befall the truest Churches of the Lord Jesus at Antioch Corinth Galatia who were exercised with great distractions Secondly it is a common character of a false Church maintained by the Smiths and Cutlers Shop to enjoy a quiet calme and peaceable tranquility A false church may enforce a present greater though false grace then the true Spouse of Christ Iesus none daring for feare of civill punishment to question object or differ from the common roade and custome Thus sings that great Whore the Antichristian Church Revel 18 I sit as a Queen am no Widow see no sorrow while Christs dearest complaines she is forsaken sits weeping as a Widow Lam. 1. Thirdly Gods people in that way have somtimes long enjoyed sweet peace and soul contentment in England Holland New England and other places and would not have exchanged a day of such an holy and peaceable harmonie for thousands in the Courts of Princes seeing no other Gods people have found infinit sweetnes and peace in some times of their holy communion and in sinceritie seeking after the Lord Jesus And yet I humbly conceive that as David with the Princes and 30 thousand Israelites carrying the Ark on the shoulders of the Oxen leaped and danced with great rejoycing untill God smote Vzzah for his Error and Disorder and made a breach and a teaching Monument of Perez Vzzah the breach of Vzzah So in like manner all those celebrations of the spirituall Arke or Ordinances Breaches have been and must be among all Gods people to make them celebrate the Lords holy ordinances according to due order which yet I have know although for the present accompanied with great rejoycing and tryumphing yet as they have not been after the Due Order so have they all met with and still must a Peâ—â—â— Vzzah breaches and Divisions untill the Lord Jesus discover direct and incourage his servants in his own due holy Order and appointment And for growth in Grace notwithstanding that amongst all sorts of Gods Witnesses some false brethren creep in as cheaters and spies and Judasses dishonouring the name of Christ Jesus Many gracelesse Iudasses amongst Gods people and betraying his Witnesses yet Sathan himselfe the accuser of the Saints cannot but confesse that multitudes of Gods Witnesses reproached with the names of Brownists and Anabaptists have kept themselves from the error of the wicked and grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus endevouring to clense themselves from all filthines both of flesh and spirit Multitudes of gracions and holy persons that have professed Separation and to finish holines in the feare of God I will not make odious and envious comparisons but desire that all that name the name of the Lord Iesus may depart wholly and for ever from iniquity CHAP. XXIIII Lastly he addeth M. Cotton That such as erring through simplicitie and tendernes have grown in grace have grown also to discern their lawfull liberty in the hearing of the Word from English preachers Ans I will not question the uprightnes of some â—oure sorts of back-sliders from Separation far from growth in grace who have gone back from many truths of God which they have professed yet mine own experience of 4 sorts who have back-sliden I shall report for a warning to all into whose hands these may come to be like Antipas Revel 2. a faithfull witnesse to the death to any of the truths of the Lord Jesus which he shall please to be trust them with First I have known no small number of such torn to absolute Familisme Some back-sliding turn to Familisme and under their pretences of great raptures of Love deny all obedience to or seeking after the pure Ordinances and appointments of the Lord Jesus Secondly Some to prophanesse others have laid the raines upon the necks of their consciences and like the Dog lickt up their vomit of former loosnes and prophanes of lip and life and have been so farre from growing in grace that they have turned the grace of God into wantonnes Thirdly Some to persecuting of others others backsliding have lost the beautie and shining of a tâ—nder conscience toward God and of a mercifull compassion toward men becomming most fierce persecutors of their own formerly fellow witnesses and of any other who have differd in conscience from them Lastly Some tâ— languishing in sorrow and sadnesse c. others although preserved from Familisme prophanes and persecuting of others yet the leafe of their Christian course hath withered the later beautie and savour of their holines hath not been like their former and they have confest do their sin their weaknes their bondage and wish they were at liberty in their former freedom and some have gone with little peace but sorrow to their graves confessing to my selfe and others that God never prospered them in soule or body since they sold away his truth which once they had bought and made profession of it never to sell it CHAP. XXV Yea but saith he they have grown to discern their lawfull libertie Mr. Cotton to return to the hearing of the Word from English preachers Ans Here I might ingage my selfe in a contraversie which neither this Treatise will permit Mr. Cans answer to Mr Robinsons Liberty of hearing nor is there need since it hath pleased the Father of lights to stirre up the spirit of a faithfull Witnes of his truth in this particular Mr. â—ann to make a large and faithfull reply to a Book Printed in Mr. Robinsons name tending to prove such a lawfull Liberty For such excellent and worthy persons whom Mr. Cotton here intends by the name of English preachers I acknowledge my selfe unworthy to hold the candle to them Mr Cottons confession concerning the ministry yet I shall humbly present what Mr. Cotton himselfe professeth in 3 particulars First concerning this title English preachers Secondly hearing the Word from such English preachers Thirdly the lawfull calling of such to the Ministry or service according to Christ Jesus For the first he acknowledgeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the ordinarie Ministers of the Gospel are Pastors Teachers Bishops Overseers Elders and that their proper worke is to feed and govern a truly converted holy and godly people gathered into a flock or Church estate and not properly preachers to convert beget make Disciples Matth. 28. which the Apostles and Evangelists professedly were Now then that man that professeth himselfe a Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and professeth to feed a Flock or Church with the Ordinances of Word and Prayer he must needs acknowledge that his proper worke is not to preach for conversion Preachers and Pastor fâ—â—re different which is most preposterous amongst a converted Christian people fed up with Ordinances in Church estate So that according to Mr. Cottons confession English preachers are not Pastors Teachers Bishops Elders but preachers of glad news Evangelists men sent to convert and
