The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 2 · Chapter 3
TO CHAP. III.
HIs third Chapter is taken up in anſwering to a Phraſe in my Letter, in which I had ſaid, I endeavoured to ſhew him the ſandineſſe of thoſe grounds, upon which he had baniſhed himſelfe from the fellowſhip of all the Churches in this Countrey.
The ſumme of his Anſwer is, That his grounds were the firme rocke of the Truth of Jeſus, and that my endeavours to prove them ſandy, are but the weake, and uncertain ſand of mans Invention, which ſhall therefore periſh, and burne like hay, or ſtubble; And the Rocky ſtrength of his grounds ſhall appeare in the Lords ſeaſon, and that my ſelfe alſo may yet confeſſe ſo much, as I have (ſince I came to New-England) confeſt the ſandineſſe of the grounds of many of my Practiſes in Old England: and the rockineſſe of their grounds that witneſſed againſt me, and them: for Inſtance, that himſelfe had diſcovered to me, and other ſervants of God, his grounds againſt the uſe of the Common Prayer Booke: which though they then ſeemed ſandy to me, yet ſince I have acknowledged to be rocky, and have ſeene cauſe ſo to publiſh to the world in my Diſcourſe to Mr. Ball, againſt ſet formes of Prayer.
For a reply, let me begin where he leaveth; How ready he is to build upon ſandy grounds, may appeare by this very Paſſage, where he maintaineth his rockineſſe. For here he avoucheth, I have ſeene cauſe to publiſh to the world, the rockineſſe of his grounds in a Diſcourſe to Mr. Ball againſt ſet Formes of Prayer.
What rocky ground doe you thinke this Aſſertion of his ſtandeth upon? I know no other but this; He findeth ſuch a Diſcourſe publiſhed to the world: and he thence concludeth (for other Grounds he hath none) that I publiſhed that Diſcourſe, and that I ſaw cauſe to publiſh it: both which hang upon that ground like ropes of ſand. The truth is, I did not publiſh that Diſcourſe to the world, much leſſe did I ſee cauſe to publiſh it upon the Grounds he ſpeaketh of. A briefe Diſcourſe in defence of ſet formes of Prayer was penned by Mr. Ball, much briefer then that which ſince is put forth in Print. That briefe Diſcourſe a religious Knight ſent over, (whether to my ſelfe, or to a Gentleman of note then dwelling in my houſe, I remember not) but with deſire to heare our judgement of it. At his requeſt I drew up a ſhort Anſwer, and ſent one Copie of it to the Knight, and another to Mr. Ball, divers yeares agoe. How it came (in proceſſe of time) to be publiſhed to the world, or by whom, I doe not know. And yet Mr. Williams doubteth not to affirme it, that I publiſhed that Diſcourſe to the world, and ſaw cauſe to doe it. Rocky ſpirits can expreſſe all their conceits, in rocky firmneſſe, though upon ſandy conjectures.
Beſides, when he ſaith, That himſelfe diſcovered to me, and to other ſervants of God, his grounds againſt our uſing of the Common Prayer; which then ſeemed ſandy to us, but now in New-England, I have acknowledged to be rocky in my Diſcourſe to Mr. Ball. I could have wiſhed he had expreſſed, what grounds thoſe were, which he diſcovered to us; For my ſelfe I can call to minde no ſuch matter, that ever I heard, or received from him, either by word, or writing, any ſolide grounds againſt that Practiſe. But this I am ſure of, that the grounds of altering my judgement touching that practiſe, did chiefly ſtand upon the expoſition of the ſecond Commandement; which if I ſhould ſay, I received from him, I ſhould greatly feare my forehead were more rocky then his grounds were. I thinke it no diſgrace to change either my judgement or practiſe upon better grounds then I formerly diſcerned. Nor would I thinke it a diſgrace to learne any grounds of truth, and to profeſſe that I had learned them from himſelfe, if ſo I had done. But ſure I am, it hath not been wont to be the manner of the ſervants of God to upbraid their Brethren, with their Retractations of their former Aberrations.
