truth and passionately in love with it's owne invention Besides instead of jealousies and dangers I cannot see but great security and advantages would accrue to this Nation by treating in mercy all peaceable Papists the Pope would be deprived of that specious pretext of relieving his distressed Flock the Princes and States of that Religion would for honour as well as conscience upon all occasions expresse their satisfaction to see them mercifully used whom for their profession they account brethren and for their sufferings Martyrs The Protestants in other Countreys would be more assured of the freedome they injoy and more hopefull of obtaining new encreases of their liberty The Papists of England would be bound by their own interest the strongest obligation amongst wisemen to live peaceably and thankfully in the private exercise of their consciences and becoming gainers by such compassion could not so reasonably be distrusted as the Prelaticall or Presbyterian Party who must needs reckon themselves no small losers in that the reines of authority are taken out of their hands which they had by turns abused into meer whips for their brethren Of the one we have had too long experience in their High Commission especially since its power was overgrown by the conspiracy of the Starchamber a Court where fines were imposed not according to the quality of the offences but of the Judges who thought it below their honour to punish under thousands of pounds for every Peccadillo Of the other though our tryall has been but short yet it was very smart and lives still in the memory of England which is every day refresht by the present practise of Scotland where the Kirk has condemn'd all that differ in the least tittle from her humor crying Anathema Maranatha upon all the Congregations of the Saints as appears by their Synodicall Act set forth in Jan. 1650. and sent to their Brethren in Edenburgh where having first called our wayes abominations and our selves a perverse generation and branded those few honest Scots who suffered themselves to be undeceived by the reasons and civility of our Army with the infamous name of Apostates they proceed to the most bitter malicious and scandalous words that an inraged Scot can utter speaking thus to their Party We exhort you and by all the power over you we have in the Lord require you carefully to avoid all familiar converse of every degree above all that you beware to joyne with them those that adhere to the Parliament of England in any publike or private exercise of Religion those who will adventure to touch pitch may be defiled before they be aware those who will not abstain from the Harlots house shall not be innocent take heed dearly beloved of them that are led by the subtilty and depth of the Divell and among all his instruments we intreat you to avoid none more then these miserable Apostates of our own Nation for we conceive none more sitted to work mischiefe among you then this sort of men and in their motives or grounds for a Fast in June 1651. their expressions against us are no lesse bitter see how their zeal boyles while they are but a kindling while we choke the fuell in its owne smoke how will their fury run over when the fire shall by any successe be raised into a flame how will they drowne the whole Countrey in an inuadation of more then Antichristian slavery But because I perceived by a passage in the Recusants discourse that nothing lay more heavy upon them then the new Oath of Abjuration made by the Presbyterian Party in the beginning of the late troubles I shall adventure humbly to move some Queres thereupon transcribing first a true Copy of the Oath it selfe J. A. B. Do abjure and renounce the Popes Supremacy and Authority over the Catholike Church in generall and over my self in particular and I do believe that there is not any Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper or in the Elements of Bread and Wine after Consecration thereof by any person whatsoever and I do believe that there is not any Purgatory and that the consecrated Host Crucifixes or Images ought not to be worshipped neither that any worship is due unto them and I also believe that Salvation cannot be merited by works and all Doctrines in affirmation of the said points I do abjure and renounce without any AEquivocation mentall reservation or secret evasion whatsoever taking the words by me spoken according to the common and usuall meaning of them So help me God 1. Whether this Oath do not flatly contradict the known Laws of the Land by enforcing a free-born English-man to accuse himself with so strong and dangerous a temptation to perjury where the choice is only this either forswear your Religion or ruine your estate a severity that far exceeds the tyranny of the Prelates whose indignation stayed it self upon the exteriour non-conformity whereas this passes on to constrain the inward belief of the mind which God the searcher of all hearts hath reserved to himself and all this in Questions no waies concerning either Idolatry or the security of the State as Purgatory and the Doctrine of merits for that conscience that is not wide enough to swallow all the Oath how great soever the part is that he can digest it will do him no good 2. This Oath being wholly Negative and no Positive Articles establisht by the Parliament to be proposed to all as the touchstone of Faith whether it be conscientious to oblige the Papist to swear away his own Religion before we have provided another for him 3. Whether it be conscientious or reasonable for us to enforce this Oath on the Papists since we have many godly persons of our own party who will not take it and others who will not swear at all Hear what is said in the Examination of the before mentioned Synodicall Confession page 238. There is a greater restraint laid upon us now then in the old Testament Mat. 5. 