The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 76
Exam: of Chap. 76. replying to Chap. 79.
Peace.
IN this ſhort Chapter the Diſcuſſer is charged with Ignorance and uncharitablenes, for thinking amiſſe of the Penmen of the Anſwer to the Queſtions, to wit, that he ſhould conceive that the paſſage to New England ſhould change the Judgement or Conſciences of Men.
Truth.
The Diſcuſſer profeſſeth (and I know in truth) to bewaile his Ignorance and uncharitablenes, yet upon a ſecond review of the words, it will be found there was not an Imputation of ſuch a conceit, to thoſe worthy Authors, or any man, but an Item unto all men, occaſioned by the Confidence expreſſed, that they doubted not, but thoſe godly brethren of old England ſhould agree with them here in New, if they were in New England together. This Item or Caveat will appeare to be given, not by way of poſitive Charge, nor in the leaſt derogating from the holy and bleſſed uſe of free and humble Conference, but to take off the Edge of ſuch Confidence of agreeing in New England, when the Differences of Gods people have been andDifferences of Gods own children in Old and New England. are yet ſo great in Old and New, and ſo many Conferences and Diſputations of Truth and Peace have not yet raiſed that bleſſed Agreement of which the Anſwer to the Queſtions would make no doubt.
Peace.
Me-thinkes there ſhould be little hope of their comming to New-England when the New-Engliſh Miniſters had got the Advantage of the higher ground, and Carnall Sword for their Religion to Friend, and had expreſt their Judgement of their conceiving it not ſafe, that, (if they ſhould not agree,) their ſeverall wayes of Worſhipping God, ſhould be permitted in one Common-weale.
Truth.
Yea and I believe ſtill the Conſequence was truely gathered by the Diſcuſſer (how ever Mr Cotton hath ſo charged his Forehead and Heart for it) to wit, That the New Engliſh Miniſters could not (as their Conſcience ſtood) adviſe the Magiſtrates of New-England to permit that which their Conſciences and Judgements taught them was not ſafe, &c.
Peace.
Theſe paſſages occaſion me to remember a ſeriousProfeſſion of Chriſt Jeſus in New-England, not ſo like to be true as that (which was perſecuted) in Old. Queſtion which many fearing God have made, to wit, Whether the promiſe of Gods Spirit, bleſſing Conferences, be ſo comfortably to be Expected in New-England, becauſe of thoſe many publike ſinnes which moſt of Gods people in New-England lye under, and one eſpecially, to wit, the framing a Goſpel or Chriſt to themſelves without a croſſe, not profeſſing nor practicing that in Old (except of late in times of Libertie) which they profeſſedly come over to enjoy with Peace and Libertie from any croſſe of Chriſt in New.
Truth.
I know thoſe thoughts have deeply poſſeſſed, not a few, conſidering alſo the ſinne of the Pattents, wherein Chriſtian Kings (ſo calld) are inveſted with Right by virtue of theirThe great …in of New-Englands former Pattents. Chriſtianitie, to take and give away the Lands and Countries of other men; As alſo conſidering, the unchriſtian Oaths ſwallowed downe, at their comming forth from old England, eſpecially in ſuperſtitious Land his time and domineering.
And I know theſe thoughts ſo deeply afflicted the Soule and Conſcience of the Diſcuſſer in the time of his Walking in the Way of New Englands Worſhip, that at laſt he came to a perſwaſion, that ſuch ſinnes could not be Expiated, without returning againe into England: or a publike acknowledgement and ConfeſſionThe Authours tryalls about the Pattents of New-England. of the Evill of ſo and ſo departing: To this purpoſe before his Troubles and Baniſhment, he drew up a Letter (not without the Approbation of ſome of the Chiefe of New-England, then tender alſo upon this point before God) directed unto the King himſelfe, humbly acknowledging the Evill of that part of the Pattent which reſpects the Donation of Land, &c.
This Letter and other Endeavours (tending to waſh off publike ſinnes, to give warning to others, and above all, to pacifie and to give Glory unto God) it may be that Councell from Fleſh and Bloud ſuppreſt, and Worldly policie at laſt prevailed: for this very cauſe (amongſt others afterward re-examined) to baniſh the Diſcuſſer from ſuch their Coaſts and Territories.
Peace.
But from Violence to the Diſcuſſer, or any other, Mr Cotton (in the next paſſage) proteſts his Innocencie, and inſinuates the Diſcuſſer to be no other then (a Devill) an Accuſer of the Brethren, for imputing to them any ſuch Evill, &c.
Truth.
He that reads how hard the Heart of holy David Gods children may be guilty of bloudy perſecution for the hiding of their ſpirituall uncleanneſſee.grew, in the ſinne of Whoredome and Murther, untill the Lord awakened him, will leſſe wonder, that Spirituall Whoredome and murtherous violence, may poſſeſſe the Heart of Gods Davids and holieſt Servants now, and that without bluſh, or ſhame, or leaſt appearance of Relenting: Doth not all this whole Traverſe of Mr Cotton maintaine a perſecution even unto Death, of ſuch whom the Civill State ſhall judge Hereticks, Blaſphemers, Idolaters, Seducers, &c.
Doth not this very Chapter expreſſely juſtifie perſecution upon the Subverters of the Chriſtian Faith, obſtinate after Conviction? upon Blaſphemers, Idolaters, Seducers? And is Mr Cotton notGods mercy in ſtopping New-Englands perſecution, by the mercy of old England, the mother to diſſenting Conſciences. informed, what ſucceſſe his Doctrine hath had, that (if a mercifull God had not prevented) not Courting, nor Fining, nor Impriſoning, nor Whipping nor Baniſhing had been puniſhment ſufficient, to men and women, for cauſe of Conſcience in New-England, but even Death it ſelfe, (according to the Principles of perſecution) had been inflicted.
Peace.
Mr Cotton will urge that Gods people will not be ſuch Hereticks, &c.
Truth.
I might urge Mr Cottons owne grant of ſuch ſinnes in Gods owne people, for which they may be juſtly Excommunicated; but I will rather produce an Inſtance in our Nation of England. None fearing God will eaſily deny the Eminent GodlinesHoly Cranmer and Cromwell joyning with perſecutours of Chriſt Jeſus out of great weaknes in H. 8. his dayes. of Cranmer & Cromwell in King Henry the eight his dayes; At that very time when King Henry himſelfe diſputed in ſo famous an Aſſembly againſt the bleſſed witneſſe of Chriſt Jeſus, John Lambert! Finde we not alſo holy Cranmer diſputing before the King and that Stately Aſſembly, againſt this poore Servant of God, for that horrible and monſtrous Idoll of Tranſubſtantiation?
Peace.
Finde we not then alſo holy and zealous Cromwell (at the Kings command) reading that bloudie Sentence of Death againſt that bleſſed Lambe of Chriſt Jeſus, who was thus worried to Death, not onelyonly by the bloudie Wolves the Biſhops, but even by thoſe holy Lambes of Chriſt, Cranmer and Cromwell alſo!
Truth.
This was that bleſſed Lambert, a true Follower of theThe moſt famous paſſages of Cromwell & Lambert in H. the 8. his dayes. Lambe of God Chriſt Jeſus, who cryed out in the midſt of the Flames, None but Chriſt, None but Chriſt: and well might he ſo cry: Not Cranmer, not Cromwell, who after ſo much Light in Diſputations, yet perſiſted in their Hereſie and Idolatry, and partaking with violence againſt this holy man, that he might well cry out, None but Chriſt, None but Chriſt.