Question Do you seek the Glory of God and the Salvation of my soul herein or your own Obedience Ant. I seek the Glory of God and the Salvation of your Soul and not my own Obedience Ch. Then manifest it not by words only but by deeds and truth which if you do you will not threaten me with punishment to cause me to come but with meekness and patience satisfie my Conscience by the Word of Truth for this is the duty of the Minister of Christ 2 Tim. 2.24 that I may come with a willing mind so shall I be accepted 2 Cor. 8.12 Psal 110.3 For if by threatning me with punishment as Imprisonment Banishment or Death you cause me to bring my body and not my spirit or soul so shall I come near to the Lord with my lips when my heart shall be far from him which he accounteth vain worship and hypocrisie Mat. 15. Ant. I perceive what you aim at you would have none brought to Church but such as come willingly of themselves so should every man worship God as himself pleaseth Ch. Your Conclusion I aim not at for I acknowledge that as there is but one God so there is but one way of worshipping him out of the which way whosoever is and repenteth not thereof shall pay a dear price and therefore it standeth all men upon not to please themselves in worshipping of him But you perceive aright that I aim at this That none should be compelled to worship God but such as come willingly for I will by Gods assistance prove most evidently by the Scriptures that none ought nor can be compelled to worship God to acceptance by any worldly means whatsoever Ant. Prove that Ch. Well I prove what I have affirmed thus First Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God and Rom 14.23 Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin These two Scriptures prove most evidently that whatsoever I have not Faith in in worshipping God although it were undoubtedly true I may not offer it up to God for it is displeasing to him and it is a sin against him As also it appeareth plainly by him that came unto the Kings Supper and wanted his wedding garment Matth. 22. Ant. It is the Kings Law that you must go to Church and therefore you must be obedient Ch. The intent of the Kings Law is not so as appeareth both by the Statute for the Oath of Allegiance and also by his Majesties own words manifested in his Apologie for the Oath of Allegiance as is hereafter more fully declared For if the intent of the Law were to make me come to Church to worship God and not of Faith the intent of the Law were to compel me to sin which his Majesty requireth not Ant. I deny not but whatsoever is not of Faith is sin but we would have you come to Church to worship God in Faith Ch. It is not so you regard not whether I have Faith or no for if you did you would not urge the Kings Law against me which is but a carnal weapon and cannot beget Faith and therefore is no sure ground of Faith For in my obedience to God I must not presume above that that is written 1 Cor. 4.6 For the Word of God is the only ground of Faith Rom. 10.17 and therefore if you would have me come in Faith you would only urge the Law of the King of kings against me Ant. Have not all the Learned of the Land considered of these things and set them down Are such simple men as you likely to see more than all these Ch. I demand of you whether they be not all subject to erre as all men are and therefore I must try their spirits whether they erre or no 1 Joh. 4.1 For I may not hold either that they cannot erre or that if I find them to erre I must obey them notwithstanding do you not herein teach me that Popish and accursed Doctrine that you inveigh so much against in the Papists That I must believe as the Learned of the Land believe Ant. I do not hold that they cannot erre Ch. Yes you hold either that they cannot erre or if they do erre I must obey them for if I do not obey them you threaten me with punishment Ant. Nay but I hold that they being Learned do not erre and therefore you must obey them Ch. Then this is your Argument The Learned do not erre and therefore must be obeyed The Bishops and the rest of that rank are learned and do not erre and therefore they must be obeyed Another Argument as vain as they may be collected from this ground The Learned do not erre and therefore must be obeyed The Pope and the rest of that rank are learned yea as learned as yours and do not erre and therefore they must be obeyed The one is as true as the other but both abominable If you prove that they that want this Learning must not meddle with the wayes of God but as these learned men teach them then indeed you say something but if you cannot as most certain it is you cannot for the Word of God is against you herein then for shame to God and men leave oft your cruel persecuting For why do you persecute men that cannot in faith submit to your direction concerning the wayes of God upon which consisteth their Salvation if they walk