34. James 5. 12. which hath made some to shun Oaths though called to swear by the Magistrate in matters lawfull And again that it is a sin in those who impose unnecessary subtill and ensnaring oaths Zach. 5. 3. 4. There is a curse gone out against swearers as well as against thieves because of needlesse swearing as well as false swearing a Land is made to mourn Jer. 23. 10. 4. Since all these Negatives are not clearly set down in Scripture as fundamental paints of Christian Faith but deduced from passages to which the Answers are believed as probable by them as the arguments by us why should we so cruelly persecute one another for Doctrines that are either obscurely revealed or not necessarily enjoyned 5. How shall we defend the Oath against this Objection that any Jew Turk or Infidell may take it lawfully according to their Principles nay will delight to swear against so many points of that Church which by reason of their confining
people Sequestrations I confesse did shrewdly crack but this killing has broken quite in pieces all our Principles Against what have we principally fought all this while but coercency in Religion for what have we made so many tedious marches and Declarations but liberty of tender Consciences is this to hold forth the truth in love is this to instruct in meeknesse as becomes the servants of the Lord let us take heed how we fall into the hands of the living God let us alwaies remember that voice speaking within us They shall be judged without mercy that have shewed no mercy Besides the sharpnesse of the sentence the very tryall as I am informed had many singular and unusuall passages as that nothing was proved against the Prisoner but that a great many years ago he had said Masse in Flanders and this only by one witnesse and one who in open Sessions profest a particular pique and quarrell towards him alledging an old grudge as one of the reasons why he came up out of the Countrey to swear against him no disturbance of the publique repose nor so much as the least breach of peace laid to his charge but only his being a Priest and in England And that this was his only crime is unquestionably clear by the Ministers charitable offer at the Gallows that there was yet time enough for him to save his life if he would renounce his Religion and become a Protestant which he resolutely denying as against his conscience was first hanged amongst the thieves and murderers and then quartered as a Traytor and yet both Sheriff Jury Judge and every one that cooperated to the execution all seriously professe that nothing is so dear to them nothing so reasonable in it self as incoercency in matters concerning the salvation of our Souls I pray God we be not too guilty of having a form of godlinesse but denying the power thereof I pray God these severe and ungospellary proceedings especially this last of bloud so displeasing to the Spectators and unprofitable to the Authors become not in time a prejudice to our Brethren beyond the Seas a discontenting of our friends at home and a scandall to all the world for that very day of the Priests execution I o'reheard a nimble witted man say these very words Since we are come to this passe that we can fight against the Covenant for Reformation of the Kirk sequester men for Recusants and continue their Sequestrations whether they continue their Recusancy or no make a close peace with Spain and openly hang up Jesuits SIT ANIMA MEA CUM PHILOSOPHIS Surely it were far better to let the Papists for a while practise their kind of Christianity then upon a suddain deprive them of the only Religion to which they are accustomed and so indanger the driving of them to Atheisme instead of reducing them to Protestancy Besides how easily may the like severity be exercised against our selves if any Power dis-affected to godlinesse should gain authority over us it is but straining the word Recusant a little above the common note it is but making our holy conferences Treason by Statute and then all the precious Saints and dearest servants of the Lord may be hang'd drawn and quartered by Law and yet at the same time our Executioners may professe as seriously as we now seem to do Liberty of Conscience only they will think it reasonable to their own interpreters and consequently intend by this charming sound of Liberty an absolute and uncontroulable freedom indeed but to be enjoyed by none but themselves How do the Papists themselves in France outgo us in their tender and moderate behaviour towards the Protestants of their Countrey notwithstanding former provocations to jealousie in the last civill warrs nay notwithstanding present provocations by our severity against all of their profession in England they dispute openly and frequently together not only the Clergy but tradesmen one with another at many of which conferences I have been present in Paris where every one freely defended his own Opinion so civilly and peaceably that I never returned from the place of those discourses without exceeding comfort and satisfaction thinking often with my self it were a fashion as worthy to be transpoorted into England as any our Gallants bring from thence At the end of the Dispute which is not upon any solemn challenge but casuall though very often if either party seem unsatisfied his liberty is inviolably preserved without seizing upon a penny of his estate which there is accounted but a politique covetousnesse or touching so much as a hair of his head not to speak of spilling his blood for a different opinion which they detest as a most abominable cruelty but with a courteous friendlinesse and mutuall compassion