[161] Bishop Barlow's "Several Miscellaneous and Weighty Cases of
Conscience Resolved," 1692. His "Case of a Toleration in Matters of
Religion," addressed to Robert Boyle, p. 39. This volume was not
intended to have been given to the world, a circumstance which does
not make it the less curious.
[162] In the article _Sancterius_. Note F.
[163] Recent writers among our sectarists assert that Dr. Owen was
the _first_ who wrote in favour of toleration, in 1648! Another
claims the honour for John Goodwin, the chaplain of Oliver Cromwell,
who published one of his obscure polemical tracts in 1644, among a
number of other persons who, at that crisis, did not venture to
prefix their names to pleas in favour of toleration, so delicate and
so obscure did this subject then appear! In 1651, they translated
the liberal treatise of Grotius, _De Imperio Summarum Potestatum
circa Sacra_, under the title of "The Authority of the Highest
Powers about Sacred Things." London, 8vo, 1651. To the honour of
Grotius, the first of philosophical reformers, be it recorded, that
he displeased both parties!
[164] J. P. Rabaut, "sur la Revolution Francaise," p. 27.
[165] "Life of James the Second, from his own Papers," ii 114.
[166] This was a Baron Wallop. From Dr. H. Sampson's Manuscript Diary.
[167] It is curious to observe that the catholics were afterwards
ashamed of these indiscretions; they were unwilling to own that
there were any medals which commemorate massacres. Thuanus, in his
53rd book, has minutely described them. The medals, however, have
become excessively scarce; but copies inferior to the originals have
been sold. They had also pictures on similar subjects, accompanied
by insulting inscriptions, which latter they have effaced, sometimes
very imperfectly. See Hollis's "Memoirs," p. 312-14. This enthusiast
advertised in the papers to request travellers to procure them.
[168] The _Sala Regia_ of the Vatican has still upon its walls a
painting by Vasari of this massacre, among the other important
events in the history of the Popes similarly commemorated.
[169] "Memoires de Michel de Castelnau," liv. i. c. 4.
[170] "Life of Thuanus, by the Rev. J. Collinson," p. 115.
[171] Dr. M'Crie's "Life of John Knox," ii. 122.
[172] I quote from an unpublished letter, written so late as in 1749,
addressed to the author of "The Free and Candid Disquisition," by
the Rev. Thomas Allen, rector of Kettering, Northamptonshire.
However extravagant his doctrine appears to us, I suspect that it
exhibits the concealed sentiments of even some protestant churchmen!
This rector of Kettering attributes the growth of schism to the
_negligence_ of the clergy, and seems to have persecuted both the
archbishops, "to his detriment," as he tells us, with singular plans
of reform borrowed from monastic institutions. He wished to revive
the practice inculcated by a canon of the counsel of Laodicea of
having prayers _ad horam nonam et ad vesperam_--prayers twice a day
in the churches. But his grand project take in his own words:--
"I let the archbishop know that I had composed an _irenicon_,
wherein I prove the necessity of an ecclesiastical _power over
consciences_ in matters of religion, which utterly silences their
arguments who _plead so hard for toleration_. I took my scheme from
'A Discourse of Ecclesiastical Polity,' wherein the authority of the
civil magistrate over the consciences of subjects in matters of
external religion is asserted; _the mischiefs and inconveniences of
toleration_ are represented, and all pretences pleaded in behalf of
_liberty of conscience_ are fully answered. If this book were
reprinted and considered, the king would know his power and the
people their duty."
The rector of Kettering seems not to have known that the author of
this "Discourse on Ecclesiastical Polity" was the notorious Parker,
immortalised by the satire of Marvell. This political apostate, from
a republican and presbyterian, became a furious advocate for
_arbitrary government_ in church and state! He easily won the favour
of James the Second, who made him Bishop of Oxford! His principles
were so violent that Father Petre, the confessor of James, made sure
of him! This letter of the rector of Kettering, in adopting the
system of such a _catholic_ bishop, confirms my suspicion that
_toleration_ is condemned as an evil among some protestants!
[173] The cruelties practised by the Protestant against the Catholic
party are pictured and described in Arnoudt Van Geluwe's book, "Over
de Ontledinghe van dry verscheyden Niew-Ghereformeerde Martelaers
Boecken," published at Antwerp in 1656.
[174] Cornhert was one of the fathers of Dutch literature, and even
of their arts. He was the composer of the great national air of
William of Orange; he was too a famous engraver, the master of
Goltzius. On his death-bed he was still writing against the
_persecution of heretics_.
[175] "Dictionnaire de Trevoux," _ad vocem_ Tolerance. Printed in 1771.
[176] Sismondi, "Hist. des Francais," i. 41. The character of the
_first person_ who introduced _civil_ persecution into the Christian
church has been described by Sulpicius Severus. See Dr. Maclaine's
note in his translation of Mosheim's "Ecclesiastical History," vol.
i. 428.