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.

Exam: of Chap. 76. replying to Chap. 79. (Book 76)

Peace.

IN this short Chapter the Discusser is charged with Ignorance and uncharitablenes, for thinking amisse of the Penmen of the Answer to the Questions, to wit, that he should conceive that the passage to New England should change the Judgement or Consciences of Men.

Truth.

The Discusser professeth (and I know in truth) to bewaile his Ignorance and uncharitablenes, yet upon a second review of the words, it will be found there was not an Impu∣tation of such a conceit, to those worthy Authors, or any man, but an Item unto all men, occasioned by the Confidence ex∣pressed, that they doubted not, but those godly brethren of old England should agree with them here in New, if they were in New England together. This Item or Caveat will appeare to be

given, not by way of positive Charge, nor in the least deroga∣ting from the holy and blessed use of free and humble Confe∣rence, but to take off the Edge of such Confidence of agreeing in New England, when the Differences of Gods people have been and* 1.1 are yet so great in Old and New, and so many Conferences and Disputations of Truth and Peace have not yet raised that blessed Agreement of which the Answer to the Questions would make no doubt.

Peace.

Me-thinkes there should be little hope of their com∣ming to New-England when the New-English Ministers had got the Advantage of the higher ground, and Carnall Sword for their Religion to Friend, and had exprest their Judgement of their conceiving it not safe, that, (if they should not agree,) their severall wayes of Worshipping God, should be permitted in one Common-weale.

Truth.

Yea and I believe still the Consequence was truely ga∣thered by the Discusser (how ever M^r Cotton hath so charged his Forehead and Heart for it) to wit, That the New English Ministers could not (as their Conscience stood) advise the Magi∣strates of New-England to permit that which their Consciences and Judgements taught them was not safe, &c.

Peace.

These passages occasion me to remember a serious* 1.2 Question which many fearing God have made, to wit, Whether the promise of Gods Spirit, blessing Conferences, be so comforta∣bly to be Expected in New-England, because of those many pub∣like sinnes which most of Gods people in New-England lye under, and one especially, to wit, the framing a Gospel or Christ to themselves without a crosse, not professing nor practicing that in Old (except of late in times of Libertie) which they professed∣ly come over to enjoy with Peace and Libertie from any crosse of Christ in New.

Truth.

I know those thoughts have deeply possessed, not a few, considering also the sinne of the Pattents, wherein Christian Kings (so calld) are invested with Right by virtue of their* 1.3 Christianitie, to take and give away the Lands and Countries of other men; As also considering, the unchristian Oaths swallowed downe, at their comming forth from old England, especially in superstitious Land his time and domineering.

And I know these thoughts so deeply afflicted the Soule and

Conscience of the Discusser in the time of his Walking in the Way of New Englands Worship, that at last he came to a perswa∣sion, that such sinnes could not be Expiated, without returning againe into England: or a publike acknowledgement and Con∣fession* 1.4 of the Evill of so and so departing: To this purpose be∣fore his Troubles and Banishment, he drew up a Letter (not with∣out the Approbation of some of the Chiefe of New-England, then tender also upon this point before God) directed unto the King himselfe, humbly acknowledging the Evill of that part of the Pattent which respects the Donation of Land, &c.

This Letter and other Endeavours (tending to wash off pub∣like sinnes, to give warning to others, and above all, to pacifie and to give Glory unto God) it may be that Councell from Flesh and Bloud supprest, and Worldly policie at last prevailed: for this very cause (amongst others afterward re-examined) to banish the Discusser from such their Coasts and Territories.

Peace.

But from Violence to the Discusser, or any other, M^r Cotton (in the next passage) protests his Innocencie, and insinu∣ates the Discusser to be no other then (a Devill) an Accuser of the Brethren, for imputing to them any such Evill, &c.

Truth.

He that reads how hard the Heart of holy David* 1.5 grew, in the sinne of Whoredome and Murther, untill the Lord awakened him, will lesse wonder, that Spirituall Whoredome and murtherous violence, may possesse the Heart of Gods Davids and holiest Servants now, and that without blush, or shame, or least appearance of Relenting: Doth not all this whole Tra∣verse of M^r Cotton maintaine a persecution even unto Death, of such whom the Civill State shall judge Hereticks, Blasphemers, Idolaters, Seducers, &c.

Doth not this very Chapter expressely justifie persecution up∣on the Subverters of the Christian Faith, obstinate after Convicti∣on? upon Blasphemers, Idolaters, Seducers? And is M^r Cotton not* 1.6 informed, what successe his Doctrine hath had, that (if a mer∣cifull God had not prevented) not Courting, nor Fining, nor Im∣prisoning, nor Whipping nor Banishing had been punishment suffi∣cient, to men and women, for cause of Conscience in New-Eng∣land, but even Death it selfe, (according to the Principles of persecution) had been inflicted.

Peace.

M^r Cotton will urge that Gods people will not be such Hereticks, &c.

Truth.

I might urge M^r Cottons owne grant of such sinnes in Gods owne people, for which they may be justly Excommuni∣cated; but I will rather produce an Instance in our Nation of England. None fearing God will easily deny the Eminent God∣lines* 1.7 of Cranmer & Cromwell in King Henry the eight his dayes; At that very time when King Henry himselfe disputed in so famous an Assembly against the blessed witnesse of Christ Jesus, John Lambert! Finde we not also holy Cranmer disputing be∣fore the King and that Stately Assembly, against this poore Ser∣vant of God, for that horrible and monstrous Idoll of Transub∣stantiation?

Peace.

Finde we not then also holy and zealous Cromwell (at the Kings command) reading that bloudie Sentence of Death against that blessed Lambe of Christ Jesus, who was thus worried to Death, not onely by the bloudie Wolves the Bishops, but even by those holy Lambes of Christ, Cranmer and Cromwell also!

Truth.

This was that blessed Lambert, a true Follower of the* 1.8 Lambe of God Christ Jesus, who cryed out in the midst of the Flames, None but Christ, None but Christ: and well might he so cry: Not Cranmer, not Cromwell, who after so much Light in Disputations, yet persisted in their Heresie and Idolatry, and par∣taking with violence against this holy man, that he might well cry out, None but Christ, None but Christ.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Differences of Gods own children in Old and New England.
• * 1.2

  Profession of Christ Jesus in New-England, not so like to be true as that (which was persecuted) in Old.
• * 1.3

  The great ••in of New-Eng∣lands former Pattents.
• * 1.4

  The Authours tryalls about the Pattents of New-Eng∣land.
• * 1.5

  Gods children may be guilty of bloudy per∣secution for the hiding of their spirituall uncleannessee.
• * 1.6

  Gods mercy in stopping New-Englands persecution, by the mercy of old England, the mother to dissenting Consciences.
• * 1.7

  Holy Cranmer and Cromwell joyning with persecutours of Christ Je∣sus out of great weak∣nes in H. 8. his dayes.
• * 1.8

  The most fa∣mous passages of Cromwell & Lambert in H. the 8. his dayes.