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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80608	The bloudy tenent, washed, and made white in the bloud of the Lambe: being discussed and discharged of bloud-guiltinesse by just defence. Wherein the great questions of this present time are handled, viz. how farre liberty of conscience ought to be given to those that truly feare God? And how farre restrained to turbulent and pestilent persons, that not onely raze the foundation of godlinesse, but disturb the civill peace where they live? Also how farre the magistrate may proceed in the duties of the first table? And that all magistrates ought to study the word and will of God, that they may frame their government according to it. Discussed. As they are alledged from divers Scriptures, out of the Old and New Testament. Wherein also the practise of princes is debated, together with the judgement of ancient and late writers of most precious esteeme. Whereunto is added a reply to Mr. Williams answer, to Mr. Cottons letter. / By John Cotton Batchelor in Divinity, and teacher of the church of Christ at Boston in New England.	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.	1647 (1647)	Wing C6409; Thomason E387_7; ESTC R836	257,083	342

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

Prophets and seducing Teachers doe bring downe showers of Gods blessings upon the civill State 1 Kings 18.40 41. Fifthly it is an honour to Gods Justice that such Judgements are executed Rev. 16.5 6 7. Discusser But such Executions in Queen Elizabeths dayes had raysed almost all Europe in combustion the warres of 88. the Spanish Invasion had speciall respect to this And had not the Lord borne witnesse to his owne Law and to his people herein by defeating the Intendments of their Enemies it might have been the ruine both of England and the Netherlands which are the words of Mr. Cotton himselfe on the third Viall Defender The words Answer for themselves The Devill and his Instruments raged against such Lawes and such Executions but God bare witnesse to both by mightily defeating the Invasions and Conspiracies of Enemies Discusser It is no Argument that God bare witnesse to his people in such Deliverancies and Victories For 1. Events and Successes come alike to all and are no Arguments of Love or Hatred Defender Events and successes are indeed no Arguments of a mans spirituall Estate of the Love or hatred of God to a mans person in which sense Solomon speaketh Eccles 9.1 2. But otherwise they are ordinary witnesses good Events of a good cause if it be well handled ill events of an ill cause or at least of the ill handling of a good cause Psal 1.3 4. Jer. 22.15 16 17. Discusser Secondly Papists in their warres have ever yet had both in Peace and warre victory and Dominion And therefore if successe be the measure God hath borne witnesse to them as in the Warres between Charles the fift and some Germane Princes where the successe was various between Philip of Spaine and the Low-Countries the King of France and his Protestant Subjects sometimes winning sometimes loosing But most memorable is the History of the Waldenses who fought many Battles against three succeeding Popes with various successe But the finall successe and Victory fell to the Popedome and Romish Church in the utter extirpation of those Waldensian witnesses Defender Reply 1. I will not inquire of the meaning of the words how the Papists in their warres have had both in Peace and Warre Victory and Dominion But this I cannot excuse from contradiction that the Papists in their Warres ever had the Victory and yet have often fought with various successe sometime winning sometime loosing Nor can I tell how it standeth with Truth that Papists in their Warres ever had the Victory since Queen Elizabeth ever had the Victory over them Reply 2. Though Papists have fought with various Successe it is Gods manner to nurture his people with some crosses that they might at length learne to fight not in their owne strength but in the Lords Reply 3. The story is evident that the Waldenses never lost Battell but when they complyed with the Papists and trusted more in their false pretences then in the Lord. Neither is it true that the finall successe ef the Victory fell to the Romish Church to the utter extirpation of those Waldensian witnesses For it never came to an utter Extirpation of them but only to a dispersion into sundry Countries of Europe as Bishop Vsher sheweth in the last words of his Booke De successione Christianarum Ecclesiarum But dispersion is one thing utter exterpation is anoother Seed is dispersed and the more multiplyed but exterpation tendeth to withering and destruction Certaine it is the Waldenses long after those warres and that dispersion wrote Letters to Luther and Calvin which are extant to this day Discusser It is most true what Daniel in his 8.11 and 12. Chapters and John Rev. 11 12 and 13. Chapters write of the great successe of Antichrist against Christ Jesus for a time appointed Defender Not against Christ Jesus for who ever warred against him and prevailed Job 9.4 But true it is against his servants Antichrist prevailed for a time appointed but it was when either the Saints suffered for the Truth and then the Saints were the true Conquerours or else when they complyed with the corruptions of the