prejudic'd and ignorant These believe because they don't understand Those because it makes for them For this Holy Martyr repeated this with the same spirit that David first deliver'd it by way of denouncing God's judgments not delivering his own sentiments And Mr. Iohnson may as well say the Priest curses the People in the solemn Service on Ashâ—ednesday as Theodorus did the Emperour then for the Idolaters come in for their share there too Mr. Iohnson says but little of their prayers anâ— that little too he draws from Gregory's 〈◊〉 where he â—lls the People what a Champion his Father had been against Iuâ—â— how he had stricken him with the joint prayers of the people c. If he did 't was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that the Christians â—ver did before him And then what may we judge of thâ—â— pâ—â—yers but that they were as extraordinary and unjustifiable as his threatâ—â—ing to kick the Emperour the supplicatiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Predecessours were not of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will tell us That the Scriptures enjoin us for shewing the redundancy of our Charity to pray to God even for our enemies and wish well unto our persecutours Tertul. Apol. cap. 31 and 32. And in another place We pray for the Emperour's safety we call upon the eternal God the true God the living God whom the Emperours themselves would wish above all others should be propitious to them Ibid. 30. And what is more he tells them in the same place Having our arms thus spread out unto our God let the Hooks tear us the Crosses hang us the Fires lick us up c. the posture of a Christian praying is fitted for all kind of torments Come ye good Governours wrest out the soul that is supplicating for the Emperour Can any thing be greater This is the patience of a Primitive Martyr By this we see not onely calmly to dye for the Truth but even to dye praying for the Persecutour was one of the great requisits to obtain so glorious a title But perhaps Mr. Iohnson will tell us this is but one Doctor 's opinion but if he will take the pains onely to look in the Indexes of the Fathers he will be directed to many places in each of them to this purpose Cyprian speaking to the Emperour says Day and night continually and instantly do we pray propitiating and appeasing God for your peace and safety Cypr. ad Demet Sebastian tells the Emperour Dioclesian The Priests of the Temples do possess your Majesty with an unjust suspicion of us suggesting false tales as if we were enemies to the Commonwealth whereas by our prayers the Commonwealth is better'd and increas'd for we cease not to pray for your Empire and the Roman Army But to come â—igher home Athanasius a man not over tame but when it was his duty gives this reason for celebrating prayer in the Church of Alexandria before it was dedicated that the people earnestly prest him that they might all pray for the safety of the Emperour in the Church which he himself had builded being ready otherwise to go out of the City and assemble themselves in the desarts at the solemnity of Easter which at that time was to be celebrated And again speaking to the Emperour You do not forbid but are willing that all men should pray knowing that this is the prayer of all that you may live in safety and continually reign in peaceâ— And again O Emperour of God most belov'd many circuits of years I pray may you live and accomplish the dedication of this Church for those prayers that are made within for your welfare don't at all hinder the dedication of the Church This will be enough to satisfie any reasonable man that Cursing an Emperour is not so Catholick a Doctrine as Mr. Iohnson would have us to believe and that all the Fathers were not of old Gregory's mind I am inclin'd to believe that if he could have found but one instance more of such a fiery Zeal it had certainly appear'd and been improv'd to the best advantage For we find by his transcribing so great a part of the Book of Homilies he is of a good Communicative nature and keeps nothing to himself that may prove in the least beneficial to the publick But I believe it will be a hard thing to find the least pretence for this Doctrine in all the Orthodox Writings in former ages and any of the Fathers would look upon the broacher of such principles with as much detestation and call him as many names as Gregory did Iulian the Apostate Before I conclude this Chapter it will not be impertinent to shew that prayers and tears were not so much out of fashion in the Primitive Church as to be rediculous in ours as for their prayers that they were not aim'd against the Emperour I hope has been sufficiently shew'd already but onely intendâ—d for his safety And though it may seem unmanly yet that it was not unchristian to weep St. Ambrose will inform us who speaking to his Flock at Milane tells them Willingly I will never forsake you being constrain'd I know not how to make