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<DATE>2013-09-24</DATE>
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<NAME>Leigh Rupinski</NAME>
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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P><HI>A LEARNED And exceeding well-compiled Vindication of</HI> Liberty of <HI>RELIGION: Written by</HI> Junius Brutus <HI>in Latine, And Tran&s;lated into Engli&s;h by</HI> N. Y. <HI>who de&s;ires, as much as in him is, to do good un|to all men: Wherein the&s;e three following Propo&s;itions are undenyably proved, and all Objections to the contrary fully An&s;wered.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. That if Magi&s;trate, in ca&s;e of nece&s;&s;ity, promi&s;e Hereticks Liberty of <HI>Religion;</HI> they are bound to performe their promi&s;e after that nece&s;&s;ity cea&s;eth.</P>
<P N="2">2 That Magi&s;trates may with a &s;afe Con&s;cience grant He|reticks Liberty of <HI>Religion,</HI> and oblige them&s;elves by an Oath, or Bond of a&s;&s;urance, to provide for their &s;afety and &s;ecurity.</P>
<P N="3">3. That Magi&s;trates ought to grant Hereticks Liberty of <HI>Religion,</HI> and to oblige them&s;elves by an Oath, or Bond of a&s;&s;urance, to provide for their &s;afety and &s;ecurity.</P>
<P><HI>Printed in the Year</HI> 1646.</P>
<PB REF="2">
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the Reader.</HEAD>
<P>_I Have long &s;ince mo&s;t earne&s;tly de&s;ired <HI>(Chri&s;tian Reader)</HI> that as there is a harmony and con|&s;ent in di&s;cords of Mu&s;ick, &s;o likewi&s;e there might be a &s;weet &s;ympathy and har|mony of Chri&s;tian charity,
<PB REF="3"> and civill friend&s;hip in the mindes of all men, notwith|&s;tanding any di&s;cords of o|pinions touching matters of Religion. And &s;urely the be&s;t cour&s;e that I can take to accompli&s;h my de&s;ire, is to convince thy con&s;cience that liberty of Religion is lawfull, and allowable; which I am fully per&s;waded this &s;hort Treati&s;e that I tran&s;late is able to perform, if &s;o be thou &s;halt re&s;olve to reade it over with a minde free from prejudice and di&s;|affection:
<PB REF="3"> For I am &s;ure that what of any moment can be &s;poken for, or objected a|gain&s;t liberty of Religion, that is here both &s;trongly urged, and fully an&s;wered. I dare &s;ay that every ratio|nall and equall judge will grant, that he never &s;aw as yet any Tract, of the &s;ame length, concerning the &s;ame Subject, of like worth and e&s;timation with this. VVoulde&s;t thou have &s;trength of Argument, good method, neat compo|&s;ure,
<PB REF="4"> per&s;wa&s;ive cloquence: All the&s;e con&s;pire and meet together here. If any ble|mi&s;h &s;eem to be in this both &s;olid and beautifull &s;tru|cture, as it is &s;et forth in an Engli&s;h dre&s;&s;e, I am the cau&s;e thereof, and not the Author. Be not offended <HI>(Gentle Reader)</HI> becau&s;e thou &s;ee&s;t the name of <HI>Ca|tholiques</HI> and <HI>Heretiques</HI> at|tributed to them in this Treati&s;e, to whom it is u&s;u|ally given by the Papi&s;ts, but rather be plea&s;ed to ob|&s;erve,
<PB REF="4"> that liberty of Reli|gion is here defended a|gain&s;t the adver&s;aries there|of, even upon their owne termes and conditions. For certainly no &s;tronger proof can be brought for the law|fulne&s;&s;e and right of liberty in Religion, than to demon|&s;trate, that Papi&s;ts, or other Sects may, and ought to grant it, although it be &s;up|po&s;ed to be true in it &s;elfe, which they conceite of them&s;elves, and all other men, who differ from them
<PB REF="5"> in religion. If thou ask me the que&s;tion whether it will nece&s;&s;arily follow, that Pro|te&s;tants ought as well as Pa|pi&s;ts to grant freedome of religion. I an&s;wer, yes un|doubtedly. For Papi&s;ts have &s;ome plea for them|&s;elves in the denyall there|of, becau&s;e they believe, though fal&s;ly, That the au|thority of their Church is infallible, and therefore that &s;he cannot erre in the judg|ment of the &s;pirits, in her in|terpretation of the Scrip|tures,
<PB REF="5"> and in her determina|tions of Controver&s;ies. But Prote&s;tants, who hold that the authority of the Church is fallible, that the greate&s;t A&s;&s;embly of Divines may erre, and oftentimes have erred in their judgement of the &s;pirits, in their interpre|tation of the Scriptures, and in their deci&s;ions of Con|trover&s;ies; and therefore allow the common people to &s;earch the Scriptures, and to try the &s;pirits by them as the only Iudge, or rather, to
<PB REF="6"> &s;peak properly, as the only Rule, cannot have any rea|&s;onable pretence to deny it: unle&s;&s;e they will now at length renounce their prin|ciples, and de&s;troy the grounds of their Reformati|on and &s;eparation from the Church of <HI>Rome.</HI> But whe|ther tends this di&s;cour&s;e? to &s;hew that a better Treati&s;e, than this which I tran&s;late, could not be &s;et forth, to prove that <HI>Prote&s;tant</HI> Ma|gi&s;trates are as much obli|ged as <HI>Papi&s;ts,</HI> if not more,
<PB REF="6"> to grant a toleration of Re|ligion to their Subjects. So that now (judicious <HI>Reader)</HI> thou may&s;t clearly perceive that notwith&s;tanding tho&s;e names of <HI>Catholiques</HI> and <HI>Heretiques</HI> thou meet&s;t with in every Leafe and vein al|mo&s;t of this Tract, the argu|ments of it, and the an&s;wers in it again&s;t objections, war as &s;trongly and directly for us in this Kingdome again&s;t our Prote&s;tant adver&s;aries, in the cau&s;e of toleration and liberty of Religion, as
<PB REF="7"> it doth for any Sect of <HI>Chri|&s;tians,</HI> again&s;t any adver&s;a|ries what&s;oever: and that when thou ha&s;t read it, there is not more promi&s;ed in the Title page, then is made good in the Di&s;cour&s;e thereof. Thus being mind|full of my Authors brevity, and unwilling to offend thy patience, I re&s;t,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Thine in Chri&s;t. N. Y.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="preface">
<PB REF="7">
<P> THE name of Catholicks and He|reticks is attributed to them, in this Treati&s;e, to whom it is wont to be given by the Church of Rome, that the Controver&s;ie may be ended, yet notwith|&s;tanding without any prejudice, or hurt to the Cau&s;e it &s;elfe: For when as they which di&s;&s;ent from the Church of Rome, de&s;ire a &s;afe and &s;ound civill peace may be allowed them, either it is to be pro|ved, that they are not Hereticks; or that although they were, yet notwith|&s;tanding the members of the Church of Rome ought to live peaceably with them. The former Controver&s;ie can|not be determined, unle&s;&s;e the one &s;ide,
<PB REF="8"> overcome by the Arguments of the o|ther, conde&s;cend to their opinion. Where|fore it would be tedious to expect here an end thereof. But the latter may ea|&s;ily he decided, yea and ought to be, even whil&s;t the former &s;tands in debate, and of that only this Treati&s;e takes upon it to di&s;cour&s;e. Therefore the Author of this Treati&s;e puts the ca&s;e, as if they were &s;uch, which di&s;&s;ent from the Church of Rome, as they account them; but hee doth no more affirm it, then believe the truth thereof.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 N="1" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="1" REF="8">
<HEAD>CHAP. I.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P>Catholiques ought to grant them, whom they deem Hereticks, the liberty of Religion which they promi&s;e, even then, when they could &s;uppre&s;&s;e them without any damage, or hurt to them&s;elves.</P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>_THat the Catholique Religion permits freedome of Religi|on to be granted Hereticks, and provi&s;ion to be made for their &s;afety and &s;ecurity, even for the future, without any limitation of time, when they cannot be &s;uppre&s;&s;ed and de&s;troyed with|out detriment to the Church: both the writings of learned men, and practi&s;e it &s;elf doth te&s;tifie: From hence it followeth, the &s;ame Religion ought alwayes to grant, that afterwards free|dome of Religion hath once been promi&s;ed He|retiques, it &s;hould not then be taken from them, when they may be &s;ubverted, and borne downe without any damage to the Church.</P>
<P>For when Catholicks give a&s;&s;urance unto He|reticks, that they will not oppre&s;&s;e, nor mole&s;t
<PB N="2" REF="9"> them for Religions &s;ake, they promi&s;e to do them no mi&s;chief then e&s;pecially, when they &s;hall have opportunity to do it: For why &s;hould they promi&s;e to ab&s;tain from doing that, which either they cannot do at all, or w^c^h they cannot without much hurt and damage to them&s;elves? Therefore whereas promi&s;es, and faithfull deal|ing require, that what is &s;poken &s;hould be per|formed; it mu&s;t needs follow, that Catholiques, if they de&s;ire to avoid the crime of treachery and fal&s;e dealing, ought even then to &s;uffer and tole|rate Heretiques, when they could overwhelm them without bringing any trouble unto them|&s;elves: And &s;urely if con&s;cience will &s;uffer them to a&s;&s;ure Heretiques that they &s;hall enjoy liberty of Religion among&s;t them, without any limita|tion of time, or expre&s;&s;ely even for perpetuity; their con&s;cience al&s;o will allow them, yea re|quire them to make that liberty &s;afe and &s;ecure to Heretiques con&s;tantly, although they might conveniently be &s;uppre&s;t. Which that it may be made more clear and evident, we mu&s;t ob|&s;erve the nature of Covenants, and bonds of a&s;&s;urance. When any one makes a bargain, and bond of a&s;&s;urance with another, he promi&s;eth to do that, which otherwi&s;e he could without any lo&s;&s;e to him&s;elf, yea perhaps even to his own profit, omit, and do the contrary. And he which de&s;ires &s;ecurity may be given him, requires an|other to perform that to him&s;elf, which other|wi&s;e he had liberty to leave undone, and per|haps the intermi&s;sion thereof might be more
<PB N="3" REF="9"> beneficiall and plea&s;ing to him. For covenants and agreements were devi&s;ed, to the end pro|vi&s;ion might be made for the &s;afety of our own intere&s;ts and conveniences, even then when no externall force or damage can compell the other party, either to ab&s;tain from doing wrong, or to perform that benefit and good turn he promi|&s;eth: for truth and faithfulne&s;&s;e in promi&s;es ought to prevail as much with us as compul&s;ion. Wherefore while&s;t Catholiques give a&s;&s;urance unto Heretiques that they &s;hall enjoy freedome of Religion for the time to come, and they like|wi&s;e de&s;ire a&s;&s;urance of them: that they a&s;&s;ure, and the&s;e de&s;ire to be a&s;&s;ured of, is, that for the future they &s;hall be &s;ecure from receiving any damage by the Catholiques, when it might be profitable to them to &s;ubvert and de&s;troy Here|tiques. But if Con&s;cience doth not allow Ca|tholiques to deal thus with Heretiques, al&s;o it will not permit them to make &s;uch Agreements as I have &s;poken of, at any time with Heretiques, much le&s;&s;e to confirm them with the holy reve|rence of an oath. From whence it will certainly follow, that all tho&s;e Catholiques have greatly &s;inned, who ever made with Heritiques &s;uch Conventions: and that not only other Catho|lique Doctors have erred, which approved of &s;uch Covenants when nece&s;sity pre&s;t them to it, but even the very Bi&s;hop of <HI>Rome</HI> him&s;elf, head of the Catholique Church, who doth not con|demne tho&s;e writings &s;et forth by the Je&s;uites them&s;elves, in which &s;uch Agreements are al|lowed.
