[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.]