for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame of it for which he is set down at the Right Hand of God When the (†) Acts 5. Apostles were beaten by Order of the Sanhedrim they departed from the presence of the Councel rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for his Name And when (‖) Acts 16. Paul and Silas had been whipt with many Stripes and were hurried upon it into the innermost Prison and set in the Stocks there they prayed and sang Praises unto God doubtless for enabling them by the Assistance of his Holy Spirit to preach his word boldness and suffer patiently in his Cause How often doth St. Paul in his Epistles glory in his Infirmities which is a Scripture-term for Sufferings and with what pleasure doth he (†) 2 Cor. c. 6. c. 11. c 12. speak of his Afflictions Necessities and Distresses of his Stripes Imprisonments Labours Tumults Watchings Fastings Shipwrach and daily danger of Death Then the Christians suffered after the Example of their Saviour according to the Will of God who called them unto Suffering committing their Souls unto him as unto a Faithful Creator and for (†) Rom. 8.36 his Sake were killed all the day long and were accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter insomuch that in the time of Trajan Tiberius the President of Palastine gives this Account of their Passive Temper in his (‖) Usser ap Ign. p. 9. Letter to the Emperor I am weary with punishing and destroying the Galilaeans who are called here Christians according to your Majesties Command and yet they cease not to discover themselves that they may be slain I have laboured both by Entreaties and Menaces to make them conceal themselves from being known to be Christians but I cannot make them put an End to their own Persecution And when Arrius or Aurelius Antoninus Proconsul of Asia raised a severe Persecution against the Christians they presented themselves before him like an Army at which he being astonished contented himself to execute some few and cryed out unto the rest O wretched men if you have a mind to dye have you not Halters and Precipices enough but must you come hither for an Execution This Story is told by Tertullian to Scapula President of Carthage who also tells him That if he had a mind to go on with the Persecution so many thousands of Christian Men and Women of all Ages and Conditions would offer themselves unto him that he would be hard put to it to get Fires and Swords enougn to destroy them Hitherto and much longer they were so far from declining Sufferings or being terrified into Tumultuous Combinations with those Miseries which they foresaw that they freely offered themselves to the Fury of their Persecutors and strove as (†) Lib. 2. c. 47. Sulpitius Severus observes of the Dioclesian Persecution who should first enter the Lists of those Glorious Conflicts being more Ambitious of Martyrdom in those days than in after times of Bishopricks and the Greatest Preferments of the Church I have chosen these out of many more Instances to shew the Passive Temper of the Primitive Christians in Times of Persecution and to take occasion to enquire into the true Causes which made them and our own Ancestors after their Example so meek and calm chearful in such sad Tryals and so ready to lay down their Lives for Christ Now in this Enquiry into the Causes of such wonderful Patience and Alacrity we ought in the first place to assign a good Life or a Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Man This is the Cornerstone in the Foundation of True Christian Confidence and Courage against the Fears of Death for he whose Heart doth not condemn him hath confidence towards God and need not fear him that can kill the Body but is not able to kill the Soul because he lived in the Fear of him who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell Who is he that will harm you saith the Apostle if ye be followers of that which is good but if ye suffer for Righteousness-sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their Terrour neither be troubled Hence saith Justin Martyr of Crescens the Stoick who laid wait for his Life as Anytus and Melitus did for that of Socrates Crescens may kill me but he cannot hurt me And speaking of the Occasion of his Conversâ—ion to Christianity (‖) Ap. I. p. 50. When I saw the Christians saith he embrace Death and Torments without fear I thought with my self that they could not live in Sin and sensual Pleasure For what Epicure or Incontinent person that places his Happiness in pleasing the Flesh would so readily embrace death to deprive himself of his Felicity but rather strive to live here for ever The Second Cause of such wonderful Patience and Courage in the Confessors and Martyrs of the Christian Religion was Faith or their full and undoubted Perswasion of receiving those great Rewards which the Gospel promised them for Suffering according to that