in the true way of Faith with the love thereof and their Condemnation if they walk in a by-path Ant. Then I perceive if a man can plead that he hath not Faith in any thing which the King commands he need not to be obedient Ch. Would God all men could see your dealing herein This is your usual course when your mouth is stopped by the power of Gods Word that you know not what to answer then you run to the Kings Command and so make your matters good like unto your predecessors the wicked Scribes and Pharisees who when our Lord and Master had stopped their mouthes that they had no word of answer then they sought to make him a trespasser against Caesar but I have learned in some weak measure that as there is a Caesar unto whom in conscience I must be obedient So there is another King one JESUS that is King of kings unto whom if you will not be obedient in giving unto God that which is Gods He will tear you in pieces when there shall be none that can deliver you and cast you into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for evermore where there shall be no rest day nor night and therefore agree with this your adversary quickly whilst you are in the way with him The Power and Authority of the King is earthly and God hath commanded me to submit to every Ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2.13 14. and therefore I have faith to submit to what Ordinance of Man soever the King commands if it be an humane Ordinance and not against the manifest Word of
Master-builders and layers of a new foundation or another Gospel And for the Apostle Paul his delivering Hymeneus and Alexander unto Satan 1 Tim. 1.20 it was not by any temporal sword or power but even by the Power of our Lord Jesus Christ in his Name by the sword of the Spirit 1 Cor. 5.4 And this was not extraordinary but ordinary to continue in all Churches to the end and not to destroy the outward man as you teach and practise but to destroy those lustful affections which dwell in the flesh that so the flesh being mortified the Spirit may be quickned and the Soul saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And whereas you say that as they did it by extraordinary means so you may do it by ordirary means If you would use only those weapons which Christ commanded his Disciples to use in this business which are not carnal we would agree with you herein but if your ordinary means be such as Christ never had nor any of his Disciples then it is a means of your own devising for Christ hath all means whatsoever for bringing men to the obedience of the Truth Ant. Doth not Christ in the Parable teach that he compelled all to come in Ch. I demand of you wherewith doth he compel them he hath no carnal weapons Doth he not compel them by his Word which is his two-edged Sword Heb. 4.12 Rev. 2.12 Doth he smite the Earth with any other weapons than by the breath of his lips Isa 11.4 Ant. Well then you see then compulsion may be used Ch. Yes I confess to you such compulsion as much as you will if when you have done you will walk in his steps who when the Gaderens prayed him to depart he left them and taught his Disciples where they should preach the Word of God if they would not receive them that they should shake off the dust of their feet for a witness against them Mat. 10.14 which accordingly they practised Act. 13.51 and 18.6 c. He never taught them to pull the contrary-minded out of their houses and put them in Prisons to the undoing of them their wives and children This was Saul's course when he was a Blasphemer and Persecutor c. Act. 9.1 c. Christ taught his Disciples to wait if at any time God would give the contrary-minded repentance and not to prevent their repentance by seeking their blood Indifferent man I have heard you all this while and by that I have heard I see evidently that none ought to be compelled by any worldly means to worship God neither can any be accepted in such worship in that it is Spiritual Worship that he accepteth Ch. Blessed be the Lord that you see it I would not you only but all men did see that the sword of the Magistrate and all afflictions proceeding therefrom are only upon the outward man and connot convert a soul from going astray not beget faith for Faith comes by hearing the Word of God Rom. 10.17 and therefore is no instrument in this work All that the Magistrate can do is to compel me to bring my body for except there be a willing mind which no man can see there is no acceptance with God and therefore it is not Gods Glory nor my acceptance with him they seek by forcing me but meerly their own Obedience to God's great dishonour and the destruction of my soul if I should so do But if it would suffice them to bring my body to that they call their Church and require of me no worship I will go when they will only not when their false worship is performed For I abhor the accursed Doctrine of the Familists herein Indif It