be punish'd by Deprivation and Banishment all Arrian Books to be burned and whoever should be discover'd to conceal any of Arrius his writings to die for it But it fared very well with those who were not such fools as to own his opinion All they were entertain'd by the Emperor at a magnificent Feast receiv'd from his hand rich Prâ—sents and were honourably dismist with Letters recommending their great Abilities and performance to the Provinces and enjoyning the Nicene Creed to be hence forth observed With that stroke of the Pen. Socr. l. 1. c. 6. For what three hundred Bishops have agreed on a thing indeed extraordinary ought not to be otherwise conceiv'd of than as the decree of God Almighty especially seeing the Holy Ghost did sit upon the minds of such and so excellent men and open'd his divine will to them So that they went I trow with ample satisfaction and as they could not but take the Emperor for a very civil generous and obliging Gentleman so they thought the better of themselves from that day forward And how budge must they look when they returned back to their Diocesses having every one of 'em been a principal limn of the Oecumenical Apostolical Catholick Orthodox Council When the Catachrestical title of the Church and the Clergy were so appropriate to them by custom that the Christian people had relinquished or forgotten their claim when every Hare that crossed their way homeward was a Schismatick or an Heretick and if their Horse stumbled with one of them he incurr'd an Anathema Well it was that their journeys lay so many several ways for they were grown so cumbersom and great that the Emperor's high-way was too narrow for any two of them and there could have been no passage without the removal of a Bishop But soon after the Council was over Eusebius the Bishop of Nicomedia and Theognis the Bishop of Nice who were already removed both by Banishment and two others put in their places were quickly restor'd upon their Petition wherein they suggested the cause of their not Signing to have been only because they thought they could not with a safe Conscience subscribe the Anathema against Arrius appearing to them both by his writings his discourses and Sermons that they had been Auditors of not to be guilty of those errors As for Arrius himself the Emperor quickly wrote to him It is now a considerable time since I wrote to your Gravity to come to my Tents that you might enjoy my Countenance so that I can sâ—arce wonder sufficiently why you have so long delaid it therefore now take one of the publick Coaches and make all speed to my Tents that having had experience of my kindness and affection to you you may return into your own Country God preserve you most dear Sir Arrius hereupon with his Comrade Euzoius comes to Constantine's Army aâ—d offers him a Petition with a confession of Faith that would have pass'd very well before the Nicene Council and now satisfied the Emperor Socr. l. 1. c. 19 20. insomuch that he writ to Athanasius now Bishop of Alexandria to receive him into the Church but Athanasius was of better mettle than so and absolutely refus'd it Upon this Constantine writ him another threatning Letter When you have understood hereby my pleasure see that you afford free entrance into the Church to all that desire it for if I shall understand that any who desires to be admitted into the Church should be either hindred or forbidden by you I will send some one of my Servants to remove you from your Degree and place another in your stead Yet Athaâ—asius stood it out still though other Churches received him into Communion and the Herâ—tick Novatus could not have been more unrelenting to lapsed Christians than he was to Arrius But this joyned with other crimes which were laid to Athanasius his charge at the Council of Tyre though I suppose indeed they were forged made Athanasius glad to fly for it and remain the first time in exile Upon this whole matter it is my impartial opinion that Arrius or whosoever else were guilty of teaching and publishing those errors whereof he was accused deserved the utmost Severity which consists with the Christian Religion And so willing I have been to think well of Athanasius and ill of the other that I have on purpose avoided the reading as I do the naming of a book that I have heard tells the story quite otherwise and have only made use of the current Historians of those times who all of them tell it against the Arrians Only I will confess that as in reading a particular History at adventure a man finds himself inclinable to favour the weaker party especially if the Conqueror appear insolent so have I been affected in reading these Authors which does but resemble the reasonable pity that men ordinarily have too for those who though for an erroneous Conscience suffer under â— Christian Magistrate And as soon as I come to Constantius I shall for that reason change my compassion and be doubly engaged on the Orthodox party But as to the whole matter of the Council of Nice I must crave liberty to say that from one end to the other though the best of the kind it seems to me to have been a pitiful humane business attended with all the ill circumstances of other worldly affairs conducted by a spirit of ambition and contention the first and so the greatest Occumenical blow that by Christians was given to Christianity And it is not from any sharpness of humor that I discourse thus freely of Things aâ—d Persons much less of Orders of men otherwise venerable but that where ought is extolled beyond reason and to the prejudice of Religion it is necessary to depreciate it by true proportion It is not their censure of Arianism or the declaring of their opinion in a controverted point to the best of their understanding wherein to the smalness of mine they appear to have light upon the truth had they likewise upon the measure that could have moved me to tell so long a story or bring my self within the danger and aim of any captious Reader speaking thus with great liberty of mind but little concern for any prejudice I may receive of things that are by some men Idolized But it is their Imposition of a new Article or Creed upon the Christian world not being contained in express words of Scripture to be believed with Divine Faith under Spiritual and Civil Penalties contrary to the Priviledges of Religion and their making a Precedent follow'd and improv'd by all succeeding Ages for most cruel Persecutions that only could animate me In digging thus for a new deduction they undermined the fabrick of Christianity to frame a particular Doctrine they departed from the general Rule of their Religion and for their curiosity about an Article concerning Christ they violated our Saviour's first Institution of a Church not subject to any Addition in matters
he tells that one of the three returned soon after repenting it seems next morning and so he receiv'd him again into the Church unto the Laick Communion But for the other two he had sent Successors into their places And yet after all this ado and the whetting of Constantine contrary to his own Nature and his own Declarations against the Novatians I cannot find their Heresie to have been others than that they were the Puritans of those times and a sort of Non-conformists that could have subscribed to the Six and thirty Articles but differed only in those of Discipline and upon some enormities therein separated and which will always be sufficient to qualifie an Heretick they instituted Bishops of their own in most places And yet afterwards in the times of the best Homoousian Emperors a sober and strictly Religious People did so constantly adhere to them that the Bishops of the Church too found meet to give them fair quarter for as much as they differ'd not in Fundamentals and therefore were of use to them against Hereticks that were more dangerous and diametrically opposite to the Religion Nay in so much that even the Bishop of Constantinople yea of Rome notwithstanding that most tender point and interest of Episcopacy suffered the Novaian Bishops to walk cheek by joul with them in their own Diocess until that as Socr. l. 7. c. 11. the Roman Episcopacy having as it were passed the bounds of Priesthood slip'd into a Secular Principality and thenceforward the Roman ishops would not suffer their Meetings with Security but though they commended them for their Consent in the same Faith with them yet took away all their Estates But at Constantinople they continued to fare better the Bishops of that Church embracing the Novatians and giving them free liberty to keep their Conventicles in their Churches What and to have their Bishops too Altar against Altar A Condescension which as our Non-conformists seem not to desire or think of so the Wisdom of these times would I suppose judge to be very unreasonable but rather that it were fit to take the other course and that whatsoever advantage the Religion might probably receive from their Doctrine and party 't is better to suppress them and make havock both of their Estates and Persons But however the Hereticks in Constantine's time had the less reason to complain of ill measure seeing it was that the Bishops mâ—ted by among themselves I pass over that Controversie betwixt Cecilianus the Bishop of Carthage and his adherents with another set of Bishops