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

CHAP. XXVIII.

The close of his Lette•• is an Answer to a passage of mine,* 1.1 which he repeateth in an Objection thus: But this you feare is to condemn the witnesses of Jesus (the Separate Churches in London, and elswhere) and our jealous God will visit us for such arrearages: yea the curse of the Angel to Meros will fall upon us, because we come not forth to help Jehovah against the migh∣ty: we pray not for them, we come not at them (but at Parishes frequently) yea we reproach and censure them.

To which he answereth, that neither Christ nor his Apo∣stles after him, nor Prophets before him ever delivered that way. That they feare not the Angels curse, because it is not to help Iehovah but Sathan, to withdraw people from the Pari∣shes

where they have found more presence of Christ, and evi∣dence of his Spirit then in separated Churches: That they pray not for them because they cannot pray in faith for a blessing upon their Separation: and that it is little com∣fort to heare of separated Churches, as being the inventions of men, and blames them that being desirous of Reformation, they stumble not only at the Inventions of men, but for their sakes at the Ordinances of the Lord, because they separate not only from the Parishes, but from the Church at Plimmouth, and of that wherof Mr. Lathrop was Pastor, who (as he saith) not only refuse all the Inventions of men, but choose to serve the Lord in his own Ordinances. Only, lastly he professeth his inward sorrow that my self helpe erring, though zealous soules against the mighty Ordinances of the Lord, which whosoever stumble at shall be broken,* 1.2 because whosoever will not kisse the Sonne (that is, will not heare and embrace the words of his mouth) shall perish in their way.

Ans. However Mr. Cotton beleeves and writes of this point, yet hath he not duly considered these following particulars:

First the faithfull labours of many Witnesses of Iesus Christ, extant to the world, abundantly proving, that the Church of the Jews under the Old Testament in the type, and the Church of the Christians under the New Testament in the Antitype, were both separate from the world;* 1.3 and that when they have opened a gap in the hedge or wall of Separation between the Garden of the Church and the Wildernes of the world, God hath ever broke down the wall it selfe, removed the Candle∣stick, &c. and made his Garden a Wildernesse, as at this day. And that therfore if he will ever please to restore his Garden and Paradice again, it must of necessitie be walled in peculi∣arly unto himselfe from the world, and that all that shall be saved out of the world are to be transplanted out of the Wil∣dernes of the world,* 1.4 and added unto his Church or Garden.

Secondly, that all the grounds and principles leading to op∣pose Bishops, Ceremonies, Common Prayer, prostitution of the Ordinances of Christ to the ungodly and to the true pra∣ctise of Christs own Ordinances, doe necessarily (as before I intimated, and Mr. Ca•••• hath fully proved) conclude a sepa∣ration of holy from unholy, penitent from impenitent, godly from ungodly, &c. and that to frame any other building upon

such grounds and foundations, is no other then to raise the form of a square house upon the Keele of a Ship, which will never prove a soul saving true Arke or Church of Christ Je∣sus, according to the Patterne.

Thirdly the multitudes of holy and faithfull men and wo∣men, who since Q. Maries dayes have witnessed this truth by writing disputing and in suffring losse of goods and friends,* 1.5 in impresonment, banishments, death, &c. I confesse the Nonconfor∣mists have suffred also: but they that have suffred for this cause, have farre exceeded, in not only witnessing to those grounds of the Non-conformists but to those Truths also, the unavoidable conclusions of the Non-conformists principles.

Fourthly, what is that which Mr. Cotton and so many hun∣dreths fearing God in New England walk in but a way of sepa∣ration?* 1.6 Of what matter doe they professe to constitute their Churches, but of true godly persons? In what form doe they cast this matter, but by a voluntary uniting, or adding of such godly persons, whom they carefully examine, and cause to make a publike confession of sinne, and profession of their knowledge, and grace in Christ? Nay when other English have attempted to set up a Congregation after the Parishionall way, have they not been supprest? Yea have they not professedly and lately answered many worthy persons, whom they account godly Ministers and people that they could not permit them to live in the same Common-wealth together with them, if they set up any other Church and Worship then what themselvs pra∣ctise?* 1.7 Let their own soules, and the soules of others seriously ponder in the feare of God, what should be the Reason why themselves so practising, should persecute others for not lea∣ving open a gap of Liberty to escape persecution and the Crosse of Christ, by frequenting the Parishes in Old England, which Parishes themselves persecute in New England, and will not permit them to breath in the common aire amongst them.

Fifthly in the Parishes (which Mr. Cotton holds but inventi∣ons of men) however they would have liberty to frequent the Worship of the Word,* 1.8 yet they separate from the Sacraments: and yet according to Mr. Cottons own principles (as before) there is as true Communion in the Ministration of the word in a Church estate as in the seales: What mystery should be in this, but that here also the Crosse or Gibbet of Christ may

be avoyded in a great measure, if persons come to Church, &c

Lastly, however he saith, he hath not found such presence of Christ, and evidence of his Spirit in such Churches, as in the Parishes: What should be the reason of their great rejoycings and boa∣stings of their own Separations in New England,* 1.9 insomuch that some of the most eminent amongst them have affirmed, That even the Apostles Churches were not so pure? Surely if the same New English Churches were in Old England, they could not meet without Persecution, which therfore in Old England they avoid by frequenting the way of Church-wor∣ship (which in New England they Persecute) the Parishes.

Upon these considerations how can Mr. Cotton be offended that I should help (as he calls them) any zealous soules, not a∣gainst the mighty Ordinances of the Lord Jesus, but to seek after the Lord Jesus without halting?* 1.10 Yea why should Mr. Cotton, or any desirous to practice Reformation, kindle a fire of Persecution against such zealous soules, especially considering that themselves, had they so inveighed against Bishops, Com∣mon Prayer, &c. in Edward the 6. his dayes had been accoun∣ted as great Hereticks, in those Reforming times as any now can be in these: yet would it have been then▪ and since hath it been great oppression and Tyranny to persecute their con∣sciences, and still will it be for them to persecute the consci∣ences of others in Old or New England.

How can I better end then Mr. Cotton doth, by warning, that all that will not kisse the Son (that is, heare and embrace the words of his mouth) shall perish in their way,* 1.11 Psal. 2. 12. And I desire Mr. Cotton and every soule to whom these lines may come, seriously to consider, in this Contraversie, if the Lord Jesus were himselfe in person in Old or New England, what Church, what Ministry, what Worship, what Government he would set up, and what persecution he would practice toward them that would not receive Him?

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  M. Cotton.
• * 1.2

  The garden of the chur∣ches of both old and new Testament, planted with an hedge or wall of sepa∣ration from the world.
• * 1.3

  When Gods people neglect to maintain that hedge or wall, God hath turned his garden into a wil∣dernesse.
• * 1.4

  The Non∣conformists grounds ne∣cessarily in∣force a sepa∣ration of the Church from the unclean in clean and holy things.
• * 1.5

  The great suffe••ing for this cause.
• * 1.6

  Mr. Cotton•• and others zealous pra∣ctice of sepa∣ration in New England.
• * 1.7

  Mr. Cotton allowing li∣bertie to fre∣quent those parishes in Old England: which parishes be himselfe persecutes in New England
• * 1.8

  A great my∣stery in the e∣scaping of the crosse of Christ.
• * 1.9

  The New English Chur∣ches 〈…〉〈…〉 by some to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 purer then the first establi••••∣ed by the A∣postles.
• * 1.10

  The reforma∣tion desired now had been accounted He∣resie in Ed. •• his daye••
• * 1.11

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 unjust 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wheresoe∣ver.