by such as live amongst them it is observed that though from one generation to another they have matched into Christian families yet they reserve and instill their Jewish principles so subtilly into their off-spring as the children though they have remaining in them not above one two and thirtieth part of a Jew are notwithstanding knowne by infallible presumptions to be Jewes in heart though outwardly they make profession otherwise In the Gospel according to St. John Jesus answered My John 18. 36. Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered up to the Jewes What can be more opposite unto the intentions and proceedings of our Saviour who rather than resist chose to suffer persecution unto death than these that persecute others unto death If Christs Kingdome be not of this world but if it be mysticall and spirituall then must it necessarily be erected by powerfull preaching of the Word and by the Spirit When Peter smote off the high Priest servants care in defence of his Master our Saviour bids him put up Matth. 26. 51 52. his sword and instead of commending him and his zeal in rescuing the sacred Person of our blessed Saviour saies All they that take the sword shall perish by the sword And St. Paul exhorts the Ephesians Eph. 6. 10. 17. to be strong but in the Lord and in the power of his might not brandishing the sword of civill Magistrates but to take the belmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and in another place he sayes that Faith comes by hearing and how shall they beleeve in him they have not heard and how shall they heare without a Rom. 10. 14. 17 preacher And yet if it had been as good a way Paul would doubtlesse have taught it them by saying how shall they beleeve unlesse you tell them and how shall they know what is to bee beleeved unlesse you impose it upon them But this was none of Pauls Doctrine both our Saviour and his Apostles not only taught and practised but sealed the contrary with their bloud The Spaniards are blamed and that justly by all other Nations for having massacred so many millions of West-Indians in their owne Country under pretence of Religion though it be evident it was only that they might the easier rifle them of their gold and silver and so it is in all persecutions pretended for Conscience sake for did we but a little consider with our selves we would easily conclude that few have been yet so mad to put people to death meerly for Religion sake I know that many in passion rage and fury will say it is pity such Hereticks should live but when such men are in a calme mood if another Nathan like him that came to David should say unto them there is such a neighbour of mine 2 Sam. 12. 1. charitable to the poore upright in his dealing courteous in his behaviour meek and lowly minded loyall to his Sovereigne true to his Country chusing rather to suffer than offer injuries beloved of all that knew him and never so much as tainted with suspition of any thing blame-worthy till of late being accused as a Separatist for seducing the Kings liege people unto his owne Religion the Jury finding him guilty he is condemned to dye will not a tender hearted Christian be ready to reply it is pity such a one should dye and though the Law condemne him the King is mercifull and doubtlesse would reprieve him if he knew he had been loyall to his Country and committed no other sinne then endeavouring by argument from Scripture to bring others of his owne Religion now though most men or every good man would be loth that a conscientious Christian should be put to death for doing nothing but what he is bound in conscience the winning Proselites to his cause his religion which amongst so many different sorts of Christins he thinks to be the right and himselfe no lesse obliged to publish it then Peter and John who when they were commanded by the Magistrate not to speake or Acts 4. 17. 10. teach in the name of Jesus answered We cannot but speake the things which we have seen and heard And when our Saviour sent out his Apostles he said unto them What I tell you in darknesse speake ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house tops and Matth. 10. 17 2â— feare not them which kill the body cut are not able to kill the soule Now though Christians generally will not acknowledge that they put any to death meerly for Conscience sake yet so long as there is a Law whereunto such as differ from us in religion or any point thereof shal be more lyable then our selves as the Jewes when they could not resist and gainsay the spirit wherewith Steven spake stirred up the people suborned and set up false witnesses to accuse him Acts 6. 11. 13. So amongst us there will not be wanting one or other who for some private interest and by-respect will finde out one to accuse others to witnesse a Jury to give verdict and make guilty a Judge to pronounce the sentence and at last finde meanes to keep the King from reprieving all of them thus conspiring to put him to death by the advantage of such a Law whereas really it was not his Religion which they so much regarded and they may cleerly say they put him not to death for his Religion but it was their owne respective private benefit and ends which corrupted them to compasse his distruction by force and colour of such a Law But why what reason which is Scripture proofe can be given why a particular Gentleman should be put out of a Mannor whereof he hath the propriety by inheritance or purchase more than a whole Nation a Nation of Infidells and Pagans for Religion sake Perhaps it Object may be said the State hath enacted a Law whereby this Gentleman 's whole revenue or part of it becomes forfeited because he is not of the true Religion whereto I answer That Popery was enacted to be the true Religion in Queen Maries dayes and that which Protestants professe Answ in Queen Elizabeths yet they could not be both the true Religion however the Subject was not suffered to say so much of either so long as they had a Parliament protection but doubtlesse all just Laws have their grounds and rule in Scripture and more exactly such as concerne Religion which is the unum necessarium and if a Pagan Nation may not be invaded in their teritories because they will not be of our Religion nor a neighbouring Christian people differing from us in some opinions why should a particular man have his only lambe 2 Sam. 12. 