A Treatise of Episcopacy, Part 2 · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. The Magiſtrates Sword is neither the ſtrength of Church diſcipline, nor will ſerve inſtead of it, nor ſhould be too much uſed to ſecond and enforce it.
THeſe three aſſertions I will prove diſtinctly. 1. The Magiſtrates Sword is not the chief ſtrength of true Church diſcipline.
I add this, becauſe this is the Prelatiſts laſt Objection, that its true that the Keys are but brutum fulmen and a leaden ſword without the Magiſtrates: For almoſt all men will diſpiſe it: Who will come to our Courts if they may chooſe? Who will regard our Excommunications? Do not the people now deſpiſe them? what then would they do if they had their wills? when we have excommunicated the Schiſmaticks, They will Excommunicate us again.
The greateſt Prelatiſts who write to me and ſpeak with me, uſe theſe very words themſelves. To which I anſwer.
1. If we prove that Chriſt hath inſtituted diſcipline, and that for ſuch noble ends as aforementioned, it is little leſs than blaſphemy thus to reproach it: As if Chriſt had no more Power, Wiſdome or Goodneſs, than to ordain ſo vain and unprofitable a means, to ſuch high and neceſſary ends.
2. The objection doth but expreſs a carnal mind, which regardeth only carnal things, and thinketh as baſely of all others, as if nothing moved them but the intereſt of the fleſh; And as if Gods favour or diſpleaſure, and the authority of his word and Miniſters were of no force or regard even with the Church of Chriſt.
3. The objection inviteth Kings to put down all Biſhops, except Preachers and Magiſtrates; For why ſhould they put the people to ſo great charge and trouble, eſpecially when they love the Prelates ſo little as to keep them up to wield a Leaden Sword, and to brandiſh a brutum fulmen, and to make a noiſe to no more purpoſe; yea to rob the Magiſtrate of the honour of his proper work, and to make the deluded people believe that thoſe things are done by a brutum fulmen which really are done by the Civil power.
4. This objection bitterly reproacheth all the ancient Churches and Biſhops, and all General and provincical Councils, and all the Cannons and ancient diſcipline of the Churches; As if they had troubled the world to no pupoſe and all their diſcipline had been vain.
5. The objection is notoriouſly confuted, in that the Diſcipline was more powerful and had better effect, before Conſtantius time than afterwards, and was much more ſtrictly exerciſed againſt ſin. And that which ſo long did more without the Sword, than afterward by it, doth not receive its efficacy from the Sword.
6. A naturarei there is as much of Divine Authority, as much of the power of his Precepts Prohibitions, Promiſes, and threatnings, as much of Heavenly inducement, as much of the terrors of Hell, as much of internal goodneſs of holyneſs, and evil of ſins, as much of Soul intereſt in what the Miniſter propoundeth for mens conviction, as there is, when it is backt with the Magiſtrates Sword. And if all theſe have no force, Chriſtianity muſt be a dream, and able to do no good in the world; which better beſeemeth Julian, Celſu… or Porphyry, Symmachus, or Eunapius, to ſay, than a Biſhop.
7. By this objection the Prelatiſts openly confeſs that their Churches conſiſt of men ſo carnal as are not moved by Divine authority without the Sword: And conſequently what Paſtors they have been to the Churches, and how they have governed them; and what they allow us to expect from their diſcipline for the time to come.
8. By this Objection they condemn themſelves and juſtifie the Nonconformiſts: For why ſhould we Swear that we will never endeavour any alteration of ſo brutiſh an Office, as if the King and Parliament could not take down ſuch an uſeleſs thing? And why ſhould ſo many hundred Miniſters be forbidden to Preach Chriſt, for not aſſenting, conſenting and Swearing to ſuch a vaine and brutiſh power?
9. By this they give up their cauſe to the Presbyterians, and Independents; Confeſſing that their diſcipline is uneffectual; when as we that plead for another frame, deſire not the Magiſtrates Sword to interpoſe, and deſire to uſe diſcipline on none but Volunteers. And either the diſcipline which we deſire hath ſome efficacy, or none. If none, what need they fear it, or hinder it, or ſilence ſo many hundred Miniſters, and write and ſtrive, and all to keep men from uſing ſuch a brutum fulmen which can do no harme. But if they confeſs that our diſcipline hath efficacy, and theirs hath none, what do they but directly call us to ſeek the alteration which we are required to abjure?
