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. XX. Mr. Cotton. CHAP. XX. Mr. Cotton. A third scripture which I produced was Haggai ii. 13, 14, 15, desiring that the place might be thoroughly weighed, and that the Lord might please to hold the scales himself, the prophet there telling the church of the Jews, that if a person unclean by a dead body touch holy things, those holy things become unclean unto them: and so, saith he, in this nation, and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer is unclean; whence I inferred, that even church covenants made, and ordinances practised, by persons polluted through spiritual deadness, and filthiness of communion, such covenants and ordinances become unclean unto them, and are profaned by them. Mr. Cotton. Mr. Cotton answers, “your purpose was to prove that churches cannot be constituted by such persons as are unclean by anti-christian pollutions; or if they be so constituted they are not to be communicated with, but separated from. But the prophet acknowledgeth the whole church of the Jews to be unclean, and yet neither denies them to be a church truly constituted, nor stirs up himself or others to separate from them.” The church of the Jews a national church truly constituted, therefore not to be separated from. Answer. I acknowledge the true constitution of the church of the Jews, and affirm that this their true constitution was the reason why they were not to be separated from: for being a national church, ceremonial and typical, their excommunication was either putting to death in, or captivity out of that ceremonial Canaan. Hence Shalmaneser’s carrying the ten tribes captive out of this land, is said to be the casting of them out of God’s sight, 2 Kings xvii. [18,] which was their excommunication. Death and captivity in the national church, typed out spiritual death and captivity in the particular. Accordingly in the particular Christian churches, Christ Jesus cuts off by spiritual death, which is excommunication: or for want of due execution of justice by that ordinance in his kingdom, he sells the church into spiritual captivity, to confused, Babylonish lords and worships, and so drives them out of his sight. Ceremonial uncleanness in the national church, typed out moral uncleanness in the particular. Now from the consequent of this place in Haggai mine argument stands good; and Mr. Cotton here acknowledgeth it, that holy things may be all unclean to God’s people, when they lie in their uncleanness, as this people did. Those scriptures, Lev. xvi. and Num. xix., which discourse of typical and ceremonial uncleanness, he acknowledgeth to type out in the gospel the moral uncleanness either of dead works, Eph. v. 11, or dead persons, 2 Cor. vi. 14, or dead world, Gal. vi. 14. And in this place of Haggai, he acknowledgeth that God’s people, prince and people, were defiled by worldliness, in which condition, saith he, their oblations, their bodily labours, were all unclean, and found neither acceptance nor blessing from the Lord. Therefore saith he afterward: “In the church godly Christians themselves, while they attend to the world more than to the things of God, are unclean in the sight of God; therefore the church cannot be constituted of such; or if it be constitute of such, the people of God must separate from them.” And, lastly, he saith, “the church of Christ and members thereof must separate themselves from their hypocrisy, and worldliness, else they and their duties will [still] be unclean in the sight of God, notwithstanding their church estate.” Answ. What have I more spoken than Mr. Cotton himself hath uttered in this his explication and application of this scripture? As, First, that godly persons may become defiled and unclean by hypocrisy and worldliness. Mr. Cotton’s own confession concerning unclean worships, even of godly persons. Secondly, while they lie in such a condition of uncleanness all their offerings, persons, labours, are unclean in the sight of God, and have neither acceptance nor blessing from him; but they and their duties are unclean in his sight, notwithstanding their church estate. Thirdly, the church of Christ cannot be constituted of such godly persons, when defiled with such worldliness. Fourthly, the church consisting of such worldly persons, though otherwise godly and Christian, the people of God must separate from them. Inferences from Master Cotton’s grant. These are Mr. Cotton’s own express words which justify:[257] First, my former distinction of godly persons in their personal respect, between God and themselves; and yet becoming ungodly in their outward defilements. Secondly, they justify my assertion of a necessity of cleansing from anti-christian filthiness, and communions with dead works, dead worships, dead persons in God’s worship, if the touches of the dead world, or immoderate love of it, do so defile, as Mr. Cotton here affirmeth. Thirdly, if, as he saith, the church cannot be constituted of such godly persons as are defiled by immoderate love of the world, much less can it be constituted of godly persons defiled with the dead inventions, worships, communions of unregenerate and ungodly persons. Fourthly, he justifies a separation from such churches, if so constituted, or so constituting; because though worldliness be adultery against God, James iv. [4,] yet not comparable to spiritual adultery of a false bed of worship, ministry, &c.