will be accepted of the Lord and who can tell but that he may blesse it to you also if by his help I endeavour to shew you the sandines of those grounds out of which you have banished your self from the fellowship of all the Churches in these Countries Answ First I acknowledge it an holy Character of an heavenly Spirit Will-worship varnished over with the glittering shew of Humility to make ingenuous true acknowledgement of an uncircumcised lip yet that discerning Spirit which God graciously vouchsafeth to them that tremble at his word shall not only find that not only the will worships of men may be painted and varnished over with the glittering shew of humility Spirituall priâ—e may swell out of the sence of a mans Humility Coloss 2. but also Gods dearest servants eminent for humility and meeknes may yet be troubled with a swelling of spirituall pride out of the very sence of their humility It pleased God to give Paul himselfe preventing physick against this distemper in the midst of Gods gracious revelation to him Humility most unseasonable in setting up will-worship or persecuting others And what an humble argument doth David use when himself advised by Nathan went about an evill work out of an holy intention to wit a work of will worship in building the Temple unbidden Behold I dwell in an house of cedars but the Arke of God in a tent 2 Sam. 7. Humility is never in season to set up superstition or to persecute Gods children CHAP. II. Secondly I observe his charge against me for not hearkning to a twofold voice of Christ first of the whole Church of Christ with me Unto which I answere according to my conscience and perswasion I was then charged by Office with the feeding of that flock and when in the apprehension of some publike evils Publike sins the cause of publike Calamities must be faithfully discovered by spiritual watchmen the whole Countrey profest to humble it selfe and seek God I endeavoured as a faithfull Watchman on the walls to sound the Trumpet and give the Alarum and upon a Fast day in faithfullnes and uprightnesse as then and still I am perswaded I discovered 11 publike sins for which I beleeved and doe it pleased God to inflict and further to threaten publike calamities Most of which 〈◊〉 if not all that Church then seemed to assent unto untill afterward in my troubles the greater part of that Church was swayed and bowed whether for feare of persecution or otherwise to say and practise what to my knowledge with signes and groans many of them mourned under I know the Church of Colosse must say to Archippus Coloss 4. Take heed to thy Ministry Faithfullnes to God and Man though for present Censured will give rejoycing in day of Death and judgement c which he may negligently and proudly refuse to hearken to But let my case be considered and the word of the Lord examined and the difference of my case will shine forth and my faithfullnes and uprightnes to God and the soules of that people will witnesse for me when my soule comes to Hezechiahs case on his death bed and in that great day approaching For my not hearkning to the second voice the testimony of so many Elders and Brethren of other Churches because I truely esteem and honour the persons of which the New-English Churches are constituted The Popish argument from Multitudes I will not answere the argument of numbers and multitudes against One as we use to answere the Popish universalitie that God somtimes stirs up one Elijah against 800. of Baals Priests one Micaiah against 400. of Ahabs Prophets one Athanasius against many hundreth of Arrian Bishops one Iohn Hus against the whole Councel of Constance Luther and the 2 Witnesses against many thousands c. David and the Princes and 30 thousand of Israel a type of Gods best servants reforming yet not after the due Order Yet this I may truly say that David himself and the Princes of Israel and 30 thousand Israel carrying up the Arke were not to be hearkned to nor followed in their as I may say holy rejoycings and Triumphings the due Order of the Lord yet being wanting to their holy intentions and affections and the Lord at last sending in a sad stop and breach of Vzzah amongst them Perez Vzzah as he hath ever yet done and will doe in all the Reformations that have been hitherto made by his Davids which are not after the due Order To which purpose it is maintained by the Papists themselves An excellent confession of â—he Papists concerning Scripture and by their Councels that Scripture only must be heard yea one Scripture in the mouth of one simple Mechannick before the whole Councel By that only do I desire to stand or fall in triall or judgement For all flesh is grasse and the beautie of flesh the most wisest holiest learnedst is but the flowre or beautie of grasse only the word of Jehovah standeth fast for ever CHAP. III. Thirdly Mr. Cotton endeavoureth to discover the sandines of those grounds out of which as he saith I have banished my selfe c. I answere I question not his holy and loving intentions and affections Good intentions and affections in Gods people accepte with God when their indevours perish and burn like stubble c. and that my grounds seem sandie to himselfe and others Those intentions and affections may be accepted as his person with the Lord as David of his desires to build the Lord a Temple though on sandy grounds Yet Mr. Cottons endeavours to prove the firm rock of the truth of Jesus to be the weak and uncertain sand of mans invention those shall perish and burn like hay or stubble The rockie strength of those grounds shall more appeare in the Lords season and himself may yet confesse so much as since he came into New England he hath confest the sandines of the grounds of many of his practises in which he walked in Old England Many grounds seemed sandie to Mr. Cotton in Old England which now he confesseth to be rockie and the rockinesse of their grounds that witnessed against them and himself in those practises though for that time their grounds seemed sandie to him When my selfe heretofore through the mercy of the most high discovered to himself and othereminent servants of God my grounds against their using of the Common Prayer my grounds seemed sandie to them which since in New England Mr. Cotton hath acknowledged rockie Mr. Cotton formerly perswaded to practise Common Prayer but since hath writt'n against it and hath seen cause so to publish to the world in his Discourse to Mr. Ball against set Forms of Prayer But because the Reader may aske both Mr. Cotton and me what were the grounds of such a sentence of Banishment against me which are here called sandie I shall relate in briefe what those grounds were some whereof he