there in Africk upon which Constantine ordered ten of each party to appear before Miltiades the Bishop of Rome and others to have it decided Yet after they had given Sentence Constantine found it necessary to have a Council for a review of the business as in his Letter to Chrestus the Bishop of Syracuse Euseb. l. 10. c. 6. Whereas â—everal have formerly separated from the Catholick Heresie for that word was not yet so ill natured but that it might sometimes be used in its proper and good Sense and then relates his Commission to the Bishop of Rome and others But forasmuch as some having been careless of their own salvation and forgetting the reverence due to that most holy Heresie again will not yet lay down their enmity nor admit the sentence that hath been given obstinately affirming that they were but a few that pronounced the Sentence and that they did it very precipitately before they had duly enquired of the matter and from thence it hath happened that both they who ought to have kept a brotherly and unanimous agreement together do abominably and flagitiously deissâ—t from one another and such whose minds are alienated from the most hâ—ly Religion do make a mockery both of it and them Therefore I c. have commanded very many Bishops out of innumerable places to meet at Arles that what ought to have been quieted upon the former Sentence pronounced may now at least be determined c. and you to be one of them and therefore I have ordered the Prefect of Sicily to furnish you with one of the publick Stage-Coaches and so many Servants c. Such was the use then of Stage-Coaches Post-Horsâ—s and Councils to the great disappointment and grievance of the many both Men and Horses and Leather being hackney-jaded and worn out upon the errand of some contentious and obstinate Bishop So went the Affairs hitherto and thus well disposed and prepared were the Bishops to receive the Holy Ghost a second time at the great and first general Council of Nice which is so much Celebrated The occasions of calling it were two The first a most important question in which the Wit and Piety of their Predecessors and now theirs successively had been much exercised and taken up that was upon what day they ought to keep Easter which though it were no point of Faith that it should be kept at all yet the very calendary of it was controverted with the same zeal and made as heavy ado in the Church as if both parties had been Hereticks And it is reckoned by the Church Historians as one of the chief felicities of Constanstines Empire to have quieted in that Council this main controversie The second cause of the assembling them here was indeed grown as the Bishops had order'd it a matter of the greatest weight and consequence to the Christian Religion one Arrius having as is related to the disturbance of the Church started a most pernicious opinion in the point of the Trinity Therefore from all parts of the Empire they met together at the City of Nice two hundred and fifty Bishops and better saith Eusebius a goodly company three hundred and eighteen say others and the Animadverter too with that pithy remark pa. 23. Equal almost to the number of Servants bred up in the House of Abraham The Emperour had accommodated them every where with the publick Posts or laid Horses all along for the convenience of their journey thithers and all the time they were there supplied them abundantly with all sorts of provision at his own charges And when they were all first assembled in Council in the great Hall of the Imperial Palace he came in having put on his best Clothes to make his Guests welcome and saluted them with that profound humility as if they all had been Emperors nor would sit down in his Throne no it was a very little and low stool till they had all beckoned and made signs to him to sit down No wonder if the first Council of Nice run in their heads ever after and the ambitious Clergy like those who have beeâ— long a thirst took so much of Constantines kindness that they are scarce come to themselves again after so many Ages The first thing was that he acquainted them with the causes of his summoning them thither and in a grave and most Christian discourse exhorted them to keep the peace or to a good
Temporal Interests but every mans Eternity and Salvation are concerned The Soul is too precious to be let out at interest upon any humane security that does or may fail but it is only safe when under God's custody in its own Cabinet But it was a General Council A special general indeed if you consider thâ— proportion of three hundred and eighteen to the body of the Christian Clergy but much more to all Christian Man-kind But it was a general Free Council of Bishops I do not think it possible for any Council to be free that is composed out of Bishops and where they only have the Decisive Voices Nor that a Free Council that takes away Christian Liberty But that as it was â—ounded upon Usurpation so it terminated in Imposition But 't is meant that it was Free from all external Impulsion I confess that good Meat and Drink and Lodging and Money in a Man's purse and Coaches and Servants and Horses to attend them did no violence to 'em nor was there any false Article in it And discoursing now with one and then another of 'em in particular and the Emperor telling them this is my opinion I understand it thus and afterwards declaring his mind frequently to them in publick no force neither Ay but there was a shrewd way of persuasion in it And I would be glad to know when ever and which free general Council it was that could properly be called so but was indeed a meer Imperial or Ecclesiastical Machine no free agent but wound up set on going and lâ—t down by the direction and hand of the Workman A General Free Council is but a word of Art and can never happen but under a Fifth Monarch and that Monarch too to return from Heaven The Animadverter will not allow the second General Council of Nice to have been Free because it was over-aw'd by an Empress and was guilty of a great fault which no Council at liberty he saith could have committed the Decree for worshipping of Images At this rate a Christian may scuffle however for one point among them and chuse which Council he likes best But in good earnest I do not see but that Constantine might as well at this first Council of Nice have negotiated the Image worship as to pay that superstitious adoration to the Bishops and that Prostration to their Creeds was an Idolatry more pernicious in the consequence to the Christian Faith then that under which they so lately had suffer'd Persecution Nor can a Council be said to have been at liberty which lay under so great and many obligations But the Holy Ghost was present where there were three hundred and eighteen Bishops and directed them or three hundred Then if I had been of their Council they should have sate at it all their lives lest they should never see him again after they were once risen But it concerned them to settle their Quorum at last by his Dictates otherwise no Bishop could have been absent or gone forth upon any accusation but he let him out again and it behov'd to be very punctual in the Adjournments 'T is a ridiculous conception and as gross as to make him of the same substance with the Council Nor needs there any stronger argument of his absence then their pretense to be actuated by him and in doing such work The Holy Spirit If so many of them when they got together acted like rational men 't was enough in all reason and as much as could be expected But this was one affectation among many others which the Bishops took up so early of the stile priviledges powers and some actions and gestures peculiar and inherent to the Apostles which they misplaced to their own behoof and useage nay and challenged other things as Apostolâ—cal that were directly contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles For so because the Holy Spirit did in an extraordinary manner preside among the Holy Apostles at that Legitimate Council of Ierusalem Acts 15. they although under an ordinary Administration would not go less whatever came on 't nay whereas the Apostles in the drawing up of their Decree dictated to them by the Holy Spirit said therefore no more but thus The Apostles Elders and Brethren send greeting unto the Brethren of c. Forasmuch as c. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us to lay upon you no greater burthen than these necessary things that ye abstain from c. from which if ye keep your selves you shall do well Fare ye well This Council denounces every invention of its own far from the Apostolical modesty and the stile of the holy Spirit under no less than an Anathema Such was their arrogating to their inferior degrees the stile of Clergy till custom hath so much prevailed that we are at a loss how to speak properly either of the name or nature of their function Whereas the Clergy in the true and postolical sense were only those whom they superciliously always call the Laity The word Clerus being never but once used in the New Testament and in that signification and in a very unlucky place too Pet. 1. 