children in Old and New England Profession of Christ Jesus in New-England not so like to be true as that which was persecuted in Old The great â—in of New-Englands former Pattents The Authours tryalls about the Pattents of New-England Gods children may be guilty of bloudy persecution for the hiding of their spirituall uncleannessee Gods mercy in stopping New-Englands persecution by the mercy of old England the mother to dissenting Consciences Holy Cranmer and Cromwell joyning with persecutours of Christ Jesus out of great weaknes in H. 8. his dayes The most famous passages of Cromwell Lambert in H. the 8. his dayes Of Admonition and Conviction Conviction two-fold Of Conviction of Hereticks Conviction sufficient externall by the word and efficient internall by Gods Spirit Christ Jesus accounted the greatest Heretick Blasphemer Seducer and Deceiver that ever was in this world Small matters accounted Heresies The barbarous usage of John Hus in the Councell at Constance The bloudie Tenent destroying civilitie and humane Societie out of the World All Men are confident in their owne opinions The persecutour of Turks Pagans Jewes or Antichristiane is in a greater errour then any of them The bloudie Fruits of the bloudie Tenent Touching confidence in opinions Freedome of Conscience hath ever been a Peace-maker in all NatioÌ„s where it hath appeared And especially at this houre in England How Christ delights in bloud Of persecuting Apostates A monstrous suspension or hanging up of Magistrates Allegations of Scriptures ought seriously to be mad and answered Millions of Turks Jewes and Antichristians are far from the due charge of Apostasie The mysterie of the red Horse of War A spirituall and Civill peace Two wofull opinions bewitching the Nations The 3 great Causes of the downfall of the Church of Rome Touching a New English Modell of Church and civill power * Writing to â—â—â— M r Hall Deepe Censures for none or innocent mistakes Touching Moses his Judicialls Israel in a kinde a miraculous people Touching punishment of Adulterie All Civill Government Gods Ordinance True Republikes Common-weales without Kings A wonderfullâ— saying of Bishop Hall The State of Israel Of Magistrates being nursing Fathers c. Of Magistrates Power in Spiritualls Of the sins of Magistrates A case touching the Magistrates punishing the Sin of Church members The direfull state of false Worshippers The Portraiture
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