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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	faith_n	reason_n	7,423	5	5.8303	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56215	The sword of Christian magistracy supported, or, A vindication of the Christian magistrates authority under the Gospell, to punish idolatry, apostacy, heresie, blasphemy, and obstinate schism, with corporall, and in some cases with capitall punishments ... by William Prinne of Lincolns Inne, Esquire.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing P4099; ESTC R15969	222,705	186

whom the offence commeth Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed rather then having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire c. If then the necessity of offences and impossibility but that they will come doth not excuse those by whom they come either from Woe Punishment or Hel-fire it selfe by Christs owne resolution and therefore we must cut off a right hand a right foot and pull out a right eye in case they offend us to preserve the whole body from hell and destruction then by the same reason the necessity of Heresies and Schisms will neither excuse nor exempt Hereticks nor Schismaticks from temporal or eternall Woes punishments or from being cut off and rooted out when incurable or incorrigible to preserve the whole body of a Church from infection and ruine IV. If this be no good Argument or consequent as all will grant There is a necessity that the earth by reason of Gods curse upon it should bring forth Bryars Thornes and Weeds which will and doe alwayes spring up in our Gardens Grounds and among our Corne Gen. 3. 17 18. Mat. 13. 25 26 c. Heb. 6. 7 8. Ergo we must not weed nor pull up such Thistles Bryars and Weeds out of our Gardens Grounds Corne but suffer them to grow without controll Nor this Foxes Wolves Beares and other Beasts of prey doe by a naturall instinct and necessity devour and pray upon Lambs Sheep and other Cattle therefore it is unlawfull to chase them away from the Sheep Heard Poultery or kill them for devouring them or to kill or drive away Rats Mice or Vermine from our Corne on which nature teacheth them to feed to preserve their lives Then certainly the Objection by like reason must be as absurd incoherent as these Arguments though there were a necessity of Heresies and Schismes V. Admit there were a necessity of Heresies and Schismes in generall yet there is no necessity that such or such a particular Heresie should spring up or that such a particular person should either be an Heretick or Schismatick and if any be such it is from their owne free choyce or love of Error and through their owne default not any inevitable necessity imposed on them by God therefore they may be justly punished for it both temporally and eternally as well as those who crucified Christ in pursuance of Gods owne Councell and Decree which neither mitigated nor extenuated their voluntary sin Act. 2. 22 23 58 ch 4. 26 27 28. 1 Thes 2. 15 16. VI. The necessity of Heresies and Schismes did not prohibit nor restraine Paul himselfe from smiting Elymas the Sorcerer with blindnesse Acts 13. 6 to 13. nor from delivering Hymeneus and Philetus who denying the Resurrection and subverted the faith of some to Satan ● Tim. 1. 19 20. 2 Tim. 2. 17 18. nor from casting out the incestuous Corinthian 1 Cor. 5. 5. nor from wishing those that troubled the Galathians to be cut off Gal. 5. 21. nor from opposing Schisme and Schi●maticks 1 Cor. 1. 8 to 17. Rom. 16. 17 18. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 ● 2 Tim. 3. 1 to 7. Tit. 3. 10 11. Therefore it can no more exempt them from temporall punishments by the civill Magistrate then Ecclesiasticall by Church-Officers and the Apostle Paul himselfe Finally the contingent good which Hereticks and Schismaticks sometimes doe to those that are approved doth no wayes plead for their toleration or impunity because it is contingent Al Heresies and Schismes are in their owne natures evill dangerous destructive pernicious If Gods over-ruling providence turnes them to good to some yet they are dangerous and pernicious to most and therefore deserve both suppression and punishment by Gods own expresse precept Jude 3 4 c. Rev. 2. 13 4 115 20 21. 2 John 9 ●0 11. Rom. 16. 17 18. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. The Devill himselfe and his malice is sometimes an accidentall occasion of good to the Saints yet they must resist him stedfastly else he would devour them James 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Eph. 6. 