ANTI-COTTON ANSWERED Who comes with five hundred Questions against two and twenty of the Examiner Examind and yet leaves it out of Question That the Magistrate ought to suppresse IDOLATRY c. JOB 31.28 This also were an Iniquity to be punished by the Judge for I should have denyed the God that is above ROM 13.3 4. The Magistrate ought to be a terrour to evill workers 1 PET. 4.3 But Idolatry is an evill worke per eminentiam Therefore the Magistrate ought to be a terrour to Idolatry London Printed for John Wright dwelling at the Kings-Head in the Old-Bayley 1653. To the READER SInce the Question is come down the Staires and delivered over by him that first awakt it to a second The Author of the Examiner Examind may think it a just reason for himselfe to doe the like Accordingly I have taken upon me as a second to answer that second though in truth there is very little in his discourse that hath need of answering the chiefest of his matters having beene already foild in New England and the rest being but frothy words and impertinent divagations mistakes of the Questioner frivolous Questions and full of contradictions His words would better become a Play then sober Truth who contents her selfe within a modest comely habit nay she had rather be Nuda then fucata And though she speaks plaine English yet abhors scurrilousnesse and railings How many long-land digressions doth this Author make in his Booke He must goe out of his way to meet Tythes and to fall upon the Ministry c. Indeed I thinke he is never out of his way for I am of opinion that he never proposed any to himselfe not knowing whither his unruly fancy would lead him when he puts pen to Paper His mistakings of those short Questions are grosse and frequent sometimes adding to them sometimes diminishing them and grounds many of his Questions upon his owne mistakes as you have instanced in this ensuing discourse Besides he is mistaken in his whole discourse there being nothing in the Question that puts Magistrates upon forcing of consciences and punishing misbeliefe or unbeliefe but externall acts as Idolatry and Blaspemy and infection by communicating of Heresie Neither is there any thing in the Questions to put the Magistrate upon waging war with Turks or Jews upon the account of Religion And for the Magistrates judgeing of Heresie the first Question of the second Examiner doth tax it by way of supposall That the Magistrate doth know the saving truth and his judgement right in it and then whether it 's not his duty to cause it to be propogated by Lawes Pag. 41. by maintenance and suppressing the outward Acts that are contrary Here is no occasion given for suspending of Magistrates or for Pagans or Turks to act in Religious matters for the Questioner speaks of onely such as know the truth How many frivolous Questions as what would we doe if Christ should be born againe amongst us c. I am loath to cast about how to order things that are impossible to be Pag. 53. I leave this worke to idle melancholy braines But I thinke if this Author had lived when Christ was borne he would not have owned him because he little respects Moses and the Prophets His Contradictions are many and such as destroy his owne Tenet He confesses all Kings Queenes Judges in the World ought to be nursing Fathers and Mothers to Christ and his Followers Pag. 3. and yet this must be no truth when it 's spoken by another but he 'le question it Is not this to be guilty of a Spirit of Contradiction I shall no longer Epistolize the Reader keeping him from the perusall of the ensuing Discourse onely I desire him to take notice that this Defendant of the first Examiner being much given to repetitions in his booke His clamorous Arguments doe occur almost in every Page yet though the Defendant speake four times the same thing I answer the same thing but once after once Answering esteeming his Arguments when I meet them not to be alive againe but onely apparitions or Ghosts of Reason walking in a vaine shaddow If any thing seem doubtfull in the Replies some following question or othe will helpe to explaine it so that by the helpe of comparing one place with another the Reader may be satisfied Anti-Cotton Answered THIS Defendant goes out top-gallant with his Rhetoricall Sayles hoisted up as soone as he comes to the maine I 'le encounter him in the Interim I 'le busie my selfe in questioning his setting forth I aske Qu. 1. Whether he thinks that the Army fought for liberty in Idolatry Pa. 4. Heresy and Blasphemy and did prosper for this Q. 2. Whether such a Soul-freedome being granted to every man as he points out Pag. 5. would be a meanes to preserve the Common-wealth Pa. 5. or not rather kindle a desire and an endeavour in the Commonalty after the obtaining of such a liberty for their Bodyes and Estates as is granted them for their Soules viz. that they might maintaine whom they pleased to rule them according to their abilities and consciences which being granted in a short time Actum erit de Rep. Q. Whether he can militate for a toleration of the two great evils Idolatry and