The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 2 – Part 3
THE ANSWER OF Mr. IOHN COTTON of Boston in New-England, To the aforesaid ARGUMENTS against Persecution for Cause of Consciene.
Professedly mainteining Persecution for Cause of Conscience.
THe Question which you put, is, Whether Persecution for cause of Conscience, be not against the Doctrine of Iesus Christ the King of Kings.
Now by Persecution for Cause of Conscience, I conceive you meane, either for professing some point of Doctrine which you believe in Conscience to be the Truth, or for practising some Worke which in Conscience you believe to be a Religious 'Duty.
Now in Points of Doctrine some are fundamentall, without right beliefe whereof a Man cannot be saved: Others are circumstantiall or lesse principall, wherein Men may differ in judgement, without prejudice of salvation on either part.
In like sort, in Points of Practice, some concerne the waightier Duties of the Law, as, What God we worship, and with what kinde of Worship; whether such, as if it be Right, fellowship with God is held; if Corrupt, fellowship with Him is lost.
Againe, in Points of Doctrine and Worship lesse Principall: either they are held forth in a meeke and peaceable way, though the Things be Erroneous or unlawfull … Or they are held forth with such Arrogance and Impetuousnesse, as tendeth and reacheth (even of it selfe) to the disturbance of Civill Peace.
Finally, let me adde this one distinction more: When we are persecuted for Conscience sake, It is either for Conscience rightly informed, or for erronious and blind Conscience.
These things premised, I would lay down mine Answer to the Question in certaine Conclusions.
First, it is not lawfull to persecute any for Conscience sake Rightly informed; for in persecuting such, Christ himselfe is persecuted in them, Acts 9. 4.
Secondly, for an Erronious and blind Conscience, (even in fundamentall and weighty Points) It is not lawfull to persecute any, till after Admonition once or twice … and so the Apostle directeth, 7 it. 3. 10. and giveth the Reason, that in fundamentall and principall points of Doctrine or Worship, the Word of God in such things is so cleare, that hee cannot but bee convinced in Conscience of the dangerous Errour of his way, after once or twice Admonition, wisely and faithfully dispensed. And then if any one persist, it is not out of Conscience, but against his Conscience, at the Apostle saith vers. 11. He is subverted and sinneth, being condemned of Himselfe, that is, of his owne Conscience. So that if such a Man after such Admonition shall still persist in the Errour of his way, and be therefore punished; He is not persecuted for Cause of Conscience, but for sinning against his Owne Conscience.
Thirdly, In things of lesser moment, whether Points of Doctrine or Worship, If a man hold them forth in a Spirit of Christian Meeknesse and Love (though with Zeale and Constancie) he is not to be persecuted, but tolerated, till God may be pleased to manifest his Truth to him, Phil. 3. 17. Rom. 14. 1, 2, 3, 4.
But if a Man hold forth or professe any Errour or false way, with a boysterous and arrogant spirit, to the disturbance of Civill peace, he may justly be punished according to the qualitie and measure of the disturbance caused by him.
Now let us consider of your Reasons or Objections to the contrary.
Your first head of Objections is taken from the Scripture.
Object. 1. Because Christ commandeth to let alone the Tares and Wheat to grow together unto the Harvest, Mat. 13. 30. 38.
Answ. Tares are not Briars and Thornes, but partly Hypocrites, like unto the Godly, but indeed Carnall, as the Tares are like to Wheat, but are not Wheat. Or partly such Corrupt Doctrines or Practices as are indeed unsound, but yet such as come very neere the Truth, (as Tares doe to the Wheat) and so neere, that Good men may be taken with them, and so the Persons in whom they grow, cannot be rooted out, but good will be rooted up with them. And in such a case Christ calleth for Toleration, not for penall prosecution, according to the 3. Conclusion.
Object. 2. In Math. 15. 14. Christ commandeth his Disciples to let the Blind alone till they fall into the ditch; therefore he would have their punishment deferred till their …all destruction.