4. his pittance taken from him for refusing only to be of a religion or of an opinion which would absolute
at present throughout the world but since Princes became Christians it may have been observed how Christendome a spot of ground only hath continually been the Cock-pit all the world besides but as a breathing place however we ought not for this cause to be forward in justifying Wars the more but rather make search and strict enquiry whence it comes to passe that Christians are so plunged therein since they of all other people can justifie it least I know there may be a just-War but what I am now to say is meant only against that which is unjust and so desire it may be understood whereof I doe the more presume because no Warre but hath much evill as the effect thereof and however for such as do begin a War we may charitably conceive of both sides that they apprehend it to be lawfull yet if we examine standers by and heare what all that are not interessed doe judge thereof we shall finde them generally condemning both sides though one perhaps in a greater measure than another St. Paul sayes that covetousnesse is the root of all evill and Warre 1 Tim. 6. 10. which is the greatest of those evills questionlesse was never yet without a coveting however because that neither coveting nor such other motives as are the reall and originall causes of taking up of Armes have not for the most part beene found or thought sufficient to prevaile or beare sway enough with all such as are to be required to contribute largely for the maintenance thereof I say it may most commonly be observed that whatsoever were the reall though more secret ground of War Religion was still pretended to be the principall or at least endeavoured to be made seem so far forth hazarded and engaged in the quarrell that no man might adventure to call in question the lawfulnesse thereof or seem backward in supplying without palpable scandall and suspition of luke-warmnesse in Religion I need not bring examples for proofe hereof every mans own acquaintance in Histories will furnish himselfe abundantly But in regard that Religion though perhaps it seldome was the primary and sole cause of making War in that I thinke few have been so conscientious yet such as some Casuists conceive were but a misgrounded conscience in respect of an offensive War hath notwithstanding been and still is the most powerfull meanes and stratagem to countenance and continue it whereby that which ought to be most deare and sacred becomes a pander to satisfie our lusts the consideration whereof the shedding so much Christian bloud the obstructing of the Gospels propagation the miserable devastation of whole Countries with infinite perpetrating and multiplication of most enormous and execrable villanies have moved me to consider with my selfe which way Religion might be vindicated and redeemed from this abuse the grand meanes of fomenting Wars discovered the main jealousies prevented which Princes pretend to have of one another or King and people amongst themselves towards accommodation of the present Wars and cutting off occasion from such as otherwise might spring up againe hereafter Whether Religion have been the reall cause of so much War in Christendome or so pretended only makes all one to what I have in hand which is to prove in this Discourse by Gods assistance how a man ought not to be persecuted for conscience sake as will appeare by the inconsistencie thereof with sundry Scriptures following which being once concluded on and put in practice will make an open way for the free passage of the Gospel quite cut off the greatest jealousies and feares which perplex the mindes of Princes States and People when they suppose or but alleadge an endangering of their Religion and consequently the likeliest course of reducing all Christian Countries to peace amongst themselves and friendly intercourse with * one another St. Paul saith You are bought with a price be ye not the servants of 1 Cor 7. 22 23 24. men this must be meant for matters of this world or else of that which is to come about subjection of the body in civill affaires or subjection of the soule in spirituall but it cannot be understood for matters of the body or of this world because it would then contradict other places of Scripture which command all to be subject Rom. 13. 1. 1 Pet. 2 13. Eph. 5 22. and 65. 1 Pet. 2. 8. Col. 3. 