The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. A survey of the Causes of Disputes; Fifthly, Zeal.
TO these several causes of our distractions we my add another, which though in its original it may seem more innocent, yet is in its consequents no less pernicious, and that is a mistaken Zeal, which as it is fire to all about it, so is it wind to its self, fans and irritates its own flames, and by a confidence that it does well, gathers still fresh vigour to do more. How great the force of such an Erroneous perswasion is, we may collect from our Saviours premonition to his Disciples, when he tells them, that those who kill'd them should think they did God service; and if Murder, and that of Apostles too, could by the Magick of blind Zeal be so transform'd, we must not wonder to find other Crimes so too. And what Christ thus foretold was after eminently exemplified in St. Paul, whom the Holy Writ represents under all the Phrases that may denote a virulent persecutor, as breathing out threatnings and slaughter, making havock of the Church, and in his own words, Persecuting that way unto the Death, and being exceedingly mad against them; and all this he did being Zealous towards God, and out of a perswasion that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Iesus, as we find in his Apology to his countrey-men and King Agrippa, Act. 22. 2. & 26. 9.
AND of the abettors of those Novel doctrines which after times produced, we have reason to think many were of this Sort, especially in those Heresies which though they carried secret venome in them had yet a plausible appearance of Sanctity and Devotion; such was that of the Encratites, which seem'd to be founded in the veneration of two great Vertues Continence and Temperance, though by extending them beyond the due limits, they lost that Sobriety they too strictly embraced, and became inordinate in their Continence, and excessive in their Abstinence: Such again were the Euchitae or Massalians, who made the whole business not only of religion but even of life to consist in praying; and though by it they evacuated all other ends of both, yet having the letter of a Precept, and the pretence of Devotion on their side, 'twas a proper bait for those who had much Zeal and little Knowledge. In like manner the Novatians Heresie had so glorious an inscription of Purity as was very apt to attract well meaning Souls; who seeing it bid such express defiance to Apostacy, could not suspect that it was its self any defection from the faith; and accordingly some of that Sect approved their constancy in times both of Heathen and Arian persecutions. Nor must we be so uncharitable to the modern times, as not to believe many, have acted upon the like Principles, and meant truth and piety, even while they actually promoted the contrary. But how sincere soever the purposes of such seduced Persons were, yet 'tis evident the Church has suffer'd no less by them, than by the more crafty designers: their misguided piety has made as great and incurable Ruptures, as the most flagitious blasphemies of others. And when a rent is once made, it matters little whether it were done by error or malice; nay perhaps as to the hopes of repairing, the former may be the more desperate: for whereas he that knowingly commits an Ill, has the Upbraidings of his own Conscience towards his reducing; these on the other side have its Cherishings and Encouragements, to confirm and animate them. And doubtless they are great advantages which Satan has in all ages made of Such Persons, whom he seems to have deluded in the same manner, that Medea is said to have done the daughters of Peleas, whom she perswaded to hack their aged Father in pieces, in hope that by her Magick, he should not only recover life but youth: so these rend and tear their Mother the Church out of a hope, no less delusive, of restoring her pristine beauty and vigor; how far the Event parallels it also, the dying state of Christianity does too sadly testifie.
NOR has it only been the Heat of Erring persons that has been thus mischievous, but sometimes men of right judgments have too much contributed to the breach of Unity, and the intemperate and imprudent Zeal of these hath serv'd to exasperate the mistaking earnestness of the other: this happens sometimes for want of distinguishing between the Essentials and Circumstantials of Religion, and so looking upon a mistake in the later with the detestation proper only to the perverting of the former; by this means those who have entirely embraced the same faith, have yet violated charity and broken communion: such slight minute differences when managed by eager Spirits being easily blown up into solemn and lasting contentions; so that the Disputes rais'd about some pin or nail of the Temple, have sometimes shaken and endanger'd the whole Fabrick, robbed the Church of that fraternal unity which was its fastest cement, and surest support. Of this we need no more apt instance from antiquity than that which has been already mentioned upon another occasion, I mean Victors unbrother-like Heat towards the Eastern Churches in the controversie about Easter, which had fomented that Difference into a Schism, which the meeker Piety of his Predecessors thought no ground of unkindness, much less of Separation, as Irenaeus more at large tells him; And probably had men in all the succeeding Ages deliberately poiz'd the Errors they oppos'd, and proportion'd their Displeasure but to the just weight of them, many of our disputes would have been so calm'd, that they should never have become quarrels. But many in this particular have only us'd the Touchstone, not the Scales: and of Opinions that are erroneous, consider not which are more or less pernicious, but with an equal violence fly at all, as if the Stoical opinion concerning Sins had prevail'd in Errors also, and that all were resolv'd to be of the same size.
