The abridgment of Eusebius Pamphilius's ecclesiastical history in two parts ... whereunto is added a catalogue of the synods and councels which were after the days of the apostles : together with a hint of what was decreed in the same / by William Caton.

Here followeth a short Relation of some Persecu∣tion, which was by some false Christians after they were Apostatized from the Faith, and Pa∣tience, Love and long Suffering, which the true Christians retained while they abode in the Do∣ctrine of their Lord and Master.

THe first Persecuting Christians were called Arians from one Arius a Priest at Alexan∣dria, a Man very skilful in the subtilties of So∣phistical Logick, who reasoned thus, saying, If the Father begat the Son, then had the Son * 1.1 which was begotten a beginning of Essence; here∣by it is manifest (said he) that there was a time when the Son was not, and the consequent to follow necessarily, that he had his Essence of nothing. When he had with this strange kind of Doctrine concluded and laid down this position, he pro∣voked many to reason hereof, so that of a small

spark a great Fire was kindled; And for the debating of this, with a controversie that was in the Church about the Feast of Easter, was the Nicene Counsel Sommoned; And when the Ari∣ans had got the Emperour on their sides, then did they set up themselves and did boast of the * 1.2 Emperours Religion, and by force of Arms did they Instal (i. e. Consecrate) one Lucius an Arian in the Bishoprick at Alexandria; And they laid hands or Peter that before was Bishop and clapt him in Prison, and the rest of the Clergy the Banished, some unto one place, and some unto another; And horible Acts was committed af∣terwards against' such as inhabited the rest of Egypt, by Imprisoning of some, Tormenting of o∣thers, Exileing (i. e. banishing) of the rest; then did the world begin to favour the Ariens much, and after the Emperours Edict (i. e. Ordinance or Proclamation) was Proclaimed, the Houses of the Righteous in the Desert were spoiled, over∣thrown and cruely beaten to the ground; the armed Souldiers set upon the silly and unarmed People (who stretched not out a Hand for their own defence) and slew them miserably: The * 1.3 History saith, That the manner of the Slaugh∣ter was so Lamentable, that it cannot sufficient∣ly be manifested unto the World,

And when the Emperour Valens, had by Law ordained that Persecution should be raised a∣gainst all that maintained the Faith of one Sub∣stance, then was many brought before the Bar, many clapt up in Prison, others diversly Tormen∣ted, for they vexed them with sundry Punishments which led a Peaceable and quiat Life, and many

of them were set at nought, Scourged, Spoyled of * 1.4 their Rayment, Fettered in Prison, Grushed with Stones, Beheaded with Bloody Swords, Shut up in the Desert, covered with sheep and goats Skins, desti∣tute of aid and succour, grievously afflicted wonder∣fully troubled with the Adversary, many wandred in deserts and dangerous ways, they hid themselves in Mountains, in Denns, in Caves, and hollow Rock's; These afflctions they suffered for their Faith, and for their Works; After that these notable men through their invinciblé patience and sufferance had overcome the sundry and manifold torments: Lucius (that Persecut∣ing Bishop) perswaded the Captain to exile the Father and Ring Leaders of these Religious * 1.5 Men, and they were Banished into an Island, where there was not a Christian, yet it is said, That they converted both Priest and People unto the Christian Faith.

When the World favoured the Arians in this sort, they set up themselves, they crowed in∣solently * 1.6 over the Christians, they Scourged, Re∣viled, Imprisoned, and laid upon them all the grie∣vous and intollerable Burthens they could devise; The true Christians being thus oppressed with extream dealing went unto the Emperour, be∣sought of him, that if not altogether, yet at least wise, he would ease them of some part of their troubles: but he was their deadly foe and the cause of their calamity; for when eighty of the Clery were sent in the name of all the rest to him, to open their grief unto him, and they certified unto him the injuries which they sustained at the hands of the Arians: he, altho'

he was very much incensed against them, yet concealed he his displeasure until that privily he had commanded his Lieutenant to lay them in * 1.7 hold, and to punish them with Death: And then he made them believe that he would Banish them the Country, which they seemed to take in good part, and they going Aboard and taking Shiping, as if they were to be conveyed into Forrain and far Countries: but the Lieu∣tenant charged the Marriners, that when they came in the main Sea, they should set the Ship on Fire, so that dying in that sort they should have none to bury them, and so they did, and in the end, the Ship, with the Christians that were in her, were consumed to Ashes, but it is reported that this horrible act was not long after reven∣ged, for immediately the Land was Plagued with a sore and lamentable Famine.

Again there was a certain man called Moses, who led in the desert the Monastical (i. e. Solitry or Comfortless) trade of life, but for his Zeal, Faith and Godliness, and for the strange Mi∣racles wrought by him, he was Famous among all men: And a certain Queen called Mavia, required of the Romans this Moses to be her Bishop. Moses therefore was taken from the Wilderness, and sent to Alexandria for Orders, and when Moses was come in the presence of Lucius, the Persecuting Bishow before mention∣ed, * 1.8 he refused to receive Orders at his hands, reasoning with him in this sort: I think my self unworthy of the Priestly Order; yet if it be for the profit of the Common wealth that I be called unto the Function, truly thou Lucius shalt never

lay hand upon my Head, for thy right hand is imbrued with Slaughter and Bloodshed. Then Lucius said again, that it became him not so contumeously to revile him, but rather to learn of him the precepts of Christian Religion; Mo∣ses answered, I am not come now to reason of mat∣ters of Religion, but sure I am of this, that thy Horrible Practises against the brethren, prove thee to be altogether void of the true principles of Chri∣stian Religion; for the true Christian striketh no Man, fighteth with no man: for the servant of God should be no fighter: But thy deeds in exile∣ing of some, throwing of others to wild beasts, burning of some others, do cry out against thee: yet are wee surer of the thing we see with our eyes then of these we hear with our ears: This hap∣pened * 1.9 in the year of our Lord 272: In which time it came to pass that the Meetings of the Christians were forbidden: And upon a certain time there was a Woman that went very zeal∣ously with her Child towards the Meeting of the Christians, and being asked of the Judge whither she was going, she replyed and said, * 1.10 to the meeting of the Christians, to die there a Martyr with this Child: with which Answer the Judge was so Smitten that he ceased Persecut∣ing.