22. unto higher Powers servants to their masters wives to their husbands and the like in which respect as also from the coherence with the words aforegoing it appeares necessarily to be understood that we must not be subject concerning our Religion matters of conscience or touching the soule to be of this or that Religion because we are commanded by King or State for though it be the true Religion which we professe yet if we were forced to it it will doe us little good nor be ever a whit available for God accepts only of willing service such as we performe of our owne free election not by compulsion Neither is the objection good that though men be forced into Object the true Religion at first without any liking of their owne yet afterwards it falls out that such approve of it and will not bee brought to change nor alter which must needs be acceptable to God For first the compelling of a man to any thing against his Answ owne conscience especially in matters of faith is a doing evill which God forbids that good may come of it and therefore we cannot Rom. 3. 8. and 14. 23. expect that he should prosper so bad a meanes to produce so good effect as that people at first constrained to make profession of the true Religion should afterwards prove sincere and true beleevers by vertue of those coercive powers which were meerly unwarrantable and sinfull but for such as doe so continue it is to be attributed to some other meanes whereby they became convinced of the truth or more secret call of God which would in due time have found out and brought them home into his sheepfold without the helpe of a tyranous inquisition This is more evident if we consider the multitudes of people and whole Nations which live and dye in the Religion they were borne with equall constancie and security though their faith and tenets be diametrically opposite to one another and for those that happen to be thus of the true Religion because borne in it though it be the true one and that they will not be brought to change yet for most part they can give no better reason of their faith then those that are in the wrong and perish as obstinately for they tooke not their Religion upon choice or triall neither do they continue it upon judgement never having searched or tried the Scriptures as we are commanded and indeed they may well say to what purpose shall we examine our selves as St. Paul saith whether we be in the faith or no to what end Try the
spirits whether 2 Cor. 13. 5. 1 Joh. 4. 1. Gal. 1. 8. they be of God or Search the Scriptures whether the doctrine taught us now be the same which the Apostles left us when we may not professe the Religion we apprehend to be the only true one but are forced to make profession of that only which the State shall thinke fit and declare to be such Nay in that St. Paul sayes Trie the spirits whether they bee of God or no and tells them plainly that if any man thinke himselfe to be something then he is nothing that he deceiveth himselfe and that every man should therefore prove his owne worke and that then he shall have rejoycing in himselfe alone and not in another for every man shall beare his owne burthen Gal. 6. 3 4 5. And to the Thessalonians he saies Prove all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5. 21. Do not such thwart and resist these Scriptures who take upon them to assigne and stint men unto certaine spirits as though they could be saved by the faith and knowledge of others with expresse peremptory commands to receive them for the true Spirit of God without any triall or examination and indeed it is better to take up a Religion without triall upon adventure then having examined and found it Antichristian or erronious submit unto it notwithstanding but certainly if well examined this will appeare not a bare adding or taking from the word of God but a flat opposition and giving the lie as I may terme it unto the Scriptures for whom a heavier judgement is preparing if such a one were possible then that which is denounced in the Revelation Rev. 22. 18 19 What if the Prince and Peeres should change Religion must they be subject also to persecution I know not how they can be well secured so long as such Statutes are in force for in that they concerne matters of Religion if they binde at all they binde most of all But what if a King and Parliament should repeale all Acts against the Papists and passe others of the same tenour against all Protestants must we therefore all turne Papists If that Religion must be received and forced upon the consciences of people which by a major part is voted to be the true one I know no remedy but that we may be lyable againe hereafter to change as often as those that lived in the Reignes of Henry 8. Edward 6. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth My humble desires therefore are that we may not procrastinate any longer the preventing so great a misery as the world cannot possibly torment us with a greater not through confidence of a present prevailing party or such other assurance as carnall policie and wisdome doe only furnish us withall the Bishops condition may be sufficient item to us in this behalfe who notwithstanding so many suffered by them had within lesse then five yeares since greater multitudes of abettors within this Kingdome then ever any kinde of Church government in likelihood will find hereafter it is necessary therefore to proceed upon a sure foundation by passing an act against persecution for Religion which besides the agreeablenesse with Scripture all degrees of people having once tasted the sweetnesse of it will never suffer themselves to be bereaved thereof againe and by that means become a sure establisher of the generall peace of the Kingdome and dispose every one more willingly to submit to higher powers though to some prejudice of his propriety when he apprehends himself certain to enjoy the Liberty of his Conscience But may we not any longer be subject unto men Surely then in 1 Cor. 7. 