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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	faith_n	hear_v	preach_n	3,029	5	10.8817	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34668	A censure of that reverend and learned man of God, Mr. John Cotton, lately of New-England, upon the way of Mr. Henden of Bennenden in Kent, expressed in some animadversions of his upon a letter of Mr. Henden's sometimes sent to Mr. Elmeston (2) a brief and solid exercitation concerning the coercive power of the magistrate in matters of religion, by a reverend and learned minister, Mr. Geo[r]ge Petter ... (3) Mr. Henden's animadversions on Mr. Elmestons's epistle revised and chastized.	Elmeston, John.; Cotton, John, 1584-1652. Censure ... upon the way of Mr. Henden.; Petter, George. Brief and solid exercitation concerning the coercive power of the magistrate in matters of religion.	1656 (1656)	Wing C6415; ESTC R20949	43,719	60

of Religion though we have and might have more liberty than heretofore under the Prelates and were to be thankfull to God and Man for our liberty to serve God in his own way Yet no good Christian but must needs take it to heart to the great abatement of his comfort to see as much liberty granted to Errour Heresie Idolatry c. as to Christ's owne saving Truth and that such abominations to Christs open dishonour and the damnation of soules should have free course and passage I know not well what you mean by a Worldly power whose Prop our Church should need The civill power of the Magistrate especially in a Christian is unfitly so nick-named For it is an Ordinance of God and no● meerely of the World and ought to be imployed for God It may degenerate into a meere worldly power in the hands of pagan and prophane persons when it is exercised onely about worldly matters with a neglect of Religion yea perhaps against Christ and true Religion But if by it you mean the civill Power I doubt not but that our Church as a true Church of Christ can stand without that prop. But this withall I give you to know that even Christs true Church and Religion though it can stand without such worldly support doth yet the more flourish spread and lift up its head● when the civill Magistrate doth undertake the protection and doth countenance it not onely against Persecution but also against contrary Schisms Heresi●s and Idolatry It was some benefit which the Lord did mean the Church should enjoy by the civill Power when he did promise that Kings should be nursing Fathers and Queen●nursing Mothers thereunto Where let it be noted that the promise is made unto the Church and not to all wayes in Religion though Hereticall and Idolatrous as if they should have equell protection and countenance from Kings Queenes and supreme Magistrates with the Church And what benefit the Church hath by the protection and support of the Magistrate as our England may sufficiently witnesse where Religion did more flourish in the free and open worship of God and the number of professions of Religion under the reigne of Edward the sixt blessed Queen Elizabeth c. the one whereof was even in his younger dayes a nursing Father the other all her dayes a nursing Mother to the Church then in the dayes of Queen Mary a cruell S●e p●dame and persecutor thereof So if we take a survey of States abroad certainly we shall perceive that the Church and Religion doth prosper better in Geneva and its territory and among the Helevetian Protestants where one way of true Religion is mainteined than in Polonia such States wherein this mingle-mangle is tolerated Next you would have me remember that the Primitive was built not by Power but by the Spirit That by the Spirit Christ went forth conquering That the Stone dashing all opposers was cut out of the mountaine without hands That Gods people are a willing people and never act nobly but out of a principle of love All this I doe desi●e to remember But what is all this to prove an Universall toleration of all wayes and consciences in Religion which was the thing I insisted on as the main root of much mischief amongst us What cannot the Church be built nor Christ conquer by the Spirit nor Daniels Stone be cut out of the Mountaine without hands nor Gods people be a willing people nor act out of love unlesse such an universall toleration be allowed and it be left as free for men to be Atheists Mahumetans Arrians Pap●sts Hereticks and Sectaries of any kinde as well as to be true sound and orthodox Christians This is a mystery you had need to open to us how such a toleration doth conduce any whit to make the Gospel the more powerfull in converting or Gods people the more free and willing in believing and pro●essing But it seemes you muster up these forces against all coercive power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion But first There was no need to fall upon this controve●sie if your intent were onely to plead for some due liberty for tender consciences that dissent in lesser matters and that in a modest meek and peaceable way which I did not gainsay who onely bent my speech against this miscreant and universall toleration 2. If you intend to argue against all such coercive power here is committed