and now finally into no Church at all But whereas I said God had not prospered the way of the Separation as not with peace amongst themselves so neither with growth of Grace He answereth for growth of Grace though some false brethren have crept in yet Satan himselfe cannot but confesse that multitudes of Gods witnesses reproached with the names of Brownists and Anabaptists have kept themselves from the errours of the wicked and doe grow in Grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus c. Reply It is an unwelcome Subject to goe about to convince others of want of growth in Grace especially when wee speake of Churches and that before wee have in a more private manner dealt with them I looke at it as more seasonable to provoke our owne Churches to more growth of Grace at home For even true Churches as that of Ephesus Revel 2. may decay in their first love Onely thus much I would say the first Inventor of that way which is called Brownisme from whom the Sect tooke its name it is well knowne that he did not grow in Grace but fell back first from his owne way to take a Parsonage of a Parish-Church in England in Northamptonsheire called a Church God so in a strange yet wise providence ordering that he who had utterly renounced all the Churches in England as no Church should afterwards accept of one Parish-Church amongst them and it called a Church and from thence he fell to Organs in the Temple of his owne Church as I have been credibly informed and from thence to discord with his best hearers and bitter persecution of them at the last It is not Gods usuall manner of dealing to leave any of the first publishers or restorers of any Truth of his to such fearefull Apostacy from his Grace though I Judge not his finall Estate I will not rehearse what I read in printed Books of the unkind and ungracious and unbrotherly dealings of some of note in that way whilst they maintained the rigor of it That which the Examiner himselfe hath rehearsed in this very chapter may suffice to shew what growth of Godlinesse was found in that Church the Officer whereof himselfe styleth a worthy Instrument of Gods prayse and surely he was a man that deserved well of the Church for sundry of his Learned and painfull and profitable labours One would hope that where the Lord blesseth a people with growth of godlinesse the people would grow best under the best Ministers of that way Mr. Aynsworths name is of best esteeme without all exception in that way who refused Communion with hearing in England And if his people suffered him to live upon nine pence a week with roots boyled as the Examiner told us surely either the people were growne to a very extreme low Estate or else the growth of their godlinesse was growen to a very low ebb TO CHAP. XXIIII IN his 24. and 25. Chapters the Examiner giveth Answer to that speech in my Letter That such of the Separation as erring through simplicity and tendernesse have growne in Grace have growne also to discerne their lawfull Liberty for the hearing of the word from the English Preachers This I speake with respect to Mr. Robinson and to his Church who as he grew to many excellent gifts both of Grace and nature so he grew to acknowledge and in a Judicious and godly discourse to approve and defend the lawfull Liberty of hearing the word from the godly Preachers of the Parishes in England But in this 24. Chapter the Examiner answereth nothing against the truth of my speech Onely he telleth of foure sorts of Backsliders from sundry Truthes of God whom he hath observed to be left of God to sad and exemplary spirituall Judgements But because he speaketh of such as have decayed in grace and I speake of such as grow in grace his instances come not neere the point in hand I easily beleive that Hypocrites may grow from evill to worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 But a sincere humble Christian though he may start aside for a season yet Christ is not wont to leave him so but seeketh up every stray-sheep of his and bringeth them to heare and know his voyce in the mouthes of his Shepheards TO CHAP. XXV IN this 25. chapter because I had said as they have growne in Grace they have growne in discerning their lawfull Liberty to heare the word from the English Preachers He tels us he might here engage himselfe in a controversie with me but that neither the Treatise will permit nor is there need since it hath pleased the Father of Lights to stirre up the spirit of a faithfull witnesse of his Truth in this particular Mr. Canne to make a large and faithfull Reply to a Booke printed in Mr. Robinsons name tending to prove such a lawfull Liberty Reply Mr. Cann is unknowne unto me and his Booke also which I have not had the Liberty to get in these remote ends of the world I shall willingly bestow the reading of them if they come to my hands and God give opportunity especially if I see the spirit of a faithfull witnesse in them which the Examiner extolleth Onely I am apt to thinke as young men grow in yeares and gifts they will also grow up to the mellow-mildnesse and softnesse and moderation of riper age as Mr. Robinson in many things did Now from the name of English Preachers which I used in my speech the Examiner though he seeme to decline the engaging of himselfe in a controversie about hearing of them yet he taketh occasion to enter into a threefold discourse about them The first in this chapter concerning this title English Preachers Secondly concerning hearing them in chapter 26. Thirdly concerning their calling in chap. 27. The summe of his discourse about the title of these Preachers standeth in these particulars First that Mr. Cotton acknowledgeth the ordinary Ministers of the Gospel to Pastors Teachers Bishops Overseers Elders and that their proper worke is to feed and governe a truly converted holy and godly people gathered into a flock or Church-Estate And not properly Preachers to convert beget make Disciples which the Apostles and Evangelists properly were so that according to Mr. Cottons confessions English Preachers are not Pastors Teachers Bishops Elders but Preachers of glad newes Evangelists men sent to convert and gather Churches Apostles c. Secondly yet the Examiner confesseth that at the Pastors feeding his flock and at the Prophets prophecying in the Church an unbeleiver coming in may be convinced c. but this is accidentall c. Thirdly the Examiner acknowledgeth that it pleased God to worke personall Repentance in the hearts of thousands in Germany England Low-Countries France Scotland Ireland c. Yea and who knoweth but in Italy Spaine and Rome also c. but all this hath been under the notion of Ministers feeding their flocks not of Preachers sent to convert the unconverted and unbeleiving Reply 1. Though
and goods of the Subject as the Spirituall-Officers of Christs City or Kingdome have the charge of their soules and soule-safety Defender Reply 1. If it were true That the Magistrate hath charge onely of the bodies and goods of the Subject yet that might iustly excite to watchfulnesse against such pollutions of Religion as tend to Apostacy For if the Church and People of God fall away from God God will visit the City and Countrey with publicke calamity if not captivity for the Churches sake The Idolatry and Image-worship of Christians brought in the Turkish captivity upon the Cities and Countryes of Asia and upon some of Europe also as hath been shewed above Reply 2. It is a carnall and worldly and indeed an ungodly imagination to confine the Magistrates charge to the bodies and goods of the Subiect and to exclude them from the care of their soules Did ever God commit the charge of the body to any Governours to whom he did not commit in his way the care of soules also Hath God committed to Parents the charge of their childrens bodies and not the care of their soules To Masters the charge of their servants bodies and not of their soules to Captaine 's the charge of their souldiers bodies and not of their soules shall the Captaines suffer false worship yea idolatry publickly professed and practised in the campe and yet looke to prosper in the Battell The Magistrates to whom God hath committed the charge of bodies and outward man of the Subiect are they not also to take care to procure faithfull Teachers to be sent amongst them Jehosaphat tooke faithfull care for the soules of his people in this kind 2 Chron. 17.7 8 9. Neither did he this as a Type of Christ but as a Servant of Christ Those things are said to be done as Types of Christ which being ceremoniall duties were afterwards done by Christ in his owne Person and so were in him accomplished and abolished And it would be sacriledge to performe the same after him But let the conscience of any sincere Christian iudge whether it would be sacriledge in a godly Magistrate to procure the sending forth of godly Preachers into all the blind corners of his countrey The truth is Church-Governous and civill-governours doe herein stand paralell one to another The Chuch-Governours though to them be chiefely committed the charge of soules as their adaequate obiects yet in order to the good of the soules of their people to dehort from idlenesse negligence from intemperancy in meates and drinkes from oppression and deceit and therein provide both for the health of their bodies and the safety of their estates So civill-governours though to them be chiefely committed the bodies and goods of the people as their adaequate obiect yet in order to this they may and ought to procure spirituall helpes to their soules and to prevent such spirituall evills as that the prosperity of Religion amongst them might advance the prosperity of the civill State Reply 3. I cannot but with griefe observe the sinfull guile of the Discusser who whilest he taketh off all charges of soules from the civill Magistrates and layeth it upon Church-Governours he taketh it off from Church-Governours too that so the whole charge of precious soules for whom Christ dyed might utterly fall to the ground For how shall Church-Governours take the charge of soules upon them if there be no Church-Governours And how shall there be Church-Governours where there be no Churches If Churches be all dissipated and rooted out from the face of the Earth by the Apostacy of Antichrist and none to be gathered againe till new Apostles or Evangelists be sent abroad for such a worke then there be now neither Churches nor Church-Governours nor Church-censures either to censure Hereticks or to fetch in those stray soules whom they have scatter'd And then rejoyce yee Hereticks and all yee Idolaters and Seducers and goe on and make havock of the sheep of Christ like ravenous Wolves you may now doe it impunè without feare or danger It is neither for Civill Governours nor Church-Governours to meddle with you Not for Civill Governours for they are not to judge nor punish in matters of Religion Nor for Church-Governours for there are neither Churches nor Church-Governours extant now upon the face of the Earth But woe be to you poore sheepe and Lambes of Christ Jesus you are now indeed truly become the sheep of the slaughter your Possessours may slay you and plead themselves not guilty Zach. 11.4 5. not guilty before the Civill Barre for their crime is exempted from civill cognizance not guilty before the Churches Tribunall for there be no Churches to call them to account CHAP. 35. A Reply to his 35. Chap. Discusser IF it were the Magistrates duty or office to punish Hereticks then is he both a Temporall and Ecclesiasticall Officer Defender It followeth not unlesse the Magistrate were to punish them with Ecclesiasticall censures which he neither doth nor may doe The punishments which he inflicteth on them are meerely Civill whether imprisonment banishment or death Discusser That Doctrine and distinction that a Magistrate may punish an Heretick civilly will not here avayle For what is Babell if this be not confusedly to punish Corporall or Civill offences with spirituall or Church-censures the offender not being a member of it or to punish soule or spirituall offences with Corporall or Temporall weapons proper to Delinquents against the Civill State Defender It is no Babell or Babilonish confusion to punish corporall or civill offences with Spirituall or Church-censures What if a Brother be a striker an oppressour a murderer a fornicator or Adulterer all these are corporall and civill offences But shall not therefore the Church punish these with spirituall and Church-censures Then the Apostle was mistaken who directeth so to doe 1 Cor 5.11 why the Discusser putteth in that parenthesis the offender not being a member of it I cannot tell sure I am it is nothing to the purpose For as the Church cannot punish any offendor unlesse he be a member of the Church so neither may the Civill Magistrate punish an Heretick or other spirituall offendor unlesse he be a member of his Common-wealth And if it be no confusion to punish civill offences with Church-censures it is no confusion to punish spirituall offences with civill censures And the reason of both these is the same there be sundry civill offences which are also transgressions of the Rule of the word and so offences to the Consciences of the Church and so justly subject to Church-censure There be also offences to the Order and peace of the Church which tend likewise to provoke wrath against a Civill State As the King of Persia said Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven for the House of God let it bediligently done for why should there bewrath against the King and his Sonnes Ezra 7.3 If offences to the Church doe provoke wrath against the Civill State it is no
I acknowledge the ordinary Ministers of the Gospel to be Pastors and Teachers yet it is farre from me to thinke howsoever the Examiner against my mind reporteth my mind otherwise that they are not properly Preachers to converts beget or make Disciples c. For first though the worke of ordinary Ministers were not to convert but to feed soules yet their act of feeding is properly exercised by preaching the word Timothy as a Minister is taught of Paul how to behave himselfe in the house of God which is the Church of God 1. Tim. 3.15 And this he gave him in charge as one great part of his worke to preach the word in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Besides they were neither Evangelists nor Apostles surely for then they could not have been so miscarried but the ordinary Ministers of the Gospel Pastors and Teachers of Churches of whom Paul speaketh Phil. 1.15 16. Some preach Christ saith he even of envie and strife and some of good will The one preach Christ of contention not sincerely the other of Love Againe Paul saith the Lord hath ordained that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 Speaketh he that only of Apostles and Evangelists onely and not of ordinary Church-Officers of all doubtlesse according to Gal. 6.6 Moreover what are Preachers but publishers of the Gospel or glad tydings of the word of God for so saith the Apostle preach the word 2 Tim. 4.2 And what is preaching the word but explication and application of it and is not the explication and application of the word as fit to feed soules as to convert them Secondly when he makes it to be not the proper worke of Pastors and Teachers to preach for conversion but accidentall onely and counteth and calleth it a most preposterous worke for ordinary Ministers to preach for conversion c. He must needs give me leave to dissent from him my Reasons be 1. from the institution and worke of the Ministery to the worlds end whereof one is to make Disciples Matth. 