12 13. So ill humours diseases casually doe the body good sometimes but it is by purging of them out with Physick and Phlebotomy else they will become mortall so it is with Heresies and Schisms they will prove damnable and pernicious if not purged out of the Churches body All which considered the Argument from this objected Text will prove a meer inconsequent and absurdity As for the other Objection which the Independents and Sectaries of late cry up That no man now is guided with an infallible Spirit so as insallibly and certainly to define what is Heresie and Blasphemy what not Therefore men are not to be capitally punished for Heresie or Blasphemie They might adde by the like reason not for any other crime I answer briefly because answered at large by Master Beza heretofore and by Master Edwards now in his Treatise against Toleration and elswhere touched upon here but fully refuted in my Truth triumphing over Falshood pag. 152 to 156. First that this Objection proves our Sectaries and Independents who object it meere Nullifidians who beleeve not the very Principles of Religion with an infallible certainty of falth as indubitable Truths but onely as probable Tenets which may be false as well as true in which they are worse then Papists who though they plead for doubting of their owne salvation yet they doubt not at all of their Religion though erronious Yea worse then the veriest Turks and Pagans who beleeve their Idolatrous Religions to be infallibly true Secondly I wonder how these Objectors dare professe or embrace any thing in Religion which they beleeve not certainly to be an infallible truth since whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and he that doubteth is damned Rom. 14. 23. or how they can with comfort suffer for it Thirdly we have the true reason of our Sectaries and Independents ficklenesse and daily changes from one opinion to another till they become flat Schismaticks or Atheists because they beleeve nothing with certainty Fourthly we have here an infallible evidence that they are neither good Saints nor Christians much lesse the onely Saints and anointed ones as they stile themselves since the Saints are all rooted grounded in the true Christian Faith and led infallibly into all divine Truths necessary to salvation which they both beleeve and have been taught Col. 2. 7. 2 Pet. 1. 12 19. Ephes 3. 17. 18. chap. 4. 14 15 1 Cor. 15. 58. Luke 1. 1 2 4. James 1. 6 7 8. 1 Cor. 16 13. Phil. 1. 27. chap. 4. 1. John 15. 13. ch 8. 32. ● Tim. 4. 3. Fiftly there are some Principles in Divinity which all true Saints and Christians infallibly beleeve and know both concerning God the Father Christ the holy Ghost the divine Attributes the sacred Scriptures and

examination beleeving it as an Oracle sent from Heaven because they vent it though there be no ground in Sctipture for it and cry it up for NEW LIGHT when in truth it is onely OLD HERESIE revived or NEW BLASPHEMY or Error guilded over with the name of Gospel-Light How many poor souls Master John Goodwin Master Peters Master Dell Master Saltmarsh Paul Hobson the Taylor now a shining light and their Confederates have thus captivated and led away with blind obedience is too well knowne to the world Ergo by Master D●i's owne Doctrine since they have brought men with their New light and Crotchets ●● beleeve and doe even what they please or prescribed though they know not whether it be with the Word or against the Word they must be from henceforth quite exploded out of the Church as well as the Magistrates coercive power prisons banishments losse of Goods or death or if they deny this consequence they must still admit of these in the Church to suppresse and punish Herefies Hereticks Schismes Blasphemies though they bring some into blind obedience as Ministers and their erronious New lights daily doe who produce more and farre worse blind obedience then the Magistrates coercive Lawes or Punishments Fiftly it is most evident that there alwayes hath been and ever will be much blind obedience in the Church of God arising principally from the Ignorance Idlenesse want of love to the truth and inconstancy of men and till God himselfe by his Spirit shall fully open the eyes of mens understandings to behold and their hearts to receiv● love and hold fast the Truth the happinesse of few or none but the Elect they will be still possessed more or lesse with such a Blindnesse This therefore being the misery and punishment of mankind for their originall disobedience to God in Adams sinne of two inevitable blind obediences it is farre better fafer for people to beleeve as the State and Councell shall please and what the Parliament Assembly after much fasting prayer seeking unto God studying and searching of the Scriptures settle then what Mr Dell shall decree who understood not the very meaning of his Text as Mr Love hath proved and scarce of any one Scripture he quotes as I have evidenced or what Master Goodwin Master Peters Master Saltmarsh Paul Hobson or any other New light shall prescribe and set up of themselves without and against Authority especially since they beleeve and prescribe all with a S●epticall Faith and reserve to change and alter at their pleasure and not to be bound