OCR Text |
Show Majlef John Cottons Anfwer notice -n~r giveth any-ground either from Chrifi, m· his Apollle!, or Pr~phets, for {uch pral:ti~e; but putc_ech us_ off, that we pral:tife feparation our [elves, and re)oyce theretn, as tf ou~ fc~ar&uon and theirs were both of one nature, and meafttre: whtch mdced differ as much (as I faid before ) as Chirurgery, and Butchery. Reply. 2. When he telleth m, We boajl of oz<r {iparationJ in NewEngland, yea fof•rre, M that [orne ofottr mojl eminent have f;id, that tven tbe ApoftleJ Churchu were not fo pure. I mufr needs profe!fe, I nover heard, nor read of fuch a fpeech, but onely in this Examiners Booke. The fpeech it lelfe favoureth, I know not whether of more ignorance, or arrogancy , or blafphemy. The broadell lpeech in this kinde, that ever I heaid to fall from the lips of any in this Countrey,wa! that ot M'. WiUi•mJ himfelfe,who whilell he lived at Salem( as lam credibly informed) would fay, That of aU the Churcha of Chrifl in the world, the new Englifh were the moft pure, and of aU tho new Englifh, the Church of Salem. I am fo well acquainted with Fhe liberty and boldnelfe of the Examiners tOngue in calumniations, that umill I know the name of that eminent perfon, whom he reproacheth to have fo fpoken, he muR give me leave tO feare, either a mifrake, or that which is worfe. Repfy. 3· It is a double calumny , ( bnt fuitable to many other ofthe former) that w" in New-England doe perfecute th• wayoffiparation, whether the"" k.jnde offeparation, or the other. It is true .of mither, for we pratl:ife the one, and colerate the other. And againe,rbt we freqztent the P arifh-ChurcheJ in Old England, to avnyd prrfecution. Unldfc mms con~ues were their own, I wonder, how they can allow themfelves to!i •eake fo excdlively at random. The(o his fix Coni!derations, having lo little con!iderabletruth, or wai~h~in them, I ju!liy l:ud, That he in withdrawing the people of God from bearing tht vo;ce of Chrifl in fo nuny Congregation!, both in New· England,audh1 Old, did '"t btlpe Jehovah al',ainjlthemi~bty, VHt SJtan a~.;ir,ftJehsvJb, a11d ag;injl the mighty Ordinanm of hil ,W ord, and Miuijhy. . Bllt he anfwer<th, that he helpeth tbe zealom Joule~ nftbt SepJr•· tz n, ar~d he l•elpttb m tn [ce~e tbe LmJ Jefi« without haftilrg. . . HJw he hclpcth them I know not, unldle it be by depnvmg them to Mafier Roger Williams. them of many precious mean~s of grace, which they might enjoy by hearing the Word in either E~glan_d: o_r unldfe by his own example he now helpe the~, Proftcerezn pczm, to feporate _further from all in!'cituted worfhtp of the Lord, co caft off thm own Churches, Minifrery, Worfhip,as they have call off othors before, that fo they might feeke (for that which will never be found under the Sunne) new Apollles to make all thinp.s new. And a~ little doe I know how he helpeth us to feeke th< Lord .Jefus without halting, unl~lfe it be to feeke him, as he himfelfe doth without Church-Ordinances. For the Conclufton of his Booke, he is willing to uke up the conclufion of my Letter ; That whofoever wilt not k.i/Je the Sonne, (that is, will not heare and embrace the words of his mouth ) (hall perifh in their way, Pfal. 2. ! :. · This word is efrablifhed in heaven, and will uke place in the earth throughout all gen~rations. . • But leafi this word might profit htmfelfe, (as felfe.Jove IS apt to apply a word of threatening to any rather then to it felfe) he applieth it toM'. C:otton, and to "!"Y {oule, (to whom_thefelines of his may come) Jerzor.jly to confider,zn tim COTztroverfie 1 if tbe Lord Jejur" Were himfelfoin pzrfon.i~ Old, iJr New-England; what Church, what 111iniflery, what Worjhzp, what Govanmmt he would fit up, and .,b.Jt perficutian he would praUife toward them that woztld 1101 receive him. For Anfwer, let me fay in a word, this point hath been feriouf-ly confide red already : and let it be tlrll confirlered and pondered in the Ballance of the S.ml.tmry , and doubtleffc, for the fidl of thefe points, ic will be found , that if the Lord Jdits were he~e hi:nfdfe in perfon, he would fet up no other Ch~rch, nor 1\1""" frery, nor worfhir, nor gov~rnment, then what h~mfelfe ha1h appninted in his Word: whJcil though tho Ex ,•m_t~er, and m_.wy orhero, have fought and fea:ched what enormities they mi_gbt finde in ir, yet thty have wearied thcmfdves, and found nothwg.So true is the faithful! promife of the Lord Jdus, that he h-ath built his Church upon a Rock, and thegat.es-ofli-lellfhall notprc- - vaile againft it, nor again II the Ordinances rhcre"of. . And for che latter point ; What perfecutzon tbe Lord Jefu! if h, · were Qn earth, would praf1i[e agailljltboji.wbo would not receive him. · The: |