The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 63
CHAP. 63. A Reply to his Chap. 66.
Diſcuſſer.
HE ends this paſſage with approbation of Queene Elizabeth for Perſecutiag the Papiſts, and a reproofe to King James for Perſecuting the Puritans.
Defender.
I neither did in termes approve the perſecution of the one, nor reprove the perſecution of the other. The words I ſpake of them are recited above. Chap. 58. which containe an Hiſtoricall Narration of the Res geſtas in this caſe of both the Princes, but neither approvement, nor reprovement of them. It was enough to anſwer the Priſoners Argument, that as great Princes as the three named by him for Toleration, might be named againſt Toleration: As Queene Elizabeth for one, and King James for another, who perſecuted Puritans though he Tolerated Papiſts.
Diſcuſſer.
But if Queene Elizabeth did well to perſecute the Papiſts according to her Conſcience: King James did not ill in perſecuting others according to his.
Defender.
It followeth not. For Queene Elizabeth might doe well in puniſhing ſeditious, or ſeducing Papiſts according to Conſcience rightly informed, and King James doe ill according to Conſcience miſinformed. Beſides, It may be the worſe, when a man perſecuteth thoſe, whom he knoweth to be innocent, againſt his own Conſcience. Or ſuppoſe Conſcience by often ſinning againſt the light & cheks of it, be (by the juſt Judgement of God) blinded and ſeared, In ſuch a caſe to doe a wicked act according to Conſcience, doth not extenuate, but aggravate a ſin: in that ſuch a man ſinneth not only in doing a corrupt act, but (which is worſe) with a corrupt Conſcience. But with what Conſcience King James did perſecute Puritans, I judge not: the judgement of ſuch things is with the Lord.
Diſcuſſer.
But then Mr. Cotton muſt graunt, that if King James did ill in perſecuting Puritans according to his Conſcience, then either King James was not fit to be King, and had not the eſſentiall qualifications of a King (in not being able rightly to judge, who are to be perſ…cuted, who not:) or elſe, He muſt confeſſe, that King James, and all Magiſtrates muſt perſecute ſuch, whom in their Conſcience they judge worthy to be pe…ſecut…d,
Defender.
None of theſe things will follow. For though King James did evill to perſecute godly Miniſters, and other good Chriſtians, ſtudious of Reformation: yet he was fit to have been a King, and wanted not the eſſentiall Qualifications of a King. For he was by lawfull Succeſſion the next heire of the Crowne, and was beſides endued with many royall guifts of wiſdome, and Knowledge, both of Scripture and Policy, which if he did not alwayes attend to, in his Adminiſtrations, the defect was not for want of Eſſentiall Qualifications, but for want of employing his Qualifications according to the right Rule of the word of God. For by the Rule of the word, thoſe (whom they called) Puritans ought not to have been perſecuted, no though they had been erroneous in their way, which they were not. For though they conſented not to the State-Government of the Church; yet neither did they tumultuouſly and ſeditiouſly reſiſt it. But ſuppoſe Princes and Magiſtrates doe want ſome Qualifications meet for their calling (as this for one, Knowledge and Judgement rightly to diſcerne, who may be puniſhed for matters of Religion, who not:) yet ſuch Qualifications are not of the Eſſence of the calling of a King, or Magiſtrate, but belong onelyonly to the Integrity of it. Yea ſuch Kings or Magiſtrates as want ſuch cleare diſcerning of this point, they have a juſt Call to forbeare all execution of civill Cenſures in matters of Religion, till they be better informed. Or elſe (as the Diſcuſſer ſaith truly) they may perſecute the Sonne of God in ſtead of the ſonne of Perdition.