is a lamentable thing to consider how many thousands in this Nation there be that for fear of trouble submit to things in Religion which they disapprove of Ch. Oh! whose eyes do not gush out with tears in the confideration thereof seeing in all that God is highly displeased and all those are under the Judgments of God everlastingly if they repent not Ant. If it were as you would have it that all Religions should be suffered how dangerous would it be to the Kings Person and State what Treacheries and Treasons would be plotted Indif Indeed that is a thing greatly to be suspected but if permission of all Religions could be cleared in that there is no question but it might prevail with the King and State Ch. If it be not cleared of that then let all men abhor it It is the Commandment of him who is the God not of confusion but of Peace and Order and therefore to be obeyed Mat. 13.30 Let the good and bad grow together unto the end of the world Suffering the contrary-minded patiently proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may acknowledge the Truth c. First for all those that seek and practise in themselves Reformation in Religion Satan himself cannot task them with the least jot of Treachery And for the Papists may it not justly be suspected that one chief cause of all their Treasons hath been because of all the Compulsions that have been used against their Consciences in compelling them to the Worship practised in publick according to the Law of this Land which being taken away there is no doubt but they would be much more peaceable as we see it verified in divers other Nations where no such Compulsion is used for if they might have freedom in their Religion unto their faithful Allegiance to the King the fear of the Kings Laws and their own Prosperity and Peace would make them live more inoffensively in that respect Indif Only the Papists are dangerous in that some of them hold That the Kings and Princes that be Excommunicated by the Pope may be deposed or murdered by their Subjects or any other Ch. For that damnable and accursed Doctrine as we abhor it with our souls so we desire all other may and therefore all the Laws that can be made for the prevention of such execrable practices are most necessary But now I desire all men to see that the Bishops and we justly cry out against this accursed doctrine and practice in the Pope and his associates That Princes should be murdered by their Subjects for contrary-mindedness in Religion yet they teach the King to murder his Subjects for the self-same thing viz. for being contrary-minded to them in their Religion So likewise as that accursed doctrine is to be abhorred in the Papists who teach Subjects not to be obedient to their Princes that are excommunicated by the Pope even so is that accursed doctrine of the Bishops to be abhorred who teach Princes not to protect their Subjects that are excommunicated by them in not affording them either Law or Justice nor to bear Testimony in any Court Do not the Bishops herein justifie this accursed doctrine and practice in the Papists Ant. There is a great difference in the persons for the one are
ground is manifested in this Dialogue following wherein is shewed their palpable ignorance in that they know not the Mystery of God and therefore have they made this Canon in flattery to the King only to support their Pride and Cruelty For if the Kingdom or Land of Israel or Canaan now under the Gospel be an earthly Kingdom or Land or Israel now a worldly or fleshly Israel as both were under the Law Then we would confess there should be an earthly King thereof But if the Kingdom of Israel now be not earthly but heavenly Joh. 18.36 and the Israelites now not of this world Joh. 15.19 Then the King thereof is not of this world as they are not of this world Joh. 17.16 And if these spiritual Lords confess that Christ is King now of the Land and People of Israel but yet he hath left our Lord the King his Deputy to make such Laws and Lords over the Church as pleaseth him the Word of the Lord is against them There is but one Lord 1 Cor. 12.5 and one Law-giver Jam. 4.12 over his Church Nay his Majesty himself is against them who saith There is no earthly Monarch over the Church whose word must be a Law And saith further Christ is his Churches Monarch and the holy Ghost his Deputy alledging Luk. 22.25 The Kings of the Gentiles bear rule one over another c. but it shall not be so among you Saying further Christ when he ascended left not Peter with them to direct them in all truth but promised to send the holy Ghost to them for that end c. If any will be rebellious against the Word of the Lord herein yet let them not be rebellious against the word of the King Oh that any thing would prevail with them to make them leave off these cruel courses of persecuting poor souls that desire truly to fear God and are most faithful Subjects to the King and