the Munster Anabaptists had their good effect Most Men are severe censurers of the same sins in others which they do indulge and allow in themselves There is scarce a Separatist among us who when he shall impartially consider the grievous and continued troubles of the African Churches occasioned by the Schisme of the Donatists who upon false or frivolous pretences first forsook the Communion of the Catholick Church and then raised Parties to oppose it falsly accusing condemning persecuting and murthering their Fathers and Brethren affronting the Magistrates despising their Laws raising Tumults and Armies and pronouncing them Martyrs that dyed in Rebellion I say there is not any but will readily condemn these though he have been seduced to joyn with such as have practised the same or worse things The Ancients resembled a wise Man to the Image of Janus which looked both forward and backward and it would certainly be a point of Prudence in us to look back upon the transactions and counsels of former Ages and to observe what Opinions and practices have been condemned by wise and good Men and carefully avoid such As also to look forward and to consider to what dangers and precipices our present Opinions may betray us what out-rages and cruelties our ambition may lead us to though for the present we think it impossible that ever our lusts or any temptations or advantages should be able to transform us into such ravenous beasts as afterward we may appear to be Had Cromwel been foretold as Hazael was what horrid Massacres and Regicide he should commit he would have thought it a slander though from the mouth of a Prophet 2 Kings 8.12 And if such as have given themselves up to dividing principles did but consider how easily they may be taught to act over the same Tragical Scenes of Sacrilege Rapine and Blood when their Masters shall get power and opportunities agreeable to their malice which both ancient and modern Sectaries have done before them they may find just cause to grow jealous of themselves though they have yet the sheeps clothing on them and to suspect their Teachers though transformed into Angels of light for the Ministers of Satan whose design it is to attempt the ruine of the Church by the abused zeal of her seduced Children which he could not effect by the cruelty of her professed Enemies To undeceive such Persons and render Schisme and Faction as odious and pernicious as the Scripture doth describe them and both the History of former Ages and the sad experience of our own do demonstrate them to have been and that all who profess the Name of Christ may agree in the truth of his Holy Word and live in Vnity with their Brethren and in due Obedience to their lawful Governors both in Church and State is the only Design and hearty Prayer of Si sapitis benè recte si non sapitis vestri curam gessisse non poenitebit quia etsi cor vestrum ad pacem non convertitur pax nostra ad cor nostrum convertetur August ad Petil. l. 3. IMPRIMATUR G. Jame R.P.D. Hen. Episc Lond. à Sacris Dom. THE HISTORY OF THE DONATISTS WHen Dioclesian as a Romish Wolf had worried and scattered the Flock of Christ and exhausted Rivers of that precious Blood he perceived that he could neither diminish their Numbers nor abate any thing of that primitive Spirit which like a Rock did not only stand firm but broke in pieces the Fluctus Decumanos most impetuous Waves of the greatest persecution Ann. 300 The Tyrant thought therefore of a more probable way to extinguish that Spirit which was to withdraw the word of life and accordingly in the Nineteenth Year of his Empire like another Antiochus Epiphanes who did Mosaicis libris bellum indicere he publisheth his Edict That the Christian Churches should be levelled with the ground the Ornaments seized to his use the Holy Scriptures consumed in the Fire and all that professed Christianity be deprived of all Liberties Offices and Dignities unless they would offer Sacrifice to the Heathen Gods Immediately upon publishing this Edict his Officers do generally become Inquisitors and strictly require all the Christians to deliver up the Utensils of their Churches and the Testament of their Lord to be consumed in the Fire which if any refused they themselves were condemned to the Flames Among other Confessors Felix Deacon of Autramitum was summoned by the Inquisitors Optarus p. 40. to deliver up the Ornaments of his Church and the Evangelical Books which were in his custody whereupon he hid himself with Mensurius Bishop of Carthage whereof the Officers being informed they require Mensurius to deliver him up or to appear on a set Day at the Emperors Court to answer the contempt Where it is observable that Episcoporum domus nè in persecutionibus fas erat violare the Bishops Houses even in times of Persecution were accounted as a Sanctuary by the very Heathen Mensurius was too much a Christian to betray his Brother and therefore he chose rather to submit himself to the Emperors sentence and to appear at the appointed time but in the interim he is careful to secure the Goods belonging to his Church And in those Days as the Christians had Churches called Basilicas so those Churches had their Ornaments St. August contr Cresconium says that the Church of Cirta in the time of Dioclesian had two Chalices of Gold six Cups of Silver and a Silver Candlestick Yet the Treasuries of those Churches were much exhausted in those days it being the frequent practice of those Primitive Christians to sell their Plate and Ornaments to redeem the lives or to relieve the necessities of their persecuted Brethren Mensurius therefore causeth an Inventory of the Treasury of the Church of Carthage to be made and committing the Treasury it self to the custody of the Elders as Optatus saith he leaves the Inventory with an ancient Woman p. 41. whom he had always found faithful charging her to preserve it for his Successors if it should please God to account him worthy of Martyrdom * Erant in illâ Ecclesiâ quamplurima Ornamenta Auri Argenti St. Augustine saith there were in that Church very many Ornaments of Gold and Silver Concerning the Death of Mensurius we have no certain account in Ecclesiastical History only we find the Bishoprick of Carthage to be void shortly after and Dioclesian languishing under a surfeit of Christian blood resigned his Empire to Maxentius who was overthrown sometime after by Constantine as also Maximinus another Tyrant by Licinius and thereupon Constantius the Father of Constantine though he were then in England was proclaimed Emperor but he dyed in York and so the whole Empire was devolved on Constantine who by his Mother Helena had been from his Childhood instructed in the Principles of the Christian Religion Which Baronius observes to be true notwithstanding the opinion of some ancient Writers to the contrary for
during the Conference and intreats them to direct their discourse to the causes and grounds of the difference which was between them But the Donatists who as St. Augustine observes Contra Emeritum hoc unum agebant ut nil ageretur make use of all possible cavils and subterfuges as if the chief business that they had to do were to take care that nothing might be done and to return with as much Pride and Pomp as they came First therefore they object that the time appointed was elapsed then that there was no certain Date to the Imperial Edict because the Names of the Consuls were not inserted These being answered they desire to know who procured the Edict for that Meeting that the Names of the Legates and their Petition might be read tacitely reflecting upon the Catholicks saith St. Augustine for referring the cause of the Church to the Emperor To this it was answered that the Catholicks who confessed that they procured it had done no other than they themselves appealing from the Sentence of Meltiades in the case of Cecilian unto the Emperor Constantine Then they begin to reflect on the Persons of Felix and Cecilian and having almost tired Marcellinus to keep them from impertinencies repetitions and evasions he brought them at last to the merits of the cause But Quid dignum tanto I know not any thing that may raise greater admiration than to consider what trifles and apples of contention like the forbidden fruit ingaged all Africa in such desperate fewds as made it an Aceldama for blood-shed and slaughters and imployed so many Emperors Bishops and Councils for more than an Hundred Years together without any considerable effect For when the differences and causes of that confusion came to be considered in this Conference we do not hear that the Donatists could plead in justification of their Schisme that their supposed Enemies did deny God or Christ or the Resurrection or did actually persecute them or that they did with pride and contempt deny to admit them to their Communion nor did the Catholicks charge the Donatists with Apostasie from the Faith and denying Fundamentals of Christianity We do not hear them urging as they might their rebaptizing and joyning with the Macedonians or Jews and Pagans against those whom they knew to be Orthodox Bishops They all professed an agreement in all such necessary points of Faith that it is strange how they could differ in any thing And yet the Donatists persecuted the Catholicks so cruelly as if they had not been agreed in any principle of Christianity Marcellinus having heard the whole Conference declared against the Donatists and charged the inferior Officers speedily to execute the Imperial Laws in seizing their Churches for the Catholicks scattering their Conventicles and confiscating their Meeting places which Edict the Emperors confirm and cause to be entred among the publick Acts. That which was pretended by the Donatists as the ground of the Schism was that Cecilian who was Bishop of Carthage for almost 100. Years before was a Traditor that he and other Catholick Bishops had admitted lapsed Persons into their Communion whereby all their Churches were defiled and ought not to be communicated with Quia lapsi vel haeretici qui resipiscerent admittebantur Prosper de promiss praedict So I find the Question expresly stated by consent of both Parties Vtrum Ecclesia permixtos malos usque id finem habitura praedicta sit an omnion omnes bonos sanctos atque immaculatos ab hoc seculo usque in finem habitura sit Whether the Church of God according to the predictions concerning it were to consist of a mixture of good and evil or only of such as were holy and undefiled The Catholicks maintained the former from the predictions of the Prophets concerning the Universal extent of Christ's Kingdome from many Parables of our Saviour concerning his Church from the Commission he gave to his Apostles to Disciple all Nations from the event which succeeded upon the Apostles preaching the Conversion of all Nations from many Arguments used by St. Cyprian against the Novatians and lastly from their own practice in readmitting the Maximianists who had revolted from the Donatists and used another Baptism And most unreasonable it was to think that the wickedness of one Man should ruine the whole Church of Christ St. Aug. Epist 50. Nec peccavit Cecilianus haereditatem suam perdiâ—â— Christus Against this the Donatists urge that the same Prophets foretold that the Church of Christ should be Holy as well 〈◊〉 Catholick that Hierusalem was to be a Holâ— City the Spouse of Christ must be withouâ— spot a chast and undefiled Virgin To whicâ— St. Augustine replies Perfectio promissa non data that these things oughâ— to be endeavoured in the Church in thiâ— World but would never be effected untâ—â— Christ do come in the end of the World wheâ—â— he will thoroughly cleanse his Flowr gather the Wheat into his Garner and burn up the chaff with unquenchable Fire Then the Donatists begin to recriminate Mensurius and Cecilian that had been long dead To which it is presently answered That they were absolved by the Emperor and Councils of the Church then in being as did appear by most ancient Records which were ready to be produced and thereby also Donatâ—â— stood condemned But saith St. Augustine if those Bishops had been wicked the Church of God cannot be judged to have perished with them Whether they were good or bad they were our Brethren if we knew them to be evil we would joyn with you to condemn them but not to desert the Church of God because of them If Cecilian were good and innocent he hath the reward of his innocence and I rejoyce at it but I never placed my hope and faith in his innocence if he had been evil yet the Church thought fit to continue in his Communion and so do we Melius est per patientiam ferre malos quam per calumniam relinquere bonos St. Aug. in Colloq Carthag The several Arguments and Answers are too large to be here set down Upon the whole Marcellinus adjudged that the Donatists arguments and pretences were invalid their Schisme unjust their practices cruel and therefore he willed them to return to the Communion of the Church and live in peace and unity otherwise he would provide that the Imperial Laws should be executed upon them In the mean time he prevailed with them to subscribe the Records of the Conference which had been faithfully taken by the Notaries on both sides and so dismissed them After the Publication of this Conference and of the Emperor 's reinforcing the Laws for pecuniary Mulcts and Banishment against them some Thousands of the common People deserted them and returned to the Catholick Church and to their honest and lawful callings which they had long omitted as generally the Circumcellians did But the Donatist Bishops and Presbyters were for the most part obstinate and