I have read of the Churches of Judea, that when they heard Paul now preached the Faith, which once he deſtroyed, they glorified God for him, (Gal. 1.23, 24.) but I never read, that any of the Churches of Chriſt, or any ſincere member of the Churches, did ever upbraid Paul for his former Perſecution, or for his preſent change.
The other part of the Chapter, he ſpendeth in relating the grounds of the ſentence of his Baniſhment, and in the avouchment of his confidence of the firmeneſſe of them.
The grounds of the ſentence of his Baniſhment, ſome whereof He ſaith I am pleaſed to diſcuſſe in the Letter, and others not to mention; He ſaith were rightly ſummed up by one of the Magiſtrates after his publick Tryall, and Anſwers.
Mr. Williams (ſaid that publick Perſon) holdeth forth theſe foure particulars.
1. That we have not our Land by Patent from the King, but that the Natives are the true owners of it; and that we ought to repent of ſuch a receiving it by Patent.
2. That it is not lawfull to call a wicked Perſon to ſweare, to pray, as being actions of Gods worſhip.
3. That it is not lawfull to heare any of the Miniſters of the Pariſh-Aſſemblies in England.
4. That the Civill Magiſtrates Power extends onelyonly to the bodies, and goods, and outward ſtate of men, &c.
Theſe particulars he hopeth, that as he maintained the rockie ſtrength of them to his own, and other Conſciences ſatisfaction: So (through the Lords aſſiſtance,) he ſhall be ready not onelyonly to be bound, and baniſhed, but to dye alſo in New-England, as for moſt holy Truths of God in Chriſt Jeſus.
It was not my intent in that Letter which he examineth, to diſcuſſe the Grounds of his Civill Baniſhment at all, neither did I diſcuſſe one or other of them. And it is a prepoſterous ſhifting of the State of the Queſtion, to put it upon me to give account of the cauſes of his Baniſhment, who neither did baniſh him, nor provoked the Court to baniſh him out of the Countrey. The Magiſtrates and Deputies of the Common-wealth (who were then the Members of that Court) are all of them of age, and able themſelves to give account of their own actions. To them or ſome of them he ſhould in reaſon have addreſſed himſelfe for ſatisfaction in this caſe (if any were due) and not to me, who am as ſeldome preſent at any Civill Court, (if not more ſeldome) then any man of our calling in Towne or Countrey, where the Courts are kept. It were more then Aegyptian bondage to me, and more then Pharaonicall tyranny in him, to exact of me, an account of all the capitall, or notable ſentences of Judgement, which paſſe in all the Civill Courts of Juſtice in the Countrey, unleſſe I had a calling to ſit amongſt them.
But why did I then endeavour in my Letter to ſhew him the ſandineſſe of thoſe grounds, upon which he had baniſhed himſelfe, &c. If I did not meane to declare, and diſcuſſe the cauſes of his Baniſhment?
He doth very well, and wiſely to expreſſe the Grounds upon which I ſaid he baniſhed himſelfe with an, &c. For he knows that if he had related my whole ſentence in my own words, he had cut off himſelfe from all opportunitie of pleading with me the cauſes of his Civill Baniſhment.
My words are plaine, — I endeavour to ſhew you the ſandineſſe of thoſe grounds, upon which you have baniſhed your ſelfe from the fellowſhip of all the Churches in theſe Countreyes.
It is one thing to baniſh ones ſelfe (or to be baniſhed) out of the fellowſhip of all the Churches in the Countrey; another thing to baniſh ones ſelfe (or to be baniſhed) out of the Countrey. There be at this day that baniſh (and ſeparate) themſelves from all the Churches in the Countrey, and yet are not baniſhed out of the Countrey: and there be that are baniſhed out of the Countrey, and yet are not baniſhed out of the fellowſhip of all the Churches in the Countrey. Himſelfe hath ſeparated (and ſo baniſhed himſelfe) from the fellowſhip of all the Churches in the world: and yet he hath not baniſhed himſelfe out of the world.