<PB N="4" REF="10"> Furthermore it would follow from thence, that a nece&s;sity lieth upon Heretiques, if they would regard their own &s;afety, of plot|ting and endeavouring alwayes, where and when they can, to de&s;troy Catholiques utterly, al|though they would be contented for a while to live quietly among&s;t them: becau&s;e they know that Catholiques, when they &s;hall get a fit oc|ca&s;ion to oppre&s;&s;e and kill them, cannot only make u&s;e of it with a &s;afe con&s;cience, but al&s;o that they cannot but put it in execution with|out violence to their con&s;cience; and that by vertue of their Religion they are con&s;trained to &s;uppre&s;&s;e them, notwith&s;tanding any promi&s;e what&s;oever: becau&s;e &s;urely tho&s;e promi&s;es, how|&s;oever confirmed with oaths, become then un|lawfull and of none effect, when Heretiques may be quelled and &s;ubverted without prejudice and perill to the Church. Therefore unle&s;&s;e Here|tiques be re&s;olved to betray their own lives and fortunes, they ought not to &s;pare Catholiques, if they can overcome them: moreover, if there be any hopes to prevail by taking up of Arms, they ought to lay hold on them, and not to &s;tay till in proce&s;&s;e of time, and by &s;ome &s;udden change, they become altogether unequall in number and &s;trength unto the Catholiques; but to &s;et pre&s;ently upon them, and run rather the hazard of a doubtfull war, than expect a cer|tain de&s;truction from them. But if the&s;e things &s;eem &s;trange and ab&s;urd to Catholiques, and they make &s;uch agreements without any &s;cruple
<PB N="5" REF="10"> of con&s;cience, and have the con&s;ent of their Pa|&s;tors and Teachers to do &s;o, in tho&s;e Kingdoms, Provinces, and Common-wealths where they are not &s;trong enough to contend with Here|tiques: it is nece&s;&s;ary altogether that con&s;cience &s;hould permit them al&s;o to &s;tand to tho&s;e cove|nants, when it is expedient and profitable for Catholiques to break them. And verily, if Ca|liques make &s;uch like agreements at any time, that they may prevent the bringing of &s;ome di&s;commodity and dammage to their Church: they are bound al&s;o afterwards to remit and let go that benefit, which they may hope to gain by the downfall of Heretiques; For it is ju&s;t and requi&s;ite, that he which reaped formerly profit by conditions and compacts, &s;hould al&s;o after|wards &s;uffer &s;ome inconvenience and di&s;profit, which bargains and agreements may bring upon him: although there is indeed no inconvenience or di&s;commodity herein, as &s;hall be proved very largely in the following Chapter. There remains yet thus much to be &s;aid, That by the law of Nature thou oughte&s;t not to do that to another man, which thou woulde&s;t not have done to thy &s;elf: And on the contrary, we are enjoyned even by the Law of God and Chri&s;t, to <HI>deale with other men, as we would be dealt with our &s;elves,</HI> Mat. 8. 7, 12. But who among&s;t the Catholiques would be willing and content|ed, if Heretiques, in ca&s;e of &s;ome urgent nece&s;&s;ity, had granted them liberty in their dominions, That when that Nece&s;sity is taken away, they
<PB N="6" REF="11"> &s;hould lay violent hands on them, and deprive them of their freedom? Might they not call that perfidious and treacherous dealing? and very ju&s;tly. Why therefore do either they them&s;elves deal &s;o with other men, or hold it fit and lawfull to be done? I do not think indeed that the moderate &s;ort of men among&s;t the Catholiques will &s;ay as much, which I will forthwith inti|mate and declare: yet notwith&s;tanding it is apparent that &s;ome are &s;o tran&s;ported with ha|tred again&s;t Heretiques, that they &s;eem to hold, no promi&s;e or oath at all is to be made good by Catholiques unto Heretiques; and the &s;ame &s;peech to be applied again&s;t Heretiques, which <HI>Cicero</HI> &s;poke concerning theeves and plunderers, in his 3. Book of <HI>Offices,</HI> to wit, that it is no guile to keep back from them that price and ran&s;ome which a man promi&s;eth to redeem his life, No, although he &s;wore that he would bring it to them: And if a Catholique hath bound him&s;elf by oath to perform any thing to Heretiques, he may take up that &s;aying of <HI>Euripides, I have &s;worn with my tongue, but I keep my mind free from the oath.</HI> For a Heretique is the common enemy of all mankinde, as much as a Robber, with whom no good man can have any fellow|&s;hip and commerce, and &s;urely make <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">o pro|mi&s;e, nor oblige him&s;elf by oath unto him. Yea, a Heretique is wor&s;e than a Thief, becau&s;e this man only kils mens bodies, but he de&s;troyes their &s;cules. If this be &s;o, Heretiques had need take great heed, and beware that they do not
<PB N="7" REF="11"> at any time believe any Catholiques promi&s;es, covenants, leagues, and oathes; but take them to be meer &s;nares and ginnes, invented only to beguile and circumvent them. But furthermore, what a horrible thing is it, and unbe&s;eeming a man, e&s;pecially a Chri&s;tian, to affirme, that any man may &s;wear with his tongue, and re&s;erve his minde free from the oath; that is, &s;wear in words, that he will do &s;uch a thing, which hee hath not only no purpo&s;e to perform, but even judges it a wicked thing to be performed by him: What now will be e&s;teemed holy, what inviolable, what &s;incere and undefiled, if it &s;hall be lawfull to deceive with the reverend feare of an oath? And is there any Chri&s;tian man to be found, who doth not &s;tick to a&s;&s;ert and avouch, that it is lawfull to take that holy and reverend name of God in vain, and to confirm therewith a lie, and a very ungodly matter? It is true in|deed, that if a man &s;hall promi&s;e any thing with an oath, which cannot be performed without the guilt of &s;in and impiety, that oath ought to be broken: but likewi&s;e it is as true, that we mu&s;t never confirm that with an oath, in the ac|compli&s;hment whereof we mu&s;t needs commit wickedne&s;&s;e; and he ought to be very &s;orrowfull and penitent, who even through errour and want of judgement e&s;tabli&s;heth a wicked matter with an oath; &s;o far is it from being lawfull for any man to make good &s;uch an oath, which under|&s;tands the haynou&s;ne&s;&s;e thereof. For no man truly &s;hould engage him&s;elf, no not by a &s;imple
<PB N="8" REF="12"> promi&s;e, to perpetrate and effect a wicked mat|ter, much le&s;&s;e to ratifie an ungodly promi&s;e with an oath. Certainly that man, which wit|tingly &s;hall do &s;o, is both a perjured per&s;on, and guilty al&s;o of a twofold impiety: Fir&s;t, becau&s;e he promi&s;ed an unrighteous thing knowingly; and then becau&s;e he made no &s;cruple to confirm an ungodly promi&s;e with a mo&s;t holy thing, and abu&s;ed the reverend name of God, to the end he might have a fit occa&s;ion to defraud and beguile others. No nece&s;&s;ity can excu&s;e him in this point. For a Chri&s;tian man &s;hould rather die a thou&s;and deaths, than conde&s;cend to &s;uch a &s;in|full oath. Therefore that &s;peech of <HI>Euripides</HI> is unju&s;t, and proceeded from a heatheni&s;h impie|ty; <HI>I &s;wore with my tongue, I re&s;erve my mind free from the oath:</HI> That of <HI>Cicero</HI> is as bad, <HI>That the ran&s;om is not to be brought in to a thief, which thou &s;halt promi&s;e him with an oath to re|deem thy life.</HI> Either thou mu&s;t not &s;wear at all, if thou ha&s;t no intent to perform thy oath, if thou thinke&s;t it di&s;hone&s;ty to make it good, much more if thou thinke&s;t it a &s;infull thing to be done; or if thy con&s;cience tell thee thou maye&s;t lawfully &s;wear, thy oath &s;hould be truly kept. For neither doth God &s;uffer him&s;elf to be deluded, nor him to go &s;cotfree, which taketh his name in vain. And ob&s;erve I pray, how far the judgement of God him&s;elf, and pious men, differs from the opinion of <HI>Euripides</HI> and <HI>Cice|ro.</HI> God had commanded the I&s;raelites in times pa&s;t, <HI>To de&s;troy the Inhabitants of the Land of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 33. 52.</NOTE>
<PB N="9" REF="12"> <HI>Canaan, and to make an univer&s;all &s;laughter of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 7. 2, 3.</NOTE> <HI>them, not to make any covenant with them, nor to have any compa&s;&s;ion on them, and that by</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jo&s;. 9.</NOTE> <HI>rea&s;on of the impious idolatry of tho&s;e nations, and other mo&s;t grievous crimes and enormities.</HI> The Gibeonites, which were a part of them that were born and bred in that land, went to <HI>Io&s;ua</HI> and the re&s;t of the people, faining them|&s;elves to be no inhabitants of that land, but to come from a far country; and prevailed by this wile with <HI>Jo&s;ua</HI> and the re&s;t of the Princes, to make a league with them in the name of all the People, and to e&s;tabli&s;h it with an oath. What would they have &s;aid in this ca&s;e, which hold it not lawfull for Leagues, Covenants, and Oaths to be kept with Heretiques, although heretiques &s;hall u&s;e no craft to over-reach them, but &s;hall tran&s;act all things openly and be|fore the &s;unne, or rather in the &s;ight of God? would they not have cryed out, that this wicked covenant was contrary to Gods expre&s;&s;e com|mandement? and be&s;ides procured by deceit, and therefore voyd, of none effect, and utterly to be broken. That <HI>Jo&s;ua</HI> indeed, and the Prin|ces of the people &s;wore, but as it were upon &s;ome certain condition, as if &s;o be tho&s;e things were true which the Gibeonites had &s;poken, that is, if they were not &s;ome Inhabitants of the land of <HI>Canaan:</HI> But &s;eeing that is fal&s;e, the People are not bound to ob&s;erve their oath. But <HI>Jo&s;ua</HI> and the Princes of the people were of a quite contrary mind, and the People after
<PB N="10" REF="13"> their in&s;truction, and la&s;tly God him&s;elfe de|clared his judgement to the contrary: For, three dayes after, they perceived their fraud, and yet notwith&s;tanding they &s;pared them. And when as all the people murmured again&s;t the Princes, they made them an&s;wer, <HI>We have &s;worne unto them by the Lord God of I&s;rael, and therefore we may not touch them,</HI> Jo&s;. 9. 19. And moreover God him&s;elf approved and confirmed this oath, neither permittted it in proce&s;&s;e of time to be violated. For when as a few ages after, <HI>Saul</HI> had killed &s;ome of them, God vi&s;ited all the people of I&s;rael with famine, neither could his wrath be appea&s;ed for this deed of <HI>Saul,</HI> before &s;even of his &s;onnes and nephewes were hanged. But if God would have the I&s;raelites to perform that league and covenant which was made with the Gibeonites contrary to his own manife&s;t in|junction, and gotten be&s;ides by deceit; why &s;hould not tho&s;e leagues and oaths be kept with Heretiques, which they purcha&s;ed without any guile of theirs? when as they have no command from God either to puni&s;h or kill them, much le&s;&s;e &s;o cleare as that, which the I&s;raelites re|ceived to de&s;troy the Canaanites, of which mat|ter more &s;hall be &s;aid in that which followes. But it is mo&s;t unju&s;t, for tho&s;e men to be e|&s;teemed as bad as thieves and robbers, or even wor&s;e than them, and to be ranked among&s;t tho&s;e men with whom no fellow&s;hip or &s;ociety may be entertained, no promi&s;e made and kept: which know not them&s;elves to be heretiques,
<PB N="11" REF="13"> and would not be &s;uch if they knew it; but mo&s;t &s;trongly believe that they hold opinions con|cerning matters of Religion, which are true, pious, and altogether agreeable to the word of God, neither do, nor purpo&s;e to do wrong to any man. For thieves know they invade other mens rights, and that they &s;inne again&s;t the law of nature which is engraven in their hearts, and are not ignorant they do that which is evill; and that which is of mo&s;t force in this point, they di&s;turb, violate, and de&s;troy the peace and tran|quility of other men: Therefore when as they offend again&s;t the laws of a commonwealth, the puni&s;hments thereof are ju&s;tly inflicted on them, &amp; they are puni&s;hed by the Magi&s;trate as break|ers of that common peace, which God ordained him to pre&s;erve. But Heretiques, which live peaceably with other men, and de&s;ire to live &s;o for the future, neither know that they &s;inne, nor that they commit any thing again&s;t the lawes of civill &s;ociety. But if that rea&s;on were to be re|garded, whereby it is alleadged, that they de&s;troy mens &s;oules, which they are utterly ignorant that they do, yea are fully per&s;waded that they do not: then it would prevaile as much again&s;t infidels, &s;uch as <HI>Jewes</HI> are, whom notwith&s;tand|ing Catholiques &s;uffer to abide in their domini|ons; and again&s;t <HI>Mahometans,</HI> whom they per|mit to live in &s;ome parts of <HI>Polonia.</HI> But if thou replie&s;t, that Infidels do not &s;pread abroad their poy&s;on among&s;t others, as the Heretiques do: That I may pa&s;&s;e over with &s;ilence, that even
<PB N="12" REF="14"> Infidels, if they can, will draw other men over to their opinions; and that they do not hinder it from comming to pa&s;&s;e, but it happeneth ei|ther by rea&s;on of Chri&s;tians con&s;tancie, or the contempt and abject condition of <HI>Jewes</HI> and <HI>Mahometans</HI> in the&s;e countries, yet notwith|&s;tanding with the &s;ame venemous conceits they infect their children. Who can have the heart to tolerate a Jew, or other infidel in his dominion, that would &s;lay his children? yet the Catholiques do, although they de&s;troy their childrens &s;oules. It is evident therefore, that they which unwit|tingly de&s;troy mens &s;oules, as Heretiques are thought to do, are not to be dealt withall in like mea&s;ure with tho&s;e, much le&s;&s;e to be more grievou&s;ly puni&s;hed, which kill their bodies. If this argument were of force, all Harlots were to be de&s;troyed: for what? do not they de&s;troy mens &s;oules, whil&s;t they intice them to commit fornication? Doth not Saint <HI>Paul</HI> affirme, that <HI>Whoremongers &s;hall not po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e the kingdome of God?</HI> And <HI>Iohn,</HI> that <HI>whoremongers &s;hall have</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 6. 9. Gal. 5. 19. Rev. 21. 8. &amp; 22. 15.</NOTE> <HI>their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brim&s;tone?</HI> And yet Catholique Princes, and Common-wealths in <HI>Italy, Spain,</HI> and el&s;where &s;uffer them to live under their protection: and the Bi&s;hop of <HI>Rome</HI> doth not expell them thence; when as they offend al&s;o again&s;t civill hone&s;ty, and tran&s;gre&s;&s;e the lawes of cha&s;tity and mode&s;ty, which are ingrafted in the minds of all men, but e&s;pecially of the female &s;exe by nature. Why therefore &s;hould Heretiques, who
<PB N="13" REF="14"> neither break the lawes of nature, nor civill hone&s;ty, and do not &s;o ea&s;ily allure mens minds to imbrace their errours, as harlots do to a wanton love of them&s;elves, be wor&s;e dealt withall, becau&s;e they de&s;troy mens &s;oules? why &s;hould they be accounted &s;uch, with whom no fellow&s;hip may be admitted, no rules of ju&s;tice, no friend&s;hip ob&s;erved? &s;eeing other|wi&s;e they live hone&s;tly, injure no man, yea en|deavour to de&s;erve the good will of all men, and as much as in them lies, to live peaceably with all men. For, that I may ca&s;t the whole matter as it were into this &s;hort conclu&s;ion: Who|&s;oever ob&s;erve the rules of civill &s;ociety, neither di&s;turb the peace and tranquility of other men, they cannot by any ju&s;t authority be ejected out of a civill &s;ociety, neither &s;hould they in any wi&s;e be denied peace and &s;ecurity. Wherefore, when as Heretiques are in every re&s;pect thus qualified and di&s;po&s;ed, they &s;hould neither be bani&s;hed from a civill communion, nor peace and quietne&s;&s;e be denied them.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="14" REF="15">
<HEAD>CHAP. II.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P>Catholiques may with a &s;afe Con&s;cience allow Heretiques freedome of Religion, and give them Security for it.</P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>MAny are afraid, e&s;pecially when no ne|ce&s;&s;ity compels them to it, to grant He|retiques freedom of Religion, and to take order for their &s;afety: becau&s;e to do &s;o, would be to &s;hew a liking and approbation of here&s;ie, and to give them authority to propagate and di&s;per&s;e abroad their pe&s;tilent and deadly Errors. And yet notwith&s;tanding, the &s;ame men, without any &s;cruple of con&s;cience allow <HI>Jewes,</HI> and in &s;ome places <HI>Mahometans</HI> (as I have &s;aid before) liberty of Religion, and give them a bond of a&s;&s;urance for their &s;afety: What, do they perhaps by this means approve of the <HI>Iewes</HI> and <HI>Maho|metans</HI> errors, and of their bla&s;phemies again&s;t Chri&s;t? To approve of; and not to &s;uppre&s;&s;e by force; are two different things. Neither verily ha&s;t thou any cau&s;e to &s;ay, that the ca&s;e of In|fidels, of which &s;ort <HI>Jewes</HI> and <HI>Mahometans</HI> are, is not the &s;ame with that of Heretiques: for that difference which is between them, is of no moment in this point, where the que&s;tion only is, whether or no heretiques errors be approved of, by granting them liberty of Religion. For
<PB N="15" REF="15"> in this matter the ca&s;e of heathens and hereticks is one and the &s;ame: But as for that power they &s;peak of, which may be given heretiques by granting them liberty, if they mean &s;uch a power by which Here&s;ie may be approved of and judged good and hone&s;t; &s;uch a priviledge Catholiques can neither give Heretiques, nei|ther do Heretiques de&s;ire them to do it, but it is a licence only of indempnity, and of being free from civill puni&s;hment, which even he may give which doth not only not allow of here&s;ie, but al&s;o very much abhorres and di&s;allowes it. So a civill indempnity &amp; immunity is granted drunk|en and covetous men; for who puni&s;heth them for tho&s;e vices? although both &s;orts &s;inne both grievou&s;ly them&s;elves, and do hurt by their ex|ample, and much dammage redounds by both vices unto other men, and oftentimes unto the commonmealth. But who would &s;ay, that thou approve&s;t of their vices, and give&s;t them autho|rity to commit tho&s;e &s;innes, which thou can&s;t not; if thou &s;halt promi&s;e them in good earne&s;t that thou wilt not puni&s;h them, if &s;o be they do no wrong to other men. Many Princes do great wrong to their Subjects, and neverthele&s;&s;e they are not liable to any civill puni&s;hment for it, and their liberty would be violated if thou &s;houlde&s;t puni&s;h them for it. And truly that happens in every Dominion, e&s;pecially that which is Ab&s;olute, that the Magi&s;trate &s;hould go unpuni&s;hed for that injury which he commits again&s;t him, over whom he hath ab&s;olute au|thority.
