The bloudy tenent, washed, and made white in the bloud of the Lambe: being discussed and discharged of bloud-guiltinesse by just defence. Wherein the great questions of this present time are handled, viz. how farre liberty of conscience ought to be given to those that truly feare God? And how farre restrained to turbulent and pestilent persons, that not onely raze the foundation of godlinesse, but disturb the civill peace where they live? Also how farre the magistrate may proceed in the duties of the first table? And that all magistrates ought to study the word and will of God, that they may frame their government according to it. Discussed. As they are alledged from divers Scriptures, out of the Old and New Testament. Wherein also the practise of princes is debated, together with the judgement of ancient and late writers of most precious esteeme. Whereunto is added a reply to Mr. Williams answer, to Mr. Cottons letter. / By John Cotton Batchelor in Divinity, and teacher of the church of Christ at Boston in New England.

CHAP. 21. A Reply to his Chap. 21. VVhat is meant by the world; and more of the Tares.

Discusser.

2. The Tares cannot signifie hypocrites in the Church; for the field wherein they both grow is interpreted by Christ himselfe to be the world, which lieth in wickednesse, and is a wildernesse of wilde Beasts, Fornica∣tors, Covetous, Idolators, &c. In this world as soone as the Lord Jesus hath sowen the good seed, (the Children of the Kingdome, true Christia∣nitie, or the true Church) the enemy Satan presently in the night of Se∣curitie, Ignorance, and Error, soweth the Tares, which are Antichristi∣ans, or false Christians. Those the Ministers and Prophets of God would straight runne to Heaven for fiery Judgements, from thence to consume them. But the Sonne of man commandeth a Permission of them, till the end of the world, when Goats and Sheep, Tares and Wheate, shall be eter∣nally separated, &c.

Defender.

Answ. 1. It is true, Christ expoundeth the Field to be the world, ver. 38. But he meant not the wide world, but (by an usuall Trope) the Church scattered throughout the world: as Christ is said to have loved the world, Joh. 3.16. and to be the Propitiation of the sinnes of the world, 1 Joh. 2.2.

Reas. 1. Else there had been no place for the servants wonder

at the appearing of the Tares. Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it Tares? ver. 27. Did ever any of the servants of Christ wonder, or saw any cause to wonder, that the world should be full of Fornicators, Idolaters, Murderers, Rob∣bers, &c? Was it ever otherwise since the world was replenished with Inhabitants?

Reas. 2. What calling had the Ministers, or Prophets of Christ, to offer to pluck up all such notorious vicious persons out of the world? Did ever any Ministers of Christ demand such a Question of Christ; Wilt thou have us goe, and gather up all notorious vici∣ous Persons out of the world? As they doe indeed demand the like concerning these Tares in Christs field, ver. 28.

Reas. 3. The Discusser himselfe reckoneth up Goats and Sheep, as parallell with Wheat, and Tares, as generally Interpreters doe. Now evident it is, that Goats were cleane Beasts, as well as Sheep; cleane for food, yea and cleane also for sacrifice; and yet they were tolerated not onely to live in the same world, but in the same Church. For after the destruction of Antichrist, when purest times of the Church shall come, the Members of the Church shall all of them be Virgins, (none Idolaters) though some wise, and some foolish; all of them servants, though some thristie, some unprofi∣table: all of them cleane, though some Goats, some Sheep. And therefore the Kingdome of Heaven (that is, the Church) is at that time resembled to such a mixt state (after the ruine of Antichrist, and conversion of the Jewes) untill the coming of Christ to Judge∣ment, Mat. 25.1. &c.

Answ. 2. If the Field should be the world, and the Tares Anti∣christians and false Christians; it is true, Satan sowed them in Gods Field, but he sowed them in the Church. The mystery of their Iniquitie did secretly work in the very bosome of the Church, till in processe of time, it grew so ranck and grosse, as transformed the Churches that drunke it up, into spirituall Babylon. But if An∣tichrist be an Apostate, and Antichristianitie Apostasie, then it was first sowen in the field of the Church, and not of the wide world.

Answ. 3. It is not the will of Christ, that Antichrist and Anti∣christians, and Antichristianitie should be tolerated in the world, untill the end of the world. For God will put it into the hearts of faithfull Princes, (as they have given their Kingdomes to the Beast,

so) in fulnesse of time to hate the whore, to leave her desolate and naked, and to burne her flesh with fire, Rev. 17.16, 17. And after this we reade of a visible state of a new Hierusalem, which shall flou∣rish many yeares upon Earth, before the end of the world, Revel. Chap. 20. Chap. 21. Chap. 22.

Neverthelesse, I willingly grant that the first fruits of Antichri∣stians, and false Christians may be reckoned up amongst the Tares, which Satan sowed in the field of the Church, which afterwards grew to be Briars and Thornes, and so destructive to the wheate, that the wheat could not be suffered (if discerned) to live amongst them.

Discusser.

But Christ (the wisdome of the Father) would never in opening this Parable, so farre obscure it, or to call the Church, the world: Nor doth it agree with the nature of the Church, or Garden of Christ, to be styled the world.

Defender.

It is no impeachment to the wisdome of Christ to call his Elect Churches and Saints throughout the world, by the Name of the world; Else Paul spake not by the wisdome of Christ, when he said, God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himselfe, 2 Cor. 5.19.

And though the Church within it selfe be a Garden, and severed from the world; yet all the Churches being scattered and dispersed throughout the world, it is no more an improper speech, to call the Church the world, then to speake of Christ as dying for the world, when he dyed for his Church.