The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution for Cause of Conscience Discussed and Mr. Cotton's Letter Examined and Answered, by Roger Williams CHAP. II. CHAP. II. Secondly, I observe his charge against me for not hearkening to a twofold voice of Christ: first, of the whole church of Christ with me.[232] Public sins the cause of public calamities; must be faithfully discovered by spiritual watchmen. Unto which I answer, according to my conscience and persuasion, I was then charged by office with the feeding of that flock: and when in the apprehension of some public evils, the whole country professed to humble itself and seek God, I endeavoured, as a faithful watchman on the walls, to sound the trumpet and give the alarm: and upon a fast day, in faithfulness and uprightness, as then and still I am persuaded, I discovered eleven public sins, for which I believed (and do) it pleased God to inflict, and further to threaten public calamities. Most of which eleven (in not all) that church then seemed to assent unto: until afterward in my troubles the greater part of that church was swayed and bowed, whether for fear of persecution or otherwise, to say and practise what, to my knowledge, with sighs and groans, many of them mourned under. Col. iv. [16.] Faithfulness to God and man (though for present censured) will give rejoicing in day of death and judgment. I know the church of Colosse must say to Archippus, Take heed to thy ministry, &c., which he may negligently and proudly refuse to hearken to; but let my case be considered, and the word of the Lord examined, and the difference of my case will shine forth, and my faithfulness and uprightness to God and the souls of that people will witness for me, when my soul comes to Hezekiah’s case on his death-bed, and in that great day approaching. The popish argument from multitudes. David and the princes and thirty thousand of Israel, a type of God’s best servants reforming, yet not after the due order. An excellent confession of the papists concerning scripture. For my not hearkening to the second voice, the testimony of so many elders and brethren of other churches: because I truly esteem and honour the persons of which the New English churches are constituted, I will not answer the argument of numbers and multitudes against one, as we use to answer the popish universality, that God sometimes stirs up one Elijah against eight hundred of Baal’s priests,[233] one Micaiah against four hundred of Ahab’s prophets, one Athanasius against many hundreds of Arian bishops, one John Huss against the whole council of Constance, Luther and the two witnesses against many thousands, &c. Let this I may truly say, that David himself, and the princes of Israel, and thirty thousand Israel, carrying up the ark, were not to be hearkened to nor followed in their (as I may say) holy rejoicings and triumphings, the due order of the Lord yet being wanting to their holy intentions and affections, and the Lord at last sending in a sad stop and breach of Uzzah amongst them (Perez Uzzah), as he hath ever yet done, and will do in all the reformations that have been hitherto made by his Davids which are not after the due order. To which purpose, it is maintained by the papists themselves, and by their councils, that scripture only must be heard: yea, one scripture in the mouth of one simple mechanic before the whole council. By that only do I desire to stand or fall in trial or judgment; for all flesh is grass, and the beauty of flesh, the most wisest, holiest, learnedest, is but the flower or beauty of grass: only the word of Jehovah standeth fast for ever.