The case of free liberty of conscience in the exercise of faith and religion presented unto the King and both Houses of Parliament ... / by ... Edward Burroughs.

TO THE KING And both Houses of PARLIAMENT.

FOrasmuch as it hath pleased the Lord God of Hea∣ven and Earth, (who is mighty and powerful, and bringeth to pass whatsoever he will in the King∣domes of this World,) so to suffer it to be accom∣plished, that power and authority is given unto you, to exercise over these Kingdomes; And whereas the people of these Nations (over whom your Authority is extended) are divided in their Judgments in matters Spiritual, and are of different Principles and wayes in Relation to Faith and Worship and practises of Religion, and yet are all of them free-born people, and Natives of these Kingdoms, and as such ought to possesse and injoy their Lives, Liberties and Estates by the just Lawes of God and man; And may not justly any of them be destroyed by you, nor one sort of another, in their Persons and Estates, by Death, Banishment or other Perse∣cutions, for and because only of their differences in matters of opinion and judgement, nor though they are contrary minded in profession of Faith and Worship and Religion, while they do walk peaceably and justly in their Conversa∣tions, under the Kings Authority, and do not make practise of their Religion, to the violating of the Government, nor to the injury of other mens Persons or Estates, but ought rather to be defended and Protected by you in all their rights both as men and Christians, both in things Civil and Spiritual, Notwithstanding their difference in matters Religious as a∣foresaid, they giving proof of their peaceable and honest de∣portment

towards the King and his Government, and the people of these Kingdomes.

And therefore that due care may be had, as justly it ought to be by you, for the Peace and Prosperity and happiness of these Kingdomes, and that the just Liberties both civil and Spiritual of all people therein, may be allowed and maintain∣ed in all the Kings Dominions, and that unity and peace may be fully established, and justice and Righteousness only brought forth in the Land, and all Persecution, Hatred, Contention and Rebellion may die and perish and never more appear; And that all Christian people (though diffe∣rent in judgement and practises in matters of Faith and wor∣ship) may be protected to live a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty under this Government, and that in∣dignation and vengeance may he diverted from these Lands, which seems to threaten because of the contrary, and that blessings and peace may come, and rest upon this people for∣ever.

Therefore for these ends and causes, and in the Name of the Lord I do propound unto you, and lay before you on the be∣half of all the divided people of these Kingdoms, That free Li∣berty of Conscience in the exercise of Faith, Worship and Religion to God-wards, may be allowed and maintained unto all, without any imposition, violence or persecution exercised about the same, on the per∣sons, Estates, or consciences of any in any relation of Religion, the Worship of God, Church Government and Ministry; But that all Christian People may be left free in all these Kingdomes, in the exer∣cise of Conscience without being restrained from, or compelled to any way of Worship and practise of Relig••on, upon any pains and penalties, and that every one may be admitted to worship God in that way as his spirit perswades the heart, and may be defended in such their profession of Religion, while they make not use of their Liberty to the detrement of any other mens persons or Estates as aforesaid.

And let it not seem strange to you, why I appear in this manner and matter, at such a season as this; for your very happiness, prosperity and establishment, or the contrary, de∣pendeth hereupon, even in allowing and maintaining liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion, or in limiting and forcing and persecuting about the same, and this may ap∣pear if ye justly consider these things following.

1. The Lordship in and over conscience, and the exercise thereof in all matters of Faith, and worship and duty to God∣wards, is Gods alone only and proper right and priviledge, and he hath reserved this power and Authority in himself, and not committed the Lordship over Conscience, nor the exercise thereof, in the cases of faith and worship, to any upon Earth, not to prescribe and impose principles and Practises of Faith and worship and Religion, by force and violence on the per∣sons and Consciences of men, but this belongs only to God, even to work faith in the heart, and to convert to holiness, and to lead and teach people by his Spirit in his worship, and to exercise their Consciences in all his wayes; For the A∣postles themselves said, they had not Dominion over the Faith of the Saints, 2 Cor. 1. 24. but the Lord alone▪ And King Charles the first, said in his Meditations, page 91. of that Edition Printed for R. Royston; I have often declared how little I de∣sire my Laws and Scepter should intrench on Gods Soveraignity which is the only King of mens Consciences, &c So that to be Lord in Con∣science and exerciser thereof in all the matters of Gods King∣dome, is his only proper right, and to him alone it apper∣tains.