Definition of the Apostle which saith That Faith consists in the Substance or Confidence of things hoped for and in the Evidence of things not seen It was through this Faith that the Jewish and Primitive Christian Martyrs were tortured not accepting of Deliverance that they might have a better Resurrection i. e. the Resurrection of the Just that others of them had tryal of cruel Mockings and Scourgings yea moreover of Bonds and Imprisonments and that others also were Stoned Sawn asunder Empaled and slain with the Sword and lastly That others who took the allowed Benefit of Flight wandered about in Sheepskins and Goatskins and in Deserts and Mountains and in Dens and Caves of the Earth It was this Faith which the Apostle compares to a Shield and by which he saith the Just did live in times of Persecutions and overcame the World according to St. John who saith This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Hence saith the Apostle to the Hebrews Cast not away your Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward in the full perswasion of receiving whereof he also said in his 2d Epist to Timothy I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord will give me at that day And for this cause saith he we faint not for though our Outward Man Perisheth yet the Inward Man is renewed day by day for our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory while we look not at the things that are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal From these places it is plain that the Faith of the Primitive Christians was one main Cause of their Courage which the
by his deaths-wound (†) L. 25. c. 3. Amm. Marcellinus who was at the Battel says it was uncertain who threw the Javelin but that the (‖) Ib. c. 26. Persians shortly after did upbraid them for Traytors and Regicides having heard by the Relation of some of their own Revolted Souldiers upon an uncertain report That Julian was struck with a Roman Dart. But (†) Eutrop. lib. 10. p. 133. Eutropius another Pagan Historian who was then in the Field saith positively hostili manu interfectus est That he was slain by the hand of the Enemy and Festus Rufus and the (‖) Ab uno ex hostibus quidem fugiente cento perentitur Epitome of Victor report the very same (†) Lib. 3. c. 21. Socrates tells us That it is uncertain who killed him for some said that it was a revolted Persian but others that it was a Roman Souldier which was the more common Report But Callistus the Poet saith he who was one of his Guards and who wrote his Exploits in Heroic Verse saith that he was killed by a Daemon which it may be saith he is but a Poetical Fiction but perhaps it may be the real truth for the Furies by which he means the Destroying Angels have punished very many (‖) Lib. 6. c. 1. Sozomen saith that when he was killed the Air was full of Mist and Dust and Darkness so that no body could tell who the Horseman was who slew him but that some said that it was a Persian others that it was a Saracen others again that it was a Roman who was offended at him for bringing the whole Army by his Rashness and Folly into such streights (†) Theodor. l. 3. c. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For instead of taking Care or making Provision for so great a Body of men he led them into Desert places where they wanted both Guides Meat and Drink and they were lamenting and sighing for the sad Fate of the Roman Army when he received the Fatal Stroke (‖) Ibid Theodoret saith That no Body knew who struck him but whether it was Man or Angel certain it is that he was the Minister of the Divine Will (†) Lib. 8. p. 500. Philostorgius leaves the Fact between a Saracen and Roman and saith That many inclined to believe that it must be a Roman because the stroke was so sudden that no Body saw when it was given I have been more particular in shewing what all the Historians have said of the Death of Julian the better to set forth the Presumption Malice and Partiality of Libanius the Sophist and Magician who as our Author tells us was resolved to find out the Man that killed Julian and he doth it thus First he proves That it was no Persian because the King of Persia proclaimed a Reward to him that killed him but no body ever came to challenge the Reward From hence he concludes they were to look for the Murderer among themselves but who among them could do it but one of them who did not live according to his Laws and had conspired formerly against Him and then having an Opportunity put their Design in Execution It was apparently the Design of our Author in setting down the Conjecture of Libanius to perswade his Reader that he was a Christian who killed Julian otherwise why did he not tell us That this was the Single Conjecture of Libanius who was the Master of Julian and a Magician and a most mortal and spiteful Enemy of Christ and the Christians 2dly That his Conjecture is supported only upon his