<PB N="16" REF="16"> Now that liberty of Religion which is allowed heretiques, requires nothing el&s;e but that thou &s;hould&s;t not hinder them by any force from attending their Religion, from exerci&s;ing, profe&s;&s;ing, defending, and endeavouring to pro|pagate it without any violence; nor that thou do any evill or hurt unto them for it, but referre the whole bu&s;ine&s;&s;e to God, that he him&s;elfe may puni&s;h them when he plea&s;eth: That thou leave&s;t it to the Catholique Church, that it may as &s;trongly as it can oppo&s;e them with &s;pirituall weapons, in which it is prevalent, whether they be miracles, or rea&s;ons and arguments: more|over, if thou &s;o think fit, that &s;he may correct them with cen&s;ures meerly Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall; I &s;ay meerly eccle&s;ia&s;ticall, not civill, le&s;t violent hands be laid upon their bodies or goods. When as Chri&s;tians in the primitive times lived a|mong&s;t Jews and heathens, they truly did them no hurt, neither puni&s;hed, or endeavoured to puni&s;h them with any civill puni&s;hment. Now they might bind them&s;elves by oath and pro|mi&s;e to do that, which they did really perform; yet neverthele&s;&s;e no man &s;hall have cau&s;e there|by to &s;ay that they approved of the Iewes and Pagans wicked and bla&s;phemous errors, or that they gave them &s;uch a licence to di&s;&s;eminate and promote their errors, which no Chri&s;tian can with a good con&s;cience. But if thou alleadge&s;t that the Chri&s;tians of that Age could not do otherwi&s;e, becau&s;e they were not &s;trong enough to deal with Infidels; but would have done o|therwi&s;e,
<PB N="17" REF="16"> if &s;o be that they had been &s;trong e|nough to contend with them. What el&s;e &s;halt thou hereby affirme, but that tho&s;e Primitive Chri&s;tians were like &s;erpents in the bo&s;ome of Infidels, who &s;o long ab&s;tained from hurting them, as they had not power to do it, yet ready &s;o &s;oon as they &s;hould have a fit opportunity to afflict and repre&s;&s;e them. By this means thou wilt make their charity, de&s;ire of peace, and pa|tience towards Infidels, fained and counterfeit, which would forthwith break out into cruelty and war again&s;t them, when Chri&s;tians &s;hould begin to put confidence in their own &s;trength. Hereby Infidels will have very great cau&s;e given them to plot and contrive an univer&s;all &s;laughter of Chri&s;tians; for becau&s;e they mu&s;t expect and look for a mo&s;t certain de&s;truction from them, notwith&s;tanding any meekne&s;&s;e and patience what&s;oever which is outwardly pretended.</P>
<P>Seeing the&s;e things are very ab&s;urd, and in|deed ungodly to be uttered, and injurious to the piety of tho&s;e holy men which profe&s;&s;e Chri&s;t and &s;uffer martyrdome for his &s;ake: we mu&s;t needs conclude, that the primitive Chri|&s;tians would certainly have tolerated Infidels, al|though they might have been able to &s;uppre&s;&s;e them. And moreover, That to tolerate Errors in other men, &s;o far forth, as not to per&s;ecute and afflict them with Civil dammages and pu|ni&s;hments, whom thou mighte&s;t quell by force; is not to approve of Errors, be they never &s;o pe|&s;tilent and ungodly. Con&s;equently al&s;o, it is law|full
<PB N="18" REF="17"> for Chri&s;tians to grant them &s;uch a kind of freedom and indempnity, which nouri&s;h and de|fend wicked Errors: for if it be lawfull for thee to make good &s;uch an indempnity and impunity unto tho&s;e, which cheri&s;h and foment ungodly and de&s;tructive Errors; it will be lawfull al&s;o for thee to give them licence for it, that is, to promi&s;e them and give them good a&s;&s;urance that thou wilt as much as in thee lies, pre&s;erve them harmle&s;&s;e, and that thou wilt not bring any damage or puni&s;hment upon them for here|&s;ies &s;ake, or take order that they be &s;o dealt withall: but rather on the contrary wilt hinder them which are under thy authority and domi|nion, and to whom thou can&s;t pre&s;cribe lawes, from doing them any mi&s;chief. For what thou maye&s;t lawfully perform, that is, ju&s;tly and without &s;inne; even that al&s;o thou maye&s;t ob|lige thy &s;elf to perform, and give another man &s;ecurity that thou wilt.</P>
<P>But &s;ome object that of <HI>Paul, Be ye not un|equally yoked together with unbelievers; For what fellow&s;hip hath righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e with un|righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e? and what communion hath light with darkne&s;&s;e? and what concord hath Chri&s;t with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth, with an Infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?</HI> But this &s;peech doth not concern a civill peace or conjunction, as that is between members of the &s;ame common|wealth, governed by the &s;ame lawes. Becau&s;e both S. <HI>Paul</HI> him&s;elf, and all other Chri&s;tians in
<PB N="19" REF="17"> that Age, entertained &s;uch a peace and concord with Infidels, both Jews and Gentiles, among&s;t whom they lived. Moreover, the &s;ame Apo&s;tle el&s;where commanded Chri&s;tians to <HI>live in peace,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ro. 12. 18. Heb. 12. 14. 1 Cor. 5. 9.</NOTE> <HI>as much as in them lieth, with all men.</HI> And wrote expre&s;ly to the &s;ame Corinthians: <HI>I wrote unto you in an epi&s;tle, not to be mixed</HI> (that is, to have no familiarity) <HI>with fornicators; Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world,</HI> (that is, Infidels) <HI>or with the covetous, or extor|tioners, or with idolaters, for then mu&s;t ye needs go out of the world, &amp;c.</HI> There he evidently per|mits Believers to have conver&s;ation with Infi|dels and Idolators, to trade, yea even to eat with them, as appeares by the following words. And is not even now a civill peace admitted with the <HI>Iewes?</HI> Are not Lawes e&s;tabli&s;hed for their &s;ecurity? Are not Leagues and other Con|ventions made by Chri&s;tian Princes and Com|monwealths, and by the Kingdome it &s;elfe of <HI>Polonia,</HI> with <HI>Mahometans?</HI> Therefore the words of S. <HI>Paul</HI> do not &s;peak of a civill &s;ociety and friend&s;hip, and other &s;uch like agreements; but of another more near and inward affinity, from which they may ab&s;tain, who entertain a civill friend&s;hip with one another, and take great delight in living peaceably together, and &s;hew|ing courte&s;ie, and doing many good offices to one another, upon every occa&s;ion that is offered. Verily Chri&s;tians ought to do th&s;e friendly of|fices unto all men, although more e&s;pecially to them which are of the <HI>hou&s;hold of faith,</HI> As the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 10.</NOTE>
<PB N="20" REF="18"> &s;ame <HI>Paul</HI> &s;ignifieth, who will not have them to be yoked with Infidels.</P>
<P>O<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">hers bring another Argument. <HI>If he &s;hall</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 18. 17.</NOTE> <HI>neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> an heathen man, and a Publican.</HI> But this place doth not prove that at all, which they would have it: For Chri&s;t will have us deal with him that will not hear the Church, as the Jews were wont to deal with Heathens and Publicans. But the Jews did not expell Heathens and Publicans the common-wealth or city; they did not per|&s;ecute them, they did them no &s;hrewd turn, or inflict a civill puni&s;hment upon them: only they were not wont to have a familiar conver|&s;ation with them, and refu&s;ed, although they were invited, to come unto their tables: never|thele&s;&s;e they had communication for buying and &s;elling with them, and dealt with them in pub|lique and private affaires? and if they came into their hou&s;es, they did not drive them out, and truly they did not keep them from their tables if &s;o be they would needs eat together with them. Be&s;ides, Heretiques and Infidels are not &s;poken of in this place, but Believers only, which &s;hall &s;inne again&s;t their brother, and will not acknowledge their fault, after they have been both privately, and publiquely admoni&s;hed and rebuked by the Church for it. Their ca&s;e is not the &s;ame, which belong not to the Church, of which &s;ort are Heretiques, e&s;pecially &s;uch as are borne of hereticall parents.</P>
<P>Some object that al&s;o of S. John, <HI>If there com<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Joh. 10, 11.</NOTE>
<PB N="21" REF="18"> <HI>any unto you, and bring you not this doctrine, receive him not into your hou&s;e, neither bid him God &s;peed; for he that biddeth him God &s;peed, is partaker of his evill deeds.</HI> But fir&s;t of all, it is one thing to receive a man into our hou&s;e, and to bid him God &s;peed; and another thing to drive him out of the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ingdome or city, and to lay vio|lent hands on his body and goods. That in tho&s;e dayes, believers could do; this they could not; and therefore <HI>Iohn</HI> commands them not to do this, but that only. Moreover, mention is made there only of &s;educers, whom he cals Antichri&s;ts, which did not confe&s;&s;e that <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t is come in the fle&s;h,</HI> As appears by the foregoing words, and may be perceived by many places of the fir&s;t Epi&s;tle. But there are not &s;uch Heretiques in the&s;e times, as deny that: &s;o far is it from being true, that Heretiques of the&s;e times may be ca&s;t into the number of tho&s;e Seducers, which endeavour contrary to the manife&s;t truth, and the con&s;cience of their mind, to lead others into &s;uch a damnable error. La&s;tly, in &s;uch a ca&s;e only <HI>Iohn</HI> forbids us to receive them into our hou&s;es, or to bid them God &s;peed, when as they come unto us to per&s;wade and convert us to their Religion; not when they agitate civill or private matters, and de&s;ire commerce with us is members of the &s;ame Common-wealth.</P>
<P>Many urge that al&s;o for an argument again&s;t liberty of R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ligion, That God commanded in former times, fal&s;e Prophets, and th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;e al&s;o that revolted to the wor&s;hipping of fal&s;e gods,
<PB N="22" REF="19"> to be killed. But fir&s;t of all, it is one thing to be a Heretique, and another thing to be a fal&s;e Pro|phet, or to decline to the wor&s;hip of fal&s;e gods. They which now adayes are termed he|retiques, wor&s;hip none be&s;ides that true God, creator of heaven and earth, and Je&s;us Chri&s;t their Saviour; but only they hold different opi|nions from the Catholiques concerning him, or about &s;acred matters, and &s;uch as pertain to the wor&s;hip of that true God and Je&s;us Chri&s;t. Therefore they have not declined to the wor|&s;hip of fal&s;e gods, &s;o far is it from being ju&s;t that they &s;hould be reckoned among&s;t fal&s;e Pro|phets, which per&s;wade other men to &s;uch a hei|nous crime: for tho&s;e men only were to be ac|counted fal&s;e Prophets, which endeavoured to per&s;wade, that they &s;pake by in&s;piration of &s;ome deity, and that their &s;ayings were to be e&s;teemed oracles; which the Heretiques of this age in no wi&s;e do. But that, that law of God made again&s;t fal&s;e prophets, and wor&s;hippers of fal&s;e gods, is not intended again&s;t tho&s;e, who otherwi&s;e held the Law of God was to be kept, but were in|fected with &s;ome other error, that may &s;uffici|ently &s;hew, becau&s;e that in former times among the Jewes, who were affected with a vehement love and zeal toward the Law, Heretiques not|with&s;tanding were tolerated. And verily even in the time of Chri&s;t him&s;elfe, and long before him, there were Sadduces, which denied that there were Angels and Spirits, and were &s;tiffe oppo&s;ers of the Re&s;urrection of the dead, and
<PB N="23" REF="19"> (as the Catholique Doctors report) rejected all the Prophets be&s;ides <HI>Mo&s;es.</HI> And although the greate&s;t part both of the People and the Rulers believed them to erre exceedingly, ne|verthele&s;&s;e they were not expelled the city, nei|ther exempted from being Magi&s;trates, and bear|ing any other civil office; yea they were not hindred from comming to the Temple or the Synagogues. Why therefore &s;hould it be thought fit that Heretiques in the&s;e times &s;hould be kil|led, by vertue of that law made again&s;t fal&s;e Prophets, and wor&s;hippers of fal&s;e gods? It may be added for a further proofe, That they which in old time &s;educed the people from the true God, to the wor&s;hip of fal&s;e gods, or fell off of their own accord to it, could not but know that they did that which was again&s;t the expre&s;&s;e law of God; becau&s;e the law of God enacted again&s;t that matter, was &s;o cleare and manife&s;t, that no man could be ignorant of the meaning thereof. But they which now a dayes pa&s;&s;e for heretiques, know not, that they do, or believe any thing contrary to the Law, and other Oracles divine; and if they knew it, would a|bandon all &s;uch opinions in Religion, Where|fore tho&s;e fal&s;e Prophets, and Apo&s;tates al&s;o, were in far greater fault, than Heretiques of this Age are: and therefore it doth not forthwith hold true, that the&s;e men ought to &s;uffer the &s;ame puni&s;hment which God commanded to be executed again&s;t them. And thus much al&s;o may be addtd, That in tho&s;e dayes Prophecies were
