arise from inordinate liberty and immodest freedom which of later years all sorts of people have challenged to themselves in matter of Religion presuming on such a toleration and indulgence as encourageth them to chuse and adhere to what Doctrine Opinion Party Perswasion Fancy or Faction they list Are not the errours which are rife amongst us either by infecting persons of quality grown to that boldness or by carrying away Barnabas also grown into that credit or by spreading far and wide grown to that strength that they seem to endanger our common Faith our publick Worship and authorized Ministry our much expected and long promised Reformation Assembly-Divines There is no State in Christendome where there is one onely Religion established that will admit the publick exercise of any other in a way of separation from it And the Church of God before Christ granted no toleration of divers Religions or Disciplines and of several Parties so contrary to the Communion of Saints We believe and profess one God one Christ one Lord one Spirit one Faith one Baptism and one Body Mr. Burroughs p. 62. If every man shall not walk according to his own light according to what light shall he walk B. Gauden p. 139. According to the Scripture-light that hath beamed out upon all Believers in all Ages of the Church He may indeed do what he will but they that have power over him must allow him to do nothing against the truth but for the truth Mr. Caryl p. 36. It were a mercy if it were possible tender Consciences were allowed to stand fast in that liberty wherein Christ hath made them free B. Gauden p. 142. I do not doubt but the greatest Patrons for the peoples liberty in matters of Religion will in time if they do not already see how great a charity it is to put merciful restraints of religious Order and Government upon them which are no less necessary then those sharper curbs and yokes of civil Coercion No wise States-man will think it fit in honesty or safety to permit the common people to do what is good in their own eyes as if there were no King or supreme Magistrate in Israel nor can any good Christian think it fit that in Religion every man should be left to profess what he listeth as if there were no Christ as King and chief Bishop of our souls as if he had not left us clear and setled foundations of Faith Worship Order and Discipline and whatsoever is necessary to make us wise unto salvation perfect unto every good work in wholesome forms of found words B. Hall p. 28. O do not deceive your selves the liberty wherein Christ hath made you free is from sin that beguiled you from fear that troubled you from an evil Conscience that disturbed you from the wrath of God that was bent against you from the rigour of the Moral Law that oppressed you from Satan that had dominion over you from the Ceremonial Law that enthralled you and not from subjection to the wholesome Injunctions of lawful Authority your obedience to whom is perfect liberty Mr. Manton p. 137. Vain man would be free and yokeless neither would he have his heart subject to God nor his actions to mans censure Some men will not have their consciences stand in the way of their lust nor the Magistrate in the way of their sin but every Christian desires to live under the Magistrate peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty King Indeed Mr. Caryl if the divinest liberty be to will what men should and to do what they so will according to Reason Law and Religion I envy not my Subjects that liberty which is all I desire my self so far am I from all desire of oppressing theirs In point of true conscientious tenderness challenged with humility and meekness not with proud and arrogant activity which seeks to hatch every egge of opinion to a faction or schism I have often declared how little I desire my Laws should entrench on Gods Soveraignty who is the onely King of all mens consciences and yet he hath laid such restraints upon men as commands them to be subject for conscience sake giving no man liberty to break the Law established further then with meekness and patience they are content to suffer the penalty annexed rather then perturb the publick peace Have I any power or have I not to take care of matters of Religion so that none may presume under my Government to own any Way different from what I conceive the ancient Catholick and Apostolick Way I pray satisfie me in that B. Reynolds p. 18 16. Not to engage in any controversie onely thus much The good Kings of Israel and Judah before Christ were commanded of God and were ready of themselves to lay out their interest for the establishment of the Way of God and the abolition of all other Ways The Prophets prophesied That good Kings after Christs coming should be Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers to the Church every soul is subject to them as who are over us for good Spiritual and Temporal and we are to pray for them that we may live under them peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty God hath given your Majesty power God hath given your Majesty care a power over his people a care of his glory you must not bear the sword in vain If you must punish offences against men you must much more punish offences against God if you must take care that your Subjects live well you must take care that they be well principled you must take