The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 30
Examination of CHAP. XXX.
Peace.
I Doubt not (dear truth) in the firſt place, but you caſt an obſervant eye on Maſter Cottons collections in this Chapter, from Pauls words Acts 25. 11. I will mention the two firſt.
1. That a man may be ſuch an offender in matters of Religion againſt the law of God (againſt the Church) as well as in civil matters againſt Caeſar, as to be worthy of death.
2. That if a ſervant of God ſhould commit any ſuch offence, he would not refuſe judgement to the death, verſ. 11.
Truth.
Paul onelyonly ſaith in the general▪ If I have committed ought worthy of death, I refuſe not to die: Now therefore asActs 25. 11. conſidered. Paul ſaid, No man (that is, no man juſtly) may deliver me to the Jews; So ſay I, no man from theſe words of Paul (without wronging him and his Maſter the God of Truth) can draw ſuch a concluſion, as if Paul had acknowledged it evil in him to have preached againſt the laws of the Jews or the temple, which the Lord Jeſus and his ſervants after him, ſo abundantly did, although at this time (in point of fact) Paul might well ſay, he had not done ought againſt the law of the Jews. I mean the ceremonial law and the Temple, for he had now obſerved the ceremonies of the Law, and the holineſs of the Temple: although for this ſome uſe to blame him▪ not diſcerning that Paul knew there was a time to honour thoſe ceremonies, even after Chriſts death, and a time as much to debaſe, diſhonour, and aboliſh them.
Peace.
His third collection is, That it is lawfull even in Eccleſiaſtical cauſes to appeale to a Pagan Magiſtrate.
Truth.
As I utterly renounce ſuch a concluſion (any otherwiſe then in reſpect of civil violence offered for a mans conſcience, which violence Caeſar ought to ſee revenged and puniſhed) ſo neither will this inſtance of Paul prove it: for in appealing to an higher Judge, a man alwayes preſuppoſeth (if not skill perfect, yet)No appeals to the civil powers in matters meerly ſpiritual. competent skill, and a true power committed from God, to judge in ſuch caſes, which Paul for many reaſons, both in this Chapter, and elſewhere manifeſted, could not ſuppoſe in the Romane Caeſars, or any civil Magiſtrate.
Peace.
Maſter Cotton urgeth, that theſe words (verſe 9.) [Theſe Things] imply matters of Religion as well as civil things.
Truth.
Thoſe words [Theſe Things] were not the words of Paul, but the words of Feſtus.
2. Grant them Pauls words, yet if for thoſe things the Jews ſeek his life, Paul well appeals to Caeſar againſt them, for Caeſar is bound to protect the bodies, goods, or good names of his ſubjects, either from falſe accuſations in civil things, or perſecution for matters of conſcience, which is a violence againſt the civil ſtate, of which Caeſar was the ſupreme officer.
Peace.
His fourth collection is, that civil Magiſtrates may and ought to …e acquainted with all matters of Religion, eſpecially capital.
Truth.
In twenty five parts of the world of thirty, civil Magiſtrates cannot poſſibly be thus acquainted; for the ſound of Chriſt Jeſus is not there to be heard, as the beſt Hiſtorians and Coſmographers yeeld.
Peace.
It ſeemes ſtrange, if Chriſt Jeſus had intended any ſuch delegation of ſpiritual power to civil Magiſtrates, that he ſhould keep the very ſound of his name from them.
Againe, in the other five parts of the world▪ where his name Few Magiſtrates in the world know Chriſt Jeſus.is ſounded, how rarely hath he acquainted any civil Magiſtrate with the ſaving knowledge of his will?
Truth.
I add, that ſuch rare ones, that ſavingly know Christ Jeſus and his will, are no judges in ſuch caſes over the conſciences of their brethren, or any, by way of civil judicature, this very inſtance of Pauls appealing to Caeſar hath and ſhall further declare and mainfeſt.
Peace.
But what ſhould be the reaſon why Maſter Cotton affirmeth, That the civil Magiſtrate ought to be able to judge of all capital offences againſt Religion, but not of all queſtions?
Truth.
The truth is, if the civil Magiſtrate were a Surgeon appointed of Chriſt Ieſus to judge in cauſes that concern cutting of life and limbe, &c. he would beyond all queſtion be able to judge of petty cuts, wounds, &c. But Satan that old deceiver, thatMyſtical and cruel Surgery. knew (by Gods permiſſion) how to cozen Adam, David, Solomon, Peter (the moſt perfect, wiſe, and holieſt of Gods ſervants) is not now to learn how to cheat Maſter Cotton alſo: Satan well …ees, if Maſter Cotton ſhould grant it the Magiſtrates duty to judge in leſſer queſtions, the hope of Benefices and Livings were gone, and the trade of Synods would down: And if he ſhould not grant it to be the Magiſtrates duty to judge in capitals, the Pope, the Biſhops, and all perſecuting prieſts, would want the ſecular power, the ſervile executioners of their moſt wicked and moſt bloody decrees and ſentences.
