Source: Source: Vol. 2 http://www.archive.org/details/worksgeo02haygiala
ON COMMUNICATING IN RELIGION WITH THOSE WHO ARE SEPARATED FROM THE CHURCH OF CHRIST edit
Introduction edit
WHOEVER seriously considers what has been shown in the preceding inquiry, and the light in which the sacred Scriptures represent all false religions, will have no difficulty in drawing this conclusion, that all communication with such, in religious matters, must be highly criminal in the sight of God; because such communication implies an approbation of their false doctrine, and is, as St. John expresses it, "a communicating with their wicked works," 2 John, 11. It might seem unnecessary, therefore, to advance anything further on this head; but as the licentiousness of the heart of man, fostered by the latitudinarian maxims so current in the world, is too apt, under some specious pretence or other, to take liberties in practice, which a bare conclusion from other principles might prove too weak to restrain; and as the spirit of God has been pleased to explain our duty on this point in the plainest terms, in His sacred Scriptures, it cannot, therefore, but be agreeable to all sincere disciples of Jesus Christ to know fully what their holy religion teaches them concerning it. This will serve for their own satisfaction in knowing their duty and the grounds of it, and will also arm them against the "cunning craftiness of such as may go about to deceive them." This appendix, therefore, is added to show, from the most incontestable authority, that it is altogether unlawful for the members of the true Church of Christ to hold any religious communication even in appearance only, with those who are separated from her communion; and that the vain pretexts which may be brought to authorise such communication are mere delusions, and, as St Paul justly calls them, "impositions of philosophy, vain deceit, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ," Col. ii. 8. This will manifestly appear by what the sacred Word of God declares upon this subject.
SECTION I: Principles premised from the Holy Scriptures. edit
Q. 1. Are we obliged to confess our holy faith outwardly, acknowledging ourselves to be members of the Church of Christ?
A. We are strictly obliged to do so, when either God's honour or the good of our neighbour's soul requires it; because the Scriptures make this an express condition of salvation. Thus, (1.) "This is the word of faith which we preach; that if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God raised Him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved; for with the heart we believe unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation," Rom. x. 9. In which words the apostle declares, that it is an article of Divine faith, revealed by God, and preached as His word by the apostles, that if we confess Jesus outwardly, and believe Him in our hearts, we shall be saved; for though the internal faith of the heart is sufficient for our justification that is, for being reconciled with God through repentance yet, if occasion be given, we are also bound to confess outwardly, both by words and actions, without shame, or fear of the world, the faith which we believe in our hearts, in order to obtain salvation. And it is with great reason that St Paul affirms this to be a revealed truth; for, (2.) Jesus Christ Himself declares it to His holy apostles in these words: "Whosoever, therefore, shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven," Mat. x. 32; and in another place He repeats it with an asseveration, saying: "And I say unto you, whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God," Luke, xii. 8. In these words, the necessity of confessing our faith in Jesus Christ is revealed by Him; which, therefore, St Paul in the former text calls the word of faith. Now, by confessing Jesus Christ is not only meant confessing our belief in His person, but also in His doctrine, and consequently in His Church, in which alone His true doctrine is preserved; for of St Paul, before his conversion, it is said that "He breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord," Acts, ix. i that is, against the Church of Christ, as he himself declares, saying, "Beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it," Gal. i. 13; and yet, when Christ appeared to him by the way going to Damascus, He said to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutes! thou Me? ... I am Jesus whom thou persecutes!," Acts, ix. 4; where it is manifest that persecuting Christ and persecuting His Church is the same thing; and consequently, confessing Christ and confessing His Church is the same thing also, according to His own words to the pastors of His Church, "He that hears you hears Me; and he that despises you despises Me."
Q. 2. Is it a grievous sin to deny Christ, or His faith and Church?
A. It is of its own nature a grievous sin of the deepest dye; for Christ Himself says, "Whosoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father Who is in heaven," Mat. x. 33; and again, "He that shall deny Me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God," Luke, xii. 9. On this authority St Paul declares the same truth as a faithful saying, and commands his disciple Timothy, and in him all the pastors of God's Church, to preach and inculcate the same to their people: "A faithful saying. ... If we deny Him, He will deny us; if we believe not, He continueth faithful, He cannot deny Himself; of these things put them in mind, charging them before the Lord," 2 Tim. ii. 1 1; where it is manifest that, to deny Jesus Christ, and consequently to deny His faith or Church, is a deadly sin, which, at the great day, will bring upon us that dreadful sentence, "I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity," Luke, xiii. 27.
Q. 3. How does it appear that denying the faith of Church of Christ is included in these texts, and is the same as denying Christ Himself?
A. This is manifest, both from the reason given above, and also from the following express declaration of Christ Himself, saying, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me, and of My words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when He shall come in the glory of His Father, with the holy angels," Mark, viii. 38; where it is evident that to be ashamed, not only of Christ, but also of His words that is, of His doctrine, of His faith, and consequently of His Church, the depositary of His faith is a mortal sin of its own nature; and if the being ashamed of these is a mortal sin, how much more the denying them?
Q. 4. But is it not allowable to deny our faith outwardly, whilst we keep it firmly in our hearts, in order to escape some great evil, such as the loss of all our goods, our liberty, or of life itself?
