THE TESTIMONY OF A Cloud of Witnesses Who in their Generation have testified against that horrible Evil of FORCING of CONSCIENCE and PERSECUTION about Matters of RELIGION Whose Testimony may be seasonable and sutable for the present state of the wise and learned men in England whether of the Magistrates or of the Clergy And may serve as a timely Warning to them all of defiling their hands with that horrible filthy thing which is already in part committed in the Land Composed together and Translated into English by a living Witness against the aforesaid Evil WILLIAM CATON God shall perswade Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his Servant Gen. 9.27 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12.11 Printed in the Year 1662. TO THE READER FRIEND IN these latter Dayes the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath raised up many Witnesses who Faithfully bear their Testimony to the Eternal Truth against the many Evils which superabound in the World but as the Testimony of his Faithful Witnesses hath been heretofore Rejected by the World in like manner is the Testimony of his Servants now contemned and set at nought by the Wise and Learned of this World who now with their Power and Wisdom resist the Almighty as in Ages and Generations past which thing I seriously observing it entered into my Heart to manifest the Testimony of some of the Antients who heretofore have been renowed in their Generations to my Country-men to the end that both the Wise and Simple Noble and Ignoble amonst them might see and perceive how that the Almighty even the Lord of Hosts hath so far opened the Understandings of many as that he hath given them to see the Evil of that horrible Evil viz. of FORCING of CONSCIENCE which noysome and hurtful thing hath been testified against by Emperours and Kings and by other Potentates of the Earth who by experience have found the Evil of it And likewise it hath been witnessed against by many Wise and Eminent Learned Men in their several Generations even as it is now testified against by the Servants and Hand-maids of the Most High which is evidently manifested by this following Treatise It hath been long upon me to produce this to our Native Country and to publish these Testimonies in its own Language that its Inhabitants might understand how other Kingdoms and Countries have been depopulated and spoyled through their Persisting in the aforesaid Evil and that they also might be warned from running head-long in that evil Course unto Perdition and thereby incur Desolation upon the Land and hasten the Lord's Judgements upon its Inhabitants Much I might have added to the further demonstrating of this Evil but being there is so much writ already concerning it and so much testified daily against it and that I was not desirous to make a great Volumn but chused much rather such a compendious Abstract as this Therefore have I only inserted their Testimonies without any Paraphrasing upon them which I leave unto thy just Judgement Sometimes I have instanced the Chronicle or History in which they are to be found more at large and sometime I have not for I believe that very few of them are extant in our English Language and that there is not one among a thousand in England that do know the Chronologies out of which they have been extracted If that thou Courteous Reader do with the Spirit of Meekness peruse this brief Treatise then mayest thou reap of the Fruit of this my Labour of Love the effects of which I shall leave unto the Lord whose Power I know is sufficient to make it effectual W. C. Palatine in Germany the 29th of the first Month called March 1662. The Epistle to the READER IT hath been the fervent labour and travel of my youth to seek for and to follow after the way of Righteousness and Truth and it hath ever been the very temper of my Spirit until this day to affect Iustice and Mercy and the Virtues of the Lord God hath delighted my Soul in what Person and among what People soever as I have seen the same and perfect Liberty and Freedom in all the wayes of God inwardly and outwardly in all the exercise of godliness and the Virtues of the Spirit of Christ I have longed after and according to that Light and Knowledge committed to me these things have I followed that I might attain to the perfection thereof to the fulfilling of my Faith and Patience in the enjoyment of these things when God himself should bring them forth in the World and give his chosen People the possession of the same as the Lot of their Inheritance And for this Cause and the accomplishing of this end I have had my Portion of afflictions among many other and I have suffered somewhat in Body and Spirit in my day if possibly this may be obtained in the end to wit free open publick and perfect Liberty