The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 31 – Chapter 32
Examination of CHAP. XXXI.
Peace.
HEre firſt Maſter Cotton will not own it, that the title of Iudges of ſpiritual cauſes be given to Civil Magiſtrate.
Truth.
The Parliament of England eſtabliſhed King Henry the eighth ſupreame head and Governor over the church of England, and what is this but ſupreme Iudge in all Eccleſiaſtical cauſes? What though the tearme judge be ſtumbled at by ſome, and the tearm head will not down with others? yet take but what Maſter Cotton grant…: And (as the devil himſelf, lay hid underThe title of ſupream head, oath of ſupremacy, &c. Samuels mantle, ſo) under Maſter Cottons tearm of fathers, mothers, ſhepherds (that is, ſpiritual fathers, mothers, ſhepherds) muſt of neceſſity be concluded an headſhip, and power, and office of judging, when this child doth a miſs, when theſe ſheep go aſtray, who are ſchiſmaticks, who hereticks, who ſheep, who Wolves, that the ſheep may be corrected and reduced, and the Wolves braines knockt out.
Peace.
They may judge (ſaith Maſter Cotton) but (not with a church) but politick power, and for want of which, and for giving their kingdome to the Beaſt (Revel. 17. 12, 13.) God (ſaith he) opened a way for the Turkes to break in and deſtroy the third part of Chriſtendome, Rev. 9. 14. to 21.
Truth.
Let it be under what cloake, or colour, or notion ſoever, let it be politick (indeed) and ſubtle, or plaine and ſimple, yet it ſeemes it is true, that he muſt judge, which will not be owned in plaine tearms, but as a Protector, a Father or a Shepheard.
Secondly, Thoſe Scriptures quoted do not lay a guilt upon the ten horns or kings for ſuffering the beaſt in their dominions, but for giving their power and authority unto him.
Thirdly, the civil peace was not diſſolved but preſerved for many hundred yeers before the Turkes roſe, to puniſh either the Eaſtern or Weſtern part of Antichriſtian Chriſtendome: So that a falſe religion doth not immediately and inſtantly diſſolve the civil peace, but kingdomes and ſtates profeſſing falſe religions The plague of the Turkes upon the Antichriſtiſtian world.may flouriſh. Tis true, God in his deep councels and times brings judgements, eternal and temporal, upon falſe worſhipping ſtates, eſpecially where the truth of Chriſt is preſented and perſecuted; Yet divers ages of temporal proſperity to the Antichriſtian kingdom, prove that common Aſſumption and maxime falſe, to wit, that the church and Commonweale▪ are like Hipocrates twins, weep and laugh, flouriſh and fade, live and▪ die together.
Peace.
I cannot reach the bottome of this next paſſage of Maſter Cotton, viz. that Magiſtrates may be ſubject to the church, and lick the duſt of her feet, and yet be ſupreme governors of the church alſo: In ſpiritual matters (ſaith he) and in a right adminiſtration of them, he is ſubject; but is civil things, and in the corrupt adminiſtration of church-affaires (ſo far corrupt as tendeth to the diſturbance of civil peace) there the Magiſtrates (ſaith he) are ſupream governors, even over the churches in their own dominions.
Truth.
Who ſees not here, but by this Doctrine Magiſtrates muſt judge, when the church is rightly adminiſtred, and when it is corruptly adminiſtred: And that whatever the Miniſters of theThe Civil Magistrate no governor over the ſpiritual kingdome of Chriſt. church, or the whole church judge, that is nothing, for the Magiſtrate if he be ſupream governor, he muſt judge? and what is this but even in the very ſame reſpect, I ſay in one and the ſame reſpect, to make them high and low up and down, mountaines and vallies? ſupream governors, and ſo above the church, anon age… to lick the duſt of the feet of the church; which Maſter Cotton will as ſoon make good, as bring the Eaſt and the Weſt together.
Beſides (as elſewhere I obſerved) what if the people will have no kings, governors &c. nay no Parliament, nor general courts, but leave vaſt interregnums or Ruptures of government, yea conclude upon frequent changes (as all nations of the world have had great changes this way) ſhall the churches of Chriſt Jeſus be without an head, a governor, defender, protector? What a ſlavery doth this bloody doctrine bring the faire Spouſe of Chriſt into?
Peace.
In the paſſage concerning Saul, Maſter Cotton obſerveth, that Saul was not taken away for exerciſing civil power againſt ſpiritual wickedneſs in the caſe of witches▪
Truth.
Saul was king of Iſrael, the church of God, and a typical king, the anointed or Chriſt of God; and Maſter Cotton himſelf will ſubcribe to the confeſſion of Nathaniel to Chriſt Ieſus▪ Whether Saul a type of Chriſt.Thou art the king of Iſrael, which he was and is in his own moſt holy perſon, as alſo in his Miniſters and governors during his abſence. It was now Sauls duty to put literal witches to death in his Chriſtian Iſrael, his church and Congregation.
