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

CHAP. IV.

Mr. Cotton. Let not any prejudice against my person, I be∣seech you, forestall either your affection or judgement, as if I had hasted forward the sentence of your civill banishment; for what was done by the Magistrates in that kind, was neither done by my counsell nor consent.

Answ. Although I desire to heare the voyce of God from a stranger,* 1.1 an equall, an inferiour, yea an enemy; yet I observe how this excellent man cannot but confesse how hard it is for any man to doe good to speak effectually to the soule or conscience of any whose body he afflicts and persecutes, and that onely for their soule and conscience sake.* 1.2 Hence excel∣lent was the observation of a worthy Gentleman in the Par∣liament against the Bishops, viz. That the Bishops were farre from the practice of the Lord Jesus, who together with his word preached to the soules of men, shewed their bodies so much mercie and loving kindnesse: whereas the Bishops on the contrary persecute, &c.

Now to the ground from whence my prejudice might arise, he professeth my banishment proceeded not with his counsell or consent.* 1.3 I answer, I doubt not but that what Mr. Cotton and others did in procuring my sorrowes, was not without some regret and reluctancie of conscience and affection (as like it is that David could not procure Vriiahs death, nor Asa imprison the Prophet with a quiet and free conscience.) Yet to the particular that Mr. Cotton consented not, what need he being not one of the civill Court? But that hee councelled it (and so consented,) beside what other proofe I might pro∣duce, and what himselfe here under expresseth, I shall pro∣duce a double and unanswerable testimony.

First,* 1.4 hee publickly taught, and teacheth (except lately Christ Jesus hath taught him better) that body-killing, soule-killing, and State-killing doctrine of not permitting, but per∣secuting all other consciences and wayes of worship but his own in the civill State, and so consequently in the whole

world, if the power or Empire thereof were in his hand.

Secondly,* 1.5 as at that sentence divers worthy Gentlemen durst not concurre with the rest in such a course, so some that did consent, have solemnly testified, and with teares, since to my selfe confessed, that they could not in their soules have been brought to have consented to the sentence, had not Mr. Cotton in private given them advice and counsell, proving it just and warrantable to their consciences.

I desire to bee as charitable as charity would have me, and therfore would hope that either his memory faild him, or that else he meant that in the very time of sentence passing he neither counselled nor consented (as hee hath since said, that he withdrew himselfe and went out from the rest) pro∣bably out of that reluctation which before I mentioned; and yet if so, I cannot reconcile his owne expression: for thus hee goes on.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Persecuters of mens bodies seldome or never do th••se mens soules good.
• * 1.2

  An excellent observation of a worthy Parliament man.
• * 1.3

  Gods children are not so free in persecuting Gods children, as persecutors, whose profes∣sed nature & trade it is.
• * 1.4

  M. Cotton by teaching persecution cannot but consent to it, &c.
• * 1.5

  Mr. Cotton privatly satisfied the consciences of some that questioned, Whether per∣secution for conscience were lawfull.