Chapter 33: The bloody tenet, washed, and made white in the blood of… by John Cotton | AskReformation

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:442p. 66–67

Answ. It is evident the civill sword was appointed for a remedy in this case, Deut. 13. And appointed it was, by that Angel of Gods presence, whom God promised to send with his people, as being unwilling to go along with them himself, Exod. 33.2, 3. ⟨p. 67⟩And that Angel was Christ, whom they tempted in the wilderness, 1 Cor. 10.9. And therefore it cannot truly be said, that the Lord Jesus never appointed the civill sword for a remedy in such a case. For he did expressly appoint it in the Old-Testament: nor did he ever abrogate it in the New. The reason of the Law, (which is the life of the Law) is of eternal force and equity in all Ages. Thou shalt surely kill him, because be hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, Deut. 13.9, 10. This reason is of moral, that is, of universal and perpetual equity to put to death any Apostate seducing Idolater, or Heretic, who seeketh to thrust away the souls of Gods people, from the Lord their God. If Magistrates be the Ministers of God in the New-Testament, (as Paul calleth them, Rom. 13.4.) And Ministers of God to execute vengeance on him that doeth evil, surely either this is no evil, (to seek to thrust away Gods people from him) or the Magistrate beareth not the sword in vain, to execute vengeance on such an evil doer. Yea but such an evil, is evil only to the inner man, not to the civill State

Answ. It is evident the civill sword was appointed for a remedy in this case, Deut. 13. And appointed it was, by that Angell of Gods presence, whom God promised to send with his people, as being unwilling to goe along with them himselfe, Exod. 33.2, 3. ⟨p. 67⟩And that Angell was Christ, whom they tempted in the wildernesse, 1 Cor. 10.9. And therefore it cannot truely be said, that the Lord Jesus never appointed the civill sword for a remedy in such a case. For he did expressely appoint it in the Old-Testament: nor did he ever abrogate it in the New. The reason of the Law, (which is the life of the Law) is of eternall force and equity in all Ages. Thou shult surely kill him, because be hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, Deut. 13.9, 10. This reason is of morall, that is, of universall and perpetuall equity to put to death any Apostate seducing Idolater, or Heretick, who seeketh to thrust away the soules of Gods people, from the Lord their God. If Magistrates be the Ministers of God in the New-Testament, (as Paul calleth them, Rom. 13.4.) And Ministers of God to execute vengeance on him that doeth evill, surely either this is no evill, (to seeke to thrust away Gods people from him) or the Magistrate beareth not the sword in vaine, to execute vengeance on such an evill doer. Yea but such an evill, is evill onely to the inner man, not to the civill State

:448p. 67–68

Reply 2. It is a carnal and worldly, and indeed, an ungodly ⟨p. 68⟩imagination, to confine the Magistrates charge, to the bodies, and goods of the Subject, and to exclude them from the care of their souls. Did ever God commit the charge of the body to any Governors, to whom, he did not commit (in his way) the care of souls also? Hath God committed to Parents the charge of their children's bodies, and not the care of their souls? To Masters the charge of their servants bodies, and not of their souls? to Captains the charge of their soldiers bodies, and not of their souls? shall the Captains suffer false worship, yea idolatry, publicly professed and practised in the camp, and yet look to prosper in the Battle? The Magistrates to whom God hath committed the charge of bodies, and outward man of the Subject, are they not also to take care to procure faithful Teachers to be sent amongst them? Jehoshaphat took faithful care for the souls of his people in this kind, 2 Chron. 17.7, 8, 9. Neither did he this as a Type of Christ, but as a Servant of Christ. Those things are said to be done as Types of Christ, which being ceremonial duties, were afterwards done by Christ in his own Person, and so were in him accomplished, and abolished: And it would be sacrilege to perform the same after him. But let the conscience of any sincere Christian judge, whether it would be sacrilege in a godly Magistrate, to procure the sending forth of godly Preachers into all the blind corners of his country? The truth is, Church-Governors, and civill-governors do herein stand parallel one to another. The Chuch-Governors though to them be chiefly committed the charge of souls, as their adequate objects: yet in order to the good of the souls of their people, to dehort from idleness, negligence, from intemperancy in meats and drinks, from oppression, and deceit, and therein provide both for the health of their bodies, and the safety of their estates. So civill-governors though to them be chiefly committed the bodies and goods of the people (as their adequate object:) yet in order to this, they may and ought to procure spiritual helps to their souls, and to prevent such spiritual evils, as that the prosperity of Religion amongst them might advance the prosperity of the civill State.

