or other politick Punishments to come to hear the Sermon but others bare Testimony against such politick Corrections as to punish by Fines Imprisonments c. which they esteem unfitting to be introduced into the Church being they were inconsistant with the Christian Long-Suffering and Meekness and for the which they had no Example neither in the Old nor New Testament Anno 1619. Calvin said That the Apostle gave to understand that to exercise Authority over ones Faith was in no wise just nor tolerable yea saith he it is Tyranny in the Church for Faith ought to be free from all Subjection of men Though some are yet of that Opinion that it is lawful for the Magistrates to compel People contrary to their Consciences by corporal Punishments yea even to the Death for to make them keep silent or confess things contrary to their minds Yet most of the Old Fathers have alledged that it hath not been lawful for the Magistrates to touch the Conscience as to force it in matters of Religion Merck-teyck Chap. 4. 2 Deel pag. 132. The Antient Christians did not approve of any External Compulsion but only by Intreating by good Living with Exhortations Doctrins Informations and endeavours they laboured to convince People and through the Word of Truth they sought to bring People Captive so under the Obedience of Christ and if the like means now do not prevail then no humane invention through doing Violence will for that will rather make them worse as heretofore it hath done The most Violence that can be done by man cannot compel or change the vain infidelity of the mind how should that then possibly move or alter them that are unmoveably established in the Eternal Truth who will not in any wise be brought to receive things that are damnable nor to forsake that which they esteem to be necessary to their Salvation CHAP. V. A Chancellours Testimony Their Folly that would force Men and the Fruits thereof How Iust Liberty would preserve Unity And how they that Force others would not be forced TThe Chancellour of France said in the great Assembly of the three States before the King First That the absurdity of the Romish Church was the Cause of Heresie Secondly That evil Remedies had strengthened the same Thirdly That the Weapons of Love Prayer and Information with the Word of God were fit for such a Battle Fourthly That a good Life Preached more than Words Fifthly That the Sword could do little against the Spirit except it was to undoe both Body and Soul In the Comm. Fol. 132. Are they not carnal and violent Ishmaelites said one who would Violently Force rational Men often to humane and damnable Opinions as Horses and Mules and not with kindness intreat and only instruct with the Truth and invite to the needful spiritual knowledge of the Truth and true Worship as reasonable and free men Humani juris et naturalis potestatis est unicuique quod putaverit colere nec alij prodest aut obest alterius Religio sed nec Religionis est cogere Religionem que sponte non vi suscipi debeat Erasmus said the Divines not relying upon that Power wherewith they ought to be Armed they make Violence their Refuge as if men might be compelled to believe otherwise than their Opinion When several of the Priests in the Low-Country Requested of the Prince and States that they would introduce Ordinances and Disciplin according to their Opinions but the Prince and the States rejected their Requests esteeming them prejuditial both to Religion and Policy when they observed the divers Opinions that were among the People concluding it was the best as many Politicians have done to preserve Unity among the People to give Liberty at all and to compel none Anno 1608. Edict Fol. 27. It hath also been the judgement of many That Forcing of Conscience hath made many Hipocrites but no true Servants of God Therefore ought men to strive with the Word and Disputation and to conquer with Reason said Augustinus least that we make them Hypocritically Catholicks whom before we have known to be manifest Hereticks Anno 1200. The Chronicles do shew how that they that are and have been but seemingly Religious do commonly joyn themselves to that Religion or Sect which is the uppermost whereby they may live in Ease Honour and Fulness and get profit and preferment through Places and Offices instancing how that in England there were them in the Dayes of King Hendrick and Edward that shewed themselves to be Protestants and in the Dayes of Queen Mary Papists and Persecuted others to Death and afterwards in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth got again in the lap of the Protestant Church and then persecuted the Papists vide the second part of the Chronicle of the overthrow of Tyrants pag. 1502. Arennius affirmed That all Forcing of Conscience though it was but a forbidding of the Exercise which is esteemed by one or another to be necessary to Salvation was in no wise right nor fitting He also affirmed That through Diversities of Religions the Kingdom should not be brought into any Disturbance The Antient Reformed Protestants termed that Forcing of Conscience when they were constrained to leave off the exercise of their Religion saying Car nous privant de nostre Religion on nous tiendroit en une continuele mort corporelle spirituelle i. e. For to deprive us of our Religion is to keep us in a perpetual corporal and spiritual