A. No: it is never allowable, even in appearance, either by words, or signs, or actions, to deny our faith, though it were to gain the whole world, or to escape the greatest evils; for, (1.) This is exactly what Christ condemns in express terms, when He says, "Whosoever shall deny Me before men" that is, outwardly in appearance, in the eyes of the world "I will also deny him before My Father Who is in heaven." (2.) Because He makes the losing our life for His sake, and for the sake of His Gospel, when called to the test, a condition of salvation. "Whosoever," says He, "shall lose his life for My sake, and for the Gospel, shall save it for what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me, and of My words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also shall be ashamed of him, when He shall come in the glory of His Father," Mark, viii. 35; where it is evident that even the being ashamed of His Gospel that is, of His words even though it were to save our life, or gain the whole world, is a crime which will destroy the soul; how much more to deny it? whereas if we lose our life for His holy faith, we save our souls, and gain eternal happiness. (3.) Because to deny our faith, only in appearance, is, of its own nature, a mortal sin, and therefore never can be allowable on any consideration.
Q. 5. Did the primitive Christians understand these texts in this manner?
A. There cannot be a stronger proof of the belief of the primitive Church in this matter than the noble behaviour of thousands and thousands of her members, who laid down their lives in the midst of the most cruel torments, rather than do the smallest thing that could have even the appearance of denying their holy religion. It was not always required of these blessed martyrs openly to renounce their faith, or to abandon it entirely. Merely saying certain words, or doing some action, which was to be interpreted as a disavowal of their religion, or an approbation of the then established religion of the country, was frequently all that was required of them to save goods, liberty, and life. To be present at a heathen sacrifice, though their heart took no share in what was there done, was sufficient; and had they complied with this but once, they would seldom have again been sought after, but allowed to follow what religion they pleased; yet they persevered resolutely, choosing to forfeit all that was near and dear to them in this world, and to undergo the most exquisite torments, rather than do the smallest action contrary to the allegiance which they owed to Jesus Christ, or, in appearance only, seem to be ashamed of Him and of His sacred words. Surely, nothing but the most perfect conviction of the unlawfulness of the thing could have caused so many of both sexes, and often of the most tender age, to reject with horror such a compliance. Their all was at stake life, liberty, goods, children, and everything they possessed; by compliance they would have secured all those things which men are taught to regard as the most valuable in this world, and. moreover, were often promised riches and honours, and the favour of the emperors. By non-compliance they forfeited all, and were condemned to die in the most excruciating manner; yet, convinced that such compliance was unlawful, an injury to God, a dishonour to His holy faith, and a scandal to their brethren, they cheerfully embraced death in all its horrors, rather than be guilty of such a crime. What shows still more plainly the ideas of the primitive Church on this point is her treatment of certain weak brethren, who, to avoid these tortures, procured, for money, an attestation from the magistrates that they had complied with what the persecuting laws required, though in reality they had not. They were regarded by the Church as traitors to their God and to their religion, they were dealt with as such, and not admitted to the participation of the sacred mysteries, till, by long and severe public penance, they had endeavoured to expiate their crime, and repair the scandal they had given.
Q. 6. Wherein does the malice of the sin consist when one, either by words, or signs, or actions, denies his faith, though only in appearance, whilst he still retains it in his heart?
A. The malice of this sin is manifold, (1.) It is a grievous lie, in a matter of the highest importance, when one professes outwardly that the truths of God are false which he knows in his heart to be true; and if this profession be accompanied with an oath, it is perjury, and one of the grossest insults that can be offered to Almighty God, because it is calling Himself to witness that the Divine truths revealed by Him are false. (2.) It is giving the lie to God before men; for, as he "that believeth not the Son maketh God a liar, because he believeth not the testimony which He hath testified of His Son," i John, v. 10; so he that denieth any truth revealed by Jesus Christ maketh Him a liar, because he acknowledges before men that His Divine faith is not true. Hence, (3.) All acts of this kind are most dishonourable to Almighty God, and contain a grievous contempt of His infinite majesty, of which He says, "They that despise Me shall be despised," i Kings (Sam.), ii. 30.
(4.) They are also grievously injurious to Divine charity, and show that we love the world, our possessions, or our life much more than God, when, from fear of losing them, we deny Him and His holy faith. (5.) They also contain the malice of grievous scandal, for they give the enemies of our holy faith occasion to think slightly of it, and to be the more confirmed in their own errors. The bad example also of such actions naturally induces weak brethren to follow it, and to lose the esteem they ought to have for their holy religion, to the ruin and destruction of their souls.
SECTION II. Consequences that necessarily follow from these Scripture Principles. edit
Q. 7. What are the consequences which flow from these Scripture principles?
A. Chiefly these following:
1. That when a person is called upon by public authority to give an account of his religion, he is obliged in conscience openly to declare his faith, because the honour of God then requires him to do so, and obliges him not to be ashamed of Christ nor of His words, even though his doing so should cost him all he has in this world, even life itself. Hence the holy martyrs, when examined before their persecuting judges, openly confessed their faith in Jesus Christ, and rejoiced, with the apostles, to suffer for His name's sake.
2. When we hear wicked men speaking impious things against the Gospel, or ridiculing the sacred truths it teaches, and have grounds to hope that our defending them would either check their impiety or prevent others present from being hurt by it, it is our duty to profess our esteem and veneration for the Gospel, because then both the good of our neighbour and the honour of God call upon us to do so. And is it not surprising that, if we hear our friend, father, or prince spoken evil of, we think ourselves obliged to take their part and defend them, and yet that we should be cold and backward to defend the cause of the great God, when we hear His divine truths blasphemed, or ashamed to show ourselves Christians, lest we should be ridiculed by men? Have we not reason to dread that Christ will be ashamed of us at the great day? This was not the case with the royal prophet, that man according to God's own heart, who said to God, "I spoke of Thy testimonies before kings, and I was not ashamed," Ps. cxviii. 46; nor with St Paul, who said, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel," Rom. i. 16.