5 3. where he admonishes the Priesthood that they should not Lord it or domineer over the Christian people Clerum Domini or the Lord's Inheritance But having usurp'd the Title I confess they did right to assume the Power But to speak of the Priesthood in that style which they most affect if we consider the nature too of their Function what were the Clergy then but Lay-men disguis'd drest up perhaps in another habit Did not St. Paul himself being a Tent-maker rather than be idle or burthensome to his People work of his trade even during his Apostleship to get his living But did not these that they might neglect their holy vocation seek to compass secular imployments and Lay-Offices Were not very many of them whether one respect their Vices or Ignorance as well qualified as any other to be Lay men Was it not usual as oft as they merited it to restore them as in the case even of the three Bishops to the Lay-communion And whether if they were so peculiar from others did the Imposition of the Bishops hands or the listing up the hands of the Laity confer more to that distinction And Constantine notwithstanding his complement at the burning of the Bishops papers thought he might make them and unmake them with the same power as he did his other Lay-Officers But if the inferior degrees were the Clergy the Bishops would be the Church although that word in the Scripture-sense is proper only to a Congregation of the Faithful And being by that title the only men in Ecclesiastical Councils then when they were once assembled they were the Catholick Church and having the holy Spirit at their devotion whatsoever Creed they light upon that was the Catholick Faith without the believing of which no man can be saved By which means there rose thenceforward so constant
that set up of the same Profession that they could fearce live by one another Socr. l. 2. c. 32. Therefore uses these words But now that I have tandem aliquando run through this Labyrinth of so many Creeds I will gather up their number And so reckons Nine Creeds more besides that of Nice before the death of Constantine a blessed Number And I believe I could for a need make them up a dozen if Men have a mind to buy them so And hence it was that Hilary then Bishop of Poictiers represents that state of the Church pleasantly yet sadly Since the Nicene Synod saith he we do nothing but write Creeds That while we fight about words whilst we raise Questions about Novelties while we Quarrel about things doubtful and about Authors while we contend in Parties while there is difficulty in Consent while we Anatâ—ematize one another there is none now almost that is Christ's What a Change there is in the last years Creed The first Decree commands that Homoousion should not be mentioned The next does again Decree and Publish Homoousios The third does by Indulgence excuse the Word Ousia as used by the Fathers in their simplicity The fourth does not Excuse but Condemn it It is come to that at last that nothing among us or those before us can remain Sacred or inviolable We Decree every year of the Lord a new Creed concerning God Nay every Change of the Moon our Faith is alter'd We repent of our Decrees we defend those that repent of them we Anathematize those that we defended and while we either condemn other Mens Opinions in our own or our own Opinions in those of other Men and bite at one another we are now all of us torn in picees This Bishop sure was the Author of the Naked Truth and 't was he that implicitâ—ly condemn'd the whole Catholick â—hurch both East and West for being too presumptuous in her Definitions It is not strange to me that Iulian being but a Reader in the Christian Church should turn Pagan Especially when I consider that he succeeded Emperor after Constantius For it seems rather unavoidable that a Man of great Wit as he was and not having the Grace of God to direct it and show him the Beauty of Religion through the Deformity of its Governours and Teachers but that he must conceive a Loathing and Aversion for it Nor could he think that he did them any Injustice when he observed that beside all their Unchristian Immorality too they Practised thus against the Institutive Law of their Galilean the Persecution among themselves for Religion And well might he add to his other Severities that sharpness of his Wit both Exposing and Animadverting upon them at another rate than any of the Modern Pactitioners with all their Study and Inclination can ever arrive at For nothing is more punishable Contemptible and truly Ridiculous than a Christian that walks contrary to his Profession And by how much any Man stands with more advantage in the Church for Eminency but disobeys the Laws of Christ by that priviledge he is thereby and deserves to be the more Exposed But Iulian the last Heathen Emperor by whose Cruelty it seemed that God would sensibly Admonish once again the Christian Clergy and show them by their own smart and an Heathen-hand the nature and odiousness of Persecution soon died as is usual for Men of that Imployment not without a remarkable stroke of Gods Judgment Yet they as they were only sorry that they had lost so much time upon his death strove as eagerly to redeem it and forthwith fell in very naturally into their former Animosities For Iovianus being chosen Emperor in Persia and returning homeward Socr. l. 3. c. 20. the Bishops of each Party in hopes that their's should be the Imperial Creed strait to Horse and rode away with Switch and Spur as if it had been for the Plate to meet him and he that had best Heels made himself cockâ—sure of winning the Religion The Macedonians who dividing from the Arrians had set up for a new Heresie concerning the Holy Ghost and they were a Squadron of Bishops Petition'd him that those who held Filium Patri dissimilem might be turn'd out and themselves put in their places Which was very honestly done and above-board The Acacianâ— that were the refined Arrians but as the Author saith Had a notable faculty of addressing themselves to the Inclination of whatsoever Emperor and having good Intelligence that he balanced rather to the Consubstantials presentend him with a very fair Insinuating Subscription of a considerable number of Bishops to the Council of Nice But in the next Emperor's time they will be found to yield little Reverence to their own Subscription For in matter of a Creed a Note of their Hand without expressing the Penalty could not it seems bind one of their Order But all that Iovianus said to the Macedonians was I hate Contention but I lovingly imbrace and reverence those who are inclined to Peace and Concord To the Acacians who had wisely given these the precedence of Application to try the truth of their Intelligence he said no more having resolv'd by sweetness and persuasions to quiet all their Controversies but That he would not molest any Man whatsoever Creed be follow'd but those above others he would Cherish and Honour who should show themselves most forward in bringing the Church to a good Agreement He likewise call'd back all those Bishops who had been Banished by Constantius and Iulian restoring them to their Sees And he writ a Letter in particular to Athanasius who upon Iulianâ—s death had enter'd again upon that of Alexandria to bid him be of good courage And thâ—se things coming to the Ears of all others did wonderfully assuage the Fierceuess of those who were Inflamed with Faction and Contention So that the Court having declared it self of this Mind the Church was in a short time in all outward appearance peaceably disposed the Emperor by this Means having wholly repressed all their Violence Verily concludes the Historian the Roman Empire had been prosperous and happy and both the State and the Church â—he puts them too in that Order under so good a Prince must have exceedingly flourâ—shed had not an Immature death taken him away from managing the Government For after seven Months being seized with a mortal Obstruction he departed this Life Did not this Historian â—row you deserve to be handled and is it not now the Mischief is done to undo the Charm become a Duty to Expose both him and Ioviâ—nus By their ill chosen Principles what would have become of the Prime and most necessary Article of Faith Might not the old Dormant Heresies all of them safely have Revived But that Mortal Obstruction of the Bishops was not by his death not is it by their own to be removed They were glad he was so soon got out of their way and God would yet further manifest their intractable Spirit
