3 z 2 The Support of Good Alen, Vol. I. fecret Manner of Proceeding, for the unjuft and arbitrary Rules of it for the barbarous Ufageof Mens Persons, and the Cruelty of its Torments, to extort Confeffions from them, the Sun never Caw ere; ed under any Government in the World, by Menof any Religion whatfoever) I fay, which, betides this Court, bath by frequent Croifadoes for the Extirpation ofHereticks, and by many Bloody Maffacrees inFrance and Ireland, and feveral other Places, deftroyed far greater numbers of Chriftians, than all the ten Heathen Perfecutions ; and hath of late revived, and to this very Day continuesthe fame or greater Cruelties, and a fier- cer Perfecution of Proteftants, if all the Circumftancesof it be confidered, than was ever yet praltifed upon them ; and yet whilft this is doing almoft beforeour eyes, in one ofour next neighbour Nations, they have the Face to complain of the Cannibal Laws, and bloody Perfecutionsof the Chuchof England, and the Confidence to let up for the great Patrons of Liberty of Confcience, and Ene- mies ofall Compulsion and Force in.Matters ofReligion. Fifthly, Men do truly fuffer for the Caufe of God and Religion, when they fuffer for afferting and maintaining the Purity of the Christian Do&rine and Wor- fhip ; and for oppofing and not complying with thofe grofs Errors and Cor- ruptions, which Superflition and Ignorance had, in a long Cour(c of Time, brought into the Chriftian Religion. Upon this Account many Good People fuffered in many pall Ages, for refitting the growing Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome, which at firft crept in by Degrees, but at last broke in like a mighty Flood, which carried down all before it, and threatned Ruin and De- ftrufìion to all that opposed them. Upon this Account alto, infinite Numbers fuffered amongthe Waldenfes and Albigenfes, in Bohemia, and in England, and in molt other Countries in this Weflern Part of Chriftendom. And they who fuf- fered upon jjtis Account, fuffer'd in a good Caufe, and for the Teftimony of the Truth. Sixthly, and Laflly, Men do truly fuller for the Caufe of Religion, when they fuller for not difclaiming and renouncing any clear and undoubted Truth ofGod whatfoever ; yea though it benot a Fundamental Point and Article of Religion. And this is the Cafe of thofe many Thoufands, who ever fince the IVth Coun- cil of Lateran, which was in the Year 1215, (when Tranfubffantiation was firft defin'd to be an Article ofFaith, and neceffary to Salvation to be believ'd) were perfecuted with Fire and Sword, for not underftanding thofe Words of our Sa- viour, this is any Body, (which are fo eafily capable of a reafonable Senfe) in the abfurd and impoffibleSenfe of Tranfubfiantiation. And though this difowningof this Datrine, be no exprefs and direet Article of the Chriftian Religion; yet it is a Fundamental Article of right Reafon and common Senfe : Becaufe the ad- mitting of Tranfubflantiation, does undermine the Foundation of all Certainty whatfoever, and does more immediately (hake the very Foundation of Chriftia- nity it felf. Yea, tho' the Chriftian Religion were no ways concerned in this Dofirine, yet out of Reverence to Reafon and Truth, and a just Animofity and In- dignation at confident Nonfenfe, a Man of an honeft and generous Mind would as foon be brought to declare or fwear, that twice two do not make four, but five, as to profefs his Beliefof Tranfrsbflantiation. And tho' all Truths are not of equal Confequence and Concernment, yet all Truth is of God ; and forthat Reafon, tho' we are not obliged to make an open Prófeffìonof all Truths at all times, yet we are bound not to deny or renounce any Truth, nor to make Profeflion of a known Fal(hood or Error : For it is meetly becaufe of the intrinfical Evil ofthe Thing, that it is impoble for God to lie ; and the Son ofGod thought it worth his coming into the World, and lay- ing down his Life, to bearwitness to the Truth. So he himfelf tells us, lob. 18. 37. To this End was I born, and for this Caufe came I into the World,, that Ifbould bear witnefs to the Truth. Thus have I (hewn you in thefe plain Inflances (to which moll other Cafes may be reduced) whenMen may be faid tofuffer truly for the Caufe of Religion, and Truth. I ;hall
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