3. That it is always criminal to seem to approve of or profess any false religion, whether this be done by words, signs, or actions; because to approve a false religion, even in appearance, or before men, is a tacit condemnation of the true, is a dangerous lie, dishonourable to God, and a scandal to our neighbour. Hence, when the persecuting heathen king required the venerable Eleazar to eat swine's flesh, contrary to the law, as a sign of his denying his religion, "he, choosing rather a most glorious death than a hateful life, went forward of his own accord to the torment;" and when some of his friends, moved with a false compassion, proposed to bring him other flesh which the law allowed, that he might appear to have eaten swine's flesh in obedience to the king, and so save his life, "he answered without delay, . . . saying he would rather be sent into the other world; for it doth not become our age, said he, to dissemble, whereby many young persons, . . . through my dissimulation, and for a little time of a corruptible life, should be deceived, and thereby I should bring a stain and a curse upon my old age; for though for the present time I should be delivered from the punishment of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither alive nor dead; . . . and he was forthwith carried to execution," 2 Mac. vi. 19.
4. That when a person living among those of a false religion conceals his faith, though he keep it in his heart, and in order to conceal it neglects all its external duties, and even transgresses the sacred laws and precepts of the Church lest he should be discovered, and meet with some temporal loss or inconvenience, he is guilty of a sin, because he is ashamed of the faith of Christ, disobeys His holy Church, and prefers his own worldly ease and interest to the glory of God and the honour of His holy Gospel.
5. That if this person, the more effectually to conceal his religion, not only neglects its duties, but even joins in acts of the false religion of those with whom he dwells by being present at their prayers, or going to their churches, his sin is still more grievous, because he positively professes a false religion, denies the true religion of Jesus Christ before men, and therefore must expect to be denied by Him at the great day. Of such as these the Scripture says, "When they worship the Lord they serve also their idols," 4 Kings, xvii. 33, 41. And their great misery is, that they conceal their worship of the Lord, being ashamed or afraid to show it, and worship openly their idols, their worldly interests, and the favour of men.
6. That if any outward action or dress, or the like, be either of its own nature, by the laws of the country, or the custom of the place, considered a distinctive sign of a false religion, it is always unlawful and a sin in any member of the Church of Christ to do that action or wear that dress, whatever may be his private intention in doing so; because in the eyes of the world it is an open profession of that false religion, nor does it depend upon his private intention to make it otherwise. Hence the Church severely condemned the practice of some Christians living among Mahometans, who, while they privately attended their Christian duties, took Turkish names, and used the Turkish dress, that, passing for Mahometans, they might enjoy certain privileges in trade, and be freed from certain taxes which Christians were obliged to pay. All such dissimulation in religion is detestable in the sight of God, not only for the reasons given above, but also because of the injury it does to His holy religion itself; for when it is discovered, as it seldom fails sooner or later to be, it gives the enemies of our holy faith cause to believe that it approves such dissimulation, and increases their hatred and aversion to it.
7. Every action or way of speaking which either includes, or seems to include, a contempt and disapprobation of the doctrine of Jesus Christ, or an approbation of what is contrary thereto, and which scandalises weak brethren, or tends to lead them into error or sin, is still more detestable in the eyes of God; as, besides all the evils above mentioned, it also tends to the ruin of those souls for which Christ died. We have seen how this consideration weighed with that holy servant of God Eleazar, to keep him from doing a thing lawful in itself, but which, having the appearance of evil, would have proved a scandal to others; and St Paul, in the strongest manner, shows us the greatness of the crime of giving scandal in things that regard religion above all others.
Q. 8. What is the doctrine delivered by St Paul on this head?
A. It consists of several most necessary points: for (1.) He lays down three different kinds of injury we may do to our neighbour's soul, by giving bad example of any kind, but especially in what regards our religion; first, To scandalise him that is, to encourage our neighbour to do evil, or to be the cause of inducing him to sin; secondly, To offend him that is, to give him pain and trouble of mind, on seeing our evil deeds; thirdly, To make him weak that is, to weaken his esteem and zeal for his religion, by seeing or hearing us do or say anything slighting of it. Now all these things he exhorts us to avoid, by abstaining even from the most innocent actions, if our neighbour through weakness take offence at them. "It is good," says he, "not to eat flesh, and not to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother is offended, or scandalised, or made weak," Rom. xiv. 21. "Put not a stumbling-block or a scandal in your brother's way; . . . but if, because of thy meat, thy brother be grieved, thou walkest not now according to charity. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died," Rom. xiv. 13, 15.
(2.) He declares that when a person thinks anything a sin which is not so in itself, and commits it, he becomes guilty, by acting against his conscience. "All things," says he, "are clean, but it is an evil for that man who eateth with offence; . . . for he that discerneth" (that is, thinks some meats clean and some unclean), "if he eat, is condemned, because not of faith" that is, not according to but against his conscience, Rom. xiv. 20, 23.
(3.) He affirms that, if we do a thing innocent in itself, but which has the appearance of evil, and much more so if it be evil, by which our brother is encouraged or otherwise induced to do it, believing it to be evil, or knowing it to be such, we commit a grievous sin, by ruining our brother's soul, and sinning against Christ, who died for our salvation. Meats offered to idols, in reality contract no uncleanness on that account, because an idol is nothing, and therefore in themselves they may be eaten without any scruple; yet all are not of that opinion, and "if any one eats with the conscience of the idol" (that is,thinking it unlawful to do so), "his conscience, being weak, is denied." Now, though another who has knowledge may lawfully eat such meat, yet, if his doing so induces his weak brother to do the same, he is guilty of the ruin of his brother. "Take heed," says he, "lest perhaps this your liberty become a stumbling-block to the weak; for if a man see him that hath knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not his conscience, being weak, be emboldened to eat those things which are sacrificed to idols? and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died? Now, when ye sin thus against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ," i Cor. viii. 9.