Heresy and hang out a Flag with this Motto Soule-freedome Whereas liberty in whatsoever is evill the Scripture terms bondage Now he is come forth let us heare what he can say against these maine Questions I 'le first propose the questions in their order and then give a briefe yet full summe of his severall Answers and then subjoyne a Reply vindicating those serious Questions from his triviall Questionings Question 1. Whether a Magistrate that knowes the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ Jesus doe fulfill the Office of a Nursing Father if he doe not cause this saving Food to be given to his Children and Poyson that is a contrary Doctrine to be kept from them The Summe of the severall Answers 1. Pa. 7.8.10 Whether this Prophecy If. 49.23 is not fixt to the distinct Nation of the Jewes by vers 22 of this Chapter 2. Whether these Kings and Queenes must needs be such spirituall Fathers as Paul was These two Questions joyning issue make up his sixt Question 3. Pa. 8. Whether Magistrates be not as essentially civill as the Master of a Ship 4. Pa. 9.11 Whether Pagan Magistrates be not as truly Magistrates as the best Christians and whether Pagans converted receive any addition to their Magistracy 5. Pa. 12.20 21. Whether Magistrates have not often been mistaken and given poyson for food and whether this Doctrine of Kings and Queenes being Nursing Fathers cost not the late King Charles his head Reply Ad. 1. This Answerer interprets Isa 49.23 to be a Prophecy pecaliar to the Jewes and fixes this interpretation from verse 23. Yet for all this his Spirit is not fixed but he enclines rather to another interpretation as
And yet better sit still then still rise and fall Have all the Spirit the calling the presence of God with them as the Apostles had were it not better for us to acknowledge how naked and blind we are and to listen to the councell of Christ 5. What Christanity is that which commands that no Doctrine be Preached but what the civill sword shall say is true and Orthodox Reply Ad. 1. 1. I aske whether if Idolatry and Heresie be directly against the fundamentals or principles of Salvation the Examiner speaking the fore quoted words in behalfe of Idolators and Hereticks doth not call the principles of Salvation Formes and despise them under that name 2. Though there be many forms of worship as Presbiters Independents c. yet I hope Idolatry cannot be called a forme of worship for it 's placed in direct opposition to worship by the Apostle viz. they turned from Idols to serve the true and living God Ad. 2. I aske whether it be not one maine point wherein the Protestant differs from the Papist viz. not to beleeve as the Church beleeves Ad. 3. 1. I doe not know what this Author thinkes of this one name Christ Jesus for he doth not know himselfe whether to make it a fundamentall or no as appeares from his doubtfull speeches But the Scripture saith there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we must be saved and no man can lay any other foundation 3. It 's very dangerous to limit saving knowledge as to the degrees of it but as to limit this knowledge as to the heads or parts of it there is no danger Now when we speake of principles of Salvation we speake meerly of the heads or parts of saving knowledge but not at all of the degrees of these parts Ad. 4.2 If there have been severall encreasings of light in Reforming why should the Children of the light hinder Reformation This should rather be a worke of the Children of darknesse who cannot abide the Light because their works are evil 2. This Author seems to be in a good mind he would have the People hold something and doe something but he is of another mind quikly aliud stans aliud sedens cogitat for in the next words he thinks it better to sit still then still to rise and fall I am not of this mans mind I should rather choose to goe halting and stumble now and then then not to goe at all And further I thinke every man is bound to act according to his light though he have not the Spirit to act as far as the light of Nature and Reason will carry him It s but a proud Tenet to be no body or else the best and againe a man may be illighted by the spirit though no saving work which light may further him in actions of such a Nature But more particularly I aske 1. Whether Magistrates have not a calling and also the presence of God amongst them 2. Whether God hath not promised to be with the Ministry to the end of the world 3. This is good councell we desire that no mans Inventions might be set up but that Christ and his Word might be the onely Councellors Ad. 5. This is false no such thing asserted but the contrary viz. that the Magistrate take care that no Doctrine be preached but what the Scripture shall say is true Question 22. If God was to be Blest Ezr. 7.27 for putting into the Heart of a Heathen Magistrate to make Laws for the advancement of true Religion Whether he doth not come neer to a curse that would take out of the Heart oj a Christian Magistrate the advancement of true Religion and perswade him to give a