Four books on the eleventh of Matthew

But for a violent compelling of a man, merely to alter his judgment, though he will keep it to himself, and live quietly, yet to compel him to subscribe to such Articles that he cannot submit unto, certainly, Christ would not have any such yoke, to have a compulsory way, to make men believe that which hey cannot see any reason for, but Christ would first have the soul be convinced of the thing before he believes it, and it is a mighty ease, if we did understand it, we would think it to be worth all the trouble we have been under since these wars began, to be delivered from what the Prelatical, Antichristian men did determine, that they would put upon all those that should have any office or exercise any Gift in the Church of God, they would force them, either to believe what they say to be true, or otherwise not to live among them, yea, all people were brought unto it, though they did not understand it. As thus, many people were brought under this bondage, Suppose any of you were complained of by a Parator in their Court, well, when you were once complained of, if you had not appeared, then presently excommunicated if they had got any advantage over you, well, if once they got you under the censure of their Court, you could not get off for your lives without taking an Oath, and in that Oath you must acknowledge such things, as I dare say not one▪ in five hundred understood what it was, and yet you must acknowledge subjection to them; Now what an intolerable bondage ⟨p. 733⟩was this? and if you did not, you were undone for your outward estates, they would force it by violence, saith Christ, my yoke is otherwise, Oh, what a bondage were we in, and yet not sensible of it? and did we understand it, we would not so murmur and complain of some trouble that we meet withal, and we would cry to God that we might never come under such a bondage again, in such a violent way, to be forced to such an Oath, and to believe such and such things to be true, though otherwise we lived quietly and peaceably, yet not to be suffered so to live, except we would change our judgments, certainly, this is an intolerable burden. And would you know what is Antichristianism, and what not?

But for a violent compelling of a man, meerly to alter his judgment, though he will keep it to himself, and live quietly, yet to compel him to subscribe to such Articles that he cannot sub•it unto, certainly, Christ would not have any such yoke, to have a compulsory way, to make men beleeve that which hey cannot see any reason for, but Christ would first have the soul be convinced of the thing before he beleeves it, and it is a mighty ease, if we did understand it, we would think it to be worth al the trouble we have been under since these wars began, to be delivered from what the Prelatical, Antichristian men did determin, that they would put upon all those that should have any office or exercise any Gift in the Church of God, they would force them, either to beleeve what they say to be true, or otherwise not to live among them, yea, all people were brought unto it, though they did not understand it. As thus, many people were brought under this bondage, Suppose any of you were complained of by a Parator in their Court, well, when you were once complained of, if you had not appeared, then presently excommunicated if they had got any advantage over you, wel, if once they got you under the censure of their Court, you could not get off for your lives without taking an Oath, and in that Oath you must acknowledg such things, as I dare say not one in five hundred understood what it was, and yet you must acknowledg subjection to them; Now what an intolerable bondage