in the exercise of Conscience in Duty and Worship to Godwards in and through the whole World This hath been and is the end of that long travelled Iourney which once obtained is a sufficient reward for all Afflictions and Tribulations and Persecutions suffered and endured in the way and saving my Hope and Faith and Confidence in the Promises of God concerning this thing the heart would faint the Spirit fail and the Soul be weary and nothing could comfort my life Thus it is not onely with me but with many more like minded who are all Travellers Mourners and disconsolate till the Lord appear bringing with him perfect Liberty of Conscience to all his People now Oppressed and Imposed upon with grievous Burdens of Force and Violence concerning Worship and Duty to Godwards under which Soul groans Spirit grieves Life mourns and the Holy Seed is slain in all Nations through the World and the Soul Spirit Life and Holy Seed Cryes unto God day and night and are poured out before him How long Lord how long when shall it once be That Persons Peoples and Nations shall offer Service Obedience and Worship to thee according to thy Teaching and as they are led and perswaded by thy Spirit Free Service and Worship and without force is that which God onely accepts and by which he is glorified 't is the way of true Worship 't is the way of Salvation Duty and Service in the exercise of the free Spirit of the Lord in the hearts of his People in this onely is he delighted and all the exercise of that concern which is by force through Imposition is neither pleasing to him nor saving to the Soul but abomination in his sight as Iniquity which his Soul hates and a vexation of guilt unto the Righteous Soul Hence may it be said wo unto Imposed Worship and Service which is forced by outward Power it grieves and vexes the God of
against them and for which Cause he will smite and wound confound and overturn Kingdomes Powers and Authorities even till he Reign whose Right it is who onely and alone will Rule in the free exercise of Soul Spirit and Conscience through the teachings of his own Spirit And though much Opposition and great Contention have been made against this in the World in which men have striven against their own good and welfare yet there is a day and it hastens to come in Power when Imposition upon Conscience by outward worldly force in Cases Divine will be banished the whole Fabrick of the Creation and exiled into the pit of never-rising obscurity and darkness and then shall the Sons of men be delivered from the Violence of it and from all its miserable and mischievous Consequence Then shall the heritage of the Lord rejoyce in Ioy unspeakable being delivered from the oppression under which she hath long mourned travelled and groaned in deep distresse Then shall Nations delight in amity one with another then shall Neighbours rejoyce in Society one among another and then shall Kings and Rulers love their Subjects and People freely and People shall Obey and serve their Rulers with a willing and chearful heart and mind Hereby the God of Heaven should be Glorified and all People become Blessed Amity Love Unity and Concord and the first Creation order and Decree would be restored between God and his Creatures and also between man and man in holy Covenant And this matter to wit Concerning Liberty of Conscience in the free exercise of Godliness hath been of these late years in great Debate and Contest among men in these Nations and some have been of one Iudgement and others of a contrary about this matter and the Contention hath arisen very high even unto Blood and losse of all and is yet remaining undetermined in the minds and Spirits of many people which ought to be resolved in every heart through conviction by sound Arguments of Truth and Divine reason and men ought then to obey the same according to inward Spiritual Conviction and this Case ought not to be determined by Carnal weapons forcibly Compelling people in the Case by the Impositions of Conquest in a Violent way of outward Power And since that This is a Case dubious whether free Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Worship or Imposition about the same is most worthy I therefore upon this necessity calling upon me with my willingness to assist in such a work would add my mite and grain of Knowledge and Wisdome towards the resolving of such a dubious and needful Case And have taken this opportunity and occasion thus to declare my mind and shall leave the effect hereof to the purpose and Providence of the Lord who onely is Wise to work whatsoever he will by whomsoever he pleases for he never yet limited himself to any one Instrument in the bringing forth and accomplishing his purpose however no man is to dispute the Leadings and Commands of God nor yet