10. Laſtly by this objection they ſhew themſelves too ignorant of the nature of Church, and diſcipline, and Sacrament and Miniſtery: Or elſe they would better know how far Volunteers are proper objects of Church diſcipline, and have the right to the privileges and Communion of the Church.
II. The Magiſtrates Sword will not ſerve inſtead of Church diſcipline.
1. Elſe Chriſt would not have inſtituted another office for it.
2. Elſe it might ſerve alſo inſtead of Miniſtry, Preaching and Sacraments.
3. The nature of it tendeth not directly to convince men of Errours to lead them into truth, to move them by heavenly motions, and to bring them to true repentance and godlyneſs. But this will be fuller proved under the next; and is confeſſed by all ſave the Eraſtians.
III. The Magiſtrates Sword ſhould not be uſed too forwardly or too much to ſecond or enforce Church diſcipline; much leſs to be its life and ſtrength, and inſeparably twiſted with it. I mean,
1. No unbeliever ſhould be forced to ſay he is a Believer, and to profeſſe the Chriſtian faith.
2. None upon ſuch profeſſion ſhould be forced to be Baptized.
3. None that hath no right to Church Communion in the Sacrament ſhould be forced to receive it.
4. None that Apoſtatizeth from Chriſt ſhould be forced falſly to profeſſe that he is ſtill a Chriſtian.
5. None that are at age ſhould be forced to ſtay in the Church by local preſence or relation as a member of it, who is not willing, and the practice of the Papiſts who force no Heathens to be Chriſtians, but afterward force Chriſtians by fire and Sword, and burn them that were Hereticks, Schiſmaticks, or Apoſtates is ſelf contradicting and ſelf condemning; God having left man as much unto his own choice for continuing as for Entring into the Church: And as for Obedience to Rulers, Infidels may owe it to Chriſtian Kings, as well as Chriſtians: And none but Magiſtrates can uſe the Sword to puniſh either.
6. No Magiſtrate ſhould puniſh a Mans body, meerly becauſe he is Excommunicate, and ſo puniſhed already. Nor ſhould he be made a meer executioner to the Biſhop without hearing, trying and judging the Cauſe himſelf, in order to his own execution.
7. No Magiſtrate ſhould force an Impenitent ſinner to lie and ſay he doth repent, that thereby he may be admitted to the Church Communion and Sacrament, but it is the force of Gods word that muſt try his Repentance.
But yet I acknowledge. 1. That Magiſtrates and Parents and Maſters may force their Subjects to uſe thoſe means which tend to make them Chriſtians, as to hear Preaching, Conference or diſputations, or to read convincing books: But with theſe two Cautions. 1. That it be but when it is like or hopeful to do more good than harme. 2. That it be by wiſe and moderate means of conſtreint, and not hang or burn them to convert them.
2. Accordingly Magiſtrates, Parents, and Maſters, may uſe the like force with their Subjects who are Chriſtians, to cauſe them to uſe the foreſaid meanes (of hearing and Reading and conference) for the cureing of their dangerous errours or ſinful lives.
3. And I doubt not but Magiſtrates may puniſh men Corporally for their crime according to the nature of them, and even for the ſame that the Church hath excommunicated them. If one be excommunicated for Treaſon, Murder, Theft, Swearing, Prophaning the Lords day, and holy things &c. it followeth not that the Magiſtrate may not alſo meddle with him.
4. And we doubt not but Magiſtrates may Reſtraine falſe Teachers from ſeducing others, and drawing them from God to ſin.
5. And the Magiſtrate may and ought to encourage Miniſters in the uſe of the Church Keyes, and to preſerve them from the violence of wicked men.
7. And they may make a difference in their favours and rewards, between Chriſtians obedient to God and their Paſtors, and Infidels, excommunicate, in penitent ones, and Apoſtates, by denying honors and preferments and rewards to the worſe, which he giveth to the better ſort of men.
But yet as to the Caſes before denied, eſpecially the forcing men by fire, ſword, and impriſonment to ſay, they believe and repent, and to take the Sacrament and other Church priviledges, and making this the ſtrength of Church diſcipline, I have all this againſt it.