desire also the salvation of the souls of these their cruel Persecrutors who do seek their utter undoing by all the fore-named Persecutions only because they cannot of faith offer up such Worship to God as these spiritual Lords command and the rather let them leave off persecuting seeing the Kings Majesty acknowledgeth It is a sure Rule in Divinity That God loves not to plant his Church by Violence and Bloodshed And if it be a Law for all Christians That in indifferent things one must not offend another but the strong to forbear rather than offend his weak brother otherwise he wounds the weak conscience and sins against Christ 1 Cor. 8. Then how much less hath any man power to be Lord over the weak conscience forcing it to practise that it hath not faith in bringing it thereby unto sin and unto condemnation Rom. 14. We do unfainedly acknowledge the Authority of earthly Magistrates God's blessed Ordinance and that all earthly Authority and Command appeartains unto them let them command what they will we must obey either to do or suffer upon pain of Gods displeasure besides their punishment But all men must let God alone with his Right which is to be Lord and Law-giver to the soul and not command obedience for God where he commandeth none And this is onely that which we dare not but maintain upon the peril of our souls which is greater than bodily affliction And only for the maintenance of Christs right herein do false Prophets and Deceivers who by that craft are cloathed in fine apparrel and fare deliciously every day labour to make us odious in the ears and eyes of Prince and People knowing well that if they had not power by Persecution to force men to dissemble to believe as they their kingdom and gain would soon come to nought the wickedness of which course is discovered in this Writing following For the manner being Dialogue-wise we thought it the fittest in two respects First for the understanding of the simple to whom especially Gods Mysteries appertain more than to the wise and prudent of the world Secondly Because all the Objections that we have met with might be set down and the plainlyer answered And because we have faith and assurance that many will see and acknowledge the unlawfulness of tyrannizing over the Conscience by persecuting the bodies of such as cannot be subject We have also though it meet to manifest the fearful estate of such subjection that they may deliver their souls if they will be saved and also have set down the beginning of that old and good way that John Baptist Christ Jesus and his Apostles have left unto all that will be saved unto the end of the world Beseeching that Almighty worker that he would work in the hearts and consciences of men that they may enquire for it and that out of the Scriptures and walk therein then shall they find Rest unto their souls although Afflictions to their bodies Oh it is time for the Lord to work for they have destroyed his Law and have set up in many Nations such Worship for God as best pleaseth them that are in Authority and have power to persecute the contrary-minded Let all Gods People cry How long Lord when wilt thou come to destroy Antichrists cruel Kingdom and establish Christs meek and peaceable Kingdom As thou hast begun even come Lord Jesus by the Spirit of thy Mouth and the Brightness of thy Coming even come quickly Amen By Christs unworthy Witnesses his Majesties faithful Subjects Commonly but most falsly called ANA-BAPTISTS PERSECUTION for RELIGION JUDG'D and CONDEMN'D In a DISCOURSE between an ANTICHRISTIAN a CHRISTIAN Antichristian VVHy come you not to Church Christian VVhat should I do there Antich Worship God Chr. I must worship God as he requireth and not as any mortal man requireth Ant. True but the Worship that we require you to offer up is the Worship God requireth Ch. If it be so I will with all willingness assent unto it but my conscience must be satisfied thereof by the Word of Truth that I may have faith in it otherwise it is my grievous sin Rom. 14.23 For I may not believe it so to be because you affirm it Ant. Well you must go to Church otherwise you are disobedient to the Law and will fall under punishment Ch. But still remember that you would have me worship God as you pretend therefore let us agree what Worship God requireth Christ saith Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth Here we see what Worship God requireth viz. That we worship him with our Souls and Spirits and also that we worship him according to the Truth of his Word And therefore for your Book-worship if it were according to Truth from the which it is as far as light is from darkness yet if I cannot offer it up with my spirit it is not acceptable to God but most abominable Ant. Well you must come to Church Ch. I pray let me ask you a
