To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
MAster Cotton having alledged Optatus, justifying Macarius his putting Hereticks to Death, from the Example of Moses, Phinehas, and Elijah; it was answered, that
these shafts were drawen not out of Christs, but Moses Quiver: Mr Cotton replyes; did ever any Apostle or Evangelist make the Judiciall Lawes of Moses concerning Life and Death ceremoniall and typicall?
What ever the Apostles of Christ did in this matter,* 1.1 yet sure it is Evident, that Mr Cotton himselfe makes some of Moses Lawes, which he calls Judiciall, to be but ceremoniall and typicall.
Me thinks Mr Cotton should never grant that, who layes so much waight upon Moses practices, and the morall and perpetuall ground of them.
Well take for an Instance this very case of putting to Death, Idolaters and false Prophets, he grants this in this very Chapter to be typicall in the State of the Jewes;
for Israell (sayth he) being the Church of God, and in Convenant with God, their Example will onely extend to the like Execution of all the false Prophets in the Church of God.
Such a Candle lighted up in the Conscience and Judge∣ment and Confession of Mr Cotton, may (if the Father of Lights so please,) light up many Candles more, to Mr Cottons owne and the eyes of others.
Yea if the Father of Lights so please, Mr Cotton will looke back and see, that if the Example of Israel extend no fur∣ther then to the Church of God, then those Lawes of Moses con∣cerning Religion, cannot but be typicall and ceremoniall; for, what is morall and perpetuall, none can deny to concerne all Men in all Nations, where no Church or House of God was ever erected.
If Mr Cotton say it extends but to the Church of God, what Church of God can Mr Cotton meane, but a particular Congregation (for he professeth against Nationall, Provinciall, &c.) And yet how can he meane a particular Church, since he grants the Church of Christ armed with no other weapons then spirituall, like unto the Head and King thereof Christ Jesus?
If Mr Cotton will grant the Church of Christ to have* 1.2 been extant upon Earth during the first three hundred yeares of her fiery tryalls, he must grant that then the Church of Christ was furnished by Christ Jesus with no other weapons but spirituall, for all the Civill powers of the World seemed to be against them.
All which time by Mr Cottons Doctrine, the Church of Christ his* 1.3 heavenly Garden must needs be over-growne with Hereticks, Idolaters, false Prophets, for want of a Civill Sword, &c. Or if they were not (as sure it is, the Spouse and Garden of Christ was never fairer since): As Mr Cotton grants the Example typicall, and extending onely to the Church of God, so must he then also grant these false Prophets and Idolaters to be put to Death by the Churches power, which is onely spirituall, and Israels materiall Sword will then appeare to be a type of the two-edged sword of Christ Jesus in the Gospel.
It is true (sayth Master Cotton,) what the Discusser* 1.4 sayth, that Christ Jesus gave no Ordinance, Precept or President in the Gospel for killing men for Religion, and no more (sayth he) for the breach of Civill Justice: Civill Magistrates therefore must either walke without Rule, or fetch their Rules of Righte∣ousnesse from Moses and the Prophets, who have expounded him in the Old Testament.
If Mr Cotton please more awfully to observe & weigh the minde of Christ Jesus his New Testament in this point, he will not onely heare himselfe subscribing to Caesars Right in Civill matters, but also by his servant Peter establishing all other formes of Civill Government, which the peoples or Nations of the World shall invent or create for their civill being, Common-weale or wellfare. Yea he may remember that Christ Jesus by his Ser∣vant Paul commandeth the Magistrate, to punish Murther, Theft, Adulterie, &c. for he expresly nameth these Civill Trans∣gressions together with the civill Sword the Avenger of them, Rom. 13.
I cannot well conceive what Mr Cotton meanes by saying, that Moses and the Prophets expounded Christ Jesus in the Old Testament.
Nor I: They did speake or prophecie of Christ, they did type or figure him to come, with his sufferings and Glory, but (as John sayth) Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ, that is, the fullfilling, opening, and expounding came by Jesus Christ.