be banished from the civil state And therfore lastly as he casts dishonour upon the name of God Mr. Cotton not having felt the miseries of others can bee no equall judge of them to make him the Author of such cruell mercy so had his soule been in my soules case exposed to the miseries poverties necessities wants debts hardships of Sea and Land in a banished condition he would I presume reach forth a more mercifull cordiall to the afflicted But he that is despised and afflicted is like a lamp despised in the eyes of him that is at ease Iob. CHAP. VIII Mr. Cotton Yea but he speaks not these things to adde affliction to the afflicted but if it were the holy will of God to move me to a serious sight of my sinne and of the justice of Gods hand against it Against your corrupt Doctrines it pleased the Lord Jesus to fight against you with the sword of his mouth as himselfe speaketh Rev. 2. in the mouthes and testimonies of the Churches Brethren against whom when you overheat your selfe in reasoning and disputing against the light of his truth it pleased him to stop your mouth by a sudden Disease and to threaten to take breath from you But you instead of recoiling as even Balaam offered to doe in the like case chose rather to persist in the way and protest against all the Churches and brethren that stood in your way and thus the good hand of Christ that should have humbled you to see and turn from the error of your way hath rather hardned you therin and quickned you only to see failings yea intollerable errors in all the Churches and brethren rather then in your selfe Answer In these lines an humble and discerning spirit may espie First a glorious justification and boasting of Himselfe and others concurring with him Secondly an unrighteous and uncharitable censure of the afflicted To the first I say no more The lanthorâ—e of Gods word must alone try who fights with the sword of Gods mouth the same word of God but let the light of the holy lanthorne of the word of God discover and try with whom the sword of Gods mouth that is the testimony of the holy Scripture for Christ against Antichrist abideth And whether my self and such poore Witnesses of Jesus Christ in Old and New England Low-Countries c. desiring in meeknes and patience to testifie the truth of Jesus against all false callings of Ministers Whether Mr. Cotton persecuting or the answerer persecuted bee likest to Balaam c. Or Mr. Cotton however in his person holy and beloved swimming with the stream of outward credit and profit and smiting with the fist and sword of persecution such as dare not joyn in worship with him I say whether of either be the Witnesses of Christ Jesus in whose mouth is the sword of his mouth the sword of the Spirit the holy word of God and whether is most like to Balaam To the secâ—nâ— his censure It is true it pleased God by excessivâ— labours on the Lords dayes The answerers profession concerning his sicknes which Mr. Cotton upbraids to him and thrice a week at Salem by labours day and night in my Field with my own hands for the maintenance of my charge by travells also by day and night to goe and return from their Court and not by over-heating in dispute divers of themselves confessing publikely my moderation it pleased God to bring me neare unto death in which time notwithstanding the mediating testimony of two skillfull in Physick I was unmercifully driven from my chamber to a Winters flight During my sicknes I humbly appeale unto the Father of Spirits for witnes of the upright and constant diligent search my spirit made after him in the examination of all passages both my private disquisitions with all the chief of their Ministers and publike agitations of points controverted and what gracious fruit I reaped from that sicknes I hope my soule shall never forget However I mind not to number up a catalogue of the many censures upon Gods servants in the time of Gods chastisements and visitations on them Scripture history experience can witnes the censures upon Gods servants in their afflictions both in Scripture History and experience Nor retort the many evills which it pleased God to bring upon some chief procurers of my sorrows nor upon the whole State immediatly after them which many of their own have observed and reported to me but I commit my cause to him that judgeth Righteously and yet resolve to pray against their Evils Psal 141. CHAP. IX Mr. Cotton In which course though you say you doe not remember an houre wherein the countenance of the Lord was darkned to you yet be not deceived it is no new thing with Sathan to transform himselfe into an Angel of light and to cheare the soule with false peace and with flashes of counterfeit consolation Sad and wofull is the memorie of Mr. Smiths strong consolation on his death-bed which is set as a seale to his grosse and damnable Arminianisme and Enthusiasme delivered in the confession of his Faith prefixed to the Storie of his life and death The countenance of God is upon his people when they feare him not when they presume of their own strength and his consolations are not found in the way of prefidence and error but in the wayes of humilitie and truth Ans To that part which concerns my self the speech hath reference either to the matter of justification or else matter of my affliction for Christ of both which I remember I have had discourse For the first I have exprest in some conference as Mr. Cotton himselfe hath also related concerning some A soule at peace with God may yet endure great combats concerning sanctification with whom I am not worthy to be named that after first manifestations of the countenance of God reconciled in the blood of his Son unto my soule my questions and trouble have not been concerning my reconciliation and peace with God but concerning sanctification and fellowship with the holines of God in which respect I desire to cry with Paul in the bitternes of my spirit O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Secondly it may have reference to some conference concerning affliction for his Names sake in which respect I desire to acknowledge the faithfullnes of his word and promise to be with his in 6 troubles and in 7 through fire and water making good 100 fold with persecution Affliction for Christ sweet to such of his servants as suffer ought for his names sake and I have said and must say and all Gods witnesses that have borne any paine or losse for Jesus must say that fellowship with the Lord Jesus in his sufferings is sweeter then all the fellowship with sinners in all the profits honours and pleasures of this present evill world And yet 2 things I desire