BUT even in those of the highest kind it may perhaps be doubted, whether too eager an opposition have not sometimes done hurt, especially in those Doctrines which relate to the mysterious parts of Religion, wherein a novelty is at first lookt upon with some horror, and many are willing rather to condemn in gross than nicely to examine: Who yet when they find this done for them by Orthodox persons, they think they may with such a guide venture to wade into the question, where many times the insinuations of Error are so subtile, that all their Antidotes secure them not from infection, but they are themselves captivated where they expected only to triumph. Neither want there those of the Vulgar that are of a more insolent temper; and out of a vanity of making themselves Umpires between learned men, greedily read the writings of both Parties, who yet are able to make no solid judgment of either; and when 'tis remembred how many popular artifices there are to byasse such persons, we must confess that Truth hath many to one, Odds against her: Besides, publick arguing oft serves not only to exasperate the minds, but to whet the Wits of Hereticks, and by shewing them the weak parts of their Doctrines, prompts them to rally all their Sophistry to fortifie them, that what they want of truth and reason, may be supplied with fallacy and little colours; and Experience shews how fitly that kind of Logick is accommodated to the greatest part of the World. In short it seems not improbable, that many Heresies owe much of their growth to the improper means of eradicating them: and have acquir'd a reputation from the stir that was made about them. Thus Socrates tells us that Alexanders letters about the Arian Heresie serv'd to scatter that pestilent infection the more abroad, and combin'd men into parties, so that the whole world became the Scene of that long Tragoedy, which possibly might have had a shorter and better issue, had not the notice of the Controversie been so early disperst.
BUT if the Attempts of the Pen have often proved so unfit, it may be consider'd whether those of the sword are not more so, and fighting be not a worse expedient than disputing: and certainly we have great reason to conclude in the affirmative, if we weigh either the Injustice, or Unreasonableness of it. I know there want not those who have thought the propagating Religion by Arms not only lawful but meritorious, and that in order to the planting it in a Nation, the soil may be mellowed with the bloud of the Inhabitants; nay the old extirpated, and new Colonies planted. But we are to remember that as God is the universal Monarch of the World, so We have all the relation of fellow subjects to him, and can pretend no farther jurisdiction over each other, than what he has delegated to us: and sure 'twould be hard to produce any commission from him for the invading a Nation only because 'tis not of our Faith. 'Tis sure, those to whom he first entrusted the promulgating of the Gospel had far different instructions, and 'twere fit our new Evangelists should shew their later authority for this sanguinary Method, in order to which though some have made use of the Opinion of some Schoolmen that dominion is founded in Grace, yet as that is but an Opinion, so were it admitted as the most certain Truth, it could never warrant any enterprize of this kind, for supposing that a people by wanting spiritual Blessings did lose all their right to temporal, yet that Forfeiture must devolve only to the Supreme Lord, and when as God in another case asks, where is the bill of divorce? Esay 50. 1. so we may demand of these zealous Invaders, where is the bill of assignment, by which that right was transferr'd to them? In short, peace is the most valuable blessing of humane life, and we cannot without injustice deprive man of it, though we could as we pretend, give them truth in lieu of it; for maugre the Proverb, that Exchange will still be robbery, where the parties are compell'd to make it. But alas, 'tis a vain imagination to think that Religion can be thus impos'd: or that we can bind the understandings and wills of men, with the same fetters we do their bodies; 'tis true indeed the Apostle tells us there is a way of bringing every thought into Captivity to the obedience of Christ, but he tells us withall that the weapons, by which that Victory is atchieved, are not carnal, 2 Cor. 10. 4. Indeed did Religion consist only in some external conformities, external force might bear some proportion to it (which perhaps is the cause that the one is most us'd by those whose religion is most eminent for the other) but 'tis seated in those faculties to which outward violence can have no access. Alas, 'tis not whole Armies can besiege my reason, nor Canons batter my will, 'tis conviction not force, that must induce Assent; and sure the Logick of a conquering Sword has no great propriety that way; Silence indeed it may, but convince it cannot: Its efficacy rather lies on the other side, breeds aversion and abhorrence of that Religion, whose first address is in bloud and rapine: nor do such attempts gain any thing to the Cause but the infamy of those rigors which are us'd to promote it. And sure since this piece of Mahumetan Zeal has been transplanted into Christendom, it has been much more mischievous than in its native soil. Christianity having been infinitely more oppressed by those that thus fought for it, than those that were in Arms against it. Whether upon this score the Pope have not done her more harm than the Turk, I leave to consideration.