Hence indeed I remember that Christ Jesus (Luc. 24.) expounded to his Disciples, out of Moses and the Prophets, the things written of him. But more particularly touching Mo∣ses:
Macarius did well (sayth Mr Cotton) in putting Hereticks to Death, from the Example of Moses putting Idolaters to Death, Exod 32. and the Idolater to Death, Levit. 24.
These Instances (by Mr Cottons Confession) extend* 1.5 no further then the Church of God, and then I desire my above∣said Answer may be uprightly weighed. And I adde the for∣mer Instance of putting Death the three thousand Israelites about the Goulden C••lfe by the hand of the Levites, may most lively seeme to typifie, the zealous Execution of spirituall Justice in (the Israel of God) the Church of Christ, by the true Mini∣sters of Christ Jesus, the true Antitype of that zealous Tribe of Levi.
Concerning Phineas, whereas it was said that the* 1.6 flaying of the Israelitish Prince and Daughter of Midian, was not for spirituall but for corporall fulthinesse, Master Cotton answereth and urgeth the Israelites eating of their Sacrifices, and joyn∣ing to Baal-peor: Also that single Fornication was no capitall crime.
It is most true, the people committed both spirituall and corporall Filthines (as very often they goe together) but the Justice of God reckoned with these two sinners, for and in the midst of their corporall Filthines, which although it were not capitall in Israell, yet the committing of it with so high an hand of presumption (and small sinnes committed presumptuously in Israell were Death) was enough to make it worthy of so sharpe and sudden a Destruction.
Concerning Phineas his act Mr Cotton acknowledgeth that it is no president for Ministers of the Gospel so to act, but withall sayth it is praesidentiall for Magistrates.
Phineas his Act (whether of ordinarie or extraordi∣nary Justice) how can it be praesidentiall to the Civill Magi∣strate in a particular Church, where the weapons are onely spiritu∣all? And Mr Cotton grants these Examples extend no further then the Church: Such as maintaine a Nationall Church (which Mr Cotton doth not) have some colour to urge this Example* 1.7 for a president: for in a civill State, civill Officers, civill Lawes, civill Weapons, civill punishments and rewards are proper, as are also (and onely) Spirituall Officers, spirituall Lawes, spirituall punishments and Rewards in a spirituall State.
Concerning Eliah, Mr Cotton excepteth against the number eight hundred and fiftie, as too many by halfe.
It is true, the number of Baals Prophets were foure* 1.8 hundred and fiftie (false Prophets enough to one poore true) but yet Eliah numbers Jezabells foure hundred trencher Chap∣lins with them; for, sayth he, Now therefore send and ga∣ther unto me all Israel unto Mount Carmel, and the Prophets of Baal foure hundred and fiftie, and the Prophets of the Grove foure hundred, which eate at Jezabells Table.
But how ever (sayth Mr Cotton) here was no type nor Figure for Actions of morall Justice, (though sometimes ex∣traordinary) yet they are never figurative, but with such as turne all the Scripture into an Allegorie.
To make the shadowes of the old Testament and the Sub∣stance* 1.9 or Body of the New, all one, is but to confound and min∣gle Heaven and Earth together, for the state of the Law was ceremoniall and figurative, having a worldly Tabernacle with va∣nishing and beggarly Rudiments: And I believe it might not one∣ly be said, that Abrahams lying with his handmaid Hagar, was an Allegorie, but that the whole Church of Israell, Roote and Branch, from first to last included figurative and Allegoricall Ker∣nells, were the Husks and Shells disclosed with more humbly diligent and spirituall teeth and fingers.
I cannot but assent unto you, that to render the old Testament Allegoricall in an humble sobrietie, your Instance with many more give sufficient warrant.
Yet I adde (in answer to Mr Cottons charge of turn∣ing all Scripture into an Allegorie) that to deny the Historie of either Old or New Testament, or to render the New Testament (which expounds and fullfills the ancient figures) Allegoricalls are both absurd and impious.
