Parentator. Memoirs of remarkables in the life and the death of the ever-memorable Dr.…

ARTICLE XIII. A Second Instance of Second Thoughts.

But that I may a• once rid my Hands of All (if Two may be properly called All, for there were no more) Instances, wherein he found himself Obliged unto a Change of Sentiments, I am willing to do Justice unto the Cause of Truth, in one Article more; Which I may the •ather do in this place, because it will be no great Anticipation or Dislocation in the Chronology of our Story.

BUt that I may a• once rid my Hands of All (if Two may be properly called All, for there were no more) Instances, wherein he found himself Obliged unto a Change of Sentiments, I am willing to do Justice unto the Cause of Truth, in one Article more; Which I may the •ather do in this place, because it will be no great Anticipation or Dislocation in the Chronology of our Story.

The great Light of Africa, was once of the same Judgment with the Antenicene Fathers, (who expressed a just Abhorrence for the vile Method of Enforcing Religion by Persecution; But, being willing to Justify some Violences, ⟨p. 56⟩which the Catholics of those Days thought it necessary to Employ against the Donatists, his Judgment warped unto the Persecuting side, and gave a Wretched Proof, that the Second Thoughts are not always the Wiser. What an Horror of Dependence on mere Humane Conduct must it Produce in our Souls, when we consider (what Le Clerc has related,) That the most Faithless and Bloody Tyrant that ever was in the World, could not be brought over to rescind all his Edicts in favour of the most Loyal Subjects upon Earth, until the Epistles of so great a Saint as Austin, unto Bonifacius and Vincentius, were shown unto him! And yet in those, and the other Epistles Published by the Archbishop of Paris, to justify the most Infandous Persecution that ever was acted under the Sun, how Childishly does the Father argue? How trifling, how shallow, what little other than straitened Metaphors, are his Arguments? How little of Austin in them! And then anon, Conscience bestowing Rebukes upon him, how Importunate was he for the stopping of those Violences which he had Encouraged, and how Solicitous to obtain Merciful Retrenchments and Abatements for them! Yea, in his Answer to CRESCONIUS, he Expressly owns, No Good Man in the Catholic Church allowed the Punishment of Heretics with Death.