founder of Congregationalism had taught the primitive Christian principle that the magistrates had
no authority over the church and the conscience, but only over civil matters. Luther expressed the
same view in 1523.^92
(c) "The third opinion is that the magistrate may and ought to exercise his coërcive power
in suppressing and punishing heretics and sectaries less or more, according as the nature and degree
of the error, schism, obstinacy, and danger of seducing others may require." For this theory Gillespie
quotes Moses, St. Augustin, Calvin, Beza, Bullinger, Voëtius, John Gerhard, and other Calvinistic
and Lutheran divines. It was held by the Presbyterians in England and Scotland, including the
Scottish commissioners in the Assembly, and vigorously advocated by Dr. Samuel Rutherford,
Professor of Divinity in St. Andrews,^93 and most zealously by Thomas Edwards, a Presbyterian
minister in London.^94 It had a strong basis in the national endorsement of the Solemn League and
Covenant, and triumphed in the Westminster Assembly. It may therefore be called the Presbyterian
theory of the seventeenth century. But it was never put into practice by Presbyterians, at least not
to the extent of physical violence, against heretics and schismatics either in England or Scotland.^95
The Westminster Confession of Faith, in its original shape, declares, on the one hand, the
great principle of religious liberty, that "God alone is Lord of the conscience," but also, on the other
hand, that dangerous heretics "may lawfully be called to account, and proceeded against by the
censures of the church, and by the power of the civil magistrate."^96 And it assigns to the civil
magistrate the power and duty to preserve "unity and peace in the church," to suppress "all
(^92) Dr. Dexter asserts (p. 101) that "Robert Browne is entitled to the proud pre-eminence of having been the first writer clearly to state
and defend in the English tongue the true and now accepted doctrine of the relation of the magistrate to the church," in his Treatise of
Reformation, published in 1582. Comp. Dexter, p. 703 sq., and Append. p. 8. But this is an error. Bishop John Hooper of Gloucester, who
suffered martyrdom under Queen Mary (1555), says in one of his earliest treatises: "As touching the superior powers of the earth, it is
well known to all that have readen and marked the Scripture that it appertaineth nothing unto their office to make any law to govern the
conscience of their subjects in religion."Early Writings of Bishop Hooper, p. 280, quoted by Dr. Mitchell, The Westminster Assembly, p.
16, where may be found a still stronger passage in, Latin to the same effect: "Profecto Christus non ignem non carceres, non vincula, non
violentiam, non bonorum confiscationem, non regineae majestatis terrorem media organa constituit quibus veritas verbi sui mundo
promulgaretur; sed miti ac diligenti praedicatione evangelii sui mundum ab errore et idolatria converti praecepit."Later Writings of Bp.
Hooper, p. 386. The same principle found expression among Mennonites and Anabaptists of the Reformation period, and may be traced
back to the Apostolic and the Ante-Nicene period, when Christianity had no connection whatever with politics and secular government.
(^93) He wrote A Free Disputation against pretended Liberty of Conscience tending to resolve Doubts moved by Mr. John Goodwin, John
Baptist, Dr. Jer. Taylor, the Belgick Arminians, Socinians, and other authors contending for lawless Liberty, or licentious Toleration of
sects and Heresies. London, 1649. 410 pages. He calls the advocates of toleration "Libertines."
(^94) The author of Reasons against Independent Government of Particular Congregations: as also against the Toleration of such churches
to be erected in this kingdom. Presented to the House of Commons. London, 1641 (56 pp.). Antapologia; or, a Full Answer to the
Apologetical Narration of Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Nye, Mr. Sympson, Mr. Burroughs, Mr. Bridge, Members of the Assembly of Divines. Wherein
many of the controversies of these times are handled. London, 1646 (259 pp.). The First and Second Part of Gangraena; or, A Catalogue
and Discovery of many of the Errors, Heresies, Blasphemies and pernicious Practices of the Sectaries of this time, vented and acted in
England in these four last years, etc. London, 1646. The first part has 116, the second part 178 pages. They were followed by The Third
Part of Gangraena; or, A New and Higher Discovery of Errors, etc. London, 1646 (295 pp.), and by The Casting down of the last and
strongest hold of Satan; or, A Treatise against Toleration and pretended Liberty of Conscience. London, 1647 (218 pp.).—"The ministers
of Christ within the province of London," December 14, 1647, sent out a Testimony of the Truth of Jesus Christ, and to our Solemn League,
and Covenant; as also Against the Errors, Heresies and Blasphemies of these times, and the Toleration of them. London, 1648 (38 pp.).
(^95) Dr. M’Crie, in his Annals of English Presbytery (pp. 190, 191), says: "It admits of being shown that even the hypothetical intolerance
of our Presbyterian fathers differed essentially from Romish and Prelatic tyranny .... In point of fact it never led them to persecute, it never
applied the rack to the flesh, or slaked its vengeance in blood or the maiming of the body."
(^96) Chapter XX., 2, 4. The clause "and by the power of the civil magistrate," is omitted in the American recension of the Westminster
Confession.