The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 40 – Chapter 41
CHAP. 40. A Reply to his Chap. 40.
Diſcuſſer.
BƲt it hath been thought and ſaid, ſhall Oppoſitions againſt the Truth eſcape unpuniſhed? will they not prove miſchievous? I anſwer as before, concerning the blind Guides, their caſe being incurable is rather to be lamented, ſince none but the right hand of the Lord, in the meeke and gentle Diſpenſing of the word of Truth; can releaſe them, &c.
Defender.
So it is with all ſcandalous offenders againſt the civil State: none can give them healing Repentance, but the right hand of the Lord Jeſus, in the diſpenſing of the word of Truth: yet that doth not reſtraine Magiſtrates from executing juſt Judgement upon them. So neither doth it reſtraine them from executing the like juſt Judgement againſt theſe, though not to procure the Repentance of incurable obſtinate Hereticks, and Idolaters: yet to prevent the ſeduction and ſubverſion of others. What though a dead ſoule, though changed from one Worſhip to another, (like a dead man ſhifted into ſeverall ſuites of Apparell) cannot pleaſe God? Heb. 11.6. And what though Faith be that gift, which proceedeth alone from that Father of Lights? Phil. 1.29.
Yet better a dead ſoule be dead in body, as well as in Spirit, then to live, and be lively in the fleſh, to murder many precious ſoules by the Magiſtrates Indulgence. And better he die without Faith, then to live to ſeduce many honeſt minds to depart from the Faith.
Diſcuſſer.
I adde, a civill Sword hardneth the followers of falſe Teachers, by the ſufferings of their falſe and Antichriſtian Seducers.
And ſecondly, it begetteth in them an Impreſſion of the falſhood of that Religion, which cannot uphold it ſelfe, but with ſuch Inſtruments of violence, and wanteth the ſoft, and gentle commiſeration of the blindneſſe of others.
Defender.
A civill Magiſtrate ought not to draw out his civill Sword againſt any Seducers (Whether Hereticks, or Idolaters) till he have uſed all good meanes for their conviction, and thereby clearely manifeſted the bowels of tender commiſeration and compaſſion towards them.
But if after their continuance in obſtinate Rebellion againſt the Light, he ſhall ſtill walke towards them in ſoft and gentle commiſeration, his ſoftneſſe and gentleneſſe is exceſſive large to Foxes, and wolves: But his bowels are miſerably ſtraitned and hardned againſt the poore ſheepe and Lambs of Chriſt. If any be hardned by the juſt and faithfull ſeverity of Magiſtrates in this caſe, it is meerely accidentall, from the extreme perverſneſſe of the deceitfull and corrupt heart of man, not from any corruption found in ſuch dealings of Magiſtrates. Yea, Experience ſpeaketh the contrary, not onelyonly in the inſtance of the Donatiſts, who were many of them reclaimed, by the juſt ſeverity of the civill Magiſtrate in Auguſtines time: But alſo in our owne memory. Let the Diſcuſſer ſpeake his conſcience, whether Popery or Papiſts did more ſwarme and abound in Queen Elizabeths dayes, then in the dayes of King James?
Diſcuſſer.
Antonius Pius, the Emperour of Rome, upon this occaſion, wrote to all the Governours of his Provinces, to forbeare the Perſecution of Chriſtians, becauſe ſuch dealing was ſo farre from converting Chriſtians from their way, that it rather begat in their mindes an opinion of their Cruelty.
Defender.
No marvell: for firſt the Pagan Religion was not of God, but palpable and groſſe Idolatry: But the Religion of Chriſtians came downe from Heaven, in the Goſpel of Truth. It is cruelty in a Magiſtrate and it will beget in the minds of indifferent men, an opinion of his cruelty, to murther Innocents (and that indictâ cau…â:) when it will never be found guilty, nor beget in equall minds an opinion of the cruelty of ſuch, as ſhall put to Death Murderers, and obſtinate deſtroyers of the life of Soules.
Secondly, It is evident, the perſecuting Emperours, and their Governours of Provinces under them, attended not at all, to the conviction of Chriſtians, nor did they indeavour to make it appeare, that the Chriſtians ſinned againſt the Light of their owne conſciences: And therefore we marvell, if it bred in the people, a juſt opinion of the cruelty of Perſecutors, and of the Innocency of Chriſtians.
