CHAP. III.

Of the Punishments of Heretics.

THE denunciation of the punishment of death against those who differed from the established church in certain points of doctrine, was peculiarly the act of tyranny. No christian emperor, before the time of the tyrant Maximus, ever thought of condemning any man to punishment, merely on account of controversial points. It is true, that it was two Spanish bishops who pursued to death the Priscillianists under Maximus; but it is also not the less true, that this tyrant was willing to gratify the ruling party by shedding the blood of heretics. Barbarity and justice were viewed by him with equal indifference. Jealous of Theodosius, who was also a Spaniard, he flattered himself with the idea of depriving him of the empire of the east, having already usurped that of the west. Theodosius was detested for his cruelties; but he understood the art of gaining to his party the heads of the church. Maximus was desirous, by displaying the same zeal, of attaching the Spanish bishops to his faction. He flattered both the old and the new religion; he was a man as treacherous

as inhuman, as indeed were all those, who, at this period, aspired to or obtained the empire. The govenment of this vast portion of the world was similar to that of Algiers at the present day. The soldiery created and dethroned the emperors; they selected them often from among the natives of their country regarded as barbarous. Theodosius opposed to his antagonist other barbarians from Seythia it was he who filled the armies with Goths, and who raised up Alaric the conqueror of Rome. In this horrible state of confusion, the empire belonged to him who could strengthen his party most effectually, by any and every means in his

power.

Maximus, just had procured the assassination, ́at Lyons, of Gratian, the colleague of Theodosius; and meditated the destruction of Valentinian the 2d. who, while yet child had been nominated as the successor of Gratian-at Rome. He assembled at Treves a powerful army composed of Gauls and Germans. He was also leveying troops in Spain, when two Spanish bishops Idacio and Ithacus or Itacius, men who possessed much influence, came and demanded of him the blood of Priscillian and of all his adherents, who were persuaded that souls are emanations from God; that the trinity does not include three Hypostases; and

who, moreover, carried their sacrilegious doings so far as actually to fast on sundays. Maximus, half

pagan, half christian, was soon aware of the enormity of these crimes. The holy bishops, Idacio and Itacius, also obtained permission to torture Priscillian and his adherents before they put them to death. They were both present at the executions in order to see that all things were regularly conducted; and they returned home praising God, and numbering Maximus, the defender of the faith, among the saints. But Maximus being defeated by Theodosius, and afterwards murdered at the feet of his vanquisher, had not the honor to be canonized. It is proper, at the same time, to remark, that St. Martin, bishop of Tours, who was a truly good man, solicited the pardon of Priscillian; but being himself accused of being a heretic, he returned to Tours for fear of being put to the torture at Trevis.

As for Priscillian, he had the consolation, after being hanged however, of being looked upon by his followers as a Martyr. They celebrated the day of his canonization, and they would probably do so to this day, if there were any Priscillianists remaining in the world.

This example made the whole church tremble;

but, soon after, it was not only successfully imitated, but even surpassed. Priscillianists had preshed by the sword, by the halter, and by stoning to death a young lady of quality, suspected, of having fasted on a sunday, was only stoned to death at Bordeaux. These punishments, however, appeared too mild; it having been duly proved, that God required heretics to be roasted alive by a slow fire. The convincing argument offered in support of this opinion was, that it was in that manner that God himself punishes them in another world; to which they added that all princes, and all representatives of princes, including therein all petty magistrates, were the images of God in this sublunary world!

In pursuance of this principle they every where burned all witches and sorcerers; such personages being manifestly under the empire of the devil; and extended the same charity to all heterodox christians, who were deemed more criminal and dangerous than even sorcerers themselves.

The precise nature of the heresy, with which the priests whom king Robert (the son of Hugh,) and Constance his wife ordered to be burned in their presence at Orleans, in 1022, were contaminated, is not known. How indeed it should

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be known, there being at that time none but some few scholars and monks who could read, is not easy to determine. This fact, however, is well established, that Robert and his wife satiated their eyes with the view of this most abominable spectacle-One of these sectaries had been confessor to Constance, who thought, that she could in no way better repair the misfortune of having confessed herself to a heretic, than by seeing him devoured by the flames. Custom ripens into law: from that period down to the present day, the church has continued to burn those who were, or who at least appeared to be, blackened by the crime of erroneous opinion.

CHAP. IV.

Of the extirpation of Heresies.

WE ought, it appears to me, in matters of heresy, to distinguish between opinion and faction. From the first ages of christianity, opinions have been divided on the subject of religious duty. The christians of Alexandria did not agree, on many points, with those of Antioch. The Achaians were at variance with the Asiatics. This diversity of opinion has existed in every age, and,