<PB N="24" REF="20"> frequent and in force almo&s;t continually among the people of I&s;rael, by which evident te&s;ti|monies were ever and anon publi&s;hed concern|ing God and his will, &s;o as no man could be ig|norant what he ought to hold concerning God and his wor&s;hip, unle&s;&s;e he would purpo&s;ely &s;hut his eyes, and wink at noon-day. But now Prophecies are cea&s;ed; from whence it fol|lowes, that we may more ea&s;ily fall into error concerning the true wor&s;hip of God. La&s;t of all, all men know, that the civil lawes of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> do not bind Chri&s;tians; of which &s;ort they are, which commanded a fal&s;e Prophet, or an Apo|&s;tate fallen to idolatry, to be de&s;troyed. That truly the&s;e lawes, of which we now di&s;cour&s;e, do not oblige us, may ea&s;ily be gathered from thence, That in all the New Te&s;tament there is no &s;uch thing commanded, nor any where &s;o much as lightly touched upon, that either A|po&s;tates or Heretiques ought to be afflicted and brought to puni&s;hment by Chri&s;tians. Rightly hath <HI>Hierom</HI> declared in &s;ome part of his wri|tings; <HI>I have learned by the Apo&s;tles appoint|ment, to avoyd a man that is an Heretick, not to commit him to be burnt.</HI> For in this manner <HI>Paul</HI> the Apo&s;tle advi&s;eth <HI>Titus: A man which</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 3. 10.</NOTE> <HI>is an heretick, after the fir&s;t and &s;econd admo|nition, reject.</HI> And certainly he means &s;uch an heretique, who is condemned by his own con|&s;cience that he re&s;i&s;teth the manife&s;t truth which he acknowledgeth; as may be di&s;cerned by his following words. How then &s;hould Chri&s;tians be
<PB N="25" REF="20"> commanded to puni&s;h them, who were led into here&s;ie by deceitfull arguments, which notwith|&s;tanding they think invincible, and are affected with a &s;imple ignorance of mind; or al&s;o being born of hereticall parents, &s;ucked their error together with their mothers milk. But &s;o far is it from being true, that Chri&s;tians are comman|ded to trouble others for Religions &s;ake, that rather we are often warned it &s;hall come to pa&s;&s;e, that Chri&s;tians &s;hall be troubled and brought to &s;laughter by other men, becau&s;e of their Religion. God in times pa&s;t brought the Jews after &s;uch a manner into the land of Ca|naan, that after they had &s;lain the wor&s;hippers of fal&s;e gods, they might po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e their country; promi&s;ing them, if they &s;hould obey his law, peace, wealth, victory over their enemies, and moreover &s;uch &s;trength and &s;uccours, that they might without any great difficulty &s;uppre&s;&s;e Apo&s;tates, if any &s;hould chance to &s;pring up a|mong&s;t them. But we have learned of Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles, that the condition of Chri&s;ti|ans &s;hall be far otherwi&s;e: who were even <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 10. 16</NOTE> them&s;elves <HI>as &s;heep in the mid&s;t of wolves,</HI> and being grievou&s;ly vexed and tormented, &s;uffered a bloody death for the truths &s;ake: And they declared that we al&s;o &s;hould be like <HI>&s;heep ap|pointed to the &s;laughter;</HI> And affirmed, that <HI>all</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 36</NOTE> <HI>tho&s;e which will live godly in Chri&s;t Je&s;us, &s;hall &s;uffer per&s;ecution.</HI> For &s;uch is the nature of the <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 3. 12.</NOTE> Chri&s;tian religion, that not many mighty men and of noble birth imbrace it; even as S. <HI>Paul</HI>
<PB N="26" REF="21"> teacheth, <HI>God hath cho&s;en the weak and ba&s;e</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 26, 27.</NOTE> <HI>things of the world, and things which are de&s;pi|&s;ed, and things which are not.</HI> How then could God enjoyne Chri&s;tians to kill Apo&s;tates, that is, tho&s;e which &s;hould revolt from Chri|&s;tianity to a Jewi&s;h or heatheni&s;h religion, and go over from men of low degree to Nobles, from weak to mighty men, and to their kind of holy wor&s;hip. But if &s;o be they are not com|manded to de&s;troy them which altogether for|&s;ake the Chri&s;tian religion, much le&s;&s;e Hereticks, who notwith&s;tanding acknowledge the maje&s;ty and religious wor&s;hip of Chri&s;t, although they do not &s;ufficiently under&s;tand it.</P>
<P>Many al&s;o object that, If freedome of Reli|gion be granted Heretiques, then here&s;ies will grow and increa&s;e. Yea verily they will more increa&s;e, if thou &s;trive to root them ou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> by force, e&s;pecially if the minds of men be otherwi&s;e bent to religion, hone&s;ty and vertue. Thus much ex|perience it &s;elf hath taught us in the&s;e ages. The Prote&s;tant religion then increa&s;ed mo&s;t in <HI>France,</HI> the <HI>Low-Countries,</HI> and <HI>England,</HI> when per&s;ecution was oppo&s;ed again&s;t it. Rea|&s;on &s;hewes as much: for they which endeavour to &s;uppre&s;&s;e another mans religion by force, in &s;o doing make their cau&s;e or religion to be &s;u&s;|pected, and certainly le&s;&s;en the credit and e&s;ti|mation of their own religion; but cau&s;e that to be well approved of, which they go about to ruine: for when they enter upon violent cour&s;es, they &s;eem to demon&s;trate that they di&s;tru&s;t their
<PB N="27" REF="21"> cau&s;e, and de&s;paire of victory, if the matter &s;hould be debated by argumentation, therefore being de&s;titute of rea&s;ons, betake them&s;elves to force, and fly to carnall weapons, becau&s;e &s;pi|rituall are wanting, to bring mens minds under &s;ubjection: by which it comes to pa&s;&s;e, that they purcha&s;e an opinion and report of cruelty to them&s;elves, and inflame other mens minds with hatred. They on the contrary, which are troubled for Religion &s;ake, ea&s;ily get mens good will and affection. But whither mens favour and affection, thither al&s;o for the mo&s;t part doth their faith incline. I will not alledge that now, That when the grievou&s;nes of puni&s;hment a|gain&s;t offenders is expo&s;ed to the view, com|mon people are not &s;eldome moved to compa&s;|&s;ion; mo&s;t men not &s;o much regarding and lay|ing to heart the deed, which either they never &s;aw, or do no longer &s;ee; as the terriblene&s;&s;e of the puni&s;hment, which is &s;ubject to the &s;ight.</P>
<P>But what &s;hall we think will come to pa&s;&s;e, if they be deemed innocent, which &s;uffer cruell puni&s;hments; if their life and manners be ap|proved of; if nothing be accu&s;ed in them, but meer error of judgement? What if that al&s;o happen, that the people ob&s;erve &s;ome blemi&s;h in their cour&s;e of life, which trouble them, which they do not &s;ee in them &s;o afflicted by them&s;elves? It is certain, that tho&s;e which &s;uf|fer for Religion &s;ake, how erroneous &s;oever it be, do &s;hew, that they e&s;teem all things le&s;&s;e than God, piety, and their own con&s;cience and
<PB N="28" REF="22"> &s;alvation: which is only the part of good men, and &s;uch a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> are very great lovers of vertue, and fear God very much. It cannot happen other|wi&s;e then, but that they &s;hould gain favour to them&s;elves, and beliefe and authority to that Religion which they &s;o &s;toutly maintain, For this is the genius and proper quality of vertue, to purcha&s;e undoubted credit to it &s;elf, and e|&s;pecially in matters belonging to Religion: Fir&s;t, becau&s;e (as I have &s;aid) mens favour fol|low vertue; and belief of what is &s;aid, followes favour: And al&s;o, becau&s;e vertue is otherwi&s;e of it &s;elf &s;incere and undefiled, hating deceit, guile, and lying. But who may not rather believe him, and a&s;&s;ent to his doctrine, in whom he per|ceives to be mo&s;t candor and ingenuity? Fur|thermore, it is no wayes credible, that God, who is &s;o much delighted with vertue and piety, and &s;o exceedingly rewards it, would deny the knowledge of true Religion to the better &s;ort of men, and grant it to the wor&s;er. La&s;t of all, The greater Vertue is not without ju&s;t cau&s;e, thought to be the affection and proper quality even of the better Faith. Wherefore, as I have declared already, They, which by &s;uffering any kind of cruelty and rigour for Religion &s;ake, &s;hew forth mo&s;t evident te&s;timonies of their own vertue; ea&s;ily incline and draw over people which love vertue, to their own &s;ide: They, on the contrary, which exerci&s;e cruelty again&s;t them, lo&s;e the af|fections of the people, and dimini&s;h the credit of their Religion, which animates and &s;tirs them
<PB N="29" REF="22"> up to &s;o much cruelty again&s;t innocent and harmle&s;&s;e men. That I may be &s;ilent, that tho&s;e men them&s;elves which are afflicted for Religion &s;ake, by how much the more hone&s;t and vertu|ous they be, are &s;o much the more confirmed in their opinion, and the more vehemently in|flamed with the love of their Religion, becau&s;e they think their own adver&s;aries judge it un|controleable and invincible by &s;trength of Ar|guments.</P>
<P>From hence may ea&s;ily be perceived what an&s;wer is to be made them which &s;ay, that He|retiques are enemies to the Catholique Church and Religion, wherefore they ought to be ex|pelled the territories and limits of the Church, and Religion to be defended again&s;t them: That they are ravening Wolves, and therefore to be driven away from the Flock: That they give the &s;ons of God poy&s;on to drink, and &s;o de&s;troy their &s;oules, and therefore ought not to be &s;uf|fered to have conver&s;ation with them: and that they &s;ell, and put by force upon the weak and ignorant Infants of Chri&s;t (of which there mu&s;t alwaies be a great number) that poy&s;on, in &s;tead of the &s;aving drink of their &s;oules.</P>
<P>But be it &s;o, that they be enemies to the Ca|tholique Religion and Church; yet &s;eeing they do not invade, nor intend to invade it with &s;words nor corporall weapons, they wage only a &s;pirituall war with it: wherefore in like man|ner they are not to be vanqui&s;hed with carnall, but &s;pirituall weapons, and to be driven either
<PB N="30" REF="23"> from the Church, or brought into obedience thereof, by tho&s;e weapons (I &s;ay) wherewith the Apo&s;tles of old &s;ubdued the enemies of truth, overthrew the &s;trong holds of errors, and brought the world in &s;ubjection under Chri&s;t. <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 10. 3, 4.</NOTE> For &s;o &s;aith <HI>Paul: For though we walk in the fle&s;h, we do not war after the fle&s;h: for the wea|pons of our warfare are not carnall, but mighty through God to the pulling down of &s;trong holds, ca&s;ting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it &s;elf again&s;t the knowledge of God, and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chri&s;t.</HI> But if thou woulde&s;t drive Heretiques by carnall weapons out of the Church; thou wilt not de&s;troy &s;uch enemies, but exa&s;perate and provoke them, thou &s;halt not le&s;&s;en, but increa&s;e their number; and though thou mighte&s;t at length utterly root them out by this means, yet thou &s;halt not hereby defend thy Religion, but pollute and defile it. Long &s;ince did <HI>Lactantius</HI> give a right an&s;wer to the Gentiles, who thought that tho&s;e Reli|gious exerci&s;es which they publikely perfor|ed, were to be defended by violence: Religion is to be defended, quoth he, not by killing, but by dying; not by cruelty, but by patience. And a little after, <HI>If thou would&s;t defend Religion with blood, with torments, with mi&s;chief, then it will not be defended, but defiled and corrupted; For nothing is &s;o free and voluntary as Religion,</HI> and &s;o onwards. Truly Chri&s;tian Religion is not better known by urging and pre&s;&s;ing the
<PB N="31" REF="23"> truth, than by inculcating and exhorting men to charity, peace, meekne&s;&s;e, gentlene&s;&s;e, boun|tifulne&s;&s;e, and patience. It will have the pro|fe&s;&s;ors thereof to overcome their enemies, and not to be overcome by them, with the&s;e ver|tues. It doth not &s;o defend the truth of matters belonging to Religion, as that it would have them break the bonds of humane and civil &s;o|ciety for that purpo&s;e, which propagate and de|fend it: but rather it more &s;trictly obligeth them to ob&s;erve tho&s;e duties, and to make good the law of charity towards all men, and to love the bonds of peace. Therefore if thou &s;halt re|&s;olve to maintaine the Chri&s;tian religion by force, if by mirchief, if by puni&s;hments; even by &s;o doing thou wilt mo&s;t of all offend again&s;t it. Let the &s;ame an&s;wer &s;uffice them who &s;tick not to affirme, that Heretiques are ravening wolves, and ought to be driven out of the flock. Let them be driven out indeed with the Crook of the Pa&s;tors of the Church, but not with a wooden or iron one, but with one which is &s;pi|ritual, and proper to the Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall function. Heretiques do not teare the &s;heep with their nailes, nor bite them with their teeth: but en|deavour to hurt the flock with Rea&s;ons and Arguments, which in the judgement of Catho|liques, are deceitfull: Let the&s;e therefore be re|torted and beaten off with &s;tronger rea&s;ons, and let the &s;heep be admoni&s;hed to beware and take heed to them&s;elves that they be not en&s;nared by them, as Chri&s;t did, and after him the Apo&s;tles.
