Mat. 12.36 fear God and be like unto him for he causeth his sun to shine both on just and unjust Think at last you must give an account of your works many at the day of judgemnt will bee ever burned for killing and burning innocent Christians but no man shall be damned for saving their lives leane then I humbly beseech you on the right side of mercy rather then yeeld unto such as perswade to persecute innocent christians for they cannot help you when you must give account therof unto Christ who adviseth you otherwise although they be such as erre how much more such as do but seem to err and for difference in religion ought you to save their lives and I do in all humility affirm Maâ— 13.29.30 39 Acts 17.31 that those which advise you to pluck up and burn the tares which Christ commands to be let alone till the end doe advise you to pluck up and burn the commandement of Christ unto whom assuredly except amendment you shal give account at the day appointed Therfore beleeve not such as counsel you to shed blood for judgment in religion for if themselves should suffer the pain they would verily give you other counsell be not then their executioners any longer for all that will live godly in Christ 2 Tim. 3.12 shall suffer persecution though you do your best to hinder it And I pray to remember that to preach the gospel after the mind of Christ is to bring glad tydings unto the people but to burn banish hang and imprison for religion is not to bring glad but woful tydings unto the people Luk. 2.10 Rom. 1.16 let it not therefore bee any longer preached in your Majesties dominions I meekly intreat Though Paul plans and Apollos water 1 Cor. 3.6 yet it as God that giveth the encrease But your Bishops and Ministers will have an increase whether God will or not or else they will burn banish hang and imprison Kings and Magistrates are Gods Ministers and not the Bishops therefore I humbly beseech you to withstand the bloudy minds of your Bishops that there be no more innocent Christians persecuted to death for Religion A crying sin I read that in the Netherlands above a hundred thousand persons have been put to death for religion but now praised be God we have no such wofull tydings preached among us the Lord work as much in our land I beseech him that so you may no longer burn and banish the servants of Christ for he saith they that do these things have not known the Father nor me Joh. 16.3 yet I confesse you have the zeal of God for you think you do God good service in burning Christians that differ from your Religion But I also confesse your zeal is not according to knowledge for your Bishops and Ministers being indued with University and high school learning Ro. 10.2 3. divinity and doctrine but being ignorant of the lowly learning heavenly divinity and doctrine of Christ have and do stil go about to stablish their own and have not yet submitted themselves to the lowly learning divinity and doctrine of Christ and therefore like their predecessors wil perswade you to burn banish c. such Christians as they hold to be in error about doctrines and questions of faith and Religion right as if they had the power to rule govern and dispose the hearts and spirits of Kings Princes and people even as they list and also to make them good and righteous when they will and to cause them to understand and beleeve the gospel even by a day and hour appointed which to do belongeth to God alone and therefore Christ saith Iohn 6.44 no man can come to me except the Father draw him and Christ will have his Ministers to preach to such as are worthy willing and not as your Ministers who come to them whom they hold unworthy and find unwilling and say Mat. 10.11 24. Will ye not come to church and hear and will ye not beleeve our doctrine but we wil make you or else we will burn you for hereticks Thus will they taunt meek and holy Christians who are torn like sheep among the wolves but Christs ministers will with meeknes instruct such as are contrary minded tolerating the evill men patiently proving if God at any time wil give them repentance 2 Tit. 2.25 Ioh. 13.35 that they may know the truth wherby they shew plainly that they are Christs disciples and have that true faith which worketh by love even as the Apostle saith the which I pray you to consider that so you may both know and obey the will of Christ Now saith he abideth faith hope and love 1 Cor. 13. but the chiefest of these is love for where love is there is no disdaine it seeketh not her own things it is not provoked to anger it suffereth all things it hopeth all things it indureth al things Yea the love of Christ so loveth that it will not vex nor persecute any that call on his name therefore I humbly pray you to remember them that are in bonds as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the body and to shew them mercy Heb. 13.3 for mercy rejoyceth against judgment but judgment mercilesse shall be to them that shew no mercy If ye be friendly to your brethren onely what singular thing do you Iam. 2.13 doe not the sinners the same be not like unto them Luk. 6.32 37. but unto your heavenly father whose wisdom love and mercy I beseech him to grant you that so you may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved and that we your Majesties faithfull subjects 1 Tim. 2. may lead a peaceable and quiet life even in our own nation in all godlinesse and honesty Amen Now them that are persecuted 2 Pet. 4 12. I exhort with the words of the Apostle Peter Dearly beloved think it nor strange concerning the fiery trial that is among you to prove you as though some strange thing were come unto you but rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall appear ye may be glad and rejoice If ye be railed upon for the name of Christ blessed are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you â— Pet. 2.2 which on their parts is evil spoken of but on your part is glorified but let no man suffer as an evil does or as a murtherer or as a busie body in others matters but if one suffer as a Christian Acts 24.14 let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in that behalf For all the martyrs of the Apostolick Church have suffered as evill doers and as hereticks For the time is that judgment must must begin at the house of God if it first begin at us saith the Apostle what shal the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls unto him in weldoing as unto a faithfull Creator Antichrist and his persecution shall bee made low â— Thes 2.4 Read Esay 2.2 4 11 16. He shal judge among the nations and rebuke many people they shall break their sword into mattocks and their spears into sithes nations shall not lift up a sword against nation neither shall they learn to fight any more the high lookes of man shall be humbled and the loftinesse of man shal be abased and the Lord only shal be exalted in that day for the day of the Lord of hosts is upon all the proud and haughty and upon all that is exalted and it shall be made low Little David overcame great Goliah yet not brought up in war unlearned Peter confuted the learned Priests yet by calling a Fisherman Attend and help Gal. 6.6 1 Cor. 9.7 and you shall see the wonderfull works of God For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weaknes of God is stronger then men And God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and things that are despised hath God chosen to bring to nought things that are 1 Cor. 1.25 28. Leonard Busher FINIS
THis usefull Treatise Entituled Religions Peace long since Presented by a Citizen of London to King JAMES and the High Court of Parliament then sitting I allow to be Reprinted Aprill 1. John Bachiler RELIGIONS PEACE OR A PLEA for Liberty of Conscience Long since presented to King James and the High Court of Parliament then sitting by Leonard Busher Citizen of London and Printed in the Yeare 1614. Wherein is contained certain Reasons against Persecution for Religion Also a designe for a peaceable reconciling of those that differ in opinion Rom. 14.5 10. One man esteemeth one day above another another man esteemeth every day a like let every man be fully perswaded in his own minde But why dost thou judge thy brother or why dost thou despise thy brother for we shall all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ LONDON Printed for John Sweeting at the Angel in Popes-head-alley 1646. TO THE Presbyterian Reader THis Treatise which as a supplication to King James and the Parliament was Printed in the yeare 1614. is for your good now againe re-printed the Author thereof Leonard Busher an honest and godly Man as I make no doubt will appeare to you in the perusall of his Booke intended two things therein First to make it appeare that the Bishops were not true Ministers or successive from the Apostles but rather a Siens or branch of the Popish stocke descended from the Romish Hierarchy to whom they owned their Instauration Ordination and Function Had this advice been believed and embraced by the Parliament then the mischiefes they have since practised much of the blood that hath been shed and the miseries that by their meanes have been brought upon us had in great measure been prevented but his Counsell was then slighted though by the wisdome of this present Parliament put in execution whereby we are secured for the future from the domination compulsion against Conscience and notorious cruelties of that sort of men Whence we may learne that what to a people at one time seemes strange and absurd and in no wise to be admitted of at another time appeares an acceptable truth the reason is because wee are not Masters of our owne understandings but suffer them to bee dull'd and corrupted till misery and the sting of oppression opens our eyes so that we embrace truth more out of necessity then choice The second thing his Discourse drives at is to make it appeare by Scriptures and sound Arguments that the onely way to make a Nation happy and preserve the People in love peace and tranquillity is to give liberty to all to serve God according as they are perswaded is most agreeable to his Word to speake write print peaceably and without molestation in behalf of their severall Tenets and wayes of Worship wholsome and pertinent Laws being made upon penalties to restrain all kinde of vice or violence all kinds of reproach slander or injury either by word or deed And though this advice likewise seemes not the best to some especially to you my Brethren in