3. It is an untrue Intimation of the Diſcuſſer, that Antonius forebad the perſecution of Chriſtians upon any ſuch grounds, as if he affected rather their converſion (which harſh dealing might alienate them from: or as if by reaſon of hard dealing with them, it bred in the Chriſtians an opinion of the cruelty of their Perſecutors: which he was deſirous to avoyd. Read both the Reſcripts of Antonius Pius, both to the men of Aſia, and to the Senate of Rome: and he giveth other juſt Reaſons of forbidding the perſecution of them: as in reſpect of their confidence on God in times of danger, above Pagans: and in reſpect of his Fathers favourable grant to them: and cheifly in that by their Prayers they had ſaved his Army in great diſtreſſe in Germany, and deſtroyed their Enemies. But he was ſo farre from ſeeking their converſion to his Paganiſme by lenity towards them, that he ſtraitly chargeth his Officers, foreign, not to draw any ſuch to Repentance, and bondage. Both his Reſcripts are extant in the end of Juſtin Martyrs ſecond Apologie for Chriſtians.
CHAP. 41. A Reply to his Chap. 41. Diſcuſsing the Texts, Iſay 2.4. with Mica. 4.3.
Diſcuſſer.
THe next Scripture againſt Perſecution, is that of the Prophet Iſaiah 2.4. together with Micah 4.3. They ſhall breake their Swords into Plowſhares, and their Speares into pruning hookes: And Iſa. 11.9. There ſhall none hurt or deſtroy, in all the Mountaine of my Holineſſe.
Ʋnto which Mr. Cotton anſwereth, 1. That theſe Predictions doe onelyonly ſhew with what weapons Chriſt will ſubdue the Nations to the Faith of the Goſpel.
2. They ſhew alſo what the meeke and peaceable temper will be of all true Converts to Chriſtianity: not Lions, nor Leopards, nor cruell Oppreſſours, nor Malignant oppoſers, and biters one of another: but doth not forbid them to drive ravenous wolves from the ſheepfold, nor to reſtraine them from devouring the ſheep of Chriſt.
This firſt Anſwer is truely Chriſtian: but me thinks the Anſwerer might heare a voyce from Heaven, out of thine owne mouth will I judge thee: for that which he addeth is as evill and bitter, as the former words were good and ſweet; But this doth not forbid them to drive ravenous wolves from the ſheepfold, and to reſtraine them from devouring the ſheep of Chriſt.
But this fighteth againſt the former Truth; to wit, that Chriſt by ſpirituall weapons will ſubdue the Nations of the Earth to the obedience of the Goſpel. For by driving away theſe Wolves, he intendeth not onelyonly the Reſiſtance or violence, which the Shepheards of Chriſt ought ſpiritually to make: but the civill Reſiſtance of the materiall Swords, ſtaves, Guns, &c. whence I argue, that ſame power forceth the evill (the Wolves) out, forceth the good (the ſheep) in: for of the ſame things, is the like and ſame Reaſon, &c.
Defender.
He ſhould ſay, for of contrary things, is a contrary Reaſon: for ſheep and wolves are not the ſame things: nor are force in, and force out the ſame things. But howſoever, his Argument is of the like force, as if he ſhould reaſon, a man may witha ſtaffe or a Sword drive away dogs, that might by the way bite, or worrey his children in going to Schoole: therefore a man may with aſtaffe, or a Sword drive his children to goe to ſchoole: for there is the ſame Reaſon of both. But doth he ſpeak in good earneſt, that there is the ſame Reaſon of both? Are Wolves to be driven away, and ſheep brought into the fold by the ſame Inſtruments? Yes, ſaith he, the ſame arme that with a ſtaffe beateth off the Wolfe, with a rod and hooke bringeth in the ſheep: the ſame Dogg that aſſaulteth and teareth a Wolfe, frighteth and forceth in the ſtragling ſheep. But the Dog that is taught to aſſault and teare the Wolfe, if he aſſault and teare the ſheep alſo, will finde a halter for his labour. And though the ſame Arme may with a ſtaffe beate a Wolfe, yet it will not with the ſame ſtaffe beat a ſheep. The ſame Shepheards ſtaffe, that knocketh downe a Wolfe on the head, hooketh in the ſheep gently by the legg. The ſame voyce from Heaven, that calleth the ſheep by Name into the ſheep-fold, and leadeth them by ſtill waters, the ſame voyce hath ſaid, that Antichriſtian Wolves and Seducers ſhall drink of bloud, for they are worthy, Revel. 16.6.