<PB N="32" REF="24"> By this means the flock of Chri&s;t will be &s;uf|ficiently armed again&s;t their violence; unle&s;&s;e thou woulde&s;t &s;ay, that the &s;heep were not &s;ufficiently armed again&s;t the violence &amp; incur|&s;ion of wolves, by Chri&s;t the great &s;hepherd of of the &s;heep, and by his Apo&s;tles their mo&s;t faithfull keepers, becau&s;e that they neither u&s;ed force them&s;elves, nor advi&s;ed others to do it. Moreover, if thou make&s;t u&s;e of externall force, thou wilt not thereby root out tho&s;e &s;cruples and doubts, which Heretiques perhaps have &s;owed in the minds of believers, but wilt adde &s;trength to them: Neither wilt thou hinder them from being wolves, but cau&s;e them to ab|&s;tain from profe&s;sing and detecting them&s;elves to be &s;uch, whil&s;t they in the mean while cover|ing them&s;elves with &s;heep skins, may remain without any danger of puni&s;hment pre&s;ent a|mong&s;t the flock. But if thou u&s;e&s;t Arguments only, and Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall cen&s;ures, thou wilt drive the wolves from the flock; For if any &s;hall be more wicked than others, who not|with&s;tanding what&s;oever hath been &s;aid in con|futation of their errors, will &s;till be in love with them; when no feare of puni&s;hment hinders them, will &s;hew them&s;elves in publike, and after open cen&s;ure and rebuke, will be excluded the eccle&s;ia&s;ticall &s;heepfold, neither &s;hall have cau&s;e to charge any one as guilty of their du&s;truction, be&s;ides them&s;elves and their own &s;tubborne&s;&s;e. Their blood will be upon their own heads, as the holy Scripture &s;peaketh, Their de&s;truction
<PB N="33" REF="24"> &s;hall not be imputed to their Pa&s;tors, becau&s;e they admoni&s;hed them, they armed them again&s;t errors, and endeavoured as much as in them lay to keep them in the path that leadeth to &s;alva|tion. Wherefore, as the Prophet &s;aith, tho&s;e <HI>wicked ones &s;hall die in their iniquity,</HI> but the pa&s;tors have delivered their &s;oule. Yet not|with&s;ttnding the Church will reap the benefit, for which al&s;o God &s;uffers here&s;ies &s;ometimes to &s;pring up among the faithfull, as <HI>Paul</HI> teach|eth, that they which are <HI>approved, may be made manife&s;t among them.</HI> Which benefit doth not follow, if hereticks be violently &s;uppre&s;&s;ed; for by &s;uch dealing, even the wicked, repre&s;&s;ed by feare, will labour to carry the outward guize of believers, as much as hone&s;t men, &s;o that there may appeare no difference between them: yea, a heretick, who &s;hall dare to ri&s;e up again&s;t an armed religion, and to profe&s;&s;e and defend here&s;ie with the danger of his e&s;tate, or of life it &s;elf; will &s;hew forth a greater proofe of vertue, than he which, guarded with power, oppo&s;eth a here&s;ie, or at lea&s;t defendeth a Reli|gion which is attended with force and power: For neither can it then appear whether he per|&s;evere in his true opinion, or defends it for the goodne&s;&s;e of his cau&s;e, or to confirm his own power, or for feare of another mans power. But on the contrary, he which dares oppo&s;e him&s;elf again&s;t a Religion which is armed with power, or revolt from it, and contemn all dan|gers for Religion &s;ake, doth demon&s;trate (as I
<PB N="34" REF="25"> have &s;aid before) that he lightly e&s;teems all things in compari&s;on of God, piety, con&s;cience, and eternall &s;alvation. By this time, that al&s;o is evident enough, that the minds of believers, and of Chri&s;ts little ones, may be &s;o prepared and guarded by the care and diligence of their Pa|&s;tors, e&s;pecially &s;eeing there be &s;o many, not only thou&s;ands, but even millions of them; that the poy&s;on which heretiques admini&s;ter unto &s;uch, cannot hurt them, although no violence be exer|ci&s;ed again&s;t heretiques. Neither verily may it be imagined, that Heretiques arguments are &s;o plau&s;ible, that they may withdraw the more &s;imple and ignorant &s;ort of men from the &s;aving truth, which are lovers of truth, and earne&s;tly de&s;ire their own &s;alvation; although the Truth, well expounded, and armed with &s;trong argu|ments, be oppo&s;ed with tho&s;e Rea&s;ons. For truth, e&s;pecially heavenly and &s;aving truth, is of &s;uch a nature, that it &s;inks more ea&s;ily into a mind that is di&s;po&s;ed to vertue, if it be hand|&s;omely propounded, and confirmed be&s;ides with &s;olid arguments, than fal&s;hood and error: She hath a certain wonderfull clearne&s;&s;e and bright|ne&s;&s;e of her own, by which &s;he dazles and over|comes their minds, which do not purpo&s;ely re|fu&s;e to take knowledge of her; neither is &s;he more approved of by &s;ubtile, than by &s;imple ca|pacities, which are endued but with common+&s;en&s;e and apprehen&s;ion. <HI>I thank thee</HI> (&s;aith Chri&s;t) <HI>O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 11. 25.</NOTE> <HI>becau&s;e thou ha&s;t hid the&s;e things from the wi&s;e</HI>
<PB N="35" REF="25"> <HI>and prudent, and ha&s;t revealed them to babes:</HI> And S. Paul: <HI>God hath cho&s;en the fooli&s;h things</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor: 1. 27.</NOTE> <HI>of the world to confound the wi&s;e.</HI> Therefore as yet no cau&s;e appeares, why we &s;hould think that a remedy again&s;t the poy&s;on of here&s;ie, is placed in violence and arms: but rather it appeares that there is need of &s;ome other whol&s;ome anti|dote again&s;t the venome of Errors.</P>
<P>Perhaps &s;ome man may &s;till object, that to grant Heretiques liberty of Religion, mu&s;t needs wound and trouble the con&s;cience of Magi|&s;trates, becau&s;e if liberty of Religion be per|mitted them, the Commonwealth will be di|vided into factions, and a way laid open for di&s;|cord, tumults, and inte&s;tine garboiles and &s;editi|ons: For the minds of the people are knit and united together by con&s;ent in Religion; but by difference and di&s;agreement therein they are divided and di&s;tracted; neither can it other|wi&s;e happen, but that they who are zealou&s;ly affected to Religion, &s;hould ri&s;e up in arms a|gain&s;t them, at &s;ome time or other, whom they are fully per&s;waded do &s;pread abroad ungodly and pe&s;tilent doctrine. Neither truly the Con|&s;cience of Magi&s;trates and Catholique Pa&s;tors doth permit them to quench the zeale and affe|ction in the people to the Catholique religion, which they ought rather to cheri&s;h and increa&s;e. Therefore they cannot &s;o bridle and repre&s;&s;e the fury of the people which are inflamed with a deadly hatred again&s;t Heretiques, but that it will at &s;ome time or other break forth in violence
<PB N="36" REF="26"> again&s;t Heretiques. Yet notwith&s;tanding in the mean while it is the duty of the Magi&s;trate to pre&s;erve &s;afe and &s;ound the publike peace, to hinder tumults, to take out of the way what|&s;oever may occa&s;ion them. If he doth other|wi&s;e, he offends his own con&s;cience, and doth not execute that office which God hath com|mitted to his charge. Wherefore when as he ei|ther cannot, or ought not to &s;uppre&s;&s;e the people fervently affected to Religion, from ri&s;ing up in violence again&s;t Heretiques; there remains one cour&s;e only to be taken, which is, to expell He|retiques, and to &s;uffer and e&s;tabli&s;h but one Re|ligion in one Country, and that to be the Ca|tholique religion. The&s;e &s;ayings may &s;eem to &s;ome man very plau&s;ible, yet if thou diligently ob&s;erve, thou &s;halt find them to be &s;uch, which even experience it &s;elf doth very much confute: for &s;o far is it from being true, that this is the way, and the only way, to free a Commonwealth from tumults and &s;editions, that none is more apt and commodious to rai&s;e them up; And it is a wonder to me that wi&s;e men have not yet learned &s;o much, or rather would not learn by experience, which is &s;aid to be the &s;chool-mi&s;tris even of fooles. If ancient examples be not pow|erfull enough to per&s;wade thee, yet look upon tho&s;e which are modern and of latter times, and almo&s;t &s;ubject to thy view: Behold <HI>France,</HI> oftentimes &s;wimming with the blood of its own inhabitants, by rea&s;on of tho&s;e wars which were rai&s;ed for Religion, which could never be
<PB N="37" REF="26"> ended till liberty of Religion was granted He|retiques. Look upon the <HI>Low-Countries,</HI> and a war la&s;ting &s;o many yeares, which is both la|mentable, and famous, for as many great over|throwes of the Catholiques, as of Heretiques. Behold <HI>Germany,</HI> or rather the &s;epulchre of <HI>Ger|many,</HI> which even to this day is mi&s;erably trou|bled with a mo&s;t cruell war. I &s;hall think him blinde, who doth not &s;ee, that by oppo&s;ing He|retiques with force, tumults and wars are rai&s;ed up, not quelled and prevented; But I &s;hall be|lieve him to be an iron-hearted man, who is not troubled and grieved for &s;uch tragicall and &s;ad examples. It were truly to be wi&s;hed, that there were but one Religion in a Kingdome, and that the true one; for neither is it a que&s;tion, but that by this meanes the minds of men may be more united together in mutuall good will and affection: Yet thus much we deny, that by di|ver&s;ity of Religions the minds of the people are altogether &s;o di&s;tracted and divided, that a civill concord and a mutuall good will between Inhabitants of the &s;ame city or kingdom, cannot &s;tand together with that difference in Religion. Moreover, if they which beare rule in any Nati|on or Kingdome, would but prevaile a little with their affections to tolerate Heretiques which are weak, they will knit rather and binde the minds of Heretiques in good will toward them|&s;elves; For that which they in ju&s;tice do, that, Heretiques which are weaker in &s;trength, will account a courte&s;ie, and a&s;cribe it to their gentle
<PB N="38" REF="27"> di&s;po&s;ition, bounty and benevolence. Wherefore they which deny that peace can remain in a Commonwealth, if there be diver&s;ity of Religi|ons in it; They al&s;o mu&s;t deny, that a weaker party, which is of a different Religion, may be tolerated by the &s;tronger in a Kingdome: which who&s;oever &s;hall affirm, they al&s;o &s;hall excu&s;e the Heathens, who in former Ages would not tolerate Chri&s;tians that were weaker than them|&s;elves, becau&s;e indeed they could not. As much is to be a&s;&s;erted and avouched concerning <HI>Anti|ochus</HI> and other Kings, who in former times grievou&s;ly afflicted the Jewes, over whom they had dominion, for Religion &s;ake. But why &s;hould that be denied to be fea&s;ible, which ap|pears to have been often done, as we &s;ee it now adayes to be under the <HI>Turk</HI> him&s;elf, who per|mits Chri&s;tians in &s;everall parts of his domini|ons, to exerci&s;e their own Religion. Why do &s;o many endeavour, and &s;ome by writing books, others by word of mouth, to per&s;wade the Ma|gi&s;trates not to grant a Toleration unto Here|tiques, which are not &s;o &s;trong as them&s;elves in power? But why do they feare le&s;t that be granted, which cannot be? But perhaps they which think it cannot be admitted, judge of o|ther men according to their own di&s;po&s;ition, and are led either with an over-hot and prepo|&s;terous zeale, or &s;o enraged and tran&s;ported with the wilfulne&s;&s;e and unruline&s;&s;e of their own mind, and confidence of their own &s;trength, that they think tho&s;e which are not &s;o power|full
<PB N="39" REF="27"> as them&s;elves, may not be endured; whom I believe they would permit, if they were more powerfull. A civill peace therefore may (as I have &s;aid) con&s;i&s;t even where there is difference of opinion in matters belonging to Religion. That is a known and a u&s;uall proverb among the common people: <HI>Good men may differ in opinion even about the &s;ame matters, without any breach of friend&s;hip.</HI> To which &s;en&s;e that al&s;o tends, which is as common: <HI>A friend to the per&s;on, yet an enemy to the cau&s;e.</HI> Neither doth it le&s;&s;e concern matters of Religion, than State-affaires. Moreover, if the nature of the matter be con&s;idered; di&s;agreement in State-affaires is more hurtfull to a Civill peace and concord, than difference in opinions about a matter of Piety, which (if men would moderate and bridle their affections, e&s;pecially tho&s;e which are mo&s;t powerfull) leaves the bond of concord &s;afe and &s;ecure in a Commonwealth, even for becau&s;e it doth not of it &s;elf concern Civil &s;ociety. So in former ages, Roman Em|perours which imbraced the Chri&s;tian religion, enjoyed a quiet dominion, although they per|mitted Pagans, which oppo&s;ed it. But heathen|ni&s;h Emperors, which tolerated Chri&s;tians, had a far more peaceable reigne: Verily Chri&s;tians were no hinderance to the continuance of peace in the Commonwealth, although they did boldly and ingeniou&s;ly profe&s;&s;e their Religion, and did much abhorre that Heatheni&s;h impiety which was then publikely exerci&s;ed; and te&s;tified that
<PB N="40" REF="28"> they had rather die a thou&s;and deaths, than im|brace and approve of it. Al&s;o &s;ome Chri&s;tian Emperours tolerated Heretiques, &s;uch as the <HI>Pelagians</HI> were, and that at <HI>Rome</HI> too, without any di&s;turbance of the publike peace. So al&s;o <HI>Germany</HI> remained quiet a long time, in diver|&s;ity of Religions, and had continued &s;o even till this time, unle&s;&s;e either &s;ome very ra&s;h or am|bitious Coun&s;els had at length prevailed. That the like is to be judged of the <HI>Low-Countries,</HI> they will ea&s;ily perceive, who are not ignorant of the pa&s;&s;ages there.</P>
<P>But as for that which &s;ome men plead, that the zeal of Catholike religion ought not to be quen|ched, but even cheri&s;hed and fomented: which &s;ometimes doth &s;o incen&s;e the people, that they are led thereby to invade, plunder, and demoli&s;h Heretiques churches, oratories, and hou&s;es. Verily they &s;hew them&s;elves to be unacquainted with the affairs of the world, and to be not only very little mindfull of Chri&s;t, but al&s;o of civil lawes: For is this a zeale be&s;eeming Chri&s;tians, to invade other mens properties by force? to ruinate and pull down other mens churches, by tumult, by &s;edition, without any command from the Magi&s;trate, before any lawful judgment hath pa&s;&s;ed, and of their own accord and plea&s;ure to ruine and de&s;troy other men? Then Chri&s;t wanted zeale; then the Apo&s;tles wanted zeal; then all Chri&s;tians which lived &s;ince them, wanted zeale, who never did, nor purpo&s;ed to
<PB N="41" REF="28"> do any &s;uch things: They &s;uffered indeed many &s;uch things, but they never did the like to others. That is not the zeal of Religion, but the rage and fury of the people, often &s;tirred up with hope of prey: Vnle&s;&s;e perhaps thou maye&s;t call it that, which <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith <HI>is not according to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 10. 2</NOTE> <HI>knowledge,</HI> and as S. <HI>Iames</HI> &s;peaketh, is <HI>bitter:</HI> for this, as he &s;heweth, rai&s;eth tumults, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jam. 3. 14, 16.</NOTE> every evill work. That zeale which is joyned with wi&s;dome and knowledge, is of another nature; for that wi&s;dome doth not &s;uffer zeale to grow to &s;editions and tumults, but it is mo&s;t de&s;irous of peace and quietne&s;&s;e: whereof the &s;ame Apo&s;tle &s;aith a little after, <HI>The wi&s;dome that is from above is peaceable, gentle, and ea&s;ie</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 17.</NOTE> <HI>to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits.</HI> Wherefore it is &s;o far from being true, That, that Zeal which breaketh forth into tumults, rapines, burnings with fire, &s;tripes and &s;laughters; is to be nouri&s;hed and fomented by the Pa&s;tors of Chri&s;tian people: That rather it is by all means po&s;&s;ible to be &s;uppre&s;&s;ed, and brought within the bounds of mode&s;ty, meekne&s;&s;e, and gentle|ne&s;&s;e; le&s;t they which &s;hould be the heralds and me&s;&s;engers of peace, become trumpets of &s;edition, and incen&s;ers of the publike calamity and ruine. So far al&s;o is it from being true, that the Magi&s;trate ought to cheri&s;h this licentiou&s;|ne&s;&s;e of the people, that he ought rather to re|&s;train it upon all occa&s;ions, if &s;o be he would provide for the good of Religion, which dete&s;t|eth &s;uch &s;infull deeds; and for the tranquility of