Death Adding thereunto how that they would rather be put to Death than be bereaved of the exercise of their Religion c. Many have testified and many do testifie that Forcing of Conscience is a wicked destructive means both for Soul and Body against which the Martyrs that have suffered have universally born Testimony Now said a certain Wise Man Let these consider who do so much stir up the Powers of the Earth to Force free minds against their consciences whether they would be forced by violence against their conscience to imbrace the Popes Faith of Rome with all its Superstitions or that which is worse and that upon pain of death Let such then judge said he how hard it is to be Forced against ones conscience to any Form of Worship which is not in the Spirit and Truth c. If any durst speak freely what he beleiveth and thinketh in his heart saith Castellio he should say that he thinketh and believeth that such Forcers are absolute Tyrants and that whereunto they press him is not good And if formerly he had any inclination thereunto that he through such violence cometh wholly to abhor it The Antient Protestants testified that that Religion which was defended with cruelty was not grounded upon the Word of God CHAP. VI. A shift of the Popes a humane invention how the Spiritual Kingdome and true Church subsisteth and is Defended by Spiritual Weapons and how Persecution answereth not the end of Persecutors THE History sheweth how that this is one
semen Ecclesiae i. e. the blood of the Martyrs to be the seed of the Church for said he as one was put to death there came ten in his stead Luther said That the hypocrites Church was to be known by its manners whose Image and figure was Esau yet she boasted of God and would be accounted his Church but lived wholly according to the World Further said he the true Church is not defended by a fleshly Arm which wicked Bishops especially use and cry unto Thaesau Pag. 622. As heretofore he that was born after the flesh Persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so is it now c. Consider these words of Paul said Castellio Ishmael that was born after the flesh Persecuted Isaac who was born after the Spirit even so now do the fleshly Persecute the Spiritual But Abell did not Persecure Cain nor Lot the Sodomites nor David Saul nor the true Prophets the false nor Christ and his Apostles the Scribes and Pharesees although some of them might have done it yet nevertheless they did it not So is it at this day though the number of the Righteous be but smal who are Persecuted of the wicked yet sometimes they might injury their Persecutors but they are so far from doing that that they are rather helpful to them and do seek their Salvation The false Church is grounded more upon men then upon Christ and she Persecuteth those that live Righteously according to the Word of God and such as reprove her for her failings Damascenus said that the Gospel had been Preached in all the World but did not conquer its opposers with Weapons Arms or Fighting but a few unlearned confounded the Wise ones of the World Oh said Boudaert that the Bishops were so well experienced in the Word of God that they would rather with Reason seek to bring them that go astray to the right way then to compell them by Corporal punishment to adhere unto their Elect. It is impossible said Luther that the Church of Christ should be or should stand without bloodsheding for the Devil who is an Enemy of God's Church is also a Lyar and a Murtherer yet the Church hath alwayes increased in blood said He in the Colloq Sanguine mundata est Ecclesia Sanguine cepit Sanguine succrevit sanguine finis erit Ian Monliu the Bishop of Valence affirmed That it was an Error to molest the publick Peace with Weapons under pretence of Religion a thing saith he which hath been alwayes abhorred by the Antients For Wars and compulsary punishments have never been the means to bring to Unity For Wars and cruelty tend to the destroying both of Body and Soul even of those who peradventure might otherwise have been gained through love and gentleness for that counsel which tends to cruelty is worse then the desease yet notwithstanding it is the manner of such Bishops to plead for Weapons as have lost the Spiritual Sword of Peter and therefore said he do they now make that Sword their Defence which he drew against the servant of the High Priest Chron. vande Rel. uriih pag. 123 124. Anno 1579. The States of Holland said That this they observed finding it by true experience viz. dat gewelt ende wapenen luttel helpen tot verbreijdinghe ende behoudenisse der Religien i. e. That violence and Weapons availed little in spreading and maintaining Religion And further said they as we would not have that men should do violence to our consciences neither will we do violence to the consciences of others for we are not to do that to another which we would not have another to do unto us The Prince of Orange said We are not so unexperienced in the Doctrine of the Christian Religion as that we do not know that all those tyes of Conscience wreathed or turned of men are to no purpose to bind man before God People should not think it strange nor therefore take up Arms said he because that many of the Inhabitants of this Country are become of another opinion and simply declare themselves yea against the Will of the Magistrates which thing the Histories do testifie not to be new but that such differences have been in the World in many Monarchies heretofore To the same purpose did the States of Holland testifie viz. how that difference in doctrine was not strange in the Church but said they it is better rectified through forbearance then through devision Inde Apolog. 