The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 77
CHAP. 77. A Reply to his Chap. 80.
Diſcuſſer.
VVHat though, they ſay, the Godly will not perſiſt in Hereſie, or turbulent Schiſme, when they are convinced thereof in Conſcience? If the civill Court and Magiſtrates muſt judge, and thoſe civill Courts, are as lawfull, conſiſting of naturall men, as of Godly perſons, then what conſequences will follow, I have before mentioned.
Defender.
Mentioned, indeed, but not proved: I hope (by the helpe of Chriſt) the inconſequence of them hath been cleared.
Diſcuſſer.
And I adde, according to this Concluſion it muſt follow, that if the moſt godly perſons yeeld not to once or twice Admonition (as is mainteyned by the Anſwerer) they muſt neceſſarily be eſteemed obſtinate perſons: for if they were godly, they would yeeld.
Defender.
Here againe the Diſcuſſer miſreporteth my words: For I did not ſay, that if perſons be godly, they would yeeld to once or twice Admonition: and if they did not yeeld to once or twice Admonition, they muſt neceſſarily be eſteemed obſtinate perſons. But my words were, The godly will not perſiſt in Hereſie or turbulent Schiſme, when they are convinced in Conſcience of the ſinfulneſſe thereof.
Here is then a three-fold wreſting of my words, & accordingly ſo much falſe dealing. For 1. Admonition is one thing: Conviction in their owne Conſcience, is another. For though Admonition ought not to be diſpenſed till after conviction: yet it may fall out, that the Church (through miſtake) proceedeth to Admonition, before the Offender be convinced in his own Conſcience of the ſinfulneſſe of his way.
2. He carrieth my words, as if they who yeeld not to once or twice Admonition muſt needs be eſteemed obſtinate perſons: whereas I onelyonly ſay, they will not perſiſt in Hereſie, (that is, in obſtinacy of Fundamentall Error) nor in turbulent Schiſme, when they are convinced in Conſcience of the ſinfulneſſe thereof.
3. He propoundeth my words generally, as if I had ſaid that godly perſons (in whatſovever Error they hold) if they yeeld not to once or twice Admonition, they muſt needs be eſteemed obſtinate. whereas I ſpake not of every Error, but of perſiſting in Hereſie and turbulent Schiſme.
But you may ſee how farre the love of an Error, and deſire of contention, will tranſport the minde and ſpirit!
The two ſtories that he telleth, upon this occaſion (in his next words) becauſe he nameth neither time, nor perſons, nor occaſions of the ſpeeches (which he repreſenteth as odious) a ſhort Anſwer will ſerve to them. 1. I have too much experience of the Diſcuſſers miſtakes of permanent Printed words, and therefore am affraid to credit every report of tranſient words ſpoken, without further Teſtimony. 2. The words might be ſpoken by ſome perſons, concerning others, upon ſuch occaſions, as I will by no meanes excuſe, or juſtifie: but they might be ſpoken upon ſuch weights, as might juſtly hold weight in the Ballance of the Sanctuary.
The latter part of my Anſwer which he ſaith, cometh not neere the Queſtion, I now underſtand ſo much by the Diſcuſſer: but it did not ſo appeare to me by the Author of the Letter.
Diſcuſſer.
Mr. Cotton concludeth with a conſident perſwaſion, of having removed the grounds of that great Error, viz. that perſons are not to be perſecuted for cauſe of Conſcience.
Defender.
How hard a thing is it, to write againſt the Truth, and yet to ſpeake with a lip of Truth? Compare the words of my concluſion with the Diſcuſſers relation or repreſentation thereof. The words of my concluſion were theſe
Thus much I thought needfull to be ſpoken for the avoyding of the grounds of your Error.
1. Then, let him ſpeake, what words of mine doe expreſſe the confidence of my perſwaſion? It is true, I bel…ive, and therefore ſpeake what I have written: but wherein did I blow up my beleife to a confident perſwaſion? I thank God: I doubt not of the truth of what I have written: but it is one thing, what I conceive in my minde: another thing what I thinke meet to expreſſe.
2. I doe not ſay in this concluſion, that I have removed the grounds of his Error: but that I have ſpoken ſo much for that end: but whether I have done it or no (according to the helpe of Chriſt received) I leave others to judge.
3. The name of a great Error is foiſted in by himſelfe, ad exaggerandam gloriationis invidiam et indignitatem: but though the Error be indeed great: yet I did not ſo ſtile it, when I ſpake of mine owne endeavour to remove the grounds of it.
4. It is an evident falſhood that I ſhould conclude, This to be that great Error, That perſons are not to be perſecuted for cauſe of Conſcience.
For it is that which in ſtating the Queſtion, I did in expreſſe termes deny, that any was to be perſecuted for cauſe of Conſcience: no not an Heretick, no not in a Church-way, much leſſe in a civill way till being convinced in his owne Conſcience of his wickedneſſe, he do ſtand out therein, not only againſt the Truth, but againſt the light of his owne Conſcience, that ſo it may appeare, he is not perſecuted for cauſe of Conſcience, but puniſhed for ſinning againſt his Conſcience.
OnelyOnly this, I now further adde, which I know not, whether I had not occaſion to ſpeake to in this Diſcourſe hitherto (unleſſe in a touch) that ſometime it may be an aggravation of ſinne both in judgement and practiſe, that a man holdeth it, or committeth it in Conſcience. But that is onelyonly in caſe, when a man hath been wonted to ſin ſo oft againſt his light, and againſt the cleare Principles of Truth, and godlineſſe, that it may appeare, the juſt curſe of God hath given him up to a reprobate-blinded-minde, and ſeared Conſcience. But of that wee have not had occaſion to diſpute in this Diſcourſe.
Diſcuſſer.
But I beleive it ſhall appeare, That the charge of Error Reboundeth backc, even ſuch an Error as may be called the Bloudy-Tenent.
Defender.
I hope, It hath by this time appeared, in the former diſpute, (through the bleſſing of Chriſt) That, that which he calleth the Bloudy-Tenent is waſhed white in the bloud of the Lambe: and tendeth both to the ends, for which the Prince of peace dyed, viz. To the ſaving of his ſheep from devouring to the diſſolving of the curſed works of Satan, to the maintenance of his Truth, and to the preſervation of ſacred and civill peace, both in Churches, and Common-wealth.