Peace.
In the next place Maſter Cotton ſeemes to charge a contradiction upon the diſcuſſer, for ſaying, that civil Magiſtrates were never appointed by God defenders of the faith of Ieſus, and yet every one is bound to put forth his utmoſt powers in Gods buſineſs.
Truth.
Love hath charged the diſcuſſer to ſpare the …rm of contradiction in many paſſages of Maſter Cottons writing, where he hath (to his underſtanding) obſerved them, to prevent exaſperations &c. contrarily Maſter Cotton againſt the diſcuſſer, ſtraines the text and Margin to ſound out contradictions, contradictions, to all paſſengers.
But let us examine. And firſt, Maſter Cotton will not deny, butThe title of defender of the faith. the ſon of perdition, the Pope of Rome (whoſe coming and practice is by the work of the devil) was the blaſphemous author (he and his Cardinals in Councel together) of that title defender of the faith ſent with great gratitude and ſolemnity to Henry the eighth, as a kingly popelike reward, for penning (or bearing the name of) a blaſphemous writing againſt Chriſt Ieſus in his holy truth proclaimed by Luther.
Peace.
With what eyes and eares ſuch blaſphemous and bloody titles are to be lookt upon and heard by the chaſte eyes and ears of Chriſts Doves, Chriſt Ieſus will one day, and ſhortly make appear.
Truth.
But what contradiction will be in the later, to wit, [That every one muſt do his utmoſt in Gods buſineſs] when this former (to wit, to be a defender of the Faith) is conſtantly denied toTo ſerve God withal our might, literally taken, horribly abuſed. be any of the buſineſſes of civil officers, and the preſervation of the civil ſtate, which charge and worke by the civil ſtate can only lawfully (and therefore poſſibly) be committed to them? For otherwiſe to take theſe words in a literal ſence, without reſpect to the rules and limits of Gods order and righteonſneſs, what is it but to fire the world with wild-fire of blind zeale, and to tumble down all Gods beauteous ſtructures and buildings into a Chaos and confuſion of Antichriſtian Babylon? And this eſpecially by the meanes of ſuch who think and ſay, that they cannot ſerve God with all their might except they puniſh blaſpemers, and fight againſt blaſphemous nations, and ſubdue (not only the holy land from the Turk, but) even all the world from their idolatries and blaſphemies, if it lie in their power; which ſpirit whether it be the ſpirit of the Son of God, and Prince of peace, or the ſpirit of the world, the ſpirit of the ſon of perdition, let every mans own ſpirit ſearch and judge in the holy fear and preſence of God.
Peace.
But further (ſaith Maſter Cotton) it was unneceſſary, yea folly and prepoſterous to have complained to Herod, Pilate, Caeſar, againſt the Hereſies of the Phariſees: For if a poor ſheep ſhould complain to the Wolves of the Wolves hereſies, would not the whole kennel of Wolves riſe up againſt him, &c? Would it not have diſturbed the civil ſtate, by putting them into jealouſies of a new kingdome, and it was neceſſary the Goſpel ſhould firſt be known and received, believed and profeſſed, before any could be complained of for Apoſtacie from it into hereſie.
Truth.
Maſter Cotton cannot deny, but that moſt of the Magiſtrates of the world (by far) are ſuch as Herod, Pilate, Caeſar Chriſt Jeſus hath rarely furniſhed his people with godly Magiſtrates.were, without God, and enemies to him, yea alſo in that little pa…t of the world which is called Proteſtant. Now if they are but kennels of Wolves (compared with Chriſts ſheep) as Maſter Cotton expreſſeth, I firſt demand how poorely hath Chriſt Jeſus in all ages provided for and furniſhed his people with ſuch main pillars of their ſpiritual joyes, light and confidence, as godly and Chriſtian Magiſtrates?
Peace.
It is as cleer as the Sun beams, that if ever Chriſt Jeſus had intended ſuch an ordinance in and over his church, he would never have been ſo miſtaken, as to ſupply his ſheep in all ages, and in all parts of the world, with kennels of Wolves in ſtead of godly and Chriſtian Shepherds.
Truth.
But ſecondly, Grant them to be kennels of Wolves in Maſter Cottons ſence, yet what bar is this to any from preſenting, and to them from receiving ſuch complaints as are proper to their cognizance, to their duty and calling (were they truely called of God and Chriſt to ſuch a ſervice) to wit, to govern in ſpiritual, Eccleſiaſtical or Church cauſes? what though a Magiſtrate be a drunkard, whoremonger, opperſſour, is it not the duty of the people to complain to him of drunkards, thieves, whoremongers, oppreſſors? whom if he puniſh not, but countenance, &c. yet have ſuch petitioners diſcharged their conſciences, and left the guilt upon the right head, who ſhould be an head of civil righteouſneſs, but is an head of wickedneſs and iniquity.
