FAULTS on both SIDES: Part the Second. Or an ESSAY upon the original Cause, Progrefs, and mifchievous Consequences of the Factions in the CHURCH: Shewing, That the CLERGY, of whatfoever Denomination, have always been the Ring-Leaders and Beginners of the Disturbances in every State; impofing upon the Credulity of the LAITY, for no other End than the accomplishing their own Selfifh Defigns, at the Expence of the Peace and Tranquillity of the NATION. Faithfully produced from the moft eminent Authorities. Sincerely intended for allaying the Heats and Animofities of the People, and perfuading all honest, well-meaning Men, to compofe their Party-Quarrels, and unite their Hearts and Affections for promoting the Publick Good, and Safety of their QUEEN and COUNTRY. By Way of Letter to a New Member of Parliament.

SIR,

S

1710.

Oxford, Dec. 5, 1710.

INCE my Return home I have frequently recollected, with the greatest Satisfaction, feveral Paffages of that learned and inftructive Converfation which I often had the Honour of enjoying in your Company, during my Stay in London; more particularly, Sir, the Difcourfe we had concerning the prefent Posture of Affairs both in Church and State, and the mifchievous Confequences which are likely to attend the Nation, by that great Height and Violence to which all Parties are now fomented, if fome Methods are not speedily thought of by your Honourable House, for the compofing of thefe Differences, by looking into the very Source from whence they arofe, and adminiftring, with the strictest Justice, upon the Guilty of all Parties, the due Reward of their Deeds.

'Tis Matter of the most furprising Admiration, to fee Men carried away into fuch Party-Prejudices by the Bulk and Groís as you very well obferved, without

fo

fo much as the leaft Inquiry into the real Faults on both Sides, or making a true Judgment, by avoiding the Extremes of all Parties, and comparing Matters of Fact, which is undoubtedly the only Way of representing all popular Objects in a clear Light; but instead of this, the Leaders of each Clan run themfelves aground with a precipitated Kind of Madness and inveterate Hatred of each other's Perfon, upon the bare Account of entertaining fome different Opinions; which, in fhort, is fuch a monstrous Piece of Ridicule, that we may with the fame Equality of Justice quarrel one with another about the Variety of our Complexions, or any other natural Infirmity."

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1 fhall now, Sir, fince you have often requested it of me, fhew the Folly of this inequitable Way of Procedure, by tracing the Faults of the Clergy of both Sides, during the fame Space of Time in which the Political Faults have been furvey'd; and fince RELIGION is the Subject of our prefent Contention, I hope my Defign will meet with a candid Approbation among all Parties, when I fincerely declare that I have no other Profpects in View but what are intended for the allaying of our Heats and Animofities, and perfuading all honeft, well-meaning Men to compofe their Party-Quarrels, and unite their Hearts and Affections for promoting the publick Good, and Safety of our most gracious Queen and Country.

In Profecution of my Defign, I fhall firft give you (in the Words of the learned and judicious M. Bayle*) an Account of the Behaviour of a turbulent Bishop, even in the most early Days of Chriftianity, what Sentiments were at that Time entertain'd of him, and the dreadful Confequences that attended his rafh and inconfiderate Zeal.

ABDAS, a Bifhop in Perfia, in the Time of Theodofius junior, was, thro' his inconfiderate Zeal, the Cause of a very terrible Perfecution which was raised against the Chriftians, who enjoy'd a full Liberty of Confcience in Per"fia, when this Bishop took upon him to pull down one of the Temples where the Perfians worship'd the Fire. The Magi made their Complaints to the King,

* Vide M. Bayle's Dict. Artic, of Abdas, Vol. I.

The Magi made their Complaints to the King] It was Ifdegerdes, if we rely upon Theodoret ; but according to Socrates, the Perfecution began only under Varanes, Son aud Succeffor of Ifdegerdes. Baronius dares not determine which of the two is the right. The Magi may be properly call'd Priefts, for it was their Bufinefs to take care of holy Matters, and to prevent all manner of Innovation in Religion. Theodoret compares them to a Whirlwind, which raifes the Waves of the Sea; fuch was their Function in the Storm that tofs'd fo violently the Church of Perfia, for the Space of thirty Years. Sc crates tells us, That they made ufe of feveral Impoftures to put a Stop to the Progrefs of the Chriftian Religion, when they faw that the Love Ifdegerdes had conceived for the holy Bifhop Maruthas, gave them Reafon to fear, that he would forfake their Religion. They were fo bold as to hide a Man underground, in the Temple where the King ufed.C to worship the Fire; and they order'd him to cry out, when the King fhould come in, That Prince ought to be dethroned,who has been folimpious as to believe, that a Chriftian Prieft is a Friend of God.

