The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 67
Exam: of Chap. 67. replying to Chap. 70.
Peace.
COncerning Tertullians ſpeech, and eſpecially that Branch, to win, that [By the Law of naturall equitie, Men are not to be compelled to any Religion, but permitted to believe or not believe at all] Mr. Cotton anſwers, that they doe permit the Indians, but it will not therefore be ſafe to toller▪ te the publicke Worſhip of Devills or Idolls. The Diſcuſſer replied, that they doe permit the Indians in their Paganiſh Worſhip, andTouching the Indians of New-England therefore were partiall to their Countrymen and others: Mr Cotton anſwers; that it is not true, that they doe ſo permit the Indians, what ever they may doe privately: That the Indians ſubmit to the ten Commandements, and that ſome of their Miniſters have preached to them in Engliſh, which hath been interpreted: That one now preacheth in their owne Language: Further, That they permit ſtrangers in their Worſhip. And for their Countrymen, for the moſt part that they worſhip God with them: They which are diſtant have Libertie of publike prayer and preaching, by ſuch as themſelves chooſe without diſturbance.
Truth.
Concerning the Indians, it is moſt true, that the Monahigganéucks, Miſhawomêucks, Pawtuckséucks, and Cawſumſéucks (who profeſſe to ſubmit to the Engliſh) continue in their publike Paganiſh Worſhip of Devills, I ſay openly and conſtantly.
Peace.
Yea but (ſaith Mr Cotton) they have ſubmitted to the ten Commandements.
Truth.
I anſwer; the ten Commandements containe a Renunciation of all ſalſe Gods and Worſhips, and a Worſhipping of the true God, according to his owne Inſtitutions and Appointments, which their practice is as farre from, as Mid-night is from Midday.
2. To put men upon obſervations of Gods Worſhip, as Prayer, Worſhipping of God and Chriſt before the foundation of Repentance, is nothing but Antichriſtian diſorder.&c. before the Foundations of Repentance from dead workes (their worſhipping of Idolls, &c.) is as farre from the Order of Chriſt Jeſus, and his Chriſtian principles (whereof Repentance from dead workes is the firſt) as the building of an Houſe or Palace, without the firſt Groundſell or Foundation laid.
Peace.
Mr Cotton therefore ſaith, they preach unto them.
Truth.
I from my ſoule wiſh that all the Lords people in New England were Prophets, yea true Apoſtolicall Miniſters or Preachers, truely furniſhed with Chriſts Abilities, and Chriſts Commiſſion, to goe forth to convert and baptize the Nations, even theſe Wildeſt of the Nations of Adams Children: But Converſion of Nations Mr Cotton ſayth (upon Revel. 15.) untill the ſeaven plagues of the ſeaven Angells be fullfilled, will not be great.
This Interpretation I acknowledge to be very probable, ſo far as concernes any great Converſion of the Nations before the downfall of Antichriſt, and in the meane ſeaſon I commend the pious Endeavours of any (profeſſing Miniſtery or not) to doe good to the Soules of all Men as We have opportunitie. But that any of the Miniſters ſpoken of are furniſhed with true Apoſtolicall Commiſſion (Matth. 28.) I ſee not for theſe Reaſons.
Firſt, The Miniſter or Miniſters, whom Mr Cotton I conceiveTouching preaching to the Indians in New-England. intends, profeſſe an ordinarie Office in the Church of Chriſt, which is cleerely diſtinct, yea and another thing from the office of an Apoſtle, or one ſent forth to preach and baptize, Epheſ. 4. & 1 Cor. 12.
Secondly, Such Churches as are inveſted with the power of Chriſt, and ſo authoriz'd to ſend forth, are ſeperate from the World, which many thouſands of Gods people (dead and living) have ſeene juſt Reaſons to deny thoſe Churches ſo to be.
Thirdly, Were the Church true, and the Meſſenger or Apoſtle rightly ſent forth with prayer and faſting, according to Act. 13. yet I believe that none of the Miniſters of New England, nor any perſon in the whole Countrey is able to open the Myſteries of Chriſt Jeſus in any proprietie of their ſpeech or Language, without which proprietie it cannot be imagined that Chriſt Jeſus ſent forth his firſt Apoſtles or Meſſengers, and without which no people in the World are long willing to heare of difficult and heavenly matters. That none is ſo fitted;
Firſt, The Natives themſelves affirme, as I could inſtance in many particulars.