28.19 20. Say not that is a peculiar Act of the Apostolick Office for the Lord Jesus speaketh of three Acts making Disciples Baptizing Teaching and in the exercise of these he promiseth to be with his Apostles and their successours unto the end of the world ver 20. Successours I say for the Apostles themselves were not to continue themselves in the exercise of those Acts to the end of the world in their owne persons but in their successors the ordinary Ministers of the Gospel Secondly from the end why Christ gave Pastors and Teachers as well as Apostles and Evangelists which was for the worke of the Ministery for the gathering together of the Saints as well as for the building of them up to a perfect man Ephes 4.11 12 13. Thirdly from the Estate of the Church wherein it seldome or never falleth out but some Hypocrites are found and besides them many Infants and these had need of converting Grace Fourthly from the ordinary way of Conversion which is by hearing the word and the word preached by a Minister sent Rom. 10.14 to 17. either therefore there must be no conversion of soules after the decease of the Apostles and Evangelists or those who are to be converted must be converted by private Christians or by the ordinary Ministers of the Gospel the successors of the Apostles but surely not the first for God will have in every age some or other converted to his Grace to praise his name throughout all Generations Not the second for they shall not be ordinarily converted by private Christians for the Apostle saith Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by a Preacher and him sent Therefore the third way remaineth that Faith is intended of God to be wrought from age to age by the ordinary Ministery of the Gospel If the Conversion of soules were accidentall to the worke of the Minister it were then praeter scopum efficientis besides the intent of the worker But it is neither beside the intention of the principall worker God for he worketh all things according to the Counsell of his owne will Ephes 1.11 nor besides the intention of the Minister for as hath been said it is one maine intent and end of his Office to make Disciples and gather Saints and Solomon maketh it an act of wisdome and therefore not an act of accidentall casualty to winne soules Prov. 11.30 If it be said why are they called Pastors if they be also Fathers Pastors are for feeding not for begetting Answ Pastors are also Fathers and though they be called Pastors yet the ordinary Ministers of the Gospel have other Titles also which imply more then feeding as they are called Teachers and Teachers of the ignorant Rom. 2.20 to minister saving knowledge to them as well as of men of understanding And Elders in the greek Language have their name from Embassadors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elder from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Embassador and it is one worke of heavenly Embassadors to beseech men to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 yea and Pastors themselves whose worke is properly to feed their feeding is with the word of Life which is able to quicken dead soules to life as to nourish living soules to growth in Christ Jesus The whole worke of Peters Apostolicall calling was wrapped up in a Pastorall name and worke John 21.15 16 17. Those two Reasons therefore are voyd of true and sound reason which moved the Examiner to enter upon this passage First because saith he so many excellent and worthy persons mainly preach for Conversion and yet account themselves fixed and constant Ministers to particular Congregations c. Secondly that in these great Earth-quakes of all Estates civill and spirituall such a Ministry might be sought after whose proper worke might be preaching for converting of soules to Christ For by that which hath been said may plainely appeare that those constant Ministers who mainly preach for Conversion so be it they attend not to that onely but to building up also they doe herein attend to a proper worke of their calling and now to looke for another new Ministry say of Apostles or Evangelists to attend conversion of soules onely is to looke for a blessing which the Lord hath not promised and besides himselfe hath ordained sufficient ordinary meanes for that end as hath been shewed both here and in some former passages of this Treatise TO CHAP. XXVI IN this Chapter the Examiner falleth upon the second part of discourse about English Preachers to wit about the lawfulnesse of hearing of them and though he said before in the former chapter he would not engage himselfe in this Controversie yet here he giveth a double Argument against it His first Argument is from my testimony which how much he weighteth is better knowne to himselfe then to me Mr. Cotton saith he himselfe maintaineth that the dispensing of the word in a Church-state
that the Spirit of God maketh the Ministry one of the Foundations of Christian Religion Heb. 6.1.2 for it is onely a foundation of Church Order not of faith or Religion the Apostle puts an expresse difference between faith and Church Order Colos 2.5 Nor is it a true and safe speech to call the Fellowship or blessing of God vouchsafed to corrupt Churches or Ministers or Ministrations to call it I say unpromised or to be beyond a word or promise of God For it is a large and yet an expresse promise of the Covenant of Grace that God will be mercifull to our iniquities Ier. 31.34 That he will be mercifull to every one that prepareth his heart to seeke God though he be not cleansed according to the Purification of the Sanctuary 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. with many more such like And therefore there wants not Promises of Grace and blessing to the People of God notwithstanding some defects and impurities found in their Administrations Neither will it follow that if our Ministery and Ordination here be true that then the former which we had in England was false especially so false as that according to visible Rule Fellowship with God was lost For the Rite of Ordination we doe not looke at it as any Essentiall Part of our vocation to the Ministry no more then Coronation is an Essentiall Part of the Office of the King And though we doe not justly sundry things found in our Ministry yet Jehoshuah the High Preist did not loose his Fellowship with God though he was cloathed with filthy Garments Zach. 3.3 4. 2. Concerning Prayer though the New English Ministers have witnessed against the Common set-Forme thereof which yet our selves in our ignorance have somtimes used and have therefore seen just cause to judge our selves since yet we did not thereby loose fellowship with God by such sinnnes of Ignorance no more then the People of God did in the dayes of Hezekiah by sacrificeing to God in the High places when yet they did it to the Lord their God onely 2 Chron. 33.17 I know no such faithfull Admonishers as presented to us in England Arguments against the Common Prayer which then seemed weake but now are acknowledged to be sound though such a thing possibly may be true howsoever forgotten But this I am perswaded to be utterly false that any of us satisfied our hearts with the Practise of the Author of the Councell of Trent who used to read some of the choysest select Prayers out of the Mass-Booke The Spirit of a childe of God though upon occasion he may receive such a Practise yet he can never satisfie himselfe with the Practise of any godly man for the warrant of his Imitation without some further light or at least apprehension of light from the word 3. It is readily graunted that which is observed in the third place That Gods people may live and die in such kindes of Worship though light from the Word whether publickly or privately hath been presented to them able to convince Neverthelesse that will not weaken the Conclusion formerly mentioned and afterwards further discussed That Fundamentalls are so cleare that a man cannot but be convinced in Conscience of the Truth of them after two or three Admonitions and that therefore such a Person as still continueth obstinate is condemned of himselfe and if he then be punished He is not punished for his Conscience but for sinning against his owne Conscience For both these may well stand together and are farre of from crossing or contrarying one another A set forme of Prayer though it be unlawfull yet it is not such a Fundamentall Error either in judgement or practise as cutteth off from fellowship with God That is onely a resolute Assertion of the Discusser but a vouched without all colour or pretence from the Scripture There is some resemblance and proportion betweene Praying and Prophesying Moses used an unwarranted way and Forme of Prophesying when God Commaunding him to speake to the Rock before the Congregation of Israel He spake not to the Rock but stroke it with his Rod for which he had no Commaundement and spake to the People and that in a Passion and and both without a Commaundament Numb 20.8.11 And yet this did not cutt off his Fellowship with God nor Gods gracious Presence with him in giving water to the People no not at that time God knoweth how to be present with his People in blessing their Administrations and forgiving their iniquities though he doe take vengeance of their Inventions Psal 99.8 4. Though I doe maintaine as the Apostle doth a Clearnesse of Fundamentall Points of Religion and Worship such Fundamentalls I say without which Fellowship with God cannot be had and though I graunt that in subserting such Fundamentall Points and persisting therein after once or twice Admonition a man sinneth against his owne Conscience and is therefore censurable by the Church yea and by the Civill Magistrate also if after Conviction he continue to seduce others unto his Damnable Heresie yet I doe not herein measure to others that which my self when I lived in such practises would not have measured to my selfe For I thank God God never left me to live in any such Practises as to fall into any Fundamentall Error much lesse to Persist therein after Conviction and Admonition and least of all to seduce others thereinto If God should leave me so farre as to fall so fearefully into this three-fold degree of Hereticall wickednesse what am I better then other men better my selfe cut off by death or Banishment then the Flock of Christ to be seduced and destroyed by my Hereticall wickednesse CHAP. 6. A Reply to his sixth Chapter Discussing Civill peace and the Disturbance of it IN this Chapter the Discusser undertaketh to declare what Civill peace is and to shew that the Toleration of different Religions is no Disturbance of Civill Peace First for Civill peace what is it saith he but Pax Civitatis whether English or Irish Spanish or Turkish City Reply Be it so and if the Civill State or Common-wealth containe many Citties or Townes and so become a whole Countrey or Common-wealth let Civill Peace be the peace of the Countrey or of the Common-wealth But what is then the peace of the Citty or Countrey Is it not Tranquillitas Ordinis the tranquility of order in every Society wherein the Publicke Weale of the Citty or Countrey is concerned And is it not the proper worke of the Civill Magistrate to preserve the Civill Peace and to prevent or reforme the disturbance of the Tranquility or Peace of any such Societyes in whose Peace the Peace or Weale of the Citty or Society is concerned Suppose a Society of Merchants or Cloathyers or Fishmongers or Drapers or the like If the Weale of the Citty or Countrey be concerned in these as it is much concerned in them all It is not for the safety of the Civill Sate to suffer any of these so
breake forth further either into Blasphemy or Idolatry or seducement of others to his Hereticall pernicious wayes Discusser This third of Titus which through fearefull Prophanations hath so many hundred yeares bin the pretended Bulwarke of all the bloudy wolues Dens of Lyons Mountaines of Leopards hunting and devouring the witnesses of Jesus He that can but see men as Trees may easily discerne It shall now be the Refuge and Defence as I hope of the Lamb's and little ones of Jesus Defender It is out of doubt That this Text is as all the Texts in Scripture be the just Refuge and safe defence of the Lambes and little ones of Jesus But all the wit and skill of the Discusser can never so farre wrest it or darken it as to make it a Refuge and defence for Heretickes which is the Point in hand CHAP. 13. A Reply to his thirteenth Chapter what is meant by this Heretick in Titus Discusser What is this Heretick I find him commonly defined to be such an one as is obstinate in Fundamentalls And so the Answerer seemeth to Resent him saying the Apostle rendereth this reason why after once or twice Admonition he ought to be Persecuted because in Fundament ill and Principall Points of Doctrine and Worship the Word of God is so cleare that the Heretick cannot but be convinced in his owne Conscience But of this Reason I find not one Tittle mentioned in this Scripture for so he saith such an one is condemned of himselfe yet he saith not nor will it follow that Fundamentalls are so cleare that after first and second Admonition a Person that submitteth not to them Is condemned of himselfe more then in lesser Points This word then an Heretick is no more then an obstinate and willfull person in the Church of Creet striving and contending about unprofitable Questions Genealogies What is to be done with such an one Let him be once and twice Admonished What if once and twice Admonition prevaile not The Apostle seemeth to Answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the man that is willfully obstinate after once or twice Admonition Reject him Defender The Discusser is so farre from weakening what I said from this Text in Titus that he rather confirmeth it yea and graunteth a larger allowance to proceed against erroneous Persons then I did For 1. Whereas I had said The Apostle directeth the Church to proceed against an Heretick that is against one obstinately erroneous in Fundamentalls The Discusser saith yea and against such as erre though not in Fundamentalls but in lesser points and continue obstinate in striving about unprofitable Questions and Genealogies 2. He that graunteth as the Discusser doth that the Word of God is so cleare even in lesser Points that he that persisteth in his error after once or twice Admonition is willfully obstinate he surely will not sticke to acknowledge that the word of God is much more cleare in Fundamentall and Principall Points that he that shall persist in Errors against the Foundation after once or twice Admonition he cannot but be much more justly accounted willfully obstinate and to sinne against the light of his owne Conscience 3. Though he saith he findeth no one Tittle in the Text that in Fundamentall and Principall Points of Doctrine and Worship the Word of God is so cleare that after once or twice Admonition the Heretick cannot but be convinced in his owne Conscience Yet he might easily find it and cannot but find it if he were pleased to ponder the words of the Text yea and he doth find it though he be pleased to deny it For the Heretick whom the Text speaketh of himselfe expoundeth to be a man willfully obstinate An Evidence that he erreth not through want of light or weaknesse of knowledge but through strength of will Whence also he is said to be condemned of himselfe of his owne Conscience An Evidence that the Points about which he erreth are so clearely delivered in Scripture that after once or twice Admonition the Heretick cannot but be convinced in his owne Conscience And if this hold in sundry lesser Points how much more doth it hold in Fundamentalls and Principalls Unlesse he thinke the Holy Ghost be more darke obscure in delivering Principles and milke to Babes then in delivering lesser Points to men of riper growth If the word be so cleare as to make Fundamentals clear though not any more cleare as he saith then lesser Points yet then it followeth It maketh them both so cleare that he that submiteth not to them after once or twice Admonition is condemned of himselfe 4. When the Apostle saith an Heretick is subverted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is as much as if he had said he is as an house subverted o◠turned upside downe or inside outward as an house turned off from the Foundation It is too dilute and loose an Interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Discusser maketh Chap. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is turned Crooked a word opposite to streightnesse or rightnesse For he is not ignorant that is not the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he joyneth with the other meane turned-crooked for that is not subverted but perverted And if Paul say that the Heretick is subverted or turned off from the Foundation and gives that as a reason why he should be censured how then can the Discusser say he findeth not one tittle of this reason in this Scripture 5. Take the Discussers own Interpretation of an Heretick for an obstinate and willfull striver or contender about unprofitable Questions and Genealogies Those Questions and Genealogies are expresly described by the Apostle not onely to be unprofitable and vaine but also to tend to the subversion of whole houses Tit. 1.10 11. which may seeme evidently to argue that their disputings about the Genealogies of Christ tended to cut off the Line of Christ or at least to make it doubtfull whether he were the lineall Heire of David according to the flesh and so whether he were the true Messiah or no. And thus if the Discussers owne meaning of an Heretick may stand still an Heretick is he who is willfully obstinate in holding forth such Errors as subvert the Foundation of Christian Religion CHAP. 14. A Reply to his foureteenth Chapter Explaining what it is to be subverted and selfe condemned Discusser Subverted is not here intended to be spoken of Heretickes in Fundamentalls onely but of men obstinate in the lesser Questions 1. Subverted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crooked a word opposite to rightnesse or streightnesse 2. He sinneth wandering from the wayes of Truth 3. He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and condemned of himself that is by the secret checks and whisperings of his owne Conscience which will take Gods part against a mans selfe in accusing smiting c. Defender All this so farre as Error is found in it is spoken to discharged in the former