by you ignorated Elenchi you argue not against the question as it ought to be stated which perhaps you conceale that your arguing may be the more plausible among your D●sciples and other simple and well-meaning Readers but such as doe not well understand the state of this controversie For you know which you should have let your Reader know which one thing understood would have cut the sinews of most of your Reasons hudled together about this in your Preface that we do not say that the M●gistrate hath power to comp●ll any man to believe the Gospell or to comp●ll such as are strangers from the Faith to take up the profession of it But we affirm 1. That the Magistrate may and ought to prohibite his Subjects now in the dayes of the Gospel the open exercise of Impious and Idolatrous worship the open profession of ungodly Errors and Heresies yes also of rash and uncharitable rent● from the true Church in his Dominion and the open neglect and prophaning of the Lords day 2. It is in his power and it becometh him to command them yea even such as be strangers from the Faith to attend that worship of God which is naturally morall as to hear the Word read and preached that they may be convinced of their false Religion instructed in the true Faith and converted to it by the Lords blessing coming in upon their hearing and others outwardly professing the Faith might be confirmed in it and converted in the Inner man to a reall and powerfull profession of it and also to joyn in prayer and praising God It doth not impeach this assertion that David did not cause the Edomites Moabites and other Idolatrou● Nations conquered by him to renounce their Idolatrous Worship but did suffer them in it nor did send any to teach them God● Law or constraine them to attend it The Lord in those dayes had confined his worship and covenant of Salvation onely to the people of the Jewes and would not have it made common generally to other Nations except to some few Proselytes that came in but had shut them out from this Covenant wherefore David was not obliged to any such c●re of them nor had any warrant to send any to teach them Gods Lawes and Wayes but now under the Gospel there it no such r●●●raint but as God would have all men to repent and his Grace is free for all Nations So supreme Magistrates had they any Heathen under their power they were so as above to exercise their power to put

down their Idolatry and bring them to Gods worship But this is to be taken in by the way That meer force is not to be used but instruction and teaching to informe in the truth and to perswade the will ought to go along with power that they be not driven as Beasts but led fairly along as men of reason and understanding 3. For such Subjects as have been baptized into the faith of Christ and so have given themselves to the profession of it the Magistrate may and ought to provide against their renouncing of the Faith and falling to Heresie and Idolatry and for their submitting to meanes of being further taught and built up in it and holding forth the profession of it as otherwise so especially in frequenting the worsh●p of God Last The Magistrate may and ought by his Authority not onely give way to the profession of the true Religion and some way to countenance it but is bound to provide that Gods Word be preached by faithfull and able Ministers that they be encouraged and well maintained and to command the practice of Gods worship in all points by Gods people Now your Scriptures make not against this Assertion thus explained For they chiefly intend the inward conversion and work of Grace in the heart which is onely the work of the Spirit and to which the civil power cannot reach nor doe we allow him to meddle with it as if by his Lawes he could work it They concern not these outward actions mentioned which may be reached and regulated by the civill Power And though inward Conversion be the sole work of the Spirit yet doth it not exclude the use of outward meanes which do either more directly conduce or occasionally make some way for that work 1. It doth not exclude the preaching hearing or other use of Gods Word by which the Spirit worketh Faith and other saving Graces in men Nor 2. Doth it exclude the exercise of Church-censures which availe to keep men in the Faith and an holy Conversation Nor 3. The command of the M●gistrate so far as hath been said to restraine men from Idolatry and Heresie which cannot but hinder the work of true Conversion and to command the attendance on the Word preached and other meanes of instruction whereby men may be brought under the shadow of the holy Ghost that he may work on them But to touch upon your Scriptures more particularly for that of Zeeharie I shall desire the Reader to wait for the clearing of it untill I come to a passage in your Book following where it is againe alledged and will be more fitly examined To that of Rev. 6. 