part in as perfect charity as they met each hoping and praying for the others conversion in the mean while the King allows a certain number of publike Churches to Protestants and as much liberty in private for the exercise of their consciences as any disagreers from the common belief of the State can reasonably desire Nay even the Spanish Inquisition so universally abhor'd practises all imaginable means towards the accused to reduce his judgement to theirs before they pronounce theirs against him and upon conformity immediately acquit him whereas our conscience-sequestrations are laid on without any disputing and hardly taken off upon never so much conforming which very thing I have heard some Presbyterians object to us though themselves made the abjuring Oath on purpose to pinch the Papist yet they said it was intended only for times of war when all other waies either of convincing by reasons or convicting by Law were obstructed And proceeding upon the same subject they alledged divers Papists by name who have not only gone to Church but taken both the Communion Oath of Abjuration and Engagement and all this undeniably proved by sufficient Testimony yet after solemn debate upon their Petitions in Haberdashers Hall to be no longer punisht since they were no longer guilty the Commissioners declared that it was not express'd in any Act or instructions from the present Parliament what should amount unto or be adjudged by them to be a Conformity and therefore they continue the Sequestrations as formerly notwithstanding such conformity as aforesaid In particular on Wednesday the second of July 16â—1 It was the case saies my Presbyterian friend of one Smith a suspected Papist who had Lands in the Soke of Winchester sequestred upon his appeal at Haberdashers Hall he produced sufficient proof that he had been severall Lords daies at Church and had twice taken the Oath of Abjuration but one of the Commissioners made answer that this was not enough he must also take the Communion otherwise must continue sequestred as a Papist wherto Smiths Councell replied That if it were a mark of Papists not to have received the Communion we are said he all Papists in our Parish for we have had no Communion in our Church
these four years And 't is very probable that that very Commissioner who made this objection hath not of late and perhaps will not receive the Communion in manner as is prescribed by the Statute and certainly it is a very sad case for us to force others under so great a penalty as the sequestration of their estates to do that which we will not do our selves All the relief and hopes that Smith and others in his condition who have both gone to Church and taken the Communion and Oath of Abjuration have received at the said Hall is that the said Commissioners have promised to move the Parliament to know what shall amount unto a Conformity and it might also be desired to know what Religion the Papists in case they be forc'd to leave their own shall conform unto since we have three severall Religions that at present seem to have an equall power or influence the Prelaticall or old Protestant as some call it is establisht by Law the Presbyterian carries the vogue in the Pulpit but the Independent has the power and countenance of the State Certainly the abovesaid strange proceedings must needs appear both to all the reformed Churches abroad and to very many conscientious people at home as savouring of a design to make sure of the Papists estates whatsoever becomes of their souls And all this while we hold forth meeknesse and all this while we cry up Liberty of Conscience is it possible we should so far forget our principles as to seize the estates of our neighbours and kindred for Religion and at the same time professe to venture all our own to purchase freedom of Religion is it possible we should expose our own lives in so long and dangerous a war to establish and secure Liberty of Conscience and at the same instant of time hang draw and quarter men for their Consciences how shall we answer at the day of Judgement our shedding so much bloud to deliver our Countrey from coercency in matters of belief if as soon as the power is in our hands we embâ—…e them in the bloud of our Countreymen meerly for their Religion have we so soon forgot those sharp reproofs of the Apostle Rom. 2. Behold you are called Jews and rest in the Law and make your boast of God you know his will and approve the things that are more excellent you are confident that your selves are guides of the blind and lights to them which are in darknesse instructers of the foolish and teachers of babes who have the form of knowledge and of truth in the Law you therefore who teach another teach you not your selves you that preach a man should not steale do you steale you that abhor idols do you commit sacriledge In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ how can we answer that excellent and self-evident precept of nature do as you would be done unto God is not mocked he promises indeed that the meek shall inherit the Land but surely means not such as seem meek only to inherit the Land Thus sharly went on my angry Presbyterian and I confesse I was extremely ashamed to hear him say so much reason that used to speak nothing but passion and to see my self so confounded by one that I have alwaies overcome with ease upon any other subject and should have liked far better his observations which with grief I acknowledge to be too true and open to all the world if they had come from an indifferent and unfactious spirit because I suspect they may perhaps proceed rather from envy towards the gainers then pitty upon the losers for during the violent and therefore short Dominion of the Presbyterians never were more cruell torturers of the Conscience then they never a more tyrannicall Tribunall then their Jure divine Assembly and classicall High Commission but the hand of the Lord stopt them in their full career and by wofull experience they now find the truth of Gods threatnings If you bite and devoure one another take heed you be not consumed one of another Gal. 5. 