endeavoured to continue the Schisme There were many imprisoned and condemned for Murther and Robberies committed in that Tumult wherein Restitutus and Innocentius were slain for these St. Augustine mediates and obtains Pardon But the Donatist Bishops return in great discontent and report among the People that they were not permitted to speak with that liberty and freedome as they ought And Petilian who went off from the Conference before it was ended having lost his Voice by raving and passion pretended afterward that he was dissatisfied with the partiality of Marcellinus and therefore he perswaded the rest to Appeal from his Sentence pretending that they had been kept as Prisoners and were not suffered to prosecute their Arguments and that Marcellinus was corrupted and pronounced the Sentence at Midnight which was contrary to Law And St. Augustine going afterward to Mauritania was challenged by Emeritus one of the Donatist Bishops who undertook to defend the Conference in a Personal disputation which St. Augustine agreed to and hath given us a particular account of it But as St. Augustine saith Hoc proprium Donatistis eandem cantilenam canere It was their custome to inculcate the same Arguments again which had been often confuted many Years before There being no reformation among the Leaders of the Faction who continue several Tumults Cruelties and Murthers Thirty of their Bishops were condemned to be banished who met together and resolved rather to cast themselves over the Precipices as the practice of the Circumcellians was and to dye Martyrs for the cause And some did destroy themselves in Wells and by throwing themselves from the Rocks In so much that Dulcitius who was joyned with Marcellinus in the Government of Africa advised with St. Augustine what was most fit to be done with those obstinate Persons that still seduced the People and what counsel St. Augustine gave him we read in the 61. Epistle Furiosus error paucorum non debuit tot populorum salutem impedire Proculdubiò melius est ut quidam suis ignibus perirent quam pariter sempiternis ignibus Sacrilegae dissentionis ardeant universi That the error of a few distracted Persons should not be permitted to involve all the People in confusion and ruine and that without doubt it was better that such as were Incendiaries should dye in the flames which they had kindled than that all the People should still suffer in the fires of sacrilegious Dissention Thus I have given you a Summary of the History of these dangerous Persons for full an Hundred Years and might pursue it yet farther but considering how troublesome and unsafe it may be to follow them too nigh I shall desist and only add some Reflections upon the Faction And first Of their several Sects The Luciferians as the most moderate shall have precedency These were so called from Lucifer Calaritanus Bishop of Sardinia who in the Nicene Council was a zealous Defender of the Catholick Faith against the Arians for which he was banished while they had the power He is commended for it by Athanasius Hilarion and St. Hierome When the Arians were suppressed he was recalled and restored to his Bishoprick but perceiving that many of the Arians were on very easie conditions admitted to the Catholick Communion and made capable of Ecclesiastical Dignities he was much dissatisfied and denyed to hold Communion with the Church for being so charitable to those new Converts He therefore lays the Foundation of his Schisme in Sardinia where the Catholicks solicite him by all gentle and rational means not to divide that Church whose Faith and unity he had so strenuously asserted but finding that he was not only resolutely obstinate but indefatigably industrious to propagate the Schisme the Catholicks thought fit to suspend him and to dissipate his adherents Whereupon he transports himself into Africa whither great numbers of his perswasion follow him and joyn themselves to the Donatists but kept themselves as a distinct Faction in this respect that they did not rebaptize as the Donatists generally did but their Pride and contempt of the Catholicks was in a short time equal to that of the Donatists St. Augustine commends them for not renouncing their Baptism but condemns them as much for cutting themselves off from the Catholick unity and much urgeth that known Axiom Extra Ecclesiam non est salus Oratio de obitu Satiri St. Ambrose writing to his Brother Siricus who espoused this Schisme doth thus acquaint him with the danger of it Non est fides in Schismate cum enim propter Ecclesiam passus est Christus Christi corpus sit Ecclesia non videtur ab his Christo exhiberi fides à quibus evacuatur ejus passio corpus distrahitur There is no true faith in Schism for whereas Christ suffered for his Church and that Church is his Body it doth not appear that true faith in Christ is in them by whom his Passion is frustrated and his Body divided for Christ gave his Natural Body for the preservation of his Mystical Body the Church Saint Hierome therefore comparing these Donatists with the Novatians calls them both Non Ecclesiam Christi sed Antichristi Synagogam These Luciferians stood as independent on the Donatist Congregations or any of the other Factions which were generally Anabaptistical For they did not only Rebaptize the adult that came over to them but refused to baptize Children contrary to the practice of the Church as appears by several discourses of St. Augustine The most desperate Sect of all were the Circumcellians who were as so many Hectors to fight for the Donatists on all occasions These were the Zealots which did abound in every faction and pretended to higher dispensations than their Brethren for they believed that they were inspired by God to act and suffer extraordinary things which they were ready to attempt as often as their Brethren or their own lusts did prompt them thereunto They met sometime in lesser and sometime in greater Numbers either as Robbers to abuse and plunder all that were not of their own Perswasion Slaves would rob their Masters and Debtors would force their Creditors to deliver up their Obligations and had the perfect Principles of Levellers holding that none had right to any of their Possessions but by partaking of the same Faith and Profession with themselves Dominium fundatur in gratiâ was their Maxime Or else they would meet in great Numbers well armed and able to affront the chief Armies of the Emperor And were often the Aggressors provoking the Roman Souldiers to their own destruction Thus they set upon Paulus and Macarius who were sent with Presents to the Church of Carthage from the Emperor Constans who being assisted by the Proconsul slew great Numbers of them These were animated by their Leaders who were generally Donatist Bishops and called Sanctorum Duces Captains of the Saints and were animated by a Perswasion that as many as suffered a violent Death in defence of the
THE HISTORY OF THE Donatists By THOMAS LONG B. D. and Prebendary of St. Peter's EXON Mutato Nomine de te Anglia narratur LONDON Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1677. To the Reverend GEORGE CARY D. D. AND DEAN of EXETER Reverend Sir ALthough I am no Conjurer yet I suspect I have done enough to raise the spirits of the Donatists which are wont to be very troublesome and that it may exceed my skill to allay them And therefore I have thus seasonably I hope taken Sanctuary under Your Name for I have observed that some consecrated Persons as well as Places are not haunted with such Spectres And though such Apparitions have been very affrighting vexatious to Men of weak judgments wavering minds yet some Persons who have arm'd themselves with constant integrity to God and resolved Loyalty to the King have been least obnoxious to their power and malice as good Souldiers that keep their ranks are not so much exposed to the hazards of War as they whose fears make them sneak from Place to Place And this through God's good providence was Your security in the late Times of Confusion wherein notwithstanding the busie Emissaries of the Prince of Darkness you did not only shine as a bright Example of Christian resolution sound Doctrine and a holy Life but did really influence a great part of your neighbouring Clergy the sense whereof hath obliged me to this publick acknowledgment by which I cannot hope to add to your reputation but to provide for my own quiet against such unjust and unsavory reflections as guilty persons are prone to make from whom I appeal to your more righteous judgment whether I have done them wrong or no. Sure I am I intended them none for I only present them with a Glass wherein if they see their own defects they have no reason to be displeased with the Glass but with those Vices which cause the reflexion Socrates l. 2. c. 15. of the Tripartite History tells us that Constantine to shame the Arians provided by an Edict that they should be called Porphyrians Ut quorum mores imitati sunt eorum nomine perfruantur that they might be known by his Name whose manners they did imitate And a greater than Constantine did the like by the Jews John 8.44 Ye are of your father the Devil and his lusts ye will do Every Man 's publick profession and practices are the plainest characters to teach us what party he is of They who through pride and discontent raise and propagate new Opinions that they may head a Faction and take pet at the preferment of better Men vexing their Governors despising their Authority persecuting their innocent Brethren and fomenting Divisions in a well established Church are as manifestly acted and animated by the spirit of Donatus as if there were a transmigration of Souls Sic oculos sic ille manus sic ora gerebat As old Donatus did so do his Race Cast up their Eyes and Hands with down-cast Face In vain therefore do such pretend as with great confidence they do that they are the off-spring of those Primitive Christians who suffered under the Heathen Emperors for they in the worst times obeyed their lawful Governors in all things wherein they might not disobey God and constantly adhered to their Bibles their Bishops and their Brethren accounting all such Traditores i.e. Traytâ—rs as forsook either Such pretences therefore do make odious representations of the Primitive Christians as if they were in their Generation as factious and seditious as the late Donatists in ours And as ill reflexions do they cast on their Christian Governors as if they were very Persecutors But by their fruits ye shall know them for if it be considered how exactly every Scene of that horrid Tragedy which was first acted in the Churches of Africa hath been acted over and if I may so speak over-acted in the Church of England it cannot be denyed that they who destroyed the Church of England and its Defender were the most natural off-spring of those Donatists who so perpetually vexed the good Constantine and made Havock of the Churches of Africa or that the present Sectaries who so tenaciously adhere to the principles and follow the practices of them that brought such confusion on the Land in the former Age are their proper Successors However it is advisedly done by their Apologists to make their Pamphlets swell with the frequent mention of the Indulgence of some of the Emperors to peaceable Christians but pass by the many strict Edicts of the most Christian and pious Emperors against such as withdrew from the Communion of the Catholick Church some of which I have transcribed for their better information at the end of this History and shall only acquaint them here with that success which Sozomen l. 3. c. 11. of the Tripartite History observed to follow on the due execution of them Who speaking of the Laws of Constantine against such as denyed communion with the Church in his days The Emperor saith my Author strictly commanded that their Meeting-places should be taken from them and they not permitted to assemble in private Houses or Churches by reason of which Law I suppose saith Sozomen the Memorial of Heresie was utterly destroy'd for after this Law they could meet neither publickly in the Churches nor secretly being observed and forbidden by the Bishops and Clergy Doubtless those Bishops and Clergymen were no Persecutors they did what was their duty and by a seasonable restraint of Men of corrupt principles preserved the true Christians in peace And certainly the present Bishops would be defective in a special duty of their Function which is to preserve the Flock of Christ in Peace and Unity if they should tolerate such as seek to scatter and make a Prey of them St. Hierome who is thought by some to have been no Friend to that Office doth yet affirm that it was ever since the Apostles days the best Remedy against Schisme I shall entreat your patience while I mention a passage or two of that Father which have been tortured to speak against Episcopacy but do so far commend its usefulness and assert its antiquity and authority as may suffice to silence all its adversaries In his Comment on 1 Titus he saith Antequam Diaboli instinctu c. Before such time as by the instigation of the Devil Factions were made in Religion and the People began to say I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas the Churches were governed by the common Council of Presbyters but afterward when every one accounted those whom he had baptized to be his own and not Christs it was decreed in the whole Christian World that one chosen out of the Presbyters should be set over the rest unto whom the care of the Church should belong that the seeds of schisme might be taken away Would you know when this was done and by whom Panormitan will
