The True Way of Concord of All the Christian Churches, Part 3 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
The Severity and Force of Magiſtrates, denying neceſſary Toleration, and puniſhing the Refuſers of unneceſſary uncertain ſuſpected things, will never procure Church Vnity and Concord, but in time increaſe Diviſions.
§ I. HAles of Schiſm, ſpeaking of having two Biſhops in a Dioceſs, ſaith (pag. 223.) Neither doth it any way ſavor of Vice or Miſdemeanor (inſtancing in Auſtin's doing it ignorantly;) their puniſhment ſleeps not, who unneceſſarily and wantonly go about to infringe it.
The moſt pious and wiſe Church Hiſtorians extoll the two peaceable Biſhops of Conſtantinople, that quietly bore the Novatian Biſhops by them, and ge…t…y reduced Chryſoſtom's Followers the Joannites; and d…ſpraiſe Neſtorius, and ſuch other turbulent Prelates that perſecuted them, on pretence of zeal againſt Error, and ſome of them proved more erroneous themſelves.
§ II. This crying out for the drawing of the Sword againſt thoſe that differ in unneceſſary things … a great diſhonour to the perſons that tell men how conſcious they are of their own inſufficiency for their proper work; and a reproach to the power of the Keys, as if it ſignified nothing without the Sword: And in all Ages, Men of Ambition, and Inſufficien…y and Uncharitableneſs, have been thus calling to the Magiſtrate to do all, when yet in general claim they have ſet themſelves far above him, as being for the Soul, when he is but for the Body.
§ III. But Experience hath ſtill confuted them, and that which one Age (or year) thus built, the next hath ordinarily pull'd down. Not but that orthodox pious Princes are an unſpeakable bleſſing to the Church, and the want of ſuch are ordinary cauſes of ſin, diſtraction, and miſery: But ſuch muſt know and do their proper work, and not ſerve the pride and humor of ambitious ignorant Clergymen, nor be their Lictors or Executioners, nor lend them the Sword to execute their wills.
§ IV. Conſtantine defended the Orthodox (yet offended greatly at their unpeaceableneſs, and at laſt tempted to favor ſome Arians, meerly becauſe being ſuppreſſed, they were the greater pretenders to Peace;) but his Son pull'd down what the Father had ſet up. One Emperor ſuppreſſed the Eutychians, another ſet them up, and others proclaimed and endeavoured pacification. One Emperor pull'd down the Mon…thelites, and another ſet them up. One Emperor pull'd down Church-Images, and another ſet them up, and General Councils changed with them. And ſo on in many other inſtances. If this forcing courſe were now generally taken, how many Kingdoms would fare the better for it? or now do? not four ſixth parts of the world that are Heathens: nor above the fifth part of ſix that are Mahometans: not moſt of the other ſixth part that are Papiſts: The Presbyterians like it not in England: The Prelatiſts are not for it where the Presbyterians rule. How few Countries are juſt of our mind? and therefore in how few would it pleaſe us, or accommodate us.
§ V. And thoſe that are of the ſame mind in the main, yet rarely long agree in all things. I have before proved, and the notorious ſtate of Mankind proveth, That there is ſuch a wonderful diverſity of mental capacities and apprehenſions, that the beſt will never all agree in any, but few plain certain things. To endeavor by right means to bring all men to be wiſe, and to agree in all right Thoughts, Affections and Practices, is very good: But he that will reſolve to tolerate no Errors, (much more diſſent about ſuſpected unneceſſary things) ſhall be a heinous oppreſſor of mankind, even of Chriſtians for being but men. How few Subjects muſt ſuch a Prince expect to have, that will cut off all that are not of one intellectual complexion?
§ VI. And, as is aforeſaid, when men think that God obligeth them to diſſent, the more honeſt and conſcionable they are, the more reſolutely they will bear all ſufferings, and never yield to man, againſt the Conſcience of their Duty to God; ſo that if you begin to puniſh ſuch, there is no ending, till you have killed them, baniſhed them, or kept them cloſe Priſoners. And let all ſober Magiſtrates think, what Counſellors ſuch Clergymen are to them, that would have them,
1. Chooſe out the moſt Conſcionable and Religious for their Puniſhments.
2. And not ceaſe till they have deſtroyed them.
§ VII. And doth not this tend to drive out true Conſcience and Religion from the Land, when men that have no Conſcience, ſhall paſs for the obedient laudable Subjects? And ſuch being capable ſtill of Preferment, ſhall poſſeſs the Churches, and be Rulers of the reſt; and then what can we expect, but that ſuch will uſe Religious Diſſenters as their Enemies, and reproach them with all malicious names? And O what a ſtate is ſuch a Land in!