BUT what is here said of the military Sword, I intend not should be applied to the Civil; for I treat not here of those legal punishments, which Magistrates inflict upon their disobedient Subjects; who indeed may justly, nay indeed must necessarily require Conformity to Ecclesiastical laws, as well as the Civil: the Eruptions in the one commonly overflowing the other also, and Schism usually ending in Rebellion; so that 'tis apparently their interest to guard themselves from those riotous effects of pretended zeal, nor is it less their duty, they being as the Ancients express it, Custodes utriusque tabulae in S. Paul's language, the ministers of God, Rom. 13. and in Constantines dialect foreign, Bishops in the whole outward administration of the Church, and if Heresie or Schism be a sin, are by their places obliged to approve themselves avengers; to execute wrath no less there, than in other circumstances: And that they are sins and of no small bulk; none can doubt that observes Heresie ranked, Gal. 5. with Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, murders, and other sins of the flesh; or Schism, markt out by the Apostle to the Hebrews, as a kind of petrifying crime, which induces that induration, to which the fearful expectation of wrath is consequent, for so we find, Heb. 10. 26. that forsaking the assemblies is lookt on as previous to Apostacy and final defection: And therefore sure the Magistrate can do nothing kinder even to the Offenders than by taking their sin early, prevent that fatal growth of it. But that his just power thus rescued I may assume my former assertion, and conclude, that all other Violences are so far from advancing Christianity, that they extremely weaken and disadvantage it.
BUT of no sort is this more eminently true than of those popular heats, where the People undertakes to chastise error: for besides that the outrages then committed are very apt to avert men even from truths which they see so barbarously defended, it often happens that the multitude take causless alarms, and think their Faith is invaded when it is not. A memorable instance of this kind Euagrius gives in his Eccl. History, where he tells us that the Emperor Anastatius having added to the Trisagium this Clause, Who was crucified for our Salvation, the whole City of Constantinople was in an uproar, upon an ignorant jealousie that those words had some Heretical meaning; in which fury they happening to light upon a poor silly Monk, they immediately kill him as the Inventor of that clause, and a conspirer against the Trinity: So unhappily absur'd are the Transports of wild zeal, which where it rules, does besides the direct mischiefs of Tumult and Sedition create others at the rebound, which are more permanent, and discompose and embitter mens spirits, and render them so ambitiously greedy of quarrels for their Religion, that they are not only prepar'd to receive but to seek Encounters: and 'tis too sure they can never be wanting to persons of such tempers, since the adversaries of Truth cannot have more advantage or Encouragement against it, than this unpeaceful humor of those that profess it.
BY these several waies has it come to pass, that even that zeal which should be the life of Christianity, is become its disease; and Religion like a Hectick body is consum'd by its own heats, if at least I may call those its own, which derive not from its proper and native constitution; but are the accidents of its declining state: for how confidently soever men pronounce of themselves, and believe that they are then most pious, when they are most eager and unquiet; yet 'tis sure this is far removed from the true genius and temper of religion, which like the God it worships, makes its approaches not in winds and Earthquakes, but in the still small voice, 1 Kings 19. 12. and when 'tis consider'd, that the greatest part of the Evangelical Law is made up of precepts of Meekness, Long-suffering, and Condescention; we must conclude that zeal very preposterous, that pretends to obey by violating them; or to establish Religion by undermining the most essential parts of it: and to Persons under that mistake, we may most properly apply the reproof given by Christ to his Disciples upon the same occasion, you know not, what manner of Spirit you are of.
