The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 56
The Exam: of Chap. 56. replying to 58. & 59.
Peace.
TO the firſt obſervation, that Mr Cotton urgeth that Princes are nurcing Fathers to feede and correct (and conſequently muſt judge of feeding and correction, and all men are bound to ſubmit to ſuch their feeding and correction:) Mr Cotton ſayth, This is falſe and fraudulent ſo to collect, and theſe are deviſed Calumnies.
Truth.
It will evidently appeare, how greatly Mr Cotton forgets the Matter and Himſelfe, when he ſo deeply chargeth, for all this he granteth in this his Reply, onelyonly with this Limitation, that Subjects are bound to ſubmit to them herein when they judge according to the Word. This Limitation takes not away the obſervation, for it is alway implyed in ſubjection to all Civill Rulers, Fathers, Husbands, Maſters, that it be according to the Word.
Peace.
Yea but ſayth he, it is a Notorious Calumnie ſo to repreſent Mr Cottons dealing with Princes, as if he made his owne Judgement and practice the Rule of the proceeding of Princes.
Truth.
Let it be laid in the Ballance, and ſeene where the Calumnie or ſlander lies: Princes or Civill Rulers, ſaith Mr Cotton, are Fathers to feed and correct, and their Judgement oughtNurcing Fathers-dealt withall as children. therein to be obeyed according to the Word. Now ſome Princes and Rulers declare themſelves againſt Mr Cottons Tenent of perſecution for conſcience. Mr Cotton will anſwer; The profeſſion and practice of Princes is no rule to Conſcience. I reply, and ask, who ſhall judge of Princes profeſſion and practice, when they thus feed and judge in ſpirituall matters? whether their profeſſion and practice be according to the Word or no? Mr Cotton (when Princes are alleadged againſt his judgement and conſcience) pleads, that Princes profeſſion and practice is no rule: Let all men judge whether his judgement and conſcience be not made the Rule to the conſciences and practices of Princes, whom yet he makes the nurcing Fathers.
Peace.
When it was further demanded, whether Mr Cotton and others of his minde could ſubmit in ſpirituall caſes to any Magiſtrates in the world, but onelyonly to thoſe juſt of his owne Conſcience? He anſwers, they will ſubmit to any in Active or Paſſive obedience.
Truth.
But how can Mr Cotton ſuppoſe Active obedience inActive obedience cannot be given but to a competent Judge. ſpirituall things to ſuch Magiſtrates, who are Pagans, Turkiſh, Antichriſtian, and unable to judge, and bound (by his Doctrine) to ſuſpend their Dealings upon matter of Religion, untill they be better informed? What Active obedience can I be ſuppoſed to give to him that hath no Activitie nor Abilitie to command and rule me? And muſt it not evidently follow, that Active obedience in theſe caſes (according to his Judgement) muſt onelyonly be yeelded to ſuch Magiſtrates as are able to judge the true Religion and way of Worſhip; That is, the Religion and Worſhip which he takes to be of God.
Peace.
Whereas it was ſaid, will it not follow that all other Conſciences in the world, beſides their owne muſt be perſecuted by ſuch their Magiſtrates (were power in their hand)? Mr Cotton replyes, no; except all Mens conſciences in the world did erre fundamentally againſt the Principles of Chriſtian Religion, or fundamentally againſt Church-Order, and Civill Order, and that in a tumultuous and factious manner; for in theſe caſes onelyonly (ſayth he) we allow Magiſtrates to puniſh in matters of Religion.
Truth.
I have and muſt obſerve the Evill of that Diſtinction between Chriſtian Religion and Chriſtian Order, as not finding any ſuch in the Teſtament of the Sonne of God, but finding Church-Order a principall part of the Chriſtian Religion, as well as Repentance and Faith, Heb. 6.
But (2.) grant once Mr Cottons Religion and way of Worſhip Perſecutors, if it were in their power, would, and are bound to perſecute all Conſciences and Religions in the World.to be the onelyonly true Religion and way of Gods Worſhip, and all other Religions and wayes of Worſhip falſe, how can that Errour be otherwiſe then fundamentall? And if other mens Conſciences attend not to Mr Cottons convictions, but obſtinately maintaine their blaſphemous Religions, how can the Magiſtrates of his conſcience be diſpenced with and abſolved from perſecuting ſuch obſtinate Conſciences throughout the whole World beſide?
Peace.
When it was further demanded▪ if this were not to make Magiſtrates Staires and Stirrops for themſelves (the Clergie) to mount up in the ſeats and ſadles of their great and ſetled Maintenance? Mr Cotton replyes, this is rather to make them Swords and Staves to puniſh them (if need be) for Hereticall Delinquencie: 2. Their Magiſtrates themſelves fall ſhort of great and ſetled Maintenance: And laſtly, Himſelfe liveth upon no great and ſetled Maintenance.
