Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew (1st ed. vol 3).djvu/33

What a falser notion of glory could they offer him, than the putting him in the place of God, making the faith and religion of men to depend upon his authority, and that henceforward it must he said in his kingdom, I don’t believe, because I am persuaded of it, but I believe, because the king would have me do it, which, to speak properly, is that I believe nothing, and that I’ll be a Turk or a Jew or whatever the king pleases?	What falser notion of glory could they ever offer him, than the putting him thus in the place of God, nay even above God, in making the faith and religion of his subjects depend on his sole authority, and that henceforward it must be said in his kingdom, I believe not because I am persuaded, but I believe because the king will have me, let God say what he will, which, to speak properly, is that I believe nothing, anti that I’ll be a Turk, a Jew, an Atheist, or whatever the king pleases?
What falser idea of glory, than to force from men’s mouths, by violence and a long series of torments, a profession which the heart abhors, and for which one sighs night and day, crying continually to God for mercy!	What falser idea of glory, than to force from men’s mouths, by violence and a long series of torments, a confession which the heart abhors, and for which they afterward sigh night and day, crying continually to God for mercy!
What glory is there in inventing new ways of persecutions, unknown to former ages, which indeed do not bring death along with them, but keep men alive to suffer, that they may overcome their patience and constancy by cruelties, which are above human strength to undergo?	What glory is there in inventing new ways of persecution, unknown to former ages, persecutions which indeed do not bring death along with them, but keep men alive to suffer, that their patience and constancy may be overcome by cruelties, which are above human strength to undergo!
What glory is there in not contenting themselves to force those who remain in his kingdom, but to forbid them to leave it, and keep them under a double servitude, viz., both of soul and body?	What glory is there in not contenting himself to force those who remain in his kingdom, but to prohibit also their leaving it, and so keep them under a double servitude both of soul and body?
What glory is there in keeping his prisons full of innocent persons who are charged with no other fault than serving God according to the best of then knowledge, and for this to be exposed to the rage of dragoons, or condemned to the gallies and executions on body and goods? Will these cruelties render His Majesty’s name lovely in his history to the Catholick or Protestant world?	What glory is there in stuffing his prisons full of innocent persons who are charged with no other crime than the serving God according to the best of their knowledge, and for this to be exposed either to the rage of the dragoons, or be condemned to the gallies, and suffer execution on body and goods? What falser idea of glory for the king than to make it consist in the abuse of his power, and to violate without so much as a shadow of reason his own word and royal faith, which he had so solemnly given and so often reiterated; and this, only because he can do it with impunity, and has to deal with a flock of innocent sheep that are under his paw and cannot escape him? And yet ’tis this which the clergy of France, by the mouth of the Bishop of Valence, calls a greatness and a glory that raises Louis XIV. above all other kings, above all his predecessors, and above time itself, and consecrates him for eternity? ’Tis what Monsieur Varillas calls “Labours greater and more incredible, without comparison, than those