the Presbyterian way yet am I well assured that this Nation will never be happy but as hitherto it hath been so for the future it will be distracted with oppression and persecution and the faces of one sort of men set against another till liberty of Conscience be allowed Indeed a man would thinke we had beene school'd and whist long enough to it by our calamities for went whereof this age and that age and the other age and every age hath been miserable For want whereof the Apostles suffered martyrdome the Saints and godly of all times have been hunted like Patridges by birds of Prey And yet good men in the esteem of a great part of the world especially of the rich and powerfull they have suffered as evill-doers disturbers of the World Heretiques Schismaticks seditious Persons and those that put them to death have had the reputation of being maintainers of Truth and sound Doctrine so apt in all ages have the people been to mistake good for evill and evill for good The Plea for liberty of Conscience is no new Doctrine as old certainly as the blessed Word of God it selfe which gives us this unmovable foundation thereof That every Man should bee fully perswaded of the truth of that way wherein hee serves the Lord And though there has been struglings in all ages to make good this blessed birthright to all peacefull People yet through thePotency and subtlety of Popes Bishops and Ministers that preferred the advance of themselves and their usurped and abused Function before the good and welfare of the People we have been deprived of this blessing next to the manifestation of Gods love and goodnesse to us the most excellent and desirable in this world for want wherof and by means of its contrary Persecution this Vniverse esâ—ecially the Christian part thereof hath suffered continuall agony and earthquake Warres and its miseries have overspread all Lands States have been shaken and subverted Love meeknesse gentlenesse mercy the truest badges of Christianity have been dampned and banished and in their roomes cruelty hardheartednesse respect of Persons Prisons tortures c. things that our blessed Lord and Master and his Apostles never prov'd unlesse upon their own afflicted bodies have had great sway for these many hundred yeares Hence is it that in stead of Peace we have frequently had the Sword in stead of sweet tranquillity love and affection hatred contention disaffection and the bitter fruits thereof hath reign'd amongst us and in all probability will reigne till God shall put it into the heart of the Parliament to make tryall for prevention thereof of this God-like way which in the ensuing Treatise is held forth I hope upon perusall thereof you that are my Brethren of the Presbyterian way will abate much of your misguided eagernesse in prosecuting your conscientious Brethren Consider I beseech you St. Paul before his conversion he was as zealous I make no question as any of you when he persecuted the Saints and (a) Acts 8.3 made havock of the Church that is of Gods People congregated together to worship and serve God when hee (b) Verse 3. entred into every house and drew out both men and women to put them to Prison when he (c) Act. 9.1 breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord when he (d) Act. 9.2 procured Letters of the High Priest to goe to Damascus where if he found any of that way then the hereticall way in his account he might bring them downe to Hierusalem when he (e) Act. 8.1 consented to Stephens death In all these violent motions he was zealous and hearty and thought hee did God good service in the suppression of a rising Sect that were against the High Priests learned Rabbies and Doctors of the Law Ceremonies strict Injunctions and observations of the Judaicall and Priestly Law You see how farre mistaken zeale can goe Consider this I beseech
Antichrist from whom they are descended and succeeded both lineally and of great antiquity Mystically Wherefore I humbly beseech the King and Parliament that you will betimes listen unto the holy spirit in the mouth of the prophet which saith Psal 2.10 Be wise now therefore ye Kings be learned or instructed ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord in feare and rejoice in trembling kisse the Son of God lest hee be angry and ye perish in the way of persecution when his wrath shall suddenly burn Let not therefore the Kings of the earth band themselves with the Bishops and Ministers of Antichrist Psal 2. â— 3. 1 Ioh. 2.20 Rev. 17.14 nor Princes assemble themselves together against the Lord and against his amointed that is against Christ and his Church seeing both he and she break your bands and east your cords from them Rev. 12.11 Yea her seed overcommeth you by the bloud of the lamb and by the word of their testimony for they love not their lives unto death Beware then in time lest you offend any more of these little ones that beleeve in Christ seeing Christ saith it were better to have a milstone hanged about the neck Matth. 18.6.10 and drowned in the depth of the Sea then so to do He meaneth that it were better for you to lose your lives then any way to consent to the offence of such little ones that beleeve in Christ See then I pray that they be not despised burned banished hanged and imprisoned For their Angels alwaies behold the face of Christs Father in heaven and remember he saith Matth. 