to speak to all men and my selfe Two cautions for any in persecution for conscience Let every man prove his worke Gal. 6. and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe and not in another Secondly if any man love God that soule knows God or rather is known of God 1 Cor. 8. Selfe-love may burn the bodie but happy only he whose love alone to Christ constrains him to be like unto him and suffer with him To that which concerneth Mr. Smith Mr. Smith godly and a light to Mr. Cotton and others though left to himself in some things although I knew him not and have heard of many points in which my conscience tells me it pleased the Lord to leave him to himselfe yet I have also heard by some whose testimonie Mr. Cotton will not easilie refuse that he was a man fearing God and I am sure Mr. Cotton hath made some use of those principles and arguments on which Mr. Smith and others went concerning the constitution of the Christian Church The infinite compassions of God Gods infinite compassions toward those whose hearts are upright with him which lay no sin to Davids charge but the sin of Vritah 1 King 15. have graciously comforted the soules of his on their death-bed accepting and crowning their uprightnes and faithfullnes and passing by what otherwise is grievous and offensive to him And indeed from the due consideration of that instance it appeares that no sin is comparably so grievous in Gods Davids The opinion of putting Vriâ—ah to death the vilest of all opinions as a treacherous slaughter of the faithfull whom we are forced to call beloved in Christ That opinion in Mr. Cotton or any is the most grievous to God or man and not comparable to any that ever Mr. Smith could be charged with It is true the countenance and consolations of God are found in the wayes of humilitie and truth As the weights of the sanctuary were double so must there bee double pondering in all the affairs of Gods worship and Sathan transformeth him like to an Angel of light in a counterfeit of both In which respect I desire to worke out salvation with feare and trembling and to doe nothing in the affaires of God and his Worship but like the weights of the Sanctuarie with double care diligence and consideration above all the affaires of this vanishing life And yet Christs consolations are so sweet that the soule that tasteth them in truth in suffering for any truth of his will not easily part with them though thousands are deceiv'd and deluded with counterfeits CHAP. X Mr. Cotton Two stumbling blocks I perceive have turned you off from Fellowship with us First the want of fit matter of our Church Secondly disrespect of the Separate Churches in England under affliction our selves practising Separation in peace For the first you acknowledge as you say with joy that godly persons are the visible members of these Churches but yet you see not that godly persons are matter fitted to constitute a Church no more then Trees or Quarries are fit matter proportioned to the building This exception seemeth to me to imply a contradiction to it selfe for if the matter of the Churches be as you say godly persons they are not then as Trees unfeld and Stones unhewen godlinesse cutteth men downe from the former root and heweth them out of the pit of corrupt nature and fitteth them for fellowship with Christ and with his people You object first a necessity lying upon godly men before they can be fit matter for Church fellowship to see bewaile repent and come out of the false churches worship ministry government according to Scriptures Isa 62. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 17. and this is to be done not by a locall removall or contrary practise but by a deliverance of the soule understanding will judgement and affection Ans First we grant that it is not locall removall from former pollution nor contrary practise that fitteth us for fellowship with Christ and his Church but thas it is necessary also that we repent of such former pollutions wherewith we have been defiled and inthralled We grant further that it is likewise necessary to Church-fellowship we should see and discerne all such pollutions as do so farre inthrall us to Antichrist as to separate us from Christ But this we professe unto you that wherin we have reformed our practice therein have we endeavoured unfeignedly to humble our soules for our former contrary walking if any through hypocrisie are wanting herein the hidden hypocrisie of some will not prejudice the sinceritie and faithfullnesse of others nor the Church estate of all Answ That which requireth Answere in this passage is a charge of a seeming contradiction to wit That persons may be godly and yet not fitted for Church estate but remaine as Trees and Quarries unfeld c. Contrary to which it is affirmed that godly persons cannot be so inthralled to Antichrist as to separate them from Christ For the clearing of which let the word of Truth be rightly divided and a right distinction of things applyed there will appeare nothing contradictorie but cleare and satisfactorie to each mans conscience First then I distinguish of a godly person thus The state of godly persons in grosse sins In some acts of sin which a godly person may fall into during those acts although before the all searching and tender eye of God and also in the eyes of such as are godly such a person remaineth still godly yet to the eye of the world externally such a person seemeth ungodly and a sinner Thus Noah in his Drunkennesse thus Abraham Lot Samson Job David Peter in their lying whoredomes cursings Murther denying and forswearing of Christ Jesus although they lost not their inward sap and root of life Godly persons falling into grosse sins are to expresse repentance before they can bâ— admitted to the church yet suffred they a decay and fall of leafe and the shew of bad and evill Trees In such a case Mr. Cotton will not deny that a godly person falling into drunkennes wheredome deliberate murther denying and forswearing of Christ the Church of Christ cannot receive such persons into Church-fellowship before their sight of humble bewailing and confessing of such evills notwithstanding that love may conceive there is a root of godlines within Gods children long asleep in respect of Gods worship though alive in the grace of Christ Secondly Gods children Cant. 5. notwithstanding a principle of spiriuall life in their soules yet are lul'd into a long continued sleep in the matters of Gods worship I sleep though my heart waketh The heart is awake in spirituall life and grace as concerning personall union to the Lord Jesus and conscionable endeavours to please him in what the heart is convinced yet asleep in respect of abundant ignorance and negligence and consequently grosse abominations and pollutions of Worship in which the choisest servants of God and most