tell you Li. Decret de consuetud c. 4. Immediately after Christ's death all the Presbyters ruled in common but after a while the Apostles caused that Bishops should be created for the appeasing of Schismes If any shall not agree that this is St. Hierome's sense let him compare that passage in his Epistle to Evagrius 85 Quod autem posteà That after this i. in the Apostles age as appears both by what goes before and by what follows concerning St. Mark one was chosen and set over the rest was done for a Remedy against Schisme lest every one drawing a part of the Church to himself should destroy the whole for in the Church of Alexandria from the days of St. Mark the Evangelist unto Heraclas and Dionysius Bishops there the Presbyters choosing one of their number and setting him in a Higher degree called him Bishop and in his Dialogue ad Luciferianos Ecclesiae salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficientur schismata quot sacerdotes So then St. Hierome's testimony is express for the Antiquity of Bishops for as to the original institution I shall not now discourse that they were in the Apostles days particularly in the Church of Alexandria in St. Mark 's days and in the Church of Corinth ever since the People began to say I am of Paul and I of Apollo for the ending of which controversie one was preferred above the rest and the Scholiast tells us on Titus 1. that Apollo was the Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Bishop of Corinth and the same was decreed in all the Christian World That the care of the Church was committed to them and the welfare of the Church depended on their dignity to whom if there were not an eminent and peerless power given by all there would be as many schismes in the Church as there were Priests and lastly that it was a principal duty of theirs though it be now accounted their crime to prevent the growth of schisms in their several Churches And this is that which I have according to my mean capacity endeavour'd in these Papers wherein I have only applyed that gentle Remedy which hath been approved by Ancient and Modern Divines who agree that The means to confute schisme is to reduce it to its first Original for howsoever it comes to pass that factious persons are in love with their own they cannot but abhor the actions of their Progenitors And now Reverend Sir If I have said any thing unworthy of your Name I know that as your judgment will discern it so your candor will pardon it since nothing hath moved me to this attempt but my duty to the Church and my particular esteem of your great Merits who are a chief Ornament of the same for though you have been placed in an eminent station yet that you have rather honour'd that dignity than been dignified by it is the judgment of all that know you and not only the private opinion of Your Humble Servant THO. LONG Exon Febr. 1. 1676 7. THE PREFACE IT hath been sometime known that when divers learned Physicians after all their regular methods of Physick have given over their Patients as desperate a mean Empirick by an easie and gentle application hath effected the Cure And having often considered with my self how fruitless and ineffectual the many excellent Discourses and unanswerable Arguments of such as have opposed the Separation from our Church have been and that the contumacious humor still spreads it self to the infection and ruine of many precious Souls I thought it might be expedient to apply another remedy viz. A true representation of the Opinions and practices of such Schismaticks as have been condemned in the Primitive times of the Church whereby as in a Glass such as are guilty of the present Separation may reflect on their own deformities and the evil consequence of their dividing practices Some Women who have been too well conceited of their beauty when they have unawares beheld in a clear Glass the deforming and destructive effects of a loathsome Disease have been so surprised with the change that is visibly made on their Faces that they have immediately fallen sick and dyed And who knows but when those fanciful persons who are so highly conceited of their purity and tenderness of their Consciences shall be convinced as by a serious reflection on this History of the Donatists they may be what unclean spots and visible defects the Souls and Consciences of such as live in Separation from a well established Church have contracted they may immediately grow sick of their Sins and apply themselves to the mortification of them that their Souls may be saved It is the Opinion of some learned Men that the Cardinal Baronius hath raised more Prejudices against the Reformed Churches by his Annals than Cardinal Bellarmine by all his Arguments And indeed upon supposition that the Relation which he gives of the Primitive Doctrine and Discipline is true the contrary whereof hath been sufficiently evinced by Bishop Jewel and many others he hath done more to prove our Churches guilty both of Heresie and Schism than all the Polemical Divines of the Church of Rome Accordingly when it shall appear by the Authentique Records of the Church of God that those Persons who held the same Opinions and followed the same practices as some in this present Age do were frequently condemned by the best Christian Emperors and Catholick Councils as schismatical and dangerous and upon what small and inconsiderable grounds they have run themselves into such great confusions as have overturned all things Sacred and well setled in Church and State it may be rationally hoped that though the most cogent arguments have not perswaded them â—et such horrible Spectres may affright them from their sullen and unchristian apartment and make them choose to live rather with peaceable and humble Christians in a conformity to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Primitive and present Church than among such turbulent spirits as revive the Opinions and practices of the most dangerous and condemned Schismaticks And it is both a more civil and facile way of insinuating instructions and reproofs to the minds and consciences of such as are averse from plain dealing to teach them by pertinent instances and examples by Historical allusions and wise Apologues such as the Parable of Trees used by Jotham and of the Ewe-Lamb by the Prophet Nathan and this method was familiarly used by our Saviour especially when he would convince the Pharisees as he doth in the Parable of the unthankful Husband-men Luke 21.33 and divers others wherein he proves them to be worse than those who persecuted the Prophets by their malice against the Son of God and v. 45. it is said They perceived that he spake of them In the days of the late Vsurpation The History of Andronicus the unfortunate Politician of Massonello and
this is related by Paulinus a Man of great Learning and holiness Baronius ad Ann. 315. as well as of a noble Family and therefore to be believed above Eusebius saith the Cardinal And yet as we shall observe hereafter when Constantine accepted of an Appeal from the Donatists to the derogation of the power of the Pope then they plead that he was a Novice rudis fide lately instructed in the Christian Faith and unacquainted with the Customes of the Church The flames that were kindled by Heathen Persecutors were scarcely extinguished when the new lights and heats raised by contentious and ambitious Persons begun another conflagration for the Bishoprick of Carthage being void Botrus and Celesius two Presbyters become Competitors for it against Cecilian who being a Person of known integrity was by the general suffrage of that whole Church chosen Bishop and was ordained by Felix Bishop of Aptung And now the good Woman according to the trust reposed in her brings the Inventory of the Church-Treasury to Cecilian whereupon he summoneth those Elders to whom the Treasury was committed to make restitution but whether they had sold or shared it among themselves they refused to deliver it and Cecilian as his duty was proceeds against them to obtain satisfaction On this occasion those sacrilegious Elders deny to hold farther communion with Cecilian their Bishop and joyn themselves to Botrus and Celesius Optat. p. 41 those two Presbyters that were discontented at the preferment of Cecilian To these Lucilla a Woman descended from a Noble Family of Spain whom St. Augustine calls S. August cont Parm. l. 1. Factiosissimam pecuniosissimam foeminam quam pro corripiendo Ecclesiae Disciplinam Cecilianus laeserat A rich and factious Woman who conceiving that Cecilian being Arch-Deacon had injured her by a too sharp reproof for some superstitious practice p. 40. contrary to the Discipline of the Church which was to kiss the Reliques of some supposed Martyrs before her communicating at the Lord's Supper joyns her self to strengthen the Faction and by her Mony incourageth Secundus Primate of Numidia and Donatus of Casa nigra with some others to oppose Cecilian Secundus and the rest of his Party being partly terrified by their own guilt many of them having in the time of Persecution betrayed their Brethren or their Bibles to the flames for which they were called Traditors and by the Discipline of the Catholick Church were to be deprived of Communion until they had satisfied the Church by Penance and Reformation and partly hired by the gifts and promises of Lucilla first meet together at Cirta a City which was afterward new built by Constantine and called after his Name Constantina And that they might carry on their design against Cecilian with the less suspicion like self-denying Persons they begin first to purge and absolve themselves of that guilt which by their fear and cowardize they had contracted in the times of Persecution The number of the Bishops met at this time they say was above Seventy The Names of the Chief St. Augustine acquaints us with viz. Secundus the Primate Donatus Masculitanus Victor Marinus Purpurius and Donatus à Casa Nigra Opt. p. 39. the Head of the Faction Secundus acquaints his Brethren that they were met to ordain a Bishop in the place of Cecilian who was thought unfit for the Chair of Carthage as being a Traditor but it behoves us first to clear our selves from that crime before we condemn another First therefore he questioneth Donatus Masculitanus what he could say to free himself from the accusation of being a Traditor which lay against him Donatus answered that it was well known how violently Florus did prosecute him to make him offer sacrifice but God delivered me out of his hands and God having preserved me my hope is that you will continue me in the service of God Secundus replyed what shall we say then of he Martyrs that chose to indure the flames themselves rather than to offer a grain of Incense to the Heathen Gods Donatus answered I pray you to leave me to God to whom I shall give an account Secundus bids him to go on the other side Then he declares that Victor was accused to have delivered the Four Evangelists to be consumed in the Fire Victor answered that Valentianus being Curator compelled him to cast them into the Fire and that the Books were so blotted and defaced that they were almost useless and if you pardon me for this I hope God will do the like Secundus bids him go on the other side Then was Marinus accused for delivering up his Books he answered I gave some Books to Pollus but the chiefest of them are safe Secundus bids him go on the other side The next that was questioned was Purpurius for destroying his Sisters two Sons with whom Secundus dealing more severely than with the rest Do you think saith Purpurius to affright me as you have done others Consider what you your self did when you were urged by the Curator to deliver up your Books how got you your liberty but by delivering all that was in your power I confess I did slay them and I will slay all such as seek my destruction therefore provoke me not lest I discover more Upon this discourse Secundus the younger spake thus to his Unkle Sir You hear what a charge is brought in against your self and these whom you have accused are all resolved to leave your Communion and joyn in a Faction against you do not inquire too strictly what others have done leave them to give an account to God Hereupon Secundus consulting with his Brethren what was fit to be done in this case they all advised to leave the Judgment to God's Tribunal and accordingly Secundus said You all know and God knows what each of you have done and he will judge you and so he grants them honorem consessus bidding them sit down in their places and they all sate down and said Thanks be to God S. Aug. Ep. 162. This was the Form of Absolution After this they proceed to choose Sylvanus who also was a Traditor to be Bishop of Cirta whose Election Cecilian opposing drew the whole Faction against himself And during the Session of this Assembly they held many private Consultations against Cecilian and sent threatning Messages to him so that his Friends advised him of the great danger that he was in his Enemies having strengthned their Party by great Numbers and taken to themselves the Authority of a Council They resolve therefore to adjourn their Session to Carthage and Summon Cecilian to appear before them Botrus and Celesius intending to accuse him there for a Traditor Cecilian not owning their Authority refuseth to appear and thereupon they proceed to condemn him as guilty with as much facility as they had absolved one another and pronouncing his See void they proceed to prefer Majorinus who was Domestick Chaplain to Lucilla and
