The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 1 – Chapter 4
Examination of CHAP. I.
Truth.
BLeſt be the God of truth and peace (ſweet peace) that once againe, we finde a corner and a few hours to entertaine our ſweet embraces and diſcourſes about that Bloody Tenent of Perſecution for cauſe of conſcience.
Peace.
It is indeed Jehovah's work, and it is marvellous in our eyes, that 'midſt this worlds combuſtions, ſuch a corner and ſuch hours are found.
Truth.
Dear friends, the longer abſent, meet the ſweeter; andTruth & peace rarely meet in this vale of tears. have cauſe to ſpend each minute to his praiſe, who wonders works, and this not the leaſt, that we two ſee each others face at all in theſe tempeſtuous dayes and vale of tears.
How harſhly were our laſt conferrings entertained by ſome? How were our ſelves ſuſpected, and traduced for counterfeits; and our pious and peaceable Meditations, cruelly condemned to the devouring flames?
Truth.
That ever was our portion, ever ſince the earthen pots aroſe againſt their glorious Potter; and no better lot we muſt expect, while the time doth laſt that is determined.
Peace.
Mean while tis yet our lamentation, that ſo many ofMany dear Saints of God plead for perſecution: Oh how righteous is it with God to ſend them perſecution! our darlings, whom we have tendred as our eyes, have both in Print and Pulpit, cried out againſt us; and amongſt the reſt, one of thy deareſt eldeſt children, (too too worthy to be) the defender of the Bloody Tenent of Perſecution.
Truth.
Our love ſhall cover his ſhame and nakedneſs; and our wiſdoms pity his heavy labour, Blackamore-waſhings, and ſo great expence of precious time and ſpirit, in labouring to waſh this ſo deeply bloody, and Blackamore-Tenent, in the blood of the Lamb of God.
Peace.
So parents and true friends love and pity theirs, though ſick, though froward and diſtracted; and let our Bowels yearne over him, who teares out ours: who knows but once before he ſleep his laſt, in the pit of rottenneſs, he may awake and give glory to the God of peace and truth, of patience and long ſuffering; whoſe thoughts, whoſe wayes, whoſe love, whoſe pity hath no bounds, nor limits, toward them whom he hath loved before the worlds foundation.
O let theſe bleſſed buds, of hope and ſweet deſires (dear Truth) put forth in pious fruits of renewed endeavors, and let me once againe prefer my ſuit for your impartial weighing of what replies, objections, pleadings, he hath brought againſt us.
Truth.
For the God of Peace, for the Prince of Peace his ſake, yea for his ſervants ſake, for Zions ſake, I will not be ſilent, and know (at laſt) I ſhall prevaile to ſcatter and diſpell the miſts and fogs, that for a while ariſe to cloud and choak us.
Peace.
Firſt, then, what cauſe ſhould move this ſo able a defendant Quaere why Maſter Cotton leaps over the Epiſtles to the Parliament and Reader.to leap over all our firſt addreſſes both to the high Court of Parliament, and to every Reader? and what may be conjectured, why himſelf directs a word to neither in this controverſie?
Truth.
I deſire my Rejoynder may be as full of love as truth; yet ſome ſay Maſter Cotton is wiſe, and knows in what door the wind blows of late; he is not ignorant what ſad complaints in letters, printings, conferences, ſo many of Gods people (and of hisN. E. Perſecution guilty of the perſecution in old, eſpecially (ſince this Rejoynder) by their Law for Baniſhing ſuch as hold not childrens Baptiſme, and their late fourſcore and ten bloody laſhes to the body of the Lord Jeſus in the ſufferings of his faithful witneſs, Obadiah Holines at Boſton, meerly about that point of Baptiſme. own conſcience and judgement of Independency) have poured forth againſt New Englands perſecuting, &c. He knows what Bars New Englands bloody Tenent and practice may put to his brethrens juſt deſires and ſuits for moderation and toleration, to non-conforming conſciences.
Tis true, his conſcience, and the credit of his way, compels his reply, but the times adviſe him, with as little noiſe as may be, and it ſeems with no great willingneſs, that that high and ſearching houſe of Englands Parliament ſhould ſearch and ſcan his Meditations.
Peace.
