Refutation of a Puritan-Papist, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Of the certaine danger, miſchiefe, inconueniences and confuſions, which Toleration and mixture of diuers Religions bringeth vntounto the Common-wealth. And how the iudgements of God proſecuted ſuch Magiſtrates as permitted licencious profeſsion, and alſo the Common-weales wherein ſuch diſſoluteneſſe hath beene exerciſed.
THAT Toleration and mixture of diuers Religions is very dangerous vntounto any eſtabliſhed Common-wealth,Toleration very dangerous. may be proued, as well by the example of all well-ordered States, which could not endure innouation in Religion, becauſe eueryevery thing naturally abhorreth from that which is pernicious and hurtfull vntounto it: as alſo by many impregnable reaſons.
Ethnikes could not endure it.1 The Pagans could not abide to alter their ancient receiued Religion: becauſe, as Cicero teſtifieth, Religion being once changed, the confuſion of Ciuill life will ſoone follow. Cic. Act. 6. in Verrem. Heereupon was that law enacted, No man muſt worſhip ſtrange gods. Inter Leg. 12. Tab. And the enemies of Socrates ſeeking any calumnie to put him to death, inuented no other, than that he ſeemed to diſturbe their ancient Religion, and to bring in new gods.
Perſecution from Toleration.2 Hence aroſe the perſecutions againſt Chriſt, his Apoſtles, and the primitiue Chriſtians: becauſe the Aduerſaries perſwaded themſelues that diuerſity of worſhips could not be admitted without great commotions, and detriment vntounto the Empire. The Phariſies ſay of Chriſt; This man doth many miracles, If we let him alone, all men will beleeue in him, and the Romanes will come and take away both our place and the nation. Ioh. 11.48. Againe, they calumniate him ſaying; We hauehave found this man peruerting the nation, &c. Luc. 23.2. So alſo after Chriſts aſcention, the Gentiles accuſed the Apoſtles ſaying; Theſe men trouble our city, And preach ordinances which are not lawfull for vsus to receiue, nor to obſerue, ſeeing we are Romanes. Act. 16.20.21.
Ciuill gouernment cannot continue long without puritie of Religion.3 Again, as the Soule gouerneth the Body, and the body yeeldeth obedience and defence vntounto the Soule, as vntounto his gouernour; So Religion is as it were the ſoule vntounto politique regimēt, which ſhould guide the ſame; and politique Regiment ought to yeeld the duties of obedience and defence vntounto Religion. Wherefore if Religion be endangered or corrupted with the foule contagion of licencious profeſſion; what hope can there be that the ciuill gouernment can long continue inuiolate?
Toleration diſſolueth the bonds of obedience.4 Diuerſitie and diſſention in Religion diſſolueth the bonds of obedience, of louelove and amitie amongſt Subiects; for it breedeth exacerbation of minde, and cauſeth diuulſion and diſtraction of affections; and conſequently prepareth way to tumults, vproares, ſeditions, maſſacres and ciuill wars, whereby the ſtate of the common-wealth is vtterly ouerthrowne.
It was the forerunner of the ouerthrow of the Empire.5 Toleration of diuerſe Religions and immunitie of profeſſion hath beene the fore-runner of the confuſion and ruine of the greateſt ſtates, as appeareth in the Empire.
Of Iurie.6 So alſo God permitted Iurie to abound with diuerſitie of Sects in the daies of Herode; as the Sadduces, the Eſſenes, the Phariſies, the Herodians, that is, Courtiers which were of all Religions, or rather of no Religion, wholy depending of their Princes pleaſure; when he purpoſed to deſtroy the Iewiſh Common-wealth, and to bring all in ſubiection to Chriſt.
Heathen Emperours permitted toleration, to roote out Chriſtian Religion.7 It hath beene the cauſe alſo of the confuſion, defection and ruine of the moſt famous and flooriſhing Churches, and a ſupplanter of Religion. For the Pagan and Apoſtata Emperours, becauſe they would ſupplant the true Chriſtian Profeſſion, granted libertie and immunitie vntounto all Sects of Heretiques.
8 So Iuſtine Martyr complaining vntounto Antoninus Pius writeth: All they who proceede from theſe (Symon, Menander and Marcion) are indeede called Chriſtians, as all Sects of Philoſophers are termed by one generall name. And whether they be infamed with thoſe odious lies, of putting out the lights, promiſcuous companie, and deuouring of humane fleſh, we know not; but this we certainely know, that not one of them is put to death by you. Iuſtin. Mart. Apolog. 2.
