The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 64
CHAP. 64. A Reply to his Chap. 67.
Diſcuſſer.
IN the ſecond place, I aske, what glory to God, what good to the ſoules and bodies of their Subjects, did theſe Princes bring, in perſecuting?
Defender.
Perſecution of Innocents never brought good to Princes, or Subjects, but accidentally: as the Diſcuſſer ſaid above, that Nero in perſecuting, made the hearts of Chriſtians, more ſweet, and fragrant like pounded Spices. But ſuch evill ought not to have been done, that ſuch good in ſuch a way might come of it.
But the good that is brought to Princes and Subjects by the due puniſhment of Apoſtate Seducers, and Idolaters, and Blaſphemers, is manifold.
Firſt, it putteth away evill from the people, and cutteth off a Gangreene, which would ſpread to further ungodlineſſe, Deut. 13.5. 2 Tim. 2, 16, 17, 18.
Secondly, it driveth away Wolves from worrying, and ſcattering the Sheep of Chriſt. For falſe Teachers be Wolves, (Matth. 6.15. Acts 20.29.) And the very name of Wolves holdeth forth what benefit will redound to the ſheep, by either killing them, or driving them away.
Thirdly, ſuch Executions upon ſuch evill doers cauſeth all the Country to heare and feare, and doe no more ſuch wickedneſſe, Deut. 13.11.
Yea, as theſe puniſhments are preventions of like wickedneſſe in ſome: ſo are they wholſome Medicines, to heale ſuch as are curable of theſe evills, Zach. 13.4, 5, 6.
Fourthly, the puniſhments executed upon falſe Prophets, and ſeducing Teachers, doe bring downe ſhowers of Gods bleſſings, upon the civill State, 1 Kings 18.40, 41.
Fifthly, it is an honour to Gods Juſtice, that ſuch Judgements are executed, Rev. 16.5, 6, 7.
Diſcuſſer.
But ſuch Executions in Queen Elizabeths dayes had rayſed almoſt all Europe in combuſtion; the warres of 88. the Spaniſh Invaſion had ſpeciall reſpect to this. And had not the Lord borne witneſſe to his owne Law, and to his people herein, (by defeating the Intendments of their Enemies) it might have been the ruine, both of England and the Netherlands, which are the words of Mr. Cotton himſelfe on the third Viall.
Defender.
The words Anſwer for themſelves. The Devill and his Inſtruments raged againſt ſuch Lawes, and ſuch Executions, but God bare witneſſe to both, by mightily defeating the Invaſions and Conſpiracies of Enemies.
Diſcuſſer.
It is no Argument that God bare witneſſe to his people in ſuch Deliverancies and Victories: For,
1. Events and Succeſſes come alike to all, and are no Arguments of Love, or Hatred.
Defender.
Events and ſucceſſes are indeed no Arguments of a mans ſpirituall Eſtate, of the Love or hatred of God, to a mans perſon, in which ſenſe Solomon ſpeaketh, Eccleſ. 9.1, 2. But otherwiſe they are ordinary witneſſes, good Events of a good cauſe if it be well handled: ill events of an ill cauſe, or at leaſt of the ill handling of a good cauſe, Pſal. 1.3, 4. Jer. 22.15, 16, 17.
Diſcuſſer.
Secondly, Papiſts in their warres have ever yet had both in Peace and warre, victory and Dominion. And therefore (if ſucceſſe be the meaſure) God hath borne witneſſe to them: as in the Warres between Charles the fift: and ſome Germane Princes, where the ſucceſſe was various, between Philip of Spaine, and the Low-Countries; the King of France, and his Proteſtant Subjects, ſometimes winning, ſometimes looſing.
But moſt memorable is the Hiſtory of the Waldenſes, who fought many Battles againſt three ſucceeding Popes, with various ſucceſſe: But the finall ſucceſſe and Victory fell to the Popedome, and Romiſh Church, in the utter extirpation of thoſe Waldenſian witneſſes.
Defender.
Reply. 1. I will not inquire of the meaning of the words, how the Papiſts in their warres have had both in Peace and Warre Victory and Dominion. But this I cannot excuſe from contradiction, that the Papiſts in their Warres ever had the Victory: and yet have often fought with various ſucceſſe, ſometime winning, ſometime looſing.
Nor can I tell, how it ſtandeth with Truth, that Papiſts in their Warres ever had the Victory: ſince Queen Elizabeth ever had the Victory over them.
Reply. 2. Though Papiſts have fought with various Succeſſe, it is Gods manner to nurture his people with ſome croſſes, that they might at length learne to fight not in their owne ſtrength, but in the Lords.
Reply. 3. The ſtory is evident, that the Waldenſes never loſt Battell, but when they complyed with the Papiſts, and truſted more in their falſe pretences, then in the Lord. Neither is it true, that the finall ſucceſſe ef the Victory fell to the Romiſh Church to the utter extirpation of thoſe Waldenſian witneſſes.
For it never came to an utter Extirpation of them, but only to a diſperſion into ſundry Countries of Europe, as Biſhop Ʋſher ſheweth in the laſt words of his Booke De ſucceſſione Chriſtianarum Eccleſiarum. But diſperſion is one thing; utter exterpation is anoother. Seed is diſperſed, and the more multiplyed: but exterpation tendeth to withering, and deſtruction. Certaine it is, the Waldenſes long after thoſe warres, and that diſperſion, wrote Letters to Luther, and Calvin, which are extant to this day.
Diſcuſſer.
It is moſt true, what Daniel in his 8.11, and 12. Chapters, and John Rev. 11, 12, and 13. Chapters, write of the great ſucceſſe of Antichriſt againſt Chriſt Jeſus for a time appointed.
Defender.
Not againſt Chriſt Jeſus: for who ever warred againſt him, and prevailed? Job. 9.4. But true it is, againſt his ſervants Antichriſt prevailed for a time appointed: but it was when either the Saints ſuffered for the Truth: (and then the Saints were the true Conquerours:) or elſe when they complyed with the corruptions of the times, and then though their cauſe was good, yet they handled it ill.
Diſcuſſer.
Gods ſervants are all Conquerours, when they warre with Gods weapons in Gods cauſe and worſhip: as in Rev. 2. and 3. Chapters, and in Rev. 12. they overcome the Dragon in the Romane Emperours by three weapons, the bloud of the Lamb, the word of their Teſtimony, and not loving their lives unto the death.
Defender.
It is true, thoſe are the weapons of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, and thoſe are alſo the weapons of private Chriſtians: but if the Magiſtrate be the Miniſter of God in bearing his ſword, then the Sword alſo is a weapon of God, which when it is drawne out in Gods cauſe and worſhip, according to God, with confidence, not in the arme of fleſh, but in the Lord of Hoſts, it goeth forth Conquering to conquer, Rev. 17.14. with Rev. 19.14.19, 20. Gideons Sword was the Sword of the Lord, Judg. 7.20.