had been Deacon to Cecilian to be Bishop of Carthage By this you may perceive how many sins and lusts were in conjunction when this Monster of Schisme was first produced The defeated Ambition of some the sacrilegious covetousness of others the restless guilt and feminine malice of others and therefore it is rightly numbred among the works of the flesh Gal. 5.20 Jude 19. and the Authors condemned for sensual Persons It is generally true of all Schisme what is particularly observed of this Iracundia peperit Ambitio nutrivit Avaritia roboravit Discontent is the Mother Opt. p. 41. Ambition the Nurse and Covetousness a Champion to defend it To which agrees another ancient Observation Quicunque pacem ecclesiae perturbant aut Superbiae tumore furiosi aut invidentiae Livore vesani aut Seculari commoditate corrupti aut cannali concupiscentia perversi Aug. contr Parm. l. 3. The Faction being by these Arts propagated and become numerous begins to remonstrate against Cecilian not sparing Mensurius his Predecessor nor Felix who ordained him but charged them all to have been Traditors and particularly that Cecilian while he was a Deacon under Mensurius did forbid and hinder all relief from those that were imprisoned and ready to suffer Martyrdom in the days of Dioclesian And which is usual with such Persons by how much the more guilty of such practices they themselves were so much the more vehemently do they accuse others that their pretended zeal against those sins falsly imputed to others may serve as a cloak to cover the real guilt which defiled themselves Vt crimina in silentium mitterent sua vitam infamant alienam And now they begin to perswade the People that Cecilian is no Minister of Christ nor the People that adhered to him Members of the true Church that they had no true Sacraments nor saving Ordinances Opt. p. 42. but all were corrupted by Idolatry and Superstition And thus they generally called the Catholicks Pagans and Idolaters Adhuc Paganus es They would tell those whom they intended to seduce that they were very Pagans Donatus de Casâ nigrâ is the first that sets up Private Meetings L. 1. as Optatus observes Nolebat cum allis sacrificare sed in domibus secretò He withdraws from the Communion of Cecilian and the Bishops that adhered to him though they had Communicatory Letters from the chiefest Churches of the World and gathering the People into Coventicles for so both Optatus and St. Augustine call those Meetings they Preach against the Corruption of Cecilian and other Catholick Bishops and the Idolatrous and Superstitious practices that had defiled the whole Church of Carthage into whose Communion they say lapsed Persons and profane Traditors were promiscuously admitted to the defiling of all that joyned with them seeing the Church of Christ is to consist only of such as were holy and without spot and wrinkle and such said Donatus were to be found only in his separated Congregations where were better Ministers and purer Ordinances Having laid this Foundation no Pharisees were ever so industrious in gaining Proselytes as Donatus and his Party to seduce the People of Carthage from the Church under Cecilian to their own Conventicles for they run from House to House and from Village to Village and pick up one of a Family and two or three of a Village by foul and false accusations of others and fair pretences in behalf of themselves pitying the People and perswading them that they lived among Idolaters and were defiled by their communion with them Their manner of seducing the People is recorded both by Optatus and St. Augustine Caius Seius or Caia Seia adhuc Paganus es consule animae tuae esto Christianus p. 75. Bonus Homo si non esses Traditor i. e. Good Man or good Woman you are yet a rank Idolater be advised by me for the Salvation of thy Soul come out of that Babylon and be made a Christian thou hast good affections if they were sanctified and placed aright thou may'st become an eminent Saint Against this Un-christian practice St. Augustine most passionately declaimes O improbam rabiem cùm Christiano dicitur esto Christianus hoc est dicere nega Christum O accursed madness to perswade them that were true Christians already to renounce their Christianity under a pretence that they should be admitted to a higher form What is this saith he but to deny Christ which to prevent the Servants of Christ have been alway ready to lay down their Lives Opt. p. 75. and resist even to Blood Vnus consensus manus tuae porrectio pauca verba Christianum faciunt de Christiano As if the being admitted into their Congregations did contribute more to their Christianity than their Baptism By these insinuations they skrued themselves into the affections of the younger and weaker sort Opt. l. 3. p. 73. Aut exivit Vxor resedit Maritus c. Either the Wife separated and the Husband remained in the Catholick Communion or the Children and Servants were seduced from their obedience to their earthly as well as heavenly Parents and Masters until they had rent the Church of God into pieces and of one Church made many Synagogues of Satan Persuasionibus vestris divisa sunt corpora nomina pietatis The Church and the City the Townes and Families Husbands and Wives Parents and Children were divided and were no longer known by the Name of Christians but one was a Majorite another a Donatist a third a Maximianist and all of them professed Enemies to the Communion of the Catholick Church And whereas they pretended to greater purity than other Congregations yet such as joyned with them were Persons of least honesty and charity Ille vobis Christianus erit qui quod vultis fecerit non quem fides adduxerit He shall be a choice Christian among you saith Optatus whom a blind obedience to you and not faith in Christ hath p. 75. brought over Tertullian commended the Christian Religion in his days because it did so alter the dispositions of Men as to make those who were fierce and cruel as Bears or Tygers to be meek and innocent as Lambs or Doves but the spirit of Donatisme did Hominem de homine tollere Optat. p. 79 rob Men of their Humanity and made them that were formerly harmless and peaceable to be unnatural and implacable and yet as bad as they were they promised forgiveness of sins and a Crown of Martyrdome too to such as not only shed the blood of their Brethren but desperately cast away their own Lives Of which I shall give too many instances in the insuing History The Faction being increased by such arts they begin to leave their private Houses and build Basilicas non necessarias Optat. p. 61 unnecessary Churches when those of the Orthodox were sufficient and having first departed from Cecilian they departed also from the Catholick Church affirming that they only and
the Congregations that joyned with them were the true Churches of Christ and all the rest were Apostates Gaudentius one of their Faction undertook to maintain That the Article of the Catholick Church was Figmentum humanum an Invention of Man and not agreeable to the Ordinance of Christ And Donatus who gave the Name to the Faction used all diligence to gain the face and reputation of a Church to the separated Brethren to which end he teacheth it to be necessary that they who were admitted to their Communion should make a Publick confession of their Errors and submitting themselves to the Discipline of their new pastors should be rebaptized for by these means he knew he should secure as many as came to his communion without any fear of their return to the Catholick Church And to the Sacrament of Baptism they added Exorcisme which is still retained in the Church of Rome in this form of words Maledicte exi foras Come forth thou wicked Spirit whereby as Optatus observes they did blaspheme the blessed Trinity in whose Name they had been formerly baptized The Catholick Bishops are not remiss in the Vindication of Cecilian but prevailed with Zenophilus a Man of Consular dignity to take cognizance of the difference between Cecilian and Majorinus and in the inquiry to the merits of the cause it was affirmed by one Nundinarius a Deacon who was sometime privy to the transactions of that Party that most of those who opposed Cecilian were Traditors and particularly that Sylvanus whom they made Bishop of Cirta had betrayed the Holy Scriptures and some Ornaments of his Church and sacrilegiously with-held what was devoted to the use of the Poor For the truth whereof he appealed to the Bishops and Presbyters of his own Party who knew the certainty of the particulars and of a great Summe of Mony Quadringinta folles Baronius Vol. 3. P. 352. each Follis weighing three Pound and half of Silver sent by Lucilla and divided among the chief of that Party to condemn Cecilian and to advance Majorinus into his Chair And that Victor who had been by Occupation a â—uller gave Twenty Folles to be ordained a Priest and all this Nundinarius affirmed to be true as in the presence of Christ and his holy Angels And thus the Schisme is begun by erecting Altare contra Altare a Presbyter or Mock-bishop against Cecilian the lawful Bishop of Carthage But the first Invader of this Holy Office was short-lived for about the Year 306. Majorinus the Mock-bishop dyed and none is thought so fit to succeed him as Donatus who hence-forth gives the Denomination to the Schisme which was no longer Pars Majorini but Pars Donati for as much as in him lay he did not only re-baptize particular Persons but the whole Church which was no longer known by the appellation of Christian or Catholick but Donatist and now he takes on him a power to silence and depose the Catholick Bishops and Presbyters or to impose such Penance on them as he thought fit and to prevent any prejudice that might arise to his Party by the restimony pf Nundinarius which was by Zenophilus certified to the Emperor he is resolved to complain first and to cast the Odium of the Schisme and all the sad consequences thereof upon Cecilian whom he accuseth to be a Traditor and contrary to the custome of the Church desireth transmarine Bishops to be appointed Judges in the case The Petition was to this effect Rogamus te O Constantine we intreat thee O Constantine most gracious Emperor whose Father never exercised Persecution that your Piety would appoint us Judges from France because that Country is free from this dissention This Petition was subscribed by Lucianus Dignus Nassutius Capito Fidentius and the other Bishops of the Party of Donatus The good Emperor was much grieved to hear of these differences which he had rather might have been determined among themselves than be brought to his Court where were many Heathen that would rejoyce at them or to trouble Foreign Churches with them However he grants their desire and appoints Marinus Maternus and Rheticius three Bishops of France to whom he adjoyneth the Bishop of Rome to determine the cause And sendeth his Epistle to Meltiades Bishop of Rome which is recorded by Eusebius l. 10. c. 5. The Epistle is as followeth Whereas I have received from Anilinus Lieutenant of Africa many Letters signifying that Cecilian Bishop of Carthage is accused by divers of his Colleagues It being grievous to me that there should be dissention among the Bishops before the People who are so prone to evil It seemeth good to me that Cecilian himself with Ten of his Accusers and Ten others whom he shall choose on his behalf do Sail to Rome where I have appointed Meltiades Bishop of Rome together with Rheticius Marinus and Maternus Bishops of France to hear and judge of the differences in question You cannot be ignorant that I would have you suffer no Schisme in any part of the Church The Great God preserve you These Bishops met at Rome in the House of Fausta in the Laterane Meltiades took to his Assistance Fifteen Italian Bishops to assist for the expedition of the cause These with great deliberation heard all that was objected against Cecilian Donatus himself being present The Bishops also agreed to take publick Notaries for the more orderly and speedy dispatch that the examinations and proofs in this cause might be reduced into publick Acts. The first thing that was inquired was who were the Accusers and what Witnesses were present to give Evidence against Cecilian To which the Party of Donatus answered that their Accusation was contained in the Libels which they had presented to the Emperor and by him were transmitted to them which they desired might be read One of the Libels was superscribed thus Libellus Ecclesiae Catholicae c. A Libel of the Catholick Church so they called their Faction containing the Crimes whereof Cecilian is accused What was contained in the Libel is not particularly mentioned by any Author nor are Ecclesiastical Writers agreed concerning the charge then in question Those who in this last Century have defended the Authority of the Pope say that nothing came in question besides the grounds of the Schisme on pretence that Cecilian himself was a Traditor And hereby they hope to avoid the Appeal which was made from the sentence of the Pope to the Emperor because say they the questions discussed afterward in the Council of Arles were of a divers nature from those at Rome but of this hereafter It is very probable that the Donatists had stuffed their Libel with more than a single accusation some particulars whereof I shall give an account The Libel being read it was demanded who were Cecilian's Accusers They answered the People of Carthage It was replyed that the Voice of the People assembled in a tumultuary manner was not a sufficient ground to condemn any and therefore the Bishops ordered