If what is most falfely faid by impious Men were true, viz. That Religion is a mere human Invention, fet up by the Sovereigns to keep Subjects within the Bounds of Obe

dience,

King, who fent for Abdas, and after a mild Cenfure order'd him to rebuild ' that Temple. Abdas refused to do it, though the Prince declared to him, That 'in

dience, how could it be deny'd, that Princes are the first who have been taken in their own Snares? For Religion is fo far from making them Mafters of their Subjects, that on the contrary it fubmits them to their Subjects: inasmuch as they are obliged to profefs the Religion of their People, and not that which feems to them to be the beft: But if they are refolved to profefs a Religion different from that of their Subjects, they run the Hazard of lofing their Crown. We fee how the Perfian Magi threaten'd their King, though he had only carefs'd one Bishop. It has been faid, that the laft King of Siam was dethroned for having too much favour'd the Chriftian Miffionaries. The fame Socrates, who mentions the Artifices made Ufe of by the Magi, to put a Stop to the Propagation of the Gofpel, tells us likewife, that after the Death of Ifdegerdes, they infpired his Son with fuch a Spirit of Perfecution, that a horrid Cruelty was exercised against the Chriftians. They had endeavour'd, but in vain, to inspire his Father with the fame fpirit, for he was like to embrace the Gofpel; though Socrates is to blame for not owning fincerely, that the rafh Action of Bishop Abdas afforded the Magi a very plaufible Pretence. All the Church Hiftorians are not guilty of the Unfincerity for which I blame Socrates; for Theodofius does ingenuously confefs, that the Bishop, who pull'd down a Temple, occafion'd the dreadful Perfecution of the Chriftians in Perfia. He does not deny but that the Zeal of that Bifhop was unfeafonable; but he maintains, that his refufing to rebuild fuch a Temple is worthy of Admiration, and deferves a Crown: For methinks, fays he, it is as great an Impiety to build a Temple to the Fire, as to worship it.

For my own Part, I am of Opinion, That no private Men, whether they be Metropolitans or Patriarchs, can at any Time be difpenfed from this Law of natural Religion. The Damage that has been done to one's Neighbour ought to be made up by Reftitution, or fome other Way. Now Abdas, a mere private Man, and a Subject of the Perfian King, destroy'd what did belong to others, and was fo much the more privileged, because it belong'd to the prevailing Religion; he was therefore indifpenfibly obliged to obey the Orders of his Sovereign, by reftoring what he had deftroy'd: And it was no good Excufe to say, That the Temple which he was order'd to rebuild was defign'd for the Ufe of Idolators; for he was not to put it to that Ule, and he could not be anfwerable for the Abuse of those whom it did belong to. Would it be a good Reafon for robbing a Man, to fay he spends his Money extravagantly! Let him do fo; you are not anfwerable to God for the Follies he commits: Let him enjoy what is his own; what Right have you to it? Befides, could there be any Comparison between the Destruction of a Temple, without which the Perfians would have remain'd as great Idolators as they were before, and occafioning the Deftruction of many Chriftian Churches? Abdas fhould therefore have prevented this laft Evil by the firft, fince the Prince put it to his Choice. Laftly, can any Thing render the Chriftian Religion more odious to all the Nations of the World, than to fee, that after they have infinuated themfelves, as only defiring the Liberty of teaching their Doctrine, they are fo bold as to deftroy the Temples confecrated to the Religion of the Country, and refufe to rebuild them when the Sovereign commands it? Is it not to give Occafion to fay; Thefe Men defire at first a mere Toleration, but in a little Time they will pretend to fhare with us all Employments and Places of Truft, and then become our Masters: At first they think themfelves very happy if they are not burnt, afterwards very unhappy if they have fewer Privileges than those who are of the establish'd Religion; and then again miferable, if they are not the only prevailing Party. During a certain Time they are like Cafar, who would have no Mafter; and then they are like Pompey, who would have no Partner.

The Perfecutors of the French Proteftants did maliciously inspire Charles IX. with fuch a Thought. It is faid, that Prince made Ufe of thefe Words, fpeaking to the AdmiU u ral

in Cafe of Difobedience, he would caufe all the Chriftian Churches to be pull'd down; which he did, and all the Faithful were deliver'd up to the Mercy of the Priefts, who being vex'd at the Toleration that had been granted, fell upon them with great Fury. Abdas was the firft Martyr who loft his 'Life on this Occafion; it we may fo call a Man, who by his Rashness expofed the Church to fo many Misfortunes. The Chriftians, who had already forgot one of the most effential Parts of Chriftian Patience, had Recourse to a Remedy which occafion'd another Deluge of Blood; they implored the Af• fiftance of Theodofius, which kindled a long War between the Romans and • Perfians. It is true, that the latter were worsted: But was there any Certainty that they should not overcome the Romans, and that being flufh'd with • Victory, inftead of perfecuting only the Chriftians in Perfia, they would not exercise a general Perfecution in all the other Churches? The Fury of the • Perfecutors could fcarce be fatisfy'd in the Space of thirty Years: Thus we ⚫ see what Mischiefs the inconfiderate Zeal of a private Man may occafion.'

