church, and the decree of the Emperor. It is so far f rom such being the. true and apostolical church, that there is no surer mark of the false and antiChristian church, than the killing of heretics, or rather, so-called heretics; for however abominable heresy may be, this is the most abominable of all. For what indeed is more opposed to the peaceable, meek, merciful, forgiving, and revengeless character of Christ, than to persecute any one for his faith? What can we conceive of that militates more against the holy laws and commandments of Christ, which chiefly consist in love, peace, humility, meekness, lowliness, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, etc. If Christians are called (as they do) to requite hatred with love, evil with good, cursing with blessing; yea, must they, according to the doctrine of Christ, pray for them who oppress and persecute them; how, then, is it possible that they can remain Christians and themselves oppress and persecute others who have never laid a straw in their way? Can we believe, that any trace, yea, any true knowledge of the spirit and word of Christ remains where there is such a direct antichristian disposition and action? If, according to Christ, false prophets are to be known and judged from their fruits (Matt. 7:16), there can be nothing by which they may, more readily, be distinguished, than from their persecuting others; for they are witnesses unto themselves, as Christ said to the Pharisees, that they are the children of them who killed the true prophets, and who fill up the measure of their fathers. Our Saviour compares them to serpents and a generation of vipers, who cannot escape the damnation of hell. Matt. 23:31-33. The disciples of Christ, who still entertained the hope of the establishing of an external and carnal Israel; asked their Lord, whether they should, according to the example of Elias, command fire to come down from heaven, upon those who did not receive Him. Whereupon Christ earnestly rebuked them, saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Luke 9:54-56. But these heretickillers, who boast of being the vice-regents and followers of Christ, yea, doctors of divinity, dare, not only without asking Christ, but even against His express prohibition and example, whet the sword, and stir up the fire, not to murder those who refuse to receive Christ, but those who are ready to adhere to and follow Him even unto death. By this they clearly indicate, first, that they are governed and impelled by the spirit not of Christ, but of the devil (who was a murderer from the beginning, John 8:44); and, secondly, that they do not come like Christ and His followers, to save men's souls, but to destroy them; since they kill not only the bodies of the innocent, thus dishonoring the image which is created after God (Gen. 5:1), and making themselves guilty of the mortal sin of bloodshedding (Gen. 9:6) but, O awful deed! they purposely and as much as lies in their power, also endeavor to kill their souls, whom, being considered by them in a state of damnation, they suddenly cut off from the time of repentance. Matt. 26:52. They would presumptuously teach Christ, the perfect wisdom; for He deemed it well, and commanded His disciples, to let the tares grow until the harvest, lest they should root up the wheat with the tares, but these teach and do the opposite. Weeding contrary to the command of Christ, they root up not only the tares, but, passing by bad, unchaste, extravagant, pompous, avaricious, mendacious, deceitful, envious, hateful, and vindictive men, they also, from the field of the world, root out the purest grain.
They usurp the office of the Most High, and would command and compel the souls who are not under them, but under the sceptre of Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:28); yea, they set themselves not only beside, but above the Divine Majesty, demanding that men should obey them rather than God. God has commanded that we should serve Him with all our hearts (Dent. 6:5), but these prohibit men from serving God in this manner, and constrain them contrary to the convictions of their consciences to follow their laws and institutions. Matt. 21:37: Christ constrained the people to conversion', by words of admonition, persuasion and reproof, and of those who were offended at His doctrine, He only said, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders." Matt. 15:14. But these compel with fire and sword, so that they deliver -to the executioner those who embrace the doctrine of Christ according to all their ability, and do not feel themselves at liberty to follow these blind leaders; bringing them into a strait, where they cannot without danger, escape either to the right or to the left; for, if they obey these, they fall into the hands of God; and if they adhere to God, they cannot escape the cruelty of these men.
Now; in order to give a semblance and gloss to their unchristian and ungodly punishments of heretics., they befoul these pious people with the stain of disobedience, and, washing their hands, as it were, from innocent blood, lay the guilt upon the edicts, which, however, were devised, and are daily executed, through their bloody advice and instigation. But, pray, who has given them power to make edicts against souls and consciences, to reign thereby in the kingdom of Christ, in- which they themselves can be but subjects and servants? Will this excuse them? By no means. The Jews who sought to bring the innocent Jesus to death, also said like these, "We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, " John 19:7. They know, or ought to know, that at the tribunal of Christ judgment will be rendered, not according to human edicts, but according to the divine word, "The word that I have spoken," said the Lord,"the same shall judge him in the last day," (John 12:48), and, therefore, everyone-is necessarily bound more to the law of Christ, than to their laws and edicts; yea, an account will have to be given of these edicts,