§ VIII. And (you are not infallible, Councils have erred) what if it ſhould prove, That theſe you deſtroy are in the right, and you muſt be judged of God as Perſecutors? Let not Spleen or Pride make you fearleſs of ſuch a ſin and judgment.
§ IX. Yea, if they ſhould prove in the wrong, yet you may be Perſecutors, if the Error be ſuch that good men ſhould bear with in each other; and God is the Avenger of all the wronged and oppreſſed. And it is not diſregardable that they do and ſuffer all for him, though they miſtake, as Paul ſaith, Rom. 14. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not: It is God that he intended to obey and pleaſe. And one hath need to look well about him, before he deſtroy ſuch. I dare ſay, That that man hath truly no Religion, that preferreth it not before the pleaſing of men, and all worldly intereſt; for Religion is our devotedneſs to ſerve and pleaſe God: And God is not taken for that mans God, that preferreth any thing before him, (as I ſaid before.)
§ X. However it is certain, That thus to ſet Princes in a conſtant Conflict againſt Conſcionable godly men, is liker a War againſt God and Conſcience, than any way to Peace and Concord. The Law will not yield, and Conſcience will not yield; and God will keep up a Succeſſion of Conſcionable men in the world, when Popes and Perſecutors have done their worſt: And humane frailty and ſin will keep up a Succeſſion of ſo much weakneſs, as that the beſt, much more the weakeſt, will have vain Scruples, Ignorance and Errors, which Priſons or Penalties will not cure; yea, uſually greatly increaſe the malady by Exaſperation; and wiſe men will foreſee a probability of the end, before they begin. Hypocrites may yield to ſave their skins, but the truly Conſcionable will not: For to yield to what they think to be ſin, is, in their judgment, wilfully to chooſe damnation.
§ XI. Let not the Clergy Tyrants ſtill cant their vain Objection, [Then Conſcience will be a pretence for any Villany, which was not made to be a cloak for ſin.] For it is not liberty for any Villany that we are pleading for: who knoweth not that abuſed Reaſon is the pretence and plea for almoſt all Villany in the world? What then? Muſt not Reaſon be regarded? The uſe and honor of it kept up, while man is man? And all men have leave to plead Reaſon in their Cauſe: And yet not all tolerated that Reaſon is pretended or abuſed for. And what Reaſon is to Man, that Conſcience is to Religious Men. Some Evils are ſo great and inconſiſtent with the publick good, that it is better all thoſe were baniſhed or deſtroyed, who pretend either Conſcience or Reaſon for them, than that they ſhould be Tolerated; and theſe are intolerable Evils. But what man thinks that it is ſo with all Error or Faults? much leſs with all things indifferent, which ſome men have a mind to exerciſe their maſterſhip in commanding. Put firſt the queſtion to ſober Conſcionable men; Is it more to common good, and intereſt of Honeſty and Conſcience, that all the Perſons in a Nation be impriſoned, baniſhed or killed, that dare not ſwear, ſay and practiſe all that is impoſed on them, than that the Impoſitions be altered or they forborn?
§ XII. And I muſt again ſay; That this Church-Tyranny, as moſt other ſin, is moſt againſt the Own…rs of it: For if the faults of godly men that ſcruple to ſubſcribe to Popes, Patriarchs, Dioceſanes, Synods, Liturgies, or Ceremonies, are not to be Tolerated, how much leſs a proud and perſecuting Clergy, or ſuch as abuſe or exclude Church-Diſcipline, or by ſloth, or ungodly carnal Lives, do wrong their Office, and betray the Flock?
§ XIII. And again I remember them, That Paſtors muſt govern the Flock, much like as men do their Wives: And let men but try how far weak and paſſionate Wives muſt be Tolerated by them that will not do or ſuffer worſe, and here practiſe accordingly.