things sacred and civil brought to confusion Non solum affinitates cognationes Domus verum etiam Vrbes Provinciae Nationes imo Vniversum Romanum Imperium funditus concussum emotum est And St. Hierome says All the Eastern Churches except Athanasius and Paulinus were corrupted Among the Bishops Eusebius Nicomediensis was a chief Defender of the Arian Heresie and Eusebius of Caesarea was tainted also for he refused for a while to subscribe the Anathema against them though the next Day he was better perswaded and did it But notwithstanding all the Learning and care used by this Council the Arians increased for Constantine dying his Son Constantius succeeded him in part of the Empire who being of the Arian perswasion did so countenance those Hereticks that many of the Catholick Bishops were banished and wandred up and down in remote Parts among whom Athanasius whom they wickedly called Sathanasius was forced to flee as far as Triers and there lay obscure several Years until the Storm was over Of which the good Leontius a Catholick Bishop did foretel when putting his hand on his gray Hairs he said When this Snow shall be melted much filth will be dissolved with it Multum Luti sequetur meaning great Persecution and Impiety would shortly befall the Church To these Hereticks the Donatists joyned themselves many of whom defended the same Opinions and they that did not yet agreed in the Persecution of the Catholicks as their common Enemy To this Heresie saith St. Augustine those who are called Circumcellians in Africa do belong De Haeres c. 69. And St. Hierome saith that Donatus wrote a Book De Spiritu Sancto agreeable to the Doctrine of the Arians For before Arius was well known Ebion and Cerinthus and Corpocrates while St. John lived troubled the Churches of Asia with the like Opinions against which St. John at the desire of those Churches wrote his Gospel to assert the Eternal Deity of our Saviour And Eusebius and others say that Origen was the Father of Arius for he taught That As much as the Apostles were inferior to Christ to much was Christ inferior to God and that the Son was not to be prayed unto with the Father seeing he was not the Author of granting our requests but onely a Supplicator or Mediator And among these Hereticks the Gloria Patri was altered which they used in this form Gloria Patri per Filium in Spiritu Sancto Glory be to the Father by the Son in the Holy Ghost To this Council we find that Cecilian was called as appears by his Subscription but none of the Donatists they being excluded from the Communion of the Catholick Church The Donatists taking occasion of these troubles abroad did with the more violence prosecute their good old cause at home and now they take the confidence to petition the Emperor Constantine to rescind and abrogate the Laws made against them And whereas some of them had been denied the liberty of exercising their Functions either publickly or privately and others banished for transgressing the Laws and inforced to return to secular imployments they urge that their banished may be recalled particularly that Silvanus one of their Bishops of whom we have spoken before might return He was banished upon the accusation of Nundinarius for selling the Ornaments of his Church but his Party reported that he was banished for refusing to communicate with Vrsacius and Zenophilus two Catholick Officers under the Emperor who as they said did persecute him This slander St. Augustine refuteth l. 3. contra Cresconium c. 30. where he shews that the cause of his banishment was not as they pretended for denying to communicate with the Catholicks only but Quia cum jam traditor fuit permanere haereticus voluit ut falsum honorem in parte Donati haberet qui habere in Catholicâ nullum potuit tam manifestis traditionis suae gestis publico judicio reseratis because being evidently proved a Traditor he would continue in the Schisme hoping to find a false honor among the Donatists who could have none among the Catholicks It hapned that this Vrsacius being imployed in the Emperor's Wars lost his life at whose Death the Donatists rejoyced as a token of Divine vengeance against a Capital Enemy of theirs I may not omit another clause of their Petition which was that they might enjoy Libertatem Arbitrii that is as Valesius c. 17. interprets it Liberty of Conscience but St. Augustine calls it more fitly Licentiam agendi a Licence to do what they pleased and that they might no more be constrained to communicate Antistiti ipsius i.e. Constantini Nebuloni with that Prelatical Knave of his Cecilian Colloq Carth. l. 3. c. 54. Brevic. August c. 21. Declaring that neither by threats nor promises they would be thereunto induced bus would rather suffer a Thousand Deaths These demands of theirs how insolent soever were proposed in such a juncture of time that the Emperor could noâ— deny them but grants what they desired leaving them to the Divine vengeance which had begun to be revenged on them The consideration of this restless temper of theirs puâ—â—â— St. Augustine into so great a passion that hâ— said Epistle 167. Puto quod Diabolus ipseâ— I think that if the Devil himself had been so often condemned by Judges of his own choosing he would not have been so impudent as to persist in such a cause Now that this indulgence was extorted from the Emperor may appear by his consolatory Epistle written to the Catholick Bishops which I shalâ— here insert from the Appendix to Optatus p. 287. You well know that I have endeavoured by all the Offices of humanity and moderation which either faith requireth oâ— prudence and purity would admit that the most holy peace of that fraternity wherewith the grace of God hath indued the hearts of his Servants might in all things be kept inviolate But for as much as our good endeavours have not been effectual to subdue that power of wickedness which adheres to the judgment of those who still rejoyce in the mischiefs which they have acted we must expect until by the mercy of Almighty God the malice of these Men which from a few hath infected many be again mitigated for from thence we must expect a remedy from whence every good work proceeds and until this heavenly Medicine be applyed our counsels are to be moderated that we may give an Honourable testimony of our patience and by the virtue of true tranquillity we may endure whatever their wonted insolence shall do or attempt For it is a folly to usurp that revenge which we ought to leave to God especially when by faith we ought to be confident notwithstanding all that the fury of such Men may cause us to suffer that God will esteem it as Martyrdom for what else is it at such a time as this to overcome in the Name of God and with a constant heart no endure the insolent affronts of
be of his Party and to every one that would be rebaptized by him he gave a certain Summ of Money and promised more by which means he had corrupted great Numbers whose dependance being wholly on him they were ready to execute his designs against the Catholicks St. Augustine asks him Epistle 173. how he would be able to answer Christ when he should question him for such sacrilegious practices upon those souls which he had redeemed with his Blood Crispine Carum fuit precium tuum ad emendum timorem Mappaliensium vilis mors mea ad emendum amorem Gentium Plus valuit rebaptizandis colonis tuis quod numeratum est de sacculo tuo quam baptizandis populis meis quod manavit de latere meo O Crispine Why shouldest thou corrupt with thy Money those poor Souls to live in fear of thee whom I redeemed with my Blood to live in the love of me 8ly Their Pride and Reputation with the People kept off many of their Bishops from the Church communion Vinci possunt suaderi non possunt saith St. Augustine he gives instance in Tichonius who was one of their most learned Bishops and defended the Article of the Catholick Church yet kept himself in the Schisme still And though divers of them knew and hated the pride of Donatus yet they deserted him not or with a greater pride to set up for themselves in a more Congregational way Alia schismatâ— facta sunt ex vobis sicut Rogatense in Mauritania Vrbanense in Numidia c. contra Crescâ— l. 4. c. 60. Convicta est falsitas apparuit veritas adhuc contemnitur charitas Post collat They were convinced of the falshood of their own Opinions and the truth of those of the Catholicks yet would not imbrace peace So did Tichonius who continued in the Schism when he was convinced that it was so having espoused the Schisme and gained great reputation he knew not how to leave that and his credit too l. 2. contra Parmen And iâ— Men do either love the pre-eminence or to hear themselves prate as Diotrephes did 3 John 9. or if they gain a livelihood and wealth as Demetrius and his Crafts-men by the Shrines of Diana Acts 19. their Ears are so stopt that neither the Arguments of St. Paul nor the Eloquence of Apollos nor the Authority of Cephas 2 Tim. 3.8 are sufficient to open them but they will still resist the truth Men of corrupt minds reprobate or as our Margent reads it of no judgment concerning the Faith 9ly St. Peter tells us of some places of Scripture hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.16 which they that are unlearned and unstable do wrest And this was another evil art whereby they advantaged their Party They would Proferre Evangelium take a Text of Scripture as Optatus p. 78. and usually such as they did not understand non intellectas Lectiones from the Canticles or Daniel or the Revelations and these must be made to speak their Language and promote their designs So they interpreted that of the Prophet Isay Isa 52. calling the People from the Captivity of Babylon to justifie their Separation and from St. Paul 2 Corinth 6. they would perswade the People not to have any commerce with or to salute others So in the Conference at Carthage to prove that the whole World was Apostatized except the Church of Christ with them they alledge the revolt of the Ten Tribes and compare themselves to Judah St. August de Verbis Domini in Johan Serm. 50. names their quoting of Canticles 1.7 as a proof that they were the Church of Christ Because it is there said that he maketh his Flock to rest in Meridie i. e. say they in the South where Africa lay of which see St. August De unitate Ecclesiae c. 14. I wonder the less at these when I find A Lapide from the same Text telling us that Meridies is Romana Ecclesia ad quam Petrus jubente Christo ex Jerusalem Antiochia transtulit Pontificatum suum Thus to prove themselves without sin they alledged Eph. 5.27 where it is said Christ gave himself for his Church that he might present it a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle which they applyed to themselves as St. Augustine observes Absit ut quis nostrum ita se justum dicat ut sine peccato in hac vitâ se esse jactaret as did the Donatists in our Conference saying that they were in that Church which hath no spot noâ— wrinkle Epist. 50. They accounted themselves to be Coelestes in Coelo and other Terrestres in Terrâ August Epistle 48. Theâ— were the few that were chosen the rest werâ— reprobates They were Israelites and otherâ— Egyptians and Persecutors They the Flock oâ— Christ others were Wolves Whatever thâ— Text was a great part of the Sermon was to thâ— purpose Nec mirum si Scripturae pacem nâ—â— intelligent qui pacem cum Dei Ecclesiâ non habebunt August de Gestis cum Emerito It iâ— no strange thing if they do not understand the truth who do hate peace 10ly Their ready complyance with all other factious Parties though never so vile and heretical was another advantageous practice For though there were great fewds between the Donatists and others that separated from them on the like pretences as they separated from the Catholicks as Maximinianists and Luciferians who were professed Anabaptists the Circumcellians much like our Quakers the Euchitae and Massalians who were perfect Enthusiasts and the Arians who denyed the Deity of our Saviour and the Holy Ghost yet as often as there was an opportunity of vexing and afflicting the Catholicks they all united as one Man and forgetting their private animosities armed themselves as against their common Enemy yea they scrupled not to joyn with the Jews the most implacable Enemies of Christianity and when they were destitute of other Assistants to make use of the power of the barbarous Goths and Vandals Thus Manasseh vexed Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh but both joyned to oppose Judah Isay 9.21 Thus it was in the Infancy of the Church and thus it will be until its Consummation Herod and Pontius Pilate the Gentiles and the People of Israel will conspire against it Acts 4.27 11ly Their promiscuous receiving of Men of desperate fortunes and as desperate resolutions into their Parties Such as were in debt or disgrace through their debauchery and vicious lives such as were discontented and thinking themselves injured by their Magistrates Parents or Masters upon whom they could not otherwise be revenged made Donatus or his Successors their Protectors they were immediately above the Power of the Laws their debts are all satisfied and all obligations of Nature and Religion cancelled and if they believe their Leaders their sins are all pardoned This honour did those new Saints confer upon each other while they lived and promised no less than a Crown of Martyrdome if they dyed in defence of that Holy League 12ly