opposition I can sorrow I can weep I can sigh against Armour Souldiers and Goths Tears are my weapons for such is the Armour of a Priest otherways I cannot dare not resist Amb. in Ora. de Bas. non Trad. And this same Father who had likewise to deal with an Arian Emperour Valentinian the younger did not defend himself with his hand or his weapon but by fastings and continual watchings and continuing under the Altars by his prayers he procur'd God to be a defender both of him and his Church Ruf. Ec. H. l. 2. c. 26. And that Prayers and Tears do very well together St. Bernard tells us writing to â—udovicus then King of France Indeed we will stand and sight even unto death if need so requires in our Mothers behalf with such weapons as we may lawfully use not with Bucklers and Swords but with Prayers and Tears to God I suppose if he had meant against the Emperour he would hardly have wrote him word so Ber. in Ep. 221. ad Ludo. Re. CHAP. VI. Constantius's Death COnstantius after having reign'd 38 years a great while for a Roman Emperour and Persecutour and yet not too long for Athanasius wisheth him many Circuits of years making War in Persia heard the unwelcome News of Iulian's being proclaim'd Emperour by the Army 'T is not to be imagined but he resented this treacherous Action with the highest indignation but we do not hear that he attempted to exclude him for it he knew he had declar'd Iulian's right to the Succession by making him Caesar and that consequently it was not in his power to take away that right which was deriv'd from the Law of Nature and confirm'd by his Edict and which could onely cease with Iulian's Life That these were his thoughts we shall best judge by his proceedings in this affair for he did not put out his Edicts to take
prevail with them to attempt it 'T would be easie here to answer all the pretended Arguments and Authorities Mr. Iohnson brings to prove the contrary actions of the Primitive Christians toward Iulian but I suppose the Reader remembers what has been already said of them particularly in the Preface so that I shall not need to trouble him or my self with a repetition But I shall hasten to give an Account of their Behaviour toward Constantius and leave the world to judge whether it be not more agreeable to the Gospel than that which Mr. Iohnson falsely scandalizes the Christians under Iulian with and consequently fittest for our imitation CHAP. III. Their Behaviour towards Him in Words 'T IS a strange account Mr. Iohnson gives us of the Christians behaviour towards their Emperour though a Persecutour and an Apostate for railing is certainly so far from being Evangelical that it is contrary to the Principles of common breeding But perhaps these were some of those unhappy people the Emperour had interdicted the benefit of going to School to and now he deservedly found the effect of his cruelty But then he ought to have told us so and not to have laid it down in such general terms as if it were the approv'd practice of the whole Church This is the strangest injustice to that famous age imaginable and onely exposing those examples one would think by the end of his book he designs we should imitate for from the scope of his Book I can conclude nothing but this viz. That he intends to give us an account how the Christians in former ages behav'd themselves toward an Apostate to inform us what we may doe on the like occasion I must confess he has done most of his own party a considerable kindness for they hitherto have rail'd without president as well as without cause And I suppose Greek e'er long will be much in fashion with them as a Language that will extremely accomplish them for that Christian liberty But as for us we shall rather fetch the methods of our Conduct from the graver Writings of the Fathers of those times and not imitate him who like our late travelling Sparks onely observes and treasures up the vices and follies of the places he visits and exposes them when he comes home for rarities and accomplishments None certainly but the scum and rabble of that age could be guilty of those indignities to their Emperour but Mr. Iohnson tells us no less a man than Theodoret commends them for their Nick-names and Reproaches and quotes his 3 d Book and c. 22. for what he says I have look't with both eyes and cannot find any thing like it He commends indeed the Antiochians for their Zeal but not their rudeness As to the Example of Maris which he brings as the second and last argument to justifie ill language given to an Emperour if an Apostate is of very little force for without all doubt it was an indiscreet Action and nothing but his great Zeal for Religion could make any colourable excuse for it For who unless he had a mind to be a Martyr would affront an Emperour in the height of his devotion and upbraid his gods when he was paying his adorations to them Origen I am sure would have counted such an Action down-right madness for he tells us