The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Chapter 78
Exam: of Chap. 78. replying to Chap. 81.
Peace.
VVE are now (Deare Truth) through the merciemercy of the Father of mercies, arrived, at the laſt Chapter of this Sorrowfull Agitation: Mr Cotton finds nothingTouching confidence in opinions. in this worth the while to ſpeake to: yet thinks he it good to finde time to blame the Diſcuſſer for ſelfe. Applauſes, vaine-glorious Triumph, and confident perſwaſion, which before he had noted Mr Cotton for.
Truth.
That which was noted in Mr Cotton was not meerly a perſwaſion or confidence, but indeed an imperious and inſulting confidence, over the poore and oppreſſed, and an adding of V…megar to the Gall of the Sonne of God, perſecuted in his poore Saints and Members.
Peace.
But may there not ſeeme to be too in the Diſcuſſer, too great a confidence of the converting and turning of the bloudie Storme of Warres about Conſcience, into mercifull calmes of peace, and of the returne of Chriſts dove, with Olive branches of civill peace?
Truth.
Then let thouſands and ten thouſands, French, Polonians, Hungarians, Tranſilvanians, Bohemians, Netherlanders, Freedome of Conſcience hath ever been a Peacemaker in all Natiōs where it hath appeared.and others, and now at laſt (through Gods gracious ſmiling upon this holy Truth of his) I ſay, many thouſand Engliſh men ſet to their ſeale and witnes, to wit, that Freedome to the Conſciences of men, (from all other but ſpirituall oppoſition) hath ſtuck many Millions of Browes and Houſes with Olive branches, that were before beblubbered and overwhelmed with teares and bloud.
Peace.
I cannot but confidently ſee and ſay, that doubtles, had not the prudent and zealous care of Englands Parliament and Armie ſubſcribed to this bleſſed meanes of peace, reſtored to Lands and Countries embroyled in bloudie civill Warres about Religion, And eſpecially at this houre in England.doubtles, the ſtreame of Warre which hath run ſo long with bloud between the Prelates and the Puritans (ſo calld) had run as freſh and furious in all devouring flames between the Presbyterians and the Independents.
Truth.
Oh bleſſed be the God of peace, who hath more pitie upon the unpeaceable Sonnes of Men, then they have on Themſelves.
Peace.
Mr Cotton in the next place addeth, that one paſſage he may not let paſſe, becauſe the name of Chriſt is intereſſed in it, and diſhonoured by it, to wit, [Chriſt delighteth not in the bloud of men, but ſhed his own bloud for his bloudieſt enemies:] Mr Cotton anſwers; It is true that Chriſt delighteth not in theHow Chriſt delights in bloud. bloud of men, while they gainſay and bloudily perſecute him and his, out of Ignorance: but he delights in the bloud of ſuch, who after the acknowledgement of his Truth, doe tread the bloud of his Covenant under-foote, and wittingly and willingly reject him from raigning over them: The contrary whereof he ſayth Proclaimes the Goſpel to the ſeede of the Serpent: Sows pillowes under all ellbowes, makes the Heart of the Righteous ſad, ſtrengthens the hand of the wicked, and proclaimes peace to Jezabell, and her whoredomes and witchcrafts, and concludes with prayer againſt ſuch a bewitching of the Whores Cup, where, by open profeſſion ſhe is rejected, but let in by the back-doore of Tolleration.
Truth.
I perceive (Sweet Peace) that in the winding up of this Diſcourſe Mr Cotton winds up, reſolveth and reduceth his former pleaded for perſecuting of Hereticks, Blaſphemers, Idolaters, Of perſecuting Apoſtates.Seducers, into the perſecuting onelyonly of Apoſtates, who after the acknowledging of the Truth, doe tread the bloud of Chriſts Covenant underfoote, &c. To which I anſwer: If ſo then the diſcerning & judging between ſuch as gainſay Chriſt, and blaſpheame him out of Ignorance, (ſuch as Mr Cotton makes the Jewes, who put him to Death) and ſuch as willingly and wittingly reject him: I ſay, the judging of this muſt then reſt at the Barre of the Civill Courts and Judicatures of the World, which neceſſarily implies a ſuppoſition of power of Judging in all the Nations of the World, and ſo conſequently in Naturall men contrary to the Scriptures, which conclude all Mankinde (while in their naturall eſtate,) uncapable of the things of Gods Spirit.
Peace.
Yea and alſo (to my underſtanding) it implies, a ſubmitting and ſubjecting of the Crowne and Scepter and affaires of Chriſt Jeſus, to the Civill and humane Crownes and Scepters and Tribunalls of the Nations of this World, and that in ſpirituall and heavenly things, the proper affaires of his owne Spirituall Kingdome, in the which, the wiſeſt of this world are ignorant, and extreamly oppoſite.
Truth.
For this, you know Mr Cotton hath a broken Refuge, to wit, [the Nations of the World, & Naturall men muſt not judge untill they be better informed] In which, what a wonderfull and menſtrous ſuſpenſion doth he put upon the affaires of Chriſt A monſtrous ſuſpenſion or hanging up of Magiſtrates.Jeſus all the world over, and leaves the matters of Chriſt Jeſus in worſe caſe, and more poorely provided for by Chriſt Jeſus, then the matters and affaires of any King or Kingdome in the World, beyond compare and Imagination.
Peace.
Yet, me-thinks thoſe Scriptures quoted by Mr Cotton Luc. 17. Thoſe mine Enemies, &c. and Revel. 16. Bloudie vengeance upon Antichriſtian Emiſſaries, are very conſiderable.
Truth.