Gods Worship And therfore to that instance of the Fathers Poligamie I answer First by observing what great sins godly persons may possibly live and long continue in notwithstanding godlinesse in the root Secondly I aske if any person of whose godlines Mr. Cot. hath had long perswasion should beleeve and maintaine as questionles the Fathers had grounds satisfying their consciences for what they did that he ought to have many Wives and accordingly so practised The case of Poligamy or many wives of the Fathers I say I aske whether Mr. Cotton would receive such a godly person to Church fellowship yea I aske whether the Church of the Jewes had they seen this evill would have received such a Proselite from the Gentiles and when it was seen whether any persons so practising would have been suffred amongst them But lastly what was this personall sinne of these godly persons was it any matter of Gods worship any joyning with a false Church Ministry Worship Government from whence they were to come before they could constitute his true Church and enjoy his Worship Ministery Government c. Mr. Cotton concludeth this passage thus The Church of Corinth had such as partook with Idolaters in their Idolls temple and was not this saith he touching of an uncleane thing and did this reject these members from Church fellowship before conviction and did it evacuate their Church estate for not casting out of such members Ans This was an uncleane thing indeed from which God calls his people in this place with glorious promises of receiving them and Mr. Cotton confesseth that after conviction any member obstinate in these unclean touches ought to be rejected for saith he did this sin reject these members from Church fellowship before conviction And upon the same ground that one obstinate person ought to be rejected out of Church estate It lesseneth not a rebellion that it is in a multitude hence a Citie in Israel idolatrous was to be destroyed upon the same ground if a greater company or Church were obstinate in such uncleane touches and so consequently in a rebellion against Christ ought every sound Christian Church to reject them and every sound member to withdraw from them And hence further it is cleare that if such unclean touches obstinately maintained as Mr. Cotton confesseth and practiseth be a ground of rejection of a person in the Church Obstinacte that casteth out will keep out from communion with the Lord Iesus in his Church questionlesse it is a ground of rejection when such persons are to joyne unto the Church And if obstinacie 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 Jesus Christ The greatest question here would be The Church of Corinth every true Church separate from Idols as a chast virgin to Christ Whether the Corinthians in their first constitution were separate or no from such Idoll Temples and this Mr. Cotton neither doth nor can deny a Church estate being a state of mariage unto Jesus Christ and so Paul professedly saith he had espoused them as a chast virgin to Christ Iesus 2 Cor. 11. CHAP. XVII Mr. Cotton proceeds to answer some other allegations which I produced from the confession of sinne made by Iohns Disciples and the Proselite Gentiles before they were admitted into Church fellowship Mat. 3. 6. Acts 19. 18. Unto which he returneth a 3 fold answere The first is grounded upon his apparent mistake of my words in a grant of mine viz. Such a confession and renunciation is not absolutely necessary if the substance of true repentance be discerned Whence saith he according to your own confession such persons as have the substance of true Repentance may be a true Church I answere it is cleare in the progresse of the whole contraversie The substance of true generall repentance in all Gods children though living in many grosse abominations of false worship Ministry c. that I ever intend by the substance of true Repentance not that generall grace of Repentance which all Gods people have as Luther a Monk and going to yea publishing the German Masse and those famous Bishops burnt for Christ in Qu. Maries dayes but that substance of Repentance for those false wayes of Worship Church Ministry c. in which Gods people have lived although the confessing and renouncing of them be not so particularly exprest and with such godly sorrow and indignation as some expresse and may well become And indeed the whole scope of that caution was for Christian moderation Not the same measure and degrees of repentance in all and gentlenes toward the severall sorts of Gods people professing particular repentance for their spirituall captivity and bondage during which captivitie also I readily acknowledge the substance of repentance and of all the graces of Christ in generall In his second Answere Mr. Cotton saith Mr. Cotton I grant with the one hand and take away with the other for he denies it necessary to the admission of members that every one should be convinced of the sinfullnes of every sipping of the Whores cup for saith he every sipping of a drunkards cup is not sinfull Some have drunk deep of the Whores cup and some but sipt yet intoxicated Ans First he doth not rightly aledge my words for a little before he confesseth my words to be that Antichristian drunkennesse and whoredome is to be confest of all such as have drunk of the Whores cup or but sipt of it In which words I plainly distinguish between such as have drunk deeper of her cup as Papists Popish Priests c. and such as in comparison have but sipt as Gods own people who yet by such sipping have been so intoxicated as to practise spirituall whoredome against Christ in submitting to false Churches Ministrie Worship c. Secondly whereas he saith every sipping of a drunkards cup is not sinfull I answere neither the least sipping nor constant drinking out of the cup which a drunkard useth to drinke in is sinfull but every drunken sip which is our question is questionlesse sinfull and so consequently to be avoyded by the sober whether the cup of corporall or spirituall drunkennes CHAP. XVIII Mr. Cotton Mr. Cotton Yea but saith he the 3000. Jewes were admitted when they repented of their murthering of Christ although they never saw all the superstitious leavenings wherwith the Pharises had bewitched them and so no doubt may godly persons now although they be not yet convinced of every passage of Antichristian superstition c. and that upon this ground that spirituall whoredome and drunkennesse is not so soon discerned as corporall I answer it is not indeed so easily discerned and yet not the lesse sinfull but infinitly transcendent as much as spirituall sobriety exceeds corporall and the bed of the most high God
