The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 50
Examination of CHAP. L.
Peace.
TO the arguing againſt the Magiſtrates civil power in Spiritual cauſes taken from the nature of the Magiſtrates weapons (a material earthly and worldly ſword, diſtinguiſhed from the two-edged ſword of Chriſts ſpiritual power in the mouth of Chriſt) Maſter Cotton replies.
Firſt, the Magiſtrate muſt governe his people in Righteouſneſs, and it is Righteous to defend his people in their Spiritual Rights, as well as in their civil Rights.
This diſtinction of ſpiritual and civil Righteouſneſs dothSpiritual rights and civil. truely anatomize the cauſe; It is righteous for the Magiſtrates to defend their ſubjects in their civil Rights, for it is within the compaſs of his calling, being eſſentially civil: And unleſs we alſo grant him a ſpiritual calling and office (which is the Point denied) 'tis beyond his calling and compaſs to judge of what is ſpiritual Right and wrong, and accordingly to paſs a ſpiritual ſentence, and and execute and inflict ſpiritual puniſhment.
Peace.
Methinks I may add, if the Magiſtrate be bound to defend his Subjects in their ſpiritual rights, then as he is bound impartially to defend all his ſubjects in their ſeveral and reſpective civil Rights, ſo is he bound as impartially to defend all his ſubjects The civil Magiſtrate not bound to defend ſpiritual rights.in their ſeveral and reſpective ſpiritual Rights; and ſo accordingly to defend the Iews, the Papiſts, and all ſeveral ſores of Proteſtants in their ſeverall and reſpective conſciences; or elſe, he muſt ſit down in Chriſts ſtead, and produce a Royal charter from the New Teſtament of Chriſt Ieſus to judge difinitively which is the onelyonly right, to paſs ſentence, and execute ſpiritual puniſhment on all offenders &c.
Peace.
But Maſter Cotton adds a ſecond, the ſword was Material and civil in the Old Teſtament.
I anſwer, If Maſter Cotton granted a national church under the Goſpel▪ his Argument were good; but when he grants that national church under the Jews (as afterward in this chapter he doth) did type▪ out the Chriſtian church or churches in the Goſpel, why muſt he not grant that material Sword of the Church of Iſrael types out the ſpiritual ſword of Chriſt Ieſus▪ proceeding out of his mouth, and cutting off offenders ſpiritually with ſpiritual Iſrael a type of the Chrriſtian Church.and ſoul-puniſhments? And I add, As the ſword was material, ſo alſo was the Tabernacle and Temple worldly and material; which he denies not to be typical of the ſpiritual Temple of Chriſt and his Church in the New Teſtament.
Peace.
Maſter Cotton adds (Thirdly) that the Magiſtrates Sword may well be call'd the Sword of God, as the Sword of War, Iudg. 7.
Truth.
As it was call'd Iehovahs Sword in that typical Land;The …me and odely Chriſtendome. So muſt it needs be typical as well as the Land it ſelf, which is alſo called by the Prophets Ichovah's Land Emanuels land; which names and titles I think Maſter Cotton will not ſay are competent and appliable to any other Lands or Countries under the Goſpel but onelyonly to the Spiritual Canaan or Iſrael, the Church and people of God, the true and onelyonly Chriſtendome.
Peace.
But (Fourthly) ſaith he, they are called Gods, and ſhall they not attend Gods work?
Truth.
In the ſtate of Iſrael they were Gods deputies to attend the cauſes of Iſrael, the then onelyonly Church of God: But Maſter Cotton can produce no parallel to that, but the Chriſtian Churches and people of God, not national but Congregational▪ &c.
2. Grant the Magiſtrates to be as Gods, or ſtrong ones in a Reſemblance to God in all Nations of the world, yet that is ſtill within the compaſs of their calling, which being confeſſed to be eſſentially civil the civil work of theſe ſervants of the Commonweal is Gods work, as well as Paul calls (in a ſence) the work of the ſervants of the Family, Gods work, for which he pays the wages, Eph. 5.
Laſtly, for ſpiritual cauſes we know the Lord Ieſus is call'd God, Pſal. 45. Heb. 1. whoſe Scepter and Kingdome being eſſentially ſpiritual▪ the adminiſtrations which he hath appointed are alſo ſpiritual, and of an heavenly and ſoul Nature.
Peace.
Maſter Cotton (Fifthly) adds, Revel. 17. The Kingdoms of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chriſt.
Truth.
How the Kingdomes of the World▪ ſhall become the Kingdomes of Chriſt, is no ſmal myſtery and controverſie; but grant it to be true, that either Chriſt Ieſus perſonally, or by his Deputies the Saints, ſhall rule all the Nations of the world in hearing and determining all civil Controverſies: Yet why doth Maſter Cotton draw an Argument from this Prophecie, of what ſhall be in one Age or Time of the World, and to come, to prove an Ʋniverſal power and Exerciſe of ſuch power in all Ages and times ſince Chriſt Ieſus his firſt comming to this day?
Peace.
Me thinks Maſter Cotton may as well argue, that becauſe it was propheſied that a Virgin ſhould conceive, and bring forth a child in Gods appointed ſeaſon, that therefore all Virgins muſt ſo conceive and ſo being in forth all ages of the world.
But, (Laſtly) ſaith Maſter Cotton▪ although the nations have not that typical holineſs which the nation of Iſrael had; Yet all the Churches of the Saints have as much truth and realty of holineſs as Iſrael had: And therefore, what holy care of Religion lay upon the Kings of Iſrael in the Old Teſtament, the ſame lyeth now upon Chriſtian Kings in the New Teſtament, to protect the ſame in their Churches.
Truth.
Oh how neer the precious Iewels, and Bargains ofChriſt Jeſus in himſelf and his ſpiritual officers the onelyonly Key of Iſrael. Truth, come ſometimes Gods Saints, and yet miſs of the finding and going through with it! The chucrhes of the New Teſtament, Maſter Cotton grants ſucceed the Church of Iſrael; The Kings and Governours therefore of the churches of Chriſt muſt ſucceed thoſe Kings What King and Governours of Iſrael are now to be found in the Goſpel, but Chriſt Ieſus and his Servants, deputed in his abſence, which are all of a ſpiritual conſideration? What is this to the Nations, Kings, and Governours of the world; where few Kings▪ few Nobles, few Wiſe, are cald to profeſs Chriſt? Is not Chriſt Ieſus the onelyonly King of Iſrael; and are not all his holy ones made Kings and Prieſts unto God? And unto his Saints▪ and his ſpiritual officers Adminiſtration in the midſt of them, is his Kingdomes power committed in his abſence. This ſpiritual power, however the Pope and prelates, Kings and Princes. Parliaments and General Courts, and their reſpective Officers of Juſtice (to be honoured and obeyed in civil things,) I ſay however they have challenged and aſſumed this Kingly PowerChriſt Jeſus ro…d of his crown. of the Son of God▪ yet the King▪ of Kings▪ Chriſt Jeſus hath begun to diſcover, and will never leave until he hath made it clear as the Sun Beames that he is robd of his crown, and will ſhake, and break▪ all the nations and Powers of the world until his Heavenly crown be again reſtored.