Wherefore, (4.) He concludes, that for his part, "if meat scandalise my brother, I will never taste flesh, lest I should scandalise my brother," i Cor. viiL 13. And a little after he gives this general command to all, "Give no offence to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God," i Cor. x. 32. From this it is manifest that every word or action including or seeming to include a contempt of religion, by which our brethren may "be offended, or scandalised, or made weak," is very offensive in the sight of God, from this consideration alone, that it tends to make "them perish for whom Christ died, wounds their weak conscience," and through them is a "sin against Christ" And how severe a judgment Christ will pass against all those who scandalise their weak brethren appears from His own words, when He says, "He that shall scandalise one of those little ones that believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of scandals; for it must needs be that scandals come; but, nevertheless, woe to that man by whom scandal cometh," Mat. xviii. 6. And the holy Eleazar declared that, had he been guilty of that crime, though by an action which was in itself lawful, and to save his own life, yet "neither alive nor dead should he escape the hand of the Almighty," 2 Mac. vi. 26.
8. Lastly, That it is always criminal to expose one's self without necessity to the probable danger of losing one's faith, or being corrupted in one's religion; for the Scripture declares that "He that loveth the danger shall perish in it," Ecclus. iii. 27. And our Saviour commands us to pluck out our eye, or cut off a hand or foot, and throw it from us, if it be a scandal to us that is, to fly from, separate ourselves from, and avoid every person, thing, or employment, which puts us in the dangerous occasion of ruining our souls, though as near and dear or useful to us as an eye, a hand, or a foot; and He adds this cogent reason, "For it is better," says He, "for thee that one of thy members should perish, than that thy whole body should be cast, into hell-fire," Mat. v. 29. And again: "It is better for thee to enter into life maimed and lame, than, having two hands and two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire," Mat. xviii. 8.
Q. 9. What is the conclusion to be drawn from all these Scripture truths?
A. The conclusion is manifest, namely "That all communication in matters of religion with those separated from the Church of Christ, which either is in itself, or is esteemed in the eyes of men to be, a defection from the true faith, or a profession or approbation of their false tenets, or is a distinctive sign of belonging to their sect, or an occasion of offence and scandal to the faithful, or an exposing of one's self to the probable danger of seduction, is a very great crime in the sight of God, and strictly forbidden by His holy law, as being intrinsically evil in its own nature."
Q. 10. Is there any positive law of God expressly forbidding all communication with those of a false religion?
A. There are several very strong and clear commands for this purpose, some of which contain an unlimited prohibition of all such communication in general, and others enforce this prohibition by assigning particular reasons for it.
SECTION III. General Laws of God, forbidding all Communication in Religion with those of a false Religion. edit
Q. 11. What are those laws which prohibit this in general?
A. They are principally these following:
(1.) The first is grounded upon the light in which all false religions are considered in the Holy Scripture; for there we are assured that they arise from false teachers, who are called seducers of the people, ravenous wolves, false prophets, who speak perverse things: that they are antichrists, and enemies of the cross of Christ; that, departing from the true faith of Christ, they give heed to the spirits of error; that their doctrines are the doctrines of devils, speaking lies; that their ways are pernicious, their heresies damnable, and the like. In consequence of which, this general command of avoiding all communication with them in religion is given by the apostle: "Bear not the yoke together with unbelievers; for what participation hath justice with injustice? or what fellowship hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath the faithful with the unbelievers? or what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God," 2 Cor. vi. 14. Now it is the true religion of Jesus Christ, the true doctrine of His gospel, which is justice and light; all false doctrines are injustice and darkness: it is by our holy faith that we belong to Christ, and are temples of the living God; all false religions flow from the father of lies, and make those who embrace them unbelievers; therefore all participation, all fellowship, all communication with false religions, is here expressly forbidden by the Word of God. We have seen above that we are obliged to love the persons of those who are engaged in false religions, to wish them well, and to do them good; but here we are expressly forbidden all communication in their religion that is, in their false tenets and worship. Hence the learned and pious English divines who published at Rheims their translation of the New Testament, in their note upon this passage, say: "Generally, here is forbidden conversation and dealing with unbelievers in prayers, or meetings at their schismatical service, or other divine office whatsoever; which the apostle here uttereth in more particular terms, that Christian people may take the better heed of it."
(2.) The next general command to avoid all religious communication with those who are heretics, or have a false religion, is this, "A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, AVOID; knowing that he that is such an one is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment," Tit. iii. 10. Here we see another general command to avoid all such that is, to flee from them, to have no communication with them. But in what are we commanded to flee from them? not as to their persons, or the necessary communications of society; for then, as the same holy apostle says upon a similar occasion, "You must needs go out of the world," i Cor. v. 10. Not as to the offices of Christian charity; for these we are commanded by Christ Himself, in the person of the good Samaritan, to give to all mankind, whatever their religion be: therefore, in the most restricted and limited sense which the words can bear, the thing in which we are commanded to avoid them is in all matters of religion; in that in which they themselves are subverted and sin; in things relating to God and His service. In these they err, in these they are subverted, in these they are condemned;
(3.) A third general command on this subject is manifestly included in this zealous injunction of the apostle: "We charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received from us," 2 Thess. iii. 6. In this passage all the different sects of false religions are particularly pointed out; for, however they may differ in other respects, they generally agree in this, of rejecting apostolical traditions handed down to us by the Church of Christ; all such the apostle here charges us, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to avoid to withdraw ourselves from them. Now it is evident that the most limited sense in which this command, so warmly laid on us by the apostle, can be taken, is to withdraw ourselves from them in everything relating to religion, from their sacraments, prayers, preachings, religious meetings, and the like. It is in these things that they "do not walk according to the tradition received from the apostles." In these things, then, we are here commanded, in the name of Christ Himself, "to withdraw ourselves from them."