But though it be impertinent to my Letter to diſcuſſe the grounds of his Civill Baniſhment: yet ſince he is pleaſed (by hook or crook) to draw it in, I referre the Reader for Anſwer to a full Treatiſe of that Argument, penned by a reverend faithfull Brother, (the Teacher of the Church at Rocksbury;) and withall as I have touched ſomewhat of it above in Anſwer to his Preface, ſo I ſhall ſpeak a word or two more unto it here.
Whom that eminent Magiſtrate was, that ſo ſummed up the grounds of Mr. Williams his Baniſhment in thoſe foure Particulars above mentioned, Mr. Williams doth wiſely conceale his name, leſt if he were named, he ſhould be occaſioned to beare witneſſe againſt ſuch fraudulent expreſſion of the Particulars: whereof ſome were no cauſes of his Baniſhment at all, and ſuch as were cauſes, were not delivered in ſuch generall Tearmes. For in univerſalibus latet Dolus. It is evident the two latter cauſes which he giveth of his Baniſhment, were no cauſes at all, as he expreſſeth them. There are many knowne to hold both theſe Opinions, That it is not lawfull to heare any of the Miniſters of the Pariſh-Aſſemblies in England, and that the Civill Magiſtrates power extendeth onelyonly to the bodies, and goods, and outward eſtates of men: and yet they are tolerated not onelyonly to live in the Common-wealth, but alſo in the fellowſhip of the Churches.
The two former, though they be not ſo much noyſed, yet there be many, if not moſt, that hold, That we have not our Land, meerly by right of Patent from the King, but that the Natives are true owners of all that they poſſeſſe, or improve. Neither doe I know any amongſt us, that either then were, or now are of another minde.
And as for the other Point; That it is not lawfull to call a wicked Perſon to ſweare, or pray.
Though that be not commonly held, yet it is knowne to be held of ſome, who yet are tolerated to enjoy both Civill, and Church-liberties amongſt us.
To come therefore to Particulars: Two things there were, which (to my beſt obſervation, and remembrance) cauſed the Sentence of his Baniſhment: and two other fell in, that haſtened it.
1. His violent and tumultuous carriage againſt the Patent.
By the Patent it is, that we received allowance from the King to depart his Kingdome, and to carry our goods with us, without offence to his Officers, and without paying cuſtome to himſelfe.
By the Patent, certain ſelect men (as Magiſtrates, and Freemen) have power to make Lawes, and the Magiſtrates to execute Juſtice, and Judgement amongſt the People, according to ſuch Lawes.
By the Patent we have Power to erect ſuch a Government of the Church, as is moſt agreeable to the Word, to the eſtate of the People, and to the gaining of Natives (in Gods time) firſt to Civility, and then to Chriſtianity.
To this Authority eſtabliſhed by this Patent, Engliſh-men doe readily ſubmit themſelves: and foraine Plantations (the French, the Dutch, and Swediſh) doe willingly tranſact their Negotiations with us, as with a Colony eſtabliſhed by the Royall Authority of the State of England.
This Patent, Mr. Williams publickly, and vehemently preached againſt, as containing matter of falſhood, and injuſtice: Falſhood in making the King the firſt Chriſtian Prince who had diſcovered theſe parts: and injuſtice, in giving the Countrey to his Engliſh Subjects, which belonged to the Native Indians. This therefore he preſſed upon the Magiſtrates and People, to be humbled for from time to time in dayes of ſolemne Humiliation, and to returne the Patent back againe to the King. It was anſwered to him, firſt, That it was neither the Kings intendment, nor the Engliſh Planters to take poſſeſſion of the Countrey by murther of the Natives, or by robbery: but either to take poſſeſſion of the voyd places of the Countrey by the Law of Nature, (for Vacuum Domicilium cedit occupanti:) or if we tooke any Lands from the Natives, it was by way of purchaſe, and free conſent.
