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
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
the holy Scripture Exhorting people in their Pulpits and freely proffering to confer or Dispute with any and every one had then freedome But now will not the Clergy said the same Author be spoken against who sit at ease in Pride Idleness and Fulness and if any do speak against them they will so much as in them lie cause such to suffer charging them with breaking the Peace of the Church or the Peace of the Kingdome and with rayling words will evade entering into a sober discourse thereby manifesting the badness of their Cause and the guiltiness of their Conscience and then seek to defend themselves more by the Power of the Magistrate then with Gods Word and Godly testimony and in the mean time prejudice others by procuring their own rest and peace but surely this is neither just right nor equal Further saith he in the mean time those men would have a triumphant Church upon the Earth but no suffering neither will they suffer any trouble difficulty or opposition but do make the Magistrate believe that such things incurr trouble Uproar Disturbance c. Yet nevertheless some of the Clergy themselves have put forth sundry Treatises wherein they shewed how that the Peace and Welfare of the Land might be preserved though several Religions in the Land were tollerated Quand à la permission de S'assembler es Temples Sire aucunc division tumulte ne'n adviendra entre vous Subjects mais bien un repos public extinction de toute Sedition Populaire As touching the permitting the assembling together in Temples no manner of Division or Tumult can from hence arise among your Subjects but rather a Publick rest and extinguishing of all Popular Sedition For the Chronicle also sheweth how that the disturbance and trouble cometh not through those that live orderly according to their Conscience and the word of God and accordingly exercise their Religion in Stilness but through those who will not suffer this nor bear others but seek to have the Preheminence and to exercise Lordship over others and therefore do they raise up Persecution But the States of Holland testified Dat waer vervolginghen Ziju datter daer al in roere is maer waer geen en sijn al sijnder verscheijden Religien dat daer alle saelren stilder sijn so â—olr in onse vijden is bevonden i. e. That where there was Persecution there was all in distraction but where there was none though there were several Religions there all things were the quieter as have been evident in our dayes said they Vide urede Handel van Coln fol. 53. CHAP. VIII Concerning obedience to Magistrates the vanity and evil of forcing of Conscience Certain Mixims asserted by many wise men how Violence becometh not the Ministers of the Gospel neither hath Christ nor his Apostles taught it nor practised it CAlvin said That those that are set over us must be obeyed if that the command of God be not thereby disobeyed but if they lead us from Obedience to God and presumptuously strive against the Lord then must they not be regarded said he to the end that God with his Authority may retain the Preheminence The States of Holland testified That Subjects were not obliged in all things whether right or unright to be subject to their Princes Int plac Anno 1581. 2. Deel fol. 12. Prince of Orange being commanded by the King when he departed out of Zealand to put many sober People to death who were suspected concerning their Religion but therein he would not obey the King knowing he could not do it with a good Conscience and also being assured that it was better to obey God than man Moreover said a certain Writer the truth with sad experience hath learned us and plainly shewn us That forcing of Conscience and Persecuting about Religion is not onely in vain but a direct contrary means and a cause of Sects and disturbances and of many evils as the Chroncles of Germany France and the Low Countryes do abundantly testifie The States of Holland also affirmed That it was not possible to find out means of any good and certain Peace otherwise then by Tollerating more then one Religion Experientia satis edocti sumus ferrum flammas exilum proscriptiones irritasse potius quam sannasse morbum menti inhaerentem The King of France was moved with great Zeal said a certain Bishop to ordain great Torment and punishment for the Hereticks thinking thereby to root out their Opinion and to Unite the People together in one Opinion but in his determination saith he he was deceived So was also Duke d'Alba who for five or six years together endeavoured with exceeding great Tyranny to maintain the Law of the King in the Low-Countryes In Het 36. van de standt der Rel. fol. 190. Now notwithstanding the great Persecution that is and hath been about Religion these following Maximes are asserted and owned by most men 1. That Faith is the gift of God 2. That Relgion ought to be free 3. That no Religion by Violence can be imprinted in the Heart 4. That Forcing maketh men Hypocrites 5. That it is impossible to preserve the Land in Peace without giving Liberty for the free exercise of Religion 6. That in one Land or City there may be well more Religions than one 7. That it is a seed of Contention and Uproar among the People when men contrary to Promise and to what they ought resist one another in their Religion 8. And that prohibiting the free exercise of Religion tendeth openly or manifestly to the destruction of men which happeneth when one party with Violence seeketh to root out anothers Religion Nevertheless said the Author it is evident that many foolish Zealots will obstinatly run on in that destructive path of forcing Conscience and thereby bereave others of the Exercise of their Religion Fredericus the King of Bohemia said That in these last times there were many different Opinions risen among men in matters of Faith and Religion but according to what is contained in the Scripture and according to the setled Foundation of Doctrine said he men will not be urged compelled or forced in their Conscience for when such forcing hath been attempted it hath had an evil end and in the chiefest Kingdoms and Provinces there hath been a remarkable change made for through this means Cities come to be more ruined than benefitted Vide his Declaration Printed in the Hagne Anno 1619. It doth in no wise become the Preachers of the Gospel and Ministers of the New-Testament to deal in Matters of Faith by Force Violence and Tyranny said a wise Man or thereunto to help Counsel or Advise but with Prayer with the Word of God and with the Sword of the Spirit Lambertus testified saying Truly things are not well neither do men right when they go about to remove Hereticks and Errors with Weapons for the Truth and certainty of the Christian Doctrin ought not to depend upon the uncertain Effects