Another Engine which they employed was the maintaining of Emissaries in all places where there was hope of advancing their cause and Party They had their Confederates in Rome who scrued themselves into the favour of great Men nor wanted they their Advocates in the Emperor's Court for being many of them inriched by the spoils of others they were very free in their Bribes and Presents to Men in Power to purchase liberty to themselves and being Men of smooth Tongues and soft discourse as well as of crafty and complying conversation they did insinuate themselves to the acquaintance and counsels of some good Men with a design to betray them and not unlike our Jesuits could personate all sorts and degrees of Men that by all means they might increase the Number of their Proselytes and support their Cause To which we may add the familiar and constant correspondence which they held among themselves advising not only what was done but what was most facile and probable to be effected no◠did they only meet frequently to consult o◠such means but did as unanimously agree and resolve on them and having resolved as vigorously act and prosecute their designs with great secresie and constancy for as our Saviour observed of the unjust Steward Th◠Children of this World are wiser in their generation than the Children of light Luk. 16.8 i. e. according to the Hebrew phrase in rebus sui◠agendis in prosecuting those worldly affairs wherein they are concerned for the Hebrews call the actions of Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Vatablus sheweth from Gen. 6.9 and 37.2 And the reason of it is because when Men are conscious to themselves of unjust dealing with others their own just fears do excite them to advise warily and act speedily and industriously for their security Whereas the righteous Man having also an honest cause supposeth his innocency to be a sufficient guard and therefore is less studious and solicitous for his own preservation Lastly And the great countenance they gave to the Vices of their Proselytes was no small advantage to the Faction for they were better than their words to them they promised only liberty but they allowed all manner of licentiousness they counted it no sin in them to rob and deceive the Catholicks nor to defile themselves with fleshly lusts Vnde tantae turbae convivarum ebriosorum innuptarum sed non incorruptarum innumerabilia stupra foeminarum Aug. l. 3. contra Parmen They had Principles and Doctrines that incouraged them to live more lewdly than others as that all their sins were already pardoned and that they could never fall from the grace of God In so much as their sins as well as their Opinions had a Toleration Greges ebrios sanctimonialium suarum cum gregibus ebriis circumcellionum die noctuque permixtos vagari turpiter sinunt cont Parm. l. 2o. Their Teachers permitted the unclean Circumcellians to wander up and down Day and Night with young Women who pretended vows of Chastity and more holiness than others as the Gnosticks had done before them but lived in all Uncleanness If any Bishop or Priest were cast out of the Catholick Communion for scandalous offences and fled to them they received and defended him and he that was in his own account unworthy of the Office of a Deacon in the Catholick Church is accounted fit not only to be a Presbyter but to create Presbyters too among the Donatists as Splendonius did Extant innumerabilia documenta in iis qui vel Episcopi vel alterius gradus Clerici fuerunt l. 3. contr Petil. tunc degradati vel pudore in alias terras abierunt vel ad vos ipsos vel ad alias haereses saith St. Augustine And when any Bishop or private Person deserted them to joyn in Communion with the Catholick Church they did not only defame him but by open violence and secret conspiracies sought his utter ruine to which the People were incouraged by their Priests who taught them that therein they should do God good service as they did concerning St. Augustine It was a difficult matter to find any one among them that had a good opinion of any that were of another Communion or that did think soberly of himself but his proud conceit did generally swell and poyson their souls that they were the most excellent Christians and others reprobates Qui se à Christs anitate discindunt se solos Christianos esse jactant damnant caeteros Aug. contra Crescon l. 4. c. 59. By these and other such arts they increased their Faction and made it formidable not only to the Bishops but to the Emperor himself by whose care and good government though the limbs of the Faction were cut off yet the heads and the heart remained still and with innumerable affronts and vexations did they grieve that good Emperor whom as much as in them lay they had slain in * In the Language of Optatus they did occidere Oleum slew him with the sword of their tongues and handled him as if he had not been the Lords anointed his reputation and tantum non with violent hands brought down his gray Hairs with sorrow to the Grave in the 65. Year of his Age and the 31th of his Empire But their malicious spirits survived to the perpetual trouble of the Church and of the Emperor's Sons which succeeded him whereof Constantine was slain shortly after by his Brothers Souldiers Constans who lived longer and was Heir to his Father's Vertues as well as his Dominions was also made the object of the Donatists malice for during these revolutions of the Empire they recruited their Faction and had spawned a mad fry of Fanatick Persons called Circumcellians to be their Champions for though they did not always own them to be of their Communion yet did they on all occasions imploy them to fight against the common Enemy These Circumcellians were incouraged by Donatus who pretended that an Angel had appeared to him and assured him of the confirmation of his Faction and that he had immediate answer of his Prayers from God Oravit Donatus respondit ei Deus è coelo and that as many as suffered violent Deaths in defence of the good old cause should have a Crown of Martyrdome and for their encouragement white Altars or Memorials were erected to their honour and great commendations of them were celebrated i◠publick Assemblies Anno 348. Now Constans the Emperor being mindful of his Father's charge and in imitation of his Example sent Paulus and Macarius with some Gifts and Almes to the Churches of Africa but with a Commission also to endeavour the unity of those Churches Whereof Donatus having intelligence although those Legates whom Optatus calls operarios unitatis did in a friendly manner apply themselves to him first offering him to partake of the Emperor's bounty and then perswading him to imbrace peace and unity with the Catholick Bishops
Great Donatus and Parmenian against whom Optatus wrote his Seven Books succeeded him It will not be impertinent to set down here a series of the Bishops during this Schisme which is as followeth The Catholick Bishops Mensurius Cecilian Rufus Gratus Genetlius Aurclius The Donatists Majorinus Donatus à Casi◠Nigris Donatus magnus Parmenianus Primianus Gratus and Parmenian are the two Bishops that were in competition Anno 368. Of what temper Parmenian was Optatus his Cotemporary a Person greatly beloved as well for his Piety as Learning hath shewn at large He wanted very little of the Pride of Donatus and for Calumny and Cruelty nothing at all In his days Ticonius one of the most learned and sober of that Party reading and weighing the Arguments of Optatus for the Catholick Church was so far convinced that he wrote in defence of it confuting the Arguments of the Donatists and asserting that nullius hominis peccatum potest praescribere promissis Dei the wickedness of Man cannot make void the promises of God concerning the extent of Christ's Church for which he was condemned by a Synod of their Bishops without any other Answer to his Arguments Now the great confusion which was at Carthage drove St. Augustine who was yet a Heathen to Rome where he read Rhetorick and Philosophy until at length by the Prayers of his Mother Monica and his converse with Pious and Learned Men especially Saint Ambrose he was converted and baptized by St. Ambrose at Millain and became Malleus Donatistarum a happy Instrument to destroy that Faction * At his Baptisme Te Deum was first sung by S. Ambrose and St Augustine Alternatim Which Valentinian seeks to do by good Laws and Edicts divers of which are yet extant in the Codex Justinianus as that against all Hereticks Nullus haereticis ministeriorum locus c. That no Place be allowed to them that were condemned by the Councils of the Church to exercise their Ministry and if any such command or allowance were fraudulently procured it should be null That the People should be restrained from such Meetings and their Teachers banished from Towns and Cities Another Law was made against Rebaptizing that the Offender be deprived of his Priesthood l. 2. Ne sanctum Baptisma iteretur Another against Conventicles Conventicula illicita etiam extra Ecclesiam in privatis aedibus celebrari prohibemus proscriptionis domus periculo imminente si dominus ejus in eâ clericos nova ac tumultuosa conventicula celebrantes susceperit I shall name but one more made expresly against the Manichees and Donatists Tit. de Haereticis Which in English is to this effect We do deservedly prosecute the Manichees and Donatists with severity Commanding that they enjoy not the Priviledges common to others because they offending against Religion are injurious to all We therefore pronounce them uncapable of enjoying any publick bounty or liberality of making their Wills and bestowing their Goods neither shall their Sons inherit their Estates unless they depart from their Fathers wickedness and if their Servants forsake such Masters to have communion with the Catholick Church they shall be indemnified These Laws are severe indeed and by Men that had made conscience of any Law would have been thought obligatory but to them that had broken th◠great Law of Charity they were as cords o◠Sand. The Donatists were now become so numerous and had so wasted the Catholicks that they began to quarrel with each other and in one Tumult Donatus Bishop of Bagaia is thrown into a Well in another Marculus is cast from a high Rock Salvius an Aged Bishop of Membresa hath Dogs hung about his Neck while the mad People with obscene Songs dance round about him a cruelty saith St. Augustine beyond that of the Hetruria◠Tyrant who joyned only Humane Bodies together This is true however strange it may be St. Augustine tells them the City is nigh and there they may be fully informed of it Nor will it seem strange if it be considered how the mad Circumcellians cast away their own lives of whom I shall at present give you only this short account That they lived in madness they dyed in desperation they lay stinking and noysome after Death and yet there were a madder sort left behind that worshipped these abominable Wretches as if they had been Martyrs Of these barbarities the poor Catholicks desired their Governors to acquaint the Emperor and it was in a fit season for both Valentinian and Valens the Arian who gave them some countenance being dead Gratianus and Valentinianus they younger succeeded and chose Theodosius Magnus to govern the Empire who though he used great power and prudence to suppress these Donatists and hated them perfectly as by the Laws made while he was Consul and his actions during his Government may appear yet could he not effect it How much he honoured the Church may appear by submitting himself to the censure of St. Ambrose having by the instigation of some of his Courtiers given order to destroy some of the Inhabitants of Thessalonica in cold blood But the wisdome of God intended to effect this by other means Anno 389. St. Augustine having buried his Mother Monica resolves to return to Carthage to assist in making up the breaches of that Church where the first Book which he wrote against the Donatists was that which he calls his Psalm containing an Epitome of their Opinions and Practices and being afterward made Bishop of Hippo in Africa he bestowed much of his time and labour as well in private and publick disputations as in many learned Writings yet extant But still the Faction thrived and was delivered of another Sect For Parmenian being dead the Donatists meet at Bagaia to choose a Successor in the Chair of Carthage and there were two Competitors Primianus and Maximianus Primianus was the most zealous but Maximianus being of the alliance of Donatus St. Aug. Epist 162. and having some good Women to assist him hoped to succeed but as St. Augustine observes for any real worth or ability other than to head a Faction Maximianus might have been Minimianus and Primianus Postremianus The Assembly is much divided the greater part vote for Primianus to the discontent of Maximianus and his Party who thence-forward deny to hold communion with their Brethren and gather distinct Congregations and in a short time he and his Party had procured Forty Three Bishops to side with him and these condemned Primianus and owned Maximianus for their Bishop And St. Augustine on Psal 36. tells us of another Meeting at Cubursussita where were an Hundred Bishops that confirmed Maximianus But still Primianus hath the greater Number for shortly after at another Synod at Bagaia we read of Three Hundred Bishops that rescinded all that the Maximinianists had decreed and establish Primianus of this St. Augustine gives a full account Contra Cresconium and there observes that without scruple they could urge and execute