A little before our coming, God had by peſtilence, and other contagious diſeaſes, ſwept away many thouſands of the Natives, who had inhabited the Bay of Maſſachuſets, for which the Patent was granted. Such few of them as ſurvived were glad of the coming of the Engliſh, who might preſerve them from the oppreſſion of the Naharganſets. For it is the manner of the Natives, the ſtronger Nations to oppreſſe the weaker.
This anſwer did not ſatisfie Mr. Williams, who pleaded, the Natives, though they did not, nor could ſubdue the Countrey, (but left it vacuum Domicilium) yet they hunted all the Countrey over, and for the expedition of their hunting voyages, they burnt up all the underwoods in the Countrey, once or twice a yeare, and therefore as Noble men in England poſſeſſed great Parkes, and the King, great Forreſts in England onelyonly for their game, and no man might lawfully invade their Propriety: So might the Natives challenge the like Propriety of the Countrey here.
It was replyed unto him. 1. That the King, and Noble men in England, as they poſſeſſed greater Territories then other men, ſo they did greater ſervice to Church, and Common-wealth.
2. That they employed their Parkes, and Forreſts, not for hunting onelyonly, but for Timber, and for the nouriſhment of tame beaſts, as well as wild, and alſo for habitation to ſundry Tenants.
3. That our Townes here did not diſturb the huntings of the Natives, but did rather keepe their Game fitter for their taking; for they take their Deere by Traps, and not by Hounds.
4. That if they complained of any ſtraites wee put upon them, wee gave ſatisfaction in ſome payments, or other, to their content.
5. We did not conceive that it is a juſt Title to ſo vaſt a Continent, to make no other improvement of millions of Acres in it, but onelyonly to burne it up for paſtime.
But theſe Anſwers not ſatisfying him, this was ſtill preſſed by him as a Nationall ſinne, to hold to the Patent, yea, and a Nationall duty to renounce the Patent: which to have done, had ſubverted the fundamentall State, and Government of the Countrey.
2. The ſecond offence, which procured his Baniſhment, was occaſioned as I touched before. The Magiſtrates, and other members of the Generall Court upon Intelligence of ſome Epiſcopall, and malignant practiſes againſt the Countrey, they made an order of Court to take tryall of the fidelitie of the People, (not by impoſing upon them, but) by offering to them an Oath of Fidelitie: that in caſe any ſhould refuſe to take it, they might not betruſt them with place of publick charge, and Command. This Oath when it came abroad, he vehemently withſtood it, and diſſwaded ſundry from it, partly becauſe it was, as he ſaid, Chriſts Prerogative, to have his Office eſtabliſhed by Oath: partly becauſe an oath was a part of Gods worſhip, and Gods worſhip was not to be put upon carnall perſons, as he conceived many of the People to be. So by his Tenent neither might Church-members, nor other godly men, take the Oath, becauſe it was the eſtabliſhment not of Chriſt, but of mortall men in their office; nor might men out of the Church take it, becauſe in his eye they were but carnall. So the Court was forced to deſiſt from that proceeding: which practiſe of his was held to be the more dangerous, becauſe it tended to unſettle all the Kingdomes, and Common-wealths in Europe.
Theſe were (as I tooke it) the cauſes of his Baniſhment: two other things fell in upon theſe that haſtened the Sentence. The former fell out thus: The Magiſtrates diſcerning by the former paſſages, the heady and turbulent ſpirit of Mr. Williams, both they, and others adviſed the Church of Salem not to call him to office in their Church; nevertheleſſe, the major part of the Church made choice of him. Soone after, when the Church made ſuit to the Court for a parcell of Land adjoyning to them, the Court delayed to grant their Requeſt (as hath been mentioned before) becauſe the Church had refuſed to hearken to the Magiſtrates, and others in forbearing the choice of Mr. Williams. Whereupon Mr. Williams took occaſion to ſtirre up the Church to joyne with him in writing Letters of Admonition unto all the Churches, whereof thoſe Magiſtrates were members, to admoniſh them of their open tranſgreſſion of the Rule of Juſtice. Which Letters coming to the ſeverall Churches, provoked the Magiſtrates to take the more ſpeedy courſe with ſo heady, and violent a Spirit.
