The bloody tenent yet more bloody: by Mr Cottons endevour to wash it white in the blood of the lambe; of whose precious blood, spilt in the blood of his servants; and of the blood of millions spilt in fromer and later wars for conscience sake, that most bloody tenent of presecution for cause of conscience, upon a second tryal, is found now more apparently and more notoriously guilty. In this rejoynder to Mr Cotton, are principally I. The nature of persecution, II. The power of the civill sword in spirituals examined; III. The Parliaments permission of dissenting consciences justified. Also (as a testimony to Mr Clarks narrative) is added a letter to Mr Endicot governor of the Massachusets in N.E. By R. Williams of Providence in New-England.

Chap. 61. replying to Chap. 64. Examined. (Book 61)

Peace.

IN this Chapter God is pleased to leave M^r Cotton to fall into two Evills, then which (ordinarily) greater can∣not be among the sonnes of Men: I speake not of the Aggrava∣tions of malice and obstinacie, which I hope the most gracious Lord will keepe him from, but of the sinnes themselves in them∣selves: The One is monstrous Blasphemie and abominable pro∣fanation of the most holy Name of his most High and holy Maker, &c. The second extreamest Crueltie and Tyrannie against Men his fellow Creatures.

For the first, after a new refined fashion and dress, he projects* 1.1 how to turne this whole Dunghill of the corrupt and rotten World, into a most sweet and fragrant Garden of the Church, or Dove of Christ.

For the second, he contents not Himselfe with the Severitie and Crueltie of former times exercised by the Emperours profes∣sing the Name of Christ, against such, whom they reputed He∣reticks, but blames them for applying too favourable and gen∣tle Medicines of Exile and Banishment, and in plaine tearmes he sayth, It had been better they had put them to death.

Truth.

Your observation (sweet Peace) is full of pietie and Mercy: It is most true, that a private opinion, or an Act of Anti∣christianisme and Idolatrie, like a dead flie, may cause a sweet pot of Christian Oyntment, to yeeld a stincking savour, but such a Doctrine, of such a generall Nature and extent, as reaches to all men, to all the World (in my apprehension) should cause Men to feare and tremble at such Rocks, against which such Gallant vessells may strike, and split, if the most holy and jealous God, be pleased a little to withdraw his holy hand from the steering of them.

Peace.

Let me (Deare Truth) summe up the Heads, to which I shall request your Consideration.

It is true (sayth M^r Cotton:) when God advanced Constantine* 1.2 and other Christian Emperours to sit on the Throne, the Church soone became a Wildernesse, and he also seemeth to consent

that the unknowing zeale of Constantine and other good Empe∣rours did more hurt to Christianitie, then the raging fury of

bloudie Neroes: But withall he addeth that their unknowing zeale did not lye in punishing notorious Hereticks, Seducers, &c. And he sayth, that the Church never had hurt by such punishments. He affirmeth that it is no Sollecisme in Religion for the whole World to become Christian: that the World be∣came Antichristian by the tolleration of Princes, and their ad∣vancing of Church affaires, together with the unwatchfullnesse of such being advanced: that if the World had renounced Paganisme, and professed Christ to be the Sonne of God, but yet had been kept from the Fellowship of the Church till they had approved their profession by a sincere conversation, it had been no Sollecisme, &c.

Further, He sayth,

the Christian Emperours did permit Here∣ticks ;to live in the field of the World, that they seldome or never put them to Death for hereticall pravitie (though it had been better (sayth he) they had so done with some of them, but onely expelled them from populous Cities and Countries, where the Gangrene might spread, &c.

Truth.

You have well summd up (Sweet Peace) I shall* 1.3 briefly touch these Heads, with Gods assistance; and first con∣cerning the zeale of the Romane Emperours. It is confest by M^r Cotton, that upon the good Emperours coming to the Throne, the Church soone became a Wildernesse, and that was a greater hurt and mischiefe then ever befell the Saints and Churches under the fierie persecution of the most bloudie Neroes; surely such zeale that brought forth such fruit to Christianitie might seeme justly to be suspected not to be kindled from Heaven, but from Men.

2. It seemes not reasonable to the weakest understanding, nor* 1.4 suitable to the wisdome and constant care and love of Christ Je∣sus to his Wife and Spouse in his absence, that the Romane Empe∣rours should be such Godly Persons, and that also neither by Christ Jesus nor his Apostles or Messengers the least word should be directed to them, when, as yet, they were extant, in Christs and his Messengers times; and (by the bloudie Tenent) must be sup∣posed invested with so high a calling too, so high a worke and dutie, as higher is not to be performed in the whole World (and that Ex Officio) to wit, the Establishing, Governing, Reforming, &c. the Church, the Spouse, and Kingdome of Christ Jesus.

Peace. 2.

The Church and Servants of Christ had great hurt (notwithstanding M^r Cottons contrary beliefe) by the Empe∣rours* 1.5 persecuting, of whom they judged hereticall, partly in that the Arrians were hardned by their sufferings, and Arrianisme in∣creased by the sufferings of the professours of it; as also that the Christians were more severely persecuted (as hath often also come to passe (in the Interchanges between the Papist and the Protestant) when the Arrians came to weare the Sword, and the Orthodox Christians were under Hatches.

