The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter
Exam: of Chap. 69. replying to Chap. 72. Touching the Teſtimony of Brentius.
Peace.
IT is untrue, ſayth Mr Cotton, that we reſtraine Men from Worſhip according to Conſcience, or conſtraine them to Worſhip againſt Conſcience, or that ſuch is my Tenent or practice.
Truth.
Notwithſtanding Mr Cottons cloake, to wit, that they will not meddle with the Heretick before he hath ſinned againſt his owne Conſcience, and ſo perſecute him onelyonly for ſinning againſt his owne Conſcience, yet I earneſtly beſeech every Reader ſeriouſly to ponder the whole ſtreame and ſeries of Mr Cottons▪ Diſcourſe, Propoſitions, Affirmations, &c. through the whole booke, and he ſhall then be able to judge whether it be untrue that his Doctrine tends not to conſtraine, nor reſtraine Conſcience.
2. For the matter of fact, how can he with any Humilitie before the ſtaming eyes of the moſt High, cry out, no ſuch practice, when
Firſt, Their Lawes cry out a Command under Penaltie for allNew-England loath to be accounted perſecutours. to come to Church, though not to be Members, which in truth (as hath been opened) is but a colour and viſard, deceiving himſelfe and others: And a cruell Law is yet extant againſt Chriſt Jeſus, muffled up under the hood or vaile of a Law againſt Anabaptiſtrie, &c.
Secondly, Their practice cryes, their Impriſonments, Finings, Whippings, Baniſhments cry in the Eares of the Lord of Hoſts, and the louder becauſe of ſuch unchriſtian figleave, cloakes, &c.
Peace.
Let it be granted (ſayth Mr Cotton) that we did both, yet this did not make Lawes to binde Conſcience, but the outward man onelyonly! Nor would we (ſayth he) think it fit to binde the outward man againſt Conſcience.
Truth.
I cannot diſcerne the Coherence of theſe three Affirmations: 1. We reſtraine no man from Worſhip according to Conſcience. 2. We make Lawes but to binde the outward man onelyonly. And yet againe (3) we thinke not meete to binde the outward man againſt Conſcience. Mr Cotton lived once under a Popiſh Law, to weare a fooles Coat or Surplice on his back, and toLawes concerning Gods Worſhip. make a Conjuring Croſſe with his Fingers, why ſhould he ſay, that this Law went beyond his back and his fingers, and came even to his Conſcience? If theſe pettie bonds did binde his Conſcience, as well as his back and his fingers; Oh let not Mr Cotton ſo farre put off the Bowells of Compaſſion toward Chriſt Jeſus and his Followers, yea toward all men, as to binde their backs, and their Necks, their Knees and Hands backward and forward, to or from Worſhip, and yet ſay he binds but the outward man, Dangerous diſtinctions.&c.
Yea and oh let not ſuch uprightnes, candor, and Integritie, as Mr Cotton hath been noted for, be blemiſhed with ſuch an Evaſion as this, to wit, when it comes to ſelfe, that Conſcience his owne or his Friends be offred to be bound, &c. then he ſhall flie to his third Evaſion, ſaying, We think it not meete to binde the outward man againſt Conſcience, that is, againſt our Conſciences, &c. What ever becomes (ſinck or ſwim) of other Mens.
Peace.
In the next Paſſage, God needs not (ſayth Mr Cotton) the helpe of the Magiſtrate more in the Second, then in the firſt Table.
Truth.
God needeth not abſolutely for the matters of the Second Touching keeping of both Tables.Table, though reſpectively, becauſe he hath appointed Ordinances, unto which he hath graciouſly referd himſelfe. But for the firſt Table, he hath no neede at all, of carnall weapons, no not reſpectively, becauſe he hath appointed Ordinances to thouſandfold more potent, ſuitable and ſufficient.
Peace.
Whereas it was urged, that if Magiſtrates muſt uſe their materiall Sword in keeping of both Tables, they muſt be able to judge of both: Mr Cotton replies, that it is enough,Of Magiſtrates Judgement in Spirituals, &c. that they be able to judge in Principles and Foundations, and of the Arrogancie of a tumultuous Spirit; for ſuch want not Judgement to cenſure Apoſtaſie or Hereſie, Idolatrie, &c.
Truth.
It is not like that a Carpenter who hath skill ſufficient to judge the Principles and Foundations of a houſe or Building, ſhould be unable to judge about the Beames, Poſts, &c.