But to prevent his ſufferings, (if it might be) it was mooved by ſome of the Elders, that themſelves might have liberty (according to the Rule of Chriſt) to deale with him, and with the Church alſo in a Church-way. It might be, the Church might heare us, and he the Church; which being conſented to, ſome of our Churches wrote to the Church of Salem, to preſent before them the offenſive Spirit, and way of their Officer, (Mr. Williams) both in Judgement, and Practiſe. The Church finally began to hearken to us, and accordingly began to addreſſe themſelves to the healing of his Spirit. Which he diſcerning, renounced communion with the Church of Salem, pretending they held communion with the Churches in the Bay, and the Churches in the Bay held communion with the Pariſh-Churches in England, becauſe they ſuffered their members to heare the word amongſt them in England, as they came over into their native Countrey. He then refuſing to reſort to the Publick Aſſembly of the Church. Soone after ſundry began to reſort to his Family, where he preached to them on the Lords day. But this carriage of his in renouncing the Church upon ſuch an occaſion, and with them all the Churches in the Countrey, and the ſpreading of his Leaven to ſundry that reſorted to him; this gave the Magiſtrates the more cauſe to obſerve the heady unruelineſſe of his ſpirit, and the incorrigibleneſſe thereof by any Church-way, all the Churches in the Countrey being then renounced by him. And this was the other occaſion which haſtened the Sentence of his Baniſhment, upon the former Grounds.
If upon theſe Grounds Mr. Williams be ready, (as he profeſſeth) not onelyonly to be bound, and baniſhed, but alſo to dye in New-England; let him remember, (what he knowes) Non poena, ſed cauſa facit Martyrem; No Martyr of Chriſt did ever ſuffer for ſuch a cauſe.
When he feareth not to profeſſe, that he did in open Court maintaine the rocky ſtrength of his grounds, to the ſatisfaction of his own, and (as he ſaith) of other mens Conſciences.
I can but wonder at the rocky flintineſſe of his ſelfe-confidence: To give a taſte of the rocky ſtrength of his maintenance of theſe things; He made complaint in open Court, that he was wronged by a ſlanderous report up and downe the Countrey, as if he did hold it to be unlawfull for a Father to call upon his childe to eate his meate. Our reverend Brother Mr. Hooker, (the Paſtor of the Church, where the Court was then kept) being mooved to ſpeake a word to it, Why, ſaith he, you will ſay as much againe, (if you ſtand to your own Principles) or be forced to ſay nothing. When Mr. Williams was confident he ſhould never ſay it: Mr. Hooker replyed, If it be unlawfull to call an unregenerate perſon to take an Oath, or to Pray, as being actions of Gods worſhip, then it is unlawfull for your unregenerate childe, to pray for a bleſſing upon his own meate. If it be unlawfull for him to pray for a bleſſing upon his meate, it is unlawfull for him to eate it, (for it is ſanctified by prayer, and without prayer unſanctified, 1 Tim. 4.4, 5.) If it be unlawfull for him to eate it, it is unlawfull for you to call upon him to eate it, for it is unlawfull for you to call upon him to ſinne.
Here Mr. Williams thought better to hold his peace, then to give an Anſwer.
But thus have I opened the grounds, and occaſions of his Civill Baniſhment; which whether they be ſandy, or rocky, let the ſervants of Chriſt judge. Howſoever, my Letter gave him no occaſion at all to put me upon this Diſcourſe; for in my Letter I intended only to ſhew him the ſandineſſe of thoſe grounds upon which he baniſhed himſelfe from the ſociety (not of the Common-wealth, but) of all the Churches in theſe Countreyes.