Truth.
It is true Mr Cotton allowes the ſame Power to Magiſtrates to puniſh all Hereticks, Blaſphemers, Seducers, one as well as another: But what if it ſhould fall out that his Magiſtrates ſhould declare themſelves for the Pope, or for the Prelates, or for the Presbyters, yea, or for ſome other way then is profeſſed: and left it free for each mans conſcience to worſhip as he believed, and to pay or not pay toward this or that Worſhip orAll perſecutors hould the Popes trayterous Doctrine of depoſing haereticall Princes. Miniſtrie, according to his owne perſwaſion more or leſſe, any thing or nothing, will not Mr Cotton then plead that ſuch Magiſtrates themſelves (Apoſtatizing from the Truth of God, and turning Enemies (as the Pope clamours) to the holy Church) I ſay, that ſuch ought not onelyonly to be accurſed with the leſſer and greater Cenſures of Suſpention and Excommunication, but alſo puniſhed with Impriſonment, Baniſhment, and Death: Or if they finde the mercy of Life and Favour of an Office (by ſome over-ruling Providence) will not Mr Cotton then pleade that ſuch Magiſtrates ought to ſuſpend their Power to hould their hands, and not to medle untill they be better informed, &c. Into ſuch poore withered Strawes and Reedes will the Allowance of Swords and Staves, Mr Cotton here ſpeakes of come to? Concerning the ſeats and ſadles of great and ſetled maintenance of Magiſtrates, the Diſcuſſer ſpake not, but heartily wiſheth their Maintenance as great and ſetled, as he knowes their Labours and Travells and Dangers be: He ſpake onelyonly of Miniſters great▪ and ſetled maintenance.
Peace.
O Truth, this is the Apple of the Eye, the true cauſe of ſo much combuſtion all the World over, eſpecially Popiſh and Proteſtants.
Truth.
Indeed this was the cauſe (as Eraſmus told the Duke of Saxonie, that Luther was ſo ſtormed at) becauſe he medledThe Popiſh and Proteſtant Clergie ſet the Popiſh and Proteſtant World on fire for their Maintenance. with the Popes Crowne and the Monkes Bellies. To obtaine theſe warme and ſoft and rich ſeats and ſadles (who ever ſtand or goe on foote, or creepe, or beg, or Starve) the Prelates practices all Ages know. Yea and other practices of ſome of late, who (with the Evill Steward providing wiſely) firſt made ſure of an Ordinance of Parliament for Tithes and Maintenance, before any Ordinance for God Himſelfe.
Peace.
This is that indeed which the Politick State of Holland The Dutch device to winne their Clergie to Tolleration of other Religions.well foreſaw, when they were lamentably whipt by the King of Spaines (and Gods) Scourge, Duke D'alva, into a Toleration of other mens Conſciences: The Politick States-men, I ſay, ſaw a neceſſitie of ſtopping their Dominies Mouths with ſure and ſetled Maintenance out of the States purſe. Hence it is the Dutch Miniſters zeale is not ſo hot againſt the Toleration of Hereticks in the Civill State, as the Engliſh hath been.
Truth.
To this purpoſe (ſweet Peace) how fitly did thatAll that profeſſe to be Chriſts Miniſters, muſt Dig, or Beg, or Steale. learned Prideaux once tell his Sons the Oxford Doctors, at one of their Superſtitious Creations, that ſince they could not dig, and were aſhamed to beg, they had great need (therefore) of ſetled Maintenance, This was but the Evil Stewards device, and (I adde) little better then ſtealing.
Peace.
Yea but ſayth Mr Cotton, I live not ſo, &c.
Truth.
One Swallow makes not a Summer: what others have done and doe, and what practices have been and are for a forced ſetled maintenance (as firme and ſetled as ever was the Pariſh maintenance of Old England) hath been, to the ſhame of Chriſtianitie, too apparant: For Mr Cotton himſelfe, as I envie not the faines of his morſells, nor the ſweetnes of his Cups, but wiſh him as large a purſe, as I beleeve he hath an Heart, and a deſire to doe good with it: Yet it hath been ſaid, that his caſe is no Praeſident, becauſe what he looſeth in the Shire, he gets in the Hundreth, and ſits in as ſoft and rich a ſadle as any throughout the whole Countrey, through the greatnes and Richnes of the Marchandize of the Towne of Boſton, above other parts of the Land. The truth is, there is no Tryall of the good or Evill Servant in this caſe, untill it comes to Digging or Begging, or the third way, viz: of couzening of the great Lord & Maſter Chriſt Jeſus; by running to carnall meanes and carnall weapons, to force mens purſes for a rich and ſetled Maintenance.