to measure his obedience to him by either objected or real Consequence in the fruits and effects of his obedience And this is that warrant to wit the leadings of God under the Commission of which the Servants of God do Act in their Obedience and disputes not the Authority nor the Consequence but leaves the Issue of all things to him that Commands The total sum of this matter to wit Liberty of Conscience is very large and requires multitude of Words and many arguments to unfold the Truth of it the vertue of it and the Evil Causes Works and effects of the Contrary but at this time I shall contract the sum into state it in this total head Whether it is not perfect Reason Justice and Equity and that without all Exceptions that every man upon the Earth be permitted in the free exercise of Conscience without any kind of Force put upon him by any man to the contrary to follow that Religion and to live in such Faith and perform such Worship to God as he dares trust his own Soul withal and give account thereof before God in the day of dreadful Judgement My Iudgement is on the affirmative Part in answer to this Question and it is my Iudgement in the Fear and Spirit of the Lord that 't is perfectly reasonable Just and Equal that every man in the World be permitted his Liberty in the free exercise of his Conscience and that without any force imposed upon him to the Contrary to follow that Religion and live in that Faith and perform that Worship to God with which he dares trust his own Soul to the Salvation thereof and the contrary is Unreasonable Unjust and Unequal and this might be amplified in a large manner upon occasion And this is not only my Iudgement alone nor the false Fancy of a single Person but it is the Faith and Judgement of many more and that not of Fools altogether but of the Wise not only of some few men of our Age but of many Ages past whose Principles were for the Toleration of Liberty in the exercise of Conscience in matters Spiritual as in this smal Treatise following more at large appears to which for proof of this Particular and to second the Truth of my Iudgement I do refer the serious and well considerate Reader in which small Piece he may find the Iudgements of divers Persons asserted by their own Sayings concerning the very Case of Liberty of Conscience and what esteem some Kings and Princes and Religious Men have had of the same for this following Piece to which I am now prefacing is no other than a certain sum of brief Collections of the Sayings of Emperors Kings and Potentates of former Ages contracted into this short method for the better Intelligence of all that are inquiring about this occasion and such is mine affection to the present Contraction collected that I wish that all the Rulers and Princes of our Age through the World would seriously read and rightly study the same and improve it to their own advantage in practising the Sayings of their Grave and Wise Progenitors and oh that they would engross this small Piece in their Records and enclose it in their Closets and use the same as Counsel and Instruction to themselves in the Premises the effect of it might prove happy to them if their present Practise would be answerable to the Intimations of the Antients And this small Piece happily ariving the harbour of my hands through the tedious industry of the Collector and through other passages of tempestious Dangers which it lay liable unto I have transported it over a serious view and am affected with it unto my Commendation and approof first of the matter it self and secondly of its Author's pains and Industry in forming of it into this method in which it now appears both of which I cannot but commend and do also herewith recommend to the View Consideration and Instruction of
that hath been alwayes so meek that it is as possible to find an Example of a Lambs devouring of a Wolf as of that putting a Heretick to Death by the Sword and they in whom his Spirit dwelleth are minded like him But as concerning Persecutors while in the New-Testament they find nothing but Meekness which is directly contrary to their Persecution said he therefore are they necessitated to fly unto the Old by which they suffiiently manifest whose Spirits Children they are This doth the multitude of the Martyrs testifie with their Innocent Blood how that the true Believers have Suffered as Hereticks Blasphemers Uproar-makers Contemners of Religion and Seducers c. Yet it is a fast and certain Rule saith the History That where the Spirit of God and his truth hath place that there must all Consultations of Persecutions cease then much more the thing it self knowing that their Weapons are wholly Spiritual even as God and his whole Kingdom is which must be used and Felt and keep the Authority for there are saith he