The testimony of a cloud of witnesses who in their generation have testified against that horrible evil of forcing of conscience, and persecution about matters of religion ... / composed together, and translated into English, by ... William Caton.

CHAP. II.

Concerning the true and false Church; the Gospel and Religion: As also shewing the insufficiency of carnal Weapons in Spiritual Matters.

THe Church that is dispersed through the World, hath the name of Christ her Head, and is strengthened not with re∣sisting, but with Suffering and Patience; for the Gospel in the Primitive Church, was not Preached with Swords and an Arm∣ed hand, but with Exhortation and Perswasion, Hist. Eccl. lib. 4 Chap. 26.

Barnardus said, The Church must not persecute as Wolves, but be Persecuted, like as the Sheep are of the Wolves; And in this Calamity of the World, they stand as Palm-trees through the Power of God, and grow and increase; so that some have esteemed Sanguis Martirum est semen Ecclesiae, (i. e.) the blood of the Martyrs to be the seed of the Church; for (said he) as one was put to death, there came ten in his stead.

Luther said, That the hypocrites Church was to be known by its manners, whose Image and figure was Esau, yet she boasted of God, and would be accounted his Church, but lived wholly according to the World.

Further (said he) the true Church is not defended by a fleshly

Arm, which wicked Bishops especially use and cry unto, Thae∣sau. Pag. 622.

As heretofore, he that was born after the flesh, Persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so is it now, &c. Con∣sider these words of Paul (said Castellio) Ishmael that was born after the flesh, Persecuted Isaac who was born after the Spirit; even so now do the fleshly Persecute the Spiritual; But Abell did not Persecure Cain, nor Lot the Sodomites, nor David Saul, nor the true Prophets the false, nor Christ and his Apostles the Scribes and Pharesees, although some of them might have done it, yet nevertheless they did it not.

So is it at this day, though the number of the Righteous be but smal, who are Persecuted of the wicked, yet sometimes they might injury their Persecutors, but they are so far from doing that, that they are rather helpful to them, and do seek their Salvation.

The false Church is grounded more upon men then upon Christ, and she Persecuteth those that live Righteously accor∣ding to the Word of God, and such as reprove her for her failings.

Damascenus said, that the Gospel had been Preached in all the World, but did not conquer its opposers with Weapons, Arms, or Fighting, but a few unlearned, confounded the Wise ones of the World.

Oh (said Boudaert) that the Bishops were so well experienced in the Word of God, that they would rather with Reason seek to bring them that go astray to the right way, then to compell them by Corporal punishment to adhere unto their Elect.

It is impossible (said Luther) that the Church of Christ should be, or should stand without bloodsheding, for the Devil who is an Enemy of God's Church, is also a Lyar and a Mur∣therer, yet the Church hath alwayes increased in blood, said He; in the Colloq.

Sanguine mundata est Ecclesia, Sanguine cepit Sanguine succrevit, sanguine finis erit.

Ian Monliu, the Bishop of Valence affirmed, That it was an Error to molest the publick Peace with Weapons, under pre∣tence of Religion; a thing (saith he) which hath been alwayes abhorred by the Antients.

For Wars and compulsary punishments, have never been the means to bring to Unity; For Wars and cruelty tend to the destroying both of Body and Soul, even of those, who perad∣venture might otherwise have been gained through love and gentleness, for that counsel which tends to cruelty is worse then the desease; yet notwithstanding, it is the manner of such Bishops to plead for Weapons as have lost the Spiritual Sword of Peter, and therefore (said he) do they now make that Sword their Defence, which he drew against the servant of the High Priest. Chron. vande Rel. uriih. pag. 123, 124.

Anno 1579. The States of Holland said, That this they ob∣served, finding it by true experience, (viz.) dat gewelt ende wapenen luttel helpen tot verbreijdinghe ende behoudenisse der Re∣ligien (i. e.) That violence and Weapons availed little in spreading, and maintaining Religion; And further said they, as we would not have that men should do violence to our con∣sciences, neither will we do violence to the consciences of others; for we are not to do that to another, which we would not have another to do unto us.

The Prince of Orange said, We are not so unexperienced in the Doctrine of the Christian Religion, as that we do not know, that all those tyes of Conscience wreathed or turned of men, are to no purpose to bind man before God: People should not think it strange, nor therefore take up Arms (said he) because that many of the Inhabitants of this Country are become of another opi∣nion, and simply declare themselves, yea against the Will of the Magistrates, which thing the Histories do testifie not to be new, but that such differences have been in the World in many Mo∣narchies heretofore.

To the same purpose did the States of Holland testifie, (viz.) how that difference in doctrine was not strange in the Church, but said they, it is better rectified through forbearance, then through devision, Inde Apolog. 1581. fol. 15.