care that your people be so subject to you as you and your people may be subject to God The King saith St. Augustine serveth God as a man and as a King as a man by godly life as a King by godly Laws as Ezekias by destroying the Groves and Temples of the Idols and as Josias by compelling the people to serve the Lord their God and doing other things for the honour of God which onely Kings can do And we may observe in the Laws and Histories of the Primitive times what Socrates said That ever since the Emperour turned Christian the Affairs of the Church depended upon him for the Church as Optatus saith is in the Commonwealth not the Commonwealth in the Church Besides the Primitive Church the Reformed Church of Belgia holds p. 18. That the Magistrate should hold fast the Word of God and see that nothing be taught contrary to it The Helvetian saith this Office was enjoyned the Heathen Magistrate to take care that the Name of God be duly honoured how much more doth it belong to the Christian Magistrate as the true Deputy of God in his Dominion The Basil-confession hath it thus That we must in all things submit to God first and next to the supreme Magistrate That the Lord hath intrusted you with a care of Religion is a truth that hath been maintained always by the Protestant against the Papist
AMSTERDAM Toleration or no Toleration In a DISCOURSE BETWEEN CONFORMISTS NON-CONFORMISTS PAPISTS ANABAPTISTS QUAKERS c. In their own Words before a Gracious King about the extent of a Christian Indulgence to all Dissenters By J. V. C. O. A Friend to Men of all Religions Rom. 4.19 Let us follow the things that make for peace LONDON Printed in the year MDCLXIII TO All that are SPIRITED FOR An Universal Accommodation THat good people may know what Indulgence they are to look for here is the Judgement of the ablest of all Professions in ther own words concerning as much Favour as can be allowed men of different Perswasions Here you see what wise men have thought about Toleration here you see what wise men may look for and withal what all Parties will be contented with in order to that Peace and Settlement that may bless us and our Posterity AMSTERDAM Toleration or no Toleration King I Have sent for you my loving Subjects of all Professions to bear witness to the tenderness and compassion I have for all my good People of different Perswasions who live soberly and peaceably according to their several Apprehensions and to the care I have taken to compose Differences and Offences that I have found in this Kingdom by Impartiality or at least to allay mens Heats and Animosities so far as that notwithstanding their several Perswasions they might cement in a common Peace so much conducing to the happiness and welfare of this Nation Really the satisfaction of all sober men in the matter of Religion hath layn so much upon my Spirit that I have spared no time refused no pains to take in the Advice and Apprehensions of the most knowing in all Ways whereby a course might have been taken that would oblige all persons to joyn in a chearful Obedience to our Government and in an universal Endeavour for common Good It 's not unknown to the world with what patience I have heard the sentiments of all Parties since I came to England I have offered all that in Reason Honour and Conscience I can reserving onely what I cannot consent unto without an irrepairable injury to my own Soul the Church and my People And at last I put all difference in Church-Affairs and Religion to the free Consultation of a Convocation legally chosen the Results of whose Counsels as they include the Votes of all so I hoped they would have given satisfaction unto all What would you have me do more then I have done Chancellour Gentlemen the distempers of Religion which have too much disturbed the peace of this Kingdom is a sad Argument indeed it is a Consideration that would make every religious heart to bleed to see Religion which should be the strongest Obligation and cement of Affection and brotherly Love Kindness and Compassion made now by the perverseness of passionate and froward men the ground of all Animosity Hatred and Malice It was not so of old when one of the most ancient Fathers of the Church tells us That Love and Charity was so signal and eminent in the Primitive Christians that it even drew Admiration and Envy from their greatest Adversaries Vide inquiunt ut invicem se diligunt How would they look upon our sharp and virulent Contentions in the Debates of Christian Religion and the bloody Wars that have proceeded from those Contentions whilst every one pretended to all the marks which are to attend upon the true Church except onely that which is inseparable from it Charity to one another Really this Disquisition hath cost the King many a sigh many a sad hour when he hath considered the most irrepairable reproach the Protestant Religion hath undergone from the Divisions and Distractions which have been so notorious in this Kingdom What pains he hath taken to compose them after several Discourses with learned and pious Men of several Perswasions you may see by a Declaration he hath published upon that occasion by which you see his willingness to indulge all tender Consciences as far as lieth in his power We all hope that God will so bless the candour of his Majesty in the condescention he makes that all good people will