exceeds the beds of men who are but dust and ashes Secondly The first Christians the best pattern for all Christians now I answere the converted Jews although they saw not all the leavenings of the Pharises yet they mourned for killing of Christ and embraced him in his Worship Ministry Government and were added to his Church and O that the least beames of light and sparkles of heat were in mine owne and others soules which were kindled by the holy Spirit of God in those famous converts at the preaching of Peter Acts 2. The true Christ now in his Worship Ministrie c. being discerned and repentance for persecuting and killing of him The power of true repentance for killing of Christ being exprest there necessarily follows a withdrawing from the Church Ministry and Worship of the false Christ and submission unto the true and this is the summe and substance of our contraversie Concerning the confession of sinnes unto Iohn Mr. Cotton he grants the Disciples of Iohn confest their sins the Publicans theirs the Souldiers theirs the people theirs but saith he it appeares not that they confest their Pharisaicall pollution And concerning the confession Acts 19. 18. he saith it is not exprest that they confest all their deeds Ans If both these confest their notorious sins as Mr. Cotton expresseth why not as well their notorious sinnes against God their Idolatries Superstitious Worships c. Surely throughout the whole Scripture the matters of God and his Worship are first and most tenderly handled his people are ever described by the title of his Worshippers and his enemies by the title of Worshippers of false gods and worshipping the true after a false manner and to prove this were to bring forth a candle to the bright shining of the Sun at noon day CHAP. XIX His third answere is Mr. Cotton But to satisfie you more fully and the Lord make you willing in true meeknesse of Spirit to receive satisfaction the body of the members doe in generall professe that the reason of their coming over to us was that they might be freed from the bondage of humane Inventions and Ordinances as their soules groaned under for which al so they professe their hearty sorrow so farre as through ignorance or infirmitie they have bin defiled Beside in our daily meetings and specially in the times of our solemne Humiliations we generally all of us bewaile all our former pollutions wherewith we have defiled our selves and the holy things of God in our former adminstrations and communions but we rather choose to doe it then talke of it and we can but wonder how you can so boldly and resolutely renounce all the Churches of God for neglect of that which you know not whether they have neglected or no and before you have admonished us of our sinfullnes in such neglect if it be found amongst us I answer with humble desires to the Father of Lights Answer for the true meeknes and wisdome of his Spirit here is mention of humane Inventions and Ordinances and defiling themselvs and holy things of God in former Administrations and Communions How can a soule truly oppose Antichrist that endures not to have his name questioned and yet no mention what such Inventions and Ordinances what such Administrations and Communions were We rather choose to doe it saith he then to talke of it which makes me call to mind an expression of an eminent and worthy person amongst them in a solemne conference viz. What need we speake of Antichrist can we not enjoy our liberties without inveighing against Antichrist c. The truth is I acknowledge their witnes against Ceremonies and Bishops but that yet they see not the evill of a Nationall Church notwithstanding they constitute only particular and independant let their constant practice speake in still joyning with such Churches and Ministers in the Ordinances of the Word and Prayer and their Persecuting of my selfe for my humble and faithfull Mr. Cotton witnessing against a nationall Church and yet holding fâ—â—â—owship with it and constant admonishing of them of such unclean walking between a particular Church which they only professe to be Christs and a Nationall which Mr. Cotton professeth to separate from But how could I possibly be ignorant as he seemeth to charge me of their state when being from first to last in fellowship with them an Officer amongst them had private and publike agitations concerning their state and condition Impossible for the answerer to be ignorant of their Church estate as Mr. Cotton pretendeth with all or most of their Ministers and at last suffred for such admonitions to them the miserie of a Winters Banishment amongst the Barbarians and yet saith he You know not what we have done neither have you admonished us of our sinfullnes CHAP. XX. Mr. Cotton Mr. Cotton A third Scripâ—ure which I produced was Haggai 2. 13 14 15. desiring that the place might be throughly weighed and that the Lord might please to hold the scales himselfe the Prophet there telling the Church of the Jewes that if a person unclean by a dead body touch holy things those holy things become uncleane unto them and so saith he is this Nation and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer is uncleane whence I infer'd that even Church Covenants made and Ordinances practiced by persons polluted through spirituall deadnes and filthines of Communion such Covenants and Ordinances become uncleane unto them and are prophaned by them Mr. Cotton answers Your purpose was to prove that Churches cannot be constituted by such persons as are unclean by Antichristian pollutions or if they be so constituted they are not to be communicated with but separated from But the Prophet acknowledgeth the whole Church of the Jews to be unclean and yet neither denies them to be a Church truly constituted nor stirs up himselfe or others to separate from them Ans I acknowledge the true constitution of the Church of the Jewes and affirm that this their true constitution was the reason why they were not to be separated from for being a Nationall Church The 〈◊〉 of the Iewes a Nationall Church truely constituted therfore not to bee separated from Death and captivity in the nationall church typed out spiritual death captivity in the particular ceremoniall and typicall their Excommunication was either putting to death in or captivitie out of that ceremoniall Canaan Hence Salmanassars carrying the â—â— Tribes captive out of this Land is said to be the casting of them out of Gods sight 2 Kings 17. which was their Excommunication Accordingly in the particular Christian Churches Christ Jesus cuts off by spirituall death which is Excommunication or for want of due execution of Justice by that Ordinance in his Kingdome he sells the Church into spirituall captivitie to confused Babylonish Lords and Worships and so drives them out of his sight Now from the consequent of this place in