to become Church-members yet Ahab though King over an Apostate Church having gotten Pagan Benhadad by conquest under his Dominion because he put him not to death for his blasphemy forfeited his owne life for his 1 Kings 20.23 with 42. CHAP. 36 A Reply to his Chapter 36. Discussing the Text in Luke 9.54 55. Discusser THe next Scripture brought by the Letter against such Persecution is Luke 9.54 55. where the Lord Jesus reproved his Disciples who would have fire come downe from Heaven to have devoured those Samaritans that would not receive him in these words You know not of what spirit you are the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them With this Scripture Mr. Cotton joyneth the next and answereth both in one which is this 2 Tim. 2.24 The servant of the Lord must not strive but must be gentle towards all men proving if at any time God will give them Repentance c. unto both these Scriptures he giveth this Answer Both these are directions to Ministers of the Gospel how to deale not with obstinate offenders in the Church but either with men without as the Samaritans were and many unconverted Christians in Creete whom Titus as an Evangelist was to seeke to convert Or at best with some Jewes or Gentiles in the Church who though carnall yet were not convinced of the Errours of their way And it is true it became not the Spirit of the Gospel to convert Aliens to the Faith Such as the Samaritans were by Fire and Brimstone nor to deale harshly in publick Ministry or private conference with all such severall-minded men as either had not yet entred into Church-fellowship or if they had did hitherto sinne of Ignorance not against Conscience But neither of both these Texts doe hinder a Minister of the Gospel to proceed in a Church way against Church-members when they become scandalous either in life or Doctrine much lesse doe they speake at all to the Civill Magistrate Defender The matter of this Answer it is likely enough was given by me for it suiteth with mine owne apprehensions both then and now But some expressions in laying it downe I doe not owne nor can I finde any Copie under my owne hand-writing that might testifie how I did expresse my selfe especially in a word or two wherein the Discusser observeth in chap. 38. some haste and light and sleepy attention But if the Discusser can shew the same under mine owne hand as it is not impossible I shall be willing by Gods help both to acknowledge it and my haste in it CHAP. 37. A Reply to his Chap. 37. Discusser THis perplexed and ravelled Answer wherein so many things and so doubtfull are wrapped up and entangled together I shall take in pieces 1. That the Lord Jesus in rebuking his Disciples rash and bloudy zeale against the Samaritans did not hereby hinder the Ministers of the Gospel to proceed in a Church-way against scandalous offenders is not here questioned Defender Well then this Point is none of those many doubtfull things here wrapped much lesse is it perplexed or ravelled but a plaine and confessed Truth But whether the Author of that Letter sent to me did take it for a certaine and unquestioned Truth I did not know nor doe I yet know unlesse the Discusser speake his mind herein as well as his owne Sure I am Prosecution in a Church-way if the cause be not just is as odious and dreadfull a Persecution as Prosecution in a Court of civill Justice as hath been proved above Discusser Secondly when the Answerer saith much lesse doth this Text speake at all to the civill Magistrate here I observe that he implyeth that beside the censure of the Lord Jesus in the hands of his spirituall Governours for any spirituall evill in Life or Doctrine the civill Magistrate is also to inflict corporall punishment Defender This observation I may truly say is ravelled out of my Answer and that so perplexedly that it cannot be wound up out of my Answer without breaking the threed both of my words and meaning It is a plaine and certaine Truth that as the Disciples were not civill Magistrates so neither doth Christ speake to them in this Reproofe as to such But it is farre from me to say that it is lawfull for civill Magistrates to inflict corporall punishment upon men contrary minded standing in the same state the Samaritans did No such thought arose in my heart nor fell from my pen either in my Answer to the Letter or in any writing of mine that it is lawfull for a Civill Magistrate though he had dominion over Pagans much lesse if he have none to inflict corporall punishments upon such as are contrary minded in matters of Religion No these are ravellings of a loose and ungirt disputer not the Inferences of a serious and solid Discusser And therefore the Reasons which he bringeth in the Sequele of this chapter that the Magistrates should not lay violent hands upon any such as the Samaritanes for not receiving of the Lord Jesus might well have been spared for they fight not against me but against a shadow of his owne fancy But when he maketh the Fire that fell downe from Heaven Rev. 13.13 to be the fiery Judgements and persecutions which the second Beast perswaded the civill Powers to destroy the Saints withall as if they were Gods just Judgements from Heaven upon Hereticks This is such an Interpretation as ravelleth the Text and will not stand with the Context For the Text speaketh of it as a great wonder that the Beast should make Fire to come downe from Heaven upon Earth in the sight of men ver 13. But this was no wonder to cause civill Powers to inflict fiery Judgements of Imprisonment Banishment Death upon Hereticks for Constantine had done as much before And the Arrian Bishops had caused Constantius to doe as much against the Orthodox Saints Besides in the Context ver 15. It is expressely there declared as a distinct matter from the former that he had Power to cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast should he killed This is a different effect and recorded as different from the former of causing fire to come downe from Heaven and that not upon the Saints but upon Earth CHAP. 38. A Reply to his Chap. 38. Discussing the place in Timothy 2 Tim. 2.25 26. Discusser I Acknowledge this Instruction to be meeke and patient to all men c. is properly an Instruction to the Ministers of the Gospel Defender Then hitherto the Answer is not perplexed and ravelled Discusser Yet divers Arguments will from hence be truly and fairely collected to manifest and evince how farre the civill Magistrate ought to be from dealing with the civill Sword in spirituall cases But first by the way I desire to aske what the Answerer meaneth by his unconverted Christian in Creete An unconverted Christian is as much as an unconverted Convert untamed
aske whether or no such as may hold forth other Worships or Religions Jewes Turkes Antichristians may not be peaceable and quiet Subjects loving and helpfull neighbours faire and just dealers c. It is cleare they may in all experience and yet in spirituall and Mysticall Account they are ravenous and greedy Wolves Defender It hath been declared above that we doe not hold it lawfull to constraine by Civill Sword Jewes or Turkes or Antichristians to be of our Religion whether they be good Subjects loving Neighbours faire dealers yea or no. Nor doth the Apostle in that Text which the Discusser hath in hand speake of men out of the Church Jewes Turkes or Antichristians but of such as enter into the Church and are of themselves Now if Church-members should Apostate from Christ and of Christians become Jewes and Turkes and Antichristians and draw away Disciples after them I would demand of any man whose Conscience is not past feeling of the danger of damnable Heresies whether such Members may goe for peaceable and quiet Subjects for loving and helpfull Neighbours for faire and just dealers for true and Loyall to the civill Government If those be peaceable and quiet Subjects that withdraw Subjects from Subjection to Christ if they be loving and helpfull Neighbours that help men on to perdition If they be faire and just dealers that wound the soules of the best and kill and destroy the soules of many if such be true and loyall to Civill Government that subject it to the Tyranny of a forraine Prelate then it will be no advantage to civill States when the Kingdomes of the Earth shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and they may doe as good service to the civill State who bring the wrath of God upon them by their Apostacie as they that bring downe blessings from Heaven by the Profession and Practise of the true Religion in Purity Discusser I querie secondly to whom Paul gave this charge to watch against them ver 31. They were not the Magistrates of the City of Ephesus but the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Defender Who doubteth of it Discusser Many of these charges and Exhortations given by Christ to the Shepheards and Ministers of the Churches be commonly attributed and directed by the Answerer in this Discourse to the Civill Magistrate Defender Cujus contrarium verumest For looke the Answer through and you shall find not one of these charges or Exhortations given to Ministers were ever directed by the Answerer to civill Magistrates the falshood of the Discusser in this charge upon the Answerer is palpable and notorious And this exhortation in this place the Answerer doth not so much as mention at all either as directed to Magistrates or to Elders Discusser I desire it may be inquired into whether in all the will or Testament of Christ there be any such word of Christ by way of Command Promise or Example countenancing the Governours of the Givill State to meddle with these wolves if in civill things peaceable and obedient Defender This Condition if in civill things peaceable and obedient implyeth a contradiction to the nature and practice of wolves How can Wolves be peaceable and obedient unlesse they be restrained and how can they be restrained and not medled with What Peace said Jehu so long as the whoredomes of Jezabel and her witchcrafts are so many 2 Kings 9.22 Yes may not spirituall whoredomes and witch-crafts stand with Civill Peace No verily the whoredomes and witch-crafts of the Jezabel of Rome tooke away civill peace from the earth and brought in the Turks to oppresse the peace both of Christian Churces and Common-wealths as hath been shewed above Revel 9.15.21 That dreadfull example of Gods vengeance upon Civill States for tolerating and practising Image-worship is a serious and loud warning to all Christian States to beware of such seducing spirits as beare them in hand they shall have peace though they tolerate Idolatrous and false worships in their Territoryes Besides for another example and that approved you find in the Lords Testament Revel 16.4 5 6 7. of which before And for a word of command from Christ to meddle with wolves that grand charter whereby Magistrates are established in the new Testament may abundantly suffice The Magistrate is the Minister of God an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evill Rom. 14.4 If the wolfe be an evill doer let him looke at the Magistrate as appointed of God to be an avenger and executor of wrath upon him Say not yea if the wolfe be an evill doer against the second Table but not so if against the first Table or if an evill doer against the bodies and estates of men not so if against their soules For who gave any man commission so to limit the word of God or the power of the Magistrate Besides it hath been often said that he that goeth about to subvert Religion and to destroy soules is an evill doer against the peace of the Civill State Discusser If God had given charge to Magistrates to punish evill doers in matters of Religion he would have given to Magistrates in the world ability to discerne and determine who are sheep and who are wolvish oppressors whom he is bound to punish and suppresse Yea they must be able to discerne this not with others mens eyes but with their owne c. Defender It hath been declared above that Magistrates ought to be so well accquainted with matters of Religion as to discerne the Fundamentall Principels thereof and the evill of chose heresies and Blasphemies as doe subvert the same Their ignorance thereof is no discharge of their duty before the Lord. Such wolvish oppressors and Doctrines and practises as they cannot discerne with their own eyes It will be their sin either to suppresse them because they cannot doe it of faith or to tolerate them because they are destructive to the soules of the people and enemies to the common salvation Gallio is justly censured as a prophane man not because he refused to be a Judge in matters concerning the Jewish worship and Religion for he had noe Law of Caesar whose Deputy he was to judge of it but because he rejecteth the cognizance of such causes of Religion as a Question of words and Names Which made him so â—ame regardlesse of causes of Religion that though the Civill peace was broken by the Jewes in pursuite of Paul the Jewes laying violent hands upon Sasthenes and that before the judgement Seate yet Gallio cared for none of those things Acts 18 15.16.17 Discusser In the third place I Quere Whether the Father who gave the sheep and the Sonne who keepeth them be not greater then all And who can plucke the Elect out of his hand which Answereth the common objection of the danger of devouring soules Defender It doth not Answer that Objection For the Father and Sonne were greater then all in the old Testament as well as in the New And none could then pluck
a City or civill State and for the suppressing of uncivill and injurious Persons or Actions by civill punishment And therefore this Sword cannot extend now as it did in Israel of old to spirituall and soule causes to spirituall and soule punishments Defender I easily hold with the Discusser that the civill Sword doth not extend to spirituall and soule punishments But if the civill Sword ought to extend to the defence of civill men in civill Liberties then why not also to the like defence of Churches and spirituall persons in their spirituall Liberties It is the Office of the civill Magistrate to governe his people in righteousnesse And if spirituall Liberties be in righteousnesse due to spirituall persons as well as civill Liberties to civill persons doubtlesse the Magistrate is defective in Rules of righteousnesse if he onely attend the defence of the civill people in their civill Rights and neglect to defend his spirituall people in their spirituall Rights What though the Sword be of a materiall and civill nature so it was in the Old Testament as well as in the new It can therefore reach no further either then or now then unto the punishment of men in bodily life or civill Liberties But it can reach to punish in these things not onely the offenders in bodily Life and civill Liberties but also the offendors against spirituall Life and soule Liberties What though it be called a civill Sword in common speech It is not a Scripture-phrase so to call it It may as fitly be called the Sword of God as well as the Sword of warre is so called Judges 7.20 which the Discusser guilefully or else unskilfully distinguisheth in this chapter from the civill Sword Now if the Sword of the Judge or Magistrate be the Sword of the Lord why may it not be drawne forth as well to defend his Subjects in true Religion as in civill Peace And as Magistrates are called in common speech civill Magistrates so are they called also in the Language of the Sanctuary Gods Psal 82.1.6 If civill Magistrates are to attend to civill matters are not Gods to attend to Gods matters It was wont to goe for a good Argument â conjugatis homo sum humani nihil â me alienum puto But now by the Discussers Doctrine the Magistrate may say Ego dignatione Divinâ Deus sum Psal 82. quatenus autem Deus sum Divina omnia â me aliena puto Now farre be all such reasonlesse and Paganish yea worse then Paganish Atheology from us Worse then Paganish I say for Pagan Princes accounted their Religion their chiefe care prima cura sacrorum And can a Christian forbid the care of Religion to Magistrates I say not without blushing but without trembling Object But Magistrates were called Gods in the Old Testament not so in the New Now under Christ all Nations are meerely Civill without any such Typicall holy respect upon them as was upon Israel a Nationall Church Ans It is written in the New Testament the Kingdomes of the world are become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of Christ Rev. 17.15 And if the Kingdomes be Gods Kingdomes and the Kingdomes of Christ then the Kings of those Kingdomes are Gods Kings and Christian Kings and what Title is there in all the New Testament that either derogateth from the Titles or Office of Kings Though the Nations now have not that Typicall holinesse which the Nation of Israel had yet all the Churches of the Saints have as much Truth and reality of holinesse as Israel had And therefore what holy care of Religion lay upon the Kings of Israel in the Old Testament the same lyeth now upon Christian Kings in the New Testament to protect the same in their Churches CHAP. 51. A Reply to his Chap. 51. Discusser A Fourth Argument from this Scripture Rom. 13. I take in ver 6. which is a meerely civill reward for the Magistrates worke Now as the wages be such is the worke but the wages are meerely Civill Custome Tribute not the contributions of the Saints or Churches of Christ c. Defender The