Judgement of his wicked and ungodly Enemies but also according to their desire Take Him said Pilate and judge him according to your Law pag. 100. David said That Heaven was given to the Lord of Heaven but the Earth unto the Children of men that is God hath given man Power over earthly matters and over whatsoever belongeth unto Earthly Matters but over Heavenly Matters and these things which appertain unto the Kingdom of Heaven the King of Heaven hath only dominion over Vred hand tot Col. Fol. 137 195. Regula sit morte non puniendos sed Iudex videat et ponderet CHAP. XVII How the Truth is Oppressed through somes Vsurpation How the Protestants have been hindred from Printing of their Books The unjustness of the thing How it hath been the Papists doing who will neither suffer Disputations nor Books against themselves The Cause why And how unjust a thing it is that one should usurp Authority over all the rest c. NOt without Reason are men offended said Calvine when they see the Truth of God lye oppressed with Fire and Sword and that none dare appear to help and defend the same and that Error is so strongly maintained with the Cloak of Lawful Iudgement that there is no Freedom to reprove and amend the same neither will they that have the name of the Supream Authority suffer any thing to be spoken that is contrary to their Institutions and if one reprove or rebuke them and Teach any thing contrary to what they Teach then do they account that to be uproarish when they themselves are the most tumultuous Decl. Chap. 14 15. Further he added That if they themselves did not stir up the Mighty to shed Blood there would never arise so many Uproars among the People And it was Luthers Opinion That those that stirred up the Princes to Persecute about Religion they raised the Uproar Thesaur pag. 679. Likewise the Reformed Protestants complained of being forbidden to Print Bookes and to Sell them as appears from the Chronicles which thing the Prince of Orange held for unfitting a Forcing of Conscience a quenching of Prophesie and an oppressing of the Truth Bor. Chron. second part Fol. 48.47 The Papists counselled the Emperour the Princes and States That they should obstruct Writing and Printing of Books as also Disputing and Preaching otherwise than according to the Interpretation and Approbation of the Church and that the Dispersers of such Books should be Punished Vide History of the Counsel of Trent pag. 42 43. When Tacitus had declared How that the Lords Fathers had thought it good to burn the Books of Cremutius Cordus some of which were afterwards brought to light he said He must laugh at the Folly of those who thought by their present Power they could extinguish the remembrance of them from ages to come for most commonly the contrary happens and when men reprove the glorious Understandings their honour and renown is not thereby diminished but rather augmented Further said he All Kings that have used great Tyranny in such Cases have thereby brought contempt upon themselves and more honour and esteem to the other Vide Annales lib. 3. pag. 22. The Emperour Nero caused the Books of F. Veientio who reproved the Priests and the Council to be burned yet while they were to be gotten notwithstanding the danger they were sought and read but afterwards People were permitted to have them and to read them Nota. When such Writings said he are little esteemed they perish of themselves but when men are angry then they come to be the more manifest for the difficulty in procuring of them sharpeneth the Desire kindleth the Zeal and bringeth the matter into more esteem Pol. 4. Lipsi 6. lib. Fol. 354. The Professors of Leyden said That it sounded strange in their Ears that Men were come to the forbidding of Books and would not suffer them according to their Rights and Priviledges A thing said they for which People have justly exclaimed against the Popish Government for Liberty herein chiefly consisteth viz. that every one may freely speak his Judgment and heretofore it hath been esteemed a mark of Tyranny when People might not speak their thoughts Vide their Remonst Anno 1582. Verily said they further Reason which opposeth all Tyranny teacheth us in the general that the truth can be no more than the Light constrained therefore is it Tyrannical to forbid good Books as the Apostate Iulianus did The King of Spain with other of the Popish Princes will not suffer different Religions in their Dominion nor yet Disputations about Religion neither will they suffer any Books that speak in the least against their Orders and Religion this do many reprove in the Papists and yet would gladly have it so themselves They fear said Lactantius that being conquered by us they should be constrained to give us the hand whereby they sufficiently manifest the desparation of their corrupt Reason seeing they dare not search nor enter into dispute with any because they know they should soon be overcome and so not searching they expel Wisdom and set Violence in its place and being they endeavour to judge those as being guilty whom they know well to be guiltless yet will they not suffer their Innocency to be made manifest as if it were more unreasonable to manifest Innocency than to condemn them that have not been heard But as I have said said he They fear that they should not be able to judge if they heard and therefore Tortour Kill and Banish they the