A Philosophical Commentary on These Words of the Gospel, Luke 14:23, “Compel Them to Come In, That My House May Be Full”. Pierre Bayle

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in opposite Sects.

       Chapter XI. The Result from what has bin prov’d in the two foregoing Chapters; and a Confutation of the Literal Sense, let the worst come to the worst.

       <xvii> The Third Part.

       St. Austin once thought that Constraint ought not to be us’d in Religion, and chang’d not his Opinion till he saw the Success of the Imperial Laws in bringing in Hereticks. The Absurdity of the Reasoning.

      

       St. Austin was easily persuaded of any thing which seem’d to support his Prejudices.

       No body has made a juster Judgment of St. Austin than Father Adam, a Jesuit.

       I. St. Austin’s Words.

       I am even much more a Lover of Peace now than when you knew me in my younger days at Carthage; but the Donatists being so very restless as they are, I can’t but persuade my self, that it’s fit to restrain ’em by the Authority of the Powers ordain’d by God.

       It hence follows that Princes ought not to be incited against Hereticks who are not factious. Yet St. Austin does not mean this.

       Princes ought to repress those of the Orthodox who are factious as well as Hereticks.

       The Imperial Laws are directly against the Donatists.

       There wou’d be no need to establish new Laws, if ’twere only to repress the turbulent.

       Those who by Accident cause great Combustions and Revolutions, ought not to be reckon’d publick Disturbers.

       What meant by a publick Disturber.

       ’Tis unfair to traduce a Doctrine one believes false, by such Particulars as it has in common with Doctrines we believe true.

       II. St. Austin’s Words.

       Accordingly we have the satisfaction of seeing several oblig’d by this means to return to the Catholick Unity.

       <xviii> The ill Connexion of St. Austin’s Words, and his Subterfuges like those of modern Convertists.

       III. St. Austin’s Words.

       The Power of Custom was a Chain never to be broken by ’em, if they had not bin struck with a Terror of the Secular Arm, and if this salutary Terror had not apply’d their Minds to a Consideration of the Truth, &c.

       This sufficiently answer’d in the Second Part of the Commentary, Chap. 1, 2.

       Persecution has the same Advantage and Success against the Orthodox as against Hereticks and Infidels.

       IV. St. Austin’s Words.

       If a Man saw his Enemy ready to throw himself down a Precipice in the Paroxisms of a raging Fever, wou’d it not be rendring him evil for evil to let him take his own way, rather than with-hold and bind him hand and foot? Yet this frantick Person wou’d look on such an Act of Goodness and Charity only as an Outrage, and the Effect of Hatred for him: But shou’d he recover his Health and Senses, he must be sensible that the more Violence this mistaken Enemy exercis’d on him, the more he was oblig’d to him. How many have we even of the Circoncellions, who are now become zealous Catholicks, and who had never come to themselves, if we had not procur’d the Laws of our Emperors to bind ’em hand and foot, as we do Madmen?

       St. Austin’s great Strength consists only in popular Commonplaces.

       Absurdity of the Comparison between a Heretick one wou’d convert, and a Madman one prevents from breaking his Neck.

       In what Sense God can’t save us by Force.

       V. St. Austin’s Words.

       You’l tell me, there are those on whom we don’t gain an inch of ground by these Methods; I believe it: but must we forgo the Medicine, because there are some incurable Patients?

       <xix> Success of the Pagan Persecutions against Christians in the first Ages.

       Remedys shou’d be adapted to the Nature of Diseases.

       St. Austin’s Receit leads to all sorts of Crimes.

       VI. St. Austin’s Words.

       Did we only lift the Rod over ’em, and not take the pains to instruct ’em, our Conduct might justly appear tyrannical; but on the other hand, did we content our selves with instructing ’em, without working on their Fears, they’d ne’er be able to surmount a kind of Listlessness in ’em, contracted by Use and Custom.

       Persecution hinders a fair Examination.

       VII. St. Austin’s Words.

       All

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