4. Take heed of giving the Magistrates power to the Clergy, and setting up Secular Coercive power1 under the name of the power of the Keys: And it had been happy for the Church if God had persuaded Magistrates in all ages to have kept the Sword in their own hands, and not have put it into the Clergies hands, to fulfil their wills by: For, 1. By this means the Clergy had escaped the odium of usurpation and domineering, by which atheistical Politicians, would make Religion odious to Magistrates for their sakes. 2. And by this means greater unity had been preserved in the Church, while one faction is not armed with the Sword to tread down the rest: For if Divines contend only by dint of Argument, when they have talked themselves and others aweary they will have done: But when they go to it with dint of Sword, it so ill becometh them, that it seldom doth good, but the party often that trusteth least to their Reason, must destroy the other, and make their cause good by Iron arguments. 3. And then the Romish Clergy had not been armed against Princes to the terrible concussions of the Christian world, which Histories at large relate; if Princes had not first lent them the Sword which they turned against them. 4. And then Church Discipline would have been better understood, and have been more effectual; which is corrupted and turned to another thing and so cast out, when the Sword is used instead of the Keys, under pretence of making it effectual: None but Consenters are capable of Church-communion: No man can be a Christian, nor Godly, nor saved against his will: And therefore Consenters and Volunteers only are capable of Church-discipline: As a Sword will not make a Sermon effectual, no more will it make Discipline effectual; which is but the management of Gods Word to work upon the conscience. So far as men are to be driven by the Sword to the use of means, or restrained from offering injury to Religion, the Magistrate himself is fittest to do it. It is noted by Historians as the dishonour of Cyril of Alexandria (though a famous Bishop) that he was the first Bishop that like a Magistrate used the Sword there, and used violence against Heretics and dissenters.
4. Take heed of giving the Magistrates power to the Clergy, and setting up Secular Coercive power1 under the name of the power of the Keys: And it had been happy for the Church if God had perswaded Magistrates in all ages to have kept the Sword in their own hands, and not have put it into the Clergies hands, to fulfill their wills by: For, 1. By this means the Clergy had escaped the odium of usurpation and domineering, by which atheistical Politicians, would make Religion odious to Magistrates for their sakes. 2. And by this means greater unity had been preserved in the Church, while one faction is not armed with the Sword to tread down the rest: For if Divines contend only by dint of Argument, when they have talkt themselves and others aweary they will have done: But when they go to it with dint of Sword, it so ill becometh them, that it seldom doth good, but the party often that trusteth least to their Reason, must destroy the other, and make their cause good by Iron arguments. 3. And then the Romish Clergy had not been armed against Princes to the terrible concussions of the Christian world, which Histories at large relate; if Princes had not first lent them the Sword which they turned against them. 4. And then Church Discipline would have been better understood, and have been more effectual; which is corrupted and turned to another thing and so cast out, when the Sword is used instead of the Keys, under pretence of making it effectual: None but Consenters are capable of Church-communion: No man can be a Christian, nor Godly, nor saved against his will: And therefore Consenters and Volunteers only are capable of Church-discipline: As a Sword will not make a Sermon effectual, no more will it make Discipline effectual; which is but the management of Gods Word to work upon the conscience. So far as men are to be driven by the Sword to the use of means, or restrained from offering injury to Religion, the Magistrate himself is fittest to do it. It is noted by Historians as the dishonour of Cyrill of Alexandria (though a famous Bishop) that he was the first Bishop that like a Magistrate used the Sword there, and used violence against Hereticks and dissenters.
- 1See Bilson of Subject. p. 525, 526. proving from Ch•ysost. Hilary, O••gen, that Pastors may use no force o• terror, but only persuasion, to recover their wandering sheep Bilson. ibid. p. 541. Parliaments have been kept by the King and his Barons, the Clergy wholly excluded, and yet their Acts and Statutes good: And when the Bishops were present, their voices from the Conquest to this day were never Negative. By Gods Law you have nothing to do with making Laws, for Kingdoms and Common-wealths: You may teach: you may not command: Persuasion is your part, Compulsion is the Princes, &c. Thus Bishop Bilson. So p. 358.See Bilson of Subject. p. 525, 526. proving from Ch•ysost. Hilary, O••gen, that Pastors may use no force o• terror, but only perswasion, to recover their wandering sheep Bilson. ibid. p. 541. Parliamen•s have been kept by the King and his Barons, the Clergy wholly excluded, and yet their Acts and Statutes good: And when the Bishops were present, their voices from the Conquest to this day were never Negative. By Gods Law you have nothing to do with making Laws, for Kingdoms and Common-wealths: You may teach: you may not command: Perswasion is your part, Compulsion is the Princes, &c. Thus Bishop Bilson. So p. 358.