God let him require what he will I must in conscience obey him with my body goods and all that I have But my soul wherewith I am to worship God that belongeth to another King whose Kingdom is not of this World Joh. 18.36 Whose People must come willingly Psal 110.3 Whose weapons are not carnal but spiritual 2 Cor. 10.4 c. Ant. Is this all the Authority that you will give to the King Ch. VVhat Authority can any mortal man require more than of body goods life and all that appertaineth to the outward man The heart God requireth Prov. 23.26 He commanded to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to Himself the things that are His Luk. 20.25 Now if all the outward man be Caesars and the inward man too so that he must be obeyed is his own matters and in God's matters also then tell us what shall be given to God If you or any man will give him more Power or Authority than I give him then you give him more than his Majesty requireth as shall be shewed Ant. We do not say that the King can compel the soul but only the outward man Ch. If he cannot compel my soul he cannot compel me to worship God for God cannot be worshipped without the soul Joh. 4.24 If you say he may compel me to offer up a worship only with my body for the spirit you confess he cannot compel To whom is that worship not to God Then consider you who they worship that are thus compelled say you by the King Let it well be here observed that you make the King a commander of such worship as is not to God contrary to his Majesties own mind manifest in his Writings But this you do not to advance Gods Glory nor the Kings Honour but your own cursed kingdom of darkness which you hold by flattery and falshood For if this compelled worship which is not to God were taken away then your kingdom would fall to Hell from whence it came and therefore all men may here see it is supported only by wickedness Ant. I confess the Kings Authority is earthly but he is Head over the Church under Christ Ch. God forbid that any mortal man should so equalize himself with Christ who alone is Head of his Church as the Husband is of the Wife Eph. 5.23 and hath left no Vice-gerent in that his Office for he is never absent from his Church Mat. 18.20 amd 28.20 All that any mortal man can be is to be a subject of his Kingdom for there is but one Lord 1 Cor. 12.5 and one Law-giver Jam. 3.12 And that this is so his Majesty confirmeth by his own testimony in his Apology for the Oath of Allegiance pag. 46 47. But as I well allow of the Hyrarchy of the Church for distinction of Orders for so I understand it so I utterly deny that there is any earthly Monarch thereof whose word must be a Law and who cannot erre in his sentence by an infallibility of spirit because earthly Kingdoms must have earthly Monarchs it doth not follow that the Church must have a visible Monarch top For the World hath not one earthly temporal Monarch Christ is his Churches Monarch and the Holy Ghost his Deputy The Kings of the Gentiles reign over them but ye shall not be so Luk. 22.25 Christ did not promise before his Ascension to leave Peter with them to direct and instruct them in all things but he promised to send the Holy Ghost unto them for that end These are his Highness own words whereby it evidently appeareth his Majesty challengeth no supremacy over the Church but laboureth to overthrow that abominable exaltation of that Man of Sin in the Romish Profession for Christ hath given no Supremacy in or over his Church to any mortal man but expresly commanded the contrary as that place of Luke mentioned by his Majesty plainly declareth His Highness is supream Head and Governour over all his Subjects Bodies and Goods within his Dominions and therein I detest and abhor all forreign Powers whatsoever But now for the thing in controversie betwixt you and me of compelling men by Persecutions to do service to God as is pretended wherein they have not Faith it shall be manifest not to be of God in that Christ Jesus himself the only Lord and Law-giver to the soul neither had any such Power and Authority neither taught any such thing to his Disciples but the contrary First Mat. 28.18 19. All Power is given me in Heaven and in Earth Go therefore and teach all Nations And 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to cast down strong Holds c. Here we see Christ hath no worldly power nor worldly weapons Secondly He practised and taught the contrary When the Samaritans would not receive him going to Jerusalem Luke 9. his Disciples would have had Fire come down from Heaven and devoured them but Christ rebuked them and said Ye know not of what spirit ye are of for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them And the Apostle by the Spirit of Christ 2 Tim. 2.24 commandeth the Servants of the Lord not to strive but to be gentle towards all men apt to teach suffering the evil-men patiently instructing them with meekness that are contrary-minded proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth and come to amendment