1. No force ſhould be uſed to the hindering and deſtruction of Chriſts ordinance of diſcipline and his Church Laws. But ſuch it would be in the caſe in hand. For Chriſts fundamental Covenant is, that the true willing penitent and believer ſhall be a member of his Church, or thoſe only that credibly profeſs to be ſo (at age) He that will may freely drink of the water of life. Nemo invitus fit Chriſtianus: ſo that to ſay, that any man hath right to the myſtical Church priviledges, but Conſenters, or any man hath right to the viſible Church priviledges, but credible Profeſſors of conſent, is to contradict the very condition of the Covenant of life, which is the ſum of all the Goſpel. Its true, you may compel ſome men to duty, but you cannot compel them to be happy.
But to force them by perpetual Impriſonment, confiſcation and the ſword, to ſay that they are Chriſtians, or repent, conſent or are willing, and ſo to give them abſolution and Church-communion, is to make Chriſts ordinance of none effect. For true diſcipline is to make them penitent and willing, and then to uſe them as ſuch: But, 1, It is not credible that that perſon is truly penitent and willing to be a Chriſtian, or have Church-communion, who will not be perſwaded to conſent by all that can be ſaid by the Paſtors from the word of God, but yet on the rack or to prevent undoing will ſay▪ I conſent. This is contrary to the nature of true Repentance. 2. Or if it did not make this forced conſent utterly incredible, yet it utterly croſſeth the ends of Church diſcipline, which is to diſcern the voluntary penitent; which force ſo obſcureth that no man can tell whether the perſon be credibly penitent or not. If I left a Legacy to ſo many that are Lovers of the Church, and its Communion, and my Executors ſhould get the Magiſtrate to hang, or Impriſon or undo certain men that are accuſed as Enemies of the Church, unleſs they will ſay, we Love the Church, I think my Will would be ill performed, if thoſe men had my Legacy, that were forced to ſay ſo.
2. No man ſhould be forced to his own ſin and diſtruction. But he that is forced to take the Sacrament when he is unwilling and had rather be without it, in likelihood is forced to his ſin and deſtruction: For even the Liturgy telleth the unworthy that they eat and drink damnation to themſelves, and that the Devil may enter into them as he did into Judas: And who is unworthy if the unwilling are not?
3. Force is not fitted to cauſe love and willingneſs; therefore men ſhould not be forced to take a Gift, which Love and willingneſs is the condition of; men uſe not to ſay, Love me or I will hang thee or impriſon thee. This ſeemeth to make a new way of Preaching which Chriſt never made.
4. Chriſts terms are ſelf-denial, Croſs-bearing and forſaking all and following him for the hopes of heaven: But this ſeemeth a new and contrary Goſpel, as if Chriſt had ſaid; He that will be my diſciple rather than be impriſoned or die, ſhall be ſaved or received.] Chriſt ſaith: He that forſaketh not all that he hath cannot be my diſciple, Luk. 14. 33. This way, ſaith [He that will come to the Church-communion rather than forſake all ſhall be my diſciple]. Chriſt ſaith [He that loveth any thing, even his life more than me, cannot be my diſciple.] This way ſaith, [He that loveth life, credit, wealth, liberty ſo well as that he will rather receive the Sacrament than loſe it, ſhall be my diſciple] Chriſt ſaith, except ye repent ye ſhall all periſh.] This forceth a Miniſter to abſolve a wicked man, as if he ſhould not periſh, if he will but rather ſay [I repent] than loſe his liberty and eſtate. God ſaith [He that loveth the World, the love of the Father is not in him]. This way ſaith [Do but Love the world ſo well as to ſay and do any thing to keep it, and then Paſtor and people ſhall number thee with the Lovers of the Father.] God ſaith; The carnal mind is enmity to God and is not ſubject to his Law nor can be.] This way ſaith [If thy carnal mind make thee ſay or do any thing to ſave thy liberty or money, thou art an obedient Son of the Church and of God.] And is not this to ſet up a new Goſpel, Gal. 1. 7. 8.