Truth. 3.

But that the whole World that wonders after and worshippeth the Beast, should yet possibly be of the small Num∣ber, that follow the Lambe, and stand opposite to the Beast, on Mount Zion: That the World upon whom the vialls of plagues and vengeance are to be powred according to the infallible Pro∣phecies (not to speak of the World from other Scriptures) that* 1.6 this whole World (I say) should be brought into such an One∣nes with Christ Jesus, seemes so crosse to the fundamentall Enmi∣tie between Christs Seede and the Serpents, to the priviledges of the Saints, to the puritie of Christ, to the streame of Scripture, and in particular to the sweete last Will and Testament of the Lord Jesus, and the nature of his particular Flocks, &c. That I can∣not wonder sufficiently, how any man professing but a small Knowledge of the Mysteries and Kingdome of Christ Jesus, should be so vailed, so obscured, so to write of the state of Christs Church and the World, as M^r Cotton doth?

Peace.

Christ Jesus (Blessed Truth) gave not thankes to his most holy, most wise Father in vaine, for hiding from Wise and Prudent, and opening to Babes and Sucklings.

Truth. 4.

But further, Such a Conversion of People from* 1.7 Idolatrie to Christianitie, as fits them to be professours of the Sonne of God, but yet not fits them for the Fellowship of Christians in Church State, I finde not in the Testament of Christ Jesus. Surely the Conversion of the Thessalonians was not such, 2 Thess. 1. Who turned not onely from Idolls; but to serve the living and true God, which service of God in Christ no Soule uprightly in love with Christ Jesus, but (in its measure) longs after, as vehe∣mently and cordially as ever chast Spouse after her dearest earth∣ly Husbands presence and Enjoyment, Cant. 1. & 3. & 5.

Peace.

Gods Spirit (in John) describes one Difference, &c.

between the true Spirit and Professours, and the f••••se, to wit, that such as acknowledge (that is truely as I conceive) Christ Je∣sus to become in the flesh, are borne of God.

Truth.

Yea therefore consequently such a Spirit cannot be* 1.8 of Jesus, that makes such a profession of Christ Jesus as the De∣vills themselves may make, and (even for want of Regenera∣tion and Personall Grace,) the professours are not fit for the Fel∣lowship of the true Christian Worship, and Worshippers.

5. But lastly, if M^r Cotton, or any of his bloudie Judgement woare the Imperiall Crowne of the Worlds Majestie, what slaugh∣ters shall we imagine the World should heare and feele? Whe∣ther would such fierie zeale transport Men? Yea what an Earth∣ly Dunghill Religion and Worship should the most High God be ser∣ved with, fit onely for the Dunghill Gods and Goddesses, whom all Asi•• (as the Towne-clarke speakes) and the World worship∣peth.

Peace.

If the Report of M^r Cottons interpreting that Scrip∣ture of Serving God with all our Might, &c. be true, to wit, of* 1.9 employing our Civill Armes and Forces to the utmost, and that against other Peoples professing Idolatrie and Antichristianisme: His Conscience (as I conceive) must needs force on and presse after, an universall Conquest of all Consciences, and under that (like those bloudie Spaniards, Turkes and Popes) lay un∣der that faire cloake, the Rule and Dominion over all the Nations of the Earth.

Truth.

But may not M^r Cotton better listen to the voyce of* 1.10 the Lord Jesus, saying to him and such of his bloudie Tenent, You know not of what Spirit you are of: Were the Emperours too favourable (as M^r Cotton sayth) in but Banishing? How keene a Sword would M^r Cotton draw against so many Millions of Gangreene Soules throughout the Turkish and the Popish World?

Peace.

Oh, how farre different would M^r Cottons Sword be from the Sword of the Spirit of God, proceeding from the Mouth of Christ Jesus, yet sharpe enough with two edges, piercing be∣tween Soule and Spirit, &c.

Truth.

Yea how farre different from the Meeke Spirit of the Lambe of God, who came not to destroy Mens lives, but to save them, yea how different from the former make and noted gen∣tle

Temper of M^r Cottons own Spirit, now over-heat and enfla∣med by his unmercifull and bloudie Tenent?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Two high Trans∣gressions object∣ed against M^r Cotton.
• * 1.2

  Touching the Romane Empe∣rours practices in Religious. Affaires.
• * 1.3

  Christs Garden gaines by vio∣lent Stormes, and looseth by sweete Sun∣shines.
• * 1.4

  The Romane Emperours.
• * 1.5

  The Arrians persecuted and persecuting.
• * 1.6

  The great Dif∣ference between this World and Christ.
• * 1.7

  A Christianitie strange from Christ.
• * 1.8

  Antichristian Christianitie.
• * 1.9

  The bloudie Te∣nent tends to an universall Conquest of the whole World.
• * 1.10

  The bloudie Te∣nent in its co∣lours.