Priests could not but observe a great decay in their Parishes a neglect of their Sacrifices and diminution of their Profits by the daily and visible increase of that Religion And God in his wise Providence had so ordered that as the Iews already so the Heathens now having filled up their measure with iniquity Sprinkling the Blood of his Saints among their Sacrifices and the Christians having in a severe Appreutiship of so many Ages learned the Trade of Suffering they should at last be their own Masters and admitted to their Freedom Neither yet even in those times when they lay exposed to Persecution were they without some Intervals and catching seasons of Tranquillity wherein the Churches had leisure to reap considerable advantage and the Clergy too might have been inured as they had been Exemplary under Affliction so to bear themselves like Christians when they should arrive at a full prosperity For as oft as there came a just Heathen Emperor and a lover of mankind that either himself observed or understood by the Governours of his Provinces the innocence of their Religion and Practices their readiness to pay Tribute their Prayers for his Government and Person their faithful Service in his Wars but their Christian valour and contumacy to Death under the most exquisite Torments for their holy Profession he forthwith relented he rebated the Sword of the Executioner and could not find in his heart or in his power to exercise it against the exercise of that Religion It being demonstrable that a Religion instituted upon Justice betwixt man and man Love to one another yea even their Enemies Obedience to the Magistrate in all Humane and Moral Matters and in Divine Worship upon a constant exercise thereof and as constant Suffering in that Cause without any pretence or latitude for resistance cannot so long as it is true to it self in these things fall within the Magistrates Jurisdiction But as it first was planted without the Magistrates hand and the more they plucked at it so much the more still it flourished so it will be to the end of the world and whensoever Governours have a mind to try for it it will by the same means and method sooner or later â—oil them but if they have a mind to pull up that Mandrake it were advisable for them not to do it themselves but to chuse out a Dog for the Imployment I confess whensoever a Christian transgresses these bounds once he is impoundable or like a wafe and stray whom Christ knows not he falls to the Lord of the Mannor But otherwise he cannot suffer he is invulnerable by the sword of Justice only a man may swear and damn himself to kill the first honest man he meets which hath been and is the case of all true Christians worshipping God under the power and violence of their Persecutors But the Truth is that even in those times which some men now as oft as it is for their advantage do consecrate under the name of Primitive the Christians were become guilty of their own punishment and had it not been as is most usual that the more Sincere Professors suffered promiscuously for the Sins and Crimes of those that were Carnal and Hypocrites their Persecutors may be looked upon as having been the due Administrators of God's Justice For not to go deeper if we consider but that which is reckoned the Tenth Persecution under Dioclesian so incorrigible were they after nine preceding what other could be expected when as Eusebius l. 3. c. 1. sadly laments having related how before that the Christians lived in great trust and reputation in Court the Bishops of each Church were beloved esteemed and reverenced by all mankind and by the Presidents of the Provinces the Meetings in all the Cities were so many and numerous that it was necessary and allowed them to erect in every one spacious and goodly Churches all things went on prosperously with them and to such an height that no envious Man could disturb them no Devil could hurt them as long as walking yet worthy of those mercies they were under the Almighty's care and protection after that our affairs by that too much Liberty degenerated into Luxury and Laziness and some prosecuted others with Hatred and Contumely and almost all of us wounded our selves with the weapons of the Tongue in ill language when Bishops set upon Bishops and the people that belonged to one of them stirred Sedition against the people of another then horrible Hypocrisie and Dissimulation sprung up to the utmost extremity of Malice and the Iudgment of God while yet there was liberty to meet in Congregations did sensibly and by steps begin to visit us the Persecution at first discharging it self upon our Brethren that were in the Army But we having no feeling of the hand of God not indeavouring to make our peace with him and living as if we believed that God did neither take notice of our Transgressions nor would visit us for them we heaped us Iniquity upon Iniquity And those which seemed to be our Pastors kicking underfoot the rules of Piety were inflamed among themselves with mutual Contention and while they minded nothing else but to exaggerate their Quarrels Threats Emulation Hatred and Enmities and earnestly each of them puâ—sued his particular Ambition in a Tyrannical manner then indeed the Lord then I say according to the voice of the Prophet Jeremy be covered the Daughter of Sion with a cloud in his anger and cast down from Heaven unto earth the beauty of Israel and remembred not his footstool in the day of his anger And so the pious Historian pathetically goes on and deplores the Calamities that insued to the loss of all that stock of Reputation Advantage Liberty and Safety which Christian people had by true Piety and adhering strictly to the Rules of their Profession formerly acquired and injoyed but had now forfeited and smartly deservedly suffered under Dioclesian's persecution And it was a severe one the longest too that ever happened ten years from his beginning of it and continued by others by which time one might have thought the Church would have been sufficiently winnowed and nothing left but the pure Wheat whereas it proved quite contrary and the holiest and most constant of the Christians being blown away by Martyrdom it seem'd by the succeeding times as if nothing but the Chaâ—â— and the Tares had remained But there was yet such a Seed left and not withstanding the defection of many so internal a vertue in the Religion it self that Dioclesian could no longer stand against it and tired out in two years time was glad to betake himself from rooting out Christianity to gardening and to sow Pot-herbs at Salona And he with his Partner Maximianus resigned the Empire to Galerius and Constantius the excellent Father of a more glorious and Christian Son Constantine the Great who in due season succeeded him and by a chain of God's extraordinary providence seemed to have been let
down from Heaven to be the Emperor of the whole World and as I may say the Universal Apostle of Christianity It is unexpressible the vertue of that Prince his Care his Indulgence his Liberality his own Example every thing that could possibly tend to the promotion and incouragement of true Religion and Piety And in order to that he thought he could not do better neither indeed could he then to shew a peculiar respect to the Clergy and Bishops providing largely for their subsistence had they too on their part behaved themselves worthy of their High Calling and known to make right use of the advantages of his Bounty to the same ends that they were by him intended For if the Apostle 1 Tim 5. 17. requires that an Elder provided he rule well be accounted worthy of Double Honour especially those who labour in the Word and Doctrine it excludes not a Decuple or any further proportion and indeed there cannot too high a value be set upon such a Person and God forbid too that any measure of wealth should render a Clergy man Uncanonical But alas Bishops were already grown another Name and Thing then at the Apostles Institution and had so altered their property that Paul would have had much difficulty by all the marks in the 1 Tim. 3. to have known them They were ill enough under Persecution many of them but that long and sharp Winter under Dioclesian being seconded by so warm a Summer under Constantine produced a Pestilence which as an â—â—â—ection that sâ—izes sometimes only one sort of Cattel diffused it self most remarkably thorow the whole body of the Clergy From his reign the most sober Historians date that New Disease which was so generally propagated then and ever since transmitted to some of their Successors that it hath given reason to inquire whether it only happened to those men as it might to others or were not inherent to the very Function It show'd it self first in Ambition then in Contention next in Imposition and after these Symptoms broke out at last like a Plague-Sore in open Persecution They the Bishops who began to vouch themselves the Successors of Christ or at least of his Apostles yet pretended to be Heirs and Executors of the Iewish High Priests and the Heathen Tyrants and were ready to prove the Will The Ignorant Iews and Infidels understood not how to Persecute had no Commission to meddle with Religion but the Bishops had studied the Scriptures knew better things and the same which was Cruelty and Tyranny in the Heathâ—ns if done by a Christian and Ecclesiastical hand was allowed to be Church-government and the care of a Diocess But that I may not seem to speak without book or out-run the History I shall return to proceed by those degrees I newly mention'd whereby the Christian Religion was usurped upon and those things became their crime which were their duties The first was the Ambition of the Bishops which had even before this taken its rise when in the intervals of the former Persâ—cutions the Piety of the Christians had laid out ample provisions for the Church but when Constantine not only restored those which had been all confiscate under Dioclesian but was every day adding some new Possession Priviledge or Honour a Bishoprick became very desirable and was not only a Good Work but a Good Thing especially when there was no danger of paying as it was usual formerly their First-fruits to the Emperor by Martyrdom The Arts by which Ambition climes are Calumny Cruelty Bribery