by their present judgment or practice which for ought men know may alwayes ring the changes till their knels be rung they having been so variable heretofore and yet not fixed at the last certainly such a blind obedience to the Parliament State Councell and supreame Powers to whom God enjoynes Obedience in all lawfull and indifferent things will be farre more acceptable to God and all good men and freer from the brand of Popish Obedience then blind obedience to Master Dell or any other New Comet whatsoever with wilfull disobedience both to our Church State Parliament Lawes established Religion and Government the practice of the best and purest Churches of ancient and latter times from which these New lights vary out of affected singularity or to maintain a faction to bring about their owne worldly designes Finally the blind obedience of Hereticks Schismaticks false Teachers Sectaries and the like to Lawes and Punishments which would both restraine and reclaime them is farre more acceptable to God more profitable lesse hurtfull lesse damnable to themselves lesse pernicious to others lesse hurtfull scandalous to the Church and State wherein they live and more pleasing unto both then their obstinate Heresies Errors Schismes blasphemies are or can be and may through Gods blessing prove an effectall meanes of their reformation if not of their reall conversion to the Truth therefore ex duobus malis minimum the danger of ●lind obedience must neither exempt such from the Magistrates jurisdiction nor from his corporall or capitall punishments which are just and lawfull in themselves and may prove beneficiall or at lest lesse hurtfull to them of the two Finally the Magistrates compelling Hereticks and Schismaticks seduced to blind Obedience by their blind Leaders to come to the publick Ordinances where they may be truly informed instructed and converted to the truth is so farre from working blind obedience in them that it brings them to true and solid obedience upon just grounds of Scripture reason conviction and so is quite contrary to what is here objected And thus I have blowne up this strong Hold of this great Man of Warre as well as the former His next Objection is this 〈◊〉 Reformation or suppressing Heresies false Doctrines Blasphemies Schismes by externall Censures causes disturbances and tumults in the world when men are caused by outward power to act against their inward principles in the things of God what disturbances this hath bred in States and Kingdomes who knowes not So that they who lay hold on the power of men and goe abovt to reforme hearts and consciences by outward violence are never the cause of Reformation but alwayes of tumult And this renders the cause of the Gospel grievous and odious to the world rather then commendable and therefore let all that love the Gospel of Christ abstaine from outward violence for they that use the Sword in this kind shall in the end perish by the Sword This Argument and misapplication of our Saviours words is borrowed from the old Donatists and late Anabaptists as is evident by August Cont. Lit. Petilian Donatist l. 2. c. 88. Epist 48 50. Lucas Osiander Enchirid. contr cum Anabaptistis c. 9. qu. 1. p. 188. I answer first That this Argument is grounded on deduced from no Text of Scripture but meerly on and from worldly policy which Master Dell tels us must have no place in the Church of God no more then worldly power Secondly as we must not do evil that good may come of it so the Magistrate must not neglect to do justice and punish Hereticks Schismatick Seducers Idolaters and Blasphemers though outward mischiefes seditions tumults which they cause may ensue thereupon Master Dell I hope never preached this Doctrine either to our Victorious General or the Army that the taking up Armes against the King and his Malignant Forces in defence of our Parliament Religion Lawes Liberties would cause very great disturbances tumults murders and distractions in the Kingdome farre more far greater then the suppression of obstinate Hereticks or Schismaticks Ergo it was utterly unlawfull for them to take up Armes or fight or draw blood in this cause as Doctor Ferne and other Royallists argue from this very ground if he had preached any such Doctrine to them no doubt they would have casheered sequestred him longere this for such Malignant Divinity