2. With what great darknes, have the beſt of Gods children themſelves been covered theſe many hundreth yeares, touching the very Fundamentalls of Gods Worſhip!
Peace.
Whereas it was ſaid further, that either they are notOf Qualifications of Magiſtrates. fitly qualified Magiſtrates and Common-weales, that want this abilitie to judge, &c. Or elſe they muſt judge according to their Conſcience! Mr Cotton replyes; Many Qualifications are required in Husbands, Wives, Children, Servants, Miniſters, Churches, the want whereof may make them ſinfull, but not unlawfull.
Truth.
I anſwer; ſome Relations are Paſſive, as that of children, who may be true and lawfull children, although they know not that they are children. But, ſuch Relations as are active in their choice and conſent, as of Husband, Wife, Magiſtrate, &c. theſe cannot be lawfull, unles they be fitted and qualified to performe the maine and eſſentiall duties of Husbands, Wives, Servants, Magiſtrates. That Husband, Wife, Servant cannot be lawfull, that are engaged to other Husbands, Wives, Maſters: Nor can that Magiſtrate be lawfull, who is a mad-man or Ideot, not able to diſcerne between Right and Wrong: and truely (were Magiſtrates bound, as to the chiefe part of their Dutie and Office) to eſtabliſh the true Religion, &c. he were no more then a mad-man (as to the firſt Table) that were not ſpiritually indued with ability of diſcerning the true Church, Miniſtry, Worſhip, &c.
Peace.
Now whereas it was further urged that then the Common-weale, the Civil, Naturall ſtate, hath more Light concerningOf Magiſtrates Abilities. the Church of Chriſt then the Church it ſelf, &c Maſter Cotton replies, it followes not, becauſe that is a weak Church that knowes no more light then that of the Principles; and beſide; what light the Common-wealth hath it may have received from the Church.
Truth.
I anſwer, If Kings and Queens, &c. be nurcing Fathers and Mothers (in a ſpirituall reſpect) over the Church, as is uſually alleadged; can it be expected but that the Nurſe, Father or Phyſician ſhould know more of the Childs ſtate then the Child or Patient himſelfe, who oftentimes knows not his ſickneſſe, nor that he is ſick, (as oft may be the caſe of a Church of Chriſt) It is impoſſible, but they muſt have more light then the Child, yea and much more impoſſible that they ſhould receive their Light and direction from the Child, &c.
Peace.
We ſee, ſaith Maſter Cotton, that Magiſtrates ſometimes have more Light in matters of Religion then the Church it ſelf, as David and Hezekiah.
Truth.
This (1) confirmes what I ſaid, that theſe Kings being appointed by God, Formers and Reformers of the Church of Judah, they muſt needs have more light in the matter of Reformation David and Hezekiah figurative Kings, &c.then the Church it ſelfe to be reformed.
2 I muſt deny that David and Hezekiah were other then types of Chriſt Jeſus, both in his owne perſon and in ſuch, who in his abſence are by him deputed to manage the ſpirituall power and ſword of his holy and ſpirituall Kingdome.
Peace.
Yea, but alas, ſaith Maſter Cotton, there is no colour, that becauſe Magiſtrates are bound to diſcerne and ſerve Chriſt with their power, that therefore they may puniſh Chriſt and Chriſtians.
Truth.
True, therefore, Maſter Cotton elſewhere ſaith, they muſt ſuſpend to deal in Church matters untill they can judge, &c.
And this, Firſt implies their light and judgement (abſolutely neceſſary) in all ſuch matters of the Church, about which they are to Judge and act as often I affirme
2 I aske what kind of ſpirituall Phyſicians will Maſter Cotton have, who ſhall be bound to ſuſpend their power, all their lives long, unleſſe they have skill to judge of Diſeaſes? will not theMagiſtrates ſuſpending in matters of Religion. ſimilitude hold againſt ſuch ſpirituall Fathers, Nurces, Phyſicians, who all their life long (yea the greateſt number beyond compare of all their ſpirituall Fathers upon the face of the Earth) muſt wholly ſuſpend from acting in ſpirituall diſeaſes or caſes, to wit, in reforming, eſtabliſhing, &c.
3 Although it excuſeth not ('tis true) ſuch Magiſtates, Princes Common-wealths, for making this Doctrine their ground of perſecuting Chriſt and Chriſtians, yet doubtleſſe it makes their ſin the greater who feed them with ſuch bloody Doctrines, and ſo conſequently occaſion them upon the rocks of ſuch falſ and dangerous and bloudy practices.