own Authority who saith That the King of Persia proclaimed a Reward to him that killed Julian 3dly That he asserts a notorious Lye viz. That the Christians had formerly (†) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plotted his Destruction c. But instead of this he brings in (‖) ◠6. ◠◠Sozomen justifying the Murder of Julian which indeed he doth not absolutely but from the Greek or Pagan Principles in answer to Libanius It may be saith he it was true that he who killed Julian was a Christian for it is not improbable that some one of the Souldiers might take into consideration how the Greeks and all Men to this day still praise the killers of Tyrants in former times as men that were willing to dye for the Common Liberty and delivered their Country-men Kindred and Friends And one then can scarce blame him who shews himself so brave for God and for that Religion which he approves These words of Sozomen are to be taken as an Answer to Libanius the Greek upon the Greek Principles for if according to the Greeks he deserved Praise who would hazard his life to kill a Tyrant for the Common Liberty upon the same Principles one would scarce blame a man who does the same for God and for the Religion which he approves But although the words were to be taken absolutely and not as a Reply to Libanius yet they are no Justification but only an Extenuation of the Fact The Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one would scarce blame doth still imply in strictness That such an one was to be blamed though the Provocation was very great But what if it had been certain that a Christian perverted with Greek Principles had killed Julian what is that to the rest of the Christians of that Age There was a very great number of the Murderers of our late Blessed Soveraign who was put to death as a Tyrant but yet it doth not follow that the Doctrine of Killing Lawful Kings when they turn Tyrants is generally approved among the English Protestants though it may likely be approved by some who as Mr. Hobbes hath observed have sucked in Ill Principles about Government from Greek and Latine Authors and I pray God our Author be not such an one else why should he so slily insinuate upon the bare Conjecture of one Antichristian Villain and Magician That he was a Christian who killed Julian even there where it was his professed Design to shew that they treated him like Barbarians that they had no Reverence for his Majesty but pursued him like a Midnight Thief or a Robber One would have expected such a Junius-Brutus-way of writing from a Bellarmine or Mariana a Knox or Buchanan rather than from a Minister of the Church of England who in her Book of Homilies which is one of the (†) P. 104. best Books in the World next to the Bible and to (‖) P. 101. which the whole Clergy of England have subscribed teacheth her Children (†) 2 Part of the Sermon of Obedience That it is the Calling of Gods People to be patient and on the suffering side and to render Obedience to Governours although they be wicked and wrong-doers and in no case to resist and stand against them But you will say in defence of our Author That he called the Murder of Julian a (‖) P. 60. Traiterous Assassination
Bishop Bilson as I find him speaking in his Book of the True Difference between Christian Subjection and Vnchristian Rebellion written against the Papists in Queen Elizabeths Time and printed 1586. There p. 256. Theoph. saith Our Saviour foreteaching his Disciples that they should be brought before Kings and Rulers and put to death and hated of all men for his Names sake addeth not as you would have it and he that first rebelleth but he that Endureth to the End shall be saved And again Nor with Violence restrain them but in patience possess your Souls p. 260. Deliverance if you would have obtain it by Prayer and expect it in Peace those be Weapons for Christians p. 262. The Subject hath no refuge against his Soveraign but only to God by Prayer and Patience p. 278. Your Spanish Inquisitions and French Massacres where you murdered Men Women and Children by thousands and ten thousands against the very Grounds of all Equity Piety and Humanity without convicting accusing or calling them before any Judge to hear what was misliked in them are able to set Grave and Good Men at their Wits end and to make them justly doubt since you refuse the course of all Divine and Humane Laws with them whether by the Law of Nature they may not defend themselves against such Barbarous Blood-suckers yet we stand not on that if the Laws of the Land where they converse do not permit them to Guard their Lives when they are assaulted against Law or if they take Arms as you do to Depose Princes we will never excuse them from Rebellion p. 279. For my part I must confess except the Laws of those Realms do permit the People to stand on their Right if the Prince would offer that Wrong I dare not allow their