Weapons of Love of Prayer of Peace and of Patience whereby the inward Understanding of the Heart and Soul may be brought unto the right Way But what is Flesh and Blood with fleshly Weapons alas said he in no wise fitting but like unto the World which run on in the broad Way to Destruction Moreover it is evident enough for in the whole Europa Experience hath learned it that the cruel Condemning Banishing Persecuting and putting Hereticks to Death about Matters of Faith and Religion is an absolute contrary means for to rout out Hereticks for to unite the divided Christendom and to quiet its Disturbances And it hath also been found by Experience that External Peace and Unity can and may be better preserved in a Kingdom or Common-wealth through forbearance and by Suffering of contrary Opinions through Love and Christian Meekness than by Banishing and Persecuting People to Death about Matters of Faith and Religion CHAP. XII When the Bishops began to seek the help of the Magistrate How it then Ministered Offence What Punishment the Church heretofore had according to the Will of the Lord for Hereticks And how difficult a thing it is for Magistrates to judge aright in Matters of Heresie ERasmus Testified That for above 400. Years the Bishops did not seek the help of the Emperors against the Hereticks and when they did seek it against the insufferable Wickedness of the Donatisten it did not please the good Party that they should then seek the help of the Civil Power for they then Judged that it became not the Bishops to use any other Weapons or to have any other Help than the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God although the Evil was incurable yet would they have excluded it by Excomunication which is said to be the greatest Judgment or Punishment that then the Church had Now it is confessed that the Lord Jesus Christ hath manifested his Will by that which is left upon record and which was delivered by his Apostles who have shewn us how we should carry our selves 1. Towards them that resist the Truth 2 Tim. 2.24 25. Chap. 3.6.8 Chap. 4.15 2. Towards Back-sliders 1 Tim. 1.20 3. Towards them that deny the Resurrection 2 Tim. 2.16 18. 4. Towards them that Teach what they ought not Titus 1.11 13. 5. Towards them that cause Divisions and Offences Rom. 16.17 6. Towards false Prophets Mat. 7.15 Chap. 16.11 12. 7. Towards them that Walk Disorderly 2 Thes. 3.6 8. Towards Pharisaical Hypocrites that have the Form of Godliness and not the Power Luke 12.1 2 Tim. 3.5 9. Towards false Brethren 1 Cor. 5.11 10. Towards Hereticks Titus 3.10 11. Towards Fornicators and Idolaters 1 Cor. 5.11 12. Towards the Disobedient 2 Thess. 3.14 13. Towards the Stiff-necked Mat. 18.17 Thus it appears from the Scripture of Truth that it was not the Will of our Lord and Lawgiver That they should be punished with severe Punishments in Prisons or by Banishment or by having their Goods spoyled or by being put to Death nay but he hath rather commanded 1. That with Meekness we should Instruct 2 Tim. 24.25 2. Deliver unto Satan 1 Tim. 1.20 3. Sharply to rebuke Tit. 1.11 13. 4. To avoid them Rom. 16.17 2 Thes. 3.6 2 Ioh. 10.11 5. To beware of them Mat. 7.15 6. To have no fellowship with them 1 Cor. 5.11 7. To reject them Tit. 3.10 2 Tim. 4.15 8. To let them alone Mat. 15.14 9. To esteem them as Heathens or Publicans Mat. 18.17 Thus we see the Laws that the Lord Jesus Christ hath ordained for their Punishment to the end that the Fruits hereafter mentioned might be brought forth for God willeth not as many blood thirsty Men that they should die and perish but the Will of God is That they all should repent 2 Pet 3.9 2 Tim. 2.25 That they cease from mens Traditions That they might be ashamed 2 Thes. 3.14 That they might learn not to Blaspheme 1 Tim. 1.20 That they might be found in the Faith Tit. 1.13 That the Spirit might be saved 1 Cor. 5.5 For the Power which the Lord hath given the Apostles was to Edification and not to Destruction 2 Cor. 13.10 Erasmus said The Christian Meekness must satisfie it self with these Punishments to Stone that is the Jewes work but the true Christians work is to Heal. Ambrosius said That Hereticks were only to be Punished by Excomunication and not to be Beat and Persecuted for so did the Heathen said he that knew not God And Ignatius said you shall seperate your selves from them and exhort them to Repentance In Haereticis coercendis quatenus progredi liceat ubi nominatius eos ultimo supplicio affici non deberi aperte demonstratur Christlinge Impressum Anno 1577. Sectio 2. Chrisostomus said That he was not such a Fool as that he would suffer them to be his Judges who were his open Enemies for it is against all right and reason that he who is the Accuser and Witness should also be Judge Every one saith he