Servants of the most high God that is righteous Men. Lactant. lib. 5. Chap. 1. Certainly said Acontius If the Shepherds once get it so far as that none may oppose them then will they Force the poor People and compel them to receive whatsoever they will Then woe be to us and our Posterity and woe be to all honest People if it once come again so far that the just and equal defence against the Learned should be esteemed Calumnies Wickedness and Crimen laesae Ma estatis Arg. des sat lib. 3. Fol. 97. For the Pope Innocentius the third made a Law That he that presumed to Blaspheme the Pope was to be Punished with death neither was any to speak against him nor against the Church of Rome which were not to be judged by any man Likewise a Synod at Rome made a Decree That none in the World should speak against the Church of Rome and cruelly did they Persecute those that did contrary to their Decree Merul. pag. 783 787 741 748. At Geneva it was also forbidden by a Proclamation that any should speak against Calvin and his Doctrine An. 1553. Anno 1619. There were several of the Clergy in the Low-Country that thought it needful that some Order was taken for the preventing and dispersing of such Books as they thought unfitting If that one Church or Teacher said Castel be only tolerated to reprove vilifie and falsely to accuse all other and that without permitting any
Heaven unto Wrath and Indignation and it wounds and oppresses the Immortal Soul unto Death and Damnation Surely It is contrary to the very purpose of God in Order of Creation who made and Ordained Mankind free from Bondage and never brought him forth into the World to be a subjected slave to the will of another man in things Temporal much lesse in things Spiritual and relating to Eternity and this work of Imposing by force in matters of Faith Worship and Duty to God of one man upon another or of some Persons over all is certainly an Act of Bondage and Slavery laid as a grievous yoak upon the necks one of another and subjecting one another in Oppression not unto the good Will of the Creator but unto the evil will of mortal perishing and sinful Creature and this differing from and contrary to the pure and perfect Order and Decree of Creation which was blessed altogether and whatsoever is degenerated by Corruption and Erred through Temptation from that Pure and Holy Order of Creation either in things Wordly or Divine is in the Curse and Oposition against the Holy Creator and so is this thing of which I am now Treating Imposition upon Conscience in matters Divine and Temporal Force exercised in Spiritual Cases is the highest Product of Degeneration and the greater degression from the Holy Order of Creation for without Controversie the Creator himself reserved and retained in his alone onely Power the Priviledge of Supremacy in and over the inward man in all the matters Immortal that he might be the onely Lord in that Case and give Spiritual Law to Command and force thereby to exercise the Soul and heart in Fear Love Faith Worship and Obedience to himself that he might be served as the Lord over all most chiefly in respect of the Inward Spiritual and Immortal man This Power of Supremacy I say he reserved and retained in himself in the Creation to exercise over Mankind and did not commit this Priviledge to any other wherefore without Controversie it is an Usurpation of the Creators rightful Dominion it is a robbing of him of his Dignity and Prerogative it is an Act of Violence done against his Soveraignty an audacious intruding into his proper right and a violating of the Law and Decree of Creation for one Person or one People to assume to themselves Power Authority and Government over other Persons and Peoples in Commanding and Imposing in matters Spiritual over their Consciences in the Worship and Service of God and it is such an abomination against the Creator both in the Cause and End of it That he will arise and take Vengeance upon it and he will ease himself of all such his adversaries Again It is contrary to the Law of Love Unity Fellowship and Concord among the sons of men by order of Creation which God appointed to be among them and by Imposing in matters of Spiritual concern as aforesaid that Love Unity Fellowship and Concord among men decreed in Creation is broken and confounded and disannulled among them by reason of the same and Nations and Kingdoms hate and contend one with another Neighbors and Brethren cannot agree but fall into strife one against another Kings and their Subjects Rulers and their People are in discord debate Disobedience and Rebellion one contrary to another by reason that Liberty of Conscience in Worship and Duty to Godwards is wanting in the World and Impositions and force by outward Authority in that Case are prevailing and in Power And thus the Law of Love Unity and Concord Decreed in Creation is violated despised and made voyd and hatred divisions strifes and discords intraduced in its room and abounds in the Spirits and visible actions of the sons of men through the World to the woful effects of killing persecuting and destroying one another Nation of Nation Neighbours of Neighbours and Kings of their Subjects occasioned and grounded upon this thing as the Foundation of the same to wit Imposing by force upon Conscience in matters Divine Wherefore not onely against God is this evil extended to dishonour and disgrace