<PB N="42" REF="29"> the Commonwealth; and al&s;o di&s;charge that office which is committed to him by God, and &s;atisfie his own con&s;cience. For nothing is more de&s;tructive to a Commonwealth, than to &s;uffer the liberty, reputation, goods, or life, even of a wicked man, to be obnoxious to the lu&s;t of a tumultuous people. Therefore although Here|tiques were at length to be re&s;trained by force, yet neverthele&s;&s;e that were not to be executed by the tumult and &s;edition of the common peo|ple, but in a &s;etled and lawfull way of Judge|ment by the Magi&s;trate. Wi&s;e Magi&s;trates and good Princes alwayes take order, that offenders be not expo&s;ed to the licenciou&s;ne&s;&s;e of the people, which neither knows how to ob&s;erve a ju&s;t mea&s;ure in puni&s;hment, neither is more cruell to evill and guilty, than good and inno|cent men, and never makes a &s;tand where it be|gan, but oftentimes creepeth on farther. But if then Heretiques are not to be expo&s;ed to the zeal or fury of the common People, although they were at length to be puni&s;hed: how much le&s;&s;e ought that to be permitted, if they are not to be puni&s;hed with Civil puni&s;hments.</P>
<P>Thus much I thinke fit to &s;ay yet, before I leave this point or argument; that tho&s;e which judge it not expedient to tollerate Heretiques, becau&s;e they di&s;turb the Peace of the Common|wealth by their difference in religion, do u&s;e the &s;ame argument, which Infidels or Heretiques may ea&s;ily retort upon them in their own do|minions. Truly <HI>Haman</HI> u&s;ed the like argument
<PB N="43" REF="29"> in former times, that he might &s;hew that the Jews were to be rooted out, charging them al&s;o with Trea&s;on, as that they contemned the Kings commands: which malicious accu&s;ation pro|ceeded from no other ground, then becau&s;e the Iews would not obey in any wi&s;e the Kings de|crees in matters belonging to Religion: to which calumny they are alwayes obnoxious, which follow a different religion from that which the &s;upreame Magi&s;trate approves of, and defends by force. For &s;o it is written in the Letters, which that <HI>Haman</HI> publi&s;hed in the name of the King: <HI>Haman</HI> declared unto us, that in all Na|tions <NOTE PLACE="marg">He&s;t. 13. 4</NOTE> throughout the world there was &s;cattered a certain People, that had Laws contrary to all Nations, and continually de&s;pi&s;ed the Com|mandements of Kings, &s;o as the uniting of our Kingdomes cannot go forward. Seeing then we under&s;tand that this People alone is continually in oppo&s;ition unto all men, differing in the &s;trange manner of their Laws, and evill affected to our State, working all the mi&s;chief they can, that our Kingdome may not be firmly e&s;tabli&s;h|ed. Therefore have wee commanded that all they that are &s;ignified in writing unto you by <HI>Haman</HI> (who is ordained over the affairs, and is next unto us) &s;hall all, with their wives and children be utterly de&s;troyed by the &s;word of their enemies. Neither skils it any thing in this ca&s;e, that the&s;e are Believers, tho&s;e Infidels; the&s;e Catholiques, tho&s;e Heretiques. For if diver&s;ity of religion di&s;turbes the peace of the Common|wealth,
<PB N="44" REF="30"> the Catholique religion will as much trouble it in a Hereticall Common-wealth, e&s;pe|cially allowing of the &s;laughter of Heretiques, as an Hereticall religion in a Catholique: Yea, a Hereticall religion which di&s;allows of any &s;lay|ing, or pro&s;ecuting of Heretiques, will far le&s;&s;e cau&s;e it, than the Catholique religion. And moreover every man thinks that he hath a right opinion and beliefe concerning religion; and a Catholique is as much a Heretique in the e&s;tima|tion of a Heretique, as a Heretique is in the judg|ment of a Catholique. Therefore if that rea&s;on be true, which I confute, an hereticall Magi|&s;trate cannot but think that his cour&s;e to pre|&s;erve the peace of his Kingdome, mu&s;t be to ba|ni&s;h Catholiques out of the bounds thereof. But if Catholiques like not this, neither let them think it fit for them&s;elves, to expell Heretiques their Common-wealths.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="3" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="45" REF="30">
<HEAD>CHAP. III.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P>Catholiques ought to grant Heretiques Liberty of Religion, and to provide for their Security.</P>
</ARGUMENT>
<P>VVEE have &s;hewed in the foregoing Chapter, that the liberty of Religion, which Heretiques de&s;ire, requires nothing el&s;e, but that they may receive no hurt, nor be affli|cted with any puni&s;hment for Here&s;ie: in one word, that a Civill peace may be accepted of with them. But now the fir&s;t argument wee bring to prove that Catholiques ought to live peaceably with them, is, becau&s;e they may do it with a &s;afe con&s;cience, as hath been hitherto &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">wne. But if Catholiques may with a &s;afe con&s;cience live peaceably with them, then they are bound to do &s;o. For thus &s;aith Saint <HI>Paul,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 18. Heb. 12. 14.</NOTE> <HI>If it be po&s;&s;ible, as much as in you is, have peace with all men.</HI> And in another place: <HI>Follow peace with all men.</HI> But yet both nature and com|mon rea&s;on be&s;ides declare, that any man ought to live peaceably with all tho&s;e, with whom he may; e&s;pecially with &s;uch as earne&s;tly de&s;ire, and importunately ask it. But if Heathens al&s;o thought it good to purcha&s;e peace oftentimes even upon har&s;h and unju&s;t termes, how much more are Chri&s;tians bound to accept of a ju&s;t
<PB N="46" REF="31"> peace offered them by others, even of their own accord, or grant it them at their reque&s;t? <HI>Ble&s;|&s;ed are the Peacemakers,</HI> &s;aith our Saviour, <HI>for they &s;hall be called the children of God.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, if Catholiques &s;hould deny Here|tiques liberty or peace, and &s;hould hold it law|full to puni&s;h them, and &s;o &s;hould puni&s;h them for profe&s;&s;ing that religion which differs from the Cathoique, they would force them, as much as in them lyed to their own religion. But no man ought to be forced, or compelled by out|ward violence to the Chri&s;tian religion. Fir&s;t, becau&s;e the di&s;po&s;ition and nature of religion, e&s;pecially &s;pirituall, and perfect religion, &s;uch as is the Chri&s;tian religion, is repugnant to com|pul&s;ion. Rightly &s;aith <HI>Lactantius,</HI> Religion cannot be compelled: And again, nothing is &s;o voluntary as Religion, which if the minde of him that &s;acrificeth di&s;like, then it is taken away, then it becomes none at all. And therefore <HI>Ter|tullian</HI> &s;aith, It is not the property of religion to force religion, which ought to be freely em|braced, not by force. And then becau&s;e by this meanes many are con&s;trained to counterfeit and fain religion; for that violence cannot cau&s;e a man to think otherwi&s;e then he doth. An opi|nion can neither be thur&s;t into the minde by vi|olence, nor extorted and wre&s;ted from it. That is all force can do, to cau&s;e a man to approve of that opinion in words, which he di&s;likes in his heart. But &s;uch a &s;imulation and hypocri&s;ie is abominable to God, and ought to be al&s;o to all
<PB N="47" REF="31"> men; and it is hurtfull both to the Church, and to hypocrites them&s;elves. To the Church, be|cau&s;e tho&s;e hypocrites are &s;ecret enemies, whom the Church fo&s;ters in her bo&s;ome as Serpents: For they cannot but hate that Church, by which they believe them&s;elves to be mo&s;t unju&s;tly af|flicted, and de&s;ire, and if they can, work the ru|ine and de&s;truction thereof. It is hurtfull to hy|pocrites them&s;elves, becau&s;e it brings them to eternall de&s;truction. Our Saviour &s;aith of that evill &s;ervant, <HI>That the Lord &s;hall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites, there &s;hall be weep|ing, and gna&s;hing of teeth:</HI> And truly this pu|ni&s;hment would befall them, although they &s;hould think that this &s;imulation and di&s;&s;imula|tion were lawfull; but who&s;oever among&s;t them are more &s;incere and vertuous then others; in doing &s;o wound their con&s;cience mo&s;t grie|vou&s;ly, and &s;o &s;in mo&s;t hainou&s;ly again&s;t God, becau&s;e they Profe&s;&s;e that religion which they hate and abhor in their minde, and performe tho&s;e religious exerci&s;es, which they condemne, and believe to be di&s;plea&s;ing to God. But he &s;ins mo&s;t hainou&s;ly, which violates his con&s;cience. If he &s;ins, and therefore is damned, who doth a thing which is otherwi&s;e lawfull in it &s;elfe, with a doubting con&s;cience, as Saint <HI>Paul</HI> teacheth, he &s;ins far more hainou&s;ly, and more ju&s;tly is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 14. 23.</NOTE> condemned who doth any thing directly again&s;t his con&s;cience, and the judgement of his own minde. Hence it is that Divines &s;ay (they are the words of a mo&s;t famous man among&s;t the
<PB N="48" REF="32"> Catholique doctors) that the con&s;cience, though it be erroneous binds, &s;o that it is never lawfull to do any thing again&s;t it, but it behoveth a man to lay it a&s;ide, and di&s;charge him&s;elfe of it by the prudent coun&s;ell of rea&s;on, and of wi&s;e men; or if he cannot do that, he is bound to o|bey it, to wit, if his re&s;olution, and the matter in hand may not be deferred. Wherefore they which force others to de&s;ert their own religion and embrace the Catholique again&s;t their con|&s;cience, compell them, as much as in them is, to &s;in mo&s;t grievou&s;ly. But how may he be judged free from &s;inning greatly, who forceth other men to &s;in greatly.</P>
<P>But &s;ome man may here object, (of which we &s;pake al&s;o in the former Chapter) That God neverthele&s;&s;e commanded them under the Law, to puni&s;h tho&s;e with death, which &s;hould wor&s;hip &s;trange and fal&s;e gods. Wherefore at lea&s;t in &s;uch a ca&s;e, God would have men to be forced to the true Religion, neither would have any regard to be had of that point, That Religi|on ought to be free; and that many, by &s;uch means as force, may be driven to &s;imulation, or compelled to do any thing again&s;t con&s;cience. We might an&s;wer thus: That it is lawfull for God, who as he is Lord of all other things, &s;o al&s;o of our con&s;ciences, and of who&s;e will and plea&s;ure the &s;tate and way of Religion depends; To &s;werve from the ordinary path and method of things, and to ordain many things, which it is not lawfull for us to ordain or effect. But
<PB N="49" REF="32"> we will not now make u&s;e of this an&s;wer. Thus much fir&s;t we affirm; That even Catholique Doctors both ancient and modern, have ob&s;er|ved, and any one that will &s;eriou&s;ly bend his mind to it will ea&s;ily &s;ee, that the Jewi&s;h religi|on was carnall, and con&s;i&s;ted mo&s;t in externall matters; not &s;pirituall and perfect, &s;uch as we have &s;aid the Chri&s;tian to be: wherefore it is no wonder that God would force men in &s;ome re&s;pects by carnall puni&s;hments, to a carnall religion; and that the genius and proper quality of Religion, which is, that it be free and volun|tary, did not &s;hew forth it &s;elf in every point in that Religion. But the proper quality of a &s;pi|rituall and perfect Religion, is of another tem|per, which requires mo&s;t of all the Minde of man: wherefore God would not have it e&s;ta|bli&s;hed by externall force, nor by terror of Civil, but Eternal puni&s;hments: &amp; a great deal rather would have it imprinted and ingrafted in the minds of men by the love of mo&s;t holy promi|&s;es. And in the next place it is to be noted, that the Jewi&s;h religion was both &s;o ordained and &s;etled from the beginning, and afterwards continued and admini&s;tred; that it may ju&s;tly be affirmed, that violence was no more offered to the con&s;ciences of the Jews, when they were deterred by threatning puni&s;hments from wor|&s;hipping &s;trange gods, and from contempt of the Law, than it is to their con&s;ciences, who, if they be Inhabitants of any Kingdome, are de|terred by threatning puni&s;hments from yielding
<PB N="50" REF="33"> that honour which is due unto a King, to any be&s;ides their own King; or from the contempt and breach of tho&s;e Lawes which are enacted and e&s;tabli&s;hed by a lawfull power, and com|mand no di&s;hone&s;t matter. For God appearing openly from the very beginning in the mountain Sinai, &s;o &s;hewed him&s;elf to be the only God, in the &s;ight of all the people, and publi&s;hed his Law unto them, that no man could doubt but that he was both their only God, and &s;o to be wor&s;hipped only as a God, and that the Law of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> came from him. From whence it came to pa&s;&s;e, that all the people, none making any oppo&s;ition at all, made a covenant with God by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> concerning that Law. And then after the Law was now e&s;tabli&s;hed, God both promi&s;ed that he would ever and anon rai&s;e up Prophets to the people of I&s;rael from among&s;t them&s;elves, by whom the Jewes might ask his advice, and find out his minde, not only concerning matters pertaining to Religion, but even &s;uch as belong to the Commonwealth, yea and &s;uch as concern hou&s;hold affairs: And really al&s;o performed it, and had &s;till a great deal more performed it, if the people had remained con&s;tant in ob&s;erving the Law. Be&s;ides other prophe&s;ies and fore|warnings, God ordained an ordinary way of asking his coun&s;el by the Prie&s;ts <HI>Ephod,</HI> or <HI>&V;rim</HI> and <HI>Thummim,</HI> as the holy Scripture cals it. And he moreover revealed &s;ecret and hidden matters to &s;uch as &s;ought <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ut his will by lot, and &s;hewed what they were to do: and as often as
<PB N="51" REF="33"> the people followed Gods coun&s;el, all things &s;ucceeded pro&s;perou&s;ly with them; &s;o that the event it &s;elf declared, tho&s;e an&s;wers came from God. Therefore the &s;tate of things was in a manner, as if God had been a certain King a|mong the people of I&s;rael, even in civil and earthly matters, dwelling in the Tabernacle as in a certain Kingly palace, and abiding in the Ark, and from thence informing the people of his will by the Prie&s;ts, or other Prophets, as &s;er|vants that were to wait near his per&s;on. He gave an&s;wers about undertaking and waging of war, about choo&s;ing of Captains and Commanders, and other &s;uch like matters: He very often &s;hewed wonders, to declare that him&s;elf dwelt in the mid&s;t of that people. Wherefore things were then &s;o ordered, as if &s;ome King contain|ing him&s;elf within his own palace, neither &s;uf|fering him&s;elf to be &s;een of the common peo|ple, were approached unto only by his Nobles, gave an&s;wers by them to the re&s;t, and publi&s;hed &s;tatutes, and ruled the common-wealth accord|ing to his own will and plea&s;ure; and &s;o would have a Kingly honour to be attributed to none be&s;ides him&s;elf, and would have his Lawes, com|manding no di&s;hone&s;t thing (as I have &s;aid) e|&s;tabli&s;ht with a threatning of puni&s;hment, to be obeyed by all his &s;ubjects. By taking which cour&s;e, he were to be thought to do no proper violence to mens con&s;ciences, or to force them to &s;imulation, but to hinder and repre&s;&s;e only the ob&s;tinacie and rebellion of his own &s;ubjects.