return to that Unity and Unanimity which will make both King and People as happy as they can be in this world King That you may see that I am not guided by any single mans counsel fidelity and discretion in the management of the great matters of Religion and that I comply not in my Government with particular mens passions humours and private opinions I here meet you whom I look upon as the most knowing sober and moderate of the several Professions under my Government by whose discretion I hope I may be advised so as that I may be able to give all just satisfaction to all sober desires and allay and fix my good People to a due temperament to their own just content and mine Politician May it please your Majesty to reduce the various disagreeing Parties within this Kingdom which seem to render it an indigested mass of people to such a temperature as may compose all Affairs both Religious and Civil within your Majesties Dominions There are but three ways imaginable The first way is to raise one Party by the fall and ruine of all other Parties which if possible cannot be accomplished but by violent ways and means The second way is to think of such an Accommodation as by the mutual yeilding of the several Parties former differences may be abolished and all reconcilable Professors may be reconciled and such a comprehensive Coalition of all Interests be endeavoured as may take in and carry along the whole stream and strength of the three Kingdoms The third way is to indulge a Toleration to the weaker side whose strength a Charitable Connivence and Christian Indulgence may weaken when as a tougher Opposition may fortifie it a severe Imposition putting the despised and oppressed Party into such Combinations as may most enable them to get a full Revenge on those they count their Persecutors they being commonly assisted and encouraged with that vulgar pity and compassion which is allowed all that are said to suffer for their Conscience and Religion A course very agreeable in my opinion to that exact Policy which supports the most flourishing Kingdom of France c. and States of Holland in an admired Grandeur made up of Peace Plenty and Prosperity which we envy but cannot attain to King I must needs interrupt you and though I approve the faithfulness I cannot allow the prudence of your advice for you must all know that I am perswaded that in matter of Religion we must follow not so much what is most prudent as what is most pious not onely what is expedient but what is lawful not what seems best in reason of State but what seems best in the counsel of God and therefore before you proceed I must let you know that you must not insist on forraign Policies and Prosperity in this
and dispenseth as himself pleaseth and my errour is my misery and not my fault L.O.J. p. 16. The Church doth not punish you for being in the wrong which you cannot it may be help although I could wish you would heartily endeavour all the means to come to the right but for doing what is contrary to that which is established as right which you may help You may chuse whether you think as we think and you may chuse whether you should do or teach as you do what is so scandalous to the Church and so repugnant to publick Authority Anabaptist For you to suppress whatever is done or taught against the received Way is to hold the truth in unrighteousness B. Gauden Because it is possible that some truths of Religion may be unseen and so omitted by the most publick Diligence and some may afterwards be discovered by private industry and devotion which ought not to be smothered or concealed if they have the Character of Gods Will revealed in his written Word whose true meaning is the fixed measure and unalterable Rule of all true Religion to prevent the suppressing or detaining any Truth which may be really offered unto any Church or Christians beyond what is publickly owned and established also to avoid the foolish obtruding whatever Novelty any mans fancie listeth to set up upon his own private account contrary to the publick establishment nothing were more necessary and happy then to have in every National Church which hath agreed with one heart one minde one spirit and one mouth to serve the Lord Jesus according to the pattern of primitive Piety and Wisdome persons of eminent Learning Wisdome and Integrity publickly chosen and appointed to try and examine all new Opinions publickly propounded no man being to print or publish any thing different from the publick establishment of Religion until he hath first humbly propounded to the Church or to reverend men appointed by the Church his Opinion in writing together with his Reasons why he adds or differs from the publick profession Let the prophets prophesie one by one and let the others judge If the Church allows his Opinion and Reasons propounded he may then publish his judgement by preaching disputing writing or printing if it doth not he shall then keep his Opinion to himself in the bounds of private conference onely for his own satisfaction but in no way to publicate it to the scandal or perturbation of what is setled in Religion Here every man may enjoy his ingenuous liberty as to private dissenting without any blame or penalty which he shall incur or undergo in case he doth so broach any thing without leave as a rude Innovator and proud Disturber B. Usher p. 