Secondly, The Experience of the Diſcuſſer and of many others teſtifie how hard it is for any man to attaine a little proprietie of their Language in common things (ſo as to eſcape Deriſion amongſt them) in many yeares, without abundance of converſing with them, in Eating, travelling and lodging with them, &c. which none of their Miniſters (other affaires not permitting) ever could doe.
Peace.
There being no helpes of Art and learning amongſt them, I ſee not how without conſtant uſe or a Miracle, any man is able to attaine to any proprietie of ſpeech amongſt them, even in common things. And without proprietie (as before) who knowes not how hardly all men (eſpecially Barbarians) are brought to heare matters of Heaven (ſo ſtrange and contraryProprietie of Language neceſſary to the true preaching of Chriſt Jeſus to any people. to Nature) yea, even matters of the Earth, except profit and other worldly ends compell them to ſpell out Mens minds and meaning?
Truth. 3.
I may truely adde a third, an Inſtance in the booke of their Converſion, written by Mr Tho: Shepheard, there Mr Eliot (the ableſt amongſt them in the Indian Speech) promiſing an old Indian a ſuit of Cloths, the man (ſayth the relation) not well underſtanding Mr Eliots ſpeech, asked another Indian what Mr Eliot ſaid.
Peace.
Me thinks, the Native not underſtanding ſuch a common and wellcome promiſe of cloths upon Gift, would farre more hardly underſtand Mr Eliots preaching of the garment of Righteouſneſſe Chriſt Jeſus, unto which Men mutually turne the deafe Eare, &c.
Truth.
Neither you (ſweet Peace) nor I Expreſſe thus much to dampe Mr Eliot or any from doing all the good they can, whiles opportunitie laſts in any truely Chriſtian way, but to ſhew how great that miſtake is, that pretends ſuch a true preaching of Chriſt Jeſus to them in their owne Language.
Peace.
But to proceed, in the next Paſſage Mr Cotton affirmes their Impartialitie in permitting others as well as the Indians.
Truth.
I anſwer; it is one thing to connive at a ſtrange Papiſt in private devotions on ſhoare, or in their veſſells at Anchor, &c. Another thing to permit Papiſts, Jewes, Turkes, &c. the free and conſtant Exerciſe of their Religion and Worſhip, in their reſpective Orders and Aſſemblies, were ſuch Inhabitants amongſt them.
Peace.
Doubtleſſe the bloudie Tenent cannot permit this Libertie, neither to the Papiſts, Jewes, Turkes, &c. nor to the Indians, nor doth their practice toward their Countrymen hould forth a ſhew of ſuch a freedome or permiſſion.
Truth.
I wonder why Mr Cotton writes, that the moſt part of the Engliſh worſhip God with them, and the reſt abſent have Libertie to chooſe their Preachers! Since Mr Cotton knowes the Petition and Petitions that have been preſented for Libertie of Conſcience in New England, and he cannot but alſo know the Impriſoning and Fining of ſome of the Petitioners, &c.
Peace.
It may be Mr Cotton will uſe the common objection, that ſome part of their Petition tended to Diſturbance in Civill Things.
Truth.
Some of their Petitions were purely for Libertie ofConſcience to God in Worſhip a cloſe Priſoner in New-England, and no Petitioner could obtaine its Libertie. Conſcience, which ſome in Office, both in Church and State favoured, as is reported, if not promoted. If others or ſome part of them might be judged offenſive againſt Lawes made, yet why then hath not the Libertie of their Conſcience (in point of Worſhip) been granted to them? When they have complained (amongſt other Paſſages) that they have been forced to ſtay the baptizing of other Mens children, while their owne might not be admitted, and therefore earneſtly ſued for Miniſters and Congregations after their owne free choice and Conſciences, which have ever been denyed to them.
Peace.
It is ſaid, that their Miniſters being conſulted with, utterly denied to yeeld to any ſuch Libertie.
Truth.
They might juſtly feare, that if ſuch a window were opened (as once Biſhop Gardiner ſpake in another caſe) that the New Engliſh Congregations and Churches would be as thin; as the Presbyterians complained theirs to have been, when the people once began to taſte the Freedome and Libertie of their Conſciences, from the ſlaves whip, &c.
Peace.
In the next Paſſage, the Diſcuſſer having excepted againſt Mr Cottons diſtinguiſhing betweene Members of the Church, and ſuch as have given their names to Chriſt; Mr Cotton replies; they are not all one, and quotes, Eſa. 65. 5, 6.