Reply 2. It is a carnall and worldly, and indeed, an ungodly ⟨p. 68⟩imagination, to confine the Magistrates charge, to the bodies, and goods of the Subiect, and to exclude them from the care of their soules. Did ever God commit the charge of the body to any Governours, to whom, he did not commit (in his way) the care of soules also? Hath God committed to Parents the charge of their childrens bodies, and not the care of their soules? To Masters the charge of their servants bodies, and not of their soules? to Captaines the charge of their souldiers bodies, and not of their soules? shall the Captaines suffer false worship, yea idolatry, publickly professed and practised in the campe, and yet looke to prosper in the Battell? The Magistrates to whom God hath committed the charge of bodies, and outward man of the Subiect, are they not also to take care to procure faithfull Teachers to be sent amongst them? Jehosaphat tooke faithfull care for the soules of his people in this kind, 2 Chron. 17.7, 8, 9. Neither did he this as a Type of Christ, but as a Servant of Christ. Those things are said to be done as Types of Christ, which being ceremoniall duties, were afterwards done by Christ in his owne Person, and so were in him accomplished, and abolished: And it would be sacriledge to performe the same after him. But let the conscience of any sincere Christian iudge, whether it would be sacriledge in a godly Magistrate, to procure the sending forth of godly Preachers into all the blind corners of his countrey? The truth is, Church-Governous, and civill-governours doe herein stand paralell one to another. The Chuch-Governours though to them be chiefely committed the charge of soules, as their adaequate obiects: yet in order to the good of the soules of their people, to dehort from idlenesse, negligence, from intemperancy in meates and drinkes, from oppression, and deceit, and therein provide both for the health of their bodies, and the safety of their estates. So civill-governours though to them be chiefely committed the bodies and goods of the people (as their adaequate obiect:) yet in order to this, they may and ought to procure spirituall helpes to their soules, and to prevent such spirituall evills, as that the prosperity of Religion amongst them might advance the prosperity of the civill State.

:449p. 68–69

Reply 3. I cannot but with grief observe the sinful guile of the Discusser: who whilst he taketh off all charges of souls from ⟨p. 69⟩the civill Magistrates, and layeth it upon Church-Governors, he taketh it off from Church-Governors too, that so the whole charge of precious souls (for whom Christ dyed) might utterly fall to the ground. For how shall Church-Governors take the charge of souls upon them, if there be no Church-Governors? And how shall there be Church-Governors, where there be no Churches? If Churches be all dissipated and rooted out from the face of the Earth by the Apostasy of Antichrist, and none to be gathered again, till new Apostles or Evangelists be sent abroad for such a work, then there be now neither Churches, nor Church-Governors, nor Church-censures, either to censure Heretics, or to fetch in those stray souls whom they have scattered. And then rejoice ye Heretics, and all ye Idolaters, and Seducers, and go on, and make havoc of the sheep of Christ like ravenous Wolves: you may now do it (impunè) without fear or danger; It is neither for Civill Governors, nor Church-Governors to meddle with you; Not for Civill Governors, for they are not to judge nor punish in matters of Religion: Nor for Church-Governors, for there are neither Churches, nor Church-Governors extant now upon the face of the Earth. But woe be to you poor sheep and Lambs of Christ Jesus: you are now indeed truly become the sheep of the slaughter, your Possessors may slay you, and plead themselves not guilty, (Zach. 11.4, 5.) not guilty before the Civill Bar: for their crime is exempted from civill cognizance: not guilty before the Churches Tribunal: for there be no Churches to call them to account.

Reply 3. I cannot but with griefe observe the sinfull guile of the Discusser: who whilest he taketh off all charges of soules from ⟨p. 69⟩the civill Magistrates, and layeth it upon Church-Governours, he taketh it off from Church-Governours too, that so the whole charge of precious soules (for whom Christ dyed) might utterly fall to the ground. For how shall Church-Governours take the charge of soules upon them, if there be no Church-Governours? And how shall there be Church-Governours, where there be no Churches? If Churches be all dissipated and rooted out from the face of the Earth by the Apostacy of Antichrist, and none to be gathered againe, till new Apostles or Evangelists be sent abroad for such a worke, then there be now neither Churches, nor Church-Governours, nor Church-censures, either to censure Hereticks, or to fetch in those stray soules whom they have scatter'd. And then rejoyce yee Hereticks, and all yee Idolaters, and Seducers, and goe on, and make havock of the sheep of Christ like ravenous Wolves: you may now doe it (impunè) without feare or danger; It is neither for Civill Governours, nor Church-Governours to meddle with you; Not for Civill Governours, for they are not to judge nor punish in matters of Religion: Nor for Church-Governours, for there are neither Churches, nor Church-Governours extant now upon the face of the Earth. But woe be to you poore sheepe and Lambes of Christ Jesus: you are now indeed truly become the sheep of the slaughter, your Possessours may slay you, and plead themselves not guilty, (Zach. 11.4, 5.) not guilty before the Civill Barre: for their crime is exempted from civill cognizance: not guilty before the Churches Tribunall: for there be no Churches to call them to account.