WILLIAMS. 481 they cannot - love, than to worship where they cannot be- lieve :" and he denied " that Christ had appointed the civil sword as a remedy against false teachers." Mr. Cotton affirmed, and- endeavoured to prove, the contrary sentiment. He maintained that the civil sword was appointed as the remedy in this case ; and that it was matter of perpetual equity to put to death any apostate seducing idolater, or heretic, who sought to draw the souls of the people from the Lord their God. Mr. Williams clearly saw the result of these principles, and in his work he addressed a letter to Governor Endicot, in which he said, " By your principles and conscience, such as you count heretics, blasphemers, and seducers, must be put to death. You cannot be faithful to your principles and conscience without it." About four years after this Endicot puf to death four persons, and pleaded conscience for the propriety of his conduct.. Mr. Williams, in pleading the cause of religious liberty, asks Mr. Cotton, " If Jesus Christ have left a power with the civil governors of this world, for establishing, governing, and reforming his church, what is become of his care and love, his wisdom and faithfulness ; seeing in all ages, since he left the world, be bath generally left her destitute of such qualified princes and governors, and in the course of his providence furnished her with those whom he knew would be as fit as wolves to protect and feed his sheep n The publication of his book in England gave great offence to the presbyterians, who exclaimed against it as full of heresy and blasphemy. But his principles having been tried, and found to be the soundest policy, both England and America should unite in erecting a monument to perpetuate the name of Roger Williams, as the first governor who ever pleaded that liberty of conscience was the birthright of man, and granted it to those who in opinion differed from himself, when he had the power of withholding it. His practice, also, was founded on the generous principles of the-gospel. He was " not overcome of evil, but overcame evil with good;" and, in their wars with the Indians, he was exceedingly useful to, those by,whom he had been perse- cuted. He was at the same time particularly zealous and labo- rious in promoting the conversion of the Indians, an account of whose manners, customs, and languages he afterwards pub- lished. He was so universally beloved and revered, that he was sometimes chosen governor of the colony : he, never- _ ac Ivimey's Hist. of Baptists, p. 218, 2W. t Backus's Hist, vol. i, p. 189. VOL. III. ".1.111.1.1=1111.A111111.1Pr,
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