times and then though their cause was good yet they handled it ill Discusser Gods servants are all Conquerours when they warre with Gods weapons in Gods cause and worship as in Rev. 2. and 3. Chapters and in Rev. 12. they overcome the Dragon in the Romane Emperours by three weapons the bloud of the Lamb the word of their Testimony and not loving their lives unto the death Defender It is true those are the weapons of the Ministers of the Gospel and those are also the weapons of private Christians but if the Magistrate be the Minister of God in bearing his sword then the Sword also is a weapon of God which when it is drawne out in Gods cause and worship according to God with confidence not in the arme of flesh but in the Lord of Hosts it goeth forth Conquering to conquer Rev. 17.14 with Rev. 19.14.19 20. Gideons Sword was the Sword of the Lord Judg. 7.20 CHAP. 65. A Reply to his Chap. 68. Discussing the Testimonies alledged from Ancient and later writers and first that of Hilary Discusser THe last Head of Arguments produced by the Author against persecution was from the Judgement of Antient and later Writers to some of which the Answerer pleaseth to answer Defender Some of which as if any of them were omitted or as if all of them were not answered compare the Prisoners Letter and my Answer together and see if I have balked any one of them Discusser If it be a marke of the Christian Church to be persecuted and of the Antichristian or false Church to persecute then the Churches cannot be truly Christian according to the first Institution which either actually themselves or by the civill Power of Kings and Princes given to them or procured by them to fight for them doe persecute such as discent from them or be opposite against them Defender I say againe if persecution be properly taken for the punishment of the Innocent for Truth or Righteousnesse sake it ought not to be found in a Christian Church but is usually found in a false and Antichristian Church but I cannot as the Discusser doth make it a marke of the Christian Church to be persecuted and a marke of a false Church to persecute For a Marke is such a signe as belongeth omni soli semper as a marke of the Church must agree to every Church and at all times to the Church and onely to the Church But to be persecuted is not found in every true Church at least not at all times For after the conversion of Paul unto the Faith of Christ the Churches had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria Acts 9.31 shall we say they were then no true Christian Churches because they wanted this marke of the Church to be persecuted Againe wee read that after the destruction of Antichrist the Churches of the Saints shall have rest

himselfe ver 11. it may appeare he is not persecuted for Cause of Conscience but for sinning against his own Conscience 3. In things of lesse moment whether Points of Doctrine or worship if a man hold them forth in a spirit of Christian meeknesse and love though with zeale and constancy he is not to be persecuted but tolerated till God may be pleased to manifest his Truth to him Phil. 3.17 Rom. 14.11 12 13 14. 4. But if a man hold forth or professe any error or false way with a boysterous and arrogant spirit to the disturbance of Civill Peace he may justly be punished according to the measure of the disturbance caused by him This is that way of Persecution which Mr. Williams expresseth to be mine In all which I durst appeale to Mr. Williams his own Conscience were it not Leavened with over-deepe prejudice whether in all this way there be any crevise opening a doore for the Persecution of Christ himselfe bringing further light Let no man take it amisse that in the Parenthesis I intimate the Conscience of Mr. Williams in this case to be leavened with overmuch prejudice For if extreme prejudice were not predominant in him in this case I should stand amazed how a man of understanding could out of such Conclusions make up this Inference which he gives in the Title of the Chapt. pag. 7. That I doe professedly maintaine Persecution for Cause of Conscience I that doe expresly professedly deny Persecution of any even of Hereticks unlesse it be when they come to persist in heresie after conviction against conscience how can I be said to maintaine Persecution for Cause of Conscience But oh the wofull perversenesse and blindnesse of a Conscience when it is left of God to be so farre transported with prejudice as to judge a Cause of Conscience and a cause against Conscience to be all one For the shutting up of his Chapter he is pleased to Comment upon a phrase in my Letter wherein I styled my selfe a man of uncircumcised lips And he doth acknowledge it to be an holy Character of an heavenly Spirit to make an ingenuous and true acknowledgement of an uncircumcised lip Yet saith he that discerning Spirit which God graciously vouchsafeth to them that tremble at his Word shall finde that not onely the will-worships of men may be painted and varnished over with the glittering shew of Humilitie Colos 2. but even Gods dearest servants eminent for humility and meeknesse may yet be troubled with a swelling of spirituall pride out of the very sence of their humilitie c. Humilitie is never in season to set up superstition or persecute Gods children Answ I could intreat some or other of Mr. Williams his acquaintance