Vicegerents punish all high Treasons or Offences not the King alone in person committed directly against the King himselfe and that with greater care then any offences against other persons and Councels of Warre punish offences against the General himself more exemplarily then against inferiour Officers which if this hold good they could not intermeddle with We read John 19. 12. 13. That when Pontius Pilate would have released our Saviour Christ the Jewes cryed out saying if thou let this man goe thou art not Cesars friend whosoever maketh himselfe a King speaketh against Caesar When Pilate therefore heard that saying he brought Jesus forth and sate downe on the Judgment-seat and delivered him ever to the chiefe Priests to be crucified who said we have no King but Caesar Certainly I may much more truly say that those Princes Judges Magistrates who are Gods Deputies and sit upon his Throne of judgment are no friends at all to God and lesse zealous for him then Pilate was for Caesar if they doe not with all care and zeale punish such Atheists Blasphemers Hereticks most severely who sinne immediately against that God whose very Vicegerents and Avengers they are and it shall be more intolerable for them at the day of judgment then for any Judge or Viceroy who wilfully refuseth to punish high Treason against his earthly Soveraigne which is no lesse then high Treason in himselfe I shall say no more to this Objection but that it is fitter for Beasts then rationall men for incarnate Devils Atheists then spirituall Saints for God-dammee Cavaliers then Parliament-Troopers who deserve to be boared through the Tongue or rather to have their Tongues cut out for such blasphemous arguments in favour of blasphemy The thirteenth Objection is this Repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth being a special gift of God and man not capable of it nor of any divine supernaturall truth not revealed by the very light of nature it is very unreasonable that the want of it being a judgment upon a man from God and which withall no way proves hurtfull unto others at lest not necessarily or unavoydably hurtfull that it should expose him to further misery and punishment from among men a reasonable man will think it very hard and unreasonable to punish a man for not doing that which is onely proper and in the power of God alone to doe I answer that this is one of John Goodwins Atheisticall reasons against the Magistrates jurisdiction to punish Hereticks Schismaticks Antitrinitarians or Denyers of the Deity of Christ and the holy Ghost with corporall and capitall punishments borrowed from Petilian the Donatist warranted by no Text at all and directly contrary to the whole current of Scripture as I shall prove by these instances First if this argument holds good then no man can in any reason be punished or damned either for originall sinne or unbeliefe or want of repentance faith or any other saving grace because it it not in mans owne power industry or seeking to avoyd these sinnes or procure these saving graces but onely in the power of God to work them yet God punisheth these unavoydable sins and want of these spiritual graces with eternal death Secondly the want of the grace of God hardens mens hearts the defect of his fear before their eyes which is not in their power but Gods is one principall cause why men commit or fall into any capitall sins as Treason Murder and the like as well as cōmit and fall into Heresie Schism Blasphemy Atheism Idolatry But the want of Gods grace or feare to prevent Treason or Murder will not excuse Traytors Murderers or other Malefactors from the Gallowes nor Children nor Servants from their Parents and Masters due correction therefore not Hereticks Idolaters Blasphemers Atheists Schismaticks from due punishments Thirdly admit it would be hard and very unreasonable for a Christian Magistrate to punish any Heathen who never enjoyed the meanes of Christianity nor professed the Christian Religion for not beleeving in Christ or the holy Ghost or for contradicting any truths revealed onely by the light of Scripture not nature since as many as have sinned without the written Law shall be judged without the written Law onely for breach of the Law of nature as Divines determine from Rom. 2. 12 to 17. Yet since Christians who professe Christianity have the light of the Scripture to direct them which by diligent reading hearing prayer meditating conference to which they are obliged and which lyes in their owne power they may fully understand so farre as to discerne between Heresie Error Blasphemy and the Truth it selfe it is as great reason justice that the Christian Magistrate should punish them with corporall and in some cases with capitall punishments as God with eternall for broaching damnable Heresies Errors Blasphemies and Schismaticall opinions against the written Word or as to punish Heathens or Christians for any offence committed by them meerly against the Law of nature which is nothing so cleere and perspicuous to Heathens as the Scripture is or may be unto Christians Fourthly admit the Objection solid yet it is nothing to purpose since the Magistrate never punisheth any man for his meer ignorance or unbeliefe as is pretended though Ecclesiasticall Officers doe by suspention from the Sacrament and I think Master Goodwin too against this very argument which holds as well in Ecclesiasticall as Secular punishments but onely for actuall