Contributions of the Saints and Churches are truly called by the Apostle carnall things Romans 15.27 and againe 2 Cor. 9.11 But shall a man therefore thus reason as the wages be such is the worke But the wages are carnall things therefore such is the worke of the Ministers of the Gospel to whom such wages are paid It is true the contributions of the Saints may be called Holy because they are given to God and by his appointment to the maintenance of such as minister in his house about his holy things But these are mentall relations no reall differances in the thigns given to Magistrates and Ministers The wages given to them both are carnall things And consider them both in their proper ends as the rewards given to Ministers are given for their service about holy things so the rewards given to Magistrates are given for their service about righteous things Now if the Purity of Doctrine worship and Government be righteous priviledges of all the Churches in the Common-wealth surely Magistrates doe not well deserve all their wages that suffer the Churches to be bereaved and dispoyled of their spirituall priviledges which is the greatest and best part of their Birth-right Besides the Apostle commandeth the Churches and Saints not onely to pay to Magistrates Tribute and Custome which are civill things but also to poure out all manner of Prayers and Supplications Intercessions and given of thanks for them 1 Tim. 1.1 2. And surely these are spirituall dues and not Earthly And therefore Magistrates owe to the Churches and Saints some Spirituall recompences which the Apostle also there nameth that we may live a quiet and peaceable Life in all godlinesse and honesty ver 2. If therefore the Churches and Saints be not suffered to live a quiet and peaceable Life in Godlinesse and honesty or if they be suffered to live a quiet and peaceable life in ungodlinesse and dishonesty the Magistrates fall short of returning spirituall recompence for the spirituall Duties and services performed for them Discusser Lastly that the Spirit of God never intended to direct or warrant the Magistrate to use his power in spirituall affaires and Religions I argue from the Terme or Title given by God to such civill Officers to wit Gods Ministers ver 6. Defender One would thinke the Argument would rather evince the contrary For what is a Minister but a Servant and what is a servant but he that is at his Masters command for his efficient cause and for his Masters ends as his finall cause How shall then a Magistrate carrie himselfe as a Minister of God and yet fall short and intended so to doe both of Gods Commandements in his Lawes and of Gods worship and glory in the execution of them Discusser But at the very first blush any man will acknowledge a double Ministery the one appointed by Christ in his Church to order the
and rule a thousand yeares Revel 20.4 Shall their freedome from persecution be a dissolution of the Church-Estate The like may be said of the New Jerusalem the Churches of the Jewes after the destruction of Gog and Magog when God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and take away Death violent Death sorrow crying and paine Rev. 21.4 shall they then cease to be Churches when persecution ceaseth Beside to persecute is not alwayes a marke of a false Church for then it would be a marke of a false Member of a Church or a marke of a Member of a false Church but the contrary appeareth in the example of Asa who persecuted the Prophet of God for his holy Message sake 2 Chron. 16.10 And it hath been shewed above that Stephen complaineth of the persecution of all the Prophets Acts 7.51 And if they were persecuted it was by the Church of the Old Testament and if therefore the Church of the Old Testament was false God had then no Church extant upon the face of the Earth It is therefore a begging of the Question to affirme that those Churches cannot be truly Christian who by themselves or by the Civill power of Kings doe punish such as dissent from them or are opposite against them And indeed a double begging of the Question it is For 1. It beggeth that for the Question which is not the Question for it is no Question but out of Question that it is not lawfull for a Christian Church to punish men for dissenting from them or being opposite to them But the Question is whether Christian Magistrates may not punish Apostate Hereticks and Seducers not for dissenting from the Church but for seducing from Christ and blaspheming against his Name And if you will whether the Church may not stirre up the Christian Magistrate after all milder helps used without a vaile to doe his Duty in such a case 2. It is another begging of the Question to take that for granted which is not yet proved that it is a marke of no true Christian Church to procure the civill punishment of incurable obstinate Hereticks and Seducers Discusser When the Answerer saith that to Excommunicate an Heretick is not to persecute I answer If the Answerer were throughly awaked from the Spouses spirituall slumber Cant. 5. and had recovered from the Drunkennesse of the great Whore who intoxicateth the Nations Rev. 17. It is impossible that he should so answer For who questioneth whether to excommunicate an Heretick be to persecute Excommunication being of a spirituall nature a sentence denounced by the word of Christ Jesus the spirituall King of the Chureh and a spirituall killing by the two edged Sword of the Spirit in delivering up the person Excommunicate unto Satan Therefore who seeth not this Answer cometh not neere the Question Defender I must still professe my selfe to be one of them that see it not For first the Author of the Letter did no where expresse himselfe to put any difference neither between Church and Court in point of censure for cause of Conscience nor between causes of Religion whether true or false If it be unlawfull to banish any from the Common-wealth for cause of Conscience it is unlawfull to banish any from the Church for cause of Conscience The Church ought to be more tender of the Liberty of Conscience then the Court as being more acquainted with the tendernesse of Conscience Secondly if the censure of a man for cause of Conscience by the civill Sword be persecution it is a farre greater persecution to censure a man for cause of Conscience by the Spirituall Sword by how much the more sharp and keen the spirituall Sword is above the civill Sure I am Christ Jesus reckoneth Excommunication for persecution Luke 21.12 They shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Synagogues and into Prisons To deliver up into Synagogues is as much persecution as to deliver into Prisons And will the Discusser then say that if Christ had been awakened from his spirituall slumber and from the Drunkennesse of the great Whore it had been impossible he should have accounted Excommunication a persecution Me thinks if a soule were awakened unto spirituall sobriety he should judge it a sorer and a deeper affliction to be bound with spirituall chaines both in Earth and Heaven then to be bound in materiall chaines on Earth onely Discusser But Hilary his complaynt speaketh not to Excommunications but to civill censures Defender Therefore my Answer was to him partly by proportion partly by concession Hilary said the Christian Church did not persecute but is persecuted Whereto I Answered 1. That Excommunication of an Heretick is no persecution and therefore by proportion neither is the civill punishment of an Heretick persecution And the Reason in my words following reacheth both for to persecute is to punish an Innocent But an Heretick is not an Innocent but a culpable and damnable person 2. I answered by concession of Hilaryes words in Hilaries meaning it is true what Hilary saith neither did the Apostles nor may wee propogate Christian Religion by the Sword c. Discusser But a Christian Church doth no more persecute then a Lilly doth scratch thornes or a Lamb pursue and teare the Wolves or a Turtle Dove doth hunt the Hawkes or Eagles or a chast modest virgin fight and scratch like Whores and Harlots Defender If by persecution the Discusser meaneth as it seemeth he doth the infliction of the civill punishments his speech is true and the proportion holdeth civill punishments are as improper for Christian Churches to inflict as for Lillies to scratch Thornes or Lambes to teare Wolves c. But if the Lambes he speaketh of in his comparison were as reasonable as the Lambes of Christ be though they would not themselves pursue and teare the Wolves yet they would runne to their Shepheards and civill Magistrates are the shepheards of all their people to send out their dogs after the Wolves to pursue and teare them I see no reason why the chast and modest eye of a Christian Church should any more spare and pity a spirituall Adulterer that seeketh to withdraw her from her spouse to a false Christ then the eye of an Holy Israelite was to spare and pitie the like Tempters in dayes of old Deut. 13.8 CHAP. 66. A Reply to his Chap. 69. Discusser THe Answer by concession to Hilaryes words may surther be discussed It is true saith the Answerer as Hylary speaketh that neither the Apostles nor we may propagate Christian Religion by the Sword But if Pagans cannot be wonne by the word they are not to be compelled by the Sword Neverthelesse this hindreth not but if they or any other should blaspheme the true God and his true Religion they ought to be severely punished and no lesse doe they deserve who seduce from the Truth to damnable Heresie and Idolatrie In which Answer I observe First his Agreement with Hilary that Christian
were it not also needfull that the Lord of the soyle who hath his Officers both to dresse his Garden to keep his wildernes should provide that the keepers of his wildernesse should suffer no venomous weeds to grow neere his garden hedge or pale least the seeds thereof should annoy his Garden and poyson those within the Garden that feed on them It is true which the Discusser saith poyson will not hurt the body unlesse it be taken or touched yea and Antidotes taken against it But who shall prevent the Members of the Church from touching or taking poyson or who shall provide that all the Members shall take the Antidotes which are prepared for them Here will be needfull the faithfull vigilancy of the Christian Magistrate to assist the Officers of the Church in the Lords worke the one to lay in Antidotes to prevent infection the other to weed out infectious noysome weedes which the sheep of Christ will be touching and taking when they will sometime neglect their Antidotes It is a very unlikely thing which the Discusser saith is most likely that Tertullian meant one of these two cases For doubtlesse his meaning was to plead for the Innocency and impunity of his owne Religion which was indeed the Truth of God And he might safely plead that if the Pagan Religion did not hurt their civill Government as the Romane Governours doubted not of that he biddeth them to be secure of the Christian Religion it will never hurt them at all When therefore he speakes of Religion indefinitely that one mans Religion will not hurt another it is Argumentum ad hominem let not Scapula suspect hurt from Christian Religion to the Romane State If the Romane Religion be the preservation of the Romane Empire as Scapula thought Christian Religion though tolerated yea though received and advanced will never be their destruction nor disturbance CHAP. 68. A Reply to his Chap. 71. Discussing the Testimony of Ierome Discusser I Erome saith the Answerer confesseth not the Truth nor advantageth your cause for wee graunt what he saith That Heresie must be cut off by the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God But this hindereth not but that being so cut downe if the Hereticke doe still persist in his Heresie to the seduction of others he may be cut off also by the civill Sword to prevent the perdition of others And that to be Jeromes meaning appeareth by his Note upon that of the Apostle Gal. 5. A little Leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe Therefore saith he a sparke as soone as it appeareth is to be extinguished and the Leaven to be removed from the rest of the dough Rotten pieces of flesh are to be cut off and a scabbed Beast is to be driven from the sheepfold least the whole house body masse of dough and Flock be set on fire with the spâ—rke be putrified with the rotten flesh sowred with the Leaven perish with the scabbed Beast But to this I Answer 1. He granteth to Tertullian that Heresie must be cut off with the Sword of the Spirit yet with all he maintaineth a cutting off by the second Sword the Sword of the Magistrate and conceiveth that Tertullian so meaneth because he quoteth that of the Apostle a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe Ans 2. It is no Argument to proue that Tertullian meant a civill Sword by alledging 1 Cor. 5. or Gal. 5. which properly and onely approve a cutting off by the Sword of the Spirit and purging out of leaven in the Church And if Tertullian should so meane as the Answerer doth yet 1. The cutting off of Heresie by the Sword of the Spirit implyeth an absolute sufficiency in the Sword of the Spirit to cut it downe according to 2 Cor. 10.4 2. It is cleare to be the meaning of the holy Spirit and of the Apostle in the words alledged by him a little Leaven c. Defender Reply 1. This Testimony of Jerome which the Authour of the Letter alledgeth against persecution for Conscience I might justly refuse to spend time about it till either the Author or the Discusser doe make it appeare to be the words of Jerome For though I at first gave Answer to it as presuming the Letter had not forged it yet now looking into the place of Jerome whence it is quoted I finde no such matter The Letter quoteth it out of Hieroms Proaeme upon the fourth Booke of his Commentaryes upon Jeremy But perusing the place I finde no such words neither in that Proaeme on his fourth Booke on Jeremy nor in any other Proaeme of any other of his Bookes on Ieremy which are six in all Reply 2. I might here observe if I should deale with him as he doth with me in his Chap. 38 the like failings in the Discusser in putting Tertullian fouretimes in this passage instead of Ierome whom he hath in hand When I had once named Titus for Timothy he observeth the hast and light attention and sleepinesse of the Answerer But I will not make such an observation upon his misnaming of an Author which might easily slip from his pen or from his Scribe or from the error of the Printer Reply 3. In this he doth me wrong to puâ— upon me that for a Reason which hath no reason in it to wit that I should conceive that Te tullian lerome he would say meaneth a civill Sword because he quoteth that of the Apostle a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe For I gather it not from his quotation of those words of the Apostle which I easily graunt doe clearly speake of Church censure not of civill censure But I gather it partly from his exposition of the parralell words in the same Chapter and partly from the words he useth in opening that very Text. The parralell place in the same Chap. is ver 12. I would saith the Apostle they were cut off that trouble you This cutting off or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He expoundeth the cutting off of their virility which no manwill say is a Church-Censure I spake not here of the true meaning of the Text which doubtlesse speaketh of a Church-Censure but of the true meaning of Ieromes words Againe when Ierome would have the spark assoone as it appeareth to be extinguished and the leaven to be removed from the rest of the Dough c. though it be true which the Discusser speaketh that the Apostle intendeth a Church-Censure yet doubtlesse Ierome aymed at more in those comparisons even to a civill censure also For to these comparisons he immediately subjoyneth these words Arius in Alexandriâ una scintilla fuit sed quia non statim oppressa est totum orbem eius flamma de populata est Arius saith he was but one sparkle yet because he was not speedily executed or supprest his flame depopulated all the world Where by the extinguishing of that spark he doth not meane by excommunication for he was not ignorant that Arius had been speedily excommunicate