But whether I intended the one, or the other, he giveth an Anſwer for both; If Mr Cotton meane (ſaith he) my own voluntary withdrawing from all theſe Churches reſolved to continue in thoſe evills, and in perſecuting the witneſſes of the Lord, preſenting light unto them. I confeſſe it was mine own voluntary act: yea I hope the act of the Lord Jeſus ſounding forth in me (a poore deſpiſed Rams-horne) the blaſt which ſhall in his own holy ſeaſon caſt down the ſtrength, and confidence of the Inventions of men in the worſhip of God: and laſtly his act in inabling me to be faithfull in any meaſure to ſuffer ſuch great, and mightie Tryalls for his Names ſake.
Reply, That I meant onelyonly his own act in withdrawing himſelfe from theſe Churches, doth plainly enough appeare both from my expreſſe words, and fro mthe Reaſons which I expreſly aſſigne of that act of his, which I called the ſandy grounds, upon which he built his Separation. My expreſſe words are, He had baniſhed himſelfe from the ſociety of all the Churches in this Countrey. The ſociety of the Church is one thing, the ſociety of the Common-wealth, is another. And the Grounds upon which he built his Separation, were not the cauſes of his baniſhment, but of his withdrawing from the ſociety of the Churches.
But if I ſo meant, He confeſſeth it was his own voluntary act; and profeſſeth alſo, it was a double act of the Lord Jeſus in him.
The ground which he giveth of his own voluntary act, was becauſe theſe Churches were reſolved to continue in thoſe evills, and perſecuting the witneſſes of the Lord Jeſus, preſenting light to them.
Reply; Thoſe evills? What were thoſe evills, which wee were reſolved to continue in? He expreſſeth none: but ſure meet it had been, that as his voluntary withdrawing from theſe Churches was publickly known; ſo the evills in which we reſolved to continue, and for which he withdrew himſelfe, ſhould in like manner have been publickly knowne alſo. It is an unrighteous thing to paſſe publick known acts, upon private unknowne evills. But whatſoever thoſe unknown evills were, I ſuppoſe he conceiveth them to be ſuch wayes, either of Judgement, or Practiſe, wherein wee walke according to the light of our Conſciences. And then by his Rule he ſhould have allowed us the like liberty of conſcience, which himſelfe requireth. And ſurely by the Royall Rule of the Lord Jeſus, no Brother may be ſo much as admoniſhed, (much leſſe ſeparated from) till he be convinced, (foreign) Mat. 18.15.
And as for perſecuting the witneſſes of the Lord, preſenting light to us; himſelfe (for ought I know) was the firſt in this Countrey, that ever pretended ſuffering for bearing witneſſe in any matter of Religion true or falſe: And for him to withdraw himſelfe from the ſociety of all the Churches for their perſecution of him, before he had ſuffered from them any thing but conference, and conviction, is to make them ſufferers for well-doing, and to chooſe ſuffering, that he might have cauſe to complaine of ſufferings. Let him, if he be able, name any one in this Countrey of the witneſſes of the Lord, (for he ſpeaketh of witneſſes) that ever did ſo much as pretend before himſelfe to ſuffer Perſecution, for preſenting light to us.
Thus he maketh that the ground of his withdrawing, which was not then in Rerum naturâ, (no not in pretence) till after his withdrawing. As a furious School-maſter will beate a childe for nothing till he cry, and then beate him for crying.
But he further preſumeth to affirme; That his withdrawing was the act of the Lord Jeſus in him, ſounding forth that Blaſt, which ſhall one day caſt downe the ſtrength, and confidence of the Inventions of men in the worſhip of God.
