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. 78. replying to Chap. 81. (Book 78)

Peace.

VVE are now (Deare Truth) through the mercie of the Father of mercies, arrived, at the last Chapter of this Sorrowfull Agitation: M^r Cotton finds nothing* 1.1 in this worth the while to speake to: yet thinks he it good to finde time to blame the Discusser for selfe. Applauses, vaine-glo∣rious Triumph, and confident perswasion, which before he had noted M^r Cotton for.

Truth.

That which was noted in M^r Cotton was not meerly a perswasion or confidence, but indeed an imperious and insulting confidence, over the poore and oppressed, and an adding of V••megar to the Gall of the Sonne of God, persecuted in his poore Saints and Members.

Peace.

But may there not seeme to be too in the Discusser, too great a confidence of the converting and turning of the blou∣die Storme of Warres about Conscience, into mercifull calmes of peace, and of the returne of Christs dove, with Olive branches of civill peace?

Truth.

Then let thousands and ten thousands, French, Po∣lonians, Hungarians, Transilvanians, Bohemians, Netherlanders,* 1.2 and others, and now at last (through Gods gracious smiling upon this holy Truth of his) I say, many thousand English men set to their seale and witnes, to wit, that Freedome to the Consci∣ences of men, (from all other but spirituall opposition) hath stuck many Millions of Browes and Houses with Olive branches, that were before beblubbered and overwhelmed with teares and bloud.

Peace.

I cannot but confidently see and say, that doubtles, had not the prudent and zealous care of Englands Parliament and Armie subscribed to this blessed meanes of peace, restored to Lands and Countries embroyled in bloudie civill Warres about Re∣ligion,* 1.3 doubtles, the streame of Warre which hath run so long with bloud between the Prelates and the Puritans (so calld) had run as fresh and furious in all devouring flames between the Presbyterians and the Independents.

Truth.

Oh blessed be the God of peace, who hath more pitie upon the unpeaceable Sonnes of Men, then they have on Them∣selves.

Peace.

M^r Cotton in the next place addeth, that one passage he may not let passe, because the name of Christ is interessed in it, and dishonoured by it, to wit, [Christ delighteth not in the bloud of men, but shed his own bloud for his bloudiest enemies:] M^r Cotton answers; It is true that Christ delighteth not in the* 1.4 bloud of men, while they gainsay and bloudily persecute him and his, out of Ignorance: but he delights in the bloud of such, who after the acknowledgement of his Truth, doe tread the bloud of his Covenant under-foote, and wittingly and willingly reject him from raigning over them: The contrary whereof he sayth Proclaimes the Gospel to the seede of the Serpent: Sows pillowes under all ellbowes, makes the Heart of the Righteous sad, streng∣thens the hand of the wicked, and proclaimes peace to Jezabell, and her whoredomes and witchcrafts, and concludes with prayer

against such a bewitching of the Whores Cup, where, by open profession she is rejected, but let in by the back-doore of Tollera∣tion.

Truth.

I perceive (Sweet Peace) that in the winding up of this Discourse M^r Cotton winds up, resolveth and reduceth his former pleaded for persecuting of Hereticks, Blasphemers, Idola∣ters,* 1.5 Seducers, into the persecuting onely of Apostates, who af∣ter the acknowledging of the Truth, doe tread the bloud of Christs Covenant underfoote, &c. To which I answer: If so then the discerning & judging between such as gainsay Christ, and blaspheame him out of Ignorance, (such as M^r Cotton makes the Jewes, who put him to Death) and such as willingly and wittingly reject him: I say, the judging of this must then rest at the Barre of the Civill Courts and Judicatures of the World, which necessarily implies a supposition of power of Judging in all the Nations of the World, and so consequently in Naturall men contrary to the Scriptures, which conclude all Mankinde (while in their naturall estate,) uncapable of the things of Gods Spirit.

Peace.

Yea and also (to my understanding) it implies, a submitting and subjecting of the Crowne and Scepter and affaires of Christ Jesus, to the Civill and humane Crownes and Scepters and Tribunalls of the Nations of this World, and that in spirituall and heavenly things, the proper affaires of his owne Spirituall King∣dome, in the which, the wisest of this world are ignorant, and extreamly opposite.

Truth.

For this, you know M^r Cotton hath a broken Refuge, to wit, [the Nations of the World, & Naturall men must not judge untill they be better informed] In which, what a wonderfull and menstrous suspension doth he put upon the affaires of Christ* 1.6 Jesus all the world over, and leaves the matters of Christ Jesus in worse case, and more poorely provided for by Christ Jesus, then the matters and affaires of any King or Kingdome in the World, beyond compare and Imagination.

Peace.

Yet, me-thinks those Scriptures quoted by M^r Cotton Luc. 17. Those mine Enemies, &c. and Revel. 16. Bloudie ven∣geance upon Antichristian Emissaries, are very considerable.

Truth.

Doubtles all Scripture seriously alledged by the most* 1.7 ignorant and unworthy (how much more from so learned and conscientious) ought seriously and awfully to be pondered in

the holy presence of God: The Warrants and Authorities of civill powers (though but pretended) are not without due respect to be examined, although rejected (in the end) as insufficient, &c. But consider in the Examination of those Scriptures: Is it credible that all that resist Christ Jesus, his Kingdome and Go∣vernment, are Apostate and Antichristian Emissaries, against whom* 1.8 he powres out that Violl? Have they first acknowledged the Co∣venant of Jesus, and then trod the precious bloud of that High Covenant under feete?