Seeing, therefore, that the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of this holy apostle, has so often, and in such strong terms, forbidden all manner of fellowship in religion with those who are out of His holy Church, let us not be deceived by the specious but vain sophistry of cunning men, who lie in wait to deceive; let us not offend our God, by transgressing these His express commands, by joining in the prayers or going to the meetings of such as are separated from His holy Church, lest He should withdraw His holy grace from us, and as we expose ourselves to the danger, leave us to perish in it. Let us hear and follow the advice and command of the same holy apostle: "As therefore ye have received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk ye in Him; rooted and built up in Him, and confirmed in the faith; as also ye have learned, abounding in Him in thanksgiving. Beware lest any man impose upon you by philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ," Col. ii. 6. Wherefore, to all those arguments which may be brought from human, worldly, or interested motives, to induce us to join in or to partake of any religious duty with those of a false religion, though in appearance only, we ought to oppose this one, "God has expressly forbidden it, therefore no human power can make it lawful."
SECTION IV. Particular Laws of God forbidding all Communication with false Religions, and assigning Reasons for it. edit
Q. 12. What are the particular laws on this subject?
A. In the three general commands above mentioned, God Almighty speaks, by the mouth of His holy apostle, as Lord and Master, and lays His orders upon us absolutely. In what follows, He unites the merciful Saviour to the Sovereign; and whilst He no less strictly commands us to avoid all religious communication with those who are separated from His holy faith and Church, He at the same time condescends to engage our obedience, by showing us the strongest reasons for it.
(1.) "Beware of false prophets," says our blessed Master, "who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves," Mat. vii. 15. Here Jesus Christ commands His followers to "beware of false prophets" that is, to flee from them, to be on their guard against them; and He adds this powerful motive, Lest ye be seduced and ruined by them; for, whatever appearance of godliness they may put on, though they come to you in the clothing of sheep, yet within they are ravenous wolves, and seek only to slay and to destroy. To the same purpose He says in another place, "Take heed that no man seduce you: for many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and they will seduce many," Mat xxiv. 4. "And many false prophets shall arise and seduce many," ver. n. Here He foretells the cunning of false teachers, and the danger of being seduced by them, and commands us to take care of ourselves, that such be not our fate. But how shall we escape from them? He afterwards tells us how: do not believe them, have nothing to do with them, have no communication with them. "Then," He says, "if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if it is possible) even the elect. Behold, I have told it you beforehand. If, therefore, they shall say to you, Behold He is in the desert, go ye not out; behold He is in the closet, believe it not," Mat. xxiv. 23. Can there be a more powerful reason to enforce the observance of His command, or a stronger motive to induce His followers to have no religious communication with such false teachers? Many will be certainly seduced by them; and so will you, if you expose yourself to the danger.
(2.) St Peter, considering the great mercy bestowed upon us by the grace of our vocation to the true faith of Christ, says, that it is our duty to "declare the praises and virtues of Him Who hath called us out of darkness into His admirable light," i Pet. ii. 9. St Paul also exhorts us to "give thanks to God the Father, Who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light, Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His beloved Son," Col. i. 12; where it is manifest that as the true faith of Jesus Christ is the only light that conducts to salvation, and that it is only in His kingdom that is, in His Church where that heavenly light is to be found, so all false religions are darkness; and that to be separated from the kingdom of Christ is to be in darkness as to the great affair of eternity. And indeed what greater or more miserable darkness can a soul be in than to be led away by seducing spirits, and "departing from the faith of Christ, give heed to the doctrine of devils," i Tim. iv. i. St Paul, deploring the state of such souls, says that they "have their understandings darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts," Eph. iv. 1 8. On this account the same holy apostle exhorts us in the most pressing manner to take care not to be seduced from the light of our holy faith by the vain words and seducing speeches of false teachers, by which we would certainly incur the anger of God; and, to prevent so great a misery, he not only exhorts us to walk as children of the light in the practice of all holy virtues, but expressly commands us to avoid all communication in religion with those who walk in the darkness of error. "Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief; be ye not, therefore, partakers with them. For ye were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord; walk ye as the children of the light, . . . and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness," Eph. v. 6. Here, then, we have an express command, not only not to partake with the unfruitful works of darkness that is, not to join in any false religion, or partake of its rites or sacraments but also, not to have any fellowship with its professors, not to be present at their meetings or sermons, or any other of their religious offices, lest we be deceived by them, and incur the anger of the Almighty, provoke Him to withdraw His assistance from us, and leave us to ourselves, in punishment of our disobedience.