15. Wherefore it shall be my daily prayer to our great and good God that he would graciously inspire his servants who now sit at the Helm to prevent the like heavy judgements upon themselves and seriously considering that both their allegiance to reason their duty to God their Engagement to their own Principles call so loudly upon them they would fulfill now our joy and compleat the good work so happily begun by putting the tender-conscienced and peaceable-minded people of this Nation into a condition of perfect security for matters of Religion which cannot be effected without a generall Act of Conscience-indemnity firmly to be establisht as a fundamentall and unalterable Law of the Land for all that professe the Gospell of Christ FINIS Postscript SInce there is scarce one whom something in these few sheets will not please nor very many whom something will not displease they therefore freely submit themselves not only to the judgement of the civill Magistrate but of every civill man and I have according to the Order of Parliament hereunto subscribed my name William Birchley
as may beget their torture and not permit them to rest where they find satisfaction Either prohibit to search at all or leave us sensible of some benefit by teaching To believe what appears untrue seems to me impossible to professe what we believe untrue I am sure is damnable 6. As it is certain whosoever swerves from the dictate of his Conscience commits a grievous sin Rom. 14. So without question they that endeavour by force or artifice to draw any man to professe or act contrary to what his soul believes are as deeply guilty of the same crime When you wound the weak consciences of your brethren you sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. How dangerously then do they expose themselves to the just indignation of God who by Oaths Imprisonments Forfeitures c. both drive others and fall themselves into eternall perdition How desperately do they attempt to extinguish the light of Nature which indispensably obliges all men to deal with others as they would be dealt with themselves a light placed by God in clear and candid souls to shine and guide them but in black ones to condemn and burn them I shall close this discourse with the advise of the Apostle Rom. 14. 13. Let us therefore use our judgement rather in this that no man put a stumbling block before his Brother 2. Unanswerable Texts of Scripture against coercency in Religion NOr are these so excellent and important truths built only upon the firme foundation of solid reason but also upon the infallible authority of evident Scripture 2 Tim. 2. 24 c. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach for bearing in meeknesse instructing those that are contrary minded if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devill who are taken captive by him at his will and another Apostle forbidding us to condemn one another saith James 4. 12 There is one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another and in Paul to the Romans 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest anothers servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth yea he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand one man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind hast thou faith have it to thy self before God happy is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth that is whose conscience inwardly accuseth not his outward profession The same most zealous Preacher of the Gospell returns so condescending and moderate an answer to a case of a far harder sound then we undertake to maintain that it sufficiently proves he took his gentle pen from the soft wing of the Dove 1 Cor. 7. 12. c. If any brother hath a wise that believeth not and she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away and the woman that hath a husband that believeth not and he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him but if the unbelieving depart let him depart a brother or a sister is not in bondage in such cases but God hath called us to peace for what knowest thou O wife whither thou shalt save thy husband and what knowest thou O man whither thou shalt save thy wife as God hath distributed to every man as the Lord hath called every one so let him walk and so ordain I in all Churches What can be said more efficaciously to oblige Christians in charity and meeknesse to forbear one another then so expresse an Injunction of so great an Apostle to live peaceably even with an Infidell and again 2 Cor. 1. 24. He denies that even the Apostles themselves have any Soveraignty over the Conscience but only Commissions to assist the conscientious not that we have saies he to the Corinthians Dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy therein exactly observing the orders which Christ gave to his Apostles Go and teach not compell and if any one receive you not shake off the dust of your feet noâ— trample upon them as dust under your feet Mat. 10. 14. Constant to which Doctrine of Meeknesse our Saviour thus instructs his Disciples Mat. 23. 