Toleration to the chiefe Enemies of Religion Idolatry and Heresie This Answerer saith that the Proposer highly esteemes this example of Ezra 7. for he is not content to mention it in the seventh Question but he brings it in againe at last I wonder this man is given so much to cavilling let the Reader judge whether Ezra 7. be not brought in here to another purpose then its in the seventh Question And let the Reader observe how highly this man esteemes 1 Cor. 10. Col. 2. indeede every thing he saith for he hath scarse an Argument in his Booke but he babbles it over and over againe and when he hath no way left to bring in his old Traind-Band of Arguments you shall have them with an omitto usherd in c. or not to respect what hath been said before or the like and then he tels all his old taile But he tels us that to this Question he 'le adde some new Queres but he makes a false Mustam for these are but old ones fetcht up againe for to make up a number For as for his first Quere that he saith he 'le adde we have this Quere before in Pag. 74. and againe in Pag. 78. and else where His second Quere by way of addition we have before in Pag. 31. His third we have often before in his booke c. I shall make an end desiring God that he would stirre up thr Magistrate to put forth his power for encouragement of the true Religion for as long as People are kept at this passe that they will have no King nor Ruler in Israel every man will doe what is good in his owne eyes And those that cut off the Magistrate from acting in Ecclesiasticks will at last suspect the Magistrates power in Civils This Author seemes to become so far as to suspect a Murtherous snare in the Law against Theeves and Whores seeing that these Lawes fall often upon honest chast Persons FINIS
appeares from his owne words in t he later end of this page viz. whether here is not promised to this People or rather saith he to these Saints whether literall or spirituall Jewes Thus he enervates the strength of his first Answer by choosing another interpretation but he is so unconstant that in the tenth Page he seemes to be out of love with his choice saying that some Kings were thus impowred by God but what is this to all Kings and Queenes and Magistrates in the world To thesE words of his I subjoyne his owne confession in the third page and desire to know what Harmony there is bet wixt them page 3. saith he I confesse that all Nations all Peoples Kings and Judges ought to be nursing Fathers and Mothers to Christ and his followers Ad. 2. 1. It is not asserted that Kings and Qneenes should be such spirituall Fathers as Paul was for then they should give Food to their Children but the words in the Question are that they should cause this Food to be given This word cause carefully inserted in the Question carelesly omitted by this Answerer perhaps carefully and of set purpose takes off this needlesse question 2. I aske whether Magistrates countenancing and maintaining such as Paul for to nurture up their People in the feare of the Lord may not be called nursing Fathers This Answerer in his next words allowes them to be Shepheards of the People as Poets saith he use to call them he might have said as Scripture cals them Ezek. 34.23 Now a Shepheard ought to provide for his Sheepe and to drive away the Wolves from the Flocks How much comes this short of a nursing Father 3. It is said verse 23. that Kings and Queenes should bow downe to the Saints yet from these words there cannot be necessarily drawne this inference viz. that Magistrates should be so far from challenging this Title of being nursing Fathers as that they should bow downe and acknowledge the Saints to be their Superiours for I desire to know if I bring up a Kings sonne whom I honour above my selfe whether I may not challenge the Office of a nursing Father without degrading the Infant by setting my selfe above him Ad. 3. 1. A Magistrate differs much from a Master of a Ship in regard that those in the Common-wealth are the Magistrates subjects but the Passengers in a Ship are not the Masters Subjects neither was he constituted by them 2. Notwithstanding this vast difference the Magistrate is desired to doe no more then this answerer allowes to a Master of a Ship viz. that he shew kindnesse and countenance according to the quality and temper of his owne beliefe and conscience Vpon this concession the Question will follow viz. that a Magistrate c. Ad. 4. 1. It is granted that Pagan Magistrates are as truly Magistrates for by God they rule as well as Christians but they cannot discharge this their Office so well as Christians so likewise Pagans are as truly Fathers but cannot fully discharge their duties till they be Christians viz. to bring up their Children in the feare of the Lord. 2 A Pagan converted receives no new addition of power to his Magistracy but onely is enabled to mannage this power which he received from God to a right end viz. for God Ad. 5. 