(3.) St Paul, full of zeal for the good of souls, and solicitous to preserve us from all danger of losing our holy faith, the groundwork of our salvation, renews the same command in his Epistle to the Romans, by way of entreaty, beseeching us to avoid all such communication with those of a false religion. He also shows us by what sign we should discover them, and points out the source of our danger from them: " Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark them who cause dissensions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and to avoid them; for they that are. such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly, and by pleasing speeches and good words seduce the hearts of the innocent," Rom. xvi. 17. See here whom we are to avoid "those that cause dissensions contrary to the ancient doctrine; "all those who, having left the true faith and doctrine which they had learned, and which has been handed down to us from the beginning by the Church of Christ, follow strange doctrines, and make divisions and dissensions in the Christian world. And why are we to avoid them? because they are not servants of Christ, but slaves to their own belly, whose hearts are placed upon the enjoyments of this world, and who, by "pleasing speeches and good words, seduce the hearts of the innocent " that is, do not bring good reasons or solid arguments to seduce people to their evil ways, so as to convince the understanding, for that is impossible; but practise upon their hearts and passions, relaxing the laws of the Gospel, granting liberties to the inclinations of flesh and blood, laying aside the sacred rules of mortification of the passions and of self-denial, promising worldly wealth, and ease, and honours, and, by pleasing speeches of this kind, seducing the heart, and engaging people to their ways.
(4.) The same argument and command the apostle repeats in his epistle to his beloved disciple Timothy, where he gives a sad picture, indeed, of all false teachers, telling us that they put on an outward show of piety the better to deceive, "having an appearance, indeed, of godliness, but denying the power thereof;" then he immediately gives this command: "Now these avoid: for of this sort are they that creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, who are led away with divers desires;" and adds this sign by which they may be known, that, not having the true faith of Christ, and being out of His holy Church the only sure rule for knowing the truth they are never settled, but are always altering and changing their opinions, "ever learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth;" because, as he adds, "they resist the truth, being corrupted in their mind, and reprobate concerning the faith," 2 Tim. iii. 5. Here it is to be observed that, though the apostle says that silly weak people, and especially women, are most apt to be deceived by such false teachers, yet he gives the command of avoiding all communication with them in their evil ways, to all without exception, even to Timothy himself; for the epistle is directed particularly to him, and to him he says, as well as to all others, "Now these avoid," though he was a pastor of the Church, and fully instructed by the apostle himself in all the truths of religion; because, besides the danger of seduction, which none can escape who voluntarily expose themselves to it, all such communication is evil in itself, and therefore to be avoided by all, and especially by pastors, whose example would be more prejudicial to others.
(5.) Lastly, The beloved disciple St John renews the same command in the strongest terms, and adds another reason, which regards all without exception, and especially those who are best instructed in their duty: "Look to yourselves," says he, "that ye lose not the things that ye have wrought, but that you may receive a full reward. Whosoever revolteth, and continueth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that continueth in the doctrine, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If any man come to you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, nor say to him, God speed you: for he that saith to him, God speed you, communicateth with his wicked works," 2 John, ver. 8. Here, then, it is manifest, that all fellowship with those who have not the doctrine of Jesus Christ, which is "a communication in their evil works " that is, in their false tenets, or worship, or in any act of religion is strictly forbidden, under pain of losing the "things we have wrought, the reward of our labours, the salvation of our souls." And if this holy apostle declares that the very saying God speed to such people is a communication with their wicked works, what would he have said of going to their places of worship, of hearing their sermons, joining in their prayers, or the like? From this passage the learned translators of the Rheims New Testament, in their note, justly observe, "That, in matters of religion, in praying, hearing their sermons, presence at their service, partaking of their sacraments, and all other communicating with them in spiritual things, it is a great and damnable sin to deal with them." And if this be the case with all in general, how much more with those who are well instructed and better versed in their religion than others? for their doing any of these things must be a much greater crime than in ignorant people, because they know their duty better.
Q. 13. These laws are very clear and strong; but has the Christian Church always observed and enforced the observance of them?
A. The Spirit of Christ, which dictated the Holy Scriptures, and the Spirit which animates and guides the Church of Christ, and teaches her all truth, is the same; and therefore in all ages her conduct on this point has been uniformly the same as what the Holy Scripture teaches. She has constantly forbidden her children to hold any communication, in religious matters, with those who are separated from her communion; and this she has sometimes done under the most severe penalties. In the apostolical canons, which are of very ancient standing, and for the most part handed down from the apostolical age, it is thus decreed: "If any bishop, or priest, or deacon, shall join in prayers with heretics, let him be suspended from communion," Can. 44. Also, "If any clergyman or laic shall go into the synagogue of the Jews, or the meetings of heretics, to join in prayer with them, let him be deposed, and deprived of communion," Can. 63. So also, in one of her most respected councils, held in the year 398, at which the great St Augustine was present, she speaks thus: "None must either pray or sing psalms with heretics; and whosoever shall communicate with those who are cut off from the communion of the Church, whether clergyman or laic, let him be excommunicated," Coun. Carth. iv. 72 and 73. The same is her language in all ages; and in this she shows herself to be the true mother, who will not suffer her children to be divided. She knows her heavenly spouse has declared that "no man can serve two masters; we cannot serve God and Mammon;" and therefore she must either have them to be hers entirely, or she cannot acknowledge them as such. She knows His holy apostle has protested that there can be no "participation, no fellowship, no concord, no part, no agreement between the faithful and the unbeliever;" and therefore she never can allow any of her faithful children to have any religious communication with those of a false religion and corrupted faith.
>Q. 14. Are there any other particular reasons for avoiding all communication with those who are separated from the Church, in those countries where the number of the faithful is small, and where they live amidst multitudes who are of different religions?