22 23 whatsoever sense it be meant we must be subject unto Christ his yoke is easie and we must not live lawlesse as we our selves list Matth. 11. 30. but persecution imposes a heavier yoke of subjection upon the Conscience then any Prince or Tyrant in the world doth upon the body of his Subjects And although every soule must be subject to higher Powers in civill matters yet there are degrees of subjection and relations in a Common-wealth whereby one is bound to yeeld more or lesse subjection obedience respect and honour according to the respective Lawes and ranke wherein he stands and yet in most Countries every Subject from the highest to the lowest hath a kinde of freedome and possibility of quitting himselfe from the most toilsome and inferiour vassalage if he be a man of abilities or wealth but that Law which imposes on the Conscience serves all alike save that the most ingenious and conscientious Note are most afflicted with it and so long as it is in force a good Conscience hath no meanes either to evade it or dispence with it But how fruitlesse a course it is to force men to conformity in a Religion they have no liking of will appeare by the small successe it wrought on Papists here in England many whereof went to Church when they were strictly lookt too stopping their eares with wooll because they would not heare at all or heare with an intention to beleeve the contrary or else like Protestant Merchants and travellers in Italy and Spaine which ordinarily goe to Masse and Vespers to avoid suspition of the Inquisition but because their hearts joyn not in the Church devotions they purposely send their eyes a gadding after beauty whilest many too too many by custome assume so great a liberty as if the eye could not sin in one respect whilest the heart consented not in another or rather as if God would pardon them the lust of the eye so long as they were not Popish in their hearts But more remarkable it is in the Moores of Spaine and Jewes of Portugal some whereof dissembled Popery in their successive generations some hundreds of yeares together untill the Moores being discovered in such multitudes as that the King not thinking it safe to retaine them longer in so slavish a captivity of the Conscience nor able to give them a tolleration without the Popes dispencing commanded them to be gone and accordingly about the yeare 1606. they conveyed themselves into Barbaria and Turkey with such a stocke of Christian crafts and pollicie as not only the Pirates but those whole Nations are much advantaged and improved to the no lesse shame than detriment of Christianity Oh let not the like befall England with her manufactors but I feare it is almost too late to wish so for so many thousands of them being already gone are able to teach all the world unlesse both they be suddenly recalled and others encouraged to continue by a Liberty of Conscience And for the Jewes in Portugall the Inquisition used alwaies to be full of them seldome without foure hundred or five hundred together and though most of them will not scruple and many of them chuse rather to marry with such as really are Christians that they may with more security play the hypocrites yet
damne him because he doubts so long Rom. 14. 23. as he lives peaceably and gives unto Caesar the things which are Caesars In Genesis we finde that Hamor and Sechem told the men of their City that Jacob and his children were peaceable and therefore moved that they might dwell in the land and trade therein but when Simeon and Levi had treacherously slaine Hamor Sechem and all their males whilst they were sore after their late circumcision though it was in revenge that Sechem had first defiled their sister Dinah yet Jacob reproved them saying ye have troubled me and made me to stinke amongst the inhabitants Gen. 34. 2. 21. 25. 30. So when the Protestant Princes made intercession to the Emperours of Germany or Kings of France in behalfe of such as professed the reformed Religion nay when any Christian Prince made meanes to Turke or Persian that their subjects might live within their jurisdictions enjoying Liberty of Conscience doe we thinke they used any other arguments then that such Christians were peaceable harmlesse men medled not with the State or Government and desired only that they might be permitted to recide there and enjoy the freedome of their Conscience where they had their revenues friends or best meanes to get a livelihood they moved not that such poore Christians might not be persecuted because they were of the true Religion for every man thinkes his owne to be the truest and though he take advice of never so many will not let another be finall judge thereof for Turkes have as much reason to persecute Christians as Christians have to persecute Turkes but for Christians to persecute one another and yet blame one another for the same persecution how can they chuse but thinke St. Pauls reprehension was not so sutable to the Romans as themselves and how can they expect to avoid Gods judgements mentioned in the Text so long as they perish so wilfully condemning others for what they doe themselves the words are these Therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that judgest Rom. 1. 1. 