The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 27
Examination of CHAP. XXVII.
Peace.
IN this Chapter, thoſe three particulars by which the Miniſters of Chriſt are commanded to let the Tares alone, Maſter Cotton evades by calling them ſo many ſlippery evaſions, &c.
Truth.
I believe neither the interpretations nor the intentions of the Author were evaſive: for a faithful witneſs will not lye though a falſe witneſs will utter deceit; however the fire ſhall try. The truth is, the greater part, and eſpecially the former of Maſter Cottons anſwer in this Chapter, comes not neer the point of the iſſue, for that is not whether the Saints may pray or prophecy againſt idolaters and falſe worſhippers, but whether or no for their preſent temporal deſtruction and extirpation.
Perce.
Unto this Maſter Cotton ſaith, Yes, for the preſent deſtruction of ſome or other Antichriſtian idolaters in every age: and he adds, it might as well be ſaid, that a Miniſter of Chriſt Prayer againſt preſent deſtruction of tares.ſhould not denounce preſent or ſpeedy deſtruction to any murtherers, whoremongers, &c. becauſe though ſome of them may fall under grievous plagues, yet there will never want a company of ſuch evil doers, untill the great harveſt or end of the world.
Againe, ſaith he, Though a Miniſter denounce not preſent deſtruction, yet he cannot let them alone, no more then the feller of an Oake, that gives many a ſtroake before the laſt, &c.
2. It is not credible (ſaith he) that ſome of the Angels that poure out their vials upon the Antichriſtian ſtate, ſhall not be Miniſters: And when the ten horns ſhall burn the City of Rome, it is not credible, that they will do it without ſome excitement from the Angels.
Truth.
The inſtance brought of murtherers, whoremongers &c. is moſt improper, becauſe we all agree that preſent corporal or civil puniſhment is due to murtherers, whoremongers, &c. and other like tranſgreſſors againſt the civil ſtate of all Nations and peoples all the world over, and this in all Ages and Times: but Maſter Cotton himſelf acknowledgeth, that many prophecies and periods are ſet for the continuance of the Antichriſtian ſtate, and the idolatry and deſolations thereof, and that thoſe perieds ſhall be accompliſhed before the judgement day: nor will it appear that thoſe ten Kings that ſhall in the fulfilling of this prophecy burn the whore, ſhall do it by way of ordinance and obedience to Gods command, otherwiſe then he permitted Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus, and other Tyrants of the world (as the fiſhes of the ſea one to devoure and ſwallow up another.) And for that inſtance of the wood-man ſelling of the Oake, I grant that the prayers of the Saints▪ haſten the whores downfal, and the opening of theſe prophecies make way for Gods time; but what is this to a preſent downfal before the time appointed?
Againe, That it is not credible but that ſome of the Angels Paſtors and Teachers not Apostles and meſſengers.ſhould be meſſengers of the Goſpel, I anſwer, Maſter Cotton knows that the Engliſh word meſſengers, and the Greek word Apoſtles, are the ſame; but no ſuch meſſengers Maſter Cotton allows of: And that the word meſſengers in the Apoſtles ſence ſhould imply. Paſtors and Teachers (which Maſter Cotton now only allows of) I finde not in the Teſtament of Chriſt Jeſus. That thoſe Angels ſhould be the witneſſes, and the Prophets in ſackcloth, ſeemes more credible.
And I may well affirme the contrary to Maſter Cottons credible, that it is incredible that any ſervant or meſſenger of the King of Peace ſhould ſtir up the civil Magiſtrate to cut off thoſe by the civil ſword, whoſe repentance he is bound to wait for with patience, bearing in the interim their oppoſitions and gainſayings, 2 Tim. 2.
Peace.
Tis moſt true, according to the teſtimony of Chriſt Jeſus (and moſt contrary to the tenents and practice of the Romiſh bloody Popes, and their followers) that Chriſts Miniſters are wiſdomes Maidens (Prov. 9.) ſent forth in heavenly Beauty and chaſtity, with meek and loving, yet vehement perſwaſions, to call in the fooliſh of the world to partake of wiſdomes dainties: but (dear truth) deliver your minde concerning the laſt paſſage, to wit,Elijah ſtirring up Ahab to ſlay the Baalites. Elijahs act in ſtirring up Ahab to kill all the Prieſts and prophets of Baal: This act (ſaith Maſter Cotton) was not figurative, but moral; for (ſaith he) Ahab could not be a figure of Chriſt, nor Iſrael after their Apoſtacie, a type of the true Church: Beſide, blaſphemers ought to die by the law, and Ahab forfeited his own life, becauſe he did not put Benhadad to death for his blaſphemy, 1 Kings 20.