Adulation all applyed in their proper places and seasons and when the man hath attained his end he ordinarily shows himself then in his colours in Pride Opiniastry Contention and all other requisite or incident ill Qâ—alities And if the Clergy of those times had some more dextrous and innocent way than this of managing their Ambition it is to be lamented inter Artes Deperdiâ—as or lies enviously hid by some musty Book-worm in his private Library But so much I find that both before and then and after they cast such Crimes at one another that a Man would scarce think he were reading an History of Bishops but a Legend of Devils and each took such care to blacken his adversary that he regarded not how he smutted himself thereby and his own Order to the Laughter or Horror of the by-standers And one thing I remark particularly that as Son of a Whore is the modern Word of Reproach among the Laity of the same use then among the Clergy was Heretick There were indeed Hereticks as well as there are Bastards and perhaps it was not their fault neither of 'em could help it but the Mothers or the Fathers but they made so many Hereticks in those days that 't is hard to think they really believ'd them so but adventur'd the Name only to pick a Quarrel And one thing that makes it very suspicious is that in Ecclesiastical History the Ring-leader of any Heresie is for the most part accused of having a mind to be a Bishop though it was not the way to come to it As there was the damnable Heresie of the Novatians against which Constantine notwithstanding his Declaration of general Indulgence at his coming in was shortly after so incensed that he published a most severe Proclamation against them Cognoscite jam per legem hanc qua à me sancita est O Novatiani c. prohibiting all their meetings not only in publick but in their own private Houses and that all such places where they assembled for their worship should be rased to the ground without delay or controversie c. Eus. l. 3 c. 62. de vita Constantini Now the stoâ—y the Bishops tell of Novatus the Author of that Sect Euseb. l. 6. c. 42. is in the words of Cornelius the Bishop of Rome the very first line But that you may know that this brave Novatus did even before that affect to be a Bishop a great crime in him that he might conceal that petulant Ambition he for a better cover to his Arrogance â—ad got some Confessors into his Society c. and goes on calling him all to naught but then saith he he came with two Reprobates of his own Heresie into a little the very least Shire of Italy and by their means seduced three most simple high-shoon Bishops wheedling them that they must with all speed go to Rome and there meeting with other Bishops all Matters should be reconciled And when he had got thither thâ—se there Silly Fellows as I said that were not aware of his cunning he had prepared a company of Rogues like himself that treated them in a private room very freely and having thwack'd their bellies and heads full with meat and drink compell'd the poor drunken Bishops by an imaginary and vain Imposition of Hands to make Novatus also a Bishops Might not one of the same Order now better have conceal'd these things had they been true but such was the discretion Then
agreement as there was reason For saith Ruffin l. 1. c. 2. the Bishops being met here from almost all parts and as they use to do bringing their quarrels about several matters along with them every one of them was at the Emperour offering him Petitions laying out one anothers faults for all the good advice he had given them and were more intent upon these things than upon the business they were sent for But he considering that by these Scoldings and Bickerings the main affair was frustrated appointed a set day by which all the Bishops should bring him in whatsoever complaint they had against one another And they being all brought he made them that high Asiatick Complement God hath made you Priests and hath given you power to judge me and therâ—fore it is in you to judge me righteously but you cannot be judged by any men It is God only can judge you and therefore reserve all your quarrel to his Tribunal For you are as Gods to me and it is not convenient that a man should judge of Gods but he only of whom it is written God standing in the Congregation of the Gods and discerneth in the midst of them And therefore setting these things aside apply your minds without any contention to the â—overnments of God's Religion And so without opening or reading one Petition commanded them all together to be burnt there in his presence An action of great Charity and excellent Wisdom had but some of the words been spaâ—ed For doubtless though they that would have complained of their burthen grumbled a little yet those that were accusable were all very well satisfied and those exprâ—ssions you can judge me righteously and you cannot be judged by â—â—y man and God only can judge you You are Gods to me c. were so extreaâ—â—y sweet to most of the Bishops palates that they believ'd it and could never think of them afterwards but their teeth watered and they ruminated so long on them that Constantine's Successors came too late to repent it But now the Bishops having mist of their great end of quarelling one with another betake themselves though somwhat aukwardly to business And it is necessary to mine that as shortly as possible for the understanding of it I give a cursory account of Alexander and Arrius with some few others that were the most interessed in that general and first great revolution of Ecclesiastical Affairs since the days of the Apostles This Alexander was the Bishop of Alexandria and appears to have been a pious old Man but not equally prudent nor in Divine things of the most capable nor in conducting the affairs of the Church very dextrous but he was the Bishop This charactor that I have given of him I am the more confirm'd in from some passages that follow and all of them pertinent to the matter before me They were used Sozom. l. 2. c. 16. at Alexandria to keep yearly a solemn Festival to the memory of Peter one of their former Bishops upon the same day that he suffered Martyrdom which Alexander having Celebrated at the Church with publick Devotion was sitting after at home expecting some guests to dine with him Sozom. l. 2. c. 16. As he was alone and looking towards the Sea-side he saw a pretty way off the Boys upon the Beach at an odd Recreation imitating it seems the Rites of the Church and Office of the Bishops and was much delighted with the sight as long as it appearâ—d an innocent and harmless representation But when he observed them at last how they acted they very administration of the Sacred Mysteries he was much troubled and sending for some of the chief of his Clergy caused the Boys to be taken and brought before him He asked them particularly what kind of sport they had been at and what the words and what the actions were that they had used in it After their fear had hindred them a while from answering and now they were afraid of being silent they confess'd that a Lad of their Play-fellows one Athanasius had Baptized some of them that were not yet Initiated to those Sacred Mysteries Whereupon Alexander inquired the more accuraâ—â—ly what the Bishop of the game had said and what he did to the Boys he â—ad baptized what they also had answered or learned fâ—om him At last when Alexander perceivâ—d by them that this Pawn bishop had made all his removes right and that the whole Ecclesiastical Order and Rites had been duely observed in their Interlude he by the advice of his Priests about him approved of that Mock-bapâ—ism and determined that the Boys being once in the simplicity of their minds dipped in the Divine Grace ought not to be Re-baptized but he perfected it with the remaining Mysteries which it is only lawful for Priâ—sts to administer And then he delivered Athanasius and the rest of the Boys that had acted the parts of Presbyters and Deacons to their Parents calling God to witness that they should be Educated in the Ministry of the Church that they might pass their lives in that calling which they had chosen by imitation But as for Athanasius in a short while after Alexander took him to live with him and be his Secretary having caused him to be carefully Educated in the Schools of the best Grammarians and Rhetoricians and he grew in the opinion of all that spoke with him a discreet and eloquent person and will give occasion to be more than once mentioned again in this Discourse I have translated this in a manner word for word from the Author This good-natured old Bishop Alexander that was so far from Anathemising that he did not so much as whip the Boys for the Proâ—anation of the Sacrament against the Discipline of the Church but without more doing left them for ought I see at liberty to regenerate as many more Lads upon the next Holy-day as they thought convenient He Socr. l. 1. c. 3. being a man that lived an easie and gentle life had one day called his Priâ—sts and the rest of his Clergy together and fell on Philosophizing divinely among them but somthing more subtly and curiously though I dare say he meant no harm than was usual concerning the Holy Trinity Among the rest one Arrius a Priest too of Alexandriâ— was there present a Man who is described to have been a good Disputant and others add â—the Capital accusations of those times that he had a mind to have been a Bishop and bore a great piqâ—e at Alexander for having been preferr'd before him to the See of Alexandria but more are silent of any such matter and Sozom. l. 1. c. 14. saith he was in great esteem with his Bishop But Arrius Socr. l. 1 c. 3. hearing his discourse about the Holy Trinity and the Vnity in the Trinity conceiv'd that as the Bishop stated it he had reason to suspect he was introducing afâ—sh into the Church the Heresie of Sabellius the African who Fatebatur unum esse Deum