out of the Devils snare c. These Scriptures need no explanation for this most evident Truth Ant. Well yet notwithstanding all this it is manifest in the Scriptures by the Example of the Apostle Peter smiting Ananias and Saphira to death Act. 5. and of the Apostle Paul striking Elymas the Sorcerer blind Act. 13.11 and also by delivering Hymeneus and Alexander unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that punishment upon the body may be used and the flesh destroyed For if it were lawful for them to smite to death and the like though by extraordinary means then it must be lawful for us by ordinary means since extraordinary means now fail If you say it be not lawful for us then you must say it was not lawful for them and that were to accuse them of laying a false foundation which none fearing God will affirm Ch. I dare not once admit of such a thought as to disallow the truth of that Foundation which the Apostles as skilfull Master-builders have laid But for your Argument of Peters extraordinary smiting of Ananias and Saphira he neither laid hand upon them nor threatned them by word only declared what should befall them from God and therefore serveth nothing to your purpose Also that of Paul to Elymas he laid no hands upon him but only declared the Lords hand upon him and the judgment that should follow If you can so pronounce and it so come to pass upon any do it and then it may be you may be accounted
came the same he taught and practised as begore so did his Apostles after him for the weapons of his warfare are not carnal c. 2 Cor. 10.4 But he charged strictly that his Disciples should be so far from persecuting those that would not be of their Religion that when they were persecuted they should pray Mat. 5. when they were cursed they should bless the reason is because they that are now Tares may hereafter become Wheat tehy who are now blind may hereafter see they that now resist him may hereafter receive him they that are now in the Devils snare in adversness to the Truth may hereafter come to repentance they that are now Blasphemers Persecutors Oppressors as Paul was may in time become Faithful as he they that are now Idolaters as the Corinths once were 1 Cor. 6.9 may hereafter become true worshippers as they they that are now no People of God nor under mercy as the Saints sometimes were 1 Pet. 2.20 may hereafter become the People of God and obtain mercy as they Some come not till the eleventh hour Mat. 20.6 if those that come not till the last hour should be destroyed because they came not at the first then should they never come but be prevented And why do men call themselves Christians and do not the things Christ would CHAP. 7. Persecution for cause of Conscience is against the profession and practice of famous Princes First we beseech your Majesty we may relate your own worthy Sayings in your Majesties Speech at Parliament 1609. Your Highness saith It is a sure Rule in Divinity that God never loves to plant his Church by violence and bloodshed c. And in your Highness Apol. pag. 4. speaking of such Papists as took the Oath thus I gave a good proof that I intended no persecution against them for Conscience cause but only desired to secured for civil obedience which for Conscience cause they were bound to perform And pag. 60. speaking of Blackwel the Arch-Priest your Majesty saith It was never my intention to lay any thing to the said Arch-Priests charge as I have never done to any for cause of Conscience c. And in your Highness Expos on Revel 20. printed 1588 and after 1603. your Majesty truly writeth thus Sixtly The compassing of the Saints and besieging of the beloved City declareth unto us a certain note of a false Church to be Persecution For they come to seek the Faithful the Faithful are those that are sought the Wicked are the besiegers the Faithful be besieged Secondly the saying of Stephen King of Poland I am King of men not of Consciences a Commander of bodies not of Souls c. Thirdly the King of Bohemia hath thus written And notwithstanding the success of the later time wherein sundry opinions have been hatched about the subject of Religion may make one clearly discern with his eye and as it were touch with his finger that according to the verity of holy Scripture and a Maxime heretofore held and maintained by the ancient Doctors of the Church That mens Consciences ought in no sort to be violated urged or constrained and whensoever men have attempted any thing by this violent course whether openly or by secret means the issue hath been pernicious and the cause of great and wonderful Innovasions in the principallest and mightiest Kingdoms and Countries of all Christendom c. And further his Majesty saith So that once more we do protest before God and the whole world that from this time forward we are firmly resolved not to persecute or molest or suffer to be persecuted or molested any person