that such Jews and Hereticks as molested the Church should be pâ—nished with Banishment or loss of Life Oâ—â— device of the Donatists may be here seasonably mentioned which is this Honorius the Emperor and Arcadius his Brother were Persons of so much piety and clemency that they could not immediately reproach them as Persecutors and therefore they laid the blame of all the severe Laws that were enacted againâ—â— them St. August Epist 129. upon the evil Counsellers that weâ—â— near them These are not the Laws say they of the Sons of Theodosius but of Stilicho yet when Stilicho was dead the same Law were vigorously executed against them I hapned in the Year 410. that Attalâ—â— a Tyrant had invaded the Emperor's Dominions and promised protection to all such as would submit to him whereupon many of the Donatists fled to him insomuch that the Emperor was inforced to grant a General Toleration that every one should worship God in what manner he pleased to prevent that general revolt to Attalus which was feared Upon this the Donatists grew more insolent than ever so that they permitted not the Catholick Doctors to speak against their Errors nor to Preach the truth They dragged Restitutus a Presbyter through a Chanel of mud Possidonius in vitâ Aug. Contra Cresc l. 2. Epist 166. and after twelve days torments slew him They put out the Eyes of others and poured in Lime and Vinegar into the holes and with Fire and Sword terrified all the Churches of Africa To divert this fury the Catholicks meet again at Carthage and send four Bishops to the Emperor to acquaint him of the Cruelties that had been committed upon his Edict for Toleration which he recalls by hi Rescript in these words Codex de Rel. l. 3. de Haeret 51. Ea quae circa Catholicam fidem vel olim ordinavit Antiquitas vel Parentum nostrorum authoritas religiosa constituit vel nostra Serenitas roboravit novellâ superstitione remotâ integra inviolata custodire praecipimus That whatever Laws had been established by himself or his Predecessors concerning the Catholick Faith should be held firm and inviolated By the four Bishops sent from this Council to the Emperor at the motion of St. Augustine who complained that in the Regions belonging to Hippo where the Barbarians had not come the robberies and violence of the Donatist Clergy and their Circumcellians the Churches were made more desolate than under the power of the Barbarians It was earnestly petitioned that the Donatists might be compelled to a publick conference with the Catholicks all other endeavours for Union being frustrated This Honorius willingly grants Pridie Id. Octob. 413. and lest the Donatists should refuse this Christian means or commit any act of violence against the Catholicks he sent Marcellinus his Principal Notary or Secretary to be a Moderator between them and to take cognizance of the proceedings and lest he should meet with the like affronts as Paulus and Macarius did when they were sent by Constans upon the like occasion He commanded a sufficient Army to attend him which also the Catholicks fearing the attempts of the Circumcellians justly desired The day appointed for this conference being at hand the Donatist Bishops being as they reported 279 enter the City with great Pomp and Numbers so as they drew all the City to be Spectators and to admire their equipage And though many of them lived on the benevolence of their Faction being rendred uncapable by the Imperial Laws of Ecclesiastical Dignities and Possessions or upon that which they had wrested from the Catholicks in Licentious times The Catholicks were far inferior to them as well in Riches as in Ostentation The Catholicks were in Number 286 many of their Party had been slain and many were afraid to Travel because of the Circumcellians however their Number much exceeded the Donatists for when St. Augustine viewed the Subscriptions of that Party to satisfie himself of their number he found that the noise of 279. was shrunk into 159. The Meeting was appointed to be at the Gargilian Baths in a spacious Room fitted for that purpose Aug. de Gestis cum Emerito Before the Catholicks enter they agreed mutually by solemn promise That if the Donatists could evince that the Marks of the true Church belonged to their Party they would not desire to retain their Episcopal Dignities but leave them to the Donatists to be disposed of bono pacis for the peace of the Church And if it should appear that they were in the Communion of the Catholick Church they would notwithstanding admit of the Donatists as their Brethren and Colleagues upon their conformity to enjoy their several Dignities and where-ever there was a competition for the present between a Catholick and a Donatist for any Ecclesiastical Preferment there should be a present provision made for the Donatist and if the Catholick dyed he fore him he should have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Civilians called it a right of succession wherein they manifested their real charity who as they generally professed Parati erant Episcopatum pro Christi unitate deponere non perdere sed Deo commendare were prepared to lay down their Bishopricks for the Christian Unity and not think them lost but intrusted with God Delib p. 220. This charity was not answered with the like from the Donatists who as soon as they had been saluted by the Catholicks as Brethren Marcellinus willeth them all to sit down Accordingly the Catholicks took their Seats but the Donatists refused and Primianus their Titular Bishop of Carthage replyed August post Collat Carth. Indignuâ— est ut filii Martyrum progenies Traditorâ—â— in unum conveniant It is an indignity to the Sons of the Martyrs to sit with the off-spring of Traditors Another said Odi Ecclesian malignantium cum impiis non sedebo To which the Catholicks answered that they were met to enquire of the truth and not of Mens persons and desired that nec causa causae nec persona personae praejudicet former cause and persons might not create a prejudice to the present At length they condescend to take their Seats and then it was proposed by Marcellinus that for Orders sake there should be a Select number appointed by both Parties to discourse pro con This after some reluctancy by the Donatists was yielded to and the Number on each side were to be Seven whereof St. Augustine was to be Prolocutor for the Catholicks and Petilian who had been a Civilian for the Donatists There were also four Notaries appointed by each Party to write down the several Arguments and Answers which being printed at large and joyned with the Works of Optatus I shall refer the Reader to them and onely give a brief account of what is pertinent to the present case of the Schisme Marcellinus having produced the Emperor's Rescript for the Treaty promiseth them all candor freedom and protection
Religion were Martyrs Optat. p. 146. and accordingly Altars were built to their Memorial and Prayers offered up on those Altars These Circumcellians had a Solemn initiation for having devoted themselves to violent Deaths which they sometimes voluntarily executed on themselves or at the command of their Brethren their Neighbours and Relations gave them all possible respect and attendance so that nothing was denied to them for their encouragement that like so many fatted Beasts they might be fit for the slaughter rather than for a Sacrifice which yet they were perswaded that they were offering up to God in an acceptable manner And as oft as they declared themselves ready for such desperate designs their Brethren assembled and prayed and gave thanks for that supernatural and heroick spirit wherewith they were inspired Being thus in a most diabolical manner initiated they would go forth sometime armed sometimes unarmed but resolved to provoke whomsoever they met with railing beating and wounding them sometime slaying others or suffering themselves to be slain and if this hapned not they would cast themselves into deep Wells or over high Precipices to their certain destruction Sometimes these Circumcellians assembled in great Numbers Sub specie Martyrum rapientium latrocinantes playing the Robbers under pretence of Martyrs as Philaster observes or else really attempting such acts of Hostility upon the Catholicks their Houses and Churches or upon the Emperor's Souldiers as caused the ruine of many Thousands De fabutis Haereticor St. August Epist 50. ad Bonifac. Theodoret tells us of a Company of these who went abroad armed and resolved to run this mad race and meeting with a young Man unarmed they were so humane as not to destroy him with such unequal Numbers wherefore they all agreed that they would deliver their Weapons to him to wound and kill them as he pleased but threatned him also that if he did not execute them they would miserably destroy him The young Man seems to accept of the Conditions only he tells them it was fit they should suffer themselves to be bound not only that he might the better fulfill their desires but also because he feared that when he had shed the blood of some of the Brethren the survivors might to preserve their own lives take away his They therefore do all agree to this as a reasonable proposal and forthwith submit themselves to be bound and fettered by the young Man which having done with as much skill as he could he first destroyed most of their Weapons and then beats them soundly with the rest and so departs leaving them in their bonds to be mocked and derided by the Passengers This phrensie they thought a very high Enthusiasme but Malus Daemon istam phrenesim immisit it was the Devil that was a Murtherer from the beginning that inspired it There were two mad Captains of these Martyrs of the Devil that as Theodoret says were instar Corybantum furentes debacchantes like the Priests of Bacchus drunk with fury and led on great Numbers of the Circumcellians to destroy as far as they went all sorts of Men Women and Children burning Houses and Churches razing the Altars and casting the Bibles into the Fire With some such Donatus Bishop of Bagaia assaulted Macarius and Paulus who having the Roman Souldiers to guard them slew great Numbers of them whom being destroyed he afterward disowned and denyed them Burial and at last cast himself headlong and perished in a Well You have heard formerly of Salvius a Bishop of the Donatists who made another Faction among the Membresitans He built a Church for his Party and kept a separate Congregation for a while but being abandoned by the Donatists who condemned him in a Synod of theirs was left to the fury of the mad Circumcellians who as you have heard hung dead Dogs about his Neck and danced about him August l. 3. cont Parmen singing filthy Songs This Saint Augustine says they would excuse because he was condemned by a full Synod of Bishops to which he replies That if he suffered justly being condemned by their Bishops they ought not to repine and murmur it they also suffered who were so often condemned by the Bishops of the Catholick Church and desireth them to consider Priùs quid faciunt deinde quid patiuntur First what they do against others and then what they suffer from others The History of the Maximianists you have had already I shall now acquaint you with another Faction which they had established at Rome for when they perceived that they could not Answer the Arguments of the Catholicks for the Universality of Christ's Church and considered how numerous they were in all Africa they sent their Emissaries abroad and especially at Rome they had planted some of their Faction so that at length they pretended that no Party were more Catholick than themselves Victor was setled as the Titular Bishop of Rome in the days of Constantine his Successors were First Bonifacius Balatensis 2. Encolpius 3. Macrobius 4. Lucianus 5. Claudianus who lived in the days of St. Augustine But as both Optatus and St. Augustine say they could pretend no higher than Victor whereas the Churches of Hierusalem and Rome could derive their Succession from the Apostles But Victor was Filius sine Patre Discipulus sine Magistro and Episcopus sine populo A Son without a Father a Disciple without a Master and a Bishop without a Flock nor could any of them produce their literas formatas communicatory or testimonial Letters signifying their Communion with the Universal Church Besides Sr. Augustine tells them that they lived at Rome more like Beasts of Prey than like a Flock of Christ and never met but in Speluncis in Dens and Caves without the City where they kept their Conventicles and from their wandring from place to place they were called Montenses Campitae and Rupitani as St. Hierome observes not unlike our Quakers Quod inter homines solet esse commune Optatus p. 78. salutationis officium auferunt ne Ave dicunt cuiquam nostrum Nec monstrare vias eadem nisi sacra colenti They would not salute any nor bid them God speed I shall name but one mad crew more which were headed by Optatus Gildoniensis a Donatist Bishop who was called Gildoniensis from one Gildo a barbarous Person who invaded Africa with a great Army and made havock of the Catholick Churches To him this Optatus with a great Number of the Circumcellians joyned himself and was first Latrociniis infamis notorious for his Robberies He snatched away the Wives from their Husbands and Children from their Parents causing many Abortions and in his Cruelties exceeded the very Barbarians for they would kill them at once but he would torment them many days together that they might dye daily So that Historians observe he as much exceeded the Circumcellians as they did exceed others in Cruelty Their Opinions It appears not that they were accused of any false