But how (sayth Mr Cotton) can an Act of morall righ∣teousnesse be figurative?
There is a Fallacie in this tearme [morall Righteous∣nesse]* 1.10 for Mr Cotton himselfe hath ••••knowledged a Righteous∣nesse two-fold, A Spirituall Righteousnesse of the Church, and a civill of the Common-weale: Mr Cotton also acknowledgeth Is∣rael* 1.11 to be a Typicall people, their land a typicall Land, their Mi∣nistry and Worship typicall! How can Mr Cotton then deny, but
that the weapons of this people, their punishments and rewards, &c. (so far as concerned this their mixed figurative and typicall state) were figurative and ceremoniall also? And so not parts of morall civill Righteousnesse, or common to all other Nati∣ons and peoples in the World.
I cannot readily assent to Mr Cotton, that morall Acti∣ons of Civill Righteousnesse could not be figurative with this cere∣moniall, typicall and figurative people: for their warre it selfe (which if lawfull, is an Act of civill morall Righteousnesse) Paul seemes to make figurative of the spirituall Warres of the Christian Israel and Church of God.
Yea and it is easie to observe that not onely their* 1.12 spirituall Worship, &c. not onely Acts of morall and civill Righ∣teousnesse in peace and warre, &c. but even their very naturall Actions and Excrements (in warres against their Enemies) were figurative and typicall, full of heavenly and spirituall Instruction, which the unbelieving Jewes then saw not, but the believing saw, as they saw Christ Jesus in the Sacrifices, and all their ob∣servations leading to the blessed Son of God, the Messiah, the An∣nointed, or Christ to come, and his Eternall Kingdome.
Mr Cotton in the next place takes offence that the Fact of Elijah should be called miraculous, and askes if it be a miracle for Elijah with the aide of so many thousand Israelites to put to Death foure hundred and fiftie men?
Mr Cotton mistakes the word, for the word is not* 1.13 fact but passage, which compriseth not onely the slaughter of these their Priests, but the whole matter and busines, as the put∣ting of the Worship of the true God, to the Tryall of Fire from Heaven, the descending of Fire from Heaven, the devouring of the Sacrifice, and licking up of so much water, and upon this so great a number of their Priests (the Fathers, Shepheards, and Gods of the people) so thunder-smitten as from Heaven, with so sudden and dreadfull a slaughter, what can these be but an extraordinary Inspiration in the Prophet, a supernaturall descent and operation of Fire, yea and an extraordinary and wonderfull change in the heart of the People? And I doubt not but Mr Cotton doth sometimes give an heavenly and spirituall signification, to all these figurative and miraculous Mysteries.
But I wonder at the next words; Though Christ
(sayth he) gave no such Commission to Ministers of the Gospel to put false Prophets to Death, as Elijah did, yet the Act of Dutie was an ordinary dutie of morall Righteousnesse, belonging to such as beare the Sword. Anon againe he writes; This Example will not extend to the Idolaters of the World.
First, Because many thousand thousand of them are ex∣empt from the civill Magistracie of Christians. Secondly, They were never in Covenant with God, to whom onely the Law of Moses concerning the punishment of Idolaters extended. Thirdly, Though the Israelites were Idolaters, yet Elijah spared them, because of their simplicitie and Ignorance.
I answer, first, if Christ Jesus gave no such Commission* 1.14 (as is confessed) then woe to all those Popish and Protestant Priests, who have (by theft, or flatterie, or other evill meanes) got Commissions from the Civill powers of the World, whereby (to maintaine their own honours, and profits of Bishopricks and Bene∣fices, &c.) they smite with the fist and sword, of wickednes: or under a pretence of holy Orders in themselves, put over the drud∣gery of Execution to their enslaved Seculars!
Secondly, If these need no Commission, because to put to Death the false Prophets and Idolaters, is an Act of morall Righte∣ousnesse, how agrees that Position and these three together.