It is true, Saul forſaking the God of Iſrael, periſhed for other wickedneſs, and among other his ſins▪ for perſecuting or hunting righteous David, and therein Saul is a type and warning to all the apoſtates and perſecuting Sauls of the earth, that deſperation and deſperate ſelf-deſtruction attend them.
Peace.
But whither tends this laſt paſſage concerning David? We read not (ſaith Maſter Cotton) that he did exerciſe any ſpiritual power as a King, but as a prophet. Will he commend Sauls kingly acting in ſpiritual things, as juſt; and ſhall not David (whoſe name and throne were moſt eminently figurative of Chriſt Jeſus) be found a king in Iſrael, the houſe and church of God?
Truth.
The patern of David, Solomon, and the good kings of Iſrael and Judah, is the common and great argument of all that plead for Magiſtrates power in ſpiritual caſes: And indeed,The kings of Iſrael and Judah types. what power was that but ſpiritual, which he exerciſed in bringing up the Arke, expreſly ſaid to be done by king David? 2 Sam. 6. What power was that but kingly, put forth in ordering and diſpoſing the ſervices of the Prieſts and Levites, and ſingers, 1 Chron. 16?
Peace.
Maſter Cotton not ignorant of this, it may be was not pleaſed with that paſſage, viz. [That God will take away ſuch ſtayes, upon whom Gods people reſt in his wrath, that king David, that is, Chriſt Jeſus the Antitype, in his own ſpiritual power in the hands of his Saints, may ſpiritually, and for ever be advanced.]
Truth.
This power the General Councels, the Popes, the Prelates, the kings of the earth, the civil courts and Magistrates, lay claime unto, and moſt of them with bloody hands, yea and Gods ſervants have too long leaned unto, and longed after, ſuch an arme of fleſh, which proves (moſt commonly) but Sauls arme, an oppreſſing and perſecuting, and a ſelf-killing and deſtroying power at the laſt.
Examination of CHAP. XXXII.
Peace.
THis Chapter containes, a twofold denyal: Firſt (ſaith Maſter Cotton) we hold it not lawful for a Chriſtian Magiſtrate to compell by civil ſword, either Phariſee, or Pagan, or Jew, to profeſs his religion.
Truth.
He that is deceived himſelf with a bad commodity, puts it off as good to others: Maſter Cotton believes, and would make others believe, that it is no compulſion, to make laws with penalties for all to come to church, and to publike worſhip; which was ever in our fathers dayes, held a ſufficient trial of their religion, and of conſenting to or diſſenting from the religion of the times. Hence by ſome is that of Luk. 14. alledged Compel them to come in, ſufficiently fulfilled, if they be ſo far compelled, as to be conformable to come to church, though it be under the pretence and mask of comming only to hear the word, whereby they may be converted.
But it is needleſs to ſtand gueſſing and gueſſing at the weight, when the ſcales are at hand, the holy word of God, by which we all profeſs to have our weight, or to be found too light.
Peace.
Maſter Cotton therefore (Secondly) denies that a blind Phariſee may be a good ſubject, and as peaceable and profitable to the civil ſtate as any, ſince they deſtroyed the civil ſtate by deſtroying Chriſt.
Truth.
When we ſpeak of civil ſtate, and their adminiſtrations, it is moſt improper and fallacious to wind or weave in the conſideration of their true or falſe religions.
It is true, idolatry brings judgement in Gods time (and ſo do other ſins, for we read not of idolatry in Sodoms puniſhment, Ezek. 16.) notwithſtanding there is a preſent civil ſtate of men combined to live together there in a commonweale, which Gods people are commanded to pray for (Jerm. 29.) whatever be the religion there publikly profeſſed. Beſide, the Phariſees deſtroying Chriſt, were guilty of blood and perſecution, which is more then idolatry, &c. and cries to heaven for vengeance.
Peace.
It cannot therefore with any ſhew of charity be denyed, but that divers prieſts of Babel, might be civil and peaceable, notwithſtanding their religion and conſcience.
Truth.
Yea it is known by experience, that many thouſands of Mahumetan, Popiſh and Pagan Prieſts are in their perſons both of as civil and courteous and peaceable a nature, as any of the ſubjects in the ſtate they live in.
The truth is, that herein all the prieſts in the world, Mahumetan, The priests and Clergy in all Nations the greateſt peacebreakers.Pepiſh, Pagan and Proteſtant, are the greateſt peace-breakers in the world as they (fearing their own cauſe) never reſt ſtirring up Princes and people againſt any (whether Gods or the devils inſtruments) that ſhall oppoſe their own religion and conſcience, that is in plaine Engliſh, their profits, honours and bellies.