10.38 39. Matth. 11.35.36 the tree is known by his fruit but persecuting of Christians is an evill fruit And that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things but persecuting of christians is no good thing and that for every idle word men shall speake they shall give accounts at the last day of judgements How much more for every wicked and cruel deed of persecution as burning banishing hanging and imprisoning of those that confesse with the mouth Rom. 10.9 and beleeve with the heart the Lord Iesus and that God raised him from the dead whose laws and ordinances they are carefull to keepe and obey Christ saith that such shall be saved and yet you feare not to burn banish hang and imprison such But if you beleeve that God will avenge his elect Luk 18.9 beware of persecuting his servants that cal on his name specially such as witnesse his truth against the abominations of Antichrist Suffer not your Bishops to destroy those men and women that strive to serve God according to his will in his word Be not your Bishops executioners in burning banishing hanging and imprisoning of harmlesse and peaceable Christians but let them enjoy freedom of the gospel and liberty of conscience that so the apostolick Church which is scattered and driven into the wildernesse and desart of this world may be againe gathered together both of Jews and Gentiles into visible and stablished congregations 2 Thes â— 8 And that the Catholick and universall Church of Antichrist may bee consumed and abolished by his word and spirit as the holy Apostle hath foretold even the uttermost of his arrivall which is the Emperiall and triple Crowne I pray the Lord to give such grace the Sea of Rome may ebbe apate through the triple sea of Rome And again I humbly intreat the King and Parliament to vouchsafe to heare me with patience yet a little further If freedom of the Gospel and permission of conscience might be granted then would not Papists nor any others dissemble their religion to the dishonor of God the destruction of their souls and to the great danger both of King and State seeing they are forced to Church against their consciences may not Popish Priests and Jesuites unawares to the Bishops become the Bishops Ministers seeing the change of their Religion and religious habit differ so little and so by degrees infect the people with more Popish doctrine as occasion shall be Nota. From Popes submission there is great suspition And such men will readily embrace the Bishops Orders and so they shall readily have the Bishops favours by which means they may more easily and speedily have accesse unto the Court and presence of the King and Prince which indeed is very dangerous howsoever not regarded Therefore I doe according to my duty humbly advise his Majesty not to beutifie his Court and presence with any popish stones not with one though it be of Alablaster But permission of conscience and freedom and liberty of the Gospel will no way be dangerous to the King or State if such like rules as these be observed 1. That no people tainted with treason doe beare any office 2. That all sorts of people tainted with treason do at all times from home weare a black hat with two white signs the one before 1 Kin. 2.36 41 42. Rom. 13 1. to 5. the other behind in open sight 3. That no people tainted with treason approach within ten miles of the Court without licence 4. That no people tainted with treason do inhabit the City of London nor yet within ten miles thereof 5. That none tainted with treason do make any assembly or congregation 6. That no person or persons in whatsoever difference by reasoning or disputing do draw any weapon nor give any blow stroke or push in paine and penalty as his Majesty and Parliament thinke meet 7. That for the more peace and quietnes and for the satisfying of the weak and simple among so many persons differing in Religion it bee lawfull for every person or persons yea Jewes and Papists to write dispute confer and reason print and publish any matter touching Religion either for or against whomsoever always provided they alledge no Fathers for proof of any point of religion 2 Tim. 2.24 25 Iames 3.17 but only the holy Scriptures neither yet to reproach or slander one another nor any other person or persons but with all love gentleness and peaceableness informe one another to the glory of God honor of the King and State and to their own good and credit Note A true signe of false Bishops and Ministers by which means both few errors and few books wil be written and printed seeing all false Ministers and most people have little or nothing else besides the Fathers to build their religion and doctrine upon or if it be once stablished by law that none shall confirm their religion and doctrine by the Fathers and by prisons burning and banishing c. but by the holy Scriptures then error will not be written nor disputed except by obstinate persons feared consciences seeing the word of God will be no shelter for any error Yea I know by experience among the people called Brownists that a Man shal not draw them to write though they be desired