Thus, Sir, have I faithfully laid before you the Article M. Bayle gives us of Abdas, together with his own Remarks, and am not infenfible that though I have chofen this Example of an inconsiderate and rash Zeal to introduce my present Defign, that upon firft Sight our Clergy will fall foul upon me for fo doing; because they reckon M. Bayle an Enemy to all reveal'd Religion; which will be a Demonstration of that Vice I am endeavouring to correct in them. 'Tis not my Business here to inquire into M. Bayle's Principles, but fuppofing him to be fuch a Perfon as they would represent him to the World, yet muft nothing that he fays be regarded? This is indeed the true and fatal Caufe of all our former, and prefent Uneafineffes, in being carried away wholly by Prejudice, and not allowing the leaft Time for Recollection.

I fhall now profecute my intended Design without making the leaft Reflection, leaving Matter of Fact to speak for itself; the Inftance of Abdas already recited is fufficient to fhew the difmal Effects brought about by an inconfiderate Zeal in the early Days of Chriftianity, and it being needlefs to look any further into remote Parts, I will now confine myself to English Examples, and refer to the Authors themselves, for the Proof of what I affert.

The first Instance I fhall produce, is the Behaviour of the Clergy in King. Henry II's Time, thus deliver'd by that learned and impartial Hiftorian * Sir Bulftrode Whitlocke; In the fixth Year of his Reign, King Henry looks to the Prerogatives of his Crown, infringed by the Clergy, whofe Power he had found too great in the Bufinefs between his Mother and King Stephen; and he doubted how they might deal with his Pofterity. The Lay Nobility laid more Weights, informing the King, That the Clergy hinder'd the Exe 'cution :

ral Coligni. Such are the unavoidable Inconveniencies which they expofe themselves to, 'who maintain fo warmly, that the Power of the fecular Arm ought to be made Use of for the Establishment of Orthodoxy.' Such were the Principles of Abdas: For what would he not have done with Force of Arms against the Idolators under a Chriftian Emperor, fince under a heathen Prince, who tolerated the Chriftian Religion, he pull'd down a Temple for which the Heathens had a very particular Veneration?

Whitlocke's Memorials, fol. p. 47, & feq. lately publish'd by W. Penn, Anno 1709.

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'cution of Juftice, held their Dominion a-part; and, being exempt from fecular Punishments, committed many enormous Acts, and no Redrefs to be had. 'That fince his Reign, about 100 Manslaughters had been committed by Men ' in Orders.

The feventh Year, the King had preferred Thomas Becket, a Creature and 'Servant of his, to be Archbishop of Canterbury; whom he expected ready ' to advance all his Affairs, made him Chancellor, and gave him the Education * of the Prince. The Clergy had got their Jurifdiction much enlarged and 'ftrengthen'd. The King calls a Parliament, and propoundeth, That fuch of 'the Clergy as should be convicted of any heinous Offence fhould lofe the Privilege of the Church, and be punish'd by the Civil Magistrate as other Subjects

were.

The ninth Year, Becket and the other Bishops and Clergy opposed this, being against the Liberties of the Church. The king demanded, if they would fub'mit to the Laws and Customs which the Bishops, in the Time of Henry I. did 'observe, i. e. To acknowledge the King as fupreme Judge in Ecclefiaftical Affairs, 'granting him the Power of redreing all Grievances complain'd of by the Laity, &c. They anfwer'd they would; their Order, the Honour of God, and Holy Church, ' in all Things faved. The King, difpleafed with this Reservation, breaks up 'the Parliament, denies Becket Accefs to him, takes from him what he could, and ⚫ countenances those who oppofed him.

The Pope and Cardinals writ to Becket to reconcile this Jar, and to make Peace with his Lord the King, and to promise to obferve his Laws without Exception; which Becket did promise to the King, who thereupon calls a Par⚫liament at Clarendon, where they were charged to reduce the Laws of Henry I. 'the King's Grandfather, into Writing: Which being done, the King willed 'the Archbishop and Bishops to fet to them their Seals, which the reft were content to do, but Becket refused it. At length the reft perfuaded him, and in⚫timated Danger, by the King's Servants rufhing up and down with threatening • Countenances: Whereupon Becket took his Oath to obferve the King's Laws • without any Refervation. Then taking the Writing into his Hand, he said to the Clergy, Brethren, fund fast, you fee the Malice of the King, and that we are • bound to beware: And fo the Council ended, but not the King's Displeasure ; • whom only he found to bear up against him, who had fo much favour'd him. 'He therefore proceeds to difgrace him, and to advance the Archbishop of • York above him, writes to the Pope to make him Legate; but he refufed, and • fent his Legation to the King, fo as he should do nothing to grieve Becket. But the King, in Indignation, fent back the Pope's Grant, as an Indignity to ⚫ him.

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• Becket repents of his Oath at Clarendon, fufpends himself, and doth Penance 'till the Pope fent him an Abfolution: Then he endeavours to go to Rome without the King's Leave, contrary to the Law made at Clarendon (but by contrary • Winds brought back) which more exafperated the King. Then he is fum• mon'd to a Parliament at Northampton Suits in Law go against him, he is 'call'd

U u 2

*Vide Whitlock's Memorials, fol. p. 40.