whose words may finde better acceptance with him then mine doe to perswade him not to attribute too much to his own Spirit of discerning which though he truely saith God doth vouchsafe to them that tremble at his word yet I never read nor heard that God did vouchsafe a Spirit of discerning to any that are so farre from trembling at the word that they doe not vouchsafe to heare the word from the mouth of so many thousand faithfull Ministers of the Gospel As for me I desire not to neglect any word from the mouth of Mr. Williams upon what pretence soever spoken that putteth me in minde of spirituall pride arising out of the very sence of humilitie Such smiting shall not breake my head But when he concludeth with this Aphorisme Humilitie is never in season to set up superstition or to persecute Gods children I desire it may be considered what is Superstition what is Persecution and whether my Letter unto him tended to set up the one or to set forward the other Superstition is properly cultus supra statutum which I speake not from the Etymology of the word for I know Latinists doe otherwise derive it but from the nature of the thing And what is Persecution It hath been answered above the affliction of any for their Righteousnesse sake If it appeare in the sequele that my Letter tended either to set up any worship of God which he hath not appointed or to afflict any for their Righteousnesse sake then I will confesse it tended to set up Superstition and Persecution And the humilitie which he acknowledgeth to be expressed in my Letter I shall acknowledge to be out of season Meane while Affirmanti incumbit Probatio To CHAP. II. His second Chapter is spent in answering to a double charge which he saith he observeth I laid against him Though in very Truth I layd neither of them downe as charges against him but as discharges to my selfe from expecting that He should vouchsafe to hearken to my voyce who had refused to hearken both to the voyce of the body of the whole Church of Salem whereof he was a member and to the voyces of so many Elders and brethren of other Churches But suppose I did charge him with a double sinne in refusing to hearken to this double voyce though I did not say it was a sinne how doth he discharge himselfe For neglect of the former he excuseth himselfe by the charge of his Office which lay upon him on a Fast-day to discover to them eleven publick sinnes as causes of the present and publick calamities Which most of the Church seemed at first to assent unto untill afterwards the greater part of the Church whether for feare of Persecution or otherwise was swayed and bowed to practise such things which with sighes and groanes many of them mourned under But will this indeed discharge an Elder of the Church before the Lord from coming into the presence of the Church when they send for him because the greater part of them are bowed and swayed for feare of Persecution to slip and slide and to say and practise that which with sighes and groanes they mourned under Why then if the Wolfe come and scatter the sheepe and they slip out of the way let the Shepheard fly and leave them that the word of the Lord Jesus might be fulfilled He that is an Hireling and not the Shepheard whose own the sheepe are not he seeth the Wolfe coming and leaveth the sheepe and fleeth and the Wolfe catcheth them and scattereth the sheepe Joh. 10.12 Or will it goe for currant Doctrine before the Lord that if the greater part of a Church fall through feare or otherwise into sinne and such a sinne which they mourne under with sighes and groanes and which in it selfe is not hainous that then they doe ipso facto cease to be a Church and utterly to be cast out Why then let the Covenant between the Lord and his Church be no more reputed any branch of the Covenant of Grace but let it stand and fall as a Covenant of workes But surely if the greater part of the Church were gone astray I should think it would well become the faithfulnesse of a Church-Elder to hasten to them specially when he

is lovingly and respectively sent for and to convince them of the errour of their way before the Lord and to seek to bring them back againe to the Bishop and Shepheard of their soules Sure I am that in a case of greater defection of the Churches of Galatia then Mr. Williams imagined was found in the Church of Salem Paul did not reject them but professed I desire saith he to be present with you now and to change my voyce for I stand in doubt of you Gal. 4.20 Mr. Williams acknowledgeth in the next Paragraph That the Church of Colosse might say to Archippus Take heed to thy Ministery and that Archippus might negligently and proudly refuse to hearken to them but for his case his faithfulnesse and uprightnesse to God and the soules of the people will witnesse for him when his soule shall come to Hezekiahs case on his death-bed and in the great day approaching I do not know but that Archippus might as justly refuse to hearken to the Church of Colosse as Mr. Williams to the Church of Salem What though Colosse was more eminent in gifts then Salem yet the mutuall power and subjection of Pastor and people dependeth not upon eminency of gifts but upon the Institution of Christ and their mutuall Covenant and Relation If it had been a negligent and proud part in Archippus as Mr. Williams confesseth to refuse to hearken to