The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 1 · Chapter 61
CHAP. 61. A Reply to his Chap. 64.
Diſcuſſer.
THe unknowing zeale of Conſtantine and other Emperors did more hurt to Chriſt Jeſus, his Church and Kingdome, then the raging fury of the moſt bloudy Neroes. In the perſecution of thoſe wicked Emperors, Chriſtians were ſweet and fragrant, like ſpice pounded in Morters: But thoſe good Emperors perſecuting ſome erroneous perſons, and advancing the Profeſſors of ſome truthes, and maintaining their Religion by the materiall Sword, by this meanes Chriſtianity was eclipſed, The Profeſſors of it fell aſleepe (Cant. 5.) Babel was uſher'd in, and by degrees the Churches of the Saints were turned into the Wilderneſſe of whole Nations, (Rev. 12.13.) untill the whole world, became Chriſtian, or Chriſtendome. Thoſe good Emperors intending to exalt Chriſt, but not attending to the command of Chriſt Jeſus, to permit the Tares to grow in the Field of the world, they made the Garden of the Church, and Field of the world, all one &c.
Defender.
If the unknowing zeale of Conſtantine, & other Chriſtian Emperors did more hur… to the Church, then the raging fury of bloudy Neroes: It was not becauſe the raging fury of thoſe Perſecutors was more accepted of God, then this unknowing zeale of the good Emperors. For though the unknowing zeale of the one was finfull, yet it was the friut of humane frialty, Error Amoris: But the rage of the others was diveliſh fury, Amor Erroris. Beſides the unknowing zeale of the good Emperors, lay not in puniſhing notorious Hereticall Seducers; nor will the Diſcuſſer be ever able to ſhew, that the Church of Chriſt ſuffered any hurt at all by that meanes. The contrary is evident, Conſtantius, and Valens by Tolerating and favoring the Arians, the whole world became Arian; Ingemuit orbis Chriſtianus, et miratus eſt factum ſe eſſe Arianum. Now whether be the greater miſcheife the whole world to become Arian, or to become Chriſtian, Let Chriſtians judge. The Diſcuſſer indeed ſpeaketh of it, as a ſoliſciſme in Religion, that the whole world ſhould become Chriſtian, and quoteth for it, Rev. 12. and 13. But Rev. 12. ſpeaketh nothing to the purpoſe: and Revel. 13. ſpeaketh of it, as a marveilous evill, that the whole world ſhould wonder after the Beaſt, ver. 3. But their wondering after the Beaſt, not a becoming Chriſtian (for they were that before) nor did it ſpring onelyonly from the unknowing zeale of Chriſtian Emperors in perſecuting Apoſtate Hereticks: But rather from their ſinful Indulgence in the Toleration of Hereticks in Doctrine, and Idolaters in Worſhip. For had they been zealous, and watchfull againſt ſuch, how is it poſſible, that ever Antichriſt ſhould have been hatched up, to carry the world after him into ſuch a notorious Apoſtacy? It was not perſecution, that made the world, Chriſtian: but Toleration, that made the world, Antichriſtian. Furthermore, the hurt of the unknowing zeale of good Emperors did to the Church, came in alſo another way, by advancing Church-Officers to Mountaines of high preferments, and ſettled indowments, Rev. 8.8, 9. The Church never tooke hurt by the puniſhment of Hereticks. Moreover, when God advanced Conſtantine and other good Emperors to ſit on the Throne, It is true, the Church ſoone became a wilderneſſe: but that came not to paſſe becauſe thoſe Emperors forced Pagans into Church-Fellowſhip by the materiall Sword (as the Diſcuſſer intimateth, but untruly) But becauſe the common ſort are willing to follow the example of great ones, Regis ad exemplum totus componitur Orbis: as alſo becauſe of the ſleepineſſe of the watchmen (the Elders of the Churches) who ſhould not have ſuffered ſuch ſtore of Tares to come into the communion of the Church. Had the world renounced their Paganiſme, and profeſſed Chriſt to be the Sonne of God, but yet had been kept out of the Fellowſhip of the Church, till they had approved their profeſſion by a ſincere Chriſtian converſation. It had been no ſoliſciſme at all (howſoever the Diſcuſſer judge of it) though the whole world had been come—Chriſtian, and ſtiled Chriſtendome. But it is too groſſe and palpable a miſtake, to make this the cauſe why the Garden of the Church, and the Field of the world became all one, becauſe the zeale of Chriſtian Emperors intending to exalt Chriſt, did not attend to the command of Chriſt, to permit the Tares to grow in the Field of the world.
For they did permit them to live in the Field of the world, they ſeldome or never put any to death for Hereticall pravity (though it had bin better they had ſo done with ſome of them:) But onelyonly exiled them from ſuch Cities and Countryes as were moſt Populous, where if they had continued, they might have had too great an opportunity of ſpreading their leaven, which (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh fretteth like a Gangrene, 1 Tim. 2.17.