9 So Apollinarius the Hieropolitan ſpeaking againſt the Cataphrygians, ſaith: Is there any one of the diſciples of Montanus and of thoſe fooliſh women his complices, who euer ſuffered perſecution at the hands of either Iew or Gentill? Certainely not one. Apud Euſeb. lib. 5. cap. 15.
10 So Cyprian ſpeaketh; What ſaith the Nouatian Heretique to theſe things? Do you acknowledge which is the Church, who is the Miniſter of God and of the houſe of Chriſt, who be thoſe Seruants of God whom the Diuell vexeth, who be thoſe Chriſtians whom Antichriſt impugneth? He ſeeketh not to ouer come thoſe whom he hath alreadie conquered, nor careth to foile whom he knoweth are his owne; &c. Cypr. Epiſt. 57. ad Corn. And in another place, The enemie of Chriſt impugneth and perſecuteth none but the Souldiers of Chriſt; he contemneth and paſſeth by the Heretiques who are foyled and become his Champions. Cypr. Epiſt. 58. ad Lucium.
11 So Conſtantius the Arian Emperour tolerated other ſmall Hereſies, as his Siſters,Conſtantius. to vomite their blaſphemies againſt Chriſt, but perſecuted only the Chriſtians, as Athanaſius teſtifieth. Athanaſ. Epiſt. ad Solitar. Zozom. lib. 4. cap. 19. & 26.
12 So Iulian the Apoſtata,Iulian. at the requeſt of Rogatianus and Pontius graunted libertie of perdition (theſe be Auguſtines words out of Optatus Mileuitanus) vntounto the Sect of Donatus; and then gaue vp the Churches vntounto Heretiques, when he reſtored the Temples to Diuels; thinking by that meanes to roote out the Chriſtian name from the earth, if enuying the vnitie of the Church, from which he fell, he freely permitted all ſacrilegious diſſention. Auguſt. Epiſt. 166. Optat. Mileuit. contra Parm. lib. 2.
13 So Baſiliſcus freely tolerated whomſoeuer he thought would reſiſt the Orthodoxe and Eccleſiaſticall doctrine.Baſiliſcus. Niceph. lib. 16. cap. 2.
Conſtantinus Copronymus.14 So Conſtantinus Copronymus perſecuted Chriſtians onelyonly, and tolerated Iewes, Magicians, Pagans, and all ſorts of Heretiques. Zonar. Annal. lib. 3.
15Nicephorus. So the Emperor Nicephorus, to the ende he might ſpare the Maniches, gaue freedome of profeſſion vntounto all Sectaries, and vexed onelyonly the Catholiques. Paul. Diacon. lib. 24.
16Theodoricus. So Theodoricus King of the Gotthes granted the Arians a toleration, putting Symmachus, Patritius, Iohn Biſhop of Rome to death, and baniſhing Boëtius, and afterwards killing him alſo. Sigebert. in Chron.
17Toleration rooteth out all Religion. Furthermore, if Shepheards did ſuffer their ſheepe to wander vp and downe the mountaines; would they not become a pray vntounto Wolues? If a ſhippe be carried with eueryevery waue and puffe of winde, without direction of the Pilotte, ſhould it eſcape ſhipwracke? If the Magiſtrate permitted his Subiects to gouerne eueryevery man himſelfe and his familie; could ſuch a diuided regiment long endure? So, if eueryevery Sect be tolerated to profeſſe what they liſt without reſtraint; who ſeeth not that ſuch wicked licence tended to aboliſh all Religion?
18 Beſides, Nothing can be more vnſafe and dangerous to Kingly State,Toleration dangerous to Kingly eſtate. then to vſe Miniſters of diuerſe affections in Religion: as well becauſe they can hardly liue peaceably among themſelues without ſimultation; as alſo becauſe his fidelitie that is contrarily affected in Religion may iuſtly be ſuſpected; ſeeing he reputeth the King an enemie to God and all godlineſſe.
Pernicious to Subiects.19 Alſo, Nothing can be more intolerable and pernicious vntounto the Subiect, then toleration; partly becauſe that Iuſtice cannot be ſincerely and duely adminiſtred by Officers of contrary Religion; and partly becauſe of the continuall daunger wherein they ſtand to be infected with hereſie: for it is hard to touch pitch, and not to be defiled therewith.
Toleration prouoketh Gods plagues.20 Toleration cauſeth a diuiſion betweene God and vsus, it prouoketh Gods curſes, his plagues and iudgements vponupon that King or Prince, who being careleſſe of Religion, tolerateth Heretiques & Idolaters; and alſo vponupon that kingdome or Commonwealth, where Hereſie and Idolatrie is exerciſed.