the lawfull voyce of the Church of Colosse admonishing him of his slacknesse in his Ministery I know not but it might be such a like part in Mr. Williams to refuse to hearken to the voyce of the Church of Salem admonishing him to take heed of deserting his Ministery Whether is a greater sinne in a Minister not to fulfill his Ministery or to desert his Ministery Neither doe I know but that Archippus might have pretended the like evasions with Mr. Williams if not fairer For he might plead there were amongst them such as spoyled them through Philosophy and vaine deceit after the Traditions of men and Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Col. 2.8 that beguiled them also in a voluntary humilitie and worship of Angels not holding the Head ver 18 19. Yea so farre that themselves come to be dogmatized with the Traditions of men ver 20 21 22. And why might not then Archippus as justly refuse to heare the Church of Colosse as Mr. Williams refuse to heare the Church of Salem Let not Mr. Williams please himselfe in suiting his faithfulnesse and uprightnesse to Hezekiahs case Hezekiah faithfully and uprightly endeavoured and through grace procured the reformation of the Apostate Church of Hierusalem in the dayes of his Father Ahaz But Mr. Williams in stead of reforming one Church renounceth all For his neglect of hearkening to the second voyce the voyce and testimony of so many Elders and Brethren of other Churches He saith because he truely esteemeth the Persons he will not answer the Argument of numbers and multitudes against one as our men are wont to answer the Popish universalitie that God stirreth up sometimes one Elijah against eight hundred of Baals Priests c. But this he saith that David himselfe and the Princes of Israel and 30000. of Israel carrying up the Arke were not to be hearkened unto in their holy intentions of rejoycings and triumphs when the due order of the Lord was wanting to them In which case one Scripture in the mouth of a Mechanick is to be preferred before a whole Councell Answ I will not here observe as Mr. Williams doth in a like case in Chap. 38. of his Bloudy Tenent his hast and light attention to the Scriptures which himselfe alledgeth The Text speaketh but of 450. of Baals Priests 1 Kings 18.19 Now for him to multiply them to 800 is to fetch in also the Prophets of the Groves the Prophets of Jeroboams Calves whom the Text expresly distinguisheth from the Prophets of Baal But to let that passe as not materiall to the Argument no more then the misquotation which he observeth of Titus for Timothy we will not reply as the Papists doe against single witnesses let him call for fire from Heaven as Eliah did and we will submit the testimonies of many to one single witnesse No we call not for Miracles at his hand but let him produce one testimony of holy Scripture rightly understood and applyed against the advice and voyce of those Elders and Brethren and then though he be but one yea though that one were but a Mechanick too we shall gratifie his demand and by the Grace of Christ be ready rather to hearken to him then require that he should hearken to us Meane while we answer him as the Apostle did to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 14.36 What came the word of God out from you or came it unto you onely It is true David and the Princes and the 30000. of Israel were not to be hearkened unto nor followed in their disorderly carrying of the Arke because the word of the Lord had given expresse order to the contrary requiring that the Kohathites should beare the Arke upon their shoulders and not touch it least they dye Num. 4.15 Let him shew us the like order violated by us and we shall freely excuse him yea and justifie him in not hearkening to us nor following of us But suppose some one Prophet or Brother of Israel had discerned the disorder of David and of the whole Congregation of the 30000. of Israel and had therefore not onely refused to follow them but had proceeded further as many of Christs Disciples did with him Joh. 6.66 to goe back from them with an utter Apostasie and to walke no more with them no not though they were willing to reforme their disorder if any were made knowne to them Would Perez Vzzah have justified that Or did that disorder of David and of that Congregation of Israel dischurch them all from fellowship with God or discharge their Brethren from having any fellowship with them as with the Church of God TO CHAP. III. HIs third Chapter is taken up in answering to a Phrase in my Letter in which I had said I endeavoured to shew him the sandinesse of those grounds upon which he had banished himselfe from the fellowship of all the Churches in this Countrey The summe of his Answer is That his grounds were the firme rocke of the Truth of Jesus and that my endeavours to prove them sandy are but the weake and uncertain sand of mans Invention which shall therefore perish and burne like hay or stubble And the Rocky strength of his grounds shall appeare in the Lords season and that my selfe also may yet confesse so much as I have since I came to New-England confest the sandinesse of the grounds of many of my Practises in Old England and the rockinesse of their grounds that witnessed against me and them for Instance that himselfe had discovered to me and other servants of God his grounds against the use of the