First, Remove the prejudices. The first is taken from the fathers, or primitive Christians, who almost generally express themselves against planting religion by the sword and compulsive force.l Defendenda est religio non occidendo sed monendo, non scevitia sed patientia, so Lactan- tius, and suitably others. I answer — Were religion now to be planted, these sayings would take place. Pagans are not to be compelled, but enlightened ; taught, not destroyed. And yet in such a case it is a question not easily resolved, whether the magistrate, if he had power, were not bound to compel his people, though professed pagans, to hear or attend upon the ministry of the word, it being the ordinary means of working faith. Augustine determineth that a Christian in such a case should improve his power for Christ. Felix necessitas quae ad meliora nos cogit, /oris inveniatiir necessitas et nascitur intus voluntas ; and a little after, non quia cogantur reprelienda7it, sed quae cogantur attendant — it is a favour that the magistrate will take care to bring them to the means of salvation. Again, in such a case they are to be kept from scandalising and blaspheming the true religion ; that is the least a magistrate can do for Christ. But where a people are Christianised, and do profess the true religion, they should not be set free to atheism, error, and apostasy.
2. Another prejudice is, that the examples before mentioned are brought from the Old Testament, and so proper to the policy of the Jews. I answer — Some alleged were before Sloses' law, as that of Abraham, and Jacob's commanding his family to put away their idols,
^ Austin clianged his mind twice, and was at last for compulsion.
238 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR, 8.
Gen. XXXV. 2. And the injunctions in tlie Old Testament were built upon reasons of immutable equity, as Grod's glory, the danger of infec- tion, &c., and so concern us as well as them ; and the thing in ques- tion is agreeable to the light of nature, there being instances of pagan princes who were so far convinced of their duty to the true God, that they enjoined his worship, punishing the contempt thereof ; see Ezra vi. 11 ; so Ezra vii. 26, and Dan. iii. 29. The Gentiles by the light of nature saw it to be suitable and agreeable to right reason. Arist. Polit., lib. vii. cap. 8, saith the first thing that falleth under a magis- trate's care is y irepl to deZov eTn^ieKeia, a care of divine Avorship. The Athenians banished Protagoras for speaking doubtfully, and by way of extenuation of their religion, and burnt his books. Besides all this, the reason why we have only precedents in the Old Testament is, be- cause the people of the Jews were the only state that were acquainted with the knowledge of the true God. We have some prophecies that the like should be done in the New, Isa. xlix. 23, and Zech. xiii., which concerneth gospel times, Isa. Ix. 10, Eev. xxi, 24. We were worse provided for than they were in the Old Testament, if men that had tlie plague-sore of heresy running upon them should without restraint be permitted to come into all companies.
3. Another prejudice is, it will make men hypocrites. I answer, with Athanasius — Would to God all were got so far as hypocrites, it would certainly be better for the Christian world ; but however duties must not be left undone for ill consequences.
4. And another is, this will make way for persecution, and the calam- ities of the godly upon every change of the prince's mind. I answer — If the Lord see persecution necessary for the church, we must endure it, and so we shall be gainers both by good princes and bad : by the persecution of evil princes truth is made glorious ; by the ministry of the good, error is suppressed and discountenanced. God would oblige us the more to pray for them in power, Ps. Ixxii. 1, and 1 Tim. ii. 2 ; and he hath promised to hear such prayers, and provide nurse-fathers for the church. Sometimes a wicked magistrate, understanding his duty, may, by the overruling power of God in his conscience, be with- held from persecuting the truth, yea, carried out to the suppression of error. When Paulus Samosatenus revolted from the orthodox Chris- tian faith, and would yet retain the bishopric of Antioch, the business was brought to Aurelian, a pagan emperor, who removed him.
Secondly, I shall state the point, and show you how far compulsion is necessary. (1.) The magistrate should use no compulsion before care had for better information, and resolution of the doubting con- science ; otherwise the practice were fell and cruel, like that of false religions, that brook no contradiction. Consciences scrupulous must not be too hardly dealt withal. To answer arguments by a prison or the fires is a Popish topic,^ and to supply in rage what wanteth in strength of reason and clearness of light is but a butcherly violence ; jiunishment and compulsion should not be hastened, as long as there appeareth a desire to be informed, with meek endeavours after satis- faction. The apostle Paul is for two admonitions before church
^ 'Ex officina carnificum petunt argumenta, etquos sermonibus decipere non possimt, gladiis clamaut esse ferieudos. ' — Amhros.