Scriptures and expressions of Truth alledged by them doe speake loudly and fully for them that where they are under the Hatches they should not be smothered but suffered to breath and walk upon the Decks in the aire of civill Liberty Defender Reply 1. When the Author of the Letter calleth that Popish Booke out of which he quoteth that Testimony a wicked Book why may not that Testimony be a wicked Testimony as by his owne Judgement the Booke a wicked Booke Reply 2 It is true which they say the meanes which Almighty God appointed for the conversion of Kingdomes was Humility Patience and Charity neither doe wee allow any meanes of rigour for Conversion of soules but onely the power of Spirituall Armour It is true also which they alledge out of Matth. 10.16 That Christ sent his Apostles as sheep into the midst of Wolves He did not send Wolves amongst sheep to kill imprison spoyle c. But this onely sheweth what the condition and Commission and worke of Ministers is when they are sent among Pagans and Persecutors But this is no prohibition to Ministers when they live in a Church of Christ to drive away Wolves from the Sheepfolds of Christ as knowing they come to kill and to destroy And drive them away they may not onely by Church-censures if they be of the Church Tit. 3.10 11. but also if they be out of the Church by miraculous vengeance in case they have such a gift as Paul had and used it against Elymas Acts 13.9 10 11. or by their Prayers though the Discusser deny it chap. 27. as Paul did against Alexander 2 Tim. 4.14 or by stirring up the civill power against them as Elijah did Ahab and the people against the Prophets of Baal 1 Kings 18.40 Reply 3. That which they alledge out of Matth. 10.7 they meane 17. is as farre wide from the purpose as the former It is true the Apostles ought not to deliver the People whom they are sent to convert unto Councels or Prisons or to make their Religion Felony or Treason But what is this to such as being converted to the Profession of the Faith doe Apostate from the Faith and seeke to subvert the Faith which they have professed Or what is this to such as doe seeke also to subvert the civill State to kill Kings or dethrone them and to dispose of their Kingdomes may not such Religion shall I say or Rebellion be made Felony or Treason But see here the partiality both of the Letter and of the Discusser if a Christian King set not up the Popish Religion but make Lawes for the establishment of the Truth this shall be condemned in him as Hereticall pravity himselfe prescribed dethroned killed and his Kingdome alienated to a stranger And this shall passe with Toleration But if a Prince shall make Lawes for the security of himselfe and his Kingdome and condemne such seditious and rebellious Attempts for Felony and Treason this shall be taxed as unchristian Persecution and contrary to the way of Christ and his Apostles Reply 4. It is true likewise what they quote out of verse 32. When ye enter into an House Christ had them salute it saying Peace be to the House he doth not say send Pursevants to ransack and spoile it For Christ sent not his Apostles with civill power nor doth he allow Princes to send Pursevants to ransack Houses that so they might convert the Housholders or sojourners therein But if Seducers to Idolatry be found there and Rebels and Conspirators against the civill State be found there though that Commission to the Apostles speake not to such case yet it is enough the Magistrates Commission from God Rom. 13.4 Armeth him to take vengeance on evill doers Reply 5. To John 10. verse 10 11. The Answer is as easie as to the former The Pastor giveth his Life for the sheep he cometh not to kill or to destroy the sheep But what if he see the Wolfe coming or what if he see the Thiefe coming both of them to steale and kill and to destroy Shall the Pastor now sit still and not hazard his life in their defence contrary to verse 11 12 13 Or shall he betake himselfe onely to spirituall censures when it may be they are not capable of such stroakes Or shall it be an hainous and unchristian carriage in him to seeke ayde against such Thieves and Wolves from them who should see that the sheep of Christ may lead a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godlinesse and Honesty 1 Tim. 2.1 2. The Apostles themselves and the Churches planted by them they doe not so much as desire it of God from their Magistrates that they may live a quiet and peaceable life in a way of ungodlinesse no more then a way of dishonesty So Paul himselfe professeth Acts 25.8.11 But in a way of Godlinesse and Honesty they desire of God they may find by the protection of their Magistrates a quiet and peaceable life in that Text of Timothy Thus to satisfie the Discussers mind and to prevent any pretence of exception I have runnâ— over the Scriptures and expressions of Truth alledged in the Popish Booke which he saith speake loudly and fully for their Toleration but how truly let the servants of God judge Discusser But Protestants herein shew themselves partiall and practise that themselves which they taxe in Papists For though they cry out of Persecution when themselves are under Hatches yet when they come to sit at Helme they runne the same course both in Doctrine and Practise When Mr. Cotton and others have formerly been under Hatches what sad and true complaints have they poured out against Persecution But coming to the Helme how doe they themselves both by Preaching Writing Printing practise unnaturally and partially expresse towards other the cruell Nature of such Lyons and Leopards as some of them have opened out of Cant. 4.8 Defender What we have opened out of Cant. 4.8 against Persecution when as he saith wee were under the Hatches amounted to this That it was lawfull for the sheep of Christ to follow Christ and and to come along with him and flye away from persecution Did any of us then teach that it was unlawfull for Magistrates to pursue with just revenge Apostate Seducers unto Idolatry Heresie or blasphemy or turbulent subverters of civill or Church-Order And since we are come hither where he is pleased to honour us with sitting at Helme which is farre from us what have we taught or practised more then our selves allowed in times of our owne restraint But men that can allow themselves a Liberty of calumny it may well become them to plead for a Liberty of impunity for all Religions We keep not a weight and a weight as he calumniateth a measure and a measure what we measure out to others wee should never thinke it hard measure to have the same returned to our selves in the like case Onely this measure we desire of all hands to be kept that
Ceremoniall and Typicall State of the Nationall Church of the Jewes which vanished at the appearing of the Body and substance of the Sun of Righteousnesse who set up another Kingdome or Church Heb. 12. Ministery and Worship In which wee finde no such Ordinance Precept or Precedent of killing men for Religion sake Defender Whether these shafts be taken from the Quiver of the Ceremoniall and Typicall State of the Nationall Church of the Jewes or no Sure this Answer is taken from no Law of God nor any Scripture ground but from the Topicks of humane invention Did ever any Apostle or Evangilist make the judiciall Lawes of Moses concerning life and death Ceremoniall or Typicall Time was when humane inventions in Gods Worship were accounted Superstition but now humane inventions in Doctrine may passe for current Evangelicall Divinity It is true the Sunne of Righteousnesse hath set up another Church Ministery and Worship But did he ever set up another civill Righteousnesse or a M gistracy to walke by another rule of Righteousnesse then that which God gave by Moses If it be true that Christ gave no expresse Ordinance Precept or Precedent of killing men by materiall Swords for Religion sake It is as true that neither did he for any breach of civill Justice no not for murder nor adultry Which maketh it therefore evident that seeing he hath expresly authorized civill Magistracy in the New-Testament and hath given no expresse Lawes or Rules of Righteousnesse for them to walke by in Administration of civill Justice therefore either he leaveth them to act and rule without a Rule which derogateth from the perfection of Scripture or else they must fetch their rules of Righteousnesse from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets who have expounded him in the Old-Testament Discusser More particularly concerning Moses I Querie what Commandement or practise of Moses either Optatus or the Answerer here intendâ—th Probably that of Moses Deut. 13. If so I shall particularly Reply to that in Answer to the reasons here under mentioned Defender When Optatus speaketh that Macarius in putting Hereticks to death had done no more then Moses had done before him It appeareth he meant not that passage of Deut. 13. but of Exod. 32. where he put to death Idolaters and that of Levit. 24. where he put the Blasphemer to death For Optatus speaketh of what Moses had done not what Moses had commanded to be done But I shall God willing consider his Answer if it come in my way Discusser Concerning Phinehas his zealous Act. 1. His flaying the Jsraelitish man and woman of Midian was not for spirituall but corporall filthynesse Defender Was it for bodily or corporal filthinesse Surely for spiritual For the Israelites that committed whoredome with the daughters of the Land they were invited to the Sacrifices of their God And being invited they did eat and bowed downe to their Gods and so joyned themselves to Baal Peor this is plaine in the text Numb 25.1 2 3. Now I doe not know that corporall filthynesse betweene a young man and single woman was any Capitall Crime by the Law of Moses But the Discusser contenteth himself if any thing be said it may goe for an Answer Discusser 2. No man will produce this fact as Precedentiall to any Minister of the Gospel so to act in any Civill State c. Defender It is true it is no Precedent for Ministers but the fact so clearely acknowledged and approved and rewarded of God is doubtlesse an act of righteousnesse to have been done by some in their ordinary calling to wit by Moses and the Princes of Israel which Phinehas did by an extraordinary motion God is not wont to approve any act of holynesse or righteousnesse though never so extraordinary which doeth not fall under the ordinary Rule of holynesse and righteousnesse in the ordinary calling of some or other Function which himselfe hath ordained Therefore though Phinehas his fact be no Precedent for Ministers of the Gospel yet it is Precedentiall to such as beare not the Sword in vaine but for the punishment of evill doers Discusser Concerning Elijah There were two famous acts of Elijah of a killing nature 1. That of slaying 850. of Baals Prophets 1 Kings 18. 2. Of the two Captaines and their fiftyes by Fyre For the first It cannot figure or Type out any materiall slaughter of the many thousands of false Prophets in the world by any materiall Sword of Iron or steele for as that passage was miraculous so wee finde not any such Commission given by the Lord Jesus to the Ministers of the Gospel Defender It will doe the Discusser no hurt to take notice that he that is forward to take hold of any slip of Pen or memory is subject to the like slips himself The number of the false Prophets which he saith were slayne by Elijah exceedeth the Truth by halfe in halfe the Text numbreth them 450. and he numbreth them 850. Againe it is a vaine thing to inquire what this fact of Elijah should figure or Type out Acts of Morall Justice though they may sometimes be extraordinary yet they are never accounted Typicall or Figurative but by such as would transforme all the Scripture into an Allegory Besides why should he call the fact Miraculous Is it a miracle for Elijah with the aide of so many thousand people of Israel â—o put to death 450. men whose spirits were discouraged being convinced of their forgery and Idolatry Moreover Though Christ gave no such Commission to Ministers of the Gospel to put false Prophets to death as Elijah did yet the same Answer holdeth here which was given to the fact of Phinehas though the hand which executed Justice was extraordinary yet the act of Justice was an ordinary duty of Morall Righteousnesse belonging to such as beare the Sword Discusser Lastly such a slaughter must not onely extend to all the false Prophets in the world but according to the Answerers grounds to the many thousands of thousands of Idolaters and false worshippers in the Kingdomes and Nations of the world Defender Such a slaughter being onely made of the false Prophets in Israel a people in Covenant with the true and living God the example of it will onely extend to the like execution of all the false Prophets in the Church of God who have turned the hearts of the People of God from Jehovah to an Idol What hath any Officer in the Church or Magistrate in the Common-wealth to doe to censure or punish all the false Prophets in the world when many hundreds of them if not thousands are exempt from their jurisdiction muchlesse will this example extend to the floughter of many thousands of thousands of Idolaters and false worshippers in the Kingdomes and Nations of the world For 1. many thousand thousands of them are exempt from the civill Magistracy of Christians 2. They were never in Covenant with God to whom onely the Law of Moses concerning the punishment of Idolaters
from all Ordinances of Christ dispensed in any Church-way till God shall stirre up himselfe or some other new Apostles to recover and restore all the Ordinances and Churches of Christ out of the ruines of Antichristian Apostasie But for mine own part whatsoever thoughts others who seeme to know him well have conceived of his Spirit and course in these things yet I choose rather to leave all Judgement of him to Him who seeth and searcheth the heart and reines and will one day bring every secret thing yea the very thoughts and intents of the sonnes of men unto righteous Judgement Neverthelesse seeing the Tree is knowne by his fruits I doe rather apprehend that he knowing the Spirit breatheth where he pleaseth and conceiving himselfe to have received a clearer illumination and apprehension of the estate of Christs Kingdome and of the purity of holy Communion then all Christendome yea even Christendome it selfe is an unsavoury word to him he therefore taketh it to be his duty to give publique advertisement and admonition to all men whether of meaner note such as my selfe or of more publique note and place of the corruptions of Religion which himselfe observeth in their judgement and practice Neither would I deny but that to use his own words God sometimes stirreth up one Elijah against eight hundred of Baals Priests one Micajah against foure hundred of Ahabs Prophets one Athanasius against many hundreths of Arrian Bishops one John Hus against the whole Councell of Constance Luther and the two witnesses against many thousands c. And therefore I durst not neglect much lesse despise any advertisement from him alone against so many provided that the word of the Lord be found in his mouth or pen. I come therefore to consider and weigh what he saith to my selfe without prejudice against him and I hope without partiality to my selfe In his Epistle to the Reader before his Answer to my Letter he utterly misconstrueth the ground and scope whether of this Letter or of any other Letters of mine to him As if I wrote upon occasion of the griefe which some friends conceived That such an one as himselfe publickly acknowledged to be godly and dearely beloved should be exposed to the mercy of an howling Wildernesse in frost and snow c. And that my intent in writing was to take off the edge of Censure from my selfe by professing in speech and writing That I was no procurer of his sorrowes c. In which few lines foure things present themselves which if they be cleared may cleare both his mistake of himselfe and his cause and together therewith the innocency of others 1. When he speaketh of himselfe as one publickly acknowledged to be godly and dearely beloved I did never perceive just ground for such publick acknowledgement For before my coming into New-England the godly-wise and vigilant Ruling-Elder of Plymouth aged Mr. Bruister had warned the whole Church of the danger of his spirit which moved the better part of the Church to be glad of his removall from them into the Bay And in the Bay not long before my coming he began to oppose the Kings Patent with much vehemency as he had done at Plymouth before which made the Magistrates to feare they should have more to doe with him then with a man publickly acknowledged to be godly and dearely beloved Soone after when upon hearing of some Episcopall and malignant practises against the Countrey the Magistrates and whole generall Court thought meet to take a tryall of the fidelity of the people not by imposing upon them but by offering to them an Oath of Fidelitie That in case any should refuse they might not betrust them with place of publick Command He vehemently withstood it partly because it was Christs Prerogative to have his Office established by Oath partly because an Oath was a part of Gods worship and many of the people being carnall as he conceived it was not meet to put upon them an Oath which was an act of Gods worship Upon such and the like disturbances to the Civill Peace for upon this sundry refused the Oath and upon their refusall the Magistrates could not discerne how the people stood affected to the publick Safety therefore both the Magistrates and sundry Elders though I doe not remember my selfe to be one advised the Church of Salem not to proceed to choose him as they were then about to doe unto office in the Church Yea and in Salem though many of the Members were taken with him some judicious amongst them told me they could not choose him to office because they found him to be contrary to the Apostles rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-pleasing selfe-full or as it is translated selfe-willed Tit. 1.7 Neverthelesse the major part of the Church made choice of him Soone after the Church of Salem made suit to the Court for a parcell of Land which lay commodious for them But the Court delayed to grant their request because the Church had refused to hearken to their motion in forbearing the choice of Mr. Williams Which so much incensed Mr. Williams that he caused the Church to joyne with him in writing Letters of Admonition to all the Churches whereof any of the Magistrates were members to admonish their Magistrates of their breach of the rule of Justice in not granting their Petition Which following upon all the former disturbances raised by Mr. Williams it still aggravated the former jealousies which generally the judicious sort of Christians had conceived of his selfe-conceited and unquiet and unlambelike frame of his Spirit So that from first to last of my knowledge of him here I cannot see nor say what ground he had of such a Testimony as he giveth of himselfe as of one publickly acknowledged to be godly and dearely beloved 2. When he maketh it an occasion of my excuse of my selfe from having an hand in his sufferings that some friends were much grieved that such an one should be exposed to such sufferings I do beleeve indeed that not some friends onely but many were grieved at the unmoveable stiffnesse and headinesse of his Spirit that exposed him to such sufferings But he doth not well to say that some friends were grieved that one so publickly acknowledged should be exposed to such sufferings thereby to intimate as if his sufferings were greater then his deservings For neither might such friends be truely called his friends nor was their judgement of any weight in his cause For they cleaved to him and his cause not out of judicious charity but out of an itching levity taken with every wind of new Doctrine which soone after appeared For within a short time when his new Notions grew stale to them they separated from him as he from them and began to listen after a more prodigious Minter of exorbitant novelties the very dregs of Familisme held forth by one Mr. Gorton Gorton at first arrived in our Bay and continued a while in our Towne till a
