Apology for the Reformed Churches, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. That our Separation from Rome was not made raſhly, willingly, or unneceſſarily.
Object. BUt they'l ſay, that They had reaſon to do ſo, and that We have none.
Anſ. So then, now we come to the buſineſſe, viz. To examine the cauſes of our ſeparation, before ſentence be given againſt it. Let us, I beſeech you, leave the odious words of diviſion and ſchiſme, and apply them to none but ſuch to whom we ſhall find they appertain. For if we have not had any important cauſe of our ſeparation from the Church of Rome; if ſhe have not required any thing of us which deſtroys our faith, offends our conſciences, and overthrows the ſervice which we believe due to God; If the differences between us have been ſmall, and ſuch as we might ſafely have yeilded unto; Then I'le grant, That men may call our Anceſtours Schiſmaticks, may condemn their ſeparation to be raſh and unjuſt, and may impute to them all the ſad diſaſters and ſcandals, that have attended that action. B…t if they were urged to believe, and preſſed to do▪ a thouſand things contrary to their faith and to their conſcience; if onelyonly for not doing them they were declared Hereticks, enemies to J. Chriſt and his Church; if they were deemed unworthy even of the honours, or poſſeſſions, yea even of that life it ſelf which is enjoyed in this world; who doth not ſee, That they deſerve, the pity of men in ſtead of their hate, and That their withdrawing themſelves from people, who have Treated them in this manner, was juſt, lawfull, and neceſſary, according to all the laws of heaven and earth? Now it is very apparent, that they were forced to make this ſeparation for reaſons which they in their conſciences judged to be very great and important. For excepting the motives of conſcience, all other conſiderations evidently obliged them to the contrary. In ſeparating from the Church of Rome they pluckt upon themſelves all the disfavours of the world; they incurred the indignation of their Magiſtrates, the hatred of their Countreymen; they expoſed themſelves to the loſſe of their goods, their honours, their friends, their very countrey, nay all that is ſweet, neare, or deare unto them in this life; and to the ſuffering of poverty, ignominy, baniſhment, tortures and all imaginable puniſhments. Who can believe, that men who had the uſe of ſenſe and reaſon (as well as their neighbours) ſhould ever chooſe (with chearfulneſſe, where there is no neceſſity) to embrace ſuch a ſide? And though, they had been ſo blind, as not to have foreſeen that ſuch would be the event of their deſigne (which yet is not a jot probable) how ſhould We come to have ſo little experience as not to diſcern the danger? We, who follow their ſteps, and have ſeen the whole world in a conſpiracy for to reduce them with all poſſible force and artifice from this ſeparation, and to reunite us to Rome. One muſt needs think then, that both our Anceſtours and We were carried on to this motion, ſo apparently contrary to our own good and welfare, by ſome very ſtrong reaſon, that forced us as it were againſt our wills to ſleight what ever is naturally deſirable, and in ſtead of enjoying that to ſuffer what we are wont to dread; which certainly can be no leſſe then a ſtrange fantaſticalneſſe and a ſilly opinionative humour, which ſhould make us take a delight in running counter to others, as ſome (without any appearance of reaſon) are pleaſed to imagine. I heartily wiſh it were in our power, to accommodate our ſelves in this particular with a good conſcience to the cuſtomes and Services of our Countreymen; whoſe friendſhip We know very well how much we ought to value, and how highly to prize the good favour of thoſe Princes whom God hath ſet over us: eſpecially rather then to diſpleaſe them needleſly, in a matter of ſuch high importance, and which they affect with ſo much paſſion, according to the great and ſingular devotion which they bear towards thoſe things that they eſteem divine. We behold likewiſe (and grieve to behold) the diſorders that this diverſitie in Chriſtianitie breeds; and the extreme ſcandal that it gives to Infidels, and ſuch as are weak in faith. And what ever others ſay, We are not (thanks be to God) ſuch enemies to His glory and the ſalvation of mankind, as not be as ſenſible of theſe dolefull emergencies, as of ought that moſt concerns our temporall good, and private intereſts.