A. Yes, there are, and very strong reasons. For, (1.) In these countries, if any of the faithful appear in the public places of worship, whether the established or those permitted by law, their doing so is generally looked upon as a defection from their own faith, and a joining with those who are separated from it, which is denying their faith before men. (2.) When a member of the Church goes to such religious meetings, whether to be present at their service or to hear their sermons, he never fails to give the greatest scandal; his going is a matter of triumph, and sometimes of derision, to those out of the Church, and causes affliction and offence to the faithful. It is an encouragement to the weak to do the same, lessens their esteem and respect for their holy faith, and gives those who are without occasion to bring such unhappy examples as a motive to induce others to do the same, as experience itself teaches. (3.) It can seldom or never be done, especially among the more unlearned, without evident danger of seduction, as is found also from experience. These considerations, as we have seen above, render all communication with those of a false religion doubly criminal, and strictly forbidden by the law of Jesus Christ, even though done in appearance only, and without any internal joining of the mind. (4.) There are also certain particular laws of the Church, expressly forbidding the faithful to hold any religious communication in these circumstances with those of a different religion.
Q15. What are these particular laws of the Church?
A. I shall only mention the two following: the first is a rescript of the head of the Church, Pope Paul IV. to the Catholics in England, at a time when the most severe persecutions were raised against them, unless they agreed to go from time to time to the public churches: "Great," says the holy Father, "has been the grief of our mind for the tribulations and calamities ye have constantly undergone for your adherence to the Catholic faith; and as we understand that these trials are become more severe at present, our affliction is increased exceedingly. For we are informed that ye are compelled, under the most grievous penalties, to go to the churches of heretics, to frequent their meetings, and be present at their sermons. Indeed we are fully persuaded that ye who, with so much fortitude and constancy, have hither-to undergone almost infinite miseries, that ye might walk without stain in the law of the Lord, will never consent to be defiled by communicating with those who have forsaken the Divine law. Nevertheless, urged by the zeal of our pastoral duty, and from paternal solicitude with which we daily labour for the salvation of your souls, we are forced to admonish and conjure you, that on no account you go to the churches of heretics, or hear their sermons, or join in their rites, lest ye incur the wrath of God; for it is not lawful for you to do such things, without dishonouring God, and hurting your own souls." In consequence of which authoritative decision, the Catholic pastors there have most strictly prohibited all such communication, by their special regulations.
The second is taken from the regulations made by the Catholic pastors in Scotland, which were approved and confirmed by the Holy See; in which it is expressly ordained, "That if any of the faithful shall be present at the service of those of a different religion, or go to hear their sermons, they shall be obliged to do public penance for the scandal so given, and that they all be expressly forbidden to be present even at their private prayers;" and then it is added, "Certain it is, that all communication in holy things with heretics has at all times been condemned by the Church with the greatest detestation. And in Scotland the distinctive sign of the faithful from others is, that Catholics do not go to their churches; and for the most part nothing else is required of Catholics as a profession that they have forsaken their own Church than to go to the meetings of others, which, if they do, they are no longer esteemed Catholics, but apostates from their faith." Which last words show that in Scotland it is particularly criminal to go to such places, as including a denial of their holy faith, in the estimation of the world and in the eye of the law, and on that account, also, must be attended with greater offence and scandal to all the faithful.
Q. 16. After such strong prohibitions, both by the Holy Scriptures, the general laws of the Church, and the statutes of particular Churches, where occasion requires it, one is at a loss to imagine what any man could say to the contrary: can any kind of authority be brought from Scripture to favour the liberty of going to such places?
A. That is impossible; the Scripture can never contradict itself, and we see that the whole tenor of the Scripture forbids it in the strictest terms. Nor is it in the New Testament alone that all religious communication is forbidden with those of a false religion. The conduct of Divine providence, in this point, was uniformly the same from the beginning; and the people of God, in the old law, were forbidden all such communication, under the severest penalties, as appears from many parts of the Old Testament. Neither, indeed, is it so much as pretended that a single text of Scripture can be produced to authorise such liberty. This very circumstance alone is its greatest condemnation; while we see so many of the most clear and evident texts forbidding it, and not so much as one to favour it. The constant practice of the Church also shows that any attempt to authorise or excuse such liberty falls under the curse pronounced by St Paul on all novelty in religion, and is contrary to the Gospel which has been preached from the beginning, and handed down from the holy apostles.
>Q. 17. But is it not allowed in some countries to go to hear the sermons of those who are separated from the Church; and if in some, why not in others?
A. It is not allowed in any country, for no power on earth can make that allowable which the law of God forbids; and to say that because several actually do it in some countries without being censured, and that therefore it is allowable, is the same as to say, great numbers curse and swear and lie in every country without being censured, therefore these crimes are everywhere allowed. Among large numbers of men many are always found who trangress the most sacred laws both of God and His Church, and in many cases it is impossible to censure and punish them for so doing; yet this by no means alters the nature of the law, which will stand at the great day as a testimony against them, and though here they escape the censure of men, they will not escape the just punishment of their trangression at the tribunal of God.
Q. 18. May it be said that the above texts of Scripture only forbid communicating with those out of the Church, but not the going out of curiosity to hear and see what passes at their religious meetings?