118. Private and modest dissentings among brethren safely may and charitably ought to be born with all Christian meekness and wisdome no private Christian being forced to any explicite Conformity or Subscription under penalty of any mulct or prison much less with the terrour of fire and faggot which was the violence of Papal Tyranny onely they should take care that people be duly taught that Religion which is setled that none be a publick Preacher that is a declared Dissenter or Upholder of it that no man doth broach any Novelty without their approbation that no man oppose scorn or perturb that constitution of Religion which is publickly setled as supposed to be the best that no man abuse the name of Christian liberty to the Publicks injury making it a cloak of maliciousness and that we be not ever learning and never coming to the knowledge of saving and necessary truth that we be not still tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine and never cast anchor upon the sure and safe grounds of an wholesome form of sound words Poor souls are undone and perish for ever if they be betrayed to themselves if God and good men be not better to them then they desire or designe to themselves either in things sacred or civil if there be not in just and honest ways such holy restraints and wholesome severities laid upon them as may keep them within the bounds of sobriety and piety The Lord may dispense the beams of his Spirit in the light of truth as well as in the heat of love how where and when he will yea and oft doth reveal his secret and hidden things not to the wise and learned but to the babes and foolish therefore a publick liberty at least and a fair toleration ought to be granted to any men to opine to teach and accordingly to act as they are inwardly perswaded or moved without any restraint upon their spirits or quenching of the Spirit of God B. Gauden We desire not to quench the work of Gods Spirit in any man but to restrain the workings of a mans own errours according to the will of God to which to subject our selves is our most perfect freedom Perfect freedom is to be able without sinful impediments to understand to speak and to do such things as we ought to God or man in such a way as charity sobriety order and gravity allow Papists We hope your Majesty out of the sense of our Loyalty in these disturbed times will be pleased to allow us such indulgence as they may deserve who dissent from the publick Way peaceably and soberly King What you have done was but your duty for your Loyalty to me in civil things you shall have protection from me in those things too for an indulgence to your Religion I must consult my Divines What say you my Lord of Canterbury Archb. Abbot I fear I have offended by my too long silence I must needs say that your Majesty is undone if you tolerate a Religion so displeasing to God so dangerous to all humane states and societies Now I have delivered mine own soul you may do with me what you please Papists Why is it that we are so severely censured B. Usher p. 67. Because your Religion is idolatrous your Doctrine heretical and your Church in respect of both Apostatical To give you therefore a toleration or to consent that you may freely exercise your Religion and profess your Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sin whereby we are Accessories to your Delusions and like to be partakers of your plagues and therefore we beseech the zealous God of truth to make you who are in Authority zealous of Gods glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery Superstition and Idolatry Papists We hope you will deal as favourably with us as you would be dealt withal in those Countries where our Religion prevails Protestants Our greatest rigours reach not your persecutions in forreign parts we would yet be merciful unto you if we could without being cruel to our own souls Papists Your favour here to us may oblige other Princes to oblige your friends abroad Protestants We must not do evil that good may come therefore we must discountenance your
errours you may if you will discountenance our truths Papists It 's true some practices against the State deserved this severity formerly but our peaceable behaviour may deserve an indulgence now Protestants Your behaviour may deserve an indulgence but not your principles you are so tied to the Supremacy at Rome that you cannot be true if you will be true to your own Profession to our Government Papists The Hugonots have an indulgence in France Protestants They have no more then they fought for though they have more then as appears by your several attempts to undermine their liberties you are willing they should have Papists It were no harm to indulge us if your Religion were true your truth would triumph over our falshood Protestants No people ever suffered an Enemy to settle in their Country that they might triumph over them An ill-affected person They have already what amounts to a toleration Protestants No the King indeed doth not force them to come over to our Religion because he thinks Religion must be perswaded and not forced yet he doth not allow the practice of their Religion he doth not compel them to come to us and he doth not suffer us to be seduced to come over to them The Indifferent Alas the Popish Religion is so ridiculous that to tolerate it publickly were to expose