1. What followes upon this that Magistrates pretending to be nursing Fathers have mistaken Poyson for Food he cannot draw this conclusion that Magistrates ought to take no more care for their Subjects in matters of Religion by the same Logicke I 'le argue that Parents having been mistaken grosly in the education of their Children Fathers are not to looke after the bringing up of their Children What a petious Arguments is this 2. The true consequence will be this that seeing Magistrates have been often mistaken therefore they ought to take the greater care and to doe nothing rashly but be well advised 3. This Doctrine did not cost King Charles his Life he was farre from being a nursing Father for he hugged in his bosome that stinging Serpent Idolatry 4. King Charles was cut off for miscarriages in civill affaires for not mannaging his power for the good of his Subjects yet this example should not deterre men from taking the Magistracy upon them but should rather stir them up to remove the Idols of their Fathers and to give heed that they rule with diligence and Justice Question 2.3 Whether the Doctrine of Grace that bringeth Salvation doe not teach men to live Godly Righteously and soberly and more particularly to obey Magistrates and to live in Love and peace among themselves and whether such a Doctrine doe not advance the peace and prosperity of a Nation and consequently whether a Magistrate be not bound to advance this Doctrine which doth advance the peace and prosperity of a Nation Whether Godlinesse hath not the promise of this life and that to come And whether these promises doe not containe in them all good and happinesse and if so whether the Magistrate be not bound to his power to advance that godlinesse which gives all good and happinesse to a Nation The Summe of the severall answers 1. Pa. 13.19 Whether the Magistrate receiving his power from the People can have any power in Spirituals 2. Pa. 14. Whether there be any such thing as a Nationall Church 3. Pa. 17. Whether there be not flourishing States that are Pagans and whether the godly are not persecuted and whether Gods people have any other peace then spirituall peace 4. Mercy to the persecuted is the upholder of a State P. 17.18.19 and hath raisd Amsterdam Reply 1. Ad. 1. Whether the Magistrate being stiled a Minister of God for his Peoples good is not to defend the true Religion as well as keepe the civill peace 2. Whether a Magistrate in making Laws about Spirituals doth exceed the bounds of his calling seeing that such lawes are for the good of his Subjects and his Subjexts have given him power to doe what is for their good 3. Whether Christians may not give power about Spirituals to their Magistrates seeing in some cases it is allowd them to make Ministers 4. Whether we read in Scripture of any punisht for not reforming Idolatry in the reigne of the Kings besides the Kings themselves which clearly shews that it is the Magistrates duty to punish Idolatry 5. Whether the People gave the Magistrate power to give liverty to Idolatry and Heresy Ad. 2. 1. The Answerers three utrums against Nationall Churches are besides the question for the words in the question viz. that the Magistrate is bound to advance the Doctrine of grace and godlinesse doe onely denote that the Magistrate is bound to encourage men to preach this Doctrine and to keepe out of the Pulpit Idolatry and Heresy I cannot perceive that this question doth erect a Nationall Church for a Magistrate may doe thus much where the Churches are Congregationall There is a difference
as much as they are Hypotheticall 3. That it 's the duty of the Magistrate to destroy the greatest part of the world cannot be gathered from the former Examples For we read 1 King 18.39 in that generall defection of the People all were not destroyed but onely the Ring-leaders and I aske How consequence can be gathered hence for the punishing of such Nations as the Moabites for this is contrary to Davids practise which this Answerer urgeth before Ad. 2. 1. In Answer to the first difference alledged I say he contradicts himselfe in saying that all Nations in the World condemne Murther for in pag. 51. of his booke he saith that the Mexicans murther many thousand Infants to their Dieties c. What are not the Mexicans in the World Againe sure this Author never heard of Man-eaters nor of Duellers farther if no crime should be punished by the Magistrate but what hath beene condemned by all Nations It 's plain Murther should not be punished 2. In answer to his second difference I aske whether many resolute Theeves have not been hanged in England that would not confesse their fault I beleeve if Idolatry was punished as Murther is many Idolators and Hereticks would recant yet I doe not deny but that some Idolators in their gallantry might give their Bodies to be burnt 3. In Answer to his third I say without punishing Idolatry and Heresie it 's as impossible men should live as Christians 1 Tim. 2.2 Ad. 3. 