will be judge over another yet none acknowledging the other to be his Judge Tell me then ye wise Men who would have the Hereticks Punished or Persecuted to Death by the Magistrate who shall be the Judge the Magistrate the Church or the Doctrin which is spoken against And how shall the Magistrate be assured of the Odiousness of the Blasphemy and Crimes And how shall the Magistrate know certainly who are punishable Sismaticks Apostates false Teachers Hereticks and Seducers who they are that set up a Sect or a Church Who believe well or Evil Who Teach according too or contrary to the Scripture Who are moved of God or by his own Zeal Who do according to a good Conscience or contrary Who are wounded and judged in themselves and who are not And who are obstinate and stiff-necked Hereticks or constant upright Christians But suppose the Magistrates should refer this to the Divines or Clergy said he
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
to judge of what more assurance shall they have than the Magistrate who through their strong importuning blindly Persecute the Hereticks and have martyred and put to death most of the Christians and Servants of God said he how can they then more than the Magistrate judge of such hidden Mysteries as before mentioned Vide Synopsis Disp. 57. Thes. Chap. 20. CHAP. XIII The necessity of just and equal Liberty How expedient it is to hear and see before one Iudge How the Persecuting Clergy do follow the Example of the Iewes How Life and Conversation hath not been so much looked at as difference in Doctrine and Worship And how prejudicial it would be for Christians if their Counsel were followed that stir up men to Persecute ARemnus said The profitableness of the King and Kingdom requireth a firm and intire Union of all the Citizens and Subjects now there can be no firm Union said he except that all the Citizens and Subjects injoy equality and that especially in matters of Religion for inequallity among them in that particular is and hath been of most Politicians called one Pestilence of the Kingdom or Common-Wealth Anno 1575. Com. dist Fol. 79. Qui autem partem civium consulunt partem negligunt rem pernitiosissimam in civitatem inducunt Cicero in offi When the King Lodewick of France was much importuned by the Cardinals and Bishops to put several People to Death in his Dominion who were accused of much odious Heresie the King said If I were to begin a War with the Turk or the Devil I would first hear them And afterwards he sent Legaten to examine the matter and when he found them to be such in their Life and Conversation and Worship that he broke out with an Oath and said These men are better than I with my Catholicks Urede hand van Colen Fol. 39. The Iewes Scribes and Pharisees exclaimed against Christ to the Magistrate and said If he had not been an Evil doer we would not have delivered Him up unto thee And then they accused Him of perverting the Nation of forbidding the People to give tribute to Caesar of stirring up the People of casting out Devils through Beelzebub and they also said That they had a Law and that by that Law he ought to die c. Luke 23.2 5. John 18.30 Mark 3.21 John 19.6 7. Thus did they seek to deceive Pilate who was unexperienced in their Law even as the Clergy now said a certain Writer stir up the Magistrates with their Lies seeking to make them believe that they have a Law by which Hereticks ought to be Persecuted and put to Death and by their Sophistical Art said he can they prevaile with them so far as that finally they to continue their Friend and the Emperours or the Kings deliver them into their hands as Pilate did Christ who said Take Him and Iudge Him according to your Law c. Certainly said one where Christ is now made manifest there are also Iudas's to be found the World is no better nor holier then it was but rather worse and therefore doth the Truth now suffer under the name of Heresie said he as heretofore For now in these Dayes men do little regard Life or Conversation but presently fall upon judging of the Doctrine Persecuting and shamefully Intreating those that differ from them in Doctrine though their Life be never so good said he but indeed they ought to do otherwise and with the Spirit of Meekness to instruct those that Erre and not to put men to death for their Errors which is indeed a very great Error Condonabiles sunt quidem piorum hominum errores sicut et non quivis corporis morbus uxitialis est Certainly it is Unchristian-like yea unnatural That any should judge a man to be an obstinate Heretick who lives a good life and is of an upright mind and who cannot comprehend the matter otherwise than he understandeth it and thereupon is he resolved to suffer whatsoever may come but when they have nothing to charge against his Life