5. And this way compelleth men to lie and play the Hypocrites. when we may diſcerne it is ſo. Mr. Capel of Tempt: would perſwade us that a lie thus differeth from moſt other ſins, that it is ſo evil in it ſelf, as that it cannot in the very act be lawful. When a man againſt all perſwaſion, ſaith or ſheweth you, that he doth not believe in Chriſt, or doth not repent, to ſay to that man, [Say thou believeſt, or Repenteſt, or thou ſhalt be confiſcate and lie in jaile] is plainly to ſay [Lie or ſuffer] I deny not but that in ſome caſes a man may be examined when it is foreknown that he will lie. But its one thing to force him to examination and anſwer, and another to force him to that particular anſwer.
6. It is a compelling men to pretend to that which we cannot compel them to, that is, to have a Right to ſo great a benefit as Abſolution and Church Communion. Force giveth no man Right to the Benefit, and their force ſhould not compel him falſly to pretend a Right.
7. It confoundeth the Church and the world: Whileſt every man is made a member of the Church that had but rather tell a lie and take bread and wine, than be undone, what wicked man on earth will not do the ſame (unleſs he be ſo Conſciencious that miſtake and Conſcience hindereth him) Is there any Infidel, Heathen, Atheiſt, Murderer, Traytor, or Senſualiſt, in the world that will not do it? What ſhould hinder him that believeth there is no God, to do thus rather than be undone? Is it ſo hard a word to ſay in a Chancellours Court [I repent] and deride and curſe them when he is gone out; or is a bit of Bread and a Sup of Wine ſo hard for a Glutton or Drunkard to get down, as that any of them would rather lie in jaile. 1. So that by this courſe the Church and the Infidel world are made equal, and no man can prove that any Mabometan Congregation is not as good, as to the perſons, as ſuch a Chriſtian Congregation: For what Mabometan would not ſay and do this rather then be undone? unleſs he be a Conſciencious one, who is not ſo bad as thoſe Chriſtians that have no Conſcience. 2. And by this meanes no conjecture can be made of the real members of the Church. Thouſands may be driven in at the doors, but we have no means to perceive whither any of them indeed be Chriſtians.
8. And hereby the Church and the Chriſtian Religion are greatly dishonoured, while this odious ſtigma is made the marke of a viſible member, [One that had rather ſay he is a Chriſtian and repenteth, than lie in a jaile]! Is this a laudable deſcription?
9. And hereby Mabometans, Jews and Heathens are hardened in their Infidelity and reproach of Chriſt, while Chriſtians are ſuch as theſe.
10. It putteth every conſciencious Miniſter into a ſnare, and troubleth his Conſcience…, or turneth him out, when he muſt put the Sacrament into the very hand of every man that had rather take it than be impriſoned; and muſt read the Abſolution of every one that had rather ſay, [I repent] than be undone.
11. It hindereth the comfort of the faithful in Church Communion to know that this is the meaſure and Character of theſe with whom they muſt hold that Communion, which is called the Communion of Saints.
12. It deſtroyeth Church unity and Love. For every viſible member of the Church being a ſeeming Saint, ſhould be loved with the ſpecial Love which belongeth to Saints, by us who are not Searchers of the heart. But who that is not out of his wits can by any obedience to the Church, be brought to Love all thoſe as ſeeming Saints, who will chooſe a Sacrament before a jaile? He that cannot believe them ſuch, cannot Love them as ſuch.
13. It will ſtrengthen them that Separate from us as no Church, and make it not ſo eaſy to prove that we have any Church, as elſe it would be; when they ſhould argue [Where there is no credible Profeſſion of Faith and repentance there is no true Church: But &c. Ergo. The Major is undenyable. *As they that to…e the Covenant unwillingly now maintaine that therefore it binds them not.The Minor indeed is not true, becauſe many do Voluntarily profeſs, and ſhew their Voluntarineſs other waies. But no thanks to them that teach the accuſers thus to argue [When the Laws of Profeſſion are Profeſs or lie in jayle, there is no credible (Voluntary) Profeſſion: But &c. The Major they prove, Non eſſe & non apparere here are equipollent: But under ſuch a law no voluntarineſs and Credibility is apparent: Ergo—And I know but this anſwer to the Minor, it is apparent otherwiſe, though not by that forced profeſſion, becauſe multitudes daily ſhew that they approve of what they do.