2. And therefore consider if ye do not allow free liberty of Conscience, and give unto God the Lordship and exercise thereof in all matters of Faith and Worship to him-wards, but do impose by violence in forcing to, and restraining from such and such wayes of Religion, then ye take Dominion over mens faith, which ye ought not to do, and ye intrench on Gods Soveraignity, and usurps his Authority in exercising Lordship over the Conscience, in and over which Christ is only King as before recited, and ye ought not to take his right from him, nor to exercise that Authority over mens faith and Con∣s••iences which only appertains unto him, as his proper pri∣viledge; for in so doing how dangerous effects may it bring forth, even ye may easilie provoke the Lord to wrath against you, and bring upon your selves sorrow and misery, if ye ex∣cise violence upon mens Consciences in and concerning Reli∣gious matters, contrary to the Scriptures and the example of Primitive Christians who were persecuted for their Consci∣ence sake, but did never persecute nor punish any for that cause, nor ever used violence about their Religion, as Charles

the I. in his meditations pag. 82. nothing (said he) violent nor injurious can be religious, &c.

3. Consider, if ye allow not the free exercise of Conscience in Spiritual matters, but do take Dominion over mens faith, and impose by violence in the cases of Conscience about Reli∣gion, and do not suffer the Lord to enjoy his onely right to be King, in the matters of his own Kingdom, then ye divert the end of just rule and government among men, and perverts the end of Gods great love and favour shewed unto you in resto∣ring of you to the place of Authority and Judgment; for the end of just Government upon earth by Kings and Rulers is to exercise Justice, Truth, and Righteousnesse among men, and over the outward man, and to be a praise to all that do well, and walks uprightly, and to be a terrour to all transgressors and them that do evil in their outward man, and to keep the outward man in good order by just Judgment in all cases between man and man; This is only the extent of your Authority over the outward man, and to your Juris∣diction only this belongs, to judge in Truth and Righteous∣ness, to make Laws and execute them between man and man, to preserve mens persons and estates from the wrong one of another, but not at all to make Laws and execute them be∣tween God and mens Consciences in the cases of his Spiritual Kingdom, this power belongs to God, and he hath not com∣mitted it to you to exercise; and therefore, let justice, equity and mercy be exercised by you among men, and over the out∣ward man, and in all cases between man and man; but med∣dle not in the cases of mens faith to God, and their Consci∣ences to him, but leave that unto him alone whose right it is, for it is dangerous, and will bring wofull effects if ye intrench on Gods Soveraignity, and if ye divert the proper end of just Government, and of the Love of God in restoring you into Authority and Power.

4. Consider, if ye allow not free Liberty of Conscience in the profession and practice of spiritual things, but will compel by violence about Religion, then this will inavoidably produce and bring forth cruel persecution in the Kingdoms, imprisonment, banishment, and death, and all the evil effects of persecution will fill the Nations; for though never so forceable impositi∣ons be laid on the persons, estates, and consciences of men,

for the cause of difference in Judgment, and practises of Re∣ligion, and to compel into Conformity, yet it cannot be sup∣posed that all will bow and conform to the denying of that way which they are perswaded in Conscience to be right, and to the embracing of what they cannot in Conscience believe is of God, but will rather suffer the cruelest death, then con∣form to any thing contrary to light and knowledge; and if free Liberty of Conscience be denied, many such must needs be exposed to persecution, even to death, though they may be peaceable people, and profitable inhabitants of the Kingdoms, and in the things between man and man, and in all matters temporal pertaining to the King, may be just, and righteous, and unreprovable, yet because of difference in judgment and opinion, exposed to be destroyed in person and estate; and such effects will not be of honour nor safety to these Nations if innocent and just men be destroyed, and their relations ru∣ined, onely for their Conscience and Religion sake, by perse∣cution.