Answ. He there speaketh not to publi…e officers, whether in Church or Common-weale, but to his private Disciples, concerning the Pharises, over whom they had no power. And the Command he giveth to let them alone, is spoken in regard of troubling themselves or regarding the offence, which they tooke at the wholesome Doctrine of the Gospell: As who should say, Though they be offended at this Saying of mine, yet doe not you feare their Feare, nor bee troubled at their offence, which they take at my Doctrine, not out of sound Judgement, but out of their Blindnesse. But this maketh nothing to the Cause in hand.
Ob. In Luk. 9. 54. 55. Christ reproveth his Disciples, who would have had fire come downe from Heaven to consume the Samaritanes, who refused to receive Him.
Obj. And Paul teacheth Timothy, not to strive, but to be gentle towards All men, suffering evill patiently.
Answ. Both these are Directions to Ministers of the Gospell how to deale (not with obstinate offenders in the Church, that sinne against Conscience, but) either with Men without, as the Samaritanes were, and many unconverted Christians in Crete, whom Titus (as an Evangelish) was to seeke to convert: Or at best with some Iewes or Gentiles in the Church, who though carnall, yet were not convinced of the errour of their Way: And 'tis true, it became not the Spirit of the Gospell to convert Aliens to the Faith of Christ (such as the Samaritanes were) by Fire and Brimstone; nor to deale harshly in publique Ministerie or private Conference with all such contrary minded men, as either had not yet entred into Church-Fellowship, or if they had, yet did hitherto sinne of Ignorance, not against Conscience.
But neither of both these Texts doe hinder the Ministers of the Gospell to proceed in a Church-way against Chruch-members, when they become Scandalous offenders, either in Life or Doctrine: much lesse doe they speake at all to Civill Magistrates.
Ob. 5. From the prediction of the Prophets, who foretold that Carnall Weapons should cease in the dayes of the Gospell, Isa. 2. 4. & 11. 9. Mic. 4. 3. 4. And the Apostie professeth, The weapons of our Warfare are not carnall, 2 Cor, 10. 4. And Christ is so farre from persecuting those that would not be of his Religion, that he chargeth them, when they are persecuted themselves, they should pray, and when they are cursed they should blesse The reason whereof seemeth to be, that they who are now Persecuters and wicked persons, may become true Disciples and Converts.
Answ. Those predictions in the Prophets doe onelyonly shew, First, with what kind of Weapons he will subdue the Nations to the Obedience of the Faith of the Gospell, not by Fire and Sword, and Weapons of Warre, but by the Power of his Word and Spirit, which no man doubteth of.
Secondly, those predictions of the Prophets shew what the meeke and peaceable temper will be of all the true Converts to Christianity, not Lions or Leopards, &c. not cruell oppressors, nor malignant opposers, or biters of one another. But doth not forbid them to drive ravenous Wolves from the sheepfold, and to restraine them from devouring the Sheepe of Christ.
And when Paul saith, The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall, he denyeth not civill weapons of Iustice to the Civill Magistrate, Rom. 13. but onelyonly to Church officers. And yet the weapons of such officers he acknowledgeth to be such, as though they be spirituall, yet are ready to take vengeance of all disobedience, 2 Cor. 10. 6. which hath reference (amongst other Ordinances) to the censure of the Church against scandalous offenders.
When Christ commandeth his Disciples to blesse them that curse them and persecute them, he giveth not therein a rule to publick officers, whether in Church or Commonweale, to suffer notorious sinners, either in life or doctrine, to passe away with a blessing: But to private Christians to suffer persecution patiently, yea and to pray for their persecutors.
Againe, it is true, Christ would have his Disciples to bee farre from persecuting (for that is a sinfull oppression of Men for righteousnesse sake) but that hindreth not but that he would have them execute upon all disobedience the judgement and vengeance required in the Word, 2 Cor. 10. 6. Rom. 13. 4.
Though it be true that wicked persons now may by the grace of God become true Disciples and Converts, yet we may not doe evill that good may come thereof: And evill it would bee to tolerate notorious evill doers, whether seducing teachers, or scandalous livers. Christ had something against the Angel of the Church of Pergamus for tolerating them that held the doctrine of Balaam, and against the Church of Thiatira for tolerating Iesabel to teach and seduce, Rev. 2. 14. 20.