Well, if the name of God were truely called upon them and (as his title intimateth) the great controverſies of theſe preſent times are herein handled; If all that is here preſented, be truly practiſed; and he deſire to buy and ſell by one meaſure and to be no otherwaies meaſured unto, then he meaſureth unto others: why ſhould not that renowned Court be more particularly and expreſly attended with ſo high and needful examinations? But now enough of that, I long to ſee that weighed, which is preſented, take up thoſe holy weights of thine, which may faithfully diſcover how light or ponderous each parcel is in Gods moſt holy preſence. Maſter Cotton firſt complaines againſt the publiſhing of his private letter, with an Anſwer thereunto: he faulteth the diſcuſſer for puniſhing his conſcience, againſt the diſcuſſers own Tenent of liberty of conſcience, for breach of rule, in firſt publiſhing to the world before private admonition, and telling the Church.
Truth.
How juſtly may I begin with the defenders own concluſion of this firſt Chapter! He that ſetteth forth of his way in the firſt entrance of his journey, no marvel if he wander all the day after. For,
Firſt, the diſcuſſer never wrote any ſuch letter to Maſter Cotton, as Maſter Cotton ſo often affirms, and mentioneth throughout his Book.
The like miſtake he fals into, in ſome other paſſages, which ſhall be gently toucht at, and paſſed by, as the failing of memory.
Peace.
It is often ſeen, that ſmall matters in the firſt ſteps and entrance of a buſineſs, prove ominous; and although love bids us lay the blame on memory: yet ſince Nil ſine providentia & Deus eſt maximus in minimis, and not a Sparow nor a Haire fals without him; methinks ſuch a ſtumble in the threſhold ſhould have one ſad conſideration in Maſter Cottons breſt, ſo long as he reſides in the chamber of this diſcourſe.
Truth.
To my knowledge there was no ſuch letter or intercourſe paſſed between Maſter Cotton and the diſcuſſer; but what I have heard, is This▪ One Maſter Hall of Roxbury, preſented the priſoners Arguments againſt perſecution to Maſter Cotton, who…he occaſion of …bliſhing the …oody Tenent. gave this preſent controverted Anſwer; with the which Maſter Hall not being ſatisfied, he ſends them unto the diſcuſſer, who never ſaw the ſaid Hall, nor thoſe Arguments in writing; (though he well remember that he ſaw them in print ſome yeers ſince) and apprehending no other, but that Maſter Cottons Anſwer was as publike, as Maſter Cottons profeſſion and practice of the ſame Tenent was and is, what breach of rule can Maſter Cotton ſay it was, to anſwer that in the ſtreets which Maſter Cotton proclaimeth on the Houſe top?
Peace.
But grant it had been a private letter, and the diſcourſe and the opinion private: yet why doth he charge the diſcuſſer with breach of rule, in not uſing orderly wayes of Admonition, and telling the Church, when Maſter Cotton himſelf in this Book Master Cotton blames the diſcuſſer for not walking in contradictions.blames the diſcuſſer for diſclaiming Communion with their Church, and they alſo (after he was driven by baniſhment from civil habitation amongſt them) had ſent forth a bull of excommunication againſt him in his abſence.
Such practiſe the Lord Jeſus and his firſt Apoſtles or Meſſengers never taught, nor any that are truely their ſucceſſors ever will. But to end this Chapter, in the laſt place, why doth Maſter Cotton complaine of the loſs of the liberty of his conſcience, and of the puniſhing of his conſcience, by the publiſhing of his letter; aggravating it, becauſe the diſcuſſer pleads for liberty of conſcience? Ʋnchriſtian partiality.Is he indeed on the Lord Jeſus mind for the ſparing mens bodies, and preſent life, for their ſouls and eternal lives ſake? Doth he indeed plead for liberty of conſcience? Let the following diſcourſe, and this preſent paſſage manifeſt how tender he is of his own conſcience, and of the liberty of it; But how cenſorious and ſenſeleſs of the pangs and agonies of other mens conſcience and ſpirits, and ſorrows? As if his alone were the Apple of his eye, but Theirs like the brawny hoofs of the roaring Bulls of Baſhan.
Peace.