Doctrine for a long time until they began to Rebaptize upon an Opinion that there were no true Ministers in the Catholick Church and by consequence no true Sacraments St. Augustine says that in his time they were Pares Doctrinâ Ritibus agreed in the chief points of Doctrine and in the Ecclesiastical Rites And when Optatus wrote against Parmenian Optat. p. 72 They had generally One Creed One Testament and One Baptism viz. in the Name of the Blessed Trinity they prayed to One God and used the Lord's Prayer alike The Controversie was not de Captie but de Corpore concerning the Head but the Body of the Church But their Schism which divided that Body was sufficient to condemn them Opt. p. 72. St. August cum Emerito Extra Ecclesiam omnia possunt habere praeter salutem possunt habere honorem possunt habere Sacramentum possunt cantare Hallelujah possunt respondere Amen possunt Evangelium tenere possunt in nomine patris filii Spiritus sancti fidem habere praedicare sed nusquam nisi in Ecclesiâ Catholica salutem possunt invenire He granted they had the Scriptures the Sacraments the Prayers and Preaching materially the same as in the Church but yet Salvation was not to be had but within the Church All which is true upon the grounds of St. Paul as well as St. Augustine because without Charity all these gifts and exercises do profit nothing 1 Cor. 13. And therefore the Primitive Fathers did so passionately declaim against Schisme not only because it was the Occasion of greater confusion in the Church than Heresies ordinarily were but because it did equally endanger the Salvation of those that obstinately persisted in it fitting them for any Error Dionysius Alexandrinus wrote to Novatian Quisquis ab Ecclesia Catholica separatus est quanquam laudabiliter se vivere existimet hoc solo scelere quod à Christi unitate disjunctus est non habebit vitam Epist 152. that he might rather do any thing than rent the Church of God by Schismes which saith he you ought to avoid as much as Idolatry for when you flye from Idolatry you consult only your own safety but when you avoid Schisme you consult for the benefit of the Universal Church I shall therefore only mention that great Error in the chief Article of Faith wherein Donatus himself and many of his Followers agreed with the Arians as divers of the * Aug ad quod vult Deum Ancients have recorded viz. That the Son was less than the Father and the Holy Ghost than the Son This being a Consequent of the Schisme And it is usual for such as first desert the Unity of the Church to deny the faith and verity therein professed within a short time It is my intent to speak chiefly of such Opinions as led them to it or hardned them in it that others may see and avoid them There was a strict Canon in the Catholick Church forbidding Christians to hold any Communion with such as had in times of Persecution turned Apostates or Traditors until they had undergone the censure of the Church and manifested their repentance but as if this Canon were not strict enough the Novatians first and then the Donatists made themselves wiser than the Laws and would not on any termes admit such Persons accounting that by Communion with them the whole Congregation was defiled and such as had been of the Clergy they accounted of as lay Persons and the lay People they esteemed of as Heathen their Baptisme being frustrated upon this ground they withdrew from the Communion of Cecilian and other Catholick Bishops pretending they had been Traditors and that all the People adhering to them were polluted and that the Bishops and Clergy of the Church could not lawfully rule or teach the People nor administer the Sacraments the efficacy of all these Ordinances depending oâ— the Holiness of the Minister and that there were no such true Ministers but among themselves For this Opinion they urge Acti 19.4 where St. Paul gives order that they who had been baptized by St. John should be baptized again in the Name of Jesus Now if John's Baptism say they who was a Friend of the Bridegroom was made void much more ought the Baptism of those that are Enemies and Apostates to be so accounted Against this Opinion Optatus argueth thus Non dotes Ministri sed Trinitatem in Sacramento operari cui concurrit fides professie credentium The efficacy of the Sacrament depends not on the endowments of the Minister but the grace of the blessed Trinity in whom if they that are baptized do believe and make profession accordingly their Baptisme will doubtless have its effect for the believer is regenerate not according to the abilities of the Minister but the power of the Sacrament Nascitur Credens non ex Ministri sterilitate sed ex Sacramentorum fertilitate This is handsomely expressed by Gregory Nazianzene in the allusion of an Image ingraven on two Seals one of Iron another of Gold where the Image being the same the Iron Seal makes the same impression as that of Gold But St. Augustine observes also the difference between the Baptisme of St. John and that of our Saviour Chriâ—â— which was in the Name of the Holy Trinity and therefore both Optatus and St. Augustine charge the Donatists with no less sin than Blasphemy when as their practice was they would exorcise those whom they had rebaptized with this form of words Maledicte exi for as calling the whole Trinity in whose Name they had been baptized accursed Optatus therefore farther urged Opt. p. 86 Si datis alterum baptisma date alteram fidem date alterum Christum It is superfluous to renew the Baptisme where there is no alteration of the Faith He adds Etsi hominum litigant mentes non litigant Sacramenta The Sacrament is the same although the judgment of those that administer it may differ The Bishops of the Catholick Church did therefore admit of those that were baptized by the Donatists although the Donatists would by no means approve of the Catholicks Baptisme Which plainly argues as well their excess of Pride as their defect of Charity both which St. Augustine observed in a Donatist Bishop that Preached in his City of Hippo who used this comparison that the Church of God was like Noah's Ark it was pitched both within and without without Nè admitteret baptisma alienum and within Nè emitteret suum that it might not admit of those that were baptized by others nor baptize any but such as were of their own perswasion They uâ—ged the bare Authority of St. Cyprian for their rebaptizing which as St. Augustine says theâ—â— despised when he pleaded for the unity of thâ—â— Church Cyprianus tolerandos in Ecclesia malos potius quam propter cos Ecclesiam deserendam exemplo consirmavit praecepto admonuit though his arguments weâ—â— inforced with Scripture
as the Donatists grieved for the death of Julian so they rejoyced at the Death of Honorius It were no difficult matter to transcribe many Laws made by the Christian Emperors against the Pagan Rites but it is not to my purpose and therefore I shall only trouble my Reader with that of St. Augustine Epistle 48. Quis nostrum quis vestrum non laudat leges ab Imperatoribus adversus sacrificia Pagana illius quippe impietatis Capitale supplicium est But at last we are told that though there were very severe Laws made against Hereticks and Schismaticks yet the Emperors never did nor intended to execute them So p. 80. Constantine saith he made Laws against Hereticks rather for shew and terror than for execution and so he tells us of Theodosius that he made a Law that the Sectarians should have no Assemblies nor make any profession of their faith nor ordain Bishops and Pastors and that some of them should be banished the City and Country others made infamous and have no publick Preferment and this he enacted with severe Penalties which yet saith â—he the Emperor did never inflict for he did not ordain these things with an intention to punish but to terrifie his Subjects that they might better agree in Religion This had been a very politick device to bring their Authority into contempt when the Imperial Laws like the Blocks of Wood cast down from Jupiter among the Frogs having made a little noise shall ever after lye still for every creeping thing to leap and insult over them If the courage and resolution of those Emperors or rather the opportunities for the execution of those Laws had been answerable to their prudence in making them they might in all probability have stopt that deluge of Christian blood which was poured forth in greater abundance through all Africa by the Donatists than by the Heathen Emperors And the Execution of those Laws with such moderation as the Catholicks did alway desire expressed in several Epistles of St. Augustine to Bonifacius Cecilianus and other of the Emperor's Officers had been as St. Augustine says Epistle 50. magna in eos misericordia as great an act of Charity to the Bodies and Souls of Christians and of Piety towards God as the Indulgence granted by Julian was an occasion of Impiety and Cruelty whereby he had almost destroyed Christianity by permitting Divisions among its Professors Nor were the Christian Emperors negligent in the execution of their Laws as far as the present necessities and iniquity of the Times would permit The Objector instanceth in the banishment of Arius and four or five more with him under Constantine p. 60. And of Eunomius under Theodosius for keeping Conventicles and I have given divers other instances If we may believe the complaints of the Donatists they were not only in terrorem they felt not only the Rod but the Sword too sometime which as the Scripture saith The Magistrate beareth not in vain You may hear them complain Quod eos Costantinus ad Campum i. e. ad Supplicium duci jussit l. 1. contra Parmen that they were in great Numbers exiled and had divers Punishments even unto Death inflicted on them And we read that St. Augustine and the Catholicks Epistle ad Bonifacium did often mediate with the Emperor's Officers that their Punishment might not be unto Death and yet they accuse the Catholicks as if they had been the cause of forming and sharpning the Instruments of Punishment against them such as the following Laws mentioned in the conclusion of this History Of their unjust Censures and Calumnies The Foundation of this Schisme was laid on the ruine of the reputation of Cecilian and the Catholicks in Communion with him whom they reported to be Traditors and Idolaters that they had nor Ministers nor Sacraments and their whole Worship was corrupted by Superstition and strange Images which were set upon their Altars As for St. Augustine he was a contentious Disputer and a perverter of Souls rather to be avoided than refuted or to be dealt with as a Wolf or a Beast of prey and accordingly they did lay many secret Snares to intrap and ruine Him It is evident that by the very act of separation they did condemn their Brethren as guilty of some heinous sins for which they refused to hold Communion with them and as much as in them lay excommunicated all the Churches of Africa as corrupted by Traditors and become Apostates They appealed from Meltiades not only as partial but as being himself a Traditor Nor was the Emperor free from their Calumny for they report him to have been misguided by Hosius the famous Bishop and other evil Counsellors Imperatorias aures pravis suggestionibus sufflatas whereof he was never more guilty than in yielding so far as he did to their importunity which he did to a good end Eorum perversitatibus cedens omnimodo cupiens tantam impudentiam cohibere being wearied by them and hoping by so many sentences against them he might for ever silence their impudent clamors Of Mensurius who preceded Cecilian they said that he was Tyranno saevior Carnifice crudelior more raging than a Tyrant and more cruel than a Hangman and that he had chosen Cecilian Opt. Append p. 291. as a fit instrument of his cruelty whereas Mensurius was well known to yield himself up to the pleasure of Dioclesian rather than to betray his Brother and of Cecilian's innocency you have heard sufficiently Nor did they deal thus only with the Clergy but with the Magistrates also Donatus writing to Gregorius a Prefect begins directly in the Language of our Quakers Gregori macula Senatus Dedecus Praefectorum Thou Gregory blot of the Senate and disgrace of the Prefects Opt. p. 64. This was not their common but their holy Language Profertis Evangelium facitis convitium their Preaching was little else besides Railing And as if their Preaching was not enough they did in perpetuam Reimemoriam fill their Libels and Writings with such unsavoury Language Nullus vestrum est qui non tractatibus suis convitia nostra miscet And this they did to maintain prejudice in the hearts of the People and to lay a scandal or stumbling-block in the way of such as might otherwise be brought over to a better Opinion of their lawful Pastors Auditorum animis infunditis odia inimicitias docendo suadetis Haec omnia dicendo contra nos scandala ponitis Optat. p. 78. And though there were many among the People of the Catholick Communion that lived unblameably among their Adversaries yet did they condemn them for remaining in the Faith and Communion of their Pastors as Petilian told St. Augustine to his face Qui fidem à perfido sumpserit non fidem sumpsit sed reatum August contra Petil l. 1. When Constans sent Paulus and Macarius to promote Unity and comfort the Catholicks that had been much vexed and injured by the Donatists they report that they were