1581. fol. 15. CHAP. III. Concerning cruel Lawes against Hereticks how the Bishops and Clergy heretofore have been the cause of them who are the cause of tumults the necessity of just Liberty and the good effect thereof IN the year 553. the Pope Palagius instituted first of all That Hereticks and Apostates should be forced by external compulsion c. Clemens the fifth made Lawes that Hereticks should be burned Gerandus Naviomagus sheweth how that the Laws for putting of Hereticks to death came not by the free will of the Emperours but through the earnest importuning of blood-thirsty Bishops whose constant recourse was a burthen to the Emperours so that finally they obtained what they desired but when the Clergy could not prevail with one Emperour they excluded him out of Italy excommunicated him brought him in suspition freed the Subjects from the Oath and stirred them up against the Power And thus have the Clergy handled when they could not have their wills And it might be plenteously manifested out of the Histories how that it hath been blood-thirsty Bishops with others of the Clergy that have provoked Kings and the Potentates of the Earth to cruelty and who have counselled them to make bloody Lawes like the Bishop Nestorius who in his Sermon spoke unto the Emperour and said O Emperour give me a Land cleansed of Hereticks and I will give thee Heaven help me against the Hereticks and I will help thee to subdue the Persians thy Enemies c. Yet it doth not appear that upright and sincere Teachers have sought the defence or help of the Emperours or Kings against Hereticks but it is evident that banishing and persecuting to death about Religion came not from the example of the Righteous but rather from the Heathen and from Arius Nestorius Palagius and their Proselytes There was a certain man that complained unto the Prince of Orange saying That it was sufficiently known that since the dayes of the Apostles that hurtful and noisom Plague hath reigned and had the Dominion in the Church viz. that the greatest part of the Divines and Clergy have assumed more Authority and Power to themselves yea and have taken it by force then ever God the Father gave them And the aforesaid Prince observed how they sought to usurp Authority over the Conscience and to bring People in subjection to their Lawes and Institutions There are some Teachers said a certain wise man that are exceeding cruel angry passionate full of Covetousness and Pride who judge and reject all things but their own and
Opposition Defence or Reply how can such clear themselves from being of those who will be Holier than others And how can they reprove that great Wickedness in the Papists of cutting out Peoples Tongues or depriving them of the power of Speaking while they do the same though in another manner Castel cal Chap. 19. With diligence do they hinder so much as they can any Books being Written or Printed against them to the end that they might not be made manifest and if they be Printed that they may not be sold but burned and moreover if any have them such are to be Banished and esteemed as Hereticks Merck-tyck pag. 315. If that some had Power according to their Wills said one all should finally be esteemed and holden for Blasphemers and Hereticks that reprove any Divine of any Error or that is of another Opinion in Points of Religion Chron. vande Rel. uriih 223. But said the Duke of Saexon It would tend to much praise if they by their Doings and Authority did bring it to pass that this Controversie might not be ended with Arms or Weapons but that an orderly course might be maintained which would heal the Sickness reconcile the Church or People and do no Violence to the Consciences of Men. Vide John Sleid. Chron. lib. 10. God's Mercy and Iudgment rationally shewn to England HEar O England and consider the things which the Lord hath done in thee and suffer me a little to reason with thee thou choicest of the Nations and much Renowned among God's People In thee hath the Light Glory and Power of the Lord of Hosts appeared in thee hath the Standard of the Lord been set up in thee hath the acceptable Day of Salvation and Deliverance been Proclaimed in thee hath many Prophets and Hand-maids been brought forth which have gone out of thee into other Nations and thou hast been as a Nursery unto them in thee hath the everlasting Gospel been Preached freely both in thy Steeple-houses Markets High-wayes and in many other Places in thee hath the Way of Life Peace and Everlasting Salvation been made manifest yea in thee hath the God of Heaven thy Creator done many notable and wonderful things And what wilt thou now undo thy self by resisting the Lord by rebelling against Him and by chusing thy own Wayes by fulfilling thy own Lusts and by satisfying thy own Desires by Persecuting and shamefully Intreating the Servants and Hand-maids of the Most High Of which things thou wouldst not have become so highly guilty hadst thou not rebelled against the Light of