5. Consider, if ye do impose one way of worship by force, and persecute all that are contrary-minded, to prison and death, then how shall your Names and memorial be left a reproach to generations after you, in dayes to come, who shall repute you cruel men and persecutors, and such as destroyed your people for difference in matters of Religion, and without just cause, and thus will your names be a curse and not a blessing to your Chil∣dren and their Children to all ages, if that ye make Laws and execute them to the persecution and destruction of people for Conscience sake, and for difference in Religion; for persecu∣tion was never of God, nor ever justified in succeeding ages, but persecutors alwaies were rendred Tyrants, and cruell in the ages succeeding them; for do not you condemn the Pa∣pists as oppressors and cruel persecutors in Queen Maries daies, for their persecuting your Fore-fathers? And King Iames said it was usually the condition of Christians to be persecuted, but never to persecute, &c. in his Apology for the Oath of Allegiance, pag. 4, And indeed, they are no true Christians that persecutes for matters of Conscience, and difference in Opinion, but the false Christians that have a form of godliness but are without the power, and out of the Doctrine of the Scriptures, who saith, love your enemies, and render to no man evil for evil,

but over come evil with good.

6. Consider, If ye do impose upon the Conscience, and persecute about Religion, ye can never effect your end thereby, as to force all into a conformity and uniformity to your Church and Religion; but though death, and banishment, and the loss of all be inflicted, yet such a thing cannot be effected, neither is it the way of Christ to promote his Church, and to convert the contrary-minded by such means as force and violence ex∣ercised on mens persons and estates; As K. Iames said in his speech in Parliament, 1609. That it is a sure rule in Divinity, that God never loves to plant his Church with violence and bloud, and if ye do persecute to the heighth in the case of Religion, ye will weaken your selves, and cause the love and good affection of people to die towards you, and the persecuted will grow, and their cause be made honourable, and many will be increased unto it, for it is usual in ages that the way and Religion which hath been most persecuted hath most grown, and thus it must infallibly be at this day, and ye can never effect your end by persecution, nor promote your own Church, nor destroy all the contrary-minded; As a Privy Counsellor to K. Iames the 5th. of Scotland, advised in counsel about the year 1539. upon the occasion of diversities of opinions then in that King∣dom, said he, It is an errour of State in a Prince for an opinion of piety to condemn to death the adherers to new Doctrines; for the con∣stancy and patience of those who voluntarily suffer all temporal miseries for matters of faith, stir up numbers who at first and before they had suffered were ignorant of their faith and doctrine, not onely to favour their cause, but to embrace their opinions, pity and commiseration open∣ing the gates, and thus their faith is spread, and their number daily increaseth, &c.

7. Consider, If that ye do not allow Liberty of Conscience but do impose and persecute as aforesaid, though some for your fear, and terrour, and force against their Consciences should deny their Principles, and conform to your Church, such ye cause to sin; for whatsoever is performed by force and not of faith is sin, as it is written, and such their sin will be laid to your charge; and such who cannot deny their Prin∣ciples and conform, will be destroyed, and their death will be accounted against you in the day of the Lord; and therefore if ye do not allow Liberty of Conscience, many grievous evils

will infallibly follow, both to your selves and your people And what advantage of honour will such be to God and your; Church, that are against their Consciences and light forced into a conformity for fear and terrour of men; it makes them manifold more the Children of the Devil, and time-servers, and Hypocrites, and destroys their souls, and such can be no true members of the true Church of Christ, but are Reprobates, and a dishonour to God and your Church.

