To CHAP. XVII. XVIII. XIX.: The bloody tenet, washed, and made white in the blood of… by John Cotton | AskReformation

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1. That it was not necessary to the Admission of members, that they should see, and bewail the sinfulness of every sipping of the whores Cup, (as he called it) (though the Whores cup do more intoxicate the mind, then the drunkards Cup doth the Body:) because bodily drunkenness and whoredom are such notorious and gross sins, that no man having true Repentance in him, cannot but be convinced of the sinfulness of them, and of the necessity of repentance of them in particular, if he do remember them. But the whores Cup being a mystery of Iniquity, the sinfulness of every sipping of it, is nothing so evident and notorious, as that every repentant soul doth at first discern it. And therefore as the 3000. Converts, Acts 2.37. to 47. were admitted into the first Christian Church, upon the Profession of their repentance of the murder of Christ, though they neither saw nor confessed all the superstitious leavenings wherewith the Pharisees had bewitched them: so here, &c. Yea and the Disciples of John (whom he instanceth in) though they did confess their sins, (the Publicans theirs, the Soldiers theirs, the People theirs:) to wit, the notorious sins incident to their callings: yet it doth not appear that they confessed their Pharisaical pollutions. And the Gentiles in Act. 19.18.19. Though they confessed their curious Arts, and burnt their conjuring Books, yet it doth not appear, that they confessed all their deeds.

1. That it was not necessary to the Admission of members, that they should see, and bewaile the sinfulnesse of every sipping of the whores Cup, (as he called it) (though the Whores cup doe more intoxicate the minde, then the drunkards Cup doth the Body:) because bodily drunkennesse and whoredome are such notorious and grosse sinnes, that no man having true Repentance in him, cannot but be convinced of the sinfulnesse of them, and of the necessitie of repentance of them in particular, if he doe remember them. But the whores Cup being a mystery of Iniquitie, the sinfulnesse of every sipping of it, is nothing so evident and notorious, as that every repentant soule doth at first discerne it. And therefore as the 3000. Converts, Acts 2.37. to 47. were admitted into the first Christian Church, upon the Profession of their repentance of the murther of Christ, though they neither saw nor confessed all the superstitious leavenings wherewith the Pharisees had bewitched them: so here, &c. Yea and the Disciples of John (whom he instanceth in) though they did confesse their sinnes, (the Publicans theirs, the Souldiers theirs, the People theirs:) to wit, the notorious sinnes incident to their callings: yet it doth not appeare that they confessed their Pharisaicall pollutions. And the Gentiles in Act. 19.18.19. Though they confessed their curious Arts, and burnt their conjuring Bookes, yet it doth not appeare, that they confessed all their deeds.

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The very truth is, the ground and root of the Examiners Error in this case is, That he maketh Church-Covenant to be no better then a Covenant of works: whereas indeed if Church-Covenant be not a branch of the Covenant of grace, the Churches of Christ are not built upon Christ. In a Covenant of works, all sins must be avoided: or if not avoided, yet repented of expressly, and the greatest sins most. But in Evangelical Repentance, God dealeth not with us after our sins, nor rewardeth us according to our Iniquities, Psal. 103.10. The Grace of Christ is not given either to his Church, or to any Christian, upon the perfection of our Repentance, nor upon our Repentance of our greatest sins, in the greatest measure. But if the heart be truly humbled for any known sin, as sin, though the sin known be often less heinous, then others unknown, yet God accepteth his own work, and putteth away all sin in the acknowledgement of one. Yea in sins that be known, the compunction of the heart is sometimes more expressed for the occasions and inducements of the sin, which are less heinous; then for the greater sins, which are more grievous and dangerous. Solomon in his solemn Repentance in the Book of Ecclesiastes, doth more expressly bewail his entanglement with lewd women, Eccles. 7.27, 28. then all his Idolatrous Temples and worship, which were erected, and maintained at his charge. By the Examiners Doctrine, Solomon had never been received, and restored to the Church upon that Repentance.

The very truth is, the ground and roote of the Examiners Error in this case is, That he maketh Church-Covenant to be no better then a Covenant of workes: whereas indeed if Church-Covenant be not a branch of the Covenant of grace, the Churches of Christ are not built upon Christ. In a Covenant of workes, all sinnes must be avoyded: or if not avoyded, yet repented of expresly, and the greatest sinnes most. But in Evangelicall Repentance, God dealeth not with us after our sinnes, nor rewardeth us according to our Iniquities, Psal. 103.10. The Grace of Christ is not given either to his Church, or to any Christian, upon the perfection of our Repentance, nor upon our Repentance of our greatest sinnes, in the greatest measure. But if the heart be truly humbled for any knowne sinne, as sinne, though the sinne knowne be often lesse hainous, then others unknowne, yet God accepteth his own worke, and putteth away all sinne in the acknowledgement of one. Yea in sinnes that be knowne, the compunction of the heart is sometimes more expressed for the occasions and inducements of the sinne, which are lesse hainous; then for the greater sinnes, which are more grievous and dangerous. Solomon in his solemne Repentance in the Booke of Ecclesiastes, doth more expresly bewaile his entanglement with lewd women, Eccles. 7.27, 28. then all his Idolatrous Temples and worship, which were erected, and maintained at his charge. By the Examiners Doctrine, Solomon had never been received, and restored to the Church upon that Repentance.