against him was an act of Persecution 3. Nor did I ever see cause to doubt but that in some cases such as this of his was Banishment is a lawfull and just punishment if it be in proper speech a punishment at all in such a Countrey as this is where the Jurisdiction whence a man is banished is but small and the Countrey round about it large and fruitfull where a man may make his choice of variety of more pleasant and profitable seats then he leaveth behinde him In which respect Banishment in this Countrey is not counted so much a confinement as an enlargement where a man doth not so much loose civill comforts as change them And as for spirituall liberties liberty of Church Ordinances they were a burden and bondage to his spirit here And therefore he cast them off before they left him neither doth he to this day look at it as a way of God for any Christian man to look after the Ordinances of God in a Church-estate at all As conceiving that the Apostasie of Antichrist hath so farre corrupted all that there can be no recovery out of that Apostasie till Christ shall send forth new Apostles to plant Churches anew But as for the true cause why I medled not in his civill Censure it was chiefly because Civill Censures belong unto another Kingdome then that which we are called to administer Civill Censures are not the weapons of our warfare and partly also because I was carried as still I am with a compassion of his Person and likewise of his wife a woman as then of a meek and modest spirit who a long time suffered in spirit as I was informed for his offensive course which occasioned him for a season to withdraw communion in spirituall duties even from her also till at length he drew her to partake with him in the errour of his way But Mr. Williams affirmeth That in Letters past between him and me he proved and exprest that if he had perished in that sorrowfull winters flight onely the bloud of Christ could have washed me from the guilt of his Answ That he did expresse such a thing in some Letters to me as I doe not remember it so neither will I deny it but that he proved it I may as safely deny it as he boldly affirme it Could he then have given any such proofes doubtlesse he would not have concealed them now when he undertaketh to cleare to the world the pretended innocency of himselfe and the supposed iniquitie of his supposed Persecutors How precious the bloud of Christ is to me and how needfull I blesse the Lord my soule knoweth but that I needed it to wash away the guilt of any injurious proceedings against the bloud of Mr. Williams I speake it in holy confidence I never discerned it to this day The proofes which he alledgeth in the sequell for my hand in his Banishment I shall God willing cleare them anon in due place Meane while what answers I made to him concerning the same in other Letters he wisely concealeth but contenteth himselfe to tell us that my finall Answer was That had he perished in his flight his bloud had been upon his own head It was his sinne to procure it and his sorrow to suffer it If this was my finall Answer it seemeth I gave him other former Answers what they were I have now forgotten but I suppose had they been insufficient or impertinent I should have heard of them But what is amisse in this finall Answer The margent noteth it as an unmercifull speech of a mercifull man But when it shall please the Father of mercies of soften the heart of Mr. Williams and to give him an heart and eare to hearken unto the wholesome Counsell of his true friends he will at length see the speech was truly mercifull as well as the man that spake it When a Fountaine is opened to Hierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse the Prophets who have deceived the people shall at length see and acknowledge their errour and being demanded the cause of the wounds in their hands They shall answer each of them for himselfe thus was I wounded in the house of my Friends Zach. 13.1 with verses 4 5 6. An heart softened with the Bloud of Christ will judge the wounds of his friends faithfull Prov. 27.6 I meane such reproofes for sinne which though they may seeme to wound yet wound to heale David thought such smiting to be a kindnesse yea an excellent Oyle which doth not breake the head but heale the heart Psal 141.5 There is one thing more in his Epistle to the Reader which calleth for Answer It cannot now saith he be justly offensive that finding this Letter publick by whose procurement I know not I now present to publick view my formerly intended Answer Answ It had not been offensive to me that he did present his Answer to publick view if he found my Letter publick without his own or his friends procurement especially if his Answer had been returned in words of truth and faithfulnesse Which how farre they fall short of I hope by the help of Christ will appeare in the sequell Meane while I feare it is justly offensive to the Spirit of Grace and Love That whereas he judged me to allow my selfe and others to rest securely in the Doctrine and Practise of bloudy Persecution that all this while even for the space of nine or ten yeares he suffered me to sleep so long so quietly under the guilt of such a crying sinne Nay it may seeme by his own words if he had not found my Letter publick it may be doubted whether ever I should have heard any further word from him hereabouts at all If I had been esteemed as a Brother sinne should not have been suffered to lie so long upon a Brother Levit. 19.17 If an enemy yet the very Oxe or Asse of an enemy is not to be suffered to lye so long groveling under his burden Deut. 22.4 But when he addeth in the next sentence That he rejoyceth in the goodnesse and wisedome of him who is the Father of lights and mercies in ordering the season of his own present opportunitie of Answer I confesse we on the contrary have cause to admire and adore the wisdome and dreadfull Justice of God herein That seeing Mr. Williams hath been now as a branch cut off from the Church of Salem these many yeares he should bring forth no spirituall good fruits in due season and that which he bringeth forth now at the last is bitter and wild fruit and that in such a season when the Spirit of Error is let loose to deceive so many thousand soules of our English Nation So that now their hearts are become as Tinder ready to catch and kindle at every sparke of false light Even so O Father because thy good pleasure is such to let loose this Spirit of Error in the mouth of this Backslider in the very houre and power of darknesse
for these are the dayes of vengeance when the Antinomians deny the whole Law the Anti-Sabbatarians deny the Morality of the fourth Commandement the Papists deny the Negative part of the second Commandement It is a wofull opportunitie that God hath left Mr. Williams to now to step in and deny the Affirmative part of it also as the Papists doe the Negative and so He and the Papists to combine together to evacuate the whole second Commandement altogether For take away as Mr. Williams doth all Instituted worship of God as Churches Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons Members publick Ministery of the Word Covenant Seales of the Covenant Baptisme and the Lords Supper the Censures of the Church and the like what is then left of all the Institutions and Ordinances of God which the Lord established in the second Commandement against the Institutions Images and Inventions of men in his worship But it is an holy wisdome and righteousnesse of the Lord that he that refuseth the Communion with the Churches of the Saints should joyne in communion with the enemies of the Saints even Antichristians and that in such a worke as to blot out and extinguish that holy second Commandement of the Law The violating whereof kindleth the jealousie of the most High and the observation thereof would have opened a doore of mercy to a thousand Generations It is no vaine word of our Saviour He that shall breake one of the least Commandements and shall Teach men so to doe he shall be called the least in the kingdome of Heaven This advice would I shut up this Point withall if I had any hope of an open eare in him to heare it he that separateth from all Churches and all Ordinances let him at last separate also from himselfe and so he shall then be better able to discerne the way to returne againe unto holy Communion with the Lord and his people Let me conclude this Preface with this Advertisement to the Reader who may perhaps marvell that I now so much against my usuall custome should lay open the nakednesse of another to publick view I blesse the Lord I am not ignorant That love covereth a multitude of offences and that the Disciples of Christ when they are reviled are taught to Blesse And therefore were the case meerely mine own and all the reproaches and slanders cast upon my selfe had terminated in my selfe I should have been as a deafe man and as a dumb man that openeth not his lips But when through my sides not onely so many Elders and Churches in this Countrey who had as much or more influence into his sufferings as my selfe and yet none of us any further influence then by private and publick conviction of himselfe and of the demerit of his way yea when Courts of Justice suffer for Justice sake yea further when the Truth and Righteousnesse of God also suffer for inflicting just recompence of reward upon the disturbers of Civill and sacred Truth and Peace and under pretence of maintaining Liberty of Conscience Purity of Conscience is violated and destroyed In such a case as this just it is and equall rather that the name of an evill-worker should justly suffer then that the name of God called upon Judgement seats upon the Churches of Christ and upon the Ministers of the Gospel should unjustly suffer for his sake To his CHAP. I. MY Letter to Mr. Williams which he undertaketh to Examine and Answer began it seemeth with this Compellation of him Beloved in Christ For I considered he had been not onely a member but an Officer of the Church at Salem and though from thence he was then Excommunicate yet I took the Apostles Commandement for a Rule Account him not as an enemy but Admonish him as a Brother 2 Thes 3.14 If a Brother of the Church though cast out of the Church yet not cast out of Christ then in Christ at least in judgement of charity And if in Christ though but in judgement of charity yet in charity to be Beloved But saith Mr. Williams how can it be well-pleasing to Christ that one beloved in Christ should be so afflicted and persecuted by himselfe and others for such causes as to be denyed the common ayre to breath in and a civill cohabitation upon the same common earth yea and also without mercy and humane compassion be exposed to winter miseries in an howling Wildernesse Answ If Mr. Williams may be Judge in his own cause himselfe hath been persecuted without mercy and without humane compassion And which the more concerneth my selfe to enquire into he hath been so persecuted by me and some others but chiefly it should seeme by me for I onely am charged herewith by name and those others who ever they were are not so much as described much lesse expresly named But such Priests and Persons as be thus partiall in the Law the Holy Ghost threatneth to make them base and contemptible in the eyes of all the People Mal. 2.9 Which the Lord give him to foresee and feare that he may timely prevent such a Judgement But to weigh his words particularly Persecution is the affliction of another for Righteousnesse sake Now two things it will be requisite for Mr. Williams to prove to make good his charge 1. That the cause for which he suffered was a cause of Righteousnesse 2. That he suffered this Persecution which he complaineth of by me And to make this latter charge good in such manner as he layeth it upon me it were further requisite that he should prove two things more 1. That my selfe was the principall mover and actor in this his Persecution for I onely am singled out by name 2. That this hath been evidenced to him by two or three witnesses at least if he account me for an Elder of a Church 1 Tim. 5.19 But whether he account me for an Elder or no Elder I claime no priviledge of Office yet I require attendance to an eternall Law of morall Righteousnesse One witnesse shall not rise up against a man for any Iniquity or for any sinne at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall every word be established Deut. 15.15 But on the contrary if it doe appeare that the cause for which he suffered was not for Righteousnesse sake and that the affliction which he did suffer was not put upon him by me at all much lesse in any eminent and singular manner then it will behoove Mr. Williams in Conscience to understand that himselfe is the Persecutor as of other servants of God so of my selfe especially For it is a case judged by the Holy Ghost that he who mocketh or reproacheth any of the least of Christs little ones for walking in his way he is a Persecutor Gal. 4.29 It hath been the lot of the faithfull of old to be tryed by cruell mockings Heb. 11.36 If a man be publickly accused to the world as a Persecutor in case the accusation be proved true Persecution is a