Truth.
Let the place be viewed, and that place will be foundPublik… marriage, or giving ones ſelfe to Chriſt. to ſpeake of no ſuch Difference: It ſpeaks of the Lords promiſe to Eunuches and Strangers, laying hould on the Lords Covenant, and joyning themſelves to the Lord, which I conceive Mr Cotton will not deny to be in a Church way; in which condition the Lord gives the Eunuches a name better then of Sonnes and Daughters.
Peace.
In the next Paſſage Mr Cotton upon Tertullians ſpeech, affirmes, that a falſe Religion will hurt, becauſe the Red Horſe followes the White, &c.
Truth.
I anſwer; Gods Judgements (by Warre, Famine, Peſtilence) plaguing falſe Religions in his time (though after many hundreth yeares patience, as hath form …ly been opened) is one thing: and the preſent hurting or profiting of others, is another.
Peace.
In the next place Mr Cotton takes offence that the Diſcuſſer ſhould inſinuate Mr Cotton to have a hand in the Modell of Church Government.
Truth.
I anſwer; Mr Cottons words in the End of his Anſwer to the Priſoner, (where he ſpeakes of this Treatiſe or Modell, ſent to ſome of the Brethren of Salem) ſeemed to hould out the probabilitie of it. How ever Mr Cotton ſubſcribeth to the reſt of the Elders, (as he here ſayth) their words being rightly underſtood.
Peace.
Further, Mr Cotton here affirmes, that the want of a Law for Religion in any State provokes the Wrath of God, as the want of a King in Iſrael, Judg. 21. 25.Judges 21. 25 Conſidered.
Truth.
This Scripture proves no more, but that the want of a King, Magiſtrate, Governour, or Civill Officer of Juſtice, provokes the Wrath of God, and endangereth the people, againſt which the Diſcuſſer never affirmed, but againſt their Kingly or Civill Authoritie in ſpirituall caſes, ſince Chriſt Jeſus aboliſhed that Nationall Church.
Peace.
But ſayth Mr Cotton, the beſt Good of a Citie is Religion, and therefore there ſhould be a Law for it.
Truth.
To this I have ſpoken largely in diſcuſſing of that Modell, unto which I know not of any Reply yet made by Himſelfe, or any of thoſe worthy men whom he makes the Authours of it.
Peace.
But further, whereas the Diſcuſſer had ſaid that theSupreame Authoritie in Spiritualls. weedes of the Wilderneſſe will not hurt the Garden, nor poyſon the Body, if not ſuffred to grow in the Garden, nor taken into the Body, Mr Cotton grants that Chriſt hath ordained Gardiners for his Garden, and Phyſick and Phyſicians for his Body: Yet withall he makes the Civill Officers, to be as Superviſors, Superintendents, and conſequently, Biſhops, Governours, and Heads of the Church or Churches, and over the ſpirituall Officers of Chriſt Jeſus.
Truth.
What is this but to eſtabliſh Henry the 8. a Spirituall Civill Magiſtrate, and Head of the Church, in the roome of the Pope? Contrary to which I have diſcourſed in the diſcuſſing of the Modell in the bloudie Tenent.
Peace.
But what thinke you of Mr Cottons interpretation of Tertullians minde, to wit, that Tertullian ſhould meane, that the Chriſtian Religion would not hurt nor diſturbe the Romane Civill State?
Truth.
I conceive it cannot ſtand, for although it be trueTertullians Speech of one Religion, not hurting or profiting another Conſidered. that the Chriſtian Religion hurts no Civill State (but infinitly the contrary) yet Mr Cotton will not deny that the Chriſtian Religion (not of it ſelfe, but through the corruption of the Civill State) may provoke a Civill State many wayes, and therefore Tertullian muſt meane otherwayes, to wit, every Man muſt ſtand or fall in his owne Religion, and the Religion of one man will neither hurt nor ſave another: Therefore (to end this Paſſage) Tertullians words may not unfitly be thus applied: The Religion of the Proteſtants, if permitted by the Papiſts, will neither hurt nor profit the Papiſts: The Religion of the Independents will nether hurt nor profit the Presbyterians, if they permitted it: And the Religion and Worſhip of other Conſciences in old or New England, will neither hurt nor profit the Independents, where the power of tollerating or not tollerating lies in the hands and power of the Independents.