maintaining or venting damnable Hetesies Errors Blasphemies and Schismaticall practises after admonitions and other meanes used to reclaime them Therefore the Objector might well have kept this rover in his quiver which comes not ●eer the mark Fiftly Heresies Blasphemies Errors Schismes are exceeding prejudiciall to others and Gods eternall punishing of them hereafter is no supersedeas to the Magistrates censures of them here as I have formerly evidenced Therefore this Argument is both false and idle The fourteenth Objection is this That power is very dangerous for a Magistrate to owne in the exercise whereof he may very easily and commonly doth run a hazard at lest of fighting against God or of plucking up that which he hath planted or of pulling downe that which God hath built up But such is that power of punishing Heresies Scismes Blasphemies c. which A. S. cum multis aliis are ready to fasten upon him Ergo. The proposition is too much every mans sense and consent to be A. S. his dissent The Assumption he proves because those practises in Religion which the Magistrate is borne in hand by those whose eyes be sees with in such cases to be schismaticall erronious and contrary unto God may very possibly be the wayes and truths of God because Synods Parliaments and Magistrates formerly have mistaken in this kind and may still mistake I answer first that the proposition is not onely without but against Scripture and might have been made against the Magistrates and

against their wils as Parents sometime enforce their children and Masters their Servants which by Gods blessing may work a right faith and beliefe in them by degrees and convert them from their errors Forced Physick and Potions oft timea recover sick men and so doe forced Ordinances and Conferences hereticall erronious sinfull men as experience manifests Secondly they may punish them for their obstinate heresies schismes blasphemies and thereby bring them to a serious examination reformation and discovery of them and so to a kind of forcible embracing of the Truth as Christ in a manner thus enforced Paul by outward violence to give over his persecution and beleeve professe the Gospel Acts 9. Thirdly tempests at Sea enforce Mariners and Merchants to be willing to cast all their Goods over-board to save their lives so may Magistrates penalties enforce Hereticks Schismaticks Blasphemers to cast away their errors heresies schisms Blasphemies and imbrace the Truth to save their lives liberties or estates Fourthly an erronious judgment and conscience in matters of Religion is not a Christians rule of faith or practice but the word of God the rule both of his judgment Conscience faith life and it is a dangerous yea damnable sin for any to be led by such a conscience or judgment contrary to the word If then a Christian Magistrate be fully perswaded in his conscience upon just grounds that he is bound to restraine and punish such Heretickes Schismatickes Blasphemers who follow their owne erronious judgments and consciences against the expresse word of God even to force them from their heresies errors schismes blasphemies when no other meanes will prevaile he may no doubt inflict corporall punishments on them as God himselfe oft times inflicts outward judgments thereby to enforce them to renounce their Heresies and embrace the Truth And in this sence Religion may lawfully be forced as will appeare by the examples of Manasseh Nebuchadnezzer and Paul forecited and by Deut. 13. 11. Jude 23. God himselfe appointing this externall violence as a meanes to work an inward change both of faith and life as I have largely proved Thirdly there is an affirmative and a negative beliefe Though the Magistrate cannot enforce men by externall punishments or censures to beleeve yet he may enforce them to come to the publick Ordinances whereby they may be allured converted to the true Faith and likewise negatively enforce or restrain them nor to preach nor yet to spred or propagate such an heresie error blasphemy or schismaticall opinion contrary to the Scripture and Religion established to the infection of others the disturbance of the publick peace and dishonour of Christian Religion yea punish such who shall transgresse because this is no forcing of mens faith consciences to beleeve or embrace what faith the Magistrate pleaseth but a restraining or punishing of an heresie error blasphemy which is a sinne in the party who is guilty of it punishable by the Magistrate and a sinne in him to connive at or tolerate the same without punishment Excellent to this purpose is that passage of Augustine recorded approved by Gratian Canonists and Schoolmen Petilian the Donatist objected against the Princes by whom he and other Hereticks were punished these two things among others which Master Dell and his Saints now object First That no man is to be compelled to faith Secondly That good manners