9. Be not called Rabbi that is Masters in spiritual matters for one is your Master even Christ and all you are brethren To this belongs the patient forbearing the tares and letting them grow together with the wheat till the time of harvest as also that admirable president of mildnesse towards the Samaritanes who refused to receive even Christ himself whereupon the Disciples James and John would immediately command fire from heaven to consume them as in the daies of Elias but our mercifull Lord rebuked their zeal with this sweet and tender reply You know not what manner of spirit you are of the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9. 54. which one example abundantly satisfies all objections drawn from the practise of Elias Jehu the sons of Levi c. in the old Testament for as they had an expresse command from God to warrant their Zeal we have an expresse warrant from Christ to command us meeknesse If any one shall shuffle in a suspition that this moderate temper was meant only for the times of persecutition when the Christians had no temporall Power let him first confesse that those were the best and purest times and then show a Warrant dormant under our Saviours hand that is in his Gospell to Commissionate his Disciples as soon as they should get the Sword into their hands to cut the throats of all disobeyers and I submit but if they can cite no such authority let them freely acknowledge that persecution for Conscience is an unwarrantable tyranny over the just priviledges and liberty of a Christian 3. Our own Principles against constraint upon the Conscience COnsonant to these reasons and clear Texts of Scripture are the Principles of all the godly and well-affected of this Nation to begin with them to whom we owe this liberty of discoursing the unparallel'd Army in all whose proceedings and Declarations especially since managed by the prodigiously successefull hands of the two later Generalls their Motto has been Liberty to all tender and oppressed Consciences the glory of which so dazles the eys of our enemies and incourages the hearts of our friends that notwithstanding whatever other disadvantage we still find the Author of our Victory mindfull of the word which himself gave to our Army The meek shall inherit the Land Of which short Texts written in our Ensigns we may read a clear and perfect Commentary in the Proposalls of the same stil triumphing Army 1 Aug. 1647. when penetrating exactly into the true state of the Question they prudently distinguish between quiet exercicers of their Consciences and active prejudicers of the
Common-wealth and thereupon offer their earnest desires that all coercive Power and all civill Penalties for non-conformity be wholly repealed and some other provision made against such Papists as should disturb the publike peace Many and wonderfull are the deliverances which our good God has dispensed to his servants in reward of this their inclination to mercifullnesse yet amongst all the glorious appearances of the Lord for his people none can be found more eminent then the renowned victory over that rigid and severe Kirk-army of the Scots September 1650. who declining the mild counsell of our Saviour to possesse their souls with patience deservedly lost their lives by violence a fatall argument deciding manifestly this very controversie in favour of meeknesse where the maintainers of compulsion were no lesse ingeniously then cruelly confuted whilest assuming to themselves a Power to force our souls they could not so much as defend their own bodies In memory of which great Salvation from the pride and fury of the Presbyterian Priesthood the Parliament as a new Covenant of Thanksgiving for so seasonable a mercy in the same moneth enacted an abolishment of divers rigorous and penall Statutes contrived on purpose by the haughty Prelates to break the hearts of those whose consciences they could not bend which one Act has won more hearts to acknowledge and love the authority of the Parliament then all their stupendious victories have forced bodies to confesse and fear their Power and if it be not check'd by limitations and partiality in the execution will render them absolute Masters of all that understand their own felicity for what can be imagined more welcome to a Christian people newly delivered from an Antichristian bondage then to see themselves infranchised into a holy Liberty of proceeding sincerely according to their consciences in the Worship of their God Wherefore as we are full of joy for so excellent an Act by which as the Apostle saith we are called unto Liberty so we are full of hopes to be perfectly happy by the free and universal observation thereof without the least self-interest or respect of persons being so conformable to the constant received Maximes and solemn deliberate profession of the Parliament as appears by the Declaration of the Lords and Commons in answer to the Scotch papers 4 Mar. 1647. where folio 43. the Discipline of Ecclesiasticall Censures and all other punishmeuts for matters of Religion are disclaimed as grounded upon Popish and Prelaticall Principles not to be revived under any image or shape whatsoever and a little after folio 63. they proceed in the same sense We shall not be afraid at the day of Judgement that we have been more forward to set Christ at liberty then to cast him in prison it being better in our opinion where the case is not very clear to leave God to deal against many errours then to use his authority for the suppressing of one truth the weapons of fasting and prayer being both more Christian and more available in such cases then those of force and violence and yet more fully if possible in another Declaration in answer to the letters of the Scotch Commissioners 17. Feb. 1648. As for the truth and power of Religion it being a thing intrinsecall between God and the soul and the matters of Faith in the Gospell being such as no naturall light doth reach unto we conceive there is no humane power of coertion thereunto nor to restrain men from believing what God suffers their judgements to be perswaded of Words of that solid weight and precious value as deserve to be ingraven with letters of gold and religiously observed for ever by all tender consciences as an Oracle Conformable to the aforesaid Principles is that excellent Doctrine and advise set down by Mr. Parker and his Brethren in their Examen of the late Synods Confession of Faith in these words page 128. Liberty of Conscience may be infringed first by seeking by violent means to alter conscientious mens judgments and their present perswasion for it is the office of him who is the Lord of Conscience to lighten and change mens minds when and how he pleaseth Phil. 3. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveal this unto you 2. By inciting another by like forcible means to will and act against his Conscience and much more by imprisonment mulcts terrours or threats Rom. 14. 15. 20. 21. For this is to make him destroy his soul ver. 20. 23. 3. We may not disturb the peace of mens Consciences or make their hearts sad with our invectives or menacing them causlesly with terrors from the Lord Ezechiel 13. 32. Because with lies ye have made the hearts of the righteous sad whom I have not made sad c. And in page 230. thus But we would not have you assume to your selves or attribute unto others a Power to Lord it over mens Faith and Consciences especially when men walk obediently towards those that are in places of Rule and Authority and live a godly sober honest peaceable and unblameable life If men will do wickedly and defend a Liberty in Christ so to do let them be liable to the Sword of Justice for so doing But far be it from us so much as by example to draw a weak brother a Saint and fellow-servant of the Lord whom no man can accuse but for his differing judgement to do any thing against Conscience whereby he should condemn himself as the Apostle speaks Rom. 14. How much more ought Governours to be tender and abstemious in the use of violent and coercive means to precipitate men into such perillous and destructive courses All authority is given of God for mens welfare and much more for the preservation and not the destruction of the soul By these considerations I conceive is clearly demonstrated the freedome of a Christian soul in her commerce for heaven which since the mercifull bounty of God holds forth indifferently to all the cruell covetousnesse of man ought not to obstruct to any surely it is the worst of Monopolies to lay Impositions upon the way to Paradise Christ by his death removed the Angell that chased from thence our first parents and shall any of us take the Flaming Sword into our hands to sheath it in the bowells of a poor Pilgrime who with a sincere heart travails to the same Countrey only because he goes not in our company In my Fathers house are many Mansions saies Christ why may there not be as many paths that lead to them If they that have no Law shall be judged without the Law certainly they that unblameably mistake the Law shall be tryed according to those Expositions which appeared unto them to be the meaning of the Law-giver for the sense is the Law and not the letter specially having so gracious a Judge who has already declared by his Apostle 2 Cor. 8. If there be first a
persecuted as malicious Nor can I satisfie my Conscience since as to this point the Opinion of the Papists is no more opposite to us then that of the Lutherans why we should freely allow Communion to these even of spirituall things and in the mean while not afford them so much as the liberty to possesse their own temporall goods The Lutherans believe our SAVIOUR to be as really in the Eucharist as he was upon the Crosse but do not adore him the Papists both believe and adore for my part I should clearly either do both or neither at least I shall never be brought to this partiality to cherish the one as brethren and persecute the other as enemies especially when I consider the Christian proceedings of the Protestants in New-England Virginia and the other plantations in the Indies where we abhor to destroy the Natives though confessedly Idolaters but rather strive to convert them by holding out the truth in love Whether Papists are inconsistent with Civill Government BY the next Post I received from the same hand another Letter concerning the common objection that Papists hold many Principles destructive to civill Society wherein the Recusant protesting first solemnly as in the sight of God and his holy Angells to use all ingenuity and candor in his relation of the Catholike Doctrine earnestly intreated me to give credit to his report in the matters of Fact and for the right to judge freely as I saw cause We will divide sayes he the main Question into two points as it relates either to our equalls or Superiours for the first touching Commerce and Conversation we absolutely disclaim that scandalous opinion that no Faith is to kept with Heretikes and flatly deny that our Engagement promise or contract may lawfully be broken by our selves or dispensed with by any Power on earth to the prejudice of a third person of what Religion soever and for equivocation mentall reservation c. I am confident though I have not here any oportunity to look into books that no Generall Councell mentions either any such word or any such thing Schoolmen indeed frequently dispute such subtilties which by men of different principles and affections in Religion are easily misunderstood and often perverted but amongst Catholiques every one has liberty to deny them as he pleases without any prejudice to Faith and though those speculations generally deserve encouragement yet when they arrive at a certain degree of nicenesse they rather become an innocent curiosity