Peace.
By this argument of Maſter Cottons, the poor widow, that ſued for right to the unjuſt Judge, that neither feared God, nor regarded man, took a fooliſh and a preſtoperous courſe, though commended by the Lord Jeſus, Luk. 18.
Truth.
Indeed (as Maſter Cotton ſaith) If we look at the probability of any wholeſome fruit from ſuch trees, we cannot expect grapes from ſuch briars, not figs from ſuch thiſtles: But looking at the providence of God, who ruleth and over ruleth the hearts of Kings and all Magiſtrates (as in the caſe of the poor widow and thouſand others) as alſo at what is their Duty and profeſſion, to wit, to invite cheerfully their ſubjects to bring their complaints to them; as alſo what is the duty of the wronged and oppreſſed, to wit, to deliver and diſcharge their own ſouls▪ I ſee not but it is ſafe, ſea ſonable, and a duty, to cry even to the unjuſt Judge for Juſtice, as that poor woman did.
Peace.
Yea, were Caeſar, Herod▪ Pilate (by virtue of their places, offices, and duties) Eccleſiaſtical Judges, and ought to have ſuppreſſed the hereſies and blaſphemies of the Phariſees? why ſhould it be impoſſible, but they might have removed the Phariſees offence, as many Kings of England and France (though evil themſelves) have ſtirred mightily upon complaints of their ſubjects againſt the Popiſh Phariſees of their times, yea the higheſt of them the Pope himſelf? And if Maſter Cottons doctrine be true, why muſt not the Magiſtrate be ſought unto, that a true Goſpel be received and believed? Why may not the civil power be a judge in the firſt receiving of the Goſpel, as afterward for the preſerving and reſtoring of it?
Truth.
Such is the brightneſs of the Goſpel of Christ Ieſus, and the dread and the power of the two-edged ſword coming out of his mouth, ſubduing and ſlaying the higheſt oppoſites and adverſaries, that it will prove to be unneceſſary, fooliſh and prepoſterous to run to any other ſword or cenſures, then thoſe alone of Chriſts, ſo mighty, and ſo powerful, were they rightly adminiſtred, as the Popiſh and Proteſtant world pretendeth.
Peace.
Laſtly, Maſter Cotton profeſſeth he knows not how Magiſtrates can know the Son, and kiſs him, and acknowledge his kingdome, and ſubmit their crowns to it, love his truth, be nurſing Fathers and Mothers to his church, and yet not be defenders of it.
Truth.
If kings muſt ſubmit their crowns to this kingdome of Chriſt, muſt it not undeniablly follow, that the kingdom of Chriſt Ieſus is far greater and higher then their thrones and crowns? (for none will ſubmit to the leſſer, weaker, &c.) And if ſo, what weakneſs is it yet to expect, that the inferiour power and authority, toDefendor of the faith. wit, civil and earthly, muſt defend the higheſt and moſt glorious crown and throne of Chriſt Ieſus? Like as if a poor Indian Canon ſhould ſubmit it ſelf to ſome Royal Navy, and yet muſt be this Navies defender; or a few naked Americans ſubmit to ſome Army or kingdome, and yet theſe poor naked ones muſt bear (and that ſeriouſly without I…ſting) the title of their defenders.
Truth.
Maſter Cotton and thoſe of his bloody judgement are not contented that the civil powers defend the bodies and goods of the Saints from oppreſſors, from perſecutors, &c. that love and affection by all gracious means be expreſt more to the Saints then to other people of their dominions, that all true Chriſtian meanes be uſed for the ſpreading of the name and truth of the Lord Ieſus; I ſay, this ſerves not the turn, and gives not content, except alſo the Magiſtrate defend by civil ſword, the purity of the doctrine, and the ordinances of Chriſt Ieſus in his church, in puniſhing and ſuppreſſing the contrary by arme of fleſh, whether within or without the church.
Peace.
In this laſt reſpect I muſt ſpeak an high and bold word, to wit, That the pooreſt youth or maid, who hath more knowledge A bold, but a true word.and gra…e of Chriſt then a king or Emperour hath (as well ſometimes it hath and may come to paſs) may be a greater contender for the truth, and a great defender of the faith of Ieſus, then the king or Emperor, and ſo conſequently then all the kings of the whole world.
Truth.
Paul was ſet for the defence of the Goſpel and conſequently every believer in Ieſus (according to his meaſure of grace received) and therefore, your word is not more bold then true. For ſpiritual defences are moſt proper to a ſpiritual eſtate, and ſo accordingly moſt potent, prevalent, and mighty.