8. Consider, if ye constrain and compel in matters of Re∣ligion, and do not allow liberty of Conscience, it is unrea∣sonable and unequal, and down-right contrary to the Holy and pure Law of God, which saith, ye shall do unto all men, as ye would that men should do unto you, and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self, and this is the fulfilling of the Law; But to be imposed upon and persecuted for the cases of Consciences, and for the matters of Worship of God, your selves would not willing be against your light and knowledge, and then it is unequal and unjust, and contrary to the Law of God, for ye to do the same to others, which your selves would not be done un∣to; And do not you to this day cry out against the Papists in Queen Maries daies, and at this day in other Nations, and condemn them as Tyrants and Oppressors, for Persecuting, Killing, and Destroying the Protestants, for the matters of their Conscience and difference in Opinion and Judgment? And will you do the same at this day as they do to others, and follow their example of cruelty and persecution, and break the Law of God, and walk contrary to it, in doing to others what you would not be done unto? And seeing you condemn the late foregoing Powers in these Kingdoms for Tyrants and Usurpers, and Oppressors, for prohibiting your way of worship, and commanding the contrary, and disa∣nulling so much as they could your service Book and Mini∣stry; how can you justly do the like to others, as to force waies of Religion upon them, and prohibit theirs and com∣mand the contrary? if you do it, ye condemn your selves by judging of others in the like case.

9. Consider, if ye do not allow liberty of Conscience, but impose Church Government and Religion by paines and pe∣nalties, then ye will fill the land with Hypocrites, and force peo∣ple into time-serving obedience, and into formal waies of

worship, some against their Consciences, and some in the ig∣norance thereof, which is great abomination unto the Lord, and such will neither be true and faithful in Church nor State, but will seek advantages against you (if they are for∣ced by violence in the cases of their Consciences) and it will beget great contentions and hatred in the minds of men, and divide them into heart-burnings one against another, and a∣gainst you and your Government; for if men become Hypo∣crites for your fear and terror, and deny their professed principles and conform, they will be false-hearted, and en∣vious, and malicious, and attempt any thing to be freed from bondage and impositions of Conscience, and their hearts will be disengaged in love and affection to you-wards; and this will be infallibly the effect of persecution for Conscience sake, as King Charles the I. saith in his Meditat. A charitable connivance and Christian toleration often issi pates their strength whom rougher opposition fortifies, and puts the dispised and oppressed party into such combinations, as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their persecutors, &c.

10. Consider, if ye force Worship, and Religion, and cause men to conform against their Judgements, how dangerous is this to destroy mens souls, and to lead them even to destructi∣on; For seeing ye affirm not the Infalibility of your Worship and Religion, and yet will impose them, and so engage mens souls in dependancy for Salvation upon things and waies un∣certain, and which God gives not the Faith to believe in; I say how dangerous is this to ruin souls; for in no way can the soul be secure but in the faith which God works in the heart, in the Obedience of infallible Truth; So ye run mens souls upon a Rock, and it is unreasonable as before mentioned, that men should be forced into the profession and practice of uncertain and fallible Religion, and that they should be forced by you into that which may be evil, for which not you altoge∣ther, but themselves must bear the punishment in the day of the Lord; and except ye could affirm and prove the Infali∣bility of your Church (which is impossible) there is no equi∣ty nor right reason for it, that you should impose upon others any more then others should impose upon you; for as King Charles the I. said in his Medit. He desired not any should be fur∣ther subject unto him, then he and all of them might be subject unto God, &c.