Arms. This is his determination in case of a Massacre which is the Extremity of Tyranny and it is agreeable not only to the Scripture but to the Practise of the Primitive Christians who against Equity Humanity and the Common Law of all Civil Governments endured many Tyrannical Massacres when they were able to resist And Bishop Jewel whom I should have set first in his Defence of the Apology p. 15. saith unto Harding We teach the people at St. Paul doth to be Subject to the Higher Powers not only for Fear but also for Conscience We teach them that whos◠striketh with the Sword by private Authority shall perish with the Sword If the Prince happen to be wicked or cruel or burdensom we teach them to say with St. Ambrose Arma nostra sunt preces lachrymae Tears and Prayers be our Weapons He reckons this Bishop among the Worthies p. 14. of Preface but according to him he must have been but a Quack in Divinity for he was for the old Mountebank Receipt of Prayers and Tears The Peole of England it seems were taught in his time as the Doctor taught the Citizens of London in his Bow-Sermon and therefore Passive Obedience was either Heterodox Divinity then or else it is none now Nay it was taught by the Martyrs themselves in Queen Maries days for Bradford in his Letter saith Howbeit never for any thing resist or rise up against the Magistrates And Bishop Latimer in King Edward the Sixths days taught it very plainly in his 4th Sermon before the King in his Familiar Homespun Stile When I was travailed in the Tower saith he my Lord Darsy was telling me of the Faithful Service that he had done the Kings Majesty that dead is And had I seen my Soveraign Lord in the Field said he and had I seen his Grace come against us I would have lighted from my Horse and taken my Sword by the Point and yielded it into his Graces Hands Mary quod I but in the mean season you played not the part of a Faithful Subject in holding with the People in a Commotion and Disturbance It hath been the Cast of all Traytors to pretend nothing against the Kings Person they never pretend the matter to the King but to others Subjects may not resist any Magistrates nor ought to do nothing contrary to the Kings Laws I could produce much more to the same purpose out of Archbishop Sandys his Sermons Dr. Willet upon Rom. 13. Dr. Hakewels Scutum Regium Dr. Boys his Postils Dean Nowell on the 5th Com. Dr. Owen in his Antiparaeus Mr. Perkins on the 5th Com. the Little Book called Deus Rex not to mention Bishop Sanderson and other latter Divines but I have said enough to Justifie Dr. Hickes or Condemn the Church of England and her Reformers and the most Famous Divines that She hath bred Let Mr. J. look to it either the Dr. hath done well or else they are all in the same Condemnation with him And that he may know what a severe Censure he deserves for opposing this Evangelical Principle which the Dr. preached up I refer him to Erasmus in Luc. 22.36 especially to these words Mihi nulla haeresis videtur perniciosior nulla blasphemia secleratior quam si quis philistinorum exemplo Evangelici agri puteos qui a Christo venam habent aqua vivae scatentis in vitam aeternam terrâ oppleta sensum spiritualem vertat in carnalem doctrinam caelestem depravet in terrenam ac sacro-sancta Christi dogmata detorqueat imò corumpat idque reclamantibus omnibus ejus praeceptis reclamante totâ ipsius vitâ reclamante doctrinâ Apostolicâ refragantibus tot martyrum millibus repugnantibus vetustis interpretibus I do not accuse him of Heresie Blasphemy or perverting the Truths of the Gospel but if Erasmus do it I cannot help it he must get off as well as he can Having now I hope shewn that Passive Obedience is required of all Subjects by the Common Laws of Soveraignty and in particular of the English by the Laws Imperial belonging to this Crown I might here conclude this Chapter but that having undertaken the Defence of the Doctor I am obliged to answer some particular Passages which cannot well be answered but apart by themselves In the 80th p. he cites this Passage out of the Doctors Sermon Neither doth the Gospel prescribe any Remedy but Flight against the Persecutions of the Lawful Magistrate allowing of no other Mean when we cannot escape betwixt denying and dying for the Faith To this he Replyes What the Gospel Prescribes is one thing what it Allows is another There are ten ten thousand things allowed by the Gospel not one of which is prescribed by it But what is this to the purpose the Doctor speaks there of the only Gospel-Expedient or Remedy against Persecution which is Flight He asserts that the Gospel allows of no other Mean against the Persecutions of the Lawful Magistrate and if it allow no other then certainly it prescribes That The Physitian that allows but of one only Medicine against the Plague doth certainly prescribe it to the Patient And to make no more words about the matter Flight by the