A Reply to his 35. Chap.: The bloody tenet, washed, and made white in the blood of… by John Cotton | AskReformation

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:469p. 71–72

Reply. 2. What Reason can the Discusser give why the Magistrate should break the teeth of the Lyons, who offer civill violence to the Church and Saints, and not break the teeth of the ravenous wolves (false Prophets) who offer violence to their souls? Doubtless those ravenous wolves, that make havoc of their souls, are far more mischievous then the Lyons be, that offer violence to their bodies. The Roman pagan Emperors (who like Lions persecuted the Church, 2 Tim. 4.17.) they by persecution increased it, though against their wills. But the Roman Popish Bishops, that like ravenous wolves devoured their souls, left the Church of Christ scarce visible, (though visible) and them, a very small remnant, though a remnant. It may be ⟨p. 72⟩matter of just wonderment, why Antichrist should find more favours in the Discussers eyes, then an ignorant Pagan, when the one hateth Christ more bitterly, and maketh far more waste of the Church, and Saints of Christ, then doth the other. Is it because his own Spirit doth more symbolize with Antichrist then with Caesar? Rather in secret supplanting, then in open persecuting the Churches and Ordinances of Christ?

Reply. 2. What Reason can the Discusser give why the Magistrate should breake the teeth of the Lyons, who offer civill violence to the Church and Saints, and not breake the teeth of the ravenous wolves (false Prophets) who offer violence to their soules? Doubtlesse those ravenous wolves, that make havock of their soules, are farre more mischievous then the Lyons be, that offer violence to their bodies. The Romane pagan Emperours (who like Lions persecuted the Church, 2 Tim. 4.17.) they by persecution increased it, though against their wills. But the Romane Popish Bishops, that like ravenous wolves devoured their soules, left the Church of Christ scarce visible, (though visible) and them, a very small remnant, though a remnant. It may be ⟨p. 72⟩matter of just wonderment, why Antichrist should find more favours in the Discussers eyes, then an ignorant Pagan, when the one hateth Christ more bitterly, and maketh farre more waste of the Church, and Saints of Christ, then doth the other. Is it because his owne Spirit doth more symbolize with Antichrist then with Caesar? Rather in secret supplanting, then in open persecuting the Churches and Ordinances of Christ?

:470p. 72

Beply. 3. We do not say that it is a part of the Magistrates duty, to see all his Subjects to become Christians, if they were Pagans before: though we say, it is his Duty to neglect no good means to help them onward to the knowledge and faith of Christ Jesus. But why doth the Discusser shake this duty out of the Magistrates, to see that the Church, and the Christians under his Government, should walk in purity of worship, at least not so far to degenerate and apostate as to provoke Christ to depart from them? Can he hope that such Christians will be faithful and loyal to their Prince, whom he seeth to grow false and disloyal to their God? Surely the Land of Ismael though it had some peculiar and and typical Holiness belonging to it, yet no other then what did prefigure the Holiness of the Church, which is as holy to Christ, and ought to be as holy to us, as the Land of Israel was to them. If therefore it was the duty of Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Isaiah, to reduce the people of Israel from their backslidings, because they were an holy people, (2 Chron. 19.4.) Surely the like Duty lieth upon all Godly Christian Princes, to reduce their backsliding Churches to their Primitive Purity.

Beply. 3. We doe not say that it is a part of the Magistrates duty, to see all his Subjects to become Christians, if they were Pagans before: though wee say, it is his Duty to neglect no good meanes to help them onward to the knowledge and faith of Christ Jesus. But why doth the Discusser shake this duty out of the Magistrates, to see that the Church, and the Christians under his Government, should walke in purity of worship, at least not so farre to degenerate and apostate as to provoke Christ to depart from them? Can he hope that such Christians will be faithfull and loyall to their Prince, whom he seeth to grow false and disloyall to their God? Surely the Land of Ismael though it had some peculiar and and typicall Holinesse belonging to it, yet no other then what did prefigure the Holinesse of the Church, which is as holy to Christ, and ought to be as holy to us, as the Land of Israel was to them. If therefore it was the duty of Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, and Isaiah, to reduce the people of Israel from their backslidings, because they were an holy people, (2 Chron. 19.4.) Surely the like Duty lyeth upon all Godly Christian Princes, to reduce their backsliding Churches to their Primitive Purity.