3. doest the same things And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which doe such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgement Might not St. Paul if he were now living say Thou Protestant sayest thou a man a Calvinist should not persecute and doest thou the same Thou Calvinist sayest thou a man a Protestant should not persecute and doest thou the same Since it is most true that they must mutually justifie or mutually condemne each other and though it will be by both sides alleadged that none are put to death amongst Note them meerly for Religion sake I feare me it may be found upon due scrutiny how many have dyed on both sides as well for exercising their owne Religion as seeking to convert others and in regard that both Calvinists Lutherans and all others of the reformed Religion have received and acknowledged our Saviours command to love their neighbours as themselves and doe to others as they would be done to and Mat. 19. 19. Luke 6. 31. and 22 32. thinke they are no lesse bound then St. Peter when he was converted to convert his brethren and this being a doctrine and point of Faith which all reformed Christians make profession of such of them as have been imprisoned fined banished or put to death for no other cause but what this point of their faith obliged them to cannot be said otherwise then to have beene thus persecuted meerly for Religion sake And there is this more of aggravation that for the most part these fierce and persecuting Christians esteem each other in a damnable condition so long as they perish and dye therein and yet either of them being by the other condemned to death shall have his pardon if he become a convert which is a destroying of the spirit that the flesh may be saved just opposite to St. Pauls doctrine but if he refuse they proceed to execution which according to their owne opinion sends them irrevocably to hell whereas in Christian charity they ought rather to reprieve them that there might be a possibility of their conversion and were we not besotted with most supine carelessenes or ignorance wee should not chuse but see that persecuting and putting to death the body of such as differ from us in religion or opinion cannot possibly be out of charity to their soules but must needs acknowledge that either we are guilty of their perishing both body and soule if they dye in such opinions or else condemne our selves on the other side for putting them to death because they were of such a religion or opinion as accompained them to heaven If St. Paul to the Corinthians prescribes all 1 Cor. 5. 5 Christians a way of proceeding against sinners for destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus and if hee tels Timothy that a servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all 2 Tim. 2. 24 25 26. men apt to teach patient in meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the Divell what art thou O Christian who contradicting the Holy Ghost in these places of Scripture thus puttest Christians to death after such a manner and in such a time as that according to the faith whereof thou thy selfe makest profession the spirit of such Christians cannot possibly be saved but must inevitably be damned in the day of our Lord Jesus consider of it I beseech thee in the feare of God and be humbled endeavouring to redeem thine owne misdoing by the grace of God in earnestly petitioning his divine Goodnesse to dispose the King and Parliament for repealing some lawes and enacting others whereby the people may be free hereafter from so dangerous a temptation as this power and colour of persecuting others for Religion sake leads them unto But I must not yet leave St. Paul without making a little more use of so bright a light who reproving the Corinthians in that they suffered such as committed fornication to live amongst them though absent by virtue of his Apostleship judged such offenders to be taken from them and by the same authority commanded the Church of Corinth to 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 5. put it in execution that when they came together in the name of the Lord Jesus they should deliver such a one unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Now either this delivering up to Sathan was a present putting to death with a blasphemous inference that the sudden putting to death is a saving of the soul or else it is only some Ecclesiasticall and Christian censure whereby the
sinner might have liberty to survive for the mortifying of his body and destroying all fleshly lusts that the soule might escape in the dreadfull day of judgement so that such as put the body to death as much as in them lyes damn the soul quite opposite to St. Pauls intention who prescribed another way of justice with his expresse reason for it That the Note soule might be saved wherefore they may well be reproved and reprehended in his owne words to the Romans Despisest thou the riches of the Rom. 2. 4. goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance And whereas in other places he saies We are by Christ made able ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but 1. Cor. 3. 6 of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life unlesse in this and such other Scriptures it be understood that the Gospel dispences ordinarily with the letter of the Law to mitigate and qualifie temporall punishments of the body as well as to free us from eternall torments of the soule I doe not finde where Christian people and Common-wealths Exod. 21. 12. 15. 17. Lâ—v. 20. 10 and 24. 17 21. Num. 35. 16. seq Object take power of sparing such offenders which by the expresse letter of the Law were commanded to be put to death But some will say if men be suffered to preach such grosse erronious doctrines the number of Hereticks would quickly be so great that true Beleevers might be swallowed up by them as good corne which is choaked many times through abundance of tares and weeds whereto I answer That we should do that only which is commanded and warrantable relying upon Gods providence concerning the event he Answ spares not these erronious Beleevers or Hereticks that they might seduce and pervert the faithfull for that is impossible but that the faithfull might in his due time reduce the misbeleevers unto the truth who Joh. 24. 