the Lord which is arisen in thee and resisted his Eternal Power and Counsel which is broke forth in the midst of thee many besides my self lament over thee and the Hearts of many have been filled with Sorrow and Heaviness by reason of thy Degeneration and Apostasie by reason of thy Violence and Cruelty and by reason of thy Persecution and Oppression Oh! alas for thee how shalt thou avoid the Wrath that is to come or escape the Hand of the Lord yet thy Destruction will be of thy self and thy Iniquities the Cause of thy Judgement But hear and consider and suffer me to reason a little with thee Was thy King reduced out of his deplorable Sufferings in forragin Parts and Peaceably introduced into thee to connive at the grievous Suffering of the Innocent in thee Have thy Parliaments and Councils been broken to pieces and with contempt secluded to the end that others might come in to make Acts and Laws for the Binding and Forcing of the Consciences of the Lords dear Children Were thy Bishops reinstalled to exercise Lordship over Gods Heritage and to augment the Sufferings of the afflicted in thee Were thy Judges and Justices together with many inferior Officers turned out of their Places that others who are more deboyst might come in to Oppress and Persecute the Harmless more than heretofore in thee Were thy high notional pretended gifted Priests ejected that they that are more Lewd and Prophane might be brought in Yet greater havock and spoile to make of the Saints and of their Substance than their Predecessors did In summa Was that notable overturning and remarkable change which of late happened in thee to this end Or was it not rather to manifest the Power of the Most High and his wonderful Works in thee that thy Inhabitants might know that he alone will Rule not alone in thee but in all the Kingdoms of the whole Earth Moreover consider whether or no it hath been for thy Profit and Honour to have so many of the Lord's Servants and Hand-maids in thy Goals Dungeons and Houses of Correction and so many Drunkards and Swearers Cozenners and Cheaters at Liberty in thy Cities Towns and Villages Is it for thy Honour and the Welfare of thy Inhabitants Souls that Covetous and Proud men yea such as God never sent should have their free Liberty to Preach in thee for their Heir and that the true Messengers and Servants of the Lord who Preach freely should be cast into Holes and Dungeons thereby to silence them or to prevent them from spreading God's Truth abroad in thee Is it for thy Profit and Advantage that faithful and discreet Merchants trusty and laborious Tradesmen diligent and expert Marriners careful and industrious Husband-men should be deprived of their Liberty about the exercise of their Conscience and thereby consequently obstructed from getting a comfortable Livelihood for themselves and their Families How think'st thou shall they be able to Pay all the Customes Taxes Dues Rights and Assessments c. that are required in thee of thy Inhabitants How shall they possibly discharge those I say if they do not injoy their Liberty and the Priviledges of free-born English-men and if they thereby come to be Impoverished what will their Impoverishment enrich thee Or who is there in thee that will willingly relieve and maintain such if external Poverty should overtake them Were it not therefore better for thee to let them injoy their Liberty notwithstanding their different Judgment in matters of Religion provided that they lived Peaceably in the Kingdom that through Diligence and Industry they might win or gain their own Bread though with the Sweat of their Browes that the Land might so much the better yeild her Increase and that Trading in thee might not decay to the Impoverishing of many more Families whose Livelihood depends upon their Trade which can scarcely go well when the Father or Master of it is cast into a Prison for the Exercise of his Couscience which things I know will tend to the laying of thee waste and to the depopulating of thee even as many Parts of Germany and other Countries have been laid waste and ruined which desolation hath had its rise from such differences in part as seem to arise in thee which in process of time may produce the like Effects if God in his Mercy through his Power and Wisdom do not direct them Though this brief Hint which I signifie hereof to thee may be little regarded by thee yet when thou hast felt the smart of it then mayest thou lament it as other places have done and remember that it was told thee before it came upon thee And this shall I add further viz. If thy Land open her Mouth to drink the Blood of the Saints after which it seems to thirst already then expect thou the coming of the overflowing scourge suddenly which hath been heavy upon other Countries who have polluted themselves with the Blood of the Lamb's Followers from which horrible thing the Lord deliver Thee Though I am not within thy Territories yet my Spirit is present with the suffering Seed in thy Dominion for the deliverance of which my Soul hath often interceeded unto the Lord and know assuredly that in true and entire Love to thee have I laid these things before thee for thy Inhabitants my Country-men to weigh and consider in the Light of the Lord. W. C. Germany the 17th of the 11th Month 1661. But Transcribed in Amsterdam the second Month 1662. FINIS