The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution for Cause of Conscience...

[121] [“Certain it is from the word of truth, that the anti-christian kingdom shall be destroyed and rooted up by Christian princes and states long before the great harvest of the end of the world.... And either such princes must perform this great work without prayer, and then it were not sanctified to God, or if it be a sacrifice sanctified to God, they must pray for their desolation before they inflict it.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 53.]

[122] [“It might as truly be said the ministers of Christ are forbidden to denounce present or speedy destruction to any murderers, &c.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 54.]

[123] [“It is moral equity, that blasphemers, and apostate idolaters seducing others to idolatry, should be put to death, Levit. xxiv. 16.... The external equity of that judicial law of Moses was of moral force, and bindeth all princes to express that zeal and indignation, both, against blasphemy in such as fall under their just power, which Ahab neglected; and against seduction to idolatry, which Ahab executed, or else Elijah, or some others, by his consent.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 55.]

[124] [“It was no just cause for the civil magistrate to punish the Pharisees, for that they took unjust offence against Christ’s wholesome doctrine. For neither was the doctrine itself a fundamental truth; nor was their offence against it a fundamental error, though it was dangerous. Besides, the civil magistrates had no law established about doctrines, or offences of that nature. And therefore, they could take no judicial cognizance of any complaint presented to them about the same.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 57.]

[125] [“Paul’s appeal to Cæsar, was about the wrongs done unto the Jews. The wrongs to them were not only civil, but church offences, which Paul denied.... A man may be such an offender in matters of religion, against the law of God, against the church, as well as in civil matters against Cæsar, as to be worthy of death.... Paul, or any such like servant of Christ, if he should commit any such offence, he would not refuse judgment unto death.” Ib. p. 59.]

[126] [“We do not say, It is the holy will and purpose of God to establish the doctrine and kingdom of his Son only this way, to wit, by the help of civil authority. For it is his will also to magnify his power in establishing the same ... by the sufferings of his saints, and by the bloody swords of persecuting magistrates: ... but it is the duty of magistrates to know the Son, acknowledge his kingdom, and submit their thrones and crowns to it, &c.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 61.]

[127] [“We do not allege that place in Isaiah, to prove kings and queens to be judges of ecclesiastical causes; but to be providers for the church’s well-being, and protectors of it.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 61.]

[128] [“We do not hold it lawful for a Christian magistrate to compel by civil sword either Pharisee, or any Jew, or pagan, to profess the religion, or doctrine, of the Lord Jesus, much less do we think it meet for a private Christian to provoke either Jewish or pagan magistrates to compel Pharisees to submit to the doctrine or religion of Christ Jesus.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 64. On this Mr. Williams observes, that Mr. Cotton believes “it is no compulsion to make laws with penalties for all to come to church and to public worship.” Bloudy Tenent yet more Bloudy, p. 87.]

[129] [“When the corruption, or destruction of souls, is a destruction also of lives, liberties, estates of men, lex talionis calleth for, not only soul for soul, but life for life.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 64.]

[130] [“Yet it is not only every man’s duty, but the common duty of the magistrates to prevent infection, and to preserve the common health of the place, by removing infectious persons into solitary tabernacles.” Ib. p. 65.]

[131] [“That hindereth not the lawful and necessary use of a civil sword for the punishment of some such offences, as are subject to church censure.... It is evident that the civil sword was appointed for a remedy in this case, Deut. xiii.... For he (the angel of God’s presence) did expressly appoint it in the Old Testament: nor did he ever abrogate it in the New.... The reason is of moral, i. e., of universal and perpetual equity to put to death any apostate seducing idolater, or heretic ... the magistrate beareth not the sword in vain, to execute vengeance on such an evil doer.” Cotton’s Reply, pp. 66, 67.]

[132] [“It is a carnal and worldly, and indeed an ungodly imagination, to confine the magistrates’ charge to the bodies and goods of the subject, and to exclude them from the care of their souls.... They may and ought to procure spiritual help to their souls, and to prevent such spiritual evils, as that the prosperity of religion amongst them might advance the prosperity of the civil state.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 68.]

[133] [“The matter of this answer, it is likely enough, was given by me; for it suiteth with my own apprehension, both then and now. But some expressions in laying it down, I do not own, nor can I find any copy under my own handwriting, that might testify how I did express myself, especially in a word or two, wherein the discusser observeth, in cap. 38, some haste, and light, sleepy attention.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 74. Mr. Williams replies, “It is at hand for Master Cotton or any to see that copy which he gave forth and corrected in some places with his own hand, and every word verbatim here published.” Bloody Tenent yet more Bloody, p. 114. See ante, p. 22.]