Doubtles all Scripture ſeriouſly alledged by the moſtAllegations of Scriptures ought ſeriouſly to be mad and anſwered. ignorant and unworthy (how much more from ſo learned and conſcientious) ought ſeriouſly and awfully to be pondered in the holy preſence of God: The Warrants and Authorities of civill powers (though but pretended) are not without due reſpect to be examined, although rejected (in the end) as inſufficient, &c. But conſider in the Examination of thoſe Scriptures: Is it credible that all that reſiſt Chriſt Jeſus, his Kingdome and Government, are Apoſtate and Antichriſtian Emiſſaries, againſt whomMillions of Turks, Jewes, and Antichriſtians are far from the due charge of Apoſtaſie. he powres out that Violl? Have they firſt acknowledged the Covenant of Jeſus, and then trod the precious bloud of that High Covenant under feete?
Peace.
The Eaſt is not ſo farre from the Weſt, as thoſe Scriptures from ſuch a Concluſion.
Truth.
Yea how many hundreth thouſands of Jewes and Turkes and Antichriſtians periſh temporally and eternally, and that for refuſing Chriſt Jeſus to be King, and for ſhedding his bloud in his ſervants, who can never be brought under this guilt of Apoſtacie, after they have once acknowledged the truth of Chriſts Government and Kingdome.
Peace.
Me-thinks to underſtand the Scriptures in Mr Cottons ſence, were a wonderfull penning up and ſtraightning the holy Scripture.
Truth.
Sweet Peace, as ſoone may we immure the glorious Sun in a darke dungeon, as confine thoſe bright Scriptures in the dark Cels of Apoſtacie: but I further obſerve, that Chriſt Jeſus not only praid and dyed for his Enemies, who bloudily perſecuted him and his out of Ignorance, but gave this reaſon againſt bodily Death to be inflicted on any for his cauſe and ſake, Luc. 9. The Son of Man is not come to deſtroy Mens lives: and I might returne the Queſtion to Mr Cotton, not unfitly, Are not theſe the words o… Him that delighteth not in the bloud of his bloudieſt enemies and Gainſayers?
Peace.
It will be ſaid, What ſlaughters, what drinking of Bloud is that which Chriſt Jeſus in theſe Scriptures intendeth?
Truth.
I anſwer, although the Sword of Chriſts Kingdome, that ſharpe Sword with two edges is a Spirituall Sword, and is carried in his Mouth, yet all power in Heaven and Earth being given into his hands by his Father, he ruleth and over-ruleth in a way of power and providence, all the powers of the World.The myſterie of the red Horſe of War.
There is therefore a great Sword given to him that rideth upon the white Horſe, (Revel. 6.) by which, for the reſiſting of him that rideth upon the white Horſe, (in the gainſaying and perſecuting of Chriſt in his Members) Chriſt Jeſus takes peace from the Earth, and ſuffers the Turkes to plague the Antichriſtian World, (Papiſts and carnall Proteſtants) to plague each other, and to fill Cups of Bloud each to other, while they contend and fight, firſt againſt God, and then one againſt another, for their ſeverall falſe Prophets and Religions.
Peace.
Me-thinks then Mr Cotton might have ſpared to charge the Diſcuſſer with proclaiming of peace to Jezabell, &c.
Truth.
There is a Spirituall peace in the matters of Chriſts A ſpirituall and Civill peace.Kingdome and Worſhip, and in the particular Conſciences and Soules of his Servants. There is a Civill peace in the quiet enjoyment of each mans proprietie, in the Combination of Townes, Cities, Kingdomes, &c. But neither of theſe three will Mr Cotton prove the Diſcuſſer proclaimeth to ſuch Antichriſtians or enemies of Chriſt Jeſus, who perſecute and oppreſſe Jew or Gentile upon any civill or ſpirituall pretence.
'Tis true, the Conſciences and Worſhips of all men peaceable in their way, he affirmes ought not to be moleſted, and though not approved yet permitted, and (although no ſpirituall, yet) a civill peace proclaimed to their outward man while peaceable in civill commerce.
To perſecutours, he not onelyonly proclaimes Gods Judgements ſpirituall and eternall, but temporall alſo, and affirmeth that all perſecutours of all ſorts (and eſpecially the bloudie Whore of Rome (who hath ſo long been drunk with the bloud of the Saints,) ought by the Civill Sword to be reſtrained and puniſhed (as the Deſtroyers of Mankinde and all civill and peaceable being in the World,) according to the hight of their cruell and murtherous Oppreſſions.
Peace.
But Tolleration of her (ſayth Mr Cotton brings) her in at the back dore, and ſo we may come to drink deeply of the Cup of the Lords wrath, and be filled with the Cup of her plagues.
Truth.
There are two opinions which have bewitched theTwo wofull opinions bewitching the Nations. Nations profeſſing the name of Chriſt.
Firſt, That a Nationall Church or State, is of Chriſts appointing.
Secondly, That ſuch a Nationall Church or State muſt be maintained pure by the power of the Sword. While Mr Cotton prayes againſt the bewitching of the Whores cup, O that the Father of Lights might graciouſly pleaſe to ſhew him the depth of her witchcrafts, and his owne moſt wofull Deluſions in both theſe.
In vaine doth Mr Cotton feare partaking of her ſinnes and plagues by a tollerating (meerly) of her Worſhip in a civill State, while he forgets the three great cauſes of her downfall and deſolation, The 3 great Cauſes of the downfall of the Church of Rome.and partakes of any of them (Revel. 18.) to wit, Her worldly pompe and pleaſure: Her ſpirituall Whoredomes and invented Worſhips, and her crueltie and bloudſhed, more eſpecially againſt the Conſciences of the Saints or holy ones of Jeſus.