him as is shewed but against man also is this evil and mischief in the effects of it reached forth as ye have seen and the Law of Creation is violated both in respect of Creator and Creature It is in its cause and ground so evil in its works and effects so wicked and mischievous and in its end so provoking and damnable and all this both in respect of God and man that I have not yet Comprehended the height and depth thereof though my Spirit from a Child hath often entered into the serious Considerations of this thing with mourning and sorrow because of it and with testimony and abhorrance against it and at this hour I am a sufferer in body and Spirit because of the same Carnal Imposition upon Conscience in Spiritual things wo unto it my Soul hates and my God will Plague in his season If I should study in searching to find out and to discribe all the evils mischiefs and wofull Inconveniences and effects of this Gulf out of which they ascend I might make this Epistle a large Volumn but since that I have elsewhere written about this matter I shall now Contract this with the saying of the Apostle This Mistery of iniquity doth work untill he be taken out of the way Yea this Imposition upon Conscience opposite to perfect Liberty in the exercise of the same is the onely Main Material Support Prop and Defence of the Kingdome of Antichrist throughout the World at this day and whomsoever as are friends hereunto they are friends to him and they love his wayes and are subjects of his Kingdome and are rebellious against Christ and to his Kingdome they are Enemies Wherefore my heart and soul saith within me would to God I had such a gift of Demonstration by Pen or Tongue and that the same were so forcible and Efficacious to awaken every soul to an abhorrance and dislike of that Spirit Principle and Practice of Imposition upon Conscience that there might be a total turning from the Kingdome of Antichrist which Consists of Falshood Darkness Sin and Enmity of Bondage Oppression and cruel Impositions to the Kingdome of Christ Jesus which Consists of Truth Light and Righteousness of freedome and perfect Liberty in Soul and Spirit Which Kingdome and Government the Lord of Heaven and Earth will promote and Exalt in the Kingdomes of this World which must become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of His Christ according to Promise It hath ever been my Iudgment That want of Liberty and free exercise of Conscience in Spiritual matters and the Contrary Imposed by worldly Power and it remains still with me That this is one main Cause of the woful Distractions in Kingdomes of the unsetledness in States and of many evil Consequences abounding in the Governments of the World and also the Cause wherefore the God of Heaven is angry and provoked
every impartial Reader who must and that every man for himself be judge of the verity of what he Reads even by the Light of the Spirit of Christ Iesus in his own Conscience to which this is singly committed E. B. From my place of present restraint the 27th day of the 7th Month 1662. 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 CHAP. I. Concerning the Christian Religion how it is not to be planted established nor defended by Weapons nor by Violence and how it doth not admit of any forcing of Conscience A Certain Chancellour speaking before the King and his Council at Orleans in praise of the Christian Religion said That those that went about to Establish the same by Weapons did against their Calling which is said he to suffer Violence and not to do it Herein differ we said Chrisostomus from the Heathen who do force and compel by Violence but the Christians they are patient and forbearing neither hath our Religion had her beginning with Weapons said he neither hath it been maintained by Weapons It is not the manner of the Children of God to Persecute others to Death about their Religion but it hath been and is their Condition to be put to Death themselves for the Testimony of the Truth Moreover said he the shedding of blood about Religion is an evident token of Antichrist Relig. Uryl Pag. 192. That Religion which goeth about to set up a Sect which seeketh not Peace but speaketh against all and will suffer none equal with it but will be alone Master and exercise Lordship over the faith of all others and with the Civil Powers persecute those that are of another Opinion by shedding their blood Banishing of them and spoiling of their Goods or with War and Fighting Establish their own such do thereby shew that they are no right Shepherds of the true Christians but rather Wolves Caines Ishmaelites and Esauhites whose hand is against all and every mans hand against them The Kingdom of Christ which is otherwise called the Christian Church said a certain Writer hath no earthly King no Temporal Magistrate nor Governour for the Lord alone is King in his Kingdom as he is Ordained to be the Head of the Church so he hath committed that to none to Govern This King governeth with the word of his Grace the Soul and Conscience here are none compelled for there is a Spiritual Freedom and willingness there is no Violence or contention which was held forth by the Figure of Solomon's Temple where no Hammar no Axe or Iron instrument was to be heard but there 's Love and Unity Peace and Mercy among all his Children That is certain said one that all Religion is vain without true Godliness