are not to be chosen but onely out of Free-will and produceth all or most of Master Del s Arguments and Texts alleaged in his Sermon which is but meer old Donatisme and Petilianisme varnished over with the title of New Gospel-light to prove that Magistrates ought not to enforce any man to beleeve against his conscience or punish any Heretick or Schismaticks with corporall or capitall punishments as being contrary to and not warranted by the Gospel To which this Father gives this grave answer most suitable to our present times and to Master Dell and his new Donatists who make the selfe same Objections which I shall recite more fully because it will very much conduce to discover the practises and stop the mouths of our Opposites Petilianus dixit Quôd si cogi per legem aliquem vel ad bona licuisset vos ipsi miseri a nobis ad fidem purissimam cogi debuistis Sed absit absit à nostra conscientia ut ad nostram fidem aliquem compellamus Augustinus respondit Ad fidem quidem nullus est cogendus invitus sed per severitatem imo per misericordiam Dei tribulationum flagellis solet perfidia castigari Nunquid quia mores optimi libertate voluntatis eliguntur ideo mores pessimi non legis integritate puniuntur Sed tamen male vivendi ultrix disciplina praepostera est nisi cum praecedens bene vivenda doctrina contemnitur Si quae igitur adversus vos leges constitutae sunt non eis benefacere cogimini sed malefacere prohibimini dum benefacere nemo potest nisi elegerit nisi amaverit quod est in libera voluntate Timor autem paenarnm si nondum habet delectationem bonae conscientiae saltem intra claustra cogitationis coercet malam cupiditatem Qui tamen adversas leges constituerunt quibus vestra comprimatur audacia nonne hi de quibus dicit Apostolus Quia non sine causa gladium portant ministri Dei enim sunt vindices in iram ei qui malè agit Tota igitur quaestio est utrum vos non male agatis quibus tanti Schismatis sacrilegium objecit orbis terrarum Cujus quaestionis discussione neglecta superflua loquimini cum vivatis ut latrones mori vos jactatis ut Martyres Et quia vel ipsas leges vel invidiam formidatis vel ad resistendum impares estis non dico adversus tot homines sed adversus tot gentes catholicas etiam de mansuetudine gloriamini quod ad vestram partem neminem cogitis Isto modo milvus cum pullos rapere territus non potuerit columbum se nominat Ubi enim potuistis non fecistis Unde ostenditis quòd plura faceretis si possetis Quando Julianus vobis Christi invidons paci basilicas reddidit unitatis quae strages a vobis factae sunt quando vobiscum apertis templis suis etiam daemones exultabant Quis cōmemorare sufficiat bello Firmiano quae à vobis Rogatus Maurus pertulerit Ipsa Mauritania Caesariensis interrogetur tempora Gildoniani quia unus collega vester familiarissimus amicus ejus fuit Viderint Maximinianistae quae senserint nam Felicianum ipsum qui modo vobiscum est si ad jusiurandum liceret provocare utrum ad communionem vestram non invitum Optatus redire compulerit movere labia non auderet praesertim si ejus faciem populus Musticanus intueretur quo teste illa tunc facta sunt Sed isti ut dixi viderint quae passi fuerint ab eis cum quibus Rogato talia fecerant Ipsa

opinions are all pointblank against him asserting the Magistrates legislative coercive and punitative power in case of Heresie Schisme Seduction Blasphemy and all kind of open sinne against God or the Churches peace as well as against men so as I beleeve his owne words I have ACCIDENTALL● MET WITH THEM to be true itimating he never read the Authors themselves and I hope I have substantially retorted them to his shame He addes there That the Truth he meanes the Anti-magistraticall Anabaptisticall errors he maintaines against the Magistrates coercive power hath but a few Followers which implies that what I assert hath Many And indeed it hath so as many as would overswell this Treatise I shall therefore give you onely a touch of some Not to mention all the godly Emperours Kings Princes Republicks Lawes and Proceedings forecited to this purpose recorded approved by all Ecclesiasticall Histories Divines Ancient and Moderne as Eusebius Socrates Scholasticus Theodoret Sozomen Ruffinus Cassiodor Evagrius Nicephorus Callistus the Century Writers Augustine Epist 48 50. and Contr. Lit Petiliani lib. 2. Peter Martyr Aretius Paraeus Beza and others Nor yet to remember the sayings of Hierom Ambrose and other Ancients to this purpose collected by Gratian Gausa 23. qu. 4 5. where you may peruse them at large nor of Julius Firmicus Maternus or Chrysostome in Rom. 13. nor the saying of Amphilochus to the Emperour Theodosius recorded by Theodoret Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 16. nor of Ambrose to the Emperour Valentitian the second registred by Theodoret l. 5. c. 13. or that in his Epist 12. 