IT will therefore become men to look with Iealousie on themselves in this particular; not too confidently to pursue every Incitation which carries a shew of Piety; but soberly to weigh how it agrees with the Rules and Oeconomy of that Gospel for which it pretends so much concern; for though the true Christian Zeal can never be too much cherished; yet alas 'tis not every warmth we feel about Religion that can own that Title; and sure we do not more often, or more fatally mistake any thing than in applying that venerable name to things of a far inferior, nay sometimes of a contrary nature. How often upon this Error, have men ascrib'd that to their piety which they owed to their complexions, and thought 'twas their religion made them Earnest, when 'twas meerly their constitution: Nay, how often has Satan taken this advantage of transforming himself into an Angel of light, and insinuating his illusions under this disguise. And truly they must still be liable to both these deceits, so long as they place the essence of Christian zeal in heat and eagerness. 'Tis true indeed it has its heats, but actuated in a far different way; it has flames of Love, not of Anger; to melt, not consume our Enemies; and makes us apter to pour out our own bloud a Sacrifice to Truth than that of gain-sayers. In short, if it be a Fire, 'tis that pure Elemental which the Peripateticks talk of, which is but of a moderate heat; apt to cherish, not devour.
AND would God men would so far believe this, as to think there may be moderation, without the danger of Laodicean luke-warmness, and upon that supposition suffer themselves to cool into a treatable Temper, and then I should humbly offer to them these few Considerations.
FIRST the great and universal fallibility of humane Nature, which renders it not only possible that we may, but certain that every one of us shall erre in something or other; and this sure is very proper to perswade lenity to those whom we find actually erring. 'Tis the Apostles argument in the case of Sin, Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thy self, lest thou also be tempted. Where the common Peccability of mankind is urged to induce Commiseration and Gentleness towards the Offenders; and if this be of force in sin, where the concurrence of the will renders the person more inexcusable, it will surely hold much more in bare Error, which being purely involuntary, (for nothing is properly Error farther than it is so) 'tis to be lookt on rather as the disease than crime of the Person: and since we use not to exclaim against men for being sick, but compassionately to endeavour their recovery, why should we here use so much a contrary method. 'Tis true indeed, 'tis necessary sometimes in order to the Cure, and sometimes for preventing the infection of others, to do some things uneasie to the Patient; and what tends regularly to either of these Ends, may in this case also be Charitably done, by those that have Authority: but that differs as far from our usual severities, as the lancings of a Physician do from the wounds of an Adversary; or publick Discipline from private Spleen. So that notwithstanding this, we may resume our conclusion and infer from the Errableness of our Nature, the reasonableness of compassion to the seduced. And as it thus prompts us to look gently upon others, so also to reflect impartially upon our selves; and consider how possible it is, that even whilest we condemn others, we may indeed be in the wrong; and then all the Invectives we make at their supposed Errors; fall back with a rebounded force upon our own real ones. If this possibility were but adverted to, it would make us less positive and Dogmatical in our opinions, and so consequently take away one main ground of contention; for though we often quarrel about matters, which are indeed but conjectural, yet not till we esteem them otherwise; and when we consider how many men have vehemently believed apparent falshoods, it may well allay our confidences in all those cases, where we have not some firmer ground than our own (or indeed any humane) judgment to build it on.
AS for those who have the surest grounds of Perswasion, and by their security of being themselves in the Truth, have the more reason to be earnest in propagating it to others: let them in the second place consider how necessary 'tis to chuse appropriate means to that good end, without which they do but undermine themselves, and defeat their own aims. Indeed Prudence is not only a Moral, but Christian Vertue; and such as is necessary to the constituting of all others: without it Devotion degenerates into Superstition, Liberality into Profuseness, and this of Zeal becomes only a Pious kind of Phrensie. And of Persons so possest, God may say as Achish did of David, 1 Sam. 21. 15. have I need of mad men? no sure, the defence of Truth is too noble a cause to be so managed; its Champions are not like men in a fray to make every thing a weapon that they can first snatch up, and lay on as chance or fury guides, but are deliberately to consult the properest expedients, use not only force but Stratagem against the Enemy, and yet withall to take care that while they oppose one, another gain not advantage: For alas, 'tis indifferent to our grand Adversary, by which of his temptations we fall, and if by subverting the faith of some, he shipwrack the charity of others, he has his End, and triumphs at once both over the speculative and practick part of our Religion.