14. Force tendeth rather to hinder mens Repentance and Love to the Church: For Fear breadeth Hatred; or at leaſt Hurt doth. Kindneſs breedeth Love. God winneth our Love by mercy: And we are ſo to win the Love of others. Give a man but a box on the ear or ſlander or wrong him, and try whether it will make him Love you; to ſay, Love Chriſt and the Chriſtian or I will undo thee and lay thee in jaile, is the way to make him hate them.
15. And the Office of the Paſtors is ſuch as that truth and Goodneſs are the wares which they expoſe to ſinners choice, and Light and Love are the effects which Spirits Word and Miniſtry are appointed to produce. And by Light and Love they muſt be wrought. Therefore no Miniſter …oth his work, or doth any good to ſome, if by Light and Love and holy Life, he help not the people to the ſame. And therefore the adjunction of Jayles and confiſcations, is ſo contrary to his Office and deſigne as obſcureth or deſtroyeth it. (Though Enemies may be reſtrained, and peace kept by force.)
16. True diſcipline cannot be exerciſed this way, not only as its loſt in the confuſion of powers (as a little wine in Wormwood juice) but becauſe the Number and quality of the Church members will make it impoſſible. Enemies and rebellious carnal minds are not ſubject nor can be to the Lawes of Chriſt; you may affright them to a Sacrament, but one of them will make a Miniſter ſuch work, who will but call them to credible repentance for their crimes, and will renew thoſe crimes ſo oft till he be excommunicated, and will ſo hate thoſe that excommunicate, as will tell you what can be done, when all ſuch are forced unwillingly into the Church. Of this I have ſpoke at large in my Book of Confirmation.
17. It tendeth greatly to harden the ſinners in the Church in their impenitence, to their damnation: when they ſhall ſee, that let one ſwear and curſe and be drunk every day in the week, if he will but ſay, I repent, rather than lie in Jayl, he ſhall be abſolved by the Chancellour in the Biſhops came, and have a ſealed pardon delivered him in the Sacrament, by the Miniſter who knoweth his wicked life. How eaſie a way to Heaven (which leadeth to Hell) do ſuch good-natured (cruel) Churches make men?
Obj. The Miniſter is to refuſe the ſcandalous.
Anſ. Not when he is abſolved by the Chancellour.
Obj. But if he ſin again, he may refuſe him again.
Anſ. How far that is true, I ſhewed before. But not when he is abſolved again. And he may be abſolved toties quoties, if he had, but rather ſay, I repent] than lie in Jayle.
18. Let but the ancient Canons be peruſed, and how contrary to them will this courſe appear? The ancient Churches would admit none to abſolution and communion after divers greater crimes, till they had waited (as is aforeſaid) in begging and tears, and that for ſo long a term and with ſuch penitential expreſſions, as ſatisfied the Church of the truth of their repentance. It would be tedious to recite the Canons. How great a part of Cyprians Epiſtles to the Churches of Carthage and Rome, are on this ſubject? reprehending the Confeſſors and Presbyters for taking lapſed perſons into Church Communion before they had fulfilled their penitential courſe? And what a reproach do they caſt upon all theſe Biſhops, Churches and diſcipline, who ſay, That ſinners muſt be taken into Communion, if they will prefer it before a Jayle Though they love a Wherehouſe, an Ale-houſe, a Play-houſe, a Gaming houſe, yea, a Swine-Stie better than the Church, yet if they do not love a Jayle with beggery better, they ſhall be received.
19. Even when Chriſtian Emperours had advanced Prelates, and given them (though not the ſword yet) the aid of it in the Magiſtrates hand to ſecond them, they never uſed it to force any to the Communion of the Church, but only to defend them, and to repreſs their adverſaries. Yea when Prelates themſelves began to uſe the ſword, or to deſire the Magiſtrates to ſerve them by it, it was not at all to force men to ſay: They Repent and ſo to be abſolved and communicate; But only to keep hereticks from their own aſſemblings, and from publiſhing their own doctrines or maintaining them, or from being Paſtors of the Churches. And yet now men will force them to be Abſolved and communicate.
