The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 53
Examination of CHAP. LIII; Anſwering to Chap. LIII, LIV, LV.
Peace.
IN theſe three Chapters, the laſt Reaſon which the Author of the Arguments againſt perſecution produced was diſcuſſed; to wit, that the diſ…ples of Chriſt ſhould be ſo far from perſecuting, that contrariwiſe they ought to bleſs ſuch as curſe them, &c. and that becauſe of the freeneſs of Gods grace, and the deepneſs of his counſels, calling home them that be enemies, perſecutors, no people, yea ſome at the laſt hour. In anſwer to which, Maſter Cotton complaineth that two of his Anſwers were omitted; and ſuſpecteth that as children skip over hard places, ſo they were skipt over, &c.
Truth.
It is true, thoſe two anſwers were omitted, not becauſe the chapter was too hard &c. but becauſe the Diſcuſſer ſaw (nor ſees) not any controverſie or difference between Maſter Cotton and himſelf in thoſe paſſages; and alſo ſtudying brevity and contraction, as Maſter Cotton himſelf hath done omitting far more, and contracting three Chapters in one in this very paſſage.
Upon the ſame ground, I ſee no need of mentioning his Reply in theſe three Chapters, wherein Maſter Cotton concurs in the point of the neceſſity of tolerating even notorious offenders in the State in ſome caſes.
Peace.
The reſult of all agitations in this paſſage is this: Maſter Cotton denies not but that in ſome caſes a notorious malefactor may be tolerated, and conſequently (as I underſtand him) an … re…i…k, Of tolleration which Maſter Cotton in caſes makes large enough.ſeducer, &c. But that ordinarily it is not lawful to tolerate a ſeducing teacher, and that from the clearneſs of Gods command Deut. 13. and from the reaſon of it, verſ. 10, Becauſe he hath ſought to turn thee away from the Lord thy God. Withal he concludes, that all Moſes capital Politicks are eternal.
Truth.
Thus far is gained, that it was no vain exception againſt Maſter Cotton's general propoſition▪ to wit, that it is evil to tolerate notorious evil doers, ſeducing teachers, ſcandalous livers, becauſe he ſees cauſe of toleration in ſome caſes.
Peace.
Yea but, ſaith he, In ordinary caſes it is not lawful to tolerate, from Deut. 13.
Truth.
I am of Maſter Cotton's minde: It is not lawful for Iſrael The land of Iſrael a type.that is, the Church of God, to tolerate: and the reaſon it pleaſeth the Lord to alleadge, is eternal. But what is this to the nations of the world, the ſtates, cities▪ and kingdoms thereof? Let Maſter Cotton finde out any ſuch land or ſtate that is the Church and Iſrael of God: Yea Maſter Cotton confeſſeth in a fore-going paſſage, that the Church is the Iſrael of God: Then muſt he with me acknowledge that this Deut. 13. only concerns the Iſrael or Church of God, whom Chriſt Jeſus furniſhed with ſpiritual weapons againſt ſuch ſpiritual offenders.
Peace.
But I wonder that Maſter Cotton ſhould ſay that Moſes capitals are eternal.
Truth.
I wonder not, becauſe I have ſeen in print ſixteen or ſeventeen capital evils (a great part of them of a ſpiritual nature) cenſured with death in New England.
And yet again, me thinks it is wonderful, ſince Maſter Cotton knows how many of Moſes capitals were of a ceremonial nature. The breach of the ſabbath, the not coming to keep the paſſeover, (for neglect whereof the Iſraelites were to be put to death) how can Maſter Cotton make theſe eternal in all nations?
Peace.
How many millions of millions of Heads (and not a few of the higheſt) in our own and other Nations, would ſoon feel the capital calamity of ſuch a capital bloody Tenent, if Maſter Cotton ſwayed the Scepter of ſome of the worlds former or preſent Caeſars?
Truth.
And yet I readily affirm, that ſpiritually and myſtically in the Church and Kingdom of Chriſt, ſuch evils are to be ſpiritually (and ſo eternally) puniſhed.