Beloved in CHRIST, Disdain not to Read this Learned Treatise of Master John Cotton, of Boston in New-England, out of any prejudice thou mayest take against the person, or publisher of it. What if some judge him a Schismatic? yet he regardeth not mans rash censure: Seeing he can with holy Paul, that before his Conversion persecuted the Church of God, safely Apologise for himself; Acts 24. 14. That after the way that you call Heresy, so ⟨image 11⟩worship I the God of my Fathers; believing all things that are written in the Law, and in the Prophets. Verse 15. And have an hope toward God, which you your selves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just, and unjust. Verse 16. And herein do I exercise my self, to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God & toward man. But yet this I confess unto you, that I am less then the least of all the Messengers of Christ; for I am not worthy to be called a Messenger, or Minister; for I persecuted the Church of God, that professed the Faith of Jesus the Christ; that held forth all his Royal Offices, King, Prophet, Priest, according to his outward administration, in admitting of Members into his Spiritual Kingdom: And sided with the Antichristian Prelates, and Bishops, that denied, that Jesus is the Christ, whom the Spirit of God calleth Liars, and Antichristians, That denieth the Father ⟨image 11⟩and the Son, 1 John 2. 22. For though I, with the Antichristian Bishops, and Priests, did acknowledge Jesus the Christ, our high Priest that ever liveth to reconcile us unto God; yet we have persecuted them that hold his Kingly and Prophetical Office to be eternal, aswell as his Priesthood, and the gathering of his Church according to his Royal Commission, Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20. Hence it is, that Christ divided, becometh no Christ to the divider; this according to the Vulgar Latin, Solver Jesum, to dissolve Jesus, that is, to receive him only in part, and not in the whole, which is the spirit of Antichrist. Now when the Lord opened the eyes of my understanding, and convicted me of all the abominations I had done in my spiritual Captivity under Antichrist, especially, that I had crucified Jesus the Christ in his Members, being pricked in my heart, I trembling cried, what shall I do? The Spirit and the Bride, the Lambs wife, said; Repent, and be ⟨image 12⟩Baptized in the name of Jesus, &c.
BEloved in CHRIST, Disdaine not to Read this Learned Treatise of Master John Cotton, of Boston in New-England, out of any prejudice thou mayest take against the person, or publisher of it. What if some judge him a Schismaticke? yet he regardeth not mans rash censure: Seeing he can with holy Paul, that before his Conversion persecuted the Church of God, safely Apologise for himselfe; Acts 24. 14. That after the way that you call Heresie, so ⟨image 11⟩worship I the God of my Fathers; beleeving all things that are written in the Law, and in the Prophets. Verse 15. And have an hope toward God, which you your selves also allow, that there shall bee a resurrection of the dead, both of the just, and unjust. Verse 16. And herein doe I exercise my selfe, to have alwaies a Conscience void of offence toward God & towardman. But yet this I confesse unto you, that I am lesse then the least of all the Messengers of Christ; for I am not worthy to bee called a Messenger, or Minister; for I persecuted the Church of God, that professed the Faith of Jesus the Christ; that held foorth all his Royall Offices, King, Prophet, Priest, according to his outward administration, in admitting of Members into his Spiritual Kingdome: And sided with the Antichristian Prelates, and Bishops, that denyed, that Jesus is the Christ, whom the Spirit of God calleth Lyars, and Antichristians, That denyeth the Father ⟨image 11⟩and the Sonne, 1 John 2. 22. For though I, with the Antichristian Bishops, and Priests, did acknowledge Jesus the Christ, our high Priest that ever liveth to reconcile us unto God; yet wee have persecuted them that hold his Kingly and Propheticall Office to be eternall, aswell as his Priesthood, and the gathering of his Church according to his Royall Commission, Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20. Hence it is, that Christ divided, becometh no Christ to the divider; this according to the Vulgar Latine, Solvere Jesum, to dissolue Jesus, that is, to receive him onely in part, and not in the whole, which is the spirit of Antichrist. Now when the Lord opened the eyes of my understanding, and convicted me of all the abominations I had done in my spirituall Captivity under Antichrist, especially, that I had crucified Jesus the Christ in his Members, being pricked in my heart, I trembling cryed, what shall I doe? The Spirit and the Bride, the Lambes wife, said; Repent, and be ⟨image 12⟩