First, onely Christian Magistrates (said Mr Cotton) must act in these cases.
Secondly, They must act against such onely as are Church∣members.
Thirdly, They must not act against such Church-members as commit Idolatrie out of simplicitie or Ignorance.
Deare Truth, if it passe your capacitie to reconcile these in point of Truth, it must needs passe mine to see how such Doctrines can stand with any civill peace or order in the world.
To affirme such Actions to be ordinarie duties of mo∣rall* 1.15 Righteousnesse, belonging to such as beare the Sword, and yet not to be practiced but by such Magistrates as are most rare∣ly found in the World, and on such a people in such an Order as is most rare in the Nations of the World, is to me all one, as to call all Fathers and Masters in the World to such ordinary Duties as belong to every Father and Master of a Familie: Or to call
Masters and Commanders of Ships to such ordinary duties as belong to all Masters of Ships in the World: Or Captaines and Commanders in Warre to such ordinarie Duties as belong to all Captaines and Commanders in the World, and then at last to tell them: It is true, the Duties are ordinary and common, to all Fa∣thers, Masters, Commanders, Captaines, but these Duties are to be performed onely by such Fathers, Masters, Captaines and Com∣manders, and in such Families, Ships, and Armies as are not or∣dinarie to be found in the World.
I see not but the Similitude doth fully reach, for in∣deed although such a people so and so in Covenant with God, according to Mr Cotton, were true visible Churches according to Christs Institution, and so consequently their Magistrates truely Christian, yet compare such Magistrates with the rest of the Magistrates of the World, who as lawfully beare the Sword as* 1.16 Themselves, and compare such a people so and so in Church-Covenant, with the rest of the people and Nations of the World, and we shall not finde them ordinary and common, but rather as six fingers, wonders and monsters to all other parts of the World, yea even to the very Popish and Protestant parts of the World also.
But to end this Chapter; The other fact of Elijah in slaying the Captaines with their fifties, Mr Cotton acknowledgeth not to be alledged by any other Authour in this Controversie, but one∣ly by the Discusser, to make himselfe work in such Cobweb-Evasions.
Mr Cotton forgetteth, for Elijah his Act (from Luc. 9.)* 1.17 hath been mentioned by others, and answered too by Ma∣ster Cotton in this present Booke and Controversie. And for the Cob-webs, let the poore Witnesses of Christ be esteemed as Spiders, and their Testimonie and Witnes but as Cob-webs, yet let them not be discouraged, but lay hould (like Solomons Spider) with the hand of spirituall Diligence, and let all such their heavenly* 1.18 Cob-webs be in Kings Pallaces. And let them know their Cob∣webs be of such a strength, that how ever the cruell Beezome of persceution may sweepe them downe, out of this World, yet in pomt of Truth and true Christian power and worth, neither Pope nor Prelate, neither Presbyterian, nor Independent persecutour, nor Baalzebub himselfe (the God of Flies) shall ever be able to sweepe them downe, or breake through them.
Of Moses Ju∣dicialls.
The first three hundred years after Christ.
The Primitive Church the purest, and yet without a Ci∣vill Sword.
Christ no Au∣thor of Civill violence for Religion.
The Levites killing 3000. Exod 32. ty∣picall.
Phineas his Act.
The spirituall & Civill State vastly different in their frame, Lawes, Offi∣cers, &c.
Elijah and the Baalites.
The types and figures of the old Testament
Righteousnes two fold.
The state o•• Israel typi∣call.
Not only mo∣rall but natu∣rall Actions of the Israe∣lites typicall.
Whether Eli∣ahs procuring the slaughter of the Baalites was Typicall or Morall.
No Commissi∣on from Christ for corporall punishment in religious mat∣ters.
Strange and monstrous▪ duties of Mo∣rall Righte∣ousnesse.
Gods children are wonders and monsters accounted.
Elijah his slay∣ing the Cap∣taines and their fifties.
Wonderfull Spiders and Cobwebs. Prov▪ 30▪