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

CHAP. XX.

Mr. Cotton.* 1.1 A third Scrip••ure which I produced was Hag∣gai 2. 13, 14, 15. desiring that the place might be throughly weighed, and that the Lord might please to hold the scales himselfe, the Prophet there telling the Church of the Jewes, that if a person unclean by a dead body touch holy things, those holy things become uncleane unto them; and so saith he is this Nation, and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer is uncleane: whence I infer'd, that even Church Covenants made, and Ordinances practiced by persons polluted through spirituall deadnes, and filthines of Communion, such Cove∣nants and Ordinances become uncleane unto them, and are prophaned by them.

Mr. Cotton answers, Your purpose was to prove that Chur∣ches cannot be constituted by such persons as are unclean by Antichristian pollutions, or if they be so constituted they are not to be communicated with, but separated from: But the Prophet acknowledgeth the whole Church of the Jews to be unclean, and yet neither denies them to be a Church truly constituted, nor stirs up himselfe or others to separate from them.

Ans. I acknowledge the true constitution of the Church of the Jewes, and affirm that this their true constitution was the reason why they were not to be separated from: for being

a Nationall Church,* 1.2 ceremoniall and typicall their Excom∣munication was either putting to death in, or captivitie out of that ceremoniall Canaan. Hence Salmanassars carrying the ••••. Tribes captive out of this Land is said to be the casting of them out of Gods sight, 2 Kings 17. which was their Excom∣munication.

Accordingly in the particular Christian Churches, Christ Jesus cuts off by spirituall death, which is Excommunication, or for want of due execution of Justice by that Ordinance in his Kingdome, he sells the Church into spirituall captivitie, to confused (Babylonish) Lords, and Worships, and so drives them out of his sight.

Now from the consequent of this place in Haggai mine ar∣gument stands good; and Mr. Cotton here acknowledgeth it, that holy things may be all uncleane to Gods people, when they lie in their uncleannes,* 1.3 as this people did. Those Scriptures, Levit. 16. & Numbers 19. which discourse of typicall and Ce∣remoniall uncleannesse, he acknowledgeth to type out in the Gospel the Morall uncleannes either of dead works, Ephes. 5. 11. or dead persons, 2 Cor. 6. 14. or dead world, Gal. 6. 14. and in this place of Haggai, he acknowledgeth that Gods people, Prince and people, were defiled by worldlines, in which con∣dition (saith he) their oblations, their bodily labours, were all uncleane, and found neither acceptance nor blessing from the Lord.

Therfore saith he afterward: In the Church godly Chri∣stians themselves, while they attend to the world more then to the things of God, are uncleane in the sight of God: ther∣fore the Church cannot be constituted of such; or if it be con∣stitute of such, the people of God must separate from them. And lastly, he saith, the Church of Christ and members ther∣of must separate themselves from their hypocrisie, and world∣lynes, els they and their duties will be unclean in the sight of God, notwithstanding their Church estate.

Ans. What have I more spoken then Mr. Cotton himselfe hath uttered in this his explication and application of this Scripture? As

First, that godly persons may become defiled and unclean by hypocrisie and worldlines.

Secondly, while they lie in such a condition of uncleannes,

all their offerings,* 1.4 persons, labours are unclean in the sight of God, and have neither acceptance nor blessing from him: but they and their duties are unclean in his sight notwithstanding their Church estate.

Thirdly, the Church of Christ cannot be constituted of such godly persons, when defiled with such worldlinesse.

Fourthly, the Church c••nsisting of such worldly persons (though otherwise godly and Christian) the people of God must separate from them.

These are Mr. Cottons owne expresse words which justifie:* 1.5

First my former distinction of godly persons in their perso∣nall respect, between God and themselves; and yet becoming ungodly in their outward defilements.

Secondly, they justifie my assertion of a necessitie of clean∣sing from Antichristian filthines and communions with dead works, dead worships dead persons in Gods worship, if the touches of the dead world, or immoderate love of it doe so defile, as Mr. Cotton here affirmeth.

Thirdly, if (as he saith) the Church cannot be constituted of such godly persons as are defiled by immoderate love of the world, much lesse can it be constituted of godly persons defi∣led with the dead Inventions, Worships, Communions of unre∣generate and ungodly persons.

Fourthly he justifies a separation from such Churches, if so constituted, or so constituting, because though worldlines be Adulterie against God James 4. yet not comparable to spi∣rituall Adultery of a false bed of Worship, Ministrie, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. Cotton.
• * 1.2

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Iewes a Nationall Church truely constituted, therfore not to bee sepa∣rated from, Death and captivity in the nationall church typed out spiritual death & cap∣tivity in the particular.
• * 1.3

  Ceremoniall uncleannesse in the natio∣nall Church typed out mo∣rall unclean∣nesse in the particular.
• * 1.4

  Mr. Cottons own confessi∣on concerning unclean wor∣ships even of godly persons.
• * 1.5

  Inferences from Master Cottons grant.