Part 122

When the emperor Constantius would by violence force the orthodox to hold communion with the Arians, he did but make the breach the wider. Read Lucifer Calaritanus _de non conveniendo cum hæreticis_ (in Biblioth. Patr. tom. ix. p. 1045, &c.). The emperor saith, that the orthodox were enemies to peace, and unity, and brotherly love, and that he was resolved to have unity and peace in his dominions: therefore he imprisoned the orthodox and banished them. _Propterea odis nos, quia concilium vestrum malignantium execremur; propterea in exilio sumus; propterea in carcere necamur; propterea nobis solis prohibetur conspectus; idcirco reclusi in tenebras custodimur ingenti custodia: hujus rei causa nullus ad nos visendos admittitur hominum; quia videlicet noluerimus vobiscum impiis sacrilegis ullam scelerum vestrorum habere societatem._ Ibid. p. 1050. Which stirred up this bishop in particular to go too far from free communion even with the penitent Arians, and heap up more scriptures against that communion which the emperor commanded, than any had done before. _Nobis dicebas, Pacem volo fieri; et in corde tuo manens adversarius religionis nostræ, cogitabat per te facere nos idololatras, &c._ p. 1051. _Consilia vestra contra suam prolata ecclesiam reprobat Deus: nec enim potest odire populum suum, hæreditatem suam, et amare vos filios pestilentiæ, vos persecutores servorum suorum: dixisti, Facite pacem cum episcopis sectæ meæ Arrianis, et estote in unum; et dicit Dei Spiritus, vias impiorum noli exequi, neque æmuleris viam iniquorum. &c.----Dulce quibusdam videtur, quo tibi regi in amicitias jungantur suscipiendo hæresin tuam: sed amarius felle sensuri cum tecum in perpetuum cœperint in perpetua gehenna sentire, qui tecum esse deligerunt, tunc dicturi, Væ nobis, qui Constantium Imperatorem Deo præposuerimus._ Abundance more he writeth to prove that the emperor being a heretic, they must have no communion with him or his bishops. And when the emperor complained hereupon, that they wronged and dishonoured him whom they should honour, the said Lucifer wrote his next book, _de non parcendo in Deum delinquentibus_; which beginneth, _Superatum te, Imperator, a Dei servis ex omni cum conspexisses parte, dixisti passum te ac pati a nobis contra monita sacrarum Scripturarum contumeliam: dicis nos insolentes extitisse, circa te quem honorari decuerit. Si quisquam Dei cultorum pepercit apostatis, sint vera quæ dicis de nobis_; and so he heapeth up as many texts for rough dealing with offending kings; I give this one instance to show the fruits of violence, as pretended for peace and unity.