shall be put to death in Israel nor doe I say that he is to be put to death in any State of the world least of all doe I say that Pleading against a false Ministery is a capitall crime These are all but excursions and evaporations of the superfluity of wit But this I say and not I but Solomon He that withholdeth the Corne the people shall curse him Prov. 11.26 And cursing implyeth Separation He therefore that shall withdraw or separate the Corne from the people or the people from the Corne the people have just cause to separate either him from themselves or themselves from him And this proportion will hold as well in spirituall Corne as bodily the Argument still standeth unshaken What though we never read of Banishment in Israel we read of something proportionable what else meaneth that Decree Let Judgement be executed to death or to Banishment Ezra 7.27 And Ezra 10.8 Let all his substance be forfeited and himselfe separated from the Congregation of those that had been carried away And in Moses frequent mention is made of Cutting off from the people which though in Israel it may sometime signifie cutting off by Gods hand sometime by the sword of the Magistrate and sometime cutting off from the fellowship of Gods House yet in Abrahams Family The cutting off in Gen. 17.14 may very well reach cutting off from their civill Cohabitation as for a like offence Ishmael and his mother were cut off from cohabitation in the Tents of Abrahams people Gen. 21.9 to 14. Also he that had unawares slaine a man was banished though not out of all Israel yet from his own House and Towne and Tribe till the death of the High Priest and that was as much as Banishment out of any Society of Christs people now whether in Church or Civill Fellowship For though out of Israel there was no full Banishment legally enjoyned because there was then no other Church extant in the world and so to banish a man out of Israel was as much as to say Goe and serve other Gods 1 Sam. 26.19 yet now when Church-fellowship in the true Religion may be had in so many places to banish a man out of his Countrey is no more then it was then to banish an Israelite into a Citie of Refuge But though banishment be now a lawfull punishment in some case yet I goe not about to prove that every wilfull withholding of corne in every State is banishment much lesse death But he that shall withhold his own corne and goe about to perswade all others that have corne lying by them to shut up their sacks mouths and not to bring forth their corne for the nourishment of the people which is if we speake of spirituall corne the very case of the Examiner I doe not see but such an one may be justly accounted as Hostis Reipublicae a publick enemy of the Countrey and as such an one in due order to be cast out of it In due order I say for if such an one be detained from bringing forth his corne by some scruple of Conscience as suppose a man able to Preach Christ and so able to dispense spirituall corne yet doubting of the true way of the Ministery since the Apostasie of Antichrist dare not practise the Ministery Such an one should not be sodainly cast out of the Countrey till he be first convinced that the Apostasie of Antichrist did never so farre prevaile against the Church of Christ as to roote it out from off the face of the earth The woman which is the Church of Christ was still nourished in a Wildernesse even during all the Reigne of Antichrist Rev. 12.14 15 16. The Temple of God which is his Church together with the Altar and them that worship therein were still measured and that by John by Apostolick measure all the time when Antichrist trod downe the outward Court of the holy City Rev. 11.1 2. The Golden vessels of the Temple still continued in the middest of the Babylonish Captivitie And if spirituall Babylon have now so farre prevailed against the Church of Christ as that they have rooted it up from the face of the earth then what is become of the promise of Christ The gates of Hell shall never prevaile against it Mat. 16.18 Surely the Promise is given to a particular Congregationall Church that it shall never faile but shall alwayes be extant in some Countrey or other for he speaks of such a Church to whom the keyes of the Kingdome are committed ver 19. It will be vaine to look for new Apostles to replant Churches out of the ruines of the Antichristian Apostasie For the new Testament acknowledgeth Paul and Barnabas to be the last Apostles 1 Cor. 4.9 If any Apostles rise up after them then Paul and Barnabas will not be the last And when the New Hierusalem comes downe from Heaven yet shee shall not be builded by any new Apostles but built upon that foundation which the Lambes twelve Apostles have already laid Rev. 21.14 As for those many excellent and worthy Gentlemen Lawyers Physicians and others whom the Examiner commendeth to be as well gifted in the knowledge of the Scripture and furnished with gifts of tongues and utterance as most that professe the Ministery and yet are not perswaded to sell spirituall Corne as questioning their true calling and Commission In such a case I would first seeke by the helpe of Christ to remove the scruples upon which they question their calling and Commission Secondly I would thinke it meet to put a difference between such as never received a lawfull calling and commission to the Ministery and them that have received it But if any of them have received a lawfull calling into the Ministery and yet will neither Preach themselves nor suffer them that would I suppose that both Church and Common-wealth may justly account them unworthy of any Christian society and as such unprofitable servants refuse to minister themselves or to suffer others to minister spirituall things so others should refuse to minister to them carnall things But saith he the selling or withholding of spirituall Corne are both of a spirituall nature and therefore must necessarily in a true Paralell beare Relation to a spirituall Curse Answ If they that minister spirituall good things may duely reape carnall good things 1 Cor. 9.11 then they that hinder the ministring of spirituall good things may justly reape the hinderance of enjoyment of carnall good things What if spirituall and carnall good things be not paralell Are there no Arguments but a Pari Is it not lawfull reasoning a majori ad minus If men hinder the enjoyment of spirituall good things may they not be hindred from the enjoyment of that which is lesse carnall good things It would weary a sober minde to pursue such windy fancies though I hope the Lord will helpe me not to count it wearisome either to satisfie a tender Conscience or to convince a Gainsayer TO CHAP.
ignorant and scandalous persons drunkards whoremongers despisers and persecutors of them that are good Prophane swearers that have not so much as a forme of godlinesse but doe utterly deny and deride the power of it Answ This is indeed just matter of mourning and lamentation to all the Saints of Christ and may be also in due order just warrant of some degree of separation from them as from a corrupt Church It cannot but offend and deeply grieve the spirit of a Christian to sit downe at the Lords Table and drinke the bloud of the Lord with such who may be ready the next day to spill the bloud of sincere Communicants as Puritan Round-Heads But whilest the Saints of Christ continue amongst them the mixt fellowship of ignorant and prophane persons doth not evacuate or disanull their Church estate The store of malignant and noysome humours in the body yea the deadnesse and rottennesse of many members in the body though they may make the body an unsound and corrupt body yet they doe not make the body no body When the Prophet Isaiah complained that in the Church of Judah from the soale of the foote to the crowne of the head there was no soundnesse in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores yet whilest there was a Remnant amongst them of faithfull Saints they were not yet no Church they were not yet Sodome and Gomorrha though but for that Remnant they had been as Sodome and like unto Gomorrha Isa 1.6 with 9. Say not though Hierusalem and Judah were at that time degenerate yet they had been at first an holy Nation a faithfull Citie Isa 1.21 and so had a true constitution which the Churches of England never had For 1. I might answer That though in regard of some prime members Hierusalem was counted a faithfull Citie and the Nation Holy by Priviledge of their Covenant yet for the body of the people Hierusalem was alwayes a City of the provocation of Gods wrath from the day they built it Jer. 32.31 32. And for the body of the Nation Moses charged them Yee have alwayes been rebellious against the Lord since the day that I knew you Deut. 9.7.24 And Stephen protesteth against them They had alwayes wont to resist the Holy Ghost they and their fathers Act. 7.51 2. I doe not understand but that according to Scripture those corruptions which doe not destroy a Church constituted the same do not destroy the constitution of a Church The Church is constituted and continued by the same Grace 3. The estate of the Churches of England was not corrupt in their first constitution Baronius himselfe confesseth that England received the Gospel ten yeares before Rome and that from the Ministery of the Apostles and Apostolick men who doubtlesse constituted the English Churches not after the manner of Rome which was then Pagan but after the Apostolick Rules and Patternes This may suffice touching the matter of the English Churches Now touching the second thing objected which was from the efficient cause of their constitution It is said they were gathered not by the preaching of the Gospel by which Churches should be planted and constituted but by the Proclamation of Princes Answ 1. The efficient cause of a Church is a thing without the Church and so no essentiall cause of the Constitution of a Church The Proclamation of King Hezekiah and of the Princes drew on multitudes of Apostate Israelites to the Communion of the Church at Hierusalem and many of them in much pollution yet neither their own pollution nor the Proclamation of the King and Princes did evacuate their Church-estate but encourage them rather in their Church-worke 2 Chron. 30.5 to 9. and verses 11 12.17 18 19 20. It was no pollution to the second Temple at Hierusalem that it was built by the encouragement of the Proclamation of Cyrus Ezra 1. Answ 2. Wheresoever there be visible Saints gathered into a Church they were first gathered by the Ministery of the Gospel For Proclamations cannot make Saints but the word of the Gospel onely If any hypocrites or time-servers doe for feare joyne themselves with the Saints in such a worke though their fellowship may weaken and blemish the worke yet it doth not destroy it Thus much touching the constitution of their Parishionall Churches Now touching their Nationall Constitution it standeth partly in their Nationall Officers Archbishops Bishops and their Servitors partly in their Nationall Synods and convocations and partly also in their Nationall Ecclesiasticall Courts The Examiner is not ignorant that by the Grace of Christ we have withdrawen our selves and our Churches also from this Nationall Constitution and from all Communion with them If it be said But we still keepe Communion with the Parish-Churches in hearing the Word there who doe subject themselves to these Nationall Officers Convocations and Courts Answ 1. Though the Parish-Churches were lately subject to them it was a burden which as they did discerne the iniquitie thereof they groaned under and now by the mightie Power of the gracious Redemption of the Lord Jesus they have shaken off through the helpe of the Honorable and Religious Prudence and Piety of the Parliament 2. Though those Nationall Courts in their Officers did for many yeares tread downe the Parish-Churches yet they did not extinguish their Church-estate The Text is plaine The Gentiles that is men of Gentile-like prophanenesse and malignitie and iniquitie who had the keeping of the Church-Courts they did tread downe the Holy City Rev. 11.2 Tread downe I say but not destroy the Holy City Yea though the Translation reade it They did tread it downe or Tread it under-foote yet the Originall word may be rendred somewhat more mildly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may expresse their walking upon it or else the Peripateticks were a more violent sect then either their Principles or their Practise did declare them I come now to speake of the second Falshood which the Examiner chargeth upon the English Churches which was the falsenesse of their Ministery which wherein it lyeth he should have done well to have told us for himselfe disliketh it in me to wander in Generalities But for our selves we are farre from that supercilious and Pharisaicall arrogancy as to condemne such for false Ministers in whom we finde Truth of Godlinesse Truth of Ministeriall Gifts Truth of Election and acceptance unto Office by true Churches of Christ Truth of sound wholesome and soule-saving Doctrine and Truth of holy and exemplary Conversation And such are all the Ministers whom either the members of our Churches affect to Heare or our Churches doe allow them ordinarily for to Heare And when I say Truth I speake it not in opposition to Eminency for sundry of them excell in Eminency of sundry of these things but in opposition to the falshood which the Examiner objecteth I know not what exception lyeth against their Ministery to argue it of falshood save what hath been excepted and answered already touching the constitution
into the true Reply I said indeed that Godly Persons repenting of all knowne sinnes may be received to Church-fellowship although they doe not see the utmost skirts of all the pollution they have sometimes been defiled with But saith he the Question is not of utmost skirts but of the substance of a true and false Bed of worship What he meaneth by the Bed of worship I know not If he meane the Church to be the Bed of worship and the Churches of England to be false Churches that Point hath been cleared above that no voyce of Christ hath declared the Churches of England to be false Churches But yet further the Examiner answereth That if there were but filthinesse in the skirts of an Harlot he beleeveth Mr. Cotton would not receive an Harlot infamous for corporall whoredome without sound repentance not onely for her actuall whoredomes but also for her whorish speeches gestures appearances provocations And why should there be a greater strictnesse for the skirts of common whoredome then for spirituall and soule-whoredome against the chastitie of Gods worship Reply 1. There may be the greater strictnesse about the skirts of bodily whoredome not because it is a greater sinne but because it is more easily discernable and convinceable by ordinary light 2. Where any speeches gestures appearances provocations of spirituall whoredome shall discover themselves we beleeve there ought to be as great strictnesse about them as about the like whorish appearances of bodily whoredome But when will the Examiner discover to us what those spirituall whorish gestures or speeches be wherein we shew lesse strictnesse then the chastitie of Gods holy worship requireth Touching the Polygamy of the Fathers the Examiner answereth three wayes 1. By observing what great sinnes Godly Persons may be subject to notwithstanding Godlinesse in the Roote Wee consent to that especially in case of ignorance 2. He demandeth If any godly Persons should now beleeve and maintaine that he ought to have many wives and accordingly did so Practise whether Mr. Cotton would receive such a godly Person to Church-fellowship Yea whether the Church of the Jewes if they had seene the evill of it would ever have received such a Proselyte into fellowship with them The same Answers may serve to both the Demands 1. Neither would I receive them nor doe I thinke the Church of the Jewes would in case the sinne had appeared so plaine and palpable as by the light of the Gospel it hath been discovered 2. This is not the case in hand what my selfe or a Church ought to doe about receiving a member living in knowne sinne but when he that liveth in no knowne sinne none knowne either to himselfe or the Church whether the Church if they receive him doth thereby evacuate their Church-estate Or whether the Church and every member thereof be so farre bound to a distinct knowledge of all appearances of spirituall whoredome that if they be ignorant of any one or two of them they are utterly uncapable of Church-estate For a third Answer to the case of Polygamy the Examiner demandeth what was this personall sinne of Polygamy in the godly Patriarchs Was it any matter of Gods worship any joyning with a false Church Ministery Worship Government from whence they were to come before they could constitute his true Church and enjoy his Worship Ministery Government c. Reply 1. Polygamy if it had been knowne to be as great a sinne amongst the Israelites as it is now knowne to be by the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus it is of so hainous a nature now that every godly person guilty of it must come out of it before he could lawfully be received into a pure Church of Christ 2. If a Church were now ignorant of such a knowne case and should in their ignorance admit sundry members living in that sinne into fellowship with them though it would much defile them yet I doe not conceive it would evacuate their Church-estate 3. The Examiner will never proove that the estate of the Churches in England is false their Ministery false nor their worship false And as for their Episcopall Government he is not ignorant we have come out of it both in place and heart Neither will he ever be able to prove that any of our Churches partake in the communion of any such knowne sinne either in Church-estate Worship Ministery Government as Polygamy is But touching that place in 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. urged by the Examiner that I might give a further Answer then before I adde further in my Letter That the place was wrested besides the Apostles scope when Mr. Williams argued from it That such Persons are not fit matter for Church-fellowship as are defiled with any remnants of Antichristian Pollution nor such Churches any more to be counted Churches as doe receive such amongst them For were there not at that time in the Church of Corinth such as partaked with Idolaters in their Idolls Temples And was not this the touching of an uncleane thing And did this sinne reject members from Church-fellowship before Conviction Or did it evacuate their Church-estate for not casting out such members To this Argument the Examiner giveth as he calleth it an Answer in foure Paragraphs whereof the three former hold not forth so much as the face or shape or colour of an Answer For in the first Paragraph saith he This was indeed an uncleane thing from which God calleth his People and Mr. Cotton confesseth that after conviction any member obstinate in these uncleane Touches ought to be rejected But what is this to the Argument Againe In the next Paragraph Vpon the same ground saith he that one obstinate Person ought to be rejected out of Church-estate upon the same ground if a greater company or a Church were obstinate in such uncleane touches ought every sound Christian Church to reject them and every sound member to withdraw from them But is this any more to the Argument In the third Paragraph Further saith he it is cleare that if such uncleane Touches obstinately maintained as Mr. Cotton professeth and practiseth be a ground of a rejection of a Person in a Church questionlesse it is a ground of rejection when such Persons are to joyne unto the Church And if obstinacy in the whole Church after Conviction be a ground for such a Churches rejection questionlesse such a Church or number of persons obstinate in such evills cannot congregate nor become a true constituted Church of Christ But still the Argument is where it was not onely unshaken but untoucht Neither is the Text in 2 Cor. 16. any whit at all cleared by these discourses to argue them to be no true constituted Churches who live in such uncleane touches without conviction without obstinacy For the Text speaketh nothing of obstinacy nor conviction but onely implieth that such uncleane Touches were found in the Church of Corinth and yet that did not evacuate their Church-estate His last Paragraph holdeth forth some more