11. Consider, if ye alow not liberty of Conscience, but persecute about the same, ye walk in the way and after the ex∣ample of some of the Heathen Rulers, and of the false Christians, and shews that ye allow of the cruel persecutions by the Church of Rome, and ye follow their example, who perse∣cutes unto death such as they call Hereticks, and if ye do per∣secute for matters of Conscience, then ye allow the very deeds of the Heathens, who persecuted the Christians for their Religion sake, and ye justifie the Papists in persecuting the Protestants; and ye plainly demonstrate unto all the World by your works and fruits, that ye are of Antichrist, if ye im∣pose on mens Consciences by force in the matters of Religi∣on, and persecute good Conscience about the same; for it was the Antichrist and the Beast, that first forced all to wor∣ship, and violently engaged all into a conformity, and killed and persecuted all that would not worship according to the Image, Rev. 13. as ye may read. And it was not Christs way, nor the practice of any his Primitive Churches to impose and force on the persons and Consciences of men concerning their Church and Religion, to cause all into a conformity there∣unto, and destroy and persecute all that would not; This was not the way of Christ and his Apostles in their daies, but they left Religion free, and said, they were not lords over mens faith, nor lords over Gods Heritage, neither did impose upon any in doubtful cases of conscience, much lesse compel against mens Consciences; for the Apostle left the practice of doubt∣ful things, as every one was perswaded in his own mind, to do or not to do, without imposing by force or directions of persecu∣tion about the same; Therefore if ye do not allow free liber∣ty of Conscience, ye are out of the Doctrine and Example of Christ and his Apostles, and follows the way and exam∣ple of Antichrist, Heathen Rulers, and cruel Papists, to your great dishonour.

12. Consider, if ye allow not liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion, but impose and persecute about the same; It must inavoidable tend to destroy and expel Trading, Hus∣bandry, and Merchandize in these Kingdomes, for a great part of Trading and Husbandry, depends upon such kind of per∣sons, whose principles are for toleration in Religion, and hates persecution and violence in that case, this ye will find

true on examination; and if liberty of Conscience be not a∣lowed, such will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 exposed to great afflictions, some to im∣prisonment, and some to poverty, and some to fly into other Countries, to the destruction of their Callings and Trading, and the hands & industriousnes of such people will be weak∣ned in these Kingdomes, if they cannot enjoy their just liber∣ties in temporal and spiritual cases, and the effects thereof will work wofully in this very respect, even to disenable both the hearts and hands of Husbandmen and Trades, and ex∣pose these Nations to want and poverty, and to enrich their enemies.

13. Consider, if liberty of Conscience be denied, and per∣secution be introduced about the same; all these and many more woful Consequencies and effects wil follow infallably to the ruin of these Kingdoms, even Wars, and Bloodsheds, and discontents, and Murmurings, and all evil things will be the product of the a∣foresaid cause, (viz.) of denying liberty of Conscience in Re∣ligious matters, for in a word it will tend to and may effect the overthrow of you, and ruin your Government and Au∣thority; for the great and mighty God of Heaven and Earth will be provoked against you, and his wrath will go out like a devouring flame upon you, if that ye limit the Holy One, and will not suffer him to exercise his proper right, in being King in mens Consciences, to exercise them in all the waies of his Worship, and matters of his Kingdom, but do oppresse, im∣pose and persecute about the same; This I say will infallibly work the Kingdoms ruin, and expose You and your Go∣vernment to the indignation of the Holy Lord God, who is tender of his Honour, and will not give it to another, and he loveth and affecteth the cause of such, whose Consciences are truly tender towards him, and though ye persecute such and seek to destroy them, and for a time exercise great af∣flictions and oppressions upon them, for the matters of their Conscience, yet the God of Heaven will appear for such in his season, and deliver them, and avenge their persecutors; And therefore all ye Rulers consider, and lay these things to heart, least ye provoke the Lord against you, by destroy∣ing the People whom he regards, and that not for evil do∣ing, but for the cases of Conscience, and because they can∣not relinquish their profession and principles of their Religion,

and bow and conform in things against their light and knowledge.