Emperours plagued for toleration. Conſtantius.21 Theodoret, and after him Nicephorus, ſpeaking of Conſtantius, ſay: At that time when he heard that Iulian, whom he had declared Caeſar of all Europe, began to conſpire and moue ſedition against him, that had extolled him to ſo great honour; departing from Syria into Cilicia, he fell into an Apoplexie and died. Becauſe he kept not the heritage of his Fathers pietie whole, he was deſtitute of that helper which his Father had ordained for him: wherefore he grieuouſlie and bitterly lamented that he had changed Religion. Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 31. Niceph. lib. 9. cap. 50. & lib. 10. cap. 1. For he repented of three things, although all too late, as Greg. Nazianzen teſtifieth. 1. That he had elected Iulian to be Caeſar. 2. That he had baniſhed Athanaſius. 3. That he had changed Religion. Naz. in vita Atha. & apud Nice priori loco.
22Iulian. Alſo, The death of wicked Iulian (as Theodoret ſpeaketh) declared his temeritie and impietie in granting toleration to the Gentiles and to all Heretiques. For going ouer into Perſia to warre againſt the Chriſtians, vponupon the ſudden he was wounded with an arrow, which he tooke out of his body, and filling his hand full of blood, he threw it vp into the aire crying out, Thou haſt ouercome ô Galilean, (ſo this blaſphemous dogge termed our bleſſed Sauiour) thou hast ouer come; and ſo died preſently. Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 20. Niceph. lib. 10. cap. 34.
23 Likewiſe Valens, Valens.that great fauourer of Heretiques, being in great diſtreſſe, was forſaken of his brother Valentinian, who ſent him anſwere, that it was not lawfull to ayde him that fought againſt God; and refuſing the councell of Terentius and Traiane his Captaines, and of Iſaac Biſhop of Bretanioa, who tould him that fighting againſt God, he must needes be deſt tute of Gods helpe, would notwithſtanding deſperately fight againſt the Barbarians; and ſending his armie to the battaile, he withdrew himſelfe into a village hard by expecting the euent of the field. But his Soldiers being not able to ſtand in the Barbarians face, turned their backes and fled: the Barbarians purſuing after them made a great ſlaughter, and comming vponupon the village where Valens was, they burned it together with the Emperour. Theod. l. 4. cap. 28. Niceph. lib. 11. c. 49. & 50.
24 Baſiliſcus the Tyrant being by Gods iudgements betraied by his owne Captaines,Baſiliſcus. and deliuered into the hands of Zeno the Emperour, was ſent into Cappadocia, and there murdered with his wife and children. Niceph. lib. 16. cap. 8.
25 Hauing ſpoken of the Emperours on whom God ſhewed his iudgements, for wicked toleration and colluſion with Heretiques; it remaineth to ſpeake a word or two of common-wealthes, which in like maner were puniſhed by diuine wrath.
Commonwealthes and cities plagued for Toleration. Nicomedia.26 Conſtantius in fauour of the Arians calling diuers Synods; at Nicomedia when there was a Synode congregated, a ſudden earthquake ouerthrew almoſt all the buildings in the citie, together with the temple that had beene but lately built, and the citie walles; wherewith infinite numbers were ſlaine; and the timber taking fire by reaſon of the furnaces, baths, and ſhops of artificers, the whole Citie ſeemed as it had beene but one bonefire. Nice. lib. 9. cap. 39.
The Roman Empire.27 During the raigne of Iulian the Apoſtata, God ſent diuers calamities into the Roman Empire: inſomuch that it was not ſafe for men to tarrie within dores, by reaſon of earthquakes, nor to walke abroad by reaſon of great tempeſts of thunders, lightnings, haile &c.Alexandria. The citie of Alexandria was ouerflowne and drowned with the ſea. Alſo at other times the drought was ſo great, that it killed all fruits, and infected the aire, whereupon enſued ſuch a famine, that men were faine to feed on beaſts foode; which ended with a peſtilence and very great mortalitie.
28 Of Valens his times thus writeth Nicephorus. After the warre againſt Procopius, there fell haile, as big as great ſtones, and there were ſuch earthquakes in diuers places, which did very great harme in many countries, Nicea.but quite ouerthrew Nicca a citie in Bithynia. This was the twelfth yeare after the Subuerſion of Nicomedia. And not long after by another earthquake Seruia a citie in Helleſpont, Seruia.was vtterly deſtroyed. And a little after, ſhewing the cauſe of theſe calamities, he addeth; This haile and earthquakes, as moſt men thinke, Note well.proceeded from the anger of God againſt the Emperor, becauſe he baniſhed many Biſhops, and was about to put to death, whoſoeuer did not ſubſcribe vntounto the opinions of Eudoxius. Nicep. li. 11. c. 5.