Haggai mine argument stands good and Mr. Cotton here acknowledgeth it that holy things may be all uncleane to Gods people when they lie in their uncleannes Ceremoniall uncleannesse in the nationall Church typed out morall uncleannesse in the particular as this people did Those Scriptures Levit. 16. Numbers 19. which discourse of typicall and Ceremoniall uncleannesse he acknowledgeth to type out in the Gospel the Morall uncleannes either of dead works Ephes 5. 11. or dead persons 2 Cor. 6. 14. or dead world Gal. 6. 14. and in this place of Haggai he acknowledgeth that Gods people Prince and people were defiled by worldlines in which condition saith he their oblations their bodily labours were all uncleane and found neither acceptance nor blessing from the Lord. Therfore saith he afterward In the Church godly Christians themselves while they attend to the world more then to the things of God are uncleane in the sight of God therfore the Church cannot be constituted of such or if it be constitute of such the people of God must separate from them And lastly he saith the Church of Christ and members therof must separate themselves from their hypocrisie and worldlynes els they and their duties will be unclean in the sight of God notwithstanding their Church estate Ans What have I more spoken then Mr. Cotton himselfe hath uttered in this his explication and application of this Scripture As First that godly persons may become defiled and unclean by hypocrisie and worldlines Secondly while they lie in such a condition of uncleannes all their offerings Mr. Cottons own confession concerning unclean worships even of godly persons persons labours are unclean in the sight of God and have neither acceptance nor blessing from him but they and their duties are unclean in his sight notwithstanding their Church estate Thirdly the Church of Christ cannot be constituted of such godly persons when defiled with such worldlinesse Fourthly the Church câ—nsisting of such worldly persons though otherwise godly and Christian the people of God must separate from them These are Mr. Cottons owne expresse words which justifie Inferences from Master Cottons grant First my former distinction of godly persons in their personall respect between God and themselves and yet becoming ungodly in their outward defilements Secondly they justifie my assertion of a necessitie of cleansing from Antichristian filthines and communions with dead works dead worships dead persons in Gods worship if the touches of the dead world or immoderate love of it doe so defile as Mr. Cotton here affirmeth Thirdly if as he saith the Church cannot be constituted of such godly persons as are defiled by immoderate love of the world much lesse can it be constituted of godly persons defiled with the dead Inventions Worships Communions of unregenerate and ungodly persons Fourthly he justifies a separation from such Churches if so constituted or so constituting because though worldlines be Adulterie against God James 4. yet not comparable to spirituall Adultery of a false bed of Worship Ministrie c. CHAP. XXI Mr. Cotton proceedeth The second stumbling block or offence which you have taken at the way of these Churches is that you conceive us to walk between Christ and Antichrist First in practising separation here and not repenting of our preaching and Printing against it in our own Countrie Secondly in reproaching your selfe at Salem and others for separation Thirdly in particular that my selfe have conceived and spoken that separation is a way that God hath not prospered yet say you the truth of the Churches way depends not upon the countenance of men or upon outward peace and liberty Unto this he answers that they halt not but walke in the mid'st of 2 extreames the one of being defiled with the pollution of other Churches the other of renouncing the Churches for the remnant of Pollutions This moderation he with ingenuous moderation professeth he sees no cause to repent of c. Ans With the Lords gracious assistance we shall prove this middle walking to be no lesse then halting for which we shall shew cause of repentance beseeching him that is a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto his Israel Acts 5 3. First Mr. Cotton himselfe confesseth that no Nationall Provinciall Diocesan or Parish Church wherin some truly godly are not are true Churches Secondly he practiseth no Church estate but such as is constituted only of godly persons nor admitteth any unregenerate or ungodly person Thirdly he confesseth a Church of Christ cannot be constituted of such godly persons who are in bondage to the inordinate love of the world Fourthly if a Church consist of such Gods people ought to separate from them Upon these his owne confessions Mr. Cotton extenuates minceth the â—oot masse and substance of the matter of national churches which he acknowledgeth to be unregenerate not yet born again by naming onely a remnant of pollutions I earnestly beseech Mr. Cotton and all that feare God to ponder how he can say he walks with an even foot between 2 extreams when according to his own confession Nationall Churches Parish Churches yea a Church constituted of godly persons given to inordinate love of the world are false and to be separated from and yet he will not have the Parish Church to be separated from for the remnant of pollution I conceive he meaneth ceremonies Bishops notwithstanding that he also acknowledgeth that the generality of every Parish in England consisteth of unregenerate persons and of thousands inbondaged not only to worldlines but also ignorance superstition scoffing swearing cursing whoredome drunkennesse theft lying What are 2. or 3. or more of regenerate and godly persons in such communions The estate of the godly mingled with the ungodly in worships but as 2 or 3 Roses or Lillies in a wildernesse a few grains of good corne in a heap of chaffe a few sheep among heards of Wolves or Swine or if more civill flocks of Goats a little good dough swallowed up with a whole bushell of leaven or a little precious gold confounded and mingled with a whole heap of drosse The Searcher of all Hearts knowes I write not this to reproach any knowing that my selfe am by nature a child of wrath and that the father of mercies shews mercy to whom and when he will The state of men must be faithfully discovered unto them but for the Name of Christ Jesus in loving faithfullnes to my Countrymens soules and defence of truth I remember my worthy adversary of that state and condition from which his confessions say he must separate his practise in gathering of Churches seemes to say he doth separate and yet he professeth there are but some remnants of pollution amongst them for which he dares not separate CHAP. XXII Mr. Cotton Secondly saith he I know no man that reproacheth Salem for their separation nor doe I beleeve that they doe separate howsoever if any do reproach them for it I think