<PB N="52" REF="34"> But the di&s;po&s;ition of Religion is far otherwi&s;e now after that God would be &s;ought to no longer upon earth, but in heaven, and took a|way tho&s;e manife&s;t &s;ignes of his pre&s;ence, nei|ther doth uphold and pre&s;erve the Religion which he hath ordained after &s;uch a con&s;picu|ous and open manner; doth not &s;tir up Prophets, doth no longer give an&s;wers, but acts and orders all things more &s;ecretly, for &s;o much the greater triall of mens faith: For as the ca&s;e now is, men fall more ea&s;ily into error, and violence is offered to the con&s;cience, if thou &s;halt make any one quit his error by threatning of puni&s;hments, and force him to a truth which is not demon&s;trated by &s;uch clear te&s;timonies: And from thence al&s;o follows this conclu&s;ion, That they are for|ced to a &s;imulation, which is hatefull to God, who being not convinced by arguments and rea&s;ons, are compelled by force to imbrace a Religion, how true &s;oever it be: In which point truly they have hitherto &s;o erred, who thought it meet for Heretiques to be &s;uppre&s;&s;ed by violence; that taking a middle cour&s;e be|tween a Legal &s;everity, and a Chri&s;tian gentle|ne&s;&s;e, they obtained the end of neither of them: For God in former times would not have Apo|&s;tates and wor&s;hippers of fal&s;e gods, and con|temners of his Law, to be &s;pared, but command|ed them to be &s;lain without mercy; for he in|tended not this puni&s;hment as a remedy again&s;t their error, but as a revengement again&s;t their unpardonable wickedne&s;&s;e and contumacie. But
<PB N="53" REF="34"> tho&s;e which hold it requi&s;ite for Heretiques to be violently dealt withall, becau&s;e they plainly &s;ee that many of them do not &s;in through &s;tub|borne&s;&s;e, but are led away by error, tho&s;e they think fit to be &s;pared; but upon &s;uch a conditi|on, that they recall their error; although they &s;ee that they would never have recalled it, unle&s;&s;e they had been driven to it by terror of puni&s;h|ment, and therefore that they rather pretend the Catholique religion, than approve of it. Therefore they do not de&s;troy tho&s;e which have an evill opinion concerning God and matters belonging to Religion, but only hinder them from profe&s;&s;ing it outwardly, which the Law never intended. But whil&s;t they puni&s;h tho&s;e, or deprive tham even of life, which dare not for fear of con&s;cience renounce their error, they neither perform the duty of Chri&s;tian meeknes, nor obtain the end thereof, which is that erro|neous per&s;ons may be brought into the way, and be re&s;tored. And that I may utter the whole matter in a word; by doing thus, they tolerate the wor&s;er &s;ort, and de&s;troy the better: for they are better and more vertuous, who, when they are not convinced of an error, will not renounce it, for fear of wounding their con&s;cience, and of offending again&s;t God; than tho&s;e which con|demn in words again&s;t their con&s;cience, an opi|nion, though in it &s;elf erroneous, yet that which they believe to be true, and agreeable to the word of God.</P>
<P>The&s;e things being thus declared, we will
<PB N="54" REF="35"> adde yet &s;ome other arguments, by which we may &s;hew, that Catholiques ought to live quiet|ly with Heretiques, and not to &s;uppre&s;&s;e them by force. I will not now make mention of tho&s;e &s;editions, wars and tumults, which might ea&s;ily proceed from denying Liberty of Religion to Heretiques, e&s;pecially in a Nation that is accu|&s;tomed to liberty, that is unapt to &s;uffer any yoke or &s;ervitude, much more that, than which none is more grievous, even that by which mens con&s;ciences are oppre&s;&s;ed. We &s;hewed the truth of this matter by mo&s;t evident examples in the former Chapter, which without our informati|on any man may &s;ee. Neither verily is it ne|ce&s;&s;ary that Heretiques them&s;elves rai&s;e tumults, even though Heretiques be &s;uppre&s;&s;ed; A &s;parkle of di&s;cord may take hold on Catholiques them|&s;elves, partly by the obligations of kindred, and laws of friene&s;hip and alliance, by which they are knit and allied to Heretiques; partly be|cau&s;e examples &s;hewed upon Heretiques, would in a &s;hort time creep further, For examples do not u&s;e to &s;top &amp; cea&s;e where they fir&s;t began, and &s;o much the le&s;&s;e tho&s;e of which we treat, if any gain might accrue and ri&s;e to others by the oppre&s;&s;ion of Heretiques: what, &s;hall we think that they will not find &s;ome &s;pecious pre|tence, who covet other mens goods, to make tho&s;e heretiques, or abettors and followers of heretiques, who&s;e riches they greedily gape af|ter; e&s;pecially if they &s;hall perceive them to be obnoxious, and to lie open to injury? But what
<PB N="55" REF="35"> &s;hall I &s;ay of the authority and dominion of the Clergie over the Politick State? The matter may ea&s;ily be di&s;cerned by the hi&s;tory of tho&s;e times, which were before the ri&s;e of here&s;ies, How ea&s;ily might a &s;peech more free than ordi|nary, uttered again&s;t the Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall State, be drawn into the crime of Here&s;ie? and that which was &s;poken again&s;t the behaviour or actions of Clergie-men, be wre&s;ted to a contu|mely and reproach of Religion it &s;elf? e&s;pecially when thou &s;houlde&s;t have both thine Accu&s;ers and Judges out of the &s;ame &s;tate and order of men. Might not even this very thing it &s;elf af|ford occa&s;ion to new motions and tumults? But let others look to this. We would in this place have that called to memory, which we &s;pake of in the former chapter; That by de|priving Heretiques of Liberty in Religion, he|re&s;ies are not only not &s;uppre&s;&s;ed and rooted out, but even by how much the more hone&s;t the mindes of any people be, by &s;o much the more they are increa&s;ed: We adde now thus much: That by deniall thereof, Athei&s;me &s;prings up in many mens hearts, which is wor&s;e than any kind of here&s;ie what&s;oever. For, Con&s;cience is &s;up|pre&s;&s;ed and de&s;troyed in tho&s;e men, in whom there is not &s;o great hone&s;ty, and &s;o great vertue and power of con&s;cience as there ought to be, when they are troubled for Religion; and &s;o hypocri&s;ie, and counterfeiting of that Religion unto which they are forced, is begotten in them, and &s;o athei&s;me and profane&s;&s;e, which hath no
<PB N="56" REF="36"> &s;avour at all of holines and religion, &s;prings up. But as for tho&s;e men in whom there is a greater hone&s;ty and integrity of minde, and a regard of con&s;cience, and a feare of God; in tho&s;e men the love of their Religion is inflamed and increa|&s;ed by per&s;ecution, as a fire is by ca&s;ting oyle into it: and it layes hold on (as I may &s;o &s;ay) with an open and light fire what&s;oever comes nigh it, and oftentimes creeps on further, for tho&s;e cau&s;es mentioned in the former chapter: concerning which point, <HI>Thuanus,</HI> a Catholique, wrote much (among other men) in the Preface which he &s;et before his Hi&s;tories. But if thou &s;aye&s;t, that a <HI>Spani&s;h Inqui&s;ition</HI> is &s;omewhere u&s;ed, yet Here&s;ies do not creep on farther there: I would have thee al&s;o to con&s;ider, whether A|thei&s;me doth not creep into the place of here&s;ie? Truly not a few even of the Catholiques com|plain of that matter, who are well acquainted with tho&s;e countries: Although be&s;ides, many thou&s;ands were found to be in <HI>Spain</HI> and <HI>Por|tugal,</HI> but a few years ago, of tho&s;e, who either took unto them&s;elves the name, or had it given them by the people, of Illuminated per&s;ons, and were accounted for heretiques. But what do&s;t thou think many fo&s;ter privily in their mind? Experience it &s;elf doth &s;ufficiently declare, that in <HI>Spain</HI> and <HI>Portugal,</HI> the Jewi&s;h and Saraceni|call religion could not for &s;ome ages be rooted out of mens minds by bringing in an Inqui&s;ition.</P>
<P>But verily although there were not &s;o great inconveniencies, as I have recorded, yet there
<PB N="57" REF="36"> would be others, which ought to di&s;&s;wade Ca|tholiques from holding it fitting for Heretiques to be puni&s;hed. For even that one thing ought to prevaile with them, which we &s;pake of in the former Chapter, that the &s;afety of the Church, and of Religion doth no wayes require, that he|retiques be &s;et upon by violence, which al&s;o the Catholiques them&s;elves &s;ufficiently confirme, when they affirme that the Church is founded upon a Rock, &s;o that it can neither by force, nor by guile be overthrowne, which Chri&s;t &s;ignified, when he &s;aid, <HI>The gates of hell &s;hall not prevaile again&s;t it.</HI> Neither truly is it agreeable to rea|&s;on, that this &s;tability, and immovable con&s;tan|cy of the Church &s;hould con&s;i&s;t in that, that &s;he &s;hall prevaile by Armes and civill power over her enemies: for becau&s;e that then the contra|ry rather appeared, when that &s;o godly a build|ing was brought from its fir&s;t foundations to full perfection. The Catholiques them&s;elves &s;hew another kinde of &s;upportance for it, that Spirit of truth which is alwayes pre&s;ent with the Church, which alwayes upholds it, and pre|&s;erves it &s;afe from all ruine. But &s;hall we think that that Spirit of truth, which in former Ages erected the holy building of the Church, maugre all the oppo&s;ition of Satan, and the whole world, and brought it to &s;uch a greatne&s;&s;e by impotent and unarmed men, and defended it again&s;t arm|ed errour and impiety, is become now adayes &s;o weak and feeble, that he can no longer main|tain his own work without &s;trength of Arms:
<PB N="58" REF="37"> and that he &s;tands in need of that power to de|fend religion and the Church, which he before &s;ubdued, otherwi&s;e without its help, the Church mu&s;t needs fall to ruine? But if the &s;afety of the Church, and of the Catholique religion doth not require that Heretiques be overwhelmed by force, why doe the Catholiques hold it fit for them to be born down with violence? For who can think, e&s;pecially that is a Chri&s;tian, that u&s;e is to be made of violence, puni&s;hments and arms, without nece&s;&s;ity? For it is the property of gentlene&s;&s;e to &s;pare, where thou maye&s;t &s;pare; e&s;pecially where &s;o many thou&s;ands of men were to be dragged and haul'd to puni&s;hment, &s;o many &s;oules to be de&s;troyed. Furthermore, the hope of that great benefit which may proceeds from toleration of Heretiques, ought to incline the Catholiques to more gentle re&s;olutions. For by &s;uch a toleration they would purcha&s;e the prai&s;e to them&s;elves of meekne&s;&s;e, equity, gen|tlene&s;&s;e, and moderation, and would gaine their good wils and affections, which being once gained, it is an ea&s;ie matter to per&s;wade them of the truth which is founded upon &s;olid argu|ments. Moreover, when Heretiques are &s;o born withall, they have a time to recollect and amend them&s;elves, and tho&s;e errours which at the fir&s;t view &s;eemed plau&s;ible, after their paint and co|lour is by little and little di&s;covered; begin to le&s;&s;e delight men, and at length decay: but truth it &s;elf is &s;trengthened by delay: and being after a manner da&s;h: again&s;t fal&s;hood and untruth, by
<PB N="59" REF="37"> its own vertue and &s;trength breaks it in pieces, and the brightne&s;&s;e of it by this colli&s;ion &s;hines forth more clearly. Wherefore, when as in re|&s;pect hereof there is no nece&s;&s;ity of troubling Heretiques, and of provoking them with the terriblene&s;&s;e of puni&s;hments, but hence from le|nity and gentlene&s;&s;e there is hope of exceeding fruit and benefit belonging to the everla&s;ting &s;alvation of &s;o many thou&s;ands, yea millions; What Chri&s;tian man will be of &s;o rigorous and cruell a di&s;po&s;ition, that he can hold it fit to ex|erci&s;e cruelty, rather then patience and gentle|ne&s;&s;e towards tho&s;e men? Catholiques ought to be led and moved al&s;o in this point by the ex|amples of God him&s;elf, who&s;e children we pro|fe&s;&s;e our &s;elves to be; and of Chri&s;t the Saviour of the whole world, who was wont to u&s;e very great lenity and gentlene&s;&s;e towards erroneous per&s;ons. God in former times declared in his Law, which in other matters was &s;evere, <HI>That all the people of I&s;rael, and &s;trangers, which &s;o|journed amongst them &s;hould be forgiven if they committed any thing through ignorance;</HI> And truly, for this very rea&s;on, becau&s;e they did it through ignorance or errour, not through pride, and &s;tubbornne&s;&s;e of heart. But what &s;hall wee &s;ay of Chri&s;t, who came into the world for that purpo&s;e, <HI>That he might &s;ave &s;inners? Paul</HI> writes of him&s;elf, that Chri&s;t Ie&s;us our Lord put him in his &s;ervice, who was before a <HI>Bla&s;|phemer, and a Per&s;ecutor,</HI> and an <HI>Oppre&s;&s;our:</HI> but, &s;aith he, <HI>I was received to mercy, becau&s;e I</HI>
<PB N="60" REF="38"> <HI>did it ignorantly, through unbeliefe.</HI> Behold, he obtained pardon for &s;o great &s;ins as bla&s;phemy, per&s;ecution, reproaches and oppre&s;&s;ions, where|with he troubled and afflicted the godly, be|cau&s;e he did tho&s;e things ignorantly, through unbeliefe, and that at &s;uch a time, wherein the memory was yet fre&s;h of tho&s;e great miracles, and infinite in number, which were wrought by Chri&s;t; when tho&s;e wonderfull deeds of the A|po&s;tles were daily to be &s;een, when tho&s;e faith|full per&s;ons them&s;elves, whom <HI>Paul</HI> with an outragious fury per&s;ecuted, were full of the ho|ly Gho&s;t, and at lea&s;t many of them famous and renowned for their miracles. Neither did this bounty of Chri&s;t make a &s;tand at <HI>Paul.</HI> For the Apo&s;tle him&s;elf &s;heweth in the words that fol|low that place to <HI>Timothy,</HI> that <HI>Chri&s;t would &s;hew an example in him of all long &s;uffering,</HI> that others al&s;o from thence might have a &s;trong be|liefe of &s;o great mercy of Chri&s;t towards them, If Chri&s;t did both beare with, in &s;o great evi|dence and clearne&s;&s;e of the truth, a bla&s;phemer, a per&s;ecutor, and contumelious per&s;on, and be|&s;towed &s;o great a favour upon him, as to com|mit the mo&s;t holy function of the Apo&s;tolicall office unto him, becau&s;e what&s;oever he did, hee did it ignorantly, through unbeliefe: Why doe the &s;ervants of Ie&s;us Chri&s;t refu&s;e to tolerate tho&s;e, who at this time, wherein no man dares &s;ay the Chri&s;tian religion is attended with &s;o great &s;plendour and renowne of miracles, may erre indeed, and perhaps bla&s;pheme through ig|norance,
<PB N="61" REF="38"> yet for all that, per&s;ecute no man, give reproachfull words to no man, nor trouble any man for religions &s;ake. But that it may yet ap|peare more manife&s;tly, by the example of Chri&s;t, that wee ought not to &s;uppre&s;&s;e Here|tiques by violence, and to haule them to puni&s;h|ment; let us ob&s;erve how he behaved him&s;elfe towards Apo&s;tates. The Law, as we have &s;ig|nified before, commands an Apo&s;tate to be &s;lain without mercy: <HI>Thine eye &s;hall not pity him, neither &s;talt thou &s;hew mercy, nor keep him &s;ecret, But thou &s;halt even kill him, thine hand &s;hall be fir&s;t upon him to put him to death.</HI> Will not they &s;ay here, that hold it fit for Heretiques to be pu|ni&s;hed, that this cour&s;e is a great deal rather to be taken again&s;t tho&s;e which revolt from Chri&s;t, and when they have been his di&s;ciples, will now no longer be of their company? Certainly, if Heretiques were to be &s;lain, who notwith|&s;tanding profe&s;&s;e and honour the name of Chri&s;t, and are ready to &s;uffer a mo&s;t terrible and cruell death for his honour, although they do not rightly under&s;tand his doctrine: Much more &s;hall they be worthy of this puni&s;hment, who altogether reject his doctrine, and do &s;o for&s;ake that faith which they had placed in him, that they will not profe&s;&s;e his name any longer, and be conver&s;ant among&s;t his di&s;ciples. But what, did Chri&s;t teach us by his example, that we ought &s;o to do? and did he not rather demon|&s;trate the contrary? We read in <HI>John,</HI> c. 6. v. 66. that after Chri&s;t had di&s;cour&s;ed much concern|ing
