The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 74-75
Exam: of Chap. 74. and 75. replying to Chap. 77. and 78.
Peace.
IN Chap. 74. One paſſage cannot be paſt by, to wit, [God hath laid this charge upon Magiſtrates in the Old Touching Seducers, and their puniſhments.Teſtament to puniſh Seducers, and the Lord Jeſus never tooke off this Charge in the New Teſtament: Who is this Diſcuſſer, that he ſhould account Paul himſelfe, or an Angel from Heaven accurſed, that ſhould leave this Charge upon Magiſtrates, which God laid on, and Chriſt never tooke off?]
Truth.
This is but a Repetition of what hath formerly been examined: unto which therefore I briefly ſay, It will never be found true, that God hath laid this charge upon all Magiſtrates in the World, as he did upon the Magiſtrates in Iſrael, to puniſh Seducers.
Secondly, God laying this charge upon the Governours and Magiſtrates in Iſrael, the Church of God (in the type) lays it ſtill upon Chriſt Jeſus and his Governours ſpirituall under him in his ſpirituall Iſrael, which Kingdome he adminiſtreth, with Lawes, Puniſhments and Weapons Spirituall. All this Mr Cotton in this Controverſie hath acknowledged.
Thirdly, When he ſaith, Chriſt Jeſus never tooke off this Charge.
Firſt, I anſwer, let that Parable which he mentioneth be the Tryall of it in the feare of God.
Secondly, God having now in theſe laſt times declared hisChriſt Jeſus aboliſhed former figures, though he name not each of them in particular. will by his Sonne: Where hath his bleſſed Sonne ſpoken to us, to build no more Temples, to erect no more Altars, to offer no more Sacrifices? And yet theſe and the whole frame of that typicall State we juſtly abrogate, both from the words of Chriſt and his firſt Meſſengers, which are plaine and eaſie enough to ſuch whoſe eyes it pleaſeth God to open, although (in expreſſe Tearmes) Chriſt Jeſus hath not given an expreſſe Catalogue of all ſuch particulars to be aboliſhed.
Peace.
In the next paſſage Mr Cotton deeply chargeth the poore Diſcuſſer with partialitie & falſhood; upon which Grounds he turnes off all the Conſequences, which the Diſcuſſer obſerved to follow upon Mr Cottons Concluſions.
Truth.
It is true, the Authour of the Letter expreſſeth Libertie of Conſcience to ſuch as feare God indeed: Mr Cotton ſubſcribes, but preſently razeth out his Subſcription in theſe words following, which he hath againe now reprinted, to wit, But the Queſtion is whether an Heretick after once or twice Admonition (and ſo after Conviction) and any other ſcandalous and hainous offendour, may be tollerated, either in the Church without Excommunication, or in the Common-weale without ſuch puniſhment, as may preſerve others from dangerous and damnable Infection.
Peace.
Who ſees not but this bloudie Tenent (I meane theſeThe Myſterie of the Bloudy Tenent. words now recited) doth not onelyonly reſtraine Libertie of Conſcience to ſuch as feare God indeed, and ſpeakes fire and fagot to all the world beſide: But alſo (under the name of Heretick and Seducer) throwes into the Furnace (moſt commonly and ordinarily) all ſuch as feare God (Chriſt Jeſus and his Meſſengers and Miniſters not excepted) who have alwayes been and are accounted, the chiefeſt Hereticks, Blaſphemers, Deceivers and Seducers in this World?
Truth.
I adde the Conſequences therefore remaine good, thatThe bloudie conſequences of the bloudy Tenent. either All the Inhabitants of the World muſt come into the eſtate of men fearing God: Or elſe diſſemble Religion, and fearing God, in hypocriſie: Or elſe, be driven out of the World. Then alſo the Civill State muſt judge of the Spirituall, and of Magiſtrates fearing or not fearing God: The People muſt judge (I ſay) who feare God indeed, and are by them to be permitted, and who are the Hereticks, and to be puniſhed, which who may not ſee to be the driving of the world out of it ſelfe, and the bloudie routing up of all Societies of Men?
Peace.
This charge of partialitie and falſhood, you have (Deare Truth) to my underſtanding ſhielded the poore Diſcuſſer from, Can you now helpe his Forehead, and his Heart, which Mr Gotton in the next paſſage chargeth with another notorious and impudent falſhood, in relating out of a printed booke an Anſwer of the New Engliſh Miniſters to Queſtions ſent unto them from their Brethren in old, which anſwer Mr Cotton ſayth he cannotThe ſad Effects of the bloudie Tenent on Mr Cottons owne Spirit. finde.
Truth.
So much Gall and Vinegar hath Mr Cotton powred forth in this whole paſſage from the firſt to the laſt of it, that no ſober minded man fearing God, and knowing Mr Cottons former temper of Spirit, but will confeſſe two things:
Firſt, that this bloudie Tenent of perſecution hath infected andA lamentable Character of the change of Mr Cottons Spirit. inflamed his very naturall Temper and former ſweet peaceable diſpoſition.
Secondly, his Eye (being thus bloudſhot) is ſo weakened in its former (and otherwiſe excellent ſight) that it now queſtions no Difference between the Mountaines and the Molehills, for at the worſt, in common probabilitie of Reaſon, there can be but a miſtake in the Diſcuſſer concerning this paſſage.
Peace.
If the Diſcuſſer have no ſparke of the feare of God, yet if but common crvilitie and honeſtie, or leaſt reſpect of common credit among men, it were impoſſible for him to forge ſo groſſely in matters lately printed, publike and obvious to every eye.
Truth.
The truth is, whether there be different Editions or different Copies printed, let Mr Cotton and whom it concerns take care of it, for the Diſcuſſer is confidently reſolved that if this paſſage (for the ſubſtance of it) be not printed and to be read in print of all men, in their names, he will then willingly beare and lye under the charge of a falſe forehead and heart, which Mr Cotton in ſuch heate and anger imputes unto him.