The defence of the Parliament of England in the case of James the II, or, A treatise of regal power and of the right of the people drawn from ancient councils ... and more especially the ordinances of the doctors of the Church of Rome ... : wherein is demonstrated that the Holy Scriptures are so far from being contrary, that they do even assent thereto / written in Latin by P. Georgeson, Kt. ; translated by S. Rand.

CHAP. VI. Wherein is treated of the first Ages of the Christian Church.

BUT now because in the three first Centuries, out of an unparallell'd exam∣ple of humility and patience, Christians never made the least insurrection against the Heathen Princes, by whom notwithstanding they were most barbarously and sundry ways tortured; this does not at all infringe or invalidate the force of our Argument, for they were no ways in a capacity of behaving themselves any otherwise, being destitute of Force, and all along subject wheresoever they were to their Enemies; but we lose not one jot of our right, when we are de∣barr'd the use of it either by open force or any other insuperable way whatsoever, yet one or other may object, that the Christians might have entered into Con∣federacy with the most moderate Heathens against those who were cruellest and most violent, yet neither was it expedient for the Christian Religion to subdue the World to it self; it was a piece of indecency, for if after this man∣ner

to gain Triumphs over Idolatry, but so soon as ever it got the upper-hand of the World by abundance of patience and conspicuously eminent good living, and became, that I may use the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the prevailing Do∣ctrine, then did God out of his tender mercy grant Princes to his Church, who might be able not only to secure them and defend them from the Hea∣then, but even from bad Christians too. Now at this day we are by God's bles∣sing in the same prosperous Condition, and without all paradventure, Christians may now use that Authority wherewith they are impowered by God.

But if any man shall pretend to scandalize or blame our Cause, for not having summoned all those they called Fathers, to give evidence to strengthen our Cause in hand, let him content himself with this Reply; That we have already given an account of the three first Ages: But as for the succeeding Ages, Constantin the Great will answer for us, who levied war in Christ's Name against Maxentius and Licinius, and managed it all along accompanied with Soldiers that were Subjects to both those Tyrants; who, upon the account of his noble and famous Exploits, in behalf of Christendom, is celebrated by the Praises and Encomiums of all the Fathers. It will not be much to deviate from our purpose, if we bring in, and join to Constantin, Constans the youngest of all his Sons, who had some thoughts of going to war with Constantius his brother, being an Arrian for the restoring of Atha∣nasius, and the rest of the Orthodox Bishops to their Seas, but was prevented by death.

So that I cannot but admire the maintainers of Tyranny should be so blind amidst so clear light, and that with such an impudent confidence should, what in them lies, bear down and oppres•• manifest Truth; and should peremptorily assert, That till Augustines time, and not till after that time too, that there was no mention extant in History of any private person, who assassinated his King, or took up Arms against him; that not the least Cabal of Christian Conspirators durst ever dare to do the same, even to the most Pagan King; much less did any of the Peers of the Realm, ever pretend to stain his Conscience with the like wicked cruelty: When it plainly appears by the Hi∣story of all those Times, that Magnentius, who listed himself under the Banner of Christ, did cruelly and barbarously murther Constans Augustus, his Benefactor, and an Orthodox Emperor: And when it is certainly true, that Maximus, who was al∣so in the List of Christians, did treacherously slay Gratian a Christian, and one of the best Emperours. And to name no more, it is evident that the most Christian King Theodesius did cu•• off Maximus the Tyrants head, who was the Murtherer of Gra∣tian, after he had overcome him in War, and taken him Prisoner. Now we have produced all these before the Age St. Augustine lived in, not that we subscribe to, and approve of all these (God forbid a Christian should be possessed with such a perver••e idle Spirit) but only to prove by the way, that this was matter of fact, which our Adversaries has the face to deny.

And indeed if any one, who is not prejudiced, shall peruse Ecclesiastical Histo∣ry, he stall find, that the primitive Christians, who were eminent for Authority and power, did no less exercise it, than those now a dayes: besides the Christians of the first th••ee Cent••ries did not stop the cariere of Tyrants by force of Arms, but by their Christian and vertuous Piety; not that God would have them divest∣ed of that authority the Law of Nature granted to all Nations, but it so seemed good to his Wisdom, that he might instruct all Nations, that Christs Kingdom was Spiritual, and that the World was to be brought under his dominion only by Spi∣ritual Warsare; but when the World was subdued to Christ, the Church scattered ••ar and wide over the face of the whole Earth, then it became very like to the Net in the Gospel, that inclosed abundance of good and bad Fish. God out of his infi∣nite goodness did graciously grant them Christian Kings and Magistrates, whose bu∣siness was to separate the good Fish from the bad, who should conduct and rule the

numerous Church, as a well Disciplined Army: Moreover I desire you, to take Notice of one thing more, which puts this Truth beyond all exception, and that is this, that the Christians of the first three Centuries, did never suppress Hereticks by force of Armes; but after they had once got the management of Supream Af∣fairs in their own Hand, they soon supprest, not only Hereticks, but even Schis∣maticks too by Armes. I, and St. Augustin himself sounded the charge to this Bat∣tle, which I do not so much approve of.

It does therefore evidently appear, that the Christians of the Primitive Church, supposing the Power of the Sword annexed to Magistracy, did forbear using it, whilst they were destitute of a Christian Magistracy; but when once they were Subject to a Christian M••gistracy, Christian Religion did never deprive its Disci∣ples of the Natural 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Civil Law; and they publickly made appear, that Christ came not into the World to destroy and subvert Nature, but for the correcting and bettering of it. Away then with your Plagues of Mankind, who, that they may curry favour with Tyrants, have the impudence to bring back into more then Egyptian Slavery, those whom God hath brought out of the House of Bondage, whom Christ hath redeemed with his Precious Blood, that they should no longer be under servitude to Man.

And now methinks, we have abundantly evinced, both by the Decrees of the Councils, and by constant usage and practice, as well as by the Laws of Nations, by the determinations of the Doctors, by the confession of Emperours and Kings, and last of all by the T••stimony of the Holy Scriptures, that Tyrants may be deposed, that the unruly d••••ires of Kings may be restrained by the Laws. It doth there∣fore plainly appear, from the Premises, that the Parliament of England, did very wisely and seasonably provide for the good of the Commonwealth, when they re∣jected James the Second, who trod both Divine and Humane Laws under foot, and in putting that Pious and Magnanimous Prince, that Just Defender of the Faith, and of the Laws; yea, and true Heir to the Crown, in his stead. We shall not wander abroad, to search here and there for Examples and Testimonies be∣yond the Christian World; for since that the matter is to be tryed before Chri∣stians, and Christian Judges, reason requires, that it should be decided by Christian Laws. We have cull'd out from that plentiful Stock of Arguments, the choicest, and such as seem to have been offered to the World with the most mature Judg∣ment, in which Examples, Conscience and the Publick Benefit, would very well agree and conspire together. We omit those, that either have too much to do with popularity, or preposterous violence and heat, and such which smell too strong of Popish Tyranny, lest we should occasion scruples to some good Men, and administer any cause of wrangling or quarrelling to our Adversaries; and if I be not much mistaken, I have so explained and cleared the History of Saul and Da∣vid, that from it, I hope, for the future, those passive obedient Parasites of Ty∣rants will not expect to find any thing to encourage them.

Notes

• Vales in Euse∣bium in Hist. Eccles. lib. 4. cap. 7.
• Up and down in Ec••le••. Histr.
• Salmas. cap. 4. p. 138.