And how great miſchiefs did even ſo much uſe of the ſword in matters of Religion as was the puniſhment of Hereticks then being (though they were not forced into the Church.) Socrates brandeth Cyril of Alexandriae, *Th… ophilus … Siſters ſ…n and ſucceſſor.for the firſt Prelate that uſed the ſword: and what work did he make with it? He invaded a kind of ſecular Magiſtracy. He ſet himſelf againſt the Governour Oreſtes, and under his ſhadow thoſe bloody murthers were committed on the Jewes; who alſo …illed many of the Chriſtians. The Monks of Mount Nyſtra roſe to the number of 500, and aſſaulted the civil Governour and wounded him; and Amonius who did it was put to death by Oreſtes: and Cyril made a Martyr of him; till being aſhamed of it, he ſuffered his memorial to be aboliſhed. And when Hypatia a moſt excellent woman of the Heathens, was famous for her publick teaching of Phyloſophy, Peter, one of Cyrils Readers became the head of a party of that Church, who watched the woman, and dragg'd her out of a Coach into a Church, ſtript her of her cloaths, and tore her fleſh with ſharp ſhells, till they killed her, and then tore her members in peices, and carried them to a place called Cynaron and burned them, for which we read of no puniſhment executed, Socrat. lib. 7. c. 13. 14, 15. And it was this S. Cyril who deprived the Novatians of their Churches, and took away all the Secret treaſure of them, and ſpoiled the Biſhop Theopompus of all his fortunes, Socrat. l. 7. c 7.
What his Nephew and Succeſſor Theophilus was and did, you have heard before and ſhall hear more anon.
What the ancient Chriſtians thought of uſing the ſword againſt Hereticks (though they compelled them not to the Church and Sacrament) any man that readeth their Writings may ſee, viz. Tertullian, Arnobius, La…tantius and abundance more. And the caſe of S. Martin towards Ithacius and Idacius, I have oft enough repeated: Only I cannot but note the impudency of Bellarmine, who de Scriptor. Eccleſ. de Idacio (falſly making Idacius to be the ſame with Ithacius, when he was but one of his aſſociates) doth tell us that Idacius fell under the reprehenſion and puniſhment of the Biſhops (in eo reprehenſus & punitus ab Epiſcopis fuit, quod Priſcillianum apud ſeculares accuſaverit & occidi curaverit] whereas Sulpitius Severus, telleth us, that all the Biſhops of the Synod joyned with them, and one S. Martyn and one French Biſhop more diſowned and refuſed them, and Martin would have no Communion with them to the death (ſave that once at the Emperours perſwaſion he Communicated with them to ſave a priſoners life, which was given him on that condition, and yet was chaſtiſed by an Angel even for that.) And Ambroſe at Milan alſo diſowned them (as you may read in his life), and when the deed was done, the Chriſtians ſpake ill of Ithacius and Idacius for taking that new and bloody way, which before the Churches commonly diſowned, but they pretended that they did not cauſe this execution.
And the ſame Sulpitius tells you, that when this new way of ſeeking to the Emperour, was firſt ſet on foot by Ithacius and his Synodiſts, the Priſcillianiſts quickly got the handle of the ſword; and by a Courtier got even Gratian to be on their ſide againſt the Biſhops.
And yet that was not all the miſchief, but when Maximus had killed Gratian, it was this pleaſing of theſe bloody Orthodox Prelates which he truſted to as his means to poſſeſs the Empire, and ſo puniſhed the Priſcillianiſts to pleaſe them, and ſerve himſelf of them (of which more anon.)
But you may ſee here that Bellarmine himſelf ſeemeth to diſown Biſhops ſeeking to Magiſtrates to puniſh Hereticks; As if he had forgotten their bloody Inquiſition and Maſſacres. And Baronius invit. Ambroſ. would perſwade us that Ambroſe (who was of Martins mind) did not diſown the puniſhment of hereticks by the ſword, but he would not have Churchmen ſeek it. As if it were not evident enough that it was the thing it ſelf that he and Martin were againſt, and that Martin was reproached by the Prelates as a f…tor of Hereticks, for travelling to Maximus Court and importuning him to ſave them. And as if the Inquiſitors did not ſeek to the Magiſtrate, and more, even Judge, and execute the ſword themſelves.