[134] [“It is far from me to say, that it is lawful for civil magistrates to inflict corporal punishments upon men contrary-minded, standing in the same state the Samaritans did. No such thought arose in my heart, nor fell from my pen—that it is lawful for a civil magistrate to inflict corporal punishments upon such as are contrary-minded in matters of religion.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 76. To this Mr. Williams expresses his surprise as to the meaning Mr. Cotton puts upon the words contrary-minded, seeing the whole argument of his book is to show that heretics may be lawfully punished by the civil magistrate. P. 115.]

[135] [“Let it not seem strange to hear tell of unconverted Christians or unconverted converts. There is no contradiction at all in the words. When the Lord saith, that Judah turned unto him, not with all her heart, but feignedly, was she not then an unconverted convert? converted in show and profession, but unconverted in heart and truth?” Cotton’s Reply, p. 78.]

[136] [“I have not yet learned that the children of believing parents born in the church, are all of them pagans, and no members of the church: or that being members of the church, and so holy, that they are all of them truly converted. And if they be not always truly converted, then let him not wonder, nor stumble at the phrase of unconverted Christians.” Ib. p. 78.]

[137] [“If opposition rise from within, from the members of the church, I do not believe it to be lawful for the magistrate to seek to subdue and convert them to be of his mind by the civil sword; but rather to use all spiritual means for their conviction and conversion. But if the opposition still continue in doctrine and worship, and that against the vitals and fundamentals of religion, whether by heresy of doctrine or idolatry in worship, and shall proceed to seek the seduction of others, I do believe the magistrate is not to tolerate such opposition against the truth in church members, or in any professors of the truth after due conviction from the word of truth.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 81.]

[138] [“Yet it is not more than befell the church of Judah, in the days of Ahaz and Hezekiah, Manasseh and Josiah; yet the prophets never upbraided them with the civil magistrate’s power in causes of religion, as the cause of it.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 82.]

[139] [“A civil magistrate ought not to draw out his civil sword against any seducers till he have used all good means for their conviction, and thereby clearly manifested the bowels of tender commiseration and compassion towards them. But if after their continuance in obstinate rebellion against the light, he shall still walk towards them in soft and gentle commiseration, his softness and gentleness is excessive large to foxes and wolves; but his bowels are miserably straitened and hardened against the poor sheep and lambs of Christ.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 83.]

[140] [Eusebii Eccles. Hist. lib. iv. c. xiii. The rescript is also found appended to the second apology of Justin Martyr, Opera, tom. i. p. 100, edit. Coloniæ, 1686. By modern writers it is deemed spurious, although in spirit consonant with the well known temper of the emperor. Neander Ch. Hist. i. p. 141. Gieseler, i. 130. Clark’s For. and Theol. Lib.]

[141] [“Though the same arm may with a staff beat a wolf, yet it will not with the same staff beat a sheep. The same voice from heaven that calleth the sheep by name into the sheepfold, and leadeth them by still waters, the same voice hath said, that anti-christian wolves and seducers shall drink of blood, for they are worthy.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 86. To this Mr. Williams replies, that if civil power may force out of the church, it may also force in. “If civil power, to wit, by swords, whips, prisons, &c., drives out the spiritual or mystical wolf, the same undeniably must drive in the sheep.” The Bloody Tenent yet more Bloody, p. 128.]

[142] [“If those be peaceable and quiet subjects, that withdraw subjects from subjection to Christ: if they be loving and helpful neighbours, that help men on to perdition: if they be fair and just dealers, that wound the souls of the best, and kill and destroy the souls of many, if such be true and loyal to civil government, that subject it to the tyranny of a foreign prelate, then it will be no advantage to civil states, when the kingdoms of the earth shall become the kingdoms of our Lord; and they may do as good service to the civil state, who bring the wrath of God upon them by their apostasy, as they that bring down blessings from heaven by the profession and practice of the true religion in purity.” Cotton’s Reply, pp. 87, 88.]

[143] [“Magistrates ought to be so well acquainted with matters of religion, as to discern the fundamental principles thereof, and the evil of those heresies and blasphemies as do subvert the same. Their ignorance thereof is no discharge of their duty before the Lord. Such wolfish oppressors, and doctrines, and practices as they cannot discern with their own eyes, it will be their sin to suppress them, because they cannot do it of faith: or to tolerate them, because they are destructive to the souls of the people.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 89.]