whosoever for matter of Religion no not they that profess themselves to be of the Roman Church neither to trouble or disturb them in the exercise of their Religion so they live conformable to the Laws of the States c. And for the practice of this Where is Persecution for cause of Conscience except in England and where Popery reigns and not there neither in all places as appeareth by France Poland and other places Nay it is not practised among the Heathen that acknowledge not the true God as the Turk Persian and others CHAP. 8. Persecution for cause of Conscience is condemned by the ancient and later Writers yea by Puritans and Papists HIllary against Anxentius saith thus The Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted and lamentable it is to see the great folly of these times and to sigh at the foolish opinion of this world in that men think by humane aid to help God and with worldly pomp and power to undertake to defend the Christian Church I ask of you Bishops what help used the Apostles in the publishing of the Gospel With the aid of what Power did they preach Christ and converted the Heathen from their Idolatry to God When they were Imprisoned and lay in Chains did they praise and give thanks to God for any dignities graces and favours received from the Court Or do you think that Paul went about with Regal Mandates or Kingly Authority to gather and establish the Church of Christ Sought he Protection from Nero Vespatian c. The Apostles wrought with their hands for their own maintenance travelling by land and water from Town to City to preach Christ yea the more they were forbidden the more they taught and preached Christ But now alas humane help must assist and protect the Faith and give the same countenance To and by vain and worldly honours do men seek to defend the Church of Christ as if He by his Power were unable to perform it The same against the Arians The Church now which formerly by enduring Misery and Imprisonment was known to be a true Church doth now terrific others by Imprisonment Banishment and Misery and boasteth that she is highly esteemed of the world whereas the true Church cannot but be hated of the same Tertul. ad Scapul It agreeth both with humane Equity and natural Reason that every man worship God uncompelled and believe what he will for another mans Religion or Blief neither hurteth nor profiteth any man neither beseemeth it any Religion to compel another to be of their Religion which willingly and freely should be imbraced and not by constraint for asmuch as the Offerings were required of those that freely and with a good will offered and not from the contrary Jerom. in Proaem lib. 4. in Jeremiam Heresie must be cut off with the sword of the Spirit Let us strike through with the arrows of the Spirit all sons and disciples of misled Hereticks that is with testimonies of holy Scriptures The slaughter of Hereticks is by the Word of God Brentius on 1 Cor. 3. No man hath power to make or give Laws to Christians whereby to bind their Consciences For willingly freely and uncompelled with a ready desire and chearful mind must those that come run unto Christ Luther in his Book of the Civil Magistrate The Laws of the Civil Government
extends no further than over the body or goods and to that which is external for over the Soul God will not suffer any man to rule only He himself will rule there Therefore wheresoever the Civil Magistrate doth undertake to give Laws unto the Soul and Consciences of men he usurpeth that Government to himself which appertaineth to God c. The same upon 1 King 6. In building of the Temple there was no sound of Iron heard to signifie that Christ will have in his Church a free and willing People not compelled and constrained by Laws and statutes Again he saith upon Luke 22. It is not the true Catholick Church which is defended by the Seculare arm or Humane power but the false and feigned Church which although it carries the name of a Church yet it denyes the power thereof And upon Psal 17. he saith For the true Church of Christ knoweth not Brachium Seculare which the Bishops now a dayes chiefly use Again in Postil Dom. 1. post Epiph. he saith Let not Christians be commanded but exhorted for he that will not willingly do that whereunto he is friendly exhorted he is no Christian Therefore those that do compel them that are not willing shew thereby that they are not Christian Preachers but worldly Beadles Again upon 1 Pet. 3. he saith If the Civil Magistrate would command me to believe thus or thus I should answer him after this manner Lord or Sir look you to your Civil or worldly Government your Power extends not so far to command any thing in Gods Kingdom therefore herein I may not hear you For if you cannot suffer that any man should usurp Authority where you have to command how do you think that God should suffer you to thrust him from his seat and to seat your