14. Consider, If ye allow not Liberty of Conscience, what exceeding danger ye run your selves into, even to dest roy just men and righteous, as Heriticks and erroneous, and may pro∣mote Hereticks as Church-members, both which are great a∣bominations in the sight of God, and this danger ye bring upon your selves, for ye are not infallible Judges, who are He∣reticks, and who are not; and therefore may easily proceed in that way to punish such as Hereticks that are not truly so, and except ye could affirm and prove your possession of the infallible Spirit, ye can no way proceed justly and reasonably to deny Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion, nor punish and persecute any in that case; but if ye do, ye do it in ignorance, and knows not what ye do, and may as soon de∣stroy true Christians and Saints, as Hereticks, for want of in∣fallible judgment to discern who are, and who are not; and this is a danger ye ought to avoid by allowing the free exercise of Conscience, as the Lord perswades every mans heart.

15. And lastly also consider what a reproach you are under, If such whom ye call Hereticks, (and yet doth not infallibly know that they are such) be punished, and persecuted, and de∣stroyed for their Religion sake, who are just and upright men, in their conversing between man and man, and unreprovable in their dealings among men; (whether they erre in judgment in spiritual knowledge, or not erre) and such as are drunkards and prophane persons go at liberty, in their stage-playing and gaming, and the like, even tolerated, and unpunished, and not prohibited, whom all do know & can distinguish who such are when they appear, this will render your Government to evil reputation, both in this present time and in ages to come; and therefore consider it, if Drunkards, Gamesters, and pro∣phane persons have more toleration and liberty in their wayes of open vanity, then sober temperate persons in the exercise of their Consciences in Religion, which if any such do erre in principle (which is not infallibly known to you) it is onely to their own hurt in the sight of God, and he onely and not you ought to punish them in that case; but prophane persons as afore-mentioned are easily judged by all to be such,

and their errour in practise is hurtful to the whole Kingdoms and pertains to you to punish; as Dr. Taylor now a Bishop in Ireland hath said, his words in this case are worth observing, why are we so zealous, saith he, against those we call Hereticks, and yet great friends with Drunkards, and Swearers, and Forni∣cators, and intemperate and idle persons; I am certain a Drunkard is as contrary to God, and lives as contrary to the Laws of Christianity as a Heretick, and I am also sure that I know what Drunkennesse is, but I am not sure that such an opinion is heresie, &c.

And these things I do in all meeknesse and due respect both to your places and persons, present to your serious con∣siderations, that ye may prevent these evil effects that are so destructive unto you and these Kingdoms, which absolutely must follow, upon not allowing free Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion; and if any shall object, That to tolerate and allow Liberty of Conscience in Religion is inconsistent with the safety and peace of the King and these Kingdoms; I shall be desirous to hear from wise men what such objections are, stated by them, and wherein they say it is not Congru∣ous with the happinesse and peace of these Nations, to grant and allow the premises; And on such occasion, I should make clearly to appear the contrary, and that it is only consistant with the peace and prosperity of these Kingdoms (considering them in their present estate) to grant and allow free liberty of Conscience as aforesaid, in the exercise of Religion unto all Christian people.

O! remember ye mighty men of the Kingdom, that the Great and Mighty God takes notice of all your doings, and accordingly will he reward you in his dreadful day, which is near to come upon all the World; and wo unto the wic∣ked in that day. O! remember that ye your selves not long since were a suffering people, and now you are raised up a∣gain; And therefore be not too zealous to afflict others, especi∣ally for the cases of their Consciences, in reference to their faith and perswasions about Religion; but be gentle, meek, and long-suffering towards all, for that is the way to make peace and preserve it with all men, that will gain the affections of the contrary minded; but force and rigour will exasperate the more, and never truly reconcile differences among men; and make no Laws contrary or different to the pure Law of God,

but let pure Conscience go free without force or restraint in the exercises of Religion, and let God have his Prerogative, and Lordship, in the exercise of Conscience; but let your Authority be extended over the outward man, in the mat∣ters between man and man, to preserve peace and right in all outward relation; and be Wise and Learned ye Rulers of the Earth, and kisse the Son least he be angry and ye perish, and if his wrath be kindled but a little, blessed are they that trust in him. This is your time and day, happy are ye, if it be given to you to do the work that God requires of you only.

The 26th. of the third Month, 1661.

THE END.