A Christian Directory

§. 11. Memorand. 11. If the Clergy or most Religious people offend, let their punishment be such¹ as falleth only on themselves, and reacheth not Christ, nor the Gospel, nor the Church. Punish² not Christ for his servants failings, nor the Gospel for them that sin against it; nor the souls of the people for their Pastors faults: But see that the interest of Christ and mens souls be still secured.

1. 1Memor. 11.
2. 2When Hunnerichus the Arian Vandal King was resolved to banish imprison and otherwise persecute the Orthodox Bishops and Pastors, he first trieth them by threatenings and divers cruelties, and after appointeth a public Disputation; where his Bishops and Officers having no better pretence, cruelly beat the people and Pastors, and then falsely tell the King that by tumult and clamour they avoided disputing: And at last he calleth together all the Pastors that were met for the disputation, and to ensnare them, putteth an Oath upon them, [that after the Kings death they would take his Son for their King, and that they would send no Letters beyond Sea] This Oath divided the Orthodox among themselves. For one part of the Bishops and Pastors said, [If we refuse a Lawful Oath, our people will say that we forsake them, and the dissolution o• the Churches will be imputed to •s: [The other part perceiving the snare, were fain to pretend Christs command, [Swear not at all.] The King having separated them, and the Officers took all their names, sendeth them all to prison: To those that took the Oath they said, [Because that contrary to the command of the Gospel, you would swear, you shall see your Cities and Churches no more, but be sent into the Country to till the ground: but so that you presume not to sing Psalms, or Pray, or carty a Book, or Baptize, or Ordain or absolve.] To those that refused the Oath, they said [Because you desired not the Reign of the Kings Son, and therefore refused the Oath, you shall be banished to the Isle of Corsica, to cut Wood for the Ships. Victor. Utic. p. (mihi) 456, 457. Generalis Jesuitarum ex nimio absoluti imperii amore, del•turas in scinia sua admittit, iisque credit, non audito eo qui accusatur: quod injustitiae genus ab ethnicis ipsis improbatur. Imperando non bonis Regibus see facit similem, qui senatum magni fecerunt; sed Tyrannos mavult imitari, e. g. Tarquinium superbum, qui ante omnia conatus est debilitare senatus numerum & authoritatem, ut omnia suo libitu facere posset; similiter Generalis cum Assistenibus suis odit synodos generals, omniaque experitur, ne tales instituantur conventus, quibus rerum gesarum reader rationem necesse habeat.—Generalis Jesuit. in eligendis officialibus non curat quod sit cujusque talentum aut dotes eminentiores, sed quam benè secum aut cum Provinciali suo CONFORMETUR: quae causa est u homines viles & abjecti animi officiis praeponantur, qui à superioribus duci se sinant ut nervis alienis mobile ligum. Mariana de Refor. Jesuit. c. 13, 15, 16, 18. in Arcan. Isit. p. 131, 132. recit. in Apolo. Giraldi. Nulla est latronum societatas in qua Justitia non plus loci habeat, quam in societate nostra, &c.—Ubi non modo scientia & ignorantia in aequo sunt, sed etiam scientia impedimento est, quo minus quis consequatur praemia humano a divino jure debita. Marian. Aphor. 84. c. 12. &c. 14, 89. Aph. 87, &c. The rest is worth the reading as a warning from a Jesuit to the Governors of State and Church. Aph. 80. c. 11. Superiors societatis nostrae sunt homines indigni, qui officiis praesint, cum Generalis metuat ac sublatos velit, quorum eminentes sunt virtutes. Boni quam mali, ei suspectiores sunt. This and abundance more saith Mariana a Jesuit of 96 years of age, learned in Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, Greek and Latin, of his own Society.