Leighton bore his sufferings with the meekness and courage of an apostle. “But the fortitude of the sufferer marred the policy of his oppressors. It brought upon them the execrations of the people, and vested him with the honours of martyrdom.”
Prelatical tyranny at length wearied out the nation, and the people arose, demanding redress of their grievances. “The Long Parliament” was called in 1640, and they decreed the abolition of the civil and ecclesiastical Inquisitions,—the High Commission Court and the Star Chamber. Dr. Leighton, on petitioning Parliament, was set at liberty: as the reading of his petition, describing a series of his sufferings, during eleven years, unparalleled, perhaps, in English history, affected many of the senators to tears; and, when released from prison, the venerable man could hardly walk, or see, or hear! Parliament allowed this injured servant of God a pension till his death, in 1644, aged seventy-six. All who were imprisoned by those courts on account of religion were liberated. Dr. Burton, Dr. Bastwick, and Mr. Prynne, a barrister, were met by an immense multitude, and conducted in triumph to London.
Persecution ceased; religious liberty prevailed, in a great degree, under the Long Parliament, and during the Commonwealth. But, after the restoration of Charles II., the principles of the Inquisition, for some years, enabled the prelates to harass the nonconformists, by the “Act of Uniformity,” the “Conventicle Act,” and the “Five Mile Act.” Tyranny triumphed, by these and other shocking statutes, until they were abolished by the “Act of Toleration,” as a shield against priestly oppression, by the “GLORIOUS REVOLUTION” under William III.
CHAPTER X.
CRIMES ALLEGED BY THE INQUISITION.
Heretics—Open and secret—Schismatics—Favourers of Heretics—Hinderers of the Inquisition—Suspected persons relapsed—Readers of forbidden books—Priests soliciting confessors—Blasphemers—Diviners—Witches—Polygamists—Jews.
Roman Catholics denominate the tribunal of the Inquisition Sanctum Officium, or Holy Office; pretending that it is engaged in the sacred service of God, for the seeking out and extirpation of evil persons from the church of Christ. The inquisitors, therefore, proceed against alleged heretics, blasphemers, apostates, relapsed Jews, Mohammedans, witches, wizards, and all others charged with having violated the canons of the holy Roman Catholic church. These classes of alleged offenders require to be mentioned, as illustrating the intolerant and sanguinary character of the Romish Inquisition.
1. Heretics.—These, in general, are persons who, having been baptised, or professed the Romish faith, hold doctrines condemned by the Pope;—as the denial of the sacrifice of the mass, priestly absolution, the worship of the Virgin Mary, transubstantiation, or purgatory. Some are reckoned manifest, and others, concealed heretics. All who hold the doctrines of Luther, or of the other reformers, and all Protestants rejecting the pretended ecclesiastical traditions, and taking the Holy Scriptures as the only rule of faith and duty, are thus declared heretics by the Papists. Such are punished variously, some being burnt alive.
2. Open and Secret Heretics.—These are described thus, by the Romanists:—“An open heretic is one who publicly avows something contrary to the Catholic faith, or who is condemned for it by the judges of the faith. A secret or concealed heretic is one who errs in his mind concerning the faith, and purposes to be obstinate in his will, but hath not shown it by word or deed. Although an heretic be thus concealed, yet, if he infects others, he is immediately to be discovered by his judges.” These are also called affirmative and negative heretics. The latter are those, who, according to the law of the Inquisition, are rightly and justly convicted of some heresy before a judge, but yet profess the Catholic faith. Such were many of those converted from amongst the Jews and Moors in Spain. Obstinate heretics are to be doomed to be burnt alive, delivered over to the fire with their mouths gagged, and their tongues tied, lest, by their speaking, they should induce others to embrace their principles. Some are denominated arch-heretics, as the inventors or chief teachers of doctrines contrary to those established by the Pope. Among the most distinguished of these, the Papists reckon Peter Waldo, John Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, Zuingle, Cranmer, Knox, and others, the leaders of the Protestant reformation. Multitudes of these have been burnt alive, especially in France, Spain, and England.
3. Schismatics.—These are described by the Papists as those who depart from the unity of the church, and believe that there may be salvation and true sacraments without the Catholic church, and differ little from heretics; but others are without blame, and err through probable or insuperable ignorance. The punishments of schismatics are privation of ecclesiastical power, if priests, excommunication, and, finally, death.
4. Receivers or Favourers of Heretics.—These are such as, knowing them to be heretics, defend them when persecuted by the church, afford them lodging or shelter, or allow them to read or preach in their houses. Others are favourers of heretics, who omit to discover them to the bishops and inquisitors. Their punishment is excommunication, and banishment for ever, with confiscation of goods.