and it is little matter of what Opinion any man be in different points of Religion while he leadeth an ungodly life and through that Doctaine which he professeth is not bettered but bittered against his fellow Christian and hateth judgeth and persecuteth him as it often happeneth among them that seem to be Religious The States of Holland have confessed that the point of Religion in the Government of a Land was of great concernment And further they said that they abominated forcing of Conscience otherwise then with good Doctrine good works and intreaties A certain Turkish Ambassadour complained to the King Emmanuel of Portugal of the King of Spain for his compelling by Violence the Moores in his Dominion to the Christian Faith or Religion saying it was not lawful neither for the Christians nor yet for the Mahomets to compel any man so as that he should forsake that Religion in which he had been Educated And that he could not be silent to see such things to the injury and desolation of People in the general but must testifie that it was to the prejudice of Mankind and to the disadvantage of Religion c. Osorius declared That it was neither according to the Law nor according to Religion to compel the Iewes and Moores to the Faith And that none ought to determine to restrain the free mind for he affirmed it was not the Will of Christ neither ought such things to be Anno 1455. The Turk wrote a Letter to the Pope Calixtus the third wherein he acknowledged that Iesus Christ had been a great Prophet yet said he he hath not commanded that any should compel People by Violence and Weapons to believe his Law Haywardus said That the best Writers of that time did agree in one Opinion and with Tertulliano Lactantio Cassiodoro Iosepho c. That People must inform men to imbrace Religion with reason and not compel them by Violence I have for a long season determined said one of the Kings of France to reform the Church which without Peace said he I cannot do and it is impossible to reform or convert People by Violence I am King as a Shepherd said he and will not shed the blood of my Sheep but will gather them through the mildness and goodness of a King and not through the Power of Tyranny And I will give them of the Reformed Religion right Liberty to live and dwell free without being examined perplexed molested or compelled to any thing contrary to their Conscience for they shall have the free exercise of their Religion c. Vide Chron. Vande Onderg 2. Deel Page 1514. And as concerning the planting nourishing and defending of the Christian Religion that is said to be the office and work of upright and sincere Teachers further saith he it concerns the Magistrate to defend and protect the Innocent and harmless People who are Persecuted Robbed Prisoned and Tyrannically used Experience hath sufficiently manifested both in France Germany Bohemia and in the Low-Countries and elsewhere that to make War about Religion or thereby to establish and defend it is an absolute perverse and destructive means and that which is totally against the true Christian Religion yet notwithstanding some cry up Weapons Weapons but alas have we not seen that Weapons are stirred up against Weapons And what is this reconciling slaughter with slaughter and blood with blood but the manner and custome of the Heathen CHAP. II. Concerning the true and false Church the Gospel and Religion As also shewing the insufficiency of carnal Weapons in Spiritual Matters THe Church that is dispersed through the World hath the name of Christ her Head and is strengthened not with resisting but with Suffering and Patience for the Gospel in the Primitive Church was not Preached with Swords and an Armed hand but with Exhortation and Perswasion Hist. Eccl. lib. 4 Chap. 26. Barnardus said The Church must not persecute as Wolves but be Persecuted like as the Sheep are of the Wolves And in this Calamity of the World they stand as Palm-trees through the Power of God and grow and increase so that some have esteemed Sanguis Martirum est
semen Ecclesiae i. e. the blood of the Martyrs to be the seed of the Church for said he as one was put to death there came ten in his stead Luther said That the hypocrites Church was to be known by its manners whose Image and figure was Esau yet she boasted of God and would be accounted his Church but lived wholly according to the World Further said he the true Church is not defended by a fleshly Arm which wicked Bishops especially use and cry unto Thaesau Pag. 622. As heretofore he that was born after the flesh Persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so is it now c. Consider these words of Paul said Castellio Ishmael that was born after the flesh Persecuted Isaac who was born after the Spirit even so now do the fleshly Persecute the Spiritual But Abell did not Persecure Cain nor Lot the Sodomites nor David Saul nor the true Prophets the false nor Christ and his Apostles the Scribes and Pharesees although some of them might have done it yet nevertheless they did it not So is it at this day though the number of the Righteous be but smal who are Persecuted of the wicked yet sometimes they might injury their Persecutors but they are so far from doing that that they are rather helpful to them and do seek their Salvation The false Church is grounded more upon men then upon Christ and she Persecuteth those that live Righteously