24 if they should be taken off presently would for all we can expect have perished in their sinnes And as St. Paul taught the Corinthians If a 1 Cor. 7. 12. 14. 16. brother have a wife that beleeveth not and she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away for the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the beleeving husband and what knowest thou O husband whether thou shalt save thy wife Surely this text may be well applied to the whole Church which is the Spouse of Christ and such as finally cut off the least inferiour member by persecution be so much more justly censured and condemned by it Our Saviour having sent his messengers to a village of the Samaritanes Luke 9. 32. seq to make ready for him the people of the village refused to receive them which when James and John saw they desired to bring downe fire from heaven to consume them as Eliah did but our Saviour rebuked them saying ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of for the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them I wish this Scripture were well considered on by all that make profession of the Gospel The Inquisitors of these dayes have no better ground for their strict proceedings then the Old Testament which expressely commanded Exod. 34. 13. Deut. 7. 5. 12. 3. 2 King 18 4. Mich. 5. 14 2 King 1. 1. Idolatry to be rooted out their Altars to be pulled downe and groves wherein they worshipped false gods to be destroyed there have we also the example of Eliah who consumed the two Captaines with their fifties which were sent from the Idolatrous King Ahaziah the Disciples John and James it seems were then of the same mind in this respect if they could have had their owne wills would have caused fire from heaven to have rained upon the opposers of the New Testament as Eliah had done upon the Idolatrous and disobedient of the Old but our Saviour who was very Matth. 11. 29. meeknesse reproved them for not knowing what manner of spirit they were of as if he should have said you must not have the spirit of persecuters but such a spirit as those which are to be persecuted have need of and for this cause he had before taught them a lesson of preparation Matth 10. 23 24 25. saying When they persecute you in this City flye ye into another the disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them 2 Tim. 3. 12. of his houshold And for the destruction of the groves which had beene made to commit Idolatry in if it concerne Protestant Reformers to do the like under the Gospel we should not finde many Churches in England which could escape but whether they be all to be pulled down or why one more then another I leave it to such as have already delivered their opinions to make them good wishing them to remember that in St. Pauls judgement a good Christian might have eaten of those 1 Cor. 8. 10. cap. meats which had been consecrated to their Idolls provided it were no scandall to a weak beleever And although this lesson was so quite contrary to the dispositions of John and James ambitious when they reasoned amongst themselves who Luke 9. 46. should be the greatest that they might in liklihood be the more enabled to persecute and punish others as appeared afterwards by this rash and unadvised motion of theirs yet the reprehension in both respects sunck so deep into their eares that the Disciples never exercised greatnesse amongst themselves nor persecution or compulsion towards others much lesse prescribed it to be practised by their successors and in pursuance thereof St. Paul advised or rather required the Corinthians 1 Cor. 10. 3. 2. and in them all Christians that they give no offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God and to the Colossians he saies walke in wisdome to them that are without Now what can be Col. 1. 4. more against the rules of wisdome then endeavouring to bring into the true Church such as are without by a rigorous way of persecution we see by daily experience that men are by nothing so much obliged and engaged as by courtesie and affable proceedings these both win and keep the heart fast whilst violence and constraint can at best but prevaile upon the body the soule even in that instant so much more alienated as the body and outward man was forced to play the hypocrite and yeeld obedience What possibility is there of converting Papists Jewes Turkes or Infidels to the Faith upon such grounds as most Christians hold at present It is generally and truly agreed on that we ought not to invade their Countries to dispossesse them of it or their meanes because they refuse to