Your second Head of Reasons is taken from the profession and practice of famous Princes, King Iames, Stephen of Poland, King of Bohemia.
Whereunto a treble answer may briefly be returned.
First, we willingly acknowledge, that none is to be persecuted at all, no more then they may be oppressed for righteousnesse sake.
Againe, we acknowledge that none is to be punished for his conscience, though mis-informed, as hath been said, unlesse his errour be fundamentall, or seditiously and turbulently promoted, and that after due conviction of his conscience, that it may appeare he is not punished for his conscience, but for sinning against his conscience.
Furthermore, we acknowledge none is to be constrained to beleeve or professe the true Religion till he be convinced in judgement of the truth of it: but yet restrained he may from blaspheming the truth, and from seducing any unto pernicious errours.
2. Wee answer, what Princes professe or practise, is not a rule of conscience: they many times tolerate that in point of State policy, which cannot justly be tolerated in point of true Christianity.
Againe, Princes many times tolerate offendours out of very necessity, when the offenders are either too many, or too mighty for them to punish, in which respect David tolerated Ioab and his murthers, but against his will.
3. We answer further, that for those three Princes named by you, who tolerated Religion, we can name you more and greater who have not tolerated Heretickes and Schismatickes, notwithstanding their pretence of conscience, and arrogating the Crowne of Martyrdome to their sufferings.
Constantine the Great at the request of the Generall Councell of Nice, banished Arrius with some of his fellowes. Sozom. lib. 1. Eccles. Hist. cap. 19. 20. The same Constantine made a severe Law against the Donatists. And the like proceedings against them were used by Valentinian, Gratian, and Theodosius, as Augustine reporteth in Epist. 166. Only Iulian the Apostata granted liberty to Heretickes as well as to Pagans, that he might by tolerating all weeds to grow, choake the vitals of Christianity, which was also the practice and sin of Valens the Arrian.
Queene Elizabeth, as famous for her government as any of the former, it is well knowne what Lawes she made and executed against Papists. Yea and King Iames (one of your own witnesses) though he was slow in proceeding against Papists (as you say) for conscience sake, yet you are not ignorant how sharply and severely he punished those whom the malignant world calleth Puritanes, men of more conscience and better faith then he tolerated.
I come now to your third and last argument, taken from the judgement of ancient and later Writers, yea even of Papists themselves, who have condemned persecution for conscience sake.
You begin with Hilary, whose testimony we might admit without any prejudice to the truth: for it is true, the Christian Church doth not persecute, but is persecuted. But to excommunicate an Hereticke, is not to persecute; that is, it is not to punish an innocent, but a culpable and damnable person, and that not for conscience, but for persisting in errour against light of conscience, whereof it hath beene convinced.
It is true also what he saith, that neither the Apostles did, not may we propagate Christian Religion by the Sword: but if Pagans cannot be won by the Word, they are not to be compelled by the Sword. Neverthelesse this hindreth not, but if they or any others should blaspheme the true God, and his true Religion, they ought to be severely punished; and no lesse doe they deserve, if they seduce from the truth to damnable Heresie or Idolatry.
Your next Writer (which is Tertullian) speaketh to the same purpose in the place alledged by you. His intent is onelyonly to restraine Scapula the Romane Governour of Africa from the persecution of Christians, for not offering sacrifice to their gods: And for that end fetcheth an argument from the Law of Naturall Equity, not to compell any to any Religion, but to permit them either to beleeve willingly, or not to beleeve at all. Which wee acknowledge, and accordingly permit the Indians to continue in their unbeleefe. Neverthelesse it will not therefore be lawfull openly to tolerate the worship of devils or Idols, or the seduction of any from the truth.
When Tertullian saith, Another mans Religion neither hurteth nor profiteth any; it must be understood of private worship and Religion professed in private: otherwise a false Religion professed by the Members of a Church, or by such as have given their Names to Christ, will be the ruine and desolation of the Church, as appeareth by the threats of Christ to the Churches of Asia, Revel. 2.