[144] [“It is no dishonour to Christ, nor impeachment of the sufficiency of the ordinances left by Christ, that in such a case his ministers of justice in the civil state, should assist his ministers of the gospel in the church state.” Ib. p. 91.]

[145] [“Elders must keep within the bounds of their calling; but killing, and dashing out of brains, which is all one with stoning, was expressly commanded in such a case to the people of God, by order from the judges. Deut. xiii. 10.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 91.]

[146] [“Nor is it a frustrating of the sweet end of Christ’s coming, which was to save souls, but rather a direct advancing of it, to destroy (if need be) the bodies of those wolves, who seek to destroy the souls of those for whom Christ died.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 93.]

[147] [“This is not unfitting nor improper, that a magistrate should draw his sword, though not in matters spiritual, yet about matters spiritual, to protect them in peace, and to stave off the disturbers and destroyers of them.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 94.]

[148] [Saker is the peregrine hawk; but was applied to a piece of ordnance of three inches and a half bore, carrying a ball of five pounds and a half weight.]

[149] [“It is far from me to allow the civil magistrate to make use of his civil weapons to batter down idolatry and heresy in the souls of men, ... but if the idolater or heretic grow obstinate ... now the magistrate maketh use, not of stocks and whips, but of death and banishment.... Heretics and idolaters may be restrained from the open practice and profession of their wickedness by the sword of justice, and such weapons of righteousness.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 95.]

[150] [“This inference will not here follow: That, therefore, magistrates have nothing to do to punish any violation, no, not of the weightiest duties of the first table.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 96.]

[151] [Comment. in Rom. xiii. 5, tom. v. p. 200, ed. Tholuck.]

[152] [“But how far off Calvin’s judgment was to restrain civil magistrates from meddling in matters of religion, let him interpret himself in his own words, in his answer to Servetus, who was put to death for his heresies at Geneva by his procurement:—Hoc uno, saith he, contentus sum, Christi adventu; nec mutatum esse ordinem politicum, nec de magistratuum officio quicquam detractum.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 98.]

[153] [Comment. in vers. 8, 10, tom. v. pp. 201, 202.]

[154] [Bezæ Nov. Test. in loc. edit. Londini, 1585.]

[155] [“Though idolatry, and blasphemy, and heresy, be sins against the first table: yet to punish these with civil penalties is a duty of the second table.... It was neither the word nor judgment of Calvin or Beza, so to interpret Rom. xiii. as to exempt magistrates from power of punishing heresy and idolatry.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 99.]

[156] [“In giving them a power and charge to execute vengeance on evil doers, it behoved them to inquire and listen after true religion, to hear and try all, and upon serious, deliberate, and just scrutiny, to hold fast that which is good, and so prevent the disturbance thereof by the contrary.... The cases of religion, wherein we allow civil magistrates to be judges are so fundamental and palpable, that no magistrate, studious of religion,—but, if he have any spiritual discerning, he cannot but judge of such gross corruptions as are insufferable in religion.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 101.]

[157] [“Paul did submit to Cæsar’s judgment-seat the trial of his innocency, as well in matters of religion as in civil conversation. For he pleadeth his innocency, that he was guilty of none of those things whereof they did accuse him, and for trial hereof he appealeth to Cæsar. Now the things whereof they did accuse him, were offences against the law of the Jews, and against the temple, as well as against Cæsar. And offences against the law of the Jews, and against the temple, were matters of religion.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 103.]

[158] [“What though the sword be of a material and civil nature?... It can reach to punish not only the offenders in bodily life and civil liberties, but also the offenders against spiritual life and soul-liberties.... If the sword of the judge or magistrate be the sword of the Lord, why may it not be drawn forth, as well to defend his subjects in true religion, as in civil peace?... What holy care of religion lay upon the kings of Israel in the Old Testament, the same lieth now upon Christian kings in the New Testament, to protect the same in their churches.” Cotton’s Reply, pp. 104, 105.]

[159] [In “A Model of Church and Civil Power—sent to the Church at Salem,” examined at length by Mr. Williams, in some subsequent chapters of this volume.]

[160] [“When we say, the magistrate is an avenger of evil, we mean of all sorts or kinds of evil: not every particular of each kind. Secret evils, in thought, or affection, yea, in action too, but neither confessed, nor proved by due witnesses, the magistrate cannot punish.” Cotton’s Reply, p. 110.]