2. it is but your single conceit as you affect to be an odde man by your selfe that by the white Horse whereon Christ is said there to ride forth conquering or the Bow in his hand is meant of the Spirit It is an expression not to be parallel'd and sense not well sounding to say That Christ doth ride on the Spirit or carry the Spirit in his hand It is the more generall and genuine sense to understand it of the preaching of the Gospel according to that of Psal 45. where Christ it bid to ride forth verse 4. as on an horse which is there expounded his truth and furnished with sharp arrows verse 5. to pierce the heart of his enemies Now the preaching of the Word doth carry forth Christ as it were on Horseback in the view of men and out of it as a Bow in his hand doth he shoot his divine Doctrine Promises and Threats which pierce to the heart of men and by it he did and doth conquer the world The preaching of the Gospel hath its ●fficacy indeed from the Spirit going forth with it which conquering power of the preaching of the Gospel and of the Spirit the command of the Magistrate as above declared doth no way hinder but promote rather as tending to bring men within the rode of that white Horse that they may be conquered by his Rider and brought to his Obedience and within the reach of his Bow that his Arrowes may pierch their hearts with godly sorrow for sin and make them fall downe unto Christ Subordinata non pugnant saith the Logician Things subordinate fight not one with another but are subservient one to the other For the Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands Dan. 2. 34. it doth indeed typifie Christ and the Church his Kingdome And as he concerning his humane nature was framed in the Womb of the Virgin Mary without any procreation from man and set up as King of the Church by God alone without mans concurrence so his Church and Kingdome was first set up by Gods onely power and authority and not by that of Man but so that outward means were and are a●so used by him and all is not done by the immediate power of God without any use of meanes as at first the world was created by him For there are Ministers employed to preach the Gospell Magistrates set on work to countenance and defend it and by their authority to set it up in their Countreys Professours raised up to hold it forth in their lives to suffer for it bu● these means are so used by the Lord that the whole work and successe of it appears to be from Gods power and blessing alone not at all from man as hereafter I shall more largely shew and so is cut out as it were without hands It is manifest that in the overthrow of those mighty Monarchies figured and set out Dan. 2. the Lord did use the power of the Sword and Armies and I believe that you think that Christ this Stone doth so now and will doe the like in dashing to pieces all the mighty Opposers of his Kingdome And therefore all things that are done toward the advancement of this Kingdome are not wholly done without hands or externall meanes And why then may not Christ also use some hands or externall meanes in some things that more directly tend to the setting up and maintaining his Church and Kingdom whose successe and efficacy yet is not from themselves but wholly from Christs power and spirit and so effected as it were without hands For Psal. 110. 3. and 47. 9. which say That Gods people must be a willing people and 2 Cor. 5. 14. That they act not nobly unlesse out of love How doth the command of the Magistrate as it is above laid downe hinder them in Gods service to be a willing people or to act out of love For if they command good and lawfull things the command doth not hinder their willingnesse in the doing of them but encourage them in it as knowing that they shall do them with praise and approbation If they restraine them by their command from evill things men ought not at any time to be willing to doe evill but rather should willingly be restrained from it And it is better that against their will they be

them which before hath been declared to be otherwise The Magistrates power doth not enable him to meddle with those inward and spirituall actions of the soule but onely to regulate the outward in life and conversation It is some mervaile to me that you that are so acute to ●spy mysteries by others unseene see not the weaknesse of this and of many your reasons For it is not in the Magistrates or any man● power to create in mens hearts the principle of true love to their neighbours nor any of those gracious habits of inward cha●tity temperance meeknesse and contentation c. who yet by Laws order some outward actions of those vertues and forbid the actuall sins contrary to them as railing quarrelling fornication riotous drinking theft c. And why then in like sort may he not make Lawes about Externall acts of Religion to enjoyne the exercise of them and forbid the actuall contrary sins though he have no power to create and infuse faith it selfe It is not in vain for Ministers to preach though they cannot create Faith in the hearts of dissenters nor for Magistrates to command hearing of the Word though they can infuse no faith into the heart the outward meanes are rightly used where the inward effect can be only wrought by God As there is no need of the creating any new principle in the heart of man for doing these things wherein the Magistrate doth command which is onely the abstaining from outward evill acts as the not venting or openly professing Errors Heresies and