which not the Persecution of the Heathen Emperor Iulian nor the Genâ—leness of Iovianus the Christian could allay or mitigate by their Afflictions or Prosperity The Divine Nemesis executed Justice upon them by one anothers hand And so hainou a Crime as for a Christian a Bishop to Persecute stood yet in need as the only equal and exemplary Punishment of being revenged with a Persecution by Christians by Bishops And whosoever shall seriously consider all along the Sucâ—essions of the Emperors can never have taken that Satisfaction in the most judicious Representations of the Scene which he may in this worthy Speculation of the great Order and admirable conduct of Wise Providence through the whole contexture of these Exterior seeming Accidents relating to the Ecclesiasticals of Christianity For to Iovianus succeeded Valentinian who in a short time took his Brother Valens to be his Companion in the Empire These two Brothers did as the Historian observes Socr. l 4. c. 1. alike and equally take care at the beginning for the Advantage and Government of the State but very much disagreed though both Christians in matters of Religion Valetinianus the Elder being an Orthodox but Valens an Arrian and they used a different Method toward the Christians For Valentinian who chose the Western part of the Empire and left the East to his Brother as he imbraced those of his own Creed so yet he did not in the least molest the Arrians But Valens not only labor'd to increase the number of the Arrians but Afflicted those of the contrary Opinion with grievous Punishments And both of 'm especially Valens had Bishops for their purpose The particulars of that heavy Persecution under Valens any one may further satisfie himself of in the Writers of those Times And yet it is observable that within a little space while he pursued the Orthodox Bishops he gave Liberty to the Novatians who were of the same Creed but separated from them aâ— I have said upon Discipline c. and caused their Churches which for a while were shut up to be opened again at Constantinople To be short Valens who out-lived his Brother that died of a natural Death himself in a Battel against the Goths could not escape neither the fate of a Christian Persecutor For the Goths having made Application to him be saith Socrates not well fore-seeing the Consequence admitted them to Inhabit in certain places of Thracia pleasing himself that he should by that means always have an Army ready at hand against whatsoever Enemies and that those Foraign Guards would strike them with a greater Terror more by far than the Militia of his Subjects And so slighting the ancient Veterane Militia which used to consist of Bodies of Men raised proportionably in every Province and were stout Fellows that would Fight Manfully instead of them he levied Money rating the Country at so much for every Souldier But these new Inmates of the Emperors soon grew Troublesom as is customary and not only inâ—ested the Natives in Thracia but Plunder'd even the Suburbs of Constantinople there being no Armed Force to repress them Hereupon the whole People of the City cried out at a publick Spectacle where Valens was prosent neglecting this matter Give us Arms and we will manage this War our selves This extreamly provok'd him so that he forthwith made an Expedition against the Goths But Threatned the Citizens if he return'd in safety to be Reveng'd on them both for those Conâ—umelies and for what under the Tyrant Procopius they had committed against the Empire and that he would Raze to the Ground and Plow up the City Yet before his departure out of the fear of the Foraign Enemy be totally ceas'd from persecuting the Orthodox in Constantinople But he was kill'd in the Fight or Flying into a Village that the Goths had set on fire he was burns to ashes to the great grief of his Bishops who had he been Victorious might have revived the Persecution Such was the end of his Impetuous Reign and rash Counsels both as to his Government of State in matters of Peace and War and his Manage of the Church by Persecution His death brings me to the Succession of Theodosiâ—s the Great then whom no Christian Emperor did more make it his business to Nurse up the Church and to Lull the Bishops to keep the House in quiet But neither was it in his power to still their Bawling and Scratching one another as far as their Nails which were yet more tender but afterwards grew like Tallons would give them leave I shall not further vex the History or the Reader in recounting the particulars taking no delight neither may self in so uncomfortable Relations or to reflect beyond what is necessary upon the Wolfishness of those which then seemed and ought to have been the Christian Pastors but went on scattâ—ring their Flocks if not devouring and the Shepherds smiting one another In his Reign the second General Council was called that of constantinople and the Creed was there made which took its name from the place The rest of their business any one that is further curious may observe in the Writers But I shall close this with a short touch concerning Gregory Nazianzen then living than whom also the Christian Church had not in those times and I question whether in any succeeding a Bishop that was more a Christian more a Gentleman better appointed in all sorts of Learning requisite seasoned under Iulian's Persecution and exemplary to the highest pitch of true Religion and Practical Piety The eminence of these Vertues and in special of his Humility the lowliest but the highest of all Christian Qualifications raised him under Theodosius from the Parish-like Bishoprick of Nazianzum to that of Constantinople where he fill'd his place in that Council But having taken notice in what manner things were carried in that as they had been in former Councils and that some of the Bishops muttered at his promotion he of his own mind resigned that great Bishoprick which was never of his desire or seeking and though so highly seated in the Emperors Reverence and Favor so acceptable to the People and generally to the Clergy whose unequal Abilities could not pretend or justifie an envy against him retired back far more content to a Solitary Life to his little Nazianzum And from thence he writes that Letter to his Friend Procopius wherein p. 418. upon his most recollected and serious reflexion on what had faln within his observation he useth these remarkable words I have resolved with my self if I may tell you the Naked Truth never more to come into any Assembly of Bishops for I never saw a good and happy end of any Council but which rather increased than remedied the mischiefs For their obstinate Contentions and Ambition are unexpressible It would require too great a Volume to deduce from the death of Theodoâ—â—s the particulars that happened in the succeeding Reigns about this matter But the Reader may
reckon that it was as stated a Quarrel betwixt the Homoousians and the Homoiousians as that between the Houses of York and Lancaster And thâ—â—â— a rose now an Emperor of one Line and then again of the other But among all the Bishops there was not one Morton whose industrious Brain could or would for some Men always reap by Division make up the fatal Breach 〈◊〉 the two Creeds By this means every Creed was grown up to a Test. and under that pretence the dextrous Bishops step by step hooked within thâ—ir Verge all the business and Power that could be catched in those Turbulâ—nces where they mudled the Water and Fished after By this means they stalked on first to a Spiritual kind of Dominion and from that incroached upon and into the Civil Jurisdiction A Bishop now grew terrible and whereas a simple Layman might have frighted the Devil with the first words of the Apostles Creed and I defie thee Satan one Creed could not protect him from a Bishop and it required a much longer and a double and treble Confession unless himself would be delivered over to Satan by an Anathema But this was only an Ecclesiastical sentence at first with which they marked out such as sinned against them and then whoop'd and hallow'd on the Civil Magistrate to hunt them down for their Spiritual Pleasure They crept at first by Court Insinuations and Flattery into the Princes favor till those generous Creatures suffered themselves to be backed and ridden by them who would take as much of a free Horse as possible But in Persecution the Clergy as yet wisely interposed the Magistrate betwixt themselves and the People not caring to their end were attained how odious they rendred him And you may observe that for the most part hitherto they stood crouching and shot either over the Emperors back or under his belly But in process of time they became bolde and