Mr. Cottons letter lately printed, examined and ansvvered: by Roger Williams of Providence in New·England.:

CHAP. XII.

Now wheras Mr. Cotton addeth, That godly persons are not so inthrall'd to Antichrist as to separate them from Christ; else they could not be godly persons.

I answere, this comes not neare our Question, which is not concerning personal godlines or grace of Christ but the god∣lines or Christianitie of Worship. Hence the Scripture holds forth Christ Jesus first personally, as that God Man, that One Mediatour between God and man,* 1.1 the Man Christ Jesus, whom all Gods people by Faith receive, and in receiving be∣come the Sons of God, Iohn 1. 12. although they yet see not the particular wayes of his Worship. Thus was it with the Centurion the Woman of Canaan, Cornelius, and most, at their first conversion.

Secondly, the Scripture holdeth forth Christ as Head of his

Church▪* 1.2 formed into a Body of worshippers, in which respect the Church is called Christ, 1 Cor 12. 12. and the description of Christ is admirably set forth in 10 severall parts of a mans bodie, fitting and suiting to the visible profession of Christ in the Church Cant. 5.

Now in the former respect Antichrist can never so inthral Gods people as to separate them from Christ, that is, from the life and grace of Christ, although he inthrall them into never so grosse Abominations concerning Worship: for God will not loose His in Egypt, Sodome, Babel, His Jewels are most precious to him though in a Babilonish dunghill, and his Lillie sweet and lovely in the Wildernes commixt with Bri∣ars.* 1.3 Yet in the second respect, as Christ is taken for the church, I conceive that Antichrist may separate Gods people from Christ, that is from Christs true visible Church and Worship. This Mr. Cotton himselfe will not deny if he re∣member how little a while it is since the falsehood of a Nati∣onal, Provincial, Diocesan and Parishionall Church, &c. and the truth of a particular Congregation, consisting only of holy persons appeared unto him.

The Papists Question to the Protestant viz.* 1.4 Where was your Church before Luther? is thus well answered to wit, That since the Apostacie, Truth, and the holy city (according to the Pro∣phecie Revel. 11 & 13.) have been troden under foot,* 1.5 and the whole earth hath wondred after the Beast: yet God hath stir'd up Witnesses to Prophecie in Sackcloth against the Beast, du∣ring his 42 moneths reigne: yet those Witnesses have in their Times, more or lesse submitted to Antichrist, and his Church, Worship Ministrie, &c. and so consequently have been igno∣rant of the true Christ, that is, Christ taken for the Church in the true profession of that holy Way of Worship, which he himselfe at first appointed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Christ consi∣dered two wayes, first, personally, & so Gods people can never bee separated from him.
• * 1.2

  Secondly, as head of his Church, and so he is often lost and absent from his Spouse.
• * 1.3

  Gods people cannot serve a false Christ and the true together.
• * 1.4

  The Church before Luther.
• * 1.5

  Revel. 13.