self therein The Puritans as appeareth in their Answer to Admonit to Parl. pag. 109. That Papists nor others neither constrainedly nor customally communicate in the mysteries of Salvation Also in their Supplication printed 1609 pag. 21 c. much they write for Toleration Lastly the Papists the inventers of Persecution in a wicked Book lately set forth thus they write Moreover the means which Almighty God appointed his Officers to use in the conversion of Kingdoms and People was Humility Patience Charity c. Saying Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves Mat. 10.16 He did not say I send you as wolves among sheep to kill imprison spoil and devour those unto whom they were sent Again ver 7. he saith They to whom I send you will deliver you up in Councils and in their Synagogues they will scourge you and to Presidents and to Kings shall you be led for my sake He doth not say You whom I send shall deliver the people whom you ought to convert into Councils and put them in Prisons and lead them to Presidents and Tribunal Seats and make their Religion Felony and Treason Again he saith ver 12. When ye enter into the house salute it saying Peace be to this house He doth not say You shall send Pursevants to sansack and spoyl the house Again lie saith Joh. 10. The good Pastor giveth his life for his sheep the Thief cometh not but to steal kill and destroy He doth not say the Thief giveth his life for his sheep and the good Pastor cometh not but to steal kill and destroy c. So that we holding our peace our Adversaries themselves speak for us or rather for the Truth CHAP. 9. It is no prejudice to the Commonwealth if freedom of Religion were suffered but would make it flourish BE pleased not to hearken to mens leasings but to what God and Experience teacheth in this thing Abraham abode among the Canaanites a long-time yet contrary to them in Religion Gen. 13.7 and 16.3 Again He sojourned in Gerar and King Abimelech gave him leave to abide in his Land Gen. 20 21.33 34. Isaac also dwelt in the same Land yet contrary in Religion Gen. 26. Jacob lived twenty years in one house with his uncle Laban yet differed in Religion Gen. 31. The People of Israel were 430 years in that famous Land of Egypt and afterwards 70 years in Babylon all which times they differed in Religion from the States Exod. 12. and 2 Chron. 36. Come to the time of Christ where Israel was under the Romans where lived divers sects of Religions as Herodians Scribes and Pharifees Saduces Libertines Theudaeans Samaritans besides the common Religion of the Jews Christ and his Apostles all which differed from the common Religion of the State which is like was the Worship of Diana which almost the whole world then worshipped Act. 19.20 All these lived under the Government of Caesar being nothing-hurtfull to the State and Commonwealth for they gave unto Caesar that which was his and for Religion to God he left them to themselves as having no dominion therein And when the enemies of the Truth raised up any Tumults the wisdom of the Magistrates most wisely appeased them as Acts 18.14 c. and 19.35 c. Again be pleased to look into the neighbour Nations who tolerate Religion how their Wealths and States are governed many sorts of Religions are in their Dominions yet no trouble of State no Treason no hinderance at all of any good but much prosperities brought unto their Countries they having all one harmony in matters of State giving unto Caesar his due and for Religion they suffer one another If any object the Troubles of France Germany c. We answer They are such as have been procured by the learned but most bloody Jesuites who seek to establish their Religion by blood for subversion of whom your Wisdoms are wise to deal in Yet be pleased not to let faithful Subjects be punished for their wickedness But let most severe Laws be made for the maintenance of Civil and humane Peace and Welfare as to your Majesty and others shall seem expedient And if it be well observed it is the Learned that raised up all the bloody Wars among the Princes of the Earth CHAP. 10. King are not deprived of any Power given them of God when they maintain Freedom for cause of Conscience WE know the Learned do perswade that Kings have power from God to maintain the Worship and Service of God as they have power to maintain Right and Justice between man and man For Christian Kings say they have the same power that the Kings of Israel had under the Law For answer to which First let it be observed the Kings of Israel had never power from God to make new Laws or set up new Worships which Gods Word required not nor to set high Priests or Spiritual Lords for the performance of the Services other than such as God by Moses expresly had commanded and therefore the power of the Kings of Israel will warrant to Kings to make or confirm Canons set up new Worships and appoint Spiritual Lords and Law givers to the