Peace.

The East is not so farre from the West, as those Scrip∣tures from such a Conclusion.

Truth.

Yea how many hundreth thousands of Jewes and Turkes and Antichristians perish temporally and eternally, and that for refusing Christ Jesus to be King, and for shedding his bloud in his servants, who can never be brought under this guilt of Apo∣stacie, after they have once acknowledged the truth of Christs Government and Kingdome.

Peace.

Me-thinks to understand the Scriptures in M^r Cottons sence, were a wonderfull penning up and straightning the holy Scripture.

Truth.

Sweet Peace, as soone may we immure the glorious Sun in a darke dungeon, as confine those bright Scriptures in the dark Cels of Apostacie: but I further observe, that Christ Jesus not only praid and dyed for his Enemies, who bloudily persecuted him and his out of Ignorance, but gave this reason against bodily Death to be inflicted on any for his cause and sake, Luc. 9. The Son of Man is not come to destroy Mens lives: and I might returne the Question to M^r Cotton, not unfitly, Are not these the words o•• Him that delighteth not in the bloud of his bloudiest enemies and Gainsayers?

Peace.

It will be said, What slaughters, what drinking of Bloud is that which Christ Jesus in these Scriptures intendeth?

Truth.

I answer, although the Sword of Christs Kingdome, that sharpe Sword with two edges is a Spirituall Sword, and is carried in his Mouth, yet all power in Heaven and Earth being given into his hands by his Father, he ruleth and over-ruleth in a way of power and providence, all the powers of the World.* 1.9

There is therefore a great Sword given to him that rideth upon the white Horse, (Revel. 6.) by which, for the resisting

of him that rideth upon the white Horse, (in the gainsaying and persecuting of Christ in his Members) Christ Jesus takes peace from the Earth, and suffers the Turkes to plague the Anti∣christian World, (Papists and carnall Protestants) to plague each other, and to fill Cups of Bloud each to other, while they contend and fight, first against God, and then one a∣gainst another, for their severall false Prophets and Reli∣gions.

Peace.

Me-thinks then M^r Cotton might have spared to charge the Discusser with proclaiming of peace to Jezabell, &c.

Truth.

There is a Spirituall peace in the matters of Christs* 1.10 Kingdome and Worship, and in the particular Consciences and Soules of his Servants. There is a Civill peace in the quiet enjoy∣ment of each mans proprietie, in the Combination of Townes, Cities, Kingdomes, &c. But neither of these three will M^r Cotton prove the Discusser proclaimeth to such Antichristians or ene∣mies of Christ Jesus, who persecute and oppresse Jew or Gentile upon any civill or spirituall pretence.

'Tis true, the Consciences and Worships of all men peaceable in their way, he affirmes ought not to be molested, and though not approved yet permitted, and (although no spiritu∣all, yet) a civill peace proclaimed to their outward man while peaceable in civill commerce.

To persecutours, he not onely proclaimes Gods Judgements spirituall and eternall, but temporall also, and affirmeth that all persecutours of all sorts (and especially the bloudie Whore of Rome (who hath so long been drunk with the bloud of the Saints,) ought by the Civill Sword to be restrained and punished (as the Destroyers of Mankinde and all civill and peaceable being in the World,) according to the hight of their cruell and mur∣therous Oppressions.

Peace.

But Tolleration of her (sayth M^r Cotton brings) her in at the back dore, and so we may come to drink deeply of the Cup of the Lords wrath, and be filled with the Cup of her plagues.

Truth.

There are two opinions which have bewitched the* 1.11 Nations professing the name of Christ.

First, That a Nationall Church or State, is of Christs appoint∣ing.

Secondly, That such a Nationall Church or State must be maintained pure by the power of the Sword. While M^r Cotton prayes against the bewitching of the Whores cup, O that the Father of Lights might graciously please to shew him the depth of her witchcrafts, and his owne most wofull Delusions in both these.

In vaine doth M^r Cotton feare partaking of her sinnes and plagues by a tollerating (meerly) of her Worship in a civill State, while he forgets the three great causes of her downfall and desola∣tion,* 1.12 and partakes of any of them (Revel. 18.) to wit, Her worldly pompe and pleasure: Her spirituall Whoredomes and invented Worships, and her crueltie and bloudshed, more especially against the Consciences of the Saints or holy ones of Jesus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Touching confidence in opinions.
• * 1.2

  Freedome of Conscience hath ever been a Peace∣maker in all Natiōs where it hath ap¦peared.
• * 1.3

  And especially at this houre in England.
• * 1.4

  How Christ delights in bloud.
• * 1.5

  Of persecuting Apostates.
• * 1.6

  A monstrous suspension or hanging up of Magistrates.
• * 1.7

  Allegations of Scriptures ought serious∣ly to be mad and answered.
• * 1.8

  Millions of Turks, Jewes, and Antichri∣stians are far from the due charge of A∣postasie.
• * 1.9

  The mysterie of the red Horse of War.
• * 1.10

  A spirituall and Civill peace.
• * 1.11

  Two wofull opinions be∣witching the Nations.
• * 1.12

  The 3 great Causes of the downfall of the Church of Rome.