Its true that Auguſtine was at laſt for the uſe of the ſword againſt the Donatiſts. But its as true. 1. That he wrote much before againſt it. 2. That it was ſo much againſt the Churches former judgement and practice that he was fain to write his Apology and reaſons. 3. And that the Donatiſts, Circumcellians uſed frequent and cruel violence againſt the Chriſtians that were Orthodox (or Cec…llians) and catch'd their Preſbyter in the ſtreets of Carthage, dragg'd him in the dirt, and abuſed him cruelty two Church daies before they let him go, with many ſuch outrages: Yea, the Catholicks could not go ſafely in the ſtreets for them; And among other deviſes, they mixt Lime and Vinegar together, and caſt it in mens eyes as they paſſed in the ſtreets, to put out their eyes: And they were ſo mad that they wounded and killed themſelves to bring odium on the Catholicks: And they were ſo numerous, that they called themſelves the whole Catholick Church. 4. And Auſtin did never deſire the Magiſtrate to force them to the Sacrament, but to defend the Church, and repreſs their inſolencies. 5. And yet the whole Clergy joyned firſt in a repreſentation of all this to the Donatiſts Biſhop Januarius as being an old experienced peaceable man, and to deſire him to remedy it, before they would fly for aid to the Magiſtrate (all this you may ſee in their Epiſt. to him inter Auguſtini Epiſtolas.
And what work did the Arrians make with the Orthodox, when they had got the Emperours ſword to ſerve them. Nay indeed it was the Arrians who did firſt ſet this work on foot (after the Jewes and Heathens) They ſo depopulated the Churches by it in the da…es of Conſtantius and Valens, that they ſeemed all to be turned Arrians, and th… Orthodox party ſeemed to be almoſt conquered if not extinct. And their Sergius the Monk that inſtructed Mahomet, ſet him by this way of the ſword on that extirpation of Chriſtianity, which hath ſo dolefully prevailed in the Eaſtern Empire: And ſo great was the ſwords ſucceſs againſt the faith of the Trinity, that Philoſtorgius of Old, and out of him Sandius of late, would make us believe that almoſt all the ancient Biſhops indeed were Arrians.
But the ſaddeſt inſtance of the miſchief of too much ſerving Churchmen by the ſword, is the caſe of the Papal faction: when Cyril had begun the trade at Alexandria, ſaith Socrates, [Epiſcopus Romanus non aliter atque Alexandrinus quaſi extra ſacerdotis fines egreſſus, ad ſecularem principatum erat jam ante delapſus] (it ſeems Rome had the primacy in a Sanguinary Prelacy;) And, ſaith he, Then Pope Celeſtine firſt took their Churches from the Novations, and compelled their Biſhop Ruricolae to keep their meetings privately in houſes: And though the Biſhops commended them as Orthodox, yet they ſpoiled them of their fortunes, Socrat. l. 7. c. 11. ſo impatient are armed Prelates of any that are not of their mind and way, how honeſt otherwiſe ſoever they acknowledge them.
But, alas, ſince then what ſtreams of blood have been ſhed to …ack the Romane diſcipline? How many hundred thouſand of the Waldenſes and Albigenſes did they murther? How many thouſands in Belgia, France, Germany, Poland, Ireland, &c. And when at firſt they precariouſly got the Magiſtrates to ſerve them voluntarily with the ſword, at laſt they would conſtrain them to it, as their duty; and ſuch a duty as they muſt perform on pain of loſing their dominions: For the Pope having firſt excommunicated them, next may give away their dominions to others, as is fully expreſſed, Concil. Lateran. ſub. Innoc. 3. Can. 3. & Concil. Rom. ſub. Gregor. 7. And do I yet need to ſay more, what miſchief hath come by overmuch backing Church diſcipline by the ſword? If I do, let this be the cloſe, that God knoweth how many Great men and Commanders are now in Hell, for the perſecutions and murders, which Church men have thus drawn them to.