then rail they against his Doctrine like as the Persecutors of Daniel said We shall have nothing against him except it be concerning his Worship And as Amazia the Priest of Bethel informed the King against Amos and accused him of Uproar and told him that the Land could not bear all his Words Amos 7.10 Dan. 6.5 Acts 24. Ier. 26.8 9 11. If one Sect should rise up against another to the destroying one of another which must needs follow if their Counsel be followed who would have Hereticks put to Death then when they had destroyed one another consider then what a door there would be opened for the Turk and for other Barbarous People for them to take possession of the remainder and then to Tyrannize over them But as Lactantius said Even as they are deceived in the Religion it self so are they deceived in the manner of its Protection for the true Religion is not to be defended with Killing but with Exhorting not with Cruelty but with Patience not with Wickedness but by Faith for they that go about to defend their Worship with Torments they rather pollute it than defend it CHAP. XIV Several Testimonies against Persecution and Forcing of Conscience Of the Liberty among the Heathen How Meekness is better than War How the Christians Meetings were forbidden upon Pain of Death And of the Efficacy of Faith and Patience STephanus King of Poland said It belongeth not to me to Reform the Conscience I have alwayes gladly given that over to God which belongeth to him and so shall I do now and also for the future I will suffer the Weeds to grow until the time of Harvest for I know that the number of Believers is but small therefore said he when some were proceeding in Persecution Ego sum Rex Populorum non Conscientiarum i. e. I am King of the People and not of their Consciences He also affirmed That Religion was not to be planted with Fire and Sword Chron. van de Rel. vrijh 2 deel Tindallus apud Foxium in Actis et Monument is said The New-Testament of Christ suffered no Law of Compelling but alone of Perswading and Exhorting pag. 1338. Timestius Exhorted the Emperor To cease from Persecution beseeching him that he would not be cruel by reason of the discord or defference of the Christians Doctrine seeing there was such a multitude of Sects among the Heathen and that every one continue in his own Doctrine contrary to the Meaning and Doctrine of the rest The Prince of Orange Testified That it was impossible that the Land should be kept in Peace except there was a free Tolleration in the exercise of Religion Anno 1579. Swinckfeild testified That according to the Doctrine of Christ and the Example of the Apostles it did not become the Preachers of the Gospel and Ministers of the New-Testament in no wise to Force with Violence and Tyranny the Conscience in Matters of Faith
but with the Sword of the Spirit the Power of God and with Prayer were they to resist the evil Spirit and all its Temptations and with long Suffering learn to overcome them all The Chronicle testifieth How that Theodosius Persecuted no Man neither did he constrain any to hold Fellowship with him but permitted every Man to meet in his own house or at his own Meeting and he being a very meek man did thereby to wit through Meekness sooner bring his Subjects to Obedience than by War neither would he Force the Consciences of his Subjects Relig. Uriih pag. 6. Iohn Taulerius spoke also much in his Sermon Book of the Tribulation Oppression and great Suffering that the Christians were to expect here but not that he should cause any of them to suffer The Burgemeesteren of Amsterdam testified That no man had Power to bind another mans Conscience let him be who he will said they for this Power pertaineth only to God under whose Command and Power the Conscience is Anno 1617. Erasmus said That though they take our Moneys and Goods they cannot therefore hurt our Salvation they afflict us much with Prisons but they do not thereby separate us from God Moreover the Lord said If they Persecute you in one City fly unto another thereby doth he teach saith Eras that persecuted Christians should not expel Weapons with Weapons but rather fly before Weapons for if Peter was reproved because he drew his Sword against the Wicked and Ungodly for his harmless Lord wherefore then should a Christian man for the future revenge Wrong with Wrong when it is done unto him In de Krijgdes urede Fol. 63. Lactantius said We Christians desire not that any man against his Will should serve our God who is the Creator of all things neither are we likewise angry if he be not served for we believe saith he that his Majesty might as well revenge their despisings as he doth the injuries of his Servants And therefore when we suffer such shameful things we keep silent referring vengeance unto the Lord and