<PB N="62" REF="39"> the <HI>eating of his own fle&s;h,</HI> and <HI>drinking of his own blood;</HI> Many of his Di&s;ciples being of|fended at this his &s;peech, went back, and walked no more with him. But what &s;aith Chri&s;t to the&s;e things? Did he lead them violently to puni&s;hment, or thought it fit they &s;hould? In no wi&s;e. Moreover he be&s;pake tho&s;e his twelve Di&s;ciples or Apo&s;tles after this manner: <HI>Will ye al&s;o go away?</HI> as if &s;o be he had given them liberty to go away, if they would. Thou wilt &s;ay, that Chri&s;t had no magi&s;trate, nor people at his beck and command, to bring them to puni&s;h|ment: But he had that divine vertue and pow|er dwelling in him&s;elf, by which he might be able to de&s;troy them without any externall force. And to have done it in &s;uch a way, would not have been &s;o liable and obnoxious to blame and reprehen&s;ion; becau&s;e a puni&s;hment in|flicted upon them by a Divine vertue and pow|er, ought to be accounted by them as a puni&s;h|ment inflicted by God him&s;elf, and &s;o to be ac|knowledged mo&s;t ju&s;t. Moreover, if &s;uch a cour&s;e had been taken in de&s;troying them, the re&s;t of the Di&s;ciples would have been &s;tricken with &s;o much the greater fear of daring to re|volt from Chri&s;t, and his holy religion. Certain|ly if tho&s;e Catholiques, who hold it fit for He|retiques to be per&s;ecuted and de&s;troyed, could have de&s;troyed them by their Anathema, as by a thunderbolt &s;ent miraculou&s;ly from God, they would in no wi&s;e have forborne to do it: And it were to be de&s;ired, not only by the Catho|liques,
<PB N="63" REF="39"> but even by the Heretiques them&s;elves in &s;ome re&s;pect, that Catholiques might be able to do it; becau&s;e from thence they would be ma|nife&s;tly convinced that the Catholique religion were true, and proceeded from God, and there|fore would imbrace it pre&s;ently, neither would &s;uffer &s;uch a &s;evere and powerfull thunderbolt to be darted forth upon them: and then no Ca|tholique would fall into here&s;ie. Why then did not Chri&s;t do &s;o, who had &s;o great power to effect it? Was it not therefore, becau&s;e he judged it mo&s;t aver&s;e and disagreeable to his mo&s;t gentle and meek &s;pirit, and to the religion which he publi&s;hed, and to the purpo&s;e and will of God, for performance whereof he was &s;ent into the world? He came not, as el&s;where he &s;peaks of him&s;elf, to <HI>de&s;troy mens lives,</HI> but to <HI>&s;ave them.</HI> Why therefore do not his &s;ervants and di&s;ciples the like, before whom he &s;ets him&s;elf for an example to be imitated, who are or ought to be partakers of that Spirit, who pro|fe&s;&s;e his mo&s;t holy religion? They ought to call to memory that, which our Saviour him&s;elfe once an&s;wered to his di&s;ciples, when the Sama|ritans refu&s;ed to entertain him: For when they asked him whether he would have them to com|mand that <HI>fire come down from heaven and con|&s;ume them, even as Elias did?</HI> Je&s;us rebuked them and &s;aid, <HI>Ye know not of what &s;pirit ye are, for the Son of man is not come to de&s;troy mens lives, but to &s;ave them.</HI> That is, he would have his Di&s;ciples to be as mild and gentle as him&s;elf.</P>
<PB N="64" REF="40">
<P> Before we leave this Argument, we would have Catholiques to con&s;ider, what men of great renown in former times among&s;t the Doctors of the Catholike Church, thought concerning this matter, and what gentlene&s;&s;e they held fit to be u&s;ed towards hereticks, whom they believed to be infected with mo&s;t pe&s;tilent and bla&s;phe|mous errors. After this manner <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> writes concerning the Manichees: <HI>Let them exerci&s;e cruelty again&s;t you, who know not what a labour it is to find out the Truth, and what a difficulty it is to avoyd Errors. Let them exer|ci&s;e cruelty again&s;t you, who are ignorant what a rare and difficult thing it is to overcome carnall phanta&s;ies, by the &s;erenity and cleerne&s;&s;e of a pious mind. Let them excrci&s;e cruelty again&s;t you, who are ignorant, with how great difficulty the eye of the inward man is healed, that it may behold its own Sun. Let them exerci&s;e cruelty again&s;t you, who know not how great grones and &s;ighs mu&s;t be uttered, before we can attain to &s;ome &s;mall mea&s;ure of the knowledge of God.</HI> La&s;t of all, <HI>Let them exerci&s;e cruelty again&s;t you, who are deceived with no &s;uch Error, as they perceive you to be deceived with. But I for my part can|not exerci&s;e any cruelty again&s;t you, whom I ought &s;o to bear with now, as I did then with my &s;elf, and to deal with you in &s;o great wi&s;dome, at my neighbours dealt with me, when I being out|ragious and blind, erred in your Sect.</HI> But of the Arrians, <HI>Salvian</HI> Bi&s;hop of the Ma&s;&s;ilian Church &s;peaketh in this wi&s;e: <HI>Hereticks they</HI>
<PB N="65" REF="40"> <HI>are, but unwittingly: in our e&s;teem they be here|ticks, not in their own; for they judge them&s;elves to be &s;o much Catholikes, that they bra~d &amp; defame us our &s;elves with the title of Hereticall impiety; therefore what they are to us, that we are to them. We are &s;ure that they are injurious to the Divine generation, becau&s;e they &s;ay that the Son is infe|rior to the Father: They think us injurious to the Father, becau&s;e we believe them to be equall. We are in the truth, but they pre&s;ume that they are. It is we that honour God; but they hold this to be the honour of God, which they believe. They are undutifull, but they hold this to be the chiefe&s;t duty of religion. They are ungodly, but they think it to be true piety. They erre therefore, but with a good mind, not through hatred, but believe that they do honour and love the Lord according to his own will and de&s;ire: Although they have not a right faith, yet they account it to be a perfect love of God, to believe as they do. After what manner they &s;hall be puni&s;hed, in the day of Judgment, for this very error of fal&s;e opinion, none can know be&s;ides the Judge. In the mean while God (as I believe) is patient toward them, becau&s;e he &s;ees that though they do not believe a|right, yet they erre with a mind and affection to be of a godly opinion.</HI></P>
<P>Seeing then the ca&s;e is thus, any man &s;eeth that Catholiques, in the cau&s;e of Heretiques, ought to follow that coun&s;el of <HI>Gamaliel,</HI> by which he &s;ometimes di&s;&s;waded the Rulers of the Jewes from giving their cen&s;ure, that violent hands
<PB N="66" REF="41"> &s;hould be laid upon the Apo&s;tles: of which matter we read in the <HI>Acts:</HI> for we read, that he thus be&s;pake his companions in office: <HI>Refrain your &s;elves from the&s;e men, and let them</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 5. 38.</NOTE> <HI>alone, for if this Coun&s;ell,</HI> or, <HI>this Worke be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot de&s;troy it, le&s;t ye be found even fighters again&s;t God.</HI> That coun&s;ell al&s;o of the hou&s;e|holder is to be followed, who forbad his &s;er|vants <HI>to pluck up the Tares, le&s;t the Wheat al&s;o chance to be pluckt up with them, but to &s;uffer them to grow till harve&s;t.</HI> Let not the Wheat take authority unto it &s;elf, of plucking up the Tares by violence. For the Tares al&s;o, which take them&s;elves to be the Wheat, will re&s;ume authority to them&s;elves to pluck up the Wheat; and &s;eeing the Tares grow up more plentifully then the Wheat in the world, which is a field rather fruitfull for Vice, then Vertue and Piety; the Tares will more likely enjoy this power, then the Wheat. But if there be &s;uch, who think they have no cau&s;e to be afraid, le&s;t they be plucked up by the Tares, becau&s;e of their multitude, and &s;trength, e&s;tabli&s;hed by the cour&s;e of &s;o many Ages, wherewith they may over|come their adver&s;aries in religion; they ought for that very thing to &s;u&s;pect them&s;elves, and to be afraid le&s;t they may chance to be of the number of the Tares, becau&s;e they flouri&s;h and grow up &s;o plentifully for &s;o many ages together in &s;uch a barren field for vertue: and le&s;t they may chance to &s;tray from the narrow &amp; &s;traight
<PB N="67" REF="41"> path of &s;alvation, which few find ou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">. For thus &s;aith our Saviour; <HI>Enter ye in at the &s;traight gate, for it is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to de&s;truction, and many there are which go in thereat, becau&s;e the gate is &s;traight, and the way narrow that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.</HI> Yet furthermore, the uncertain cour&s;es of humane affairs &s;hould be con&s;idered; Who doth not &s;ee, that things of the highe&s;t de|gree are oftentimes <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">umbled down and brought low, and things of low degree get up by little and little unto the highe&s;t; That things of great &s;trength, and confirmed by long continuance of time, are weakned; that weak things acquire &s;trength? Neither is it to be wondred at, when even tho&s;e things which we now admire for their greatne&s;&s;e and &s;trength, were formerly &s;mall and weak, and ri&s;ing from &s;mall beginnings arrived to this greatne&s;&s;e. Wherefore none of them who think it requi&s;ite to pluck up the Tares, can promi&s;e him&s;elf a perpetuall triumph over them; but every one ought to be afraid, le&s;t what judgement he gives again&s;t them, the &s;ame al&s;o may be applied again&s;t him&s;elf. There|fore there is no greater wi&s;dome, than by the coun&s;el of the hou&s;holder, to &s;tay till the <HI>la&s;t harve&s;t,</HI> when both without any danger of Error, and without damage to the Wheat, the Tares, by command of the hou&s;holder being &s;e|parated from the Wheat, &s;hall be ca&s;t into the fire; when neither the name of Tares &s;hall be given to the Wheat, nor the Tares take unto
<PB N="68" REF="42"> them&s;elves either the name of the Wheat, or deceive the reapers with the &s;hew and re&s;em|blance thereof. So by this means the Tares will have no occa&s;ion by the deeds of the Wheat, to pluck up the Wheat by violence: If they &s;hould neverthele&s;&s;e u&s;e violence, then at length the Wheat &s;cattered by violence will &s;pread abroad his &s;eeds the farther, and come forth more abun|dantly, the Tares being by little and little &s;up|pre&s;&s;ed, untill the harve&s;t at la&s;t bring a totall de&s;truction upon them.</P>
<P>But &s;ome Catholique will alleadge; Suppo&s;e it be &s;o, that Catholiques ought to live peace|ably with Heretiques, Is there any nece&s;&s;ity therefore that a&s;&s;urance be given them for their &s;afety? We have hitherto both lived peaceably with them, and are ready to do &s;o for the time to come; but we will not have any &s;tatute or privilege to be publi&s;hed, or extant for their li|berty. It is neither nece&s;&s;ary for them that it &s;hould be done, when as they enjoy peace without it, &amp; may enjoy it for the time to come: Neither is it much for our honour. For what? may they not put confidence in our promi&s;e, and our vertue and goodne&s;&s;e? May they not rely upon our friend&s;hip, or the obligations and bonds of con&s;anguinity and kindred?</P>
<P>This that is alleadged might perhaps be of &s;ome moment, if &s;o be Heretiques did not heare both threatnings uttered abroad by no &s;mall number, nor no inferior &s;ort of Catholiques, a|gain&s;t them, nor &s;ee Prote&s;tations hurtful to their
<PB N="69" REF="42"> &s;ecurity, and perceive &s;ome mens endeavours tending to their overthrow, or to the limiting and &s;traitning of their liberty. If moreover examples both ancient and modern, in other Countries, and al&s;o evident and manifold expe|rience of this very Age did not force them to fear &s;uch like matters. Finally, if they had &s;uf|fered no injury for Religion &s;ake; if they had not &s;een in this very Kingdome, their Temples, &s;ome burnt with fire, others pulled down, pri|vate mens hou&s;es plundered al&s;o, &s;ome men &s;lain, wounded, and violently dealt withall. Wherefore Heretiques do not in every point enjoy peace, neither can a&s;&s;uredly promi&s;e them|&s;elves that they &s;hall enjoy it, unle&s;&s;e Catholiques give them a bond of a&s;&s;urance to confirm it: Verily even for that very cau&s;e it may ju&s;tly be denied that they do enjoy peace, becau&s;e a pri|viledge is denied them for it; for that is no peace, to which &s;ecurity is wanting: but there is no &s;ecurity, &s;o long as Catholiques refu&s;e to grant a priviledge and covenant unto Heretiques for their a&s;&s;urance in enjoying it, and while&s;t many either do, or threaten many things which are altogether again&s;t their peace and tranquility. From whence it is to be under&s;tood, that Here|tiques do neither require a &s;uperfluous matter, while&s;t they de&s;ire their Liberty may be e&s;tabli|&s;hed by a publique &s;tatute, and more fully con|firmed by ordaining puni&s;hments again&s;t break|ers of the peace, and a Court of judicature and ju&s;tice for the equall triall of both parties. Nei|ther
<PB N="70" REF="43"> do they de&s;ire a thing which is di&s;hono|rable to the Catholiques, but that which is ho|ne&s;t, and attended with a &s;ingular and exceeding great prai&s;e both of equity, moderation and humanity, and al&s;o of di&s;cretion and wi&s;dome: For what di&s;honour is it for thee to oblige thy &s;elfe by a publike promi&s;e, and a regi&s;tred law, That thou wilt do that matter, which thou maye&s;t not only hone&s;tly do, but al&s;o art bound in equity to do? But that this matter of which we now di&s;cour&s;e, is of &s;uch a nature, hath been already &s;ufficiently demon&s;trated. But if &s;o be the fear of Heretiques were even &s;uperfluous, would it not be a mans duty in way of courte&s;ie and charity to hinder and take away all occa&s;ion of that vain, indeed, yet great fear of &s;o many thou&s;ands; and truly in &s;uch a matter, which neither ought to be trouble&s;ome and grievous unto thee, if thou ha&s;t a de&s;ire to live peaceably with them, neither co&s;t thee any labour or price. Why do not Catholiques grant them that, at their reque&s;t, which they may freely grant? By this means they will take away all occa&s;ion of &s;u&s;pition and di&s;tru&s;t, which are two great plagues and ob&s;tructions to friend&s;hip, and the common-wealth; And will oblige all Here|tiques both to them&s;elves, and to their country, in which they &s;ee that they may live &s;afely and &s;ecurely, and which they apprehend to be no &s;tep-dame, which would expell them, but a mother. By this means they al&s;o will ingage them, That if in any country their power waxe
<PB N="71" REF="43"> great, to give again to Catholiques a&s;&s;urance that they &s;hall receive no harm, &amp; to take good order for their &s;ecurity; for which they are by no law bound to provide, if Catholiques will not take order for their &s;ecurity: For he which refu&s;eth to give another man a&s;&s;urance of peace, and re&s;erves a power unto him&s;elf of oppre&s;|&s;ing him, when he &s;hall find a fit opportunity to do it, leaves him in like manner the &s;ame privi|ledge again&s;t him&s;elf; and among&s;t whom there are no lawes and priviledges of Peace, the pri|viledges and rights of War remaine common to both parties. <HI>But there is no &s;afety in War: We all pray to thee (O GOD) for Pease.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