2. Laſtly, moſt certain this courſe (of forcing all men into the Church and to the Sacrament by priſon and ſword) will keep up perpetual diviſions in the Churches. The more religious ſort of people will ſtill in all ages be flying away from ſuch Churches as from a Peſt-houſe, or infected place, or ruinous houſe that's ready to fall. The unexperienced Prelates think that it is but ſome few preachers that teach the people ſuch ſtrict opinions, and if thoſe were cut off all would be well: But their ignorance is the Churches plague and their own. 1. There is ſomewhat in Scripture that perſwadeth them that God hateth all the workers of iniquity; and that holineſs and unholineſs are as Light and Darkneſs, and that he that nameth the name of Chriſt muſt depart from iniquity, and that the impenitent and ſcandalous muſt be avoided and aſhamed, and hereticks after a firſt and ſecond admonition, and that he that bids them Good ſpeed is partaker of their evil deeds, and that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, and therefore the wicked muſt be caſt out, and muſt be to us (if obſtinate after admonition) as Heathens and Publicans; Theſe are not the words of phanaticks but of Chriſt. 2. There is ſomething in the newborn ſoul which is contrary to wickedneſs, and which inclineth men to an enmity with the Serpents ſeed as ſuch, though a love to them as men that are yet capable of grace and which diſpoſeth men to obey all the foreſaid words of Chriſt. 3. And there is in the people more than in the Paſtors, ſome remnants of ignorance, which makes them more liable to ſtretch theſe words of Chriſt too far, and by miſtake to run further from wicked men than God would have them. But when they ſee the Wilderneſs called the Garden of God, and the wicked not only tolerated in the Church, but forced into it by the Sword, and ſo the Church to contain the world, and to be as vicious as Infidels; (what ever men ſhould do,) I dare confidently prophecy what they will do; All the Prelates in the world, no nor all the godly that preach, will never prevent it, but every age will bring forth new diviſions, and the ſtricter ſort will be ſtill flying from ſuch Churches as theſe, to worſhip God in purer ſocieties; And if you are angry with the Scriptures, and with the Papiſts, keep them from their knowledge, you muſt do ſo alſo by the Creed, Lords Prayer and ten Commandments, or elſe the very Article of [the Communion of Saints] and the praying [Thy Name be hallowed, thy Kingdome come, thy Will be done in earth as it is heaven] with the precepts of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, will have the ſame kind of operation.
Obj. But in the Church of Rome, there is unity and concord, and no Sects, and therefore that ſheweth us what the ſword may do.
Anſ. 1. But the Church of Rome is it ſelf but a fraction, divided from the reſt of the Church. Do they not differ ſufficiently from the Greeks, Armenians, Abaſſines, &c. Did they not drive from them Germany, Belgia and the reſt of the Proteſtants? Yea, even by their cruelty, ſo far was cruelty from preventing it? The Anabaptiſts, and many other Sects may be at one among themſelves, and yet not at one with any others.
2. Are you willing of a concord in your Churches upon the ſame terms as the Church of Rome hath it? What, with the ſame ignorance and ungodlineſs; Locking up the Scriptures, in Latin Prayers and Maſſes, and a Catholick Tyrant or Uſurper, and all this procured by the blood of ſo many hundred thouſands, and kept up by the ſame Love-killing means? would you indeed have ſuch a concord? Et cum ſolitudinem facitis, pacem vocabitis, as Tertullian ſpeaketh.
3. But indeed the Church of Rome hath one other means for concord which you want; and that is various houſes and orders of Monaſticks. Ignorance and prophaneſs will ſerve for the concord of the worſt; but there will be ſtill ſome who believe and forethink of a life to come, and therefore will be religious; and for theſe when they cannot have communion with the wicked, this politickly holy Church hath provided this expedient: every one that will be Religiouſer than the reſt, hath a hive or ſociety to fli… to at their choice, and may betake themſelves to that which is moſt ſtrict or moſt ſuited to their own conceits. And if you would make Independant Churches to be like ſuch Monaſteries, where the Religiouſer ſort may have Communion with one another, you may do much to prevent a further breach.
Object. II. But the ſword will prevail with the moſt: In the changes of … Religion in England and elſe where, the People have alwayes changed with the he King.
Anſw. 1. Men may ſeemingly leave an ill way with the King: Becauſe they are wicked that walk in it, and therefore can ſay any thing. But men will not ſo eaſily leave a good way when a King ſhall leave it; Becauſe they that are in a good way are often Good men, and true to God, and hold Truth and Goodneſs faſter than bad Men hold Error and Evil. 2. Indeed this is the way to have a Church onelyonly of perfidious wicked Men, who will turn to any thing with their tongues (becauſe they will not turn to God with their hearts): And to have no true Chriſtian left among you: for ſuch fear not them that can kill the body onelyonly, in compariſon of him that can damn the Soul, Luke 12. 4. 3. Do not France, and all the Churches, and Our ſelves at this day fully ſhew you the falſeneſs of this Objection.