whereby you may be sure as yet to have that full proportion either of truth or knowledge which you ought to have much lesse how you can reasonably excuse the obstructing as much as in youlyes the free passage of the Gospell the limiting and stinting of all spirituall gifts with the quenching of Gods blessed Spirit all which are sent for the farther instruction and illumination Paul tells the same Corinthians 1 Cor. 2. 14. That the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned And our Saviour told Peter Matth. 16. 17 That flesh and bloud had not revealed it unto him but his Father which was in heaven And St. Peter exhorts them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. All which are undeniable arguments that though a Christian live never so long yet he both may and ought still to grow from grace to grace and from knowledge to knowledge continually ayming Eph. 4. 13. and endeavouring untill he arrive to a perfect man according to the measure of stature and fulnesse of Christ in both which respects an inquisition or persecution for matters of Religion may not be tollerated First because it would as much as in us lyes still withold such saving truth and knowledge as yet undiscovered and unto which we are to attaine by degrees only for not any of them but at first sight and hearing is accounted heresie to most men and much adoe there is before we will imbrace it And secondly in that persecution for Religion would render us altogether incapable of ever purging and reforming our selves from such erronious doctrines and superstitions as are amongst us for the present and what would this be otherwise then a meer forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from which Timothy was ordered to turne away 2 Tim. 3. 5. 7. But as was said before Matth. 5. 48. our Saviour commands us to be perfect even as our heavenly Father is perfect and in that forme of prayer which he taught us cap. 6. 10. we were ordered to make request That Gods will may be done in earth as it is in heaven unto which height of godlinesse we may be sure not to be arrived being still so much further off as we apprehend our selves to have attained it forbearing to presse forwads as St. Paul said to the Philipians Phil. 3. 14. 15. I presse towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you And S. Peter in his first Epistle generall exhorts those Cap. 2. â— 2. Christians As new borne babes to desire the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby not that they should thinke themselves to have attained either unto a perfection and fulnesse of knowledge or purity of profession both which must be supposed or else the ground-worke Note and foundation whereon they build their Inquisition house for setling a uniformity is so much more unwarrantable and unsound The Parable of our Saviour Matth. 13. 29 30. wherein he forbids the pulling up the tares lest they pull up the good wheat with them and commands That both tares and wheat be let grow together till harvest seems to me a full argument that the State should not be forwards in putting any to death save such as are expressely warranted by the word of God but this place makes especially against persecution for matters of Religion for though every body can distinguish tares from corne yet it is not so with heresies and errours in point of Doctrine besides the outward man may so conforme himselfe if he will as that it is impossible for the world to finde him out because they cannot arrive to the heart and what ever externall meanes may be used they worke only upon the body and cannot reach the soule But persecution for Religion does not only contradict the Scripture but is contrary to common sense and reason as will appeare if you consider that although we say proverbially facile credimus quod libenter volumus yet a man of himselfe cannot possibly beleeve what he himselfe desires to beleeve before his judgement and understanding be convinced so that unlesse it be a good argument to prevaile upon a mans judgement and understanding to say beleeve this or that point of doctrine upon penalty of losing your ears or the like it must needs be extravagant and unjust to practise it let us not then goe against our owne reason and the Scripture where it is said That though Paul plant and Apollo water it is God that gives encrease And our Saviour tells us That no man can come to 1 Cor. 3. 6 Joh. 6. 44. 63. 65. him except the Father draw him that it is the Spirit which quickneth and that thâ— flesh profiteth nothing There is yet another place of Scripture which speakes more plainly letting all Inquisitors and Persecutors know that though they had the spirit of divination and discerning wherewith they could be certaine to have discovered such as preach the Gospell out of strife and envie and not sincerely yet they are not to silence them but be glad that the Gospel be preached in a weake and erronious manner then not at all for even as a man that holds fast with his hands if his feet slip will recover himselfe againe so if Christ the foundation be kept though for the present they may preach and teach many a false doctrine yet wee may be certaine that all rotten unsound superstructures and erronious tenets shall fall downe in Gods good time and season whilest the foundation remaines sure for ever He that hath given us Christ will with him but at his owne good pleasure give us all things Paul thought this was a good argument and so far bare with all mens infirmities that as Rom. 3. 32 he sayes of himselfe to the end he might have opportunity to preach the Gospel he became all things to all men that by all meanes he might save 1 Cor 9. 20 21 22. some unto the Jews as a Jew that he might gaine the Jews to them that are under the Law as under the Law and to them that were withouâ— Law as without Law that he might gaine both and lest you might thinke him a liâ—ertine in all this and without Law to God he tells you he was all this while under the Law to Christ and doubtlesse did him no small service in thus complying But that you may guesse in what manner and how far forth he had been indulgent at such other times the relation whereof we doe not finde recorded take what he 〈◊〉 unto the Philippians Phil. 1. 16. 17. 18 19. Some preach Christ even of envy and strife and some also