Blasphemies or the doing of some externall duties as to joyne in Gods publique worship heare the Word and such like To performe which that power and freedome which by nature they have is sufficient Obj. The Apostles in Church-affairs were of infallible spirit but yet claimed no such power but indeavoured to draw men to faith by the cords of love A 1. Here is the same mistake which was noted before as if it were affirmed that Magistrates might compell Infidells or any to the Faith of the Gospel As for Church-affairs and any other matters I trust you know that there is a wide difference between the Apostles and Church-officers and Magistrates and the power committed to them both The power of the first is onely spirituall and ecclesiasticall and doth allow them no other meanes to reclaime men from Idolatry Heresie or any sin and to win them to the obedience of the Gospel but spirituall viz. the preaching of the Gospel and Church censures 2. But the power of the Magistrate is such as doth furnish them with authority to lay commands on men to urge them to what is good and punishments to reclaime from evil It is no wonder then that the Apostles would not intrude into a power which was not given them which yet Magistrates may use as their proper right 3. The Apostles did not put forth any coactive power against the foulest sins of Whoredome Drunkennesse Theft c. to pun●sh them with bodily punishments or to urge men to Justice Temperance Chastity but onely by words and exhortatione disswaded from such sins and perswaded to the contrary vertue● If therefore Magistrates may not in Religious affaires go● beyond this practise of the Apostles in the use of their power neither may they use their power for the punishment of sins against the second Table or by lawes encourage to the morall vertues thereof Obj. All humane Weapons can onely force the outward man with a violent and preternaturall motion c. which soon turns again when the constraint is over A. 1. It is not the proper effect of humane Magistratical commands to force menby a violent motion but rather tends to move them to a ready willing obedience such violent and constrained obedience comes not from the command but from the indisposition of the commanded parties who are ill affected to right and truth 2. That motion which is unto good and from evill though somewhat forced is more naturall unto man in his right estate and more agreeable to his right end and duty than a most free and willing motion unto sin and from good 3. Forced motions are used for the common good in other things and that without blame and so may be here in some things and in the order above prescribed The State doth force its Subjects by pressing and such like wayes to serve them in their Wars Servan●s are oft compelled will they nill they to do their Masters work Children to do their duty to their Parents So by Law-courses untoward Debtors are constrained to p●y their debt● Now these motions are such violent motions as here you except against and such as would soon cease if the constraint ceased But who complains of any wrong herin done them since the things they be constrained to be just and equall and for the common good And what lets but that some constraint with wisdom and moderation may be used in religious matters since it is a thing most just and righteous and for the common good both civill and spirituall that Idolatry and Heresie be suppressed and that the people doe attend the preaching of the Word and God● service in praying to and prayising him 4. The motion may at first be violent but afterward become very voluntary what a doe is there at first to bring a Bullock to the yoke or a Colt to the saddle when at length the o●e willingly comes to the yoak and drawes in it and the other as willingly heares the saddle and his rider It is oft so that a young Scholar for a time is forced to schoole but being a while entred and taking some l●king of learning goeth to schoole very freely and willingly So may it be and o●t is in these matters wee treat of But last This makes as much against all correction of children and all law-making about matters of the second Table as against coercive lawes in Religion For there they force children and men with a violent motion as much as here and it utterly impeaches the courses of the godly Kings Asa and Josiah in their reforming of Religion as taking such courses as could onely force the outward man with a violent and preternaturall motion who yet are for such their practise praysed in the Scripture Obj But the Gospel naturally begins with illightening the understanding then perswading the Will c. and the summe of the Covenant is to write the Law in the heart Ans. This Argument as some other before proceedes upon a false supposition 1. It surmiseth That such Magistraticall commands and penalties by our opinion serve to work inward grace in mens hearts and for their conversion when we teach that they are onely to order the outward actions of man 2. It surmiseth that they oppose and goe contrary to the work of the Gospel in mens conversion which is utterly untrue And the course which by those that plead for the Magistrates power in this thing is commended to