33. and his Oratio ad Auxentium nor Chrysostomes notable speech to the Emperour Arcadius recorded by Symeon Metaphrastes Ribadeniera and others in his life against the toleration and for the suppression of Hereticks all pertinent to my purpose I shall give onely a briefe account of some Fathers Opinions in this point to satisfie the learned Readers Tertullian who lived in the dayes of Persecution is of this opinion That Hereticks ought to be forced and punished Ad Officium Haereticos COMPELLI non illici dignum est duritia vincenda est non suadenda c. Saint Cyprian who was himselfe a Martyr writes thus Sic Idololatriae indignatur Deus ut praeceperit etiam eos interfici qui sacrificare servire Idolis suaserint in Deut. 13. iterum loquitur Dominus dicit nec Civitati parcendum etiam si universa consenserit ad Idololatriam Cujus praecepti rigoris memor Mathathias enterfecit eum qui ad aram sacrificaturus accesserat Quod si ante adventum Christi circa Deum colendum idola spernenda haec praecepta servata sunt QUANTO MAGIS post adventum Christi servanda sunt c. Et cum ille passus sit pro alienis peccatis muliò magis pro peccatis suis pati unumquemque debere From which place Jacobus Pamelius in his Annotations on this Chapter Annot. 27. and Bellarmin de Laicis l. 3. c. 21. inferre the lawfulnesse of putting not onely Idolaters but Hereticks also to death under the Gospel and good reason for it if we beleeve Rhabanus Maurus for Haeretici quot erroribus tot Idolis sunt obnoxii Epiphanius Cyrill of Hierusalem and Others record and approve the punishment of Manes the Heretick who had his skin flead off from his body and then was cast unto and devoured of Dogs Saint Jerom records and approves the edicts of the Christian Emperour Quae de Alexandria Aegypto Origenistas pelli jubent and against Priscillian the Heretick Qui SECULI GLADIO totius Orbis Auctoritate DAMNATUS EST And in his Commentary on Galat. 5. I would they were cut off that trouble you he writes thus Certè nullam puto inveteri Lege iam trucem tam cruentam in aliquos esse sententiam quàm utinam abscindantur qui vos perturbant Si putant sibi hoc prodesse non solum circumcidentur sed etiam abscindantur si enim expoliatio membri proficit multò magis ablatio with whom Primasius and Claudius Altisiodorensis concurre in terminis in cap. 5. Epist ad Galat. Saint Chrysostome though he seems unwilling to have all Hereticks slain and put to death Si enim morte plectarentur Haeretici atrox profectô irreconciliabile bellum universo terrarum Orbi esset inserendum their multitude being then so great dispersed over the whole world yet he addes even from the Parable of the Tares it selfe Non autem prohibet Dominus quo minus impudentem Haereticorum audaciam SUFFRENEMUS SIMUL ET RESTRINGAMUS verum ne vita prorsus exigamus And in his 47. Homily on Matthew he addes Non prohibet autem Conciliabula Haereticorum DISSIPARE ora obstuere libertatem loquendi concidere verum interficere trucidare With whom Euthymius accords both of them agreeing That where Hereticks who are Tares cannot be plucked up without danger to the Wheat and orthodox Christians there they are not to be put to death but when and where there is no such danger they may be executed even be death This was Saint Augustines opinion at first That Hereticks were not to be punished by the Secular Magistrate nor put to death which upon consideration he afterwards retracted asserting at last Both the utility and necessity of the Magistrates Coercive power and justifying the Emperours Lawes and procéedings against them even unto death it selfe though to avoid the censure of cruelty he sometimes intercedes for the sparing of the lives even of those Hereticall Donatists who had murdered some Orthodox Ministers and Christians out of a misguided Zeale and offered violence to their persons houses goods and most justly deserved to be punished with death as he acknowledgeth This opinion of his even for the capitall punishing of Hereticks you may read at large in his lib. 1. contr Epist Parmeniani cap. 7. Tract 11. in Joan. where he thus writes Mirantur quia commoventur potestates Christiane adversus detestandos dissipatores Ecclesiae Si non ergo moverentur quomodo redderent rationem de imperio suo c. Videtis qualia faciunt qualia patiuntur occidunt animas affliguntur in corpore sempeter las mortes faciunt ET TEMPORALES SE PERPETI QVERVNTVR c. Cyrill Archbishop of Alexandria in his 20. Epistle determines thus concerning the Heresie and Blasphemy of the Heretick Nestorius to whom he held it very dangerous to indulge a Pardon Si enim qui vel unam contra Religiosissimos Christi aman●i●simos Reges nostros blasphemam ausus fuerit emittere vocem meritò quam leges praescribunt patitur indignationem NON MAGIS IMPIVS ILLE EAM PATIETVR qui sacrum nostrum mysterium universum subvertit Dispensationem è medio tollit quam sanctus benignus Dei Patris unigenitus Filius homo fieri dignatus nostri gratia adimplevit ut nos omnes servaret