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231 u B O OK VI u Sect. I. A Confutation of Mahometanism; the Original thereof. Instead of a Preface to this Sixth Book, which is designed against the Mahometans, it relates the Judgments of God against the Christians, down to the Original of Mahometanism; namely, (a) how that sincere and unfeigned Piety, which flourished amongst the Christians, who were most grievously afflicted and tormented, began by Degrees to abate; after Constantine and the following Emperors had made the Profession of the Christian Religion not only safe but honourable; but having as it were (b) thrust the World into the Church, first, (c) the Christian Princes waged War without Measure, even when they might have enjoyed Peace. (d ) The Bishops quar-relled with each other most bitterly about the a. How that sincere and unfeigned Piety, &c.] See Ammianus Marcellinus, at the End of the Twenty-first Book concerning Constantius: “And above all, he was very ready to take away what he had given; confounding the Christian Religion, which is perfect and sincere, with old Wives Fables, by more intricately searching into which, rather than seriously setling them, he caused a great many Differences; which spreading further , he kept up by quarrelling about Words, that the Body of Prelates, who were the publick Pack-horses running here and there in Synods, as they call them, might cut the Nerves of their Carriage, by endeavouring to make every Rite conformable to their own Opinion.” b. Thrust the World into the Church, &c.] See what is excellently said about this, in Chrysostom’s second Moral Discourse on the XIIth Chapter of the 2 Cor. after ver. 10. c. The Christian Princes waged War, &c.] It is a commendable Saying of Marcian in Zonaras, That a King ought not to take up Arms, so long as he can maintain Peace. d. The Bishops quarrelled with each other, &c.] Ammianus, Book XXVII. “The cruel Seditions of the quarrelsome People, which gave Rise to this Business, frighted this Man also (Viventius, from chief Commissioner of the Palace.) Damasus and Ursicinus, being above all reasonable Measure desirous of seizing the Episcopal Chair, contended with each other most vehemently by different Interests, their Accomplices on each Side 232 the truth of the chr isti an r eligion highest Places: And, as of old, the (a) preferring the Tree of Knowledge to the Tree of Life, was the Occasion of the greatest Evils; so then nice Enquiries were esteemed more than Piety, (b) and Religion was carrying on their Differences as far as Death and Wounds; which Viventius not being able to correct or soften, being compelled by a great Force, retired into the Suburbs; and Damasus overcame in the Contest, the Party which favoured him, pressing hard. And it is evident, that in the Palace of Sicininus, where the Assemblies of the Christians used to be, there were found the dead Bodies of one hundred thirty seven slain in one Day; and it was a long time before the enraged common People could be appeased. Nor do I deny, when I consider the City’s Pomp, but that they who are desirous of this thing, ought to contend by stretching their Lungs to the utmost, in order to obtain what they aim at: For when they are arrived at it, they will be so secure, that they may enrich themselves with the Gifts of Matrons, may sit and ride in their Chariots, be neatly dressed, have large Feasts provided, insomuch that their Banquets will exceed the Royal Tables; who might have been truly happy, if they had despised the Grandeur of the City, which flattered their Vices; and had lived after the Manner of some of the Provincial Bishops, whose Sparingness in Eating and Drinking moderately, and Meanness in Clothes, and Eyes fixed on the Ground continually, recommend them as pure and modest to the Deity, and to those that worship him.” And a little after; “Praetextatus , whilst he takes care of the Government in a higher Degree, amongst other things, by manifold Acts of Integrity and Goodness, for which he has been famous from the Beginning of his Youth, has obtained that which seldom happens; that at the same time that he is feared, he does not lose the Love of his Subjects, which is seldom very strong towards those Judges they are afraid of. By whose Authority and just Determinations of Truth, the Tumult, raised by the Quarrels of the Christians, was appeased; and Ursicinus being driven away, the Roman...

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