Reply. If a particular viſible Church, conſiſting of viſible Saints, and united by holy Covenant into one Congregation, to worſhip the Lord, and to edifie one another in all his holy Ordinances; If ſuch a Church be an Invention of man; If Elders called, and ordained by them for Adminiſtration of theſe Ordinances, be an invention of man; If the Covenant of Grace between the Lord, and his Church, and the Seales thereof, and the Cenſures diſpenſed againſt the violation thereof; If all theſe be the Inventions of man, then indeed the Lord hath ſounded a blaſt in Mr. Williams his horne, to caſt down the Inventions of men in the worſhip of God. But if all theſe be the holy Inſtitutions of the Lord Jeſus, then let Mr. Williams know, that this ſpeech of his is a blaſt of blaſphemy againſt the Lord Jeſus, to put upon him that which is the proper worke of Satan, to blaſt all the Churches, and Ordinances of Chriſt. And whereas it was wont to be the worke of Antichriſt to defile all the Ordinances of Chriſt, it is now the worke of this examiner to deface, and aboliſh them all from the face of the earth. Whether of theſe workes are the more Antichriſtian? It may be he will be ready to ſay, (as the Prophet ſaid in another caſe of Senacherib, Iſai. 10.7.) he meaneth not ſo, nor doth his heart thinke ſo: and as Hazael ſaid to the Prophet, Is thy ſervant a dog, that he ſhould doe this great thing? (2 King. 8.13.) Sed quid verba audiam, cùm facta videam? Why doth he ſeparate from all Churches under Heaven, and refuſe to gather into any Church where himſelfe liveth, if he did not in theſe times look at all Church-Eſtate, and Fellowſhip, and Ordinances, as not to be found in the Land of the Living?
Laſtly, He looketh at it, as an act of Chriſt enabling him to be faithfull in any meaſure, to ſuffer ſuch great and mightie Tryalls for his Names ſake.
But if the Spirit of the Apoſtle John had in ſome meaſure reſted upon him, he would no more have mentioned (much leſſe have magnified) his great, and mighty Tryalls, till he had ſeene John goe before him in ſuch a like predication of his ſufferings, who doubtleſſe had leſſe deſerved it, and yet ſuffered more great, and mighty Tryalls, Revel. 1.9. But full veſſels make leaſt ſound.
Againe, He recoyleth to his civill Baniſhment, and obſerveth, That if by baniſhing himſelfe I meant his Civill Baniſhment, then 1. He diſcerneth the language of the Dragon in a Lambes lip; to put the ſufferings of the Saints upon themſelves, and the Devill.
2. That I ſilently confeſſe, that the frame and conſtitution of our Churches is implicitly Nationall. Elſe if the Common-wealth, and Church were not one, how could he that is baniſhed from the one, be neceſſarily baniſhed from the other alſo?
Reply. It was farre from my meaning, and words, when I ſpake of his baniſhing of himſelfe from the Fellowſhip of all the Churches in the Countrey, to intend his civill baniſhment. I knew his civill baniſhment was not meerly his own Act. I knew alſo that he might have been baniſhed from the Common-wealth, and yet have retained (as ſome others have done) Fellowſhip with ſome Churches, if not with all the Churches in the Countrey. And therefore both his obſervations are but empty flouriſhes, and vaniſh like Bubbles. It is the wilineſſe of the Spirit of the Serpent, to hide his head under fig-leaved evaſions.
But ſuppoſe I had meant by his baniſhment of himſelfe, his civill baniſhment, and had meant, that by expoſing himſelfe deſervedly to that cenſure, he had deprived himſelfe of enjoying all the ſpirituall liberties of the Churches in the Countrey: might I not ſo have ſaid, and yet not have ſpoken the language of the Dragon? What if the Dragon uſe ſuch language to the Saints ſuffering innocently? may not the Spirit of God uſe the ſame words to a guilty perſon ſuffering deſervedly? The language of the Dragon lyeth not alwayes in the words or meaning, but in the application, and intent of them. The Dragon ſaid to Chriſt, I know who thou art, the holy One of God, Mar. 1.24. Peter might ſay the ſame, or the like words, Mat. 16.16. And yet in his mouth, it was not the language of the Dragon, but of the Holy Ghoſt.
Neither will it imply, That the Church, and Common-wealth, are all one, becauſe he that deſervedly is baniſhed from the Common-wealth, baniſheth himſelfe alſo from the communion of the Churches; For the ſame ſinnes which may be offenſive civilly to the Common-wealth, may be alſo ſpiritually offenſive to the Church, and both proceed to cenſure the ſame perſon in their own way, ſeverally.