A. Whatever is a sin to do is a sin to appear to do; and it is evident that whoever goes to such places, appears to join with what is done there, whatever be in his own mind; and Jesus Christ not only condemns those who deny Him in their hearts, but also all those who deny Him before men, whatever be the inward dispositions of their hearts. Besides, the very going to such places is commonly looked upon in the eyes of the world, and in some countries in the eye of the law itself, as a joining of that communion; hence it never fails to give great offence and scandal to the faithful wherever it is known. All these are real evils, and render every action criminal which causes them. But if we consider the texts of Scripture themselves, we shall find that they forbid even the very going to such places; for do not these texts command us to avoid them? and can one be said to avoid them who goes to them, whatever be his intention? Does not the Scripture say that there is no fellowship, no participation, no concord, no part, no agreement between the faithful and the unbeliever? and can this be said of one who goes to their religious meetings, is present at their service, and listens to their preaching? Does not the Scripture expressly affirm that he who says God speed them, communicateth in their wicked works? how much more he who honours their meetings with his presence? Lastly, does not the Scripture say, Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness? and does not this include all kind of union with them in their evil ways? As for the motive of curiosity to see and hear what they do and say, it is certainly a disgrace to a Christian, or even to a reasonable person, to have recourse to such an excuse for doing a thing forbidden by lawful authority, but much more for doing what is so frequently, so severely, and for such important reasons forbidden by the law of God, and of His Church. Whatever useful purposes curiosity may serve in the acquisition of knowledge, however blameless it may be when employed about innocent objects, yet curiosity is, without doubt, a great sin in itself, when, to gratify it, a person either does what is criminal or prohibited by lawful authority, or exposes himself to the danger of doing so.
Q. 19. But if a person be properly instructed and thoroughly grounded in his religion, does not this take away the danger of being seduced from the faith? and may not such a one go to see and hear what passes among them?
A, In answer to this, we must observe (1.) That though such a person would run no hazard himself of losing his faith, yet this would only be avoiding one of those reasons for which the going to such places is forbidden; it would not hinder his going there from being a communication, at least in the eyes of the world, with a false religion, a seeming approbation of it, a transgression of an express command of God and His Church, and a grievous scandal to the faithful. Nay, the scandal arising from the example of such learned people must be much greater than from that of others, because every one of the faithful well knows that it is a sin to go to such places, and therefore all must be much more offended by seeing a person who ought to know his duty better than others acting so contrary to it, and the weaker will be much more influenced by his example.
(2.) If we consider what our holy religion teaches, we shall see that even the most learned cannot answer for themselves when they culpably expose themselves to danger. St Paul assures us that "by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, for it is the gift of God," Eph. ii. 8. Our faith, then, being a gift of God, our perseverance in it is no less so. If, therefore, a person, however learned, shall offend Almighty God in doing what is dishonourable to his holy faith, is not this provoking God to withdraw from him that gift of which, by his disobedience, he renders himself unworthy? And do not examples of the most learned men who have lost themselves by this means effectually prove that this is frequently the case? In the primitive ages, Tertullian and Tatian were most learned men, great champions of the Christian faith, having written many excellent things in defence of it, yet, by exposing themselves to these very dangers, they were miserably seduced, lost their faith, and fell into the most unreasonable heresies. How many instances have there been in the world even of clergymen who perfectly well knew their religion, and yet lost their faith, and were seduced by exposing ,themselves to these or similar dangers? Their learning in such cases is of no service for their preservation; it is the heart that is seduced, and then their knowledge makes them only the more guilty in the sight of God. Hence the Scripture declares that it is "by pleasing speeches and good words" that false teachers "seduce the hearts of the innocent," Rom. xvi. 18. It is impossible there should be any reason in favour of falsehood capable of convincing the understanding of a person who is well instructed in the faith of Jesus Christ; but the most learned and best instructed are not proof against their own passions and the seduction of the heart, and therefore can have no security against these if they culpably expose themselves to danger, by which they offend God and provoke Him to withdraw His grace from them, leaving them a prey to their passions, which we have seen has frequently occurred. On this account we find that the command of avoiding all fellowship with false teachers is given to all without exception; to the learned as well as the unlearned, to the pastors as well as to the people. It was to His very apostles that our Lord Himself said, "Take heed that no man seduce you. If they say to you, Lo, here is Christ, do not believe them. If they shall say to you, Behold He is in the desert, go not out Have nothing to do with them." And it was to Timothy, a pastor himself of the Church, and his own disciple, that St Paul, after describing false teachers, gave this command, "Now these avoid" It was also to Titus, another of his disciples, instructed by himself, and a pastor of the Church, that he gave the same command, Tit. iii. 10. Who can trust himself if these pillars and first pastors of the Church were so strictly cautioned to beware of the danger?
Q. 20. But if a person well instructed should go to such meetings to see and hear their teaching, that he might be the better able to refute it, would not this be lawful?
A. This case is the same, as to the danger, with that of reading bad books with the design of refuting them. To read bad books is forbidden by the law of nature and by the law of God, as well as by the positive law of the Church, precisely on account of the danger of being seduced by them to evil. Now, suppose a person to be thoroughly learned, and in no probable danger of being seduced by them, yet he cannot read them with a safe conscience, unless he have received permission from his spiritual superiors to do so, even though with the design of refuting them. If he read them without such leave, notwithstanding all his learning, he exposes himself to the danger of being injured by them in punishment of his disobedience to what the laws of God require of him. But if he have such permission, and read with an intention of refuting them, he may then do it lawfully, and has every reason to hope that God will preserve him from danger. In like manner, if a learned person, by permission of his lawful superiors, should go to the meetings of those of a false religion to learn their doctrine, that he may be able the better to refute it, this will take away the sin as to this one point of exposing himself to the danger; but then even this will not excuse the other evils of his doing so namely, an apparent communication with a false religion, a seeming approbation of it, and a cause of offence to the faithful, who, not knowing either of the permission he has received or the intention with which he goes, cannot fail to be scandalised by it. So that, except in such circumstances where all these evils can be prevented, such permission could not be granted; and though granted, would not, I fear, give him full security before the tribunal of God; especially when it is considered that there seldom or never can be a necessity for granting such permission, since the tenets and doctrines of all false religions can easily be known from their books, or from the accounts of others, without doing a thing so detrimental to the honour of the true religion, and so obnoxious in the eyes of all pious members of the Church of Christ.