when we doe nothing contrary to the law and word of God we are not so mad or furious as to stir up against our selves the wrath of the King or of the Magistrate which would bring upon us blows torments and divers kinds of death And I have some reason to assert this from the quite different Conduct of all the Fathers that liv'd under Constantius that were so far from doing any thing of this nature unprovok't that all the Cruelties that Apostate Emperour could inflict did not extort the least mis-becoming expression from them Athanasius tells the Emperour in his Apology I am not mad O King neither have I forgot the voice of God that saith Curse not the King no not in thy heart And again I did not oppose the Command of your Majesty God forbid I am not such a man as would oppose the very Treasurer of the City much less so great an Emperour I was not so mad as to contradict such a Command as yours I neither did oppose the Command of your Majesty nor will now attempt to enter into Alexandria untill you of your Goodness will please I shall And in another place of the same Apology he tells Constantius If I had been accus'd before others I had appeal'd unto your Majesty as the Apostle appeal'd unto Caesar But seeing they have taken the boldness to calumniate me before Thee to whom shall I appeal from Thee but to the Father of him who said I am truth that he may incline thy heart to mercy St. Hilary tells him and in the time of Persecution too your mild nature blessed Lord agreeth with your gracious disposition and because of your great mercy we don't doubt of easily obtaining what we desire of you we beg of you not onely with words but tears that the Catholick Church be no longer persecuted by our brethren Hilar. ad Const. l. 2. And 20 Bishops of the West in the conclusion of a Letter from a Synod at Ariminum We beseech you that you cause us not to stay from our Charges but that the Bishops together with their own People may with peace employ themselves in prayers and the service of God making supplication for your Kingdoms safety and peace in which the divine Majesty long preserve you Atha Epist. de Syn. Ari. c. Hosius likewise a man of an extraordinary Zeal and Courage though provok't by the severest Persecutions imaginable can't think it lawfull for him to speak so much as dis-respectfully of the Emperour but tells him Since he had receiv'd his Imperial Power from God whosoever did detract any thing from that should be look't upon as an opposer of the Ordinance of God It would be easie to seem very learned upon this point that is to stuff my Margin with quotations but that 's a vanity I am not over-desirous to be thought guilty of I hope the authorities I have already cited will be sufficient to prove what I design'd viz. That it was the judgment of the Primitive Christians that no ill usage from their Emperour though a Heathen or Apostate could authorize them to affront him and that difference of Religion doth not by any means cancell our Obedience to him Now that the face of things should be so soon chang'd as that it should be damnation to speak ill of the Emperour under Constantius and under Iulian his immediate Successour not onely permitted but meritorious to curse him as Mr. Iohnson acquaints us is very strange I am confident if they did those Actions he lays to their charge they had no president for them in former ages and the doctrine they govern'd themselves by was
us by an uncontrollable Arbitrary power As to the first of these the case is plain and agreed upon on all hands that submission is necessarily requir'd to a Persecutour that acts according to the Laws of his Country this Mr. Iohnson allows p. 92. in these words When the Laws of God and our Country interfere and 't is made death by the Law of the Land to be a good Christian then we are to lay down our lives for Christ's sake So that all the dispute is about our Submission to a Persecutour that acts without the authority of the Law and contrary to it Mr. Iohnson denies that Submission is due to him by the Gospel ibid. but I shall make the contrary appear from the plain authority of the Holy Scriptures the sense of the Primitive Christians as likewise from that too of our present Church For first if we are not oblig'd to submit to a Tyrant that acts contrary to the Law we may resist him for there is no Medium flying being part of our Passive Obedience that is acknowledg'd due to a Persecutour that acts according to Law but resisting is not in any case allowable for besides our Saviour's own words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is forbidden Rom. 12. 17. to return any man evil for evil And again v. 19. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay it saith the Lord. Now if no man may pay evil to his brother that has injur'd him but by the hand of the Supreme Power how can it be allowable to render evil for evil to the Supreme Power it self It cannot be done but by a Superiour and He onely is God We have redress indeed against the violence of our fellow subject by applying our selves to the Magistrate who may punish the offender being authorized by God so to doe Rom. 3. 