Luther, in his book of the civil magistrate, saith: “The laws of the civil magistrate’s government extend no further than over the body or goods, and to that which is external: for over the soul God will not suffer any man to rule; only he himself will rule there. Wherefore, whosoever doth undertake to give laws unto the souls and consciences of men, he usurpeth that government himself which appertaineth unto God,” &c.
Therefore, upon 1 Kings vi. “In the building of the temple there was no sound of iron heard, to signify that Christ will have in his church a free and a willing people, not compelled and constrained by laws and statutes.”
Again, he saith upon Luke xxii. “It is not the true catholic church which is defended by the secular arm or human power, but the false and feigned church; which although it carries the name of a church, yet it denies the power thereof.”
And upon Psalm xvii. he saith: “For the true church of Christ knoweth not brachium seculare, which the bishops now-a-days chiefly use.”
Again, in Postil. Dom. 1. post. Epiphan., he saith: “Let not Christians be commanded, but exhorted; for he that willingly will not do that whereunto he is friendly exhorted, he is no Christian: whereof they that do compel those that are not willing, show thereby that they are not Christian preachers, but worldly beadles.”
Again, upon 1 Pet. iii. he saith: “If the civil magistrate shall command me to believe thus and thus, I should answer him after this manner: Lord, or sir, look you to your civil or worldly government, your power extends not so far as to command any thing in God’s kingdom; therefore herein I may not hear you. For if you cannot bear it, that any should usurp authority where you have to command, how do you think that God should suffer you to thrust him from his seat, and to seat yourself therein?”
Lastly, the papists, the inventors of persecution, in a wicked book of theirs, set forth in King James’s reign, thus:
“Moreover, the means which Almighty God appointed his officers to use in the conversion of kingdoms, and nations, and people, was humility, patience, charity: saying, Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves, Matt. x. 16. He did not say, ‘Behold, I send you as wolves among sheep, to kill, imprison, spoil, and devour those unto whom they were sent.’”
“Again, ver. 17, he saith: They to whom I send you will deliver you up into councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you; and to presidents and to kings shall you be led for my sake. He doth not say, ‘You, whom I send, shall deliver the people, whom you ought to convert, unto councils, and put them in prisons, and lead them to Presidents, and tribunal seats, and make their religion felony and treason.’
“Again he saith, ver. 32: When ye enter into an house, salute it, saying, Peace be unto this house. He doth not say, ‘You shall send pursuivants to ransack or spoil the house.’