openâ—fac'd and Persecuted before the Sun at Mid-day Bishops grew woâ—se but Bishopricks every day better and better There was now no Eusebius left to refuse the Bishoprick of Antiochia whom therefore Constantine told That he deserv'd the Bishoprick of the whole World for that Modesty They were not such Fools as Ammonius Parates I warrant you in the time of Theodosius He Socr. l. 6. c. 30. being seised upon by some that would needs make him a Bishop when he could not perswade them to the contrary cut off one of his Ears telling them that now should he himself desire to be a Bishop he was by the Law of Priesthood incapable â—ut when they observed that those things only obliged the Jewish Priesthood and that the Church of Christ did not consider whether a Priest were sound or perfect in limb of body but only that he were intire in his manners they return'd to seize on him again But when he saw them coming he swore with a sâ—lemn Oath that if to Consecrate him a Bishop they laid violent hands upon him he would cut out his tongue also whereupon they fearing he would do it desisted What should have been the matter that a man so Learned and Holy should have such an aversion to be promoted in his own Order that rather than yield to be a Compelled or Compelling Bishop he would inflict upon himself as severe a Martyrdom as any Persecutor could have done for him Sure he saw somthing more in the very Constitution than some do at present But this indeed was an Example too Rigid and neither fit to have been done nor to be imitated as there was no danger For far from this they followed the precedent rather of Damasus and Vâ—sinus which last Socr. l. 4. c. 24. In Valentinian's time perswaded certain obscure and object Bishops for there were it seems of all sorts and sizes to create him Bishop in a Corner and then so early he and Damasus who was much the better Man waged War for the Bishoprick of Rome to the great scandal of the Pagan Writers who made Remarks for this and other things upon their Christianity and to the Bloodshed and Death of a multitude of the Christian People But this last I mention'd only as a weak and imperfect Essay in that time of what it came to in the several Agâ—s after which I am now speaking of when the Bishops were given give themsâ—lves over to all manner of Vice Luxury Pride Ignorance Superstition Covetousness and Monopolizing of all secular Imployments and Authority Nothing could escape them They meddlâ—d troubled themselves and others with many things every thing forgetting that one only needful Insomuch that I could not avoid wondring often that among so many Churches that with Paganick Rites they dedicated to Saint Mary I have met with none to Saint Martha but above all Imposition and Cruelty became inherent to them and the power of Persecution was grown so good and desirable a thing that they thoâ—ght the Magistrate scarce worthy to be trusted with it longer and a meer Noviâ—e at it and either wrested it out of his hands or gently eased him of that and his other burdens of Government The Sufferings of the Laity were become the Royalties of the Clergy and being very careful Christians the Bishops that noâ— a word of our Saviours might fall to the ground because he had foreâ—old how Man should be Persecuted for his Names sake they undertook to see it done â—â—â—ectually in their own Provinces and out of pure zeal of doing him the more Service of this kind inlarged studiously their Diocesses beyond all proportion Like Nostradamus his Son that to fulfil his Father's prediction of a City in Fraâ—ce that should be burned with his own hands set â—t on fire All the Calamities of the Christian world in those Ages may be derived from them while they warm'd themselves at the Flame and like Lords of Misrule kept a perpetual Christmas What in the Bishops name is the matter How came it about that Christianity which approved it self under all Persecuions to the Heathen Emperors and merited their favor so faâ— till at last it regularly succeeded to the Monarchy should under those of their own Profession be more distressed Were there some Christians then too that feared still lâ—ft Men should be Christians and for whom it was necessary not for the Gospel reason that there should be Heresies Let us collect a little now also in the conclusion what at first was not particulariz'd how the reason of State and Measure of Goverment stood under the Roman Emperours in aspect to them I omit Tiberius mention'd in the beginning of this Essay Trajaâ—e after having persecuted them and having used Pliny the second in his Province to that purpose upon his relation that they lived in conformity to all Laws but that which forbad their Worship and in all other things were blameless and good men straitly by his Edict commanded that none of them should be farther enquired after Hadrian in his Edict to Minâ—tius Fundanus Proâ—consull of
Asia commands him that If any accuse the Christians and can prove it that they commit any thing against the State that then he punish them according to the crime but if any man accuse them meerly for calumny and vexation as Christians then i' faith let him suffer for 't and take you care that he feel the smart of it Antoninus Pius writ his Edict very remarkable if there were place to recite it to the States of Asia Assembled at Ephesus wherein he takes notice of his Fathers command that unless the Christians wâ—re were found to act any thing against the Roman Empire they should not be molested and then commands that if any man thereafter shall continue to trouble them tanquam tales as Christians for their Worship in that case he that is the Informer should be exposed to punishment but the Accused should be free and discharged I could not but observe that among other things in this Edict where he is speaking It is desirable to them that they may appear being accused more willing to die for their God than to live He adds It would not be amiss to admonish you concerning the Earth quakes which have and do now happen that when you are afflicted at them you would compare our affairs with theirs They are thereby so much the more incouraged to a confidence and reliance upon God but you all the while go on in your ignorance and neglect both other gods and the Religion towards the immortal and banish and persecute them unto death Which words of that Emperors fall in so naturally with what it seems was a common observation about Earth-quakes that I cannot but to that purpose take further notice how also Gregory Nazianzen in Or. 2. contra Gentiles tells besides the breakings in of the Sea in several places and many fires that happened of the Earth-quakes in particular which he reckons as Symptoms of Iulian's Persecution And to this I may add Socr. l. 3. c. 10 who in the Reign of Valens that notorious Christian Persecutor saith at the same time there was an Earth-quake in Bithynia which turned the City of Nice that same in which the general Council was held under Constantine and a little after there was another But although these so happened the minds of Valens and of Eudoxius the Bishop of the Arrians were not at all stirred up unto Piety and a right opinion of Religion For nevertheless they â—â—â—sed not made no end of perscuting those who in their Creed dissented from them Those Earth-quakes seemed to be certain indications of tumult in the Church All which put together could not but make me reflect upon the late Earth-quakes great by how much more unusual here in England thorow so many Counties two years since at the same time when the Clergy some of them were so busie in their Cabals to promote this I would give it a modester name then Persecution which is now no foot against the Dissenters at so unseasonable a time and upon no occasion administred by them that those who comprehend the reasons yet cannot but wonder at the wisdom of it Yet I am not neither one of the most credulous nickers or appliers of natural events to human transactions But neither am I so secure as the Learned Dr. Spencer nor can walk along the world without having some eye to the conjunctures of God's admirable Providence Neither was Marcus Aurelius that I may return to my matter negligent as to the particular But he observing as Antoninus had the Earth-quakes that in an expedition against the Germans and Sarmatians his Army being in despair almost for want of water the Melitine afterward from the event called the Thundring Legion which consisted of Christians kneel'd down in the very heat of their thirst and fight praying for rain which posture the Enemies wondring at immediately there brake out such a thundring and lightning as together with the Christian valour routed the adverse Army but so much rain fell therewith as refreshed Aurelius his Forces that were at the last gasp for thirst He thâ—nce forward commanded by his Letters That upon pain of death none should inform against the Christians as Tertullian in his Apology for the Christians witnesses But who would have beliâ—ved that even Commodus so great a Tyrant otherwise should have been so favourable as to make a Law That the Informers against Christians should be punished with death Yet he did and the Informer against Apollonius was by it executed Much less could a man have thought that that prodigy of cruelty Maximine and who â—xercised it so severely upon the Christians should as he did being struck with God's hand publish when it was too late Edict after Edict in great favour of the Christians But above all nothing could have been less expected than that after those Heathen Emperors the first Christian Constantine should have been seduced by the Bishops to be after them the first occasion of Persecution so contrary to his own excellent inclination 'T was then that he spake his own mind when he said Eus. de vitâ Const. 