Note 158 — A REPLY TO THE AFORESAID ANSWER OF MR. COTTON, IN A CONFERENCE BETWEEN TRUTH AND PEACE. (continued 2)
Reading edition
[“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.]