then profitable euployment and in such an infinity of Opinions as Catholike writers have leisure to publish it is impossible but that thorough passion unwarinesse or humane frailty some mistakes must escape and then the unhappinesse is that prejudiced and captious Readers applying their whole study to find faults forget the good and wholesome notions they meet and remember nothing but the errors As to the second branch concerning our duty to Magistrates we deny sayes the letter any earthly power can dispense with our civill obedience and acknowledge our selves bound not only by the Law of Nature but by the expresse Word of God to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars to be subject not only for feare but conscience sake What Christian Prince or State is there in the world whom the Subjects serve with more fidelity then the Spaniard French and Italian all Catholike Dominions and particularly in England where we are some of Paul and some of Apollo and some of Cephas what comparison is there betwixt the behaviour of Catholikes towards H. 8. Edw. 6. and Eliz. and the fury of Lutherans and Calvinists in Germany and indeed wheresoever they are discontented yet there is a vast difference as to Government between these two cases to oppose by force the introduce men of innovations by which the peace must needs be endangered and to attempt by force the extinguishment of an ancient Religion whereof the people are universally in quiet and immemoriall possession the one drives others out of possession the other maintains himself in the one invades his neighbours rights the other defends his own How many modern experiences the easiest argument to be understood and surest to be relied on clearly resolve this question if we but consider the union of hearts and common interests of State between the Protestant and Catholike Cantons of Switzerland where very many Churches serve by turns upon the same day for the exercise of both Religions dividing every Sunday morning into two parts and assigning to each about three hours for their devotions wherein they are so punctuall to maintain equality that if the Protestants have the first three hours one morning next week they are to have the last and this they continually practise without enterfering or offending one another To this so pregnant example sufficient of it selfe to cleare the consistency of those two Religions I shall further add their fair comportment one towards another in many Provinces and free Towns in Germany but most remarkable is their friendly and peaceable living together in Holland even during so long and dangerous wars with Spain Spain the chief protector of the Catholique Faith Spain the most zealous propagator of the Pontificiall Authority to whose Dominion if the united Provinces should again return certainly the Catholikes there might prudently promise to themselves all possible advantages yet notwithstanding so great occasion of jealousie the States then whom none are more vigilant over their true Interest have not only with security but exceeding benefit to their Common-wealth tolerated the Catholikes of quiet Conversation to live freely amongst them And on the other side the Catholikes in gratitude for so favourable a treating have exactly corresponded to the mercy of their Magistrates with a most constant sincere and faithfull obedience To none of these suspitions are the Recusants of England in the least measure obnoxious because whatever change of Government can happen they must expect but a milder degree of disaffection towards them at most a sufferance no incouragement or particular confidence and infallibly if the rigour of the Laws made upon far different motives which are now no waies pressing were qualified to a temper of mercy that the Catholikes might enjoy but half the Liberties to which they were born they would be the most quiet and usefull Subjects of England since their Religion obliges them to obey the lawfull commands of their Superiours not only for fear but conscience Nor did ever the very worst of them stir in any sedition at a time when they were admitted to but half the common rights of English-men nor were they many that ever attempted their own relief by endangering their Countreys peace all the rest sitting quietly and patiently under the burthens which the heavy hand of those times continually heapt upon them Now that the crimes though never so hainous of a few discontented and desperate spirits should be imputed to their Religion whose Principles expressely condemn such conspiracies seems extremely rigorous
criminall Malefactors only we must be carefull not to anticipate his condemnation before he be legally convinced of some actuall offence against the publique repose If we suspect the disaffection of any Party as the Papists let us first make it their interest to love their Countrey by treating them at least mercifully in it and then we shall have a fair tryall of their fidelity I do not know one example where to a Prince or State that used them well they have shown themselves ungratefull And though it be the duty of every Christian to love his enemy and do good to those that persecute him yet surely it is a hard saying and the most sincere professors of any Religion whatsoever find difficulty enough to observe it even Protestants as well as Papists know how to fall out with those Magistrates that oppresse them else how shall we excuse the civill wars of France Germany Holland c. if we have not recourse to the harsh usage of their Superiours nor need we seek the reason of these disorders amongst the Articles of any Parties Religion when by the instinct of nature not only man but even the most triviall creature that seems to have no interest in