69. You ought to retain within the bounds of your private thoughts those things which you cunningly and subtly seek out concerning most frivolous questions And then much plainer c. 67. where he saith so wisely You are not ignorant that the Philosophers all of them do agree in the profession of the same Discipline but do oftentimes differ in some part of the Opinions that they dogmatize in But yet although they do dissent about the Discipline that each several Sect observeth they nevertheless reconcile themselves again for the sake of that common Profession to which they have concurred But against compulsion in Religious matters so much every where that it is needless to insert one passage And he being of this disposition and universally famous for his care and countenance of the Christian Religion Eusebius saith these words While the People of God did glory and heighten it self in the doing of good things and all fear from without was taken away and the Church was fortifiâ—d as I may say on all sides by a peaceable and illustiâ—us tranquility then Envy lying in wait against our prosperity craftily crept in and began first to dance in the midst of the company of Bishops so goes on telling the History of Alexander and Aâ—rius I have been before large â—nough in that relation wherein it appeared that contrary to that great Emperours pious intention whereas Envy began to dance among the Bishops first the good Constantine brought them the Fiddles But it appear'd likewise how soon he was weary of the Ball and toward his latter end as Princes often do upon too late experience would have redressed all and returned to his natural temper Of the other Christian Emperours I likewise discoursed omitting that I might insert it in this place how the great Heathen Philosopher Themistius in his Consolar Oration celebrated Iovianus for having given that toleration in
Christian Religion and thereby defeated the flattâ—ring Bishops which sort of men saith he wittily do not worship Gâ—d but the Imperial Purple It was the same Themistius that only out of an upright natural apprehension of things made that excellent Oration afterward to Valens which is in Print exhorting him to cease Persecution wherein he chances upon and improves the same notion with Constantines and tells him That he should not wonder at the Dissents in Christian Religion which were very small if compared with the multitude and crowd of Opinions among the Gentile Philosophers for there were at least three hundred differences and a very great dissention among them there was about their resolutions unto which each several Sect was as it were necessarily bound up and obliged And that God seemed to intend more to illustrate his own glory by that diverse and unequal variety of Opinions to the end every each one might therefore so much the more reverence his Divine Majesty because it is not pâ—ssible for any one accurately to know him And this had a good effect upon Valens for the mitigating in some measure his severities against his fellow Christians So that after having cast about in this Summary again whereby it plainly appears that according to natural right and the apprehension of all sober Heathen Governours Christianity as a Religion was wholly exempt from the Magistrates jurisdiction or Laws farther than any particular person among them immorally transgressed as others the common rules of human society I cannot but return to the Question with which I begun What was the matter How came it about that Christianity which approved it self under all Persecutions to the Heathen Emperours and merited their favour so far till at last it regularly succeeded to the Monarchy should under those of their own profession be more distressed But the Answer is now much shorter and certainer and I will adventure boldly to say the true and single cause then was the Bishops And they were the cause against reason For what power had the Emperours by growing Christians more than those had before them None What obligation were Christian Subjects under to the Magistrate more than before None But the Magistrates Christian Authority was what the Apostle describ'd it while Heathen not to be a terror to good works but to evil What new Power had the Bishops acquired whereby they turned every Pontificate into a Caiaphat None neither 2 Cor. 10. 8. Had they been Apostles The Lord had but given them Authority for edification not for destruction They of all other ought to have Preached to the Magistrate the terrible denunciations in Scripture against usurping upon and persecuting of Christians They of all others ought to have laid before them the horrible Examples of God's ordinary Justice against those that exercised Persecution But provided they could be the Swearers of the Prince to do all due Allegiance to the Church and to preserve the Rights and Liberties of the Church however they came by them they would give them as much scope as he pleased in matter of Christianity and would be the first to solicite him to break the Laws of Christ and ply him with hot places of Scripture in order to all manner of Oppression and Persecution in Civils and Spirituals So that the whole business how this unchristian Tyranny came and could entitle it self among Christians against the Christian priviledges was only the case in Zech. 13. 6. 7. And one shall say unto him What are these wounds in thy hands Then he shall answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my Friends Because they were all Christians they thought forsooth they might make the bolder with them make bolder with Christ and wound him again in the hands and feet of his members Because they were Friends they might use them more coarsly and abuse them against all common civility in their own house which is a Protection to Strangers And all this to the end that a Bishop might sit with the Prince in Iunto to consult wisely how to preserve him from those people that never meant him any harm and to secure him from the Sedition and Rebellion of men that seek nor think any thing more but to follow their own Religious Christian Worship It was indeed as ridiculous a thing to the Pagans to see that work as it was afterwards in England to Strangers where Papists and Protestants went both to wrack at the same instant in the same Market and when Erasmns said wittily Quid agitur in Angliâ— Consulitur he might have added though not so elegantly Comburiturâ— de Religione Because they knew that Christian Worship was free by Christ's Institution they procured the Magistrate to make Laws in it concerning things necessary As the Heathen Persecutor Iulian introduced some bordering Pagan Ceremonies and arguing with themselves in the same manner as he did Soz. l. 5. c. 16. That if Christians should obey those Laws they should be able to bring them about to something further which they had designed But if they would not then they might proceed against them without any hope of pardon as breakers of the Laws of the Empire and represents them as turbulent and dangerous to the Government Indeed whatsoever the Animadverter saith of the Act of Scditious Conventicles here in England as if it were Anvill'd after another of the Roman Senate the Christians of those Ages had all the finest tools of Persecution out of Iulian's Shop and studied him then as cuâ—iously as some do now Machiavel These Bishops it was who because the Rule of Christ was incomparible with the Power that they assumed and the Vices they practised had no way to render themselves necessary or tolerable to Princes but by making true Piety difficult by Innovating Laws to revenge themselves upon it and by turning Make-bates between Prince and People instilling dangers of which themselves were the Authors Hence it is that having awakened this Jealousie once in the Magistrate against Religion they made both the Secular and the Ecclesiastical Government so uneasie to him that most Princes began to look upon their Subjects as their Enemies and to imagine a reason of State different from the Interest of their People and therefore to weaken themselves by seeking unnecessary and grievous supports to their Authority Whereas if men could have refrain'd this cunning and from thence forcible governing of Christianity leaving it to its own simplicity and due liberty but causing them in all other things to keep the Kings and Christs peace among themselves and towards others all the ill that could have come of it would have been that such kind of Bishops should have prov'd less implemental but the good that must have thence risen to the Christian Magistrate and the Church then and ever after would have been inexpressible But this discourse having run in a manner wholly upon the Imposition of Creâ—ds may seem not to concern and I desire that it may not