AND this may induce a farther consideration, and prompt us to examine what degree of guilt lies on those who either out of a blind, or rash zeal have given him this advantage. And here though I cannot doubt, but God makes great allowances to the Miscarriages of sincere intentions, yet perhaps we have carv'd more liberally to our selves than he designs us, and presume our Security greater than in truth it is. For how innocent soever a good purpose may make our Error, yet 'tis a priviledge beyond all possibility of grant, that our sins should be so also; therefore if our Misperswasions beget wicked practice, we may be accountable for the one, though not for the other. We find indeed S. Paul alledges his ignorance, as the Cause of his finding mercy, for his persecuting the Church, but we are to remember what that mercy he there refers to is; not that of absolution, but conversion; and had he resisted the later, though with never so full a perswasion of his doing well in it, I much doubt whether his good meaning would have secur'd him the former; so that all the Encouragement, that Example can afford it, that God may probably do more for the reducing an Erring than a malicious Persecutor: And when 'tis considered that all the odds that Christ makes between him that does ill knowingly and ignorantly, is in the number of Stripes: we must resolve our mistakes are no such Amulets as totally to secure us. And then whether our guilts shall not swell in proportion to the ills we do, is a question that sure can never be resolved in the negative: for if a good intention cannot alter the nature of Sin, sure it can as little change their degree, or make that of two Persons equally mistaken, the Murder of the one, shall not be a greater Crime than an intemperate speech of the other. And upon this measure the accounts of erring zeal are like to rise very high with many; unless we can think Rebellion and Bloudshed, Sacriledge and Sachism, with all that train of zealous Enormities to be light and trivial.
NOR will it at all legitimate these, or any other, Crimes, though they should happen to be committed in the defence of Truth: Of this St. Peter is a ready instance, who when to guard Him, who was Truth its self, he had violated the Authority of the Magistrate in wounding an Officer: Christ apprehends his rashness, and instead of applauding his zeal, upbraids his absurdity, that could think his mean aids considerable to him, who could command Legions of Angels to his rescue. And sure he is not so much more impotent in his glory, than he was in his exinanition, as now to need our Sins to secure any of his concerns; and if St. Peter were thus check'd for using that Sword which he was a little before warn'd to buy, it must sure set an ill Character upon those tumultuous reformations which have so much employed the zeal of later ages, to which there can never want a concurrence of several great sins, the guilt whereof will scarce be wiped off, by their design'd subserviency to Truth; what Degree of extenuation it may afford is hard to pronounce, since we have no rule to measure it by. But whatsoever it is, we are to remember, that it can belong only to such a Zeal as is purely religious, that mixes not with our Passions or Interests; and therefore before men be too forward to appropriate any Indulgence of that kind, 'twill be necessary to Examine, whether no sinister Adherent have vitiated that integrity of their purpose to which alone it can (even by their own award and sentence) appertain.
I HAVE insisted the more on this, because many are apt to ascribe too unlimitedly to the Force of a good meaning, to think that is able to bear the stress of whatsoever Commissions they shall lay on it; and by thus presuming on their Antidote, venture boldly on the deadliest poisons. To such the foregoing considerations may be useful; and by robbing them of that imaginary Security, help them to a real one, by making their good purposes the Director of good actions, not the Apology for bad. This would make Religion look consonant to its self, which now groans under the reproach of all those Ills, that are acted under its Patronage; and sure to rescue her from such a scandal, is but a very moderate piece of compassion: Yet would God she might obtain it even from those who profess themselves her greatest Votaries: But alas, 'tis one sad circumstance of her ruine, that she owes it to such; that those Weapons which should defend her, thus recoil into her Bowels, and zeal should do her more mischief than prophaneness; for while she is but scoffed at by that, she is wounded by this: nor are those wounds ever like to close, till our Zeal grow more balsamick, partake of those healing qualities of Love and Meekness, the Want whereof has rendred it so unhappily instrumental to our Distractions.