Complaines Maſter Cotton of perſecution for ſuchMaſter Cotton complaining of being perſecuted by the diſcuſſer. dealing againſt him? I never heard that diſputing, diſcourſing and examining mens Tenents or Doctrines by the word of God, was (in proper Engliſh acceptation of the word) perſecution for conſcience: well had it been for New England, that no ſervant of God, nor witneſs of Chriſt Jeſus, could juſtly take up no other complaint againſt New England for other kinds of perſecution: ſurely the voice of Chriſt Jeſus to Paul; Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? was for another kind of perſecution.
Truth.
Deare Peace if the Biſhops of Old England or new had never ſtirred up the Civil Magiſtrate to any other ſuppreſſing of mens conſciences, nor no other perſecuting, then diſcuſſing, diſputing &c. they ſhould never have needed to have been charged ſo publikely in the face of the world, with the bloody Tenent of perſecution for cauſe of conſcience.
Examination of CHAP. II.
Peace.
IN this Chapter Maſter Cotton much complaines, that he is charged in the Title to maintaine perſecution for cauſe of conſcience, and profeſſeth, That he would have none be puniſhed for conſcience, unleſs his errour be fundamental, or ſeditiouſly; or turbulenly promoted, and that after due conviction of conſcience, and that it may appear he is not puniſhed for his conſcience, but for ſinning againſt his conſcience.
Truth.
Perſecution for conſcience, is in plaine Engliſh, hunting for conſcience; and Maſter Cotton being a ſon of wine (as the Jews ſpeak in their Proverb) is loth to be counted a ſon ofPerſecution in plaine Engliſh is hunting. vinegar, and therefore would avoid the word perſecuting or hunting (as ſomething too wilde and fierce an expreſſion, more ſutable to the bloody ſons of vinegar and gall the Roman Emperors, Popes and Biſhops) and he much deſires to have the word perſecuting changed for the word puniſhing, a tearm more proper toMaſter Cottons tender conſcience, can hardly digeſt to be a perſecutor, but a puniſher. true Juſtice.
But is not this the guiſe and profeſſion of all that ever perſecuted or hunted men for their Religion and conſcience? are not all hiſtories and experiences full of the pathetical ſpeeches of perſecutors to this purpoſe? You will ſay you are perſecuted for your conſcience, you plead conſcience; Thou art a heretick the devil hath deceived thee, thy conſcience is deluded, &c. And
2. Whether ſuch puniſhing as Maſter Cotton aſſigneth to that threefold degree of heretical wickedneſs, chap. 5. to wit. To hold a fundamental error, To perſiſt therein after conviction, and laſtly, To ſeduce others thereunto, Or theſe five ſummed up (page 186 of his book) ſubverters of the Chriſtian Faith, perſiſters therein after conviction, blaſphemers, idolaters, ſeducers; I ſay, ſuch a puniſhing which he affirmes to be death and killing, will not amount to make up a perſecution for cauſe of conſcience let the Spaniſh Inquiſitions be an inſtance, who when they torture and rack, and kill and burn for ſuch crimes, yet varniſh they and guild all over with the painted Title of Gods Glory, holy zeal, juſt puniſhment of hereticks, blaſphemers, &c.
Peace.
But Maſter Cotton blameth, that he ſhould be charged with the Doctrine of perſecution by conſequence.
Truth.
Let his whole book, and the proſecuting of this controverſie be judge, whether it be only drawn from conſequences, and not expreſs Tearms. And for the waſhing of this bloody Tenent in the blood of the Lambe, Time hath and will diſcover that ſuch a Blackamore cannot be waſhed in the blood of Chriſt himſelf, without Repentance; for they that waſhed their robes in the blood of the Lamb (Revelations the 7.) were true penitents: untill therefore that perſecutors repent of this bloody Doctrine and practice, they muſt hear (as the men of Judah did) the prophet Iſaiahs thunder, Iſa. 1. Your hands are defiled with blood; waſh you, make you clean. &c.
Examination of CHAP. III.
Peace.
BUt what knot in a Bulruſh is that, which Maſter Cotton obſerves the diſcuſſer findes in his firſt diſtinction of perſecution for cauſe of conſcience?
Truth.
For the matter upon the point, they both agree, as Maſter Cotton hath penned himſelf, that perſecution for cauſe of conſcience, is not onelyonly when a man is puniſhed for profeſsing ſuch Doctrines and Worſhips, as he believes to be of God, but alſo when he is puniſhed for renouncing ſuch Doctrine, and not practiſing ſuch Worſhips, which he believes are not of God, &c.