gather Churches Apostles embassadors trumpeters with Proclamation from the King of Kings to convert subdue bring in rebellious unconverted unbeleeving unchristian soules to the obedience and subjection of the Lord Jesus I readily confesse that at the Pastors or Shepheards feeding of his flock Conversion in a Church accidentall and the Prophets prohecying in the Church an unbeleever coming in is convinced falls on his face and acknowledgeth God to be there yet this is accidentall that any unbeleever should come in Personall repentance â—â—ought in thousands be godly personâ— in Popish ministries and the Pastors worke is to feed his Flock Acts 20. and prophecie is not for unbeevers but for them that beleeve to edefie exhort and comfort the Church 1 Cor. 34. â— 22. I also readily acknowledge that it hath pleased God to work a person 〈◊〉 repentance in the hearts of thousands in Germanie England Low Countries France Scotland Ireland c. Yea and who knows but in Italy Spain Rome not only by such men who decline the name of Bishops Priests Deacons the constituted Ministry of England hitherto but also by such as have owned them as Luther remaining a Monke and famous holy men remaining and burning Lord Bishops To preach mainly for conversion of that people to whom a man stands Shepheard as to a converted people and Flock of Christ a dangerous disorder But all this hath been under the notion of Ministers feeding their flocks not of preachers sent to convert the unconverted and unbeleeving This passage I present for 2 Reasons First because so many excellent and worthy persons mainly preach for conversion as concieving and that truly the body of the people of England to be in a naturall and unregenerate estate and yet account they themselvs fixed and constant Officers and Ministers to particular Parishes or congregations unto whom they also administer the holy things of God though sometimes few and sometimes none regenerate or new borne have been found amongst them which is a matter of high concernment touching the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Gods people must seeke after a ministry sent by Christ to convert and the soules of men Secondly that in these great Earthquakes wherein it pleaseth God to shake foundations civill and spirituall such a Ministry of Christ Jesus may be sought after whose proper worke is preaching for converting and gathering of true penitents to the fellowship of the Son of God CHAP. XXVI The second thing which Mr. Cotton himselfe hath profest concerning English preachers is Mr. Cotton that although the Word yet not the Seales may be received from them because saith he there is no communion in hearing and the Word is to be preached to All but the seales he conceives and that rightly are prophaned in being dispensed to the ungodly c. Ans Mr. Cotton himselfe maintaineth The communion or fellowship of the word taught in a Church estate that the dispensing of the Word in a Church estate is Christs feeding of his flock Cant. 1. 8. Christs kissing of his Spouse or Wife Cant. 1. 2. Christs embracing of his Spouse in the mariage bed Cant. 1. 16. Christs nursing of his children at his wives brest Cant. 4. and is there no communion between the Shepheard and his Sheep the Husband and his Wife in chast kisses and embraces and the Mother and her Child at the brest Beside he confesseth that that Fellowship in the Gospel Phil. 1. 3. is a fellowship or communion in the Apostles doctrine communitie breaking of bread and prayer in which the first Church continued Acts 2. 46. All which overthrows that Doctrine of a lawfull participation of the Word and Prayer in a Church estate where it is not lawfull to communicate in the breaking of bread or seales CHAP. XXVII Thirdly concerning the lawfull Commission or calling of English preachers Mr. Cotton himselfe and others most eminent in New England have freely confest Eminent Ministers so accounted in old England professe themseves private Christians in new England that notwithstanding their former profession of Ministry in Old England yet in New England untill 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 Ministrie but such as they practice in New England and therfore consequently that all other which is not from a particular Congregation of godly persons is none of Christs As first a calling or commission received from the Bishops False callings or commissions for the Ministry Secondly from a Parish of naturall and unregenerate persons Thirdly from some few godly persons yet remaining in Church fellowship after the Parish way Lastly the eminent gifts and abilities are but Qualifications fitting and preparing for a call or Office according to 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. All which premises duly considered I humbly desire of the Father of Lights that Mr. Cotton and all that feare God may try what will abide the firie triall in this particalar when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire c. CHAP. XXVIII The close of his Letteâ— is an Answer to a passage of mine M. Cotton which he repeateth in an Objection thus But this you feare is to condemn the witnesses of Jesus the Separate Churches in London and elswhere and our jealous God will visit us for such arrearages yea the curse of the Angel to Meros will fall upon us because we come not forth to help Jehovah against the mighty we pray not for them we come not at them but at Parishes frequently yea we reproach and censure them To which he answereth that neither Christ nor his Apostles after him nor Prophets before him ever delivered that way That they feare not the Angels curse because it is not to help Iehovah but Sathan to withdraw people from the Parishes where they have found more presence of Christ and evidence of his Spirit then in separated Churches That they pray not for them because they cannot pray in faith for a blessing upon their Separation and that it is little comfort to heare of separated Churches as being the inventions of men and blames them that being desirous of Reformation they stumble not only at the Inventions of men but for their sakes at the Ordinances of the Lord because they separate not only from the Parishes but from the Church at Plimmouth and of that wherof Mr. Lathrop was Pastor who as he saith not only refuse all the Inventions of men but choose to serve the Lord in his own Ordinances Only lastly he professeth his inward sorrow that my self helpe erring though zealous soules against the mighty Ordinances of the Lord which whosoever stumble at shall be broken The garden of the churches of both old and new Testament planted with an hedge or wall of separation from the world because whosoever will not kisse the Sonne that is will not heare and embrace the words of his mouth