4. But we don't find the People have the like Power over the Magistrate Obedience is our business which is inconsistent with the liberty of resisting Grotius tells us plainly Si quia summum imperium habenti libet injuria nobis inferatur toleranda potius est quam vi resistendum For though by the Law of Nature we have the power of Repelling injuries yet we have a greater obligation from the Civil Government under which we live that wholly devests us of this right Potest igitur Civitas jus illud resistendi promiscuum publicae pacis ordinis causâ prohibere cap. 4. l. 2. de Iu. Bel. Pa. So that this patient submitting to the Arbitrary determinations of the Magistrate is not onely from the doctrine of our Saviour but from the principlâ—s of Civil prudence For the Lawyers will tell us that a mischief is better than an inconvenience not that the first formally consider'd is to be preferr'd to the latter but that an inconvenience whose consequence would reach unto the general should be prevented rather than a mischief that would onely endamage particular Hence it is that opposing the Magistrate is forbid upon any terms whatsoever since the indulgence of it would bring a train of ill consequences ten times worse than all the mischiefs we can possibly suffer from the cruelty of a lawless Tyrant For as Grotius has it in his Commentary on the 13 of the Romans Reges constituuntur ut improbitate repressa tutiùs vivant boni hoc autem plenissimè praestant boni reges mali quoque aliquatenus vel sui causa quanquam aliquando vitii aliquid interveniat nunquam tamen non tutiùs est esse Principes quam non esse Rectè ergo Tacitus vitia erunt donec homines sed neque haec continua meliorum interventu pensantur It was a Maxim the former Heathens learnt from their Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that this anger was not always suppos'd to be just a Latin saying to the same purpose will shew us ames parentem si aequus est si non feras and that the same if not much greater difference is to be paid to our common Father is out of question In some cases I allow it is lawfull not to obey our Parent or our King but in all cases 't is necessary not to resist St. Peter Commands Servants to be subject to their Masters with all fear not onely the good and gentle but also the froward for this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience-sake toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully and Grotius will tell us Quod dicitur subjectionem dominis deberi etiam duris idem ad reges quoque referendum Nay we owe a greater submission to our Governours than a Servant doth to his Master for if he complains of wrongfull usage redress is to be had from the Magistrate but we can onely appeal to God But to put this matter beyond all controversie let 's consider what St. Paul says Rom. 13. 2. Whosoever resists the power resists the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Here is a general rule laid down without the least exception and that it belongs to us will be evident if we consider who gave it St. Paul who being the Apostle of the Gentiles what he delivers is universal And why should we presume to be wiser than the Law and make distinctions where we find none St. Paul tells us Whoever resists the power shall be damn'd Mr. Iohnson tells us we may resist one that acts contrary to Law This distinction might be plausible if this wicked power were not the Ordinance of God but since it is as I shall evidently make out by and by the resisting this Ordinance contracts a guilt that makes us obnoxious to eternal torments Mr. Iohnson indeed quotes Bracton to prove that a Magistrate can have no power from God to act contrary to the Law Quia potestas juris solius Dei est potestas autem injuriae Diaboli But I wonder what Divine â—ver consulted a common Lawyer before about a Case of Conscience for I believe Westminster-Hall Divinity is as bad as Pulpit-law He may likewise if he please make use of Scotch Politicks and he will find his Friendâ— Knox and Buchanan of his opinion But St. Augustine will tell him Praef. in Enar. 2 Ps. 29. Every evil man hath in himself the will to hurt but to be able to hurt is not in his power In that he hath the will to hurt he is already guilty but that he should have the ability is permitted by the secret dispensation of God's Providence toward some for Punishment toward some for Tryal toward some for obtaining a Crown For punishment as the Philistins were permitted to subdue the people of Israel because they had sinned against God For tryal the Devil was permitted to assault Iob but Iob was tryed the Devil confounded For winning the Crown the Persecutours were let loose against the Martyrs the Martyrs were slain the Persecutours thought they had gotten the day