All the difference is this that the diſcuſſer ſaith. This ſhould have been expreſſed in the diſtinction; Maſter Cotton ſaith, it was implied, and therefore the obſerving of the not expreſſing of it, was but a knot in a Bulruſh.
Peace.
Tis wofully true, that the peace of the Saints, and the peace of the world, hath been lamentably, broake and diſtracted, in puniſhing or perſecuting of men, but eſpecially the Saints, upon both theſe grounds: but yet the records of time and experience will tell us, that ſince the Apoſtaſie from the truth of Jeſus, theGods children commonly perſecuted for not yeelding to State-worſhips. riſing of Antichriſt, and the ſetting up of many State-Religions, the foreſt and frequenteſt puniſhing or hunting of the children of God hath been (as in the caſe of Nebuchadnezzars Image) for not bowing down to the State-Images, for not coming to Church, for not obeying the Laws, for withſtanding the Kings, o… Queens, or Parliaments proceedings.
Truth.
Your obſervation is moſt ſerious and ſeaſonable, and your complaint as true as lamentable: for ſince all States and Governments of the world (which lies in wickedneſs) ſet up their State or Commonweal-Religions, Nebuchadnezzars golden Images, and Jeroboams golden Calves (the types of the State-Worſhips of after Ages) whereby others are made to ſin and bow down to their ſeeming glorious worſhips; and ſince the diſſenters, refuſers, nonconformers, non-covenanters (the witneſſes of God againſt ſuch abominations) are but few; and what poſitive worſhip they hold or practice (commonly) is moſt retired, and flying into private corners by reaſon of the violence of the perſecution; they are hence, ſooneſt in all places of their abode, and more ſpeedily and immediately called for and ſought out, in the ſeveral Pariſh-towns where they live to bow down to the common-Image, the beaſtly and Calviſh inventions of the Ieroboams of this periſhing world; and for refuſing to ſubſcribe, to conforme, to come to Church, to do as their neighbours, for being wiſer then their Teachers, their Fathers, their Magiſtrates, the Country, the Parliament, the Kingdome (and ſometimes the whole world, in their Oecumenical, or worldly Councels) they are thus puniſhed and hunted for their conſcience, for Gods, for Jeſus ſake; which is a point Maſter Cotton will ſay (if the blood of his dear Redeemer ſplit in the blood of his ſervants, kindly affect him) of greater weight then knots in bulruſhes.
Examination of CHAP. IV.
Peace.
IN the ſecond diſtinction (to wit, of fundamentals, without right belief whereof, a man cannot be ſaved) Maſter Cotton upon the point confeſſeth it was a juſt reproof, and ſaith, that he meant only of the firſt ſort of foundations, that concern ſalvation, and not of thoſe that concerne the foundation of the Church, and Chriſtian Religion.
Truth.
It is ſtrange that Maſter Cotton ſhould ſo diſtinguiſh of foundations, when the holy Scripture attributes ſalvation to thoſe foundations of the Church, and the order of it: The LordAct. 2. 2 Pet. 3. added to the Church ſuch as ſhould be ſaved, and the like figure whereunto Baptiſme now ſaveth us; and concerning the reſurrection that we are ſaved by hope, Rom. 8.
Beſides, are not thoſe firſt foundations, which he ſaith concerne ſalvation, foundations alſo of the Chriſtian Religion? If not of the Chriſtian, then I demand of what Religion are they foundations?
Peace.
It cannot therefore be denyed, but that his diſtinction of fundamentals, was moſt dangerous, tending directly to condemne the generation of the righteous, who have been generally for many generations ignorant of the Chriſtian way of worſhip. But what ſay you to this reply, touching how far the New Engliſh (implicite) Pariſhes compare and partake with thoſe of old?
Truth.
How far thoſe Churches cannot be cleered from not comming out from the Pariſh-worſhip, from being themſelves (implicitely) Pariſh-Churches (notwithſtanding their Fig-leaves, &c.) and from being perſecutors of ſuch as endeavour to cover their nakedneſs with better clothing, will appear, with Chriſts aſſiſtance, in the examination of his reply to the Anſwer of his Letter.