1. That of the two edged Swords is formerly answered 2. I aske whether adding Adultery to Murther ought to free that Murtherer from the civill Sword Gods punishing with spirituall judgements should rather awaken the Judges of the Earth to execute Judgement Question 19. Whether Asa did well in forbidding Idolatrous worship and bringing the People into a Covenant with God Sect. 22. since as the Examiner saith he might thereby have made many to turne Hipocrits when yet the Scripture saith that they sware with all their heart and sought God with their whole desire 2 Chr 15 And though Hypocrisie should follow such boly commands whether the fault of Hypocrisie be not from the Corruption of the Hypocrite Rom. 7.12.13 and not at all from a holy and good Command The Summe of the severall Answers 1. It was no guilt of Hypocrisie in Asa to compell that whole Nation but now to force thousands to a Religion their Fathers knew not fils a Nation with Hipocrisie There is a twofold Hipocrisie that which is more hidden and secret as Achitophels with David that which is more open as that of the ten Tribes professing the name of the God of Israel and yet with all the worship of the Calves Is not this the state of a thousand named Christians professing Christ in word but in workes denying him over-spread with Abominations and I dolatries 2. To force the Ignorant prophane Nations into a pretended holy fellowship with God is more then to force into the Beds of men of Honour impudent Whores Reply Ad. 1. 1. It was no guilt of Hipocrisie in Asa for it 's said the People swore with all their heart but I aske this Answerer Whether Josiah was guilty of Hipocrisie of the People that turned fainedly unto the Lord whether if the Magistrate Gods vicegerent and the good Laws he makes and execute be the cause of Hipocrisie God his Law may not be said to be guilty of Hipocrisie whether good commands be not to be executed notwithstanding the Hipocrisie that may follow in regard that some men onely yeeld outward conformity whether God for the outward reforming of some Magistrates hath not spared a Nation for their time and afterwards punished the Nation for their Hipocrisie which clearly shews that if the heart of a Magistrate be upright in reforming he is not guilty of Hipocrisie though his people hipocrititally conform c. 2. It s not desired that men should be forced to a Religion their Fathers knew not but that they might be kept from Idolatry and Heresie 3. The Magistrate may prevent this open Hipocrisie of denying God in their worke by punishing those Abominations Iaske Whether a Magistrate punishing these Abominations would by that means fill a Nation with Hipocrisie of this latter sort whether Asa his forbidding Idolatrous worship filled the Nation with the worship of the Calves I think Nations are filled with Hipocrisie of this latter sort be the Magistrate not exercising his power to restraine them 4. In that first Chapter of Titus quoted by this Answerer the reason is given why so many Professors denyed God in their works and it was because the mouthes of Seducers were not stopt and ordained Elders set up amongst the Cretians so that the Magistrates setting up an able Ministry and stopping the mouths of Seducers need not feare the filling of his Nation with Hipocrisie Ad. 2. 1. I aske Who pleads for the forcing of Ignorant prophane men into fellowship with God It 's only desired that they may be taugh the Law of the Lord I hope this is no defiling the bed of Christ 2. Whether he that pleads for the permitting of Spirituall whoredomes and abominations amongst Christians is not guilty of this crime Question 20. Whether the parts and portions of Scripture that contain Principles necessary to Salvation Sect. 9. deserve to be called meerly by the Name of Formes and much lesse to be despised under that Name And consequently whether the Examiner think it fit upon the title of Formes to despise the Pinciples of the Doctrine of Christ mentioned by the Author to the Hebrews Heb. 6.1 The Summe of the severall Answers 1. The words of the Examiner are only these viz. do you yet make so much of Forms as to force men to bow down to them from which words cannot be gathered that he cals any principle of Salvation a Forme or despiseth it under that name His words seeme to note that there are many forms of worship and that every Sect is apt to force others to bow downe to his Forme 2. Papist and Protestant talke of Principles necessary to Salvation and yet binde up all in one To beleeve as the Church beleeves 3. Divers reckon up many fundamentals yet I aske what we think of the short word the Lord Jesus and howsoever some grant that a distinct knowledge of Christ is necessary to Salvation yet we know what is extant of a possibility of Salvation without a distinct knowledge of Christ I aske Whether it be not dangerous to set a bound of so much knowledge as to the degrees of it without which there is no Salvation 4. Forms of worship are usually without the power of godlinesse yet I acknowledge there have been encreasings of light in Nationall reformings and I am farre from imagining that people should hold nothing and doe nothing but I desire men should examine the Scripture and hold fast to the death that which they have received from the Father of lights