according to the Word of God and such as reprove her for her failings Damascenus said that the Gospel had been Preached in all the World but did not conquer its opposers with Weapons Arms or Fighting but a few unlearned confounded the Wise ones of the World Oh said Boudaert that the Bishops were so well experienced in the Word of God that they would rather with Reason seek to bring them that go astray to the right way then to compell them by Corporal punishment to adhere unto their Elect. It is impossible said Luther that the Church of Christ should be or should stand without bloodsheding for the Devil who is an Enemy of God's Church is also a Lyar and a Murtherer yet the Church hath alwayes increased in blood said He in the Colloq Sanguine mundata est Ecclesia Sanguine cepit Sanguine succrevit sanguine finis erit Ian Monliu the Bishop of Valence affirmed That it was an Error to molest the publick Peace with Weapons under pretence of Religion a thing saith he which hath been alwayes abhorred by the Antients For Wars and compulsary punishments have never been the means to bring to Unity For Wars and cruelty tend to the destroying both of Body and Soul even of those who peradventure might otherwise have been gained through love and gentleness for that counsel which tends to cruelty is worse then the desease yet notwithstanding it is the manner of such Bishops to plead for Weapons as have lost the Spiritual Sword of Peter and therefore said he do they now make that Sword their Defence which he drew against the servant of the High Priest Chron. vande Rel. uriih pag. 123 124. Anno 1579. The States of Holland said That this they observed finding it by true experience viz. dat gewelt ende wapenen luttel helpen tot verbreijdinghe ende behoudenisse der Religien i. e. That violence and Weapons availed little in spreading and maintaining Religion And further said they as we would not have that men should do violence to our consciences neither will we do violence to the consciences of others for we are not to do that to another which we would not have another to do unto us The Prince of Orange said We are not so unexperienced in the Doctrine of the Christian Religion as that we do not know that all those tyes of Conscience wreathed or turned of men are to no purpose to bind man before God People should not think it strange nor therefore take up Arms said he because that many of the Inhabitants of this Country are become of another opinion and simply declare themselves yea against the Will of the Magistrates which thing the Histories do testifie not to be new but that such differences have been in the World in many Monarchies heretofore To the same purpose did the States of Holland testifie viz. how that difference in doctrine was not strange in the Church but said they it is better rectified through forbearance then through devision Inde Apolog. 1581. fol. 15. CHAP. III. Concerning cruel Lawes against Hereticks how the Bishops and Clergy heretofore have been the cause of them who are the cause of tumults the necessity of just Liberty and the good effect thereof IN the year 553. the Pope Palagius instituted first of all That Hereticks and Apostates should be forced by external compulsion c. Clemens the fifth made Lawes that Hereticks should be burned Gerandus Naviomagus sheweth how that the Laws for putting of Hereticks to death came not by the free will of the Emperours but through the earnest importuning of blood-thirsty Bishops whose constant recourse was a burthen to the Emperours so that finally they obtained what they desired but when the Clergy could not prevail with one Emperour they excluded him out of Italy excommunicated him brought him in suspition freed the Subjects from the Oath and stirred them up against the Power And thus have the Clergy handled when they could not have their wills And it might be plenteously manifested out of the Histories how that it hath been blood-thirsty Bishops with others of the Clergy that have provoked Kings and the Potentates of the Earth to cruelty and who have counselled them to make bloody Lawes like the Bishop Nestorius who in his Sermon spoke unto the Emperour and said O Emperour give me a Land cleansed of Hereticks and I will give thee Heaven help me against the Hereticks and I will help thee to subdue the Persians thy Enemies c. Yet it doth not appear that upright and sincere Teachers have sought the defence or help of the Emperours or Kings against Hereticks but it is evident that banishing and persecuting to death about Religion came not from the example of the Righteous but rather from the Heathen and from Arius Nestorius Palagius and their Proselytes There was a certain man that complained unto the Prince of Orange saying That it was sufficiently known that since the dayes of the Apostles that hurtful and noisom Plague hath reigned and had the Dominion in the Church viz. that the greatest part of the Divines and Clergy have assumed more Authority and Power to themselves yea and have taken it by force then ever God the Father gave them And the aforesaid Prince observed how they sought to usurp Authority over the Conscience and to bring People in subjection to their Lawes and Institutions There are some Teachers said a certain wise man that are exceeding cruel angry passionate full of Covetousness and Pride who judge and reject all things but their own and