the world attends with diligence to the preservation of it self who can blame the humble worm that whilâ—st we walk fairly by it prostrates it selfe before us and lowly creeps upon the ground if when we tread upon it it lift its head and strive to wring it self from under our cruell feet Notable to this purpose is the old example of the Privernates an ancient people of Italy who having rebell'd against the Common-wealth of Rome and being almost quite reduced by force of Armes they dispatch their Embassadors for terms of peace the Senat sternly ask them What new peace they could expect who had so insolently infringed the old to which they stoutly answered We must now take such conditions as you please to give if they be moderate you shall find us faithfull if too heavy we shall observe them only till we may safely break them which free and generous expression induced that wise Senate to assign them their own demands This so full and pregnant instance I humbly offer as most worthy the imitation of our English Senate that even to Recusants who ingage to live innocently and quietly amongst us such reasonable conditions of subsistence may be allowed since they are equally with our selves born to the freedome of this Nation as their consciences be not violated their spirits embittered nor humane infirmity tempted to despair let us rather incourage them to come to our meetings and freely propose their difficulties which now they dare not for fear of discovering their judgements to the ruine of their estates let us use the same gentlenesse here in England that his Excellency the Lord Generall practises in Scotland towards those that are not only otherwise minded in Religion but contrary minded in civill concernments and actually in arms to maintain their opposition he invites them to conferences and himself with admirable temper and moderation manages the discourse allowing free liberty of reply to the adverse party without passion bitternesse or threatning and though he find not the event answerable to his endeavours remaines at least satisfied in his conscience by having given a reason of his actions and whom can we better imitate then so great an instrument of the liberty we all enjoy or wherein can we follow him with so much praise both of God and man as in the mildnesse of his spirit by which he conquers more powerfully then by the sharpnesse of his Sword have not the Papists understandings as well as we which our Arguments may rectifie have they not souls to save which our charity may gain to heaven why do we not erect a Committee to purchase souls as we have Contracters to sell Lands why is there not establisht a Committee of Salvation as wel as of Indempnity where the Questions of Religion may be freely discust and the distresses of tender and innocent consciences impartially relieved if men dealt mildly and only by the Gospell way of perswasion surely there would in time grow Society Commerce and mutuall confidence and so frequent oportunities of clearer information when once all jealousies and misunderstandings of one another shall be laid aside the differences amongst Christians will soon be reconciled if not to an absolute and precise unity of Faith and Doctrine yet at least to a blessed union of peace and love Oh how much better and more admirably divine is the gentle method of the Christian how to propagate it self in plain evidence of the spirit then the unnaturall Turkish cruelty of taking children from their parents or the unworthy Machiavillian policy of taking the inheritance from the children or lastly which is worse then either the barbarous Heathenish tyranny of shedding bloud and tearing limb from limb meerly upon the account of Religion Nor can I find any satisfaction in that shuffling and hypocriticall distinction invented by the Lawyers to deceive the common people whose simplicity and innocency they easily beguile by pretending that none are executed for Religion but for offending against the Laws what can be more palpably false or divellishly malicious then this who does not see but by this rule those bloudy tyrants Nero Dioclesian and the rest of the ten infamous persecuters must be canonized for good and conscientious Justicers because they judged according to Law who does not see that by this rule those glorious Martyrs who watered the Christian Faith with their precious bloud must be accounted Traytors because they suffered according to Law nay even the cursed Jews who crucified our blessed Saviour impiously alledged the self same reason for themselves We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die John 19. 7. Nor can I forbear to professe how extremely unwelcome that scurvy news was to me of one Wright a Jesuite being drawn to Tiburn as a Traytor upon a hurdle for his Religion on the 19. of May 1651. because I had so often commended the moderation of the present Authority as having never spilt one drop of Bloud for Religion and though the Sequestrations of all peaceable Recusants were flatly against our Maximes yet the pressing necessities of the State and their purpose which I alwaies believed of taking away all penalties upon the conscience after a short time when the Government should be a little better setled exceedingly qualified the harshnesse of those pecuniary severities but now with grief I must lay down my arms and with shame revoke all my arguments which I have hitherto used to lessen the injustice of our sequestring for conscience and pacifie the ruines of many well-affected and religious persons who highly disliked even that soul-money as King James used to call it wherein as I have had no small successe so now I cannot with a safe conscience endeavour any more least I should cooperate to deceive the