do not like unto those who would be esteemed Defenders of their Gods who are full of Wrath against those that do not honour them Rel. Uriih pag. 17. We are assured said Cyprianus That they that Persecute us shall not remain long unpunished and the greater Injuries which they have done the more manifest revenge will come upon them though we had no knowledge of the Antient times yet notwithstanding that which of late hath happened might serve for a sufficient Warning to wit that in so short a time saith he so grievious and terrible a revenge is already come upon Persecutors Merula pag. 214. When Cyprianus was threatned to be Banished out of the Land except he would renounce the Christian Religion he replyed to those that threatned him and said He that carrieth Christ shut up in his Heart and Mind can be no Exile or banished Man For the Earth is the Lords and the Fulness thereof Afterwards he was much urged by the Governour to betray his Brethren to which he would in no wise condescend and when the Governour told him that the Emperour had forbidden the Meetings of the Christians that they should not meet upon pain of death then he gave the Governour to understand that he was prepared to die for the Profession of the Truth Moreover said Cyprianus Have we not seen that the Martyrs of Christ did not look upon their Torments with cruel Eyes neither did they threaten Tyrants but was more sorrowful for their Blindness than for their own Suffering Anno 1567. Petrus Viretus said That there was nothing that sooner broke the Violence of Tyranny than the Patience of the Saints neither was there any better means to take away the sharpness of their Swords said he and to quench and extinguish their Fire than through Faith Constancy and Prayer CHAP. XV. Augustinus's Testimony How Ambrosius was threatned How private Meetings could not be prevented by Proclamations c. How it is the Duty of Christians to continue their Meetings And how we are to Obey God more than the Emperor or the King AUgustinus testified That when Emperours were in Error then did they make Laws for to defend Errors against the Truth yet Ambrosius would not obey the Emperor in things that were contrary to God and his Commands wherefore the Emperor threatned that he would cut off his Head then said Ambrosius I will Suffer as a Bishop do thou as becometh an Executioner or Hangman Apoph Fol. 144. The Chronicle testifieth How that in times past private Meetings could never be hindred through rigorous Proclamations strict Orders and Executions nor yet Sects of sinister Opinions but by how much the more they were forbidden by Orders and Persecuted by so much the more they Acted against the Orders Bor. 111.6.91 Moreover it sheweth how the Martyrs in Tribulation were mostly accused because they continued their Meetings contrary to the Command of the King Int Martel lib. 5. pag. 456. This is the Duty of all the Faithful said a certain wise Man That they continue their Meetings together in the name and fear of the Lord though Kings Princes and Magistrates by their Proclamations and Orders command the contrary for after the Apostle through many perils of his Life had Preached the Doctrin of the Gospel in Synagogues Schools and Markets and being resisted by open Violence and forbidden to Preach any more in that Name he notwithstanding after that kept Meetings in private Houses when he Preached Grotius testified How that it was the Opinion of some that they that did cruelly handle such as kept their Meetings not to Gormandize or play the Glutton nor to disturb the publick Peace but as Schools of Vertue were themselves in such a State as ought to be punished Vide Grot. lib. 2. pag. 445. The History sheweth how that heretofore some said as others do now That new things as new Opinions c. are alwayes to be feared especially great Meetings and Assemblies but said the Author Men need not fear that Doctrine which tends to the bringing of People to Piety and Honesty neither need men be afraid of the Meetings of honest peaceable People who seek not to keep themselves private except that they be thereunto constrained concerning whom I may say said he as Augustus said concerning the Meetings of the Jews that they were not to Domineer nor to be excessive in eating and drinking nor yet to disturb the Peace c. Anno 1560. In Scotland it was decreed and concluded That People should in all things obey the Magistrates Religion only excepted Hist. Georg. Fol. 697. Lucernus said He that commandeth any thing wherewith he bindeth the Conscience that is an Antichrist Inde Bennse Disp. Fol. 71. Therefore said Erasmus If that at any time Evangelical Godliness require that People must contemn their Commands that must be done with such moderation as that it may not be through any hate against