it Protestants Alas what is ridiculous to the wise is very pleasing to the vulgar who are the most part of mankinde and where they have one Proselyte to their Devotion they have ten to their pomp glory Papists The more danger of our Priests the more care should be taken by your Ministers Protestants But we must not let in the Wolves that the Shepherd may be careful Papists May it please your Majesty that we may live peaceably as your other Subjects and not be compelled to your profession though we enjoy not the liberty of our own King In the multitude of Counsellours there is safety We shall advise with our Nobility Clergy and Commons what may be done in your favour for to deal truely with you it is not my intention to exclude you from all share in the benefit of such an Act as the wisdome of our Parliament shall think fit to offer unto us for the ease of tender consciences VVe intend to abate the rigour of some Laws as not being able to endure that any of our Subjects should be put to death for their opinions in matter of Religion onely and indeed as we cannot in conscience own or indulge your way so we shall not punish your dissent from us any otherwise then with some marks of our displeasure for not closing with the established Religion Papists So pray God bless your Majesty Ill-affected persons If Popery be naught why are Papists suffered if not why are they punished Honest Protestants Though his Majesty suffers Papists as his liege people yet he suffers not Popery and yet he suffers not Papists without some marks of his displeasure Whisperer Why doth the King punish men for what is their conscience The Loyal He punisheth them not for their consciences which he knows not but for their outward actions which he knows he measureth their practice by the Law by which he is to judge and govern he referreth their consciences to God Non-conformists We humbly beseech your most excellent Majesty to allow us to enjoy our consciences and judgements in serving our God State We could grant your liberty as to your own practice but we must deny you the liberty of seducing others I will not punish you for being misled into errour but I must restrain you from spreading your errours I shall wink at your weakness but I shall punish wilfulness Their followers May our eyes but see our Teachers and we enjoy their faithful Labours Ch. Though his Majesty hath compassion on this seduced Age he intends not that the next Age should be seduced too Do you think in your Conscience that his Majesty may suffer that to be taught which he thinks is an errour E. Man How shall the poor men live L. P. No Church or State must allow maintenance to such persons as oppose the Order and Government of that Church or State P. M. Alas that such eminent men should be laid aside for indifferent things E. B. They are not laid aside for indifferent things but for that great fault of disobeying Authority which enjoyns those indifferent things The things commanded are indifferent Obedience to the Command about things indifferent is necessary what cloaths I wear what gestures I use is indifferent that I wear such cloaths and use such gestures as are commanded is necessary Non-conformists May it please your Majesty that we have liberty to joyn with our people in pure Worship and Ordinances giving good security that we neither speak nor do any thing publickly against the established order of the Kingdom S. O. As for those of you who living peaceably cannot conform through scruple and tenderness of misguided Conscience care may be taken that they modestly and without scandal perform their own devotion in their own way Anabaptists We are under a scandal of disobedience to Governours and turbulency but as we resolve in the fear of God to submit to your Government as far as lawfully we may so we desire your favour and indulgence Conformists and Non-conformists Your Principles have been so dangerous your practice so infamous here and in Germany your judgement and practice being so void of meekness modesty charity humanity and innocency that your errour is not thought venial nor your difference tolerable as arising by degrees to tumults seditions and contempt of all Christian Magistrates and Ministers King Nay but I hope there are some of my subjects of that Way who have sincerity to God-ward and charity to those Christians who in this differ from them for whom as long as they behave themselves soberly I have an equal kindness with the rest of my subjects without any respect of persons Quakers O King live for ever We do in love advise thee to remove the yoke from the servants of the Lord who desire nothing but to walk humbly with him and to tremble at his Word P. O. If you can agree upon a way to serve God and offer it to the State you may have protection from the King as far as your way is judged agreeable to truth as yet the world hath not seen what you desire and so know not what to grant you Seekers We desire to try all things and to hold fast that which is good and that nothing be imposed upon us Orthodox Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us minde the same things if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Fifth Monarchy-men Why do you wait here on men while you should pray unto the Lord that he would hasten his Kingdome that the Saints may inherit the earth Orthodox We wait upon men