Your next Authour Hierom crosseth not the truth, nor advantageth not your cause: for we grant what he saith, that Heresie must bee cut off with the Sword of the Spirit. But this hindreth not, but that being so cut downe, if the Hereticke still persist in his Heresie, to the seduction of others, he may be cut off by the civill sword, to prevent the perdition of others. And that to bee Hieromes meaning appeareth by his note upon that of the Apostle, [A little Leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe] therefore (saith he) a sparke as soone as it appeareth, is to be extinguished, and the Leaven to be removed from the rest of the dough, rotten peeces of flesh are to be cut off, and a scabbed beast is to be driven from the … le…t the whole house, masse of dough, body and flocke, be set on fire with the sparke, bee sowred with the Leaven, be putrified with the rotten flesh, perish by the scabbed beast.
Brentius (whom you next quote) speaketh not to your Cause. We willingly grant him and you, that Man hath no power to make Lawes, to bind Conscience. But this hindreth not, but that Men may see the Lawes of God observed, which doe bind Conscience.
The like Answer may be returned to Luther, whom you next alleadge. First, that the Government of the Civill Magistrate extendeth no further then over the Bodies and Goods of their Subjects, not over their Soules: And therefore they may not undertake to give Lawes to the Soules and Consciences of Men.
Secondly, that the Church of Christ doth not use the Arme of Secular Power to compell men to the Faith, or profession of the Truth; for this is to be done by Spirituall weapons, whereby Christians are to be exhorted, not compelled.
But this hundreth not that Christians sinning against light of Faith and Conscience, may justly be censured by the Church with Excommunication, and by the Civill Sword also, in case they shall corrupt others to the perdition of their Soules.
As for the Testimony of the Popish Book, we weigh it not, as knowing (whatsoever they speake for Toleration of Religion, where themselves are under Hatches) when they come to sit at Sterne, they judge and practise quite contrary, as both their Writings and Iudiciall proceedings have testified to the World these many yeares.
To shut up this Argument from Testimonie of Writers. It is well known, Augustine retracted this Opinion of yours, which in his younger times he had held, but in after riper age reversed and refuted, as appeareth in the second Book of his Retractations, chap. 5. and in his Epistles 48. 50. And in his 1. Book against Parmenianus, cap. 7. he sheweth, that if the Donatists were punished with death, they were justly punished. And in his 11 Tractate upon Iohn, They murther, saith he, Soules, and themselves are afflicted in Body: They put men to everlasting death, and yet they complaine when themselves are put to suffer temporall death.
Optatus in his 3. book, justifieth Macharius, who had put some Hereticks to death; that he had done no more herein then what Moses, Phincas, and Elias had done before him.
Bernard in his 66 Sermon in Cantica: Out of doubt (saith he) it is better that they should be restrained by the Sword of Him, who beareth not the Sword in vaine, then that they should be suffred to draw many others into their Errour. For he is the Minister of God for Wrath to every evill doer.
Calvins judgement is well knowne, who procured the death of Michael Servetus for pertinacie in Heresie, and defended his fact by a Book written of that Argument.
Beza also wrote a Booke de Haereticis Morte plectendis, that Hereticks are to be punished with Death. Aretius likewise tooke the like course about the Death of Valentinus Gentilis, and justified the Magistrates proceeding against him, in an History written of that Argument.
Finally, you come to answer some maine Objections, as you call them, which yet are but one, and that one objecteth nothing against what we hold. It is (say you) no prejudice to the Common-wealth, if Libertie of Conscience were suffred to such as feare God indeed, which you prove by the examples of the Patriarchs and others.
But we readily grant you, Libertie of Conscience is to be granted to men that feare God indeed, as knowing they will not persist in Heresie, or turbulent Schisme, when they are convinced in Conscience of the sinfulnesse thereof.
But the Question is, Whether an Heretick after once or twice Admonition (and so after conviction) or any other scandalous and heynous offender, may be tolerated, either in the Church without Excommunication, or in the Common-wealth without such punishment as may preserve others from dangerous and damnable infection.
Thus much I thought needfull to be spoken, for avoyding the Grounds of your Errour.
I forbeare adding Reasons to justifie the Truth, because you may finde that done to your hand, in a Treatise sent to some of the Brethren late of Salem, who doubted as you doe.
The Lord Jesus lead you by a Spirit of Truth into all Truth, through Jesus Christ.