Truth.
Chriſt Jeſus is conſidered two wayes, Chriſt in his perſon, and Chriſt myſtical in his church, repreſented by the Governors thereof. Some ſay, that Iſrael was not in Ahabs time excommunicated Concerning Iſrael in the Apoſtacy of Jeroboam.and cut off from Gods ſight, untill their final carrying out of the land of Canaan, 2 Kings 17. and that Iſrael remained (though none of Gods in reſpect of her apoſtacy, yet) Gods in reſpect of covenant, untill the execution of the ſentence of excommunication or divorce: And therefore that Ahab, as King of Iſrael, Gods people (untill Iſrael ceaſed to be Iſrael) was a figure of Christ, that is, Chriſt in his preſence, in his governors, in his church, though faln to idolatry under admonition, not yet caſt off.
But (2.) grant the church falſe, and Ahab King of a falſe church, how will it appear that Elijahs Act was a moral act, and ſo preſidential to all Kings and Nations?
Peace.
Becauſe (ſaith Maſter Cotton) it is moral equity, that blaſphemers, and apoſtate idolaters, ſeducing others to idolatry, ſhould be put to death; Levit. 24. 16. Deut. 13. 5.
Truth.
Thoſe Scriptures concern a ceremonial land in a ceremonial time, before Chriſt; and in the ſame Lev. 24. the command is equally given for the lampe in the Tabernacle, and the ſhew-bread, as well as for the idolater.
Peace.
But Benhadad (ſaith Maſter Cotton) was no Iſraelite, nor was his blaſphemy belched out in the land of Iſrael.
Truth.
It is moſt true, that blaſphemers in Iſrael, and blaſphemers againſt Iſrael and the God of it, were put to death. It is alſo true in the antitype and ſubſtance ſince the coming of Chriſt, that blaſphemers in Iſrael, and blaſphemers againſt Iſrael (the church of God) are ſpiritually to be put to death by the twoedged ſword coming forth of the mouth of Chriſt, Rev. 1. and this Goſpel-puniſhment is much more dreadful and terrible, then the puniſhment of the firſt blaſphemers under Moſes or the prephets.* Hence Baalls Prieſts, Monks, Friars, and Biſhops have not been civilly actually ſlaine in England, &c. but ſpiritually by Gods word, the ſword of his ſpirit caſhiered and cut off eternally.
Peace.
Methinks alſo, if Ahab were now preſidentiall, and that which he ſhould have done to Benhadad preſidential▪ then is there now no ſpiritual or myſtical Iſrael, no ſpiritual Canaan, but the letter, ceremony, and figure yet in force, and Chriſt Jeſus the myſtical and ſpiritual King of Iſrael is not yet come in the fleſh.
Truth.
Yea then not onelyonly a few in a City or Kingdome (ſuppoſe hundreths or thouſands) but millions of millions of blaſphemers, idolaters, ſeducers, throughout the whole wide world, ought corporally to be put to death.
Peace.
Againſt this methinks Maſter Cotton ſhould be▪ and I am ſure againſt this Chriſt Ieſus was, who profeſſed in anſwer to the raſh zeal of his diſciples (Luk. 9.) That he came not to deſtroy mens lives, but to ſave them: but how reliſh you Maſter Cottons interpretation, of Let them alone (which he ſees pleaſeth ſome ſo well) to wit, Let them alone is no precept, but permiſſion?
Truth.
I anſwer, If let them alone were onelyonly by permiſſion in way of providence, Why is alſo a word of prohibition added, to wit▪ That ſuch ſhould not be medled with, for theſe and theſe reaſons, whereas although God permitteth evil doers in ſpiritual and eivil ſtate in the world, yet there lies a word of ordinance to purge them out. Here is no ordinance for their plucking up, but for their letting alone, and that in a merciful reſpect of ſparing the good wheate▪ who might be indangered to be pluckt up by the roots out of the world, by ſuch raſh and furious zeale of plucking up the tares.