is Christs feeding of his flock Cant. 1.8 Christs kissing of his Spouse Cant. 1.2 Christs embracing of his Spouse in the marriage bed Cant. 1.16 Christs nursing of his Children at his wives breasts Cant. 4. And is there no communion between the Shepheard and his sheep the Husband and the wife in chaste kisses and embraces the Mother and the child at the breasts Answer 1. The dispensing of the word in a Church-State that is by Church-Officers to Church-members united together in Church-State it is indeed an expression of familiar and deare Communion between Christ and his Church as between the husband and his spouse between the nursing mother and the child and between the shepheard and his flock But suppose Pagans and Indians should ordinarily frequent our Church Assemblies as they are wont to doe in hearing the word doth he think I would maintaine that there is the like spirituall and familiar Communion between Christ and them as between Christ and his Church Answer 2. Besides the question is not what communion Christ may have with a stranger in the hearing of the word in the Assembly of his Church but what communion there is between the Officer of the Church who preacheth the word and the stranger Christ out of his soveraigne grace may dispense himselfe to the stranger in what relation he pleaseth hee may make the word both as spirituall seed and as food to him and so may declare himself both a father and a Pastor and husband and a mother to him and yet no such Church-relation passe between the Church-Officer and the stranger Aâ—swer 3. Suppose there did grow some spirituall relation between the Church-Officer and the stranger as God might so blesse his Ministery as to make him a spirituall Father and feeder to the stranger yet this Relation is not between the Preacher and the stranger in respect of his Office but in respect of his gif as I declared above The reason of the difference is evident 1. Church-relation between a Church-Officer and Church-member is constant and permanent and not to be dissolved but by consent of the Church but this relation between the Preacher and stranger is transient and the intercourse of the exercise of their relation easily changeable at the discretion of the stranger without the consent or cognizance of the Church 2. Church relation between an Officer and a member carrieth on the duties of Church-worke between them unto full accomplishment If any offence grow between an Officer and a member the one hath power to deale with the other in a Church-way unto a perfect healing but there is not the like power or liberty either in preacher or stranger so to proceed one with another in case of any such offence The Examiners second Argument is taken also from mine own confession as if there were no waighty Argument to be found in this case but what might be gathered up from the weaknesse or unwarinesse of my expressions But thankes be to God that hath so guided my words that no such advantage can justly be taken from them as to countenance so ungodly an error Mr. Cotton saith he confesseth that the fellowship in the Gospel Phil. 1.5 is a fellowship or Communion in the Apostles doctrine Community breaking of bread and prayer in which the first Church continued Acts 2.46 All which overthroweth the doctrine of lawfull participation of the word and prayer in a Church-state where it is not lawfull to communicate in the breaking of bread or seales Answ If this be all the Conclusion that he striveth for that participation of the word and prayer is not lawfull in a Church-estate where it is not lawfull to communicate in the seales I shall never contend with him about it I should never thinke it lawfull there to enter into a Church-estate where I thought it lawfull onely to partake in hearing and prayer and not in the seales also But this is that I deny A man to participate in a Church-estate where he partaketh onely in hearing and prayer before and after Sermon and joyneth not with them neither in their Covenant nor in the seales of the Covenant To CHAP. XXVII THe third part of the Examiners discourse touching English Preachers taketh up this 27. Chapter and it is concerning the calling and commission of the English Preachers Mr. Cotton himselfe saith he and others most eminent in New-England have freely confest First That notwithstanding their profession of Ministery in Old England yet in New-England till they received a Calling from a particular Church that they were but private Christians Secondly That Christ Jesus hath appointed no other Calling to the Ministery but such as they practise in New England and therefore consequently that all other which is not from a particular Congregation of godly persons is none of Christs As first a Calling and Commission from the Bishops Secondly From a Parish of naturall and unregenerate persons Thirdly From some few godly persons yet remaining in Church-fellowship after the Parish way Fourthly That eminent gifts and abilities are but qualifications fitting or preparing for a Call to an Office 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. All which premises duly considered he desireth that Mr. Cotton and all that feare God might try what will abide the fiery Triall in this particular when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire c. Reply It is a weake cause that is maintained onely by the testimonies of adversaries and them either mistaken or falsified It is in him either a mistake or a fraudulent expression of our mindes to say That notwithstanding our former profession of Ministery in Old England yet till we received a Calling from a particular Church we were but private Christians This speech may be so conceived as if notwithstanding our former profession of Ministery in Old England yet indeed we confest our Ministery there was no Ministery and this is a false expression of our mindes It may be also conceived that we confest we had no calling from a particular Church till we came to New-England And this is also a false expression of our mindes likewise Or it may be conceived that notwithstanding our former profession and exercise of Ministery in Old England yet being cast out from thence by the usurping power of the Prelacy and dismissed though against their wills by our Congregations save onely such as came along with us we looked at our selves as private members and not Officers to any Church here untill one or other Church might call us unto Office This sence of our profession is true but nothing availeable to the Examiners intendment Secondly It is in him another mistake or else a fraudulent expression of our mindes when he saith Wee hold and freely confesse that Christ Jesus hath appointed no other Calling to the Ministery but such as we practise in New-England And that any other Calling to the Ministery which is not from a particular Congregation of godly persons is none of Christs Though we doe
the Ordinances is an humane corruption and so if he will an humane invention yet I doe not hold nor ever did that their Parishes were onely an humane invention For I beleeve the Lord Jesus hath the truth of his Churches and Ministery and worship in them notwithstanding the inventions of men superadded to them Reply 2. Though I doe beleeve there is as true Communion in the ministration of the Word in a Church-estate to wit to such as are in Church-estate with the Minister of the Word as in the Seales Yet it is farre from me to hold and from any principle of mine to inferre that there is as true Communion in the ministration of the Word to every hearer as in the Seales for then we might as easily admit our Indians to the Seales as we doe admit them daily to the ministration of the Word Reply 3. It is a malignant and Satanicall misconstruction of the intentions of such godly persons who out of sincere affection to spirituall growth doe heare the Ministry of the Word from godly Preachers in England to accuse them before God and Angels and men that they doe it to avoyd the Crosse of Christ to wit persecution which may be avoyded in a great measure if persons come to Church It is well knowne that sundry of them are so sincere and constant in their profession that as they have suffered much for the cause of Christ against humane corruptions in Gods worship so they would be ready to suffer yet more for neglecting to come to Church if they suspected any humane corruption at all in it Againe It is well knowne that any stranger in London by removing now and then his lodging may escape not onely persecution but observation for a longer time then any of our hearers are ordinarily wont to sojourne there Besides in this time of universall freedome from all persecution during this long Parliament why doe not our members of these Churches forbeare to heare the Word in the Parishes now when there is no feare nor danger at all of persecution for not coming to Church His sixt and last particular consideration is That how ever Mr. Cotton saith He hath not found such presence of Christ and evidence of the Spirit in such separate Churches as in the Parishes What should be the reason of their great rejoycings and boastings of their own separations in New-England in so much that some of the most eminent amongst them have affirmed that even the Apostles Churches were not so pure Surely if the same new English Churches were in Old England they could not meete in Old England without persecution which therefore in Old England they avoyde by frequenting the way of Church-worship in the Parishes which in New-England they persecute Reply 1. The Examiner might easily have satisfied himselfe in this consideration if he had been willing to understand that which he knoweth to be our meaning He knoweth very well and hath often told us of it before that we our selves in our Churches doe practise some kinde of separation here to wit separation not from the Churches in Old England as no Churches but from some corruptions found in them In such Churches as so separate wee never speake of them that we had not found the presence of Christ or evidence of the Spirit in such Churches But I speake of such rigid Separatists Churches as renounce the Churches and Ministery and worship and Saints of England as if they were all false or none at all and therefore utterly doe refuse to heare the word in their Assemblies which is such a way of separation as I told him in my Letter the Lord Jesus never delivered nor any of his Apostles after him nor any of his Prophets before him Of which he taketh no notice nor giveth any ground either from Christ or his Apostles or Prophets for such practise but putteth us off that we practise separation our selves and rejoyce therein as if our separation and theirs were both of one nature and measure which indeed differ as much as I said before as Chirurgery and Butchery Reply 2. When he telleth us We boast of our separations in New-England yea so farre as that some of our most eminent have said that even the Apostles Churches were not so pure I must needs professe I never heard nor read of such a speech but onely in this Examiners Booke The speech it selfe savoureth I know not whether of more ignorance or arrogancy or blasphemy The broadest speech in this kinde that ever I heard to fall from the lips of any in this Countrey was that of Mr. Williams himselfe who whilest he lived at Salem as I am credibly informed would say That of all the Churches of Christ in the world the new English were the most pure and of all the new English the Church of Salem I am so well acquainted with the liberty and boldnesse of the Examiners tongue in calumniations that untill I know the name of that eminent person whom he reproacheth to have so spoken he must give me leave to feare either a mistake or that which is worse Reply 3. It is a double calumny but suitable to many other of the former that wee in New-England doe persecute the way of separation whether the one kinde of separation or the other It is true of neither for we practise the one and tolerate the other And againe that we frequent the Parish-Churches in Old England to avoyd persecution Unlesse mens tongues were their own I wonder how they can allow themselves to speake so excessively at random These his six Considerations having so little considerable truth or waight in them I justly said That he in withdrawing the people of God from hearing the voyce of Christ in so many Congregations both in New-England and in Old did not helpe Jehovah against the mighty but Satan against Jehovah and against the mighty Ordinances of his Word and Ministry But he answereth that he helpeth the zealous soules of the Separatiâ—n and he helpeth us to seeke the Lord Jesus without halting How he helpeth them I know not unlesse it be by depriving them of many precious meanes of grace which they might enjoy by hearing the Word in either England or unlesse by his own example he now helpe them Proficere in peius to separate further from all instituted worship of the Lord to cast off their own Churches Ministery Worship as they have cast off others before that so they might seeke for that which will never be found under the Sunne new Apostles to make all things new And as little doe I know how he helpeth us to seeke the Lord Jesus without halting unlesse it be to seeke him as he himselfe doth without Church-Ordinances For the Conclusion of his Booke he is willing to take up the conclusion of my Letter That whosoever will not kisse the Sonne that is will not heare and embrace the words of his mouth shall perish in their way Psal 2.12 This word is established in heaven and will take place in the earth throughout all generations But least this word might profit himselfe as selfe-love is apt to apply a word of threatening to any rather then to it selfe he applieth it to Mr. Cotton and to every soule to whom these lines of his may come seriously to consider in this Controversie if the Lord Jesus were himselfe in person in Old or New-England what Church what Ministery what Worship what Government he would set up and what persecution he would practise toward them that would not receive him For Answer let me say in a word this point hath been seriously considered already and let it be still considered and pondered in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and doubtlesse for the first of these points it will be found that if the Lord Jesus were here himselfe in person he would set up no other Church nor Ministery nor worship nor government then what himselfe hath appointed in his Word which though the Examiner and many others have sought and searched what enormities they might finde in it yet they have wearied themselves and found nothing So true is the faithfull promise of the Lord Jesus that he hath built his Church upon a Rock and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it nor against the Ordinances thereof And for the latter point What persecution the Lord Jesus if he were on earth would practise against those who would not receive him The Answer is neere at hand and is written for the warning of all gain-sayers Those mine enemies which would not that I should reigne over them bring them hither and slay them before my face Luk. 19.27 And yet I would not be so understood in alledging this Scripture as if Christ did allow his Vicegerents to practise all that himselfe would practise in his own person For not all the practises or acts of Christ as the Examiner seemeth to intimate but the Lawes of Christ are the Rules of mans Administrations But of that more distinctly in due time if the Lord shall give libertie to enquire further into the Examiners Bloudy Tenent To the Lord Jesus be the kingdome power and glory Amen FINIS