In the 1035 did Berengarius with the Bishop Bruno in France begin to teach against Infants Babtizm, and Transubstantiation (i. e. a chang∣ing of one substance into another, as the Papists Imagine the Bread and Wine to be changed into the Body of Christ, through, or after Consecration, which Doctrine begun presently to spread it

self through France and Germany; against which * 1.11 Pope Leo IX. held two Synods in the year 1050 one at Rome and another at Vercle, in which the opinion of these two were Condemned.

In the year 1126 did Peter de Brusius teach a∣gainst Infants Babtizm, Transubstantiation, pray∣ing for the dead and such like things, which he Preached near upon twenty years, and finally because of this Doctrine, was he Burned: for * 1.12 then was the Pope begun to follow the Foot steps of the Arrians, in Persecuting men to death for their Religion, though it was not the pra∣ctise of the Apostles.

In the year 1139 did Arnaldus teach against * 1.13 Infants Babtism, Transubstantiation and other things, but the Pope Innocentus the Second, commanded him to be Silent, fearing least he should spread this Doctrine much; There was * 1.14 one Peter Abailardus of the same opinion: And to this opinion many of the Clergy were brought, insomuch that three Popes had enough to do, one after another, to reduce them to their Su∣perstition: Afterwards this Abailardus was ap∣prehended and Burned to ashes in Rome.

Moreover there arose some who suffered themselves to be called Apostolical, because they said they walked in the footsteps of the Apo∣stles: They rejected Infants Babtism, the Purga∣tory, praying for the dead, and calling upon the Saines with other of the Romish Ceremonies, they also rejected the priests that led a Sinful Life; These were called Unlearned Blockish Clowns.

In the year 1176, There was a People rai∣sed up in the province of Albi in France, whose

opinion was (as Baronius writes) That Infants Babtism was not necessary to Salvation; That an unworthy Sinful Priest, could not administer the Sacrament, that none should be Bishops except they were unreprovable, that men should build no Churches to the Honour of God, nor to the Honour of the Saints, and that it was unlawful to Swear, neither would they receive the Doctors Interprita∣tions. These people (saith Baron) were taken into the protection of some Princes and Rulers, against whom the Pope made War because they * 1.15 would not Persecute them, and expel them out of their Country.

In the year 1178. The King of France and the King of England, observing how these Peo∣ple did daily increase; They concluded toge∣ther per force of Arms to expel them out of their Coasts; But changing their mind, they first la∣boured to convert them by the Clergy: And to that end was there many Bishops and lear∣ned men sent to convert these (whom they juged to be Heriticks) by their Sermons: but withal they sent several men with their Clergy: that in case they with their Sermons, reasons and Arguments could not overcome them, that then the other should fall upon them and drive them out. And when the Bishops with their Traine were come to the City Toulous, where the a∣foresaid People were; They ingaged the Ci∣tizens by an Oath to discover them they knew to be of this People. And among the rest there was one Peter Moranus discovered, and being examined he made a confession of his Faith freely, and therefore was he presently condem∣ned

for a Heritick, and all his goods were Con∣fiseated, with his sumpteous House in which he had holden Meetings, and part of it was de∣molished: But this Faithless Peter when he saw this Storm, begun to fear and begun to be sorrowful seemingly, and begged forgiveness; And it was granted him with this condition, that one Bishop with another man should whip him, he going naked and barefoot towards the Church, and that three years long he must go Pilgrimage to Ierusalem, (which then was be∣come a fashion among the Apostazed Christians) * 1.16 and when the three years were expired, he was to have his Confiseated Goods again.

Now others of the aforesaid people observ∣ing this, begun somewhat to fear, and some seemed to recant, but when there was an Oath required of them, they refused to take it, where∣upon they were rejected as Heriticks and after∣wards were Banished: And it was comman∣ded that all the Catholicks should shun them; and that all Princes should expel them out of their Countrys.

In the year 1199 the the aforesaid people be∣gun to be dispersed in many Citys and Coun∣trys, and their Doctrine begun to spread ex∣ceedingly yea through the most part of Europe That the Popes with the assistance of the Princes and secular powers, had enough to do to root out the same, First they endeavoured by disputing and afterwards by Banishment, and lastly by all manner of Torturing, Burning Hanging and cruell Bloodsheding, so that the whole World seemed to be as in an uproar: And this was all about Religion.

When that the Christians had gotten the pow∣er * 1.17 into their own Hands (I mean the secular or earthly Power) then did they by that pow∣er Persecute as they had been persecuted, Compel, as they had been complled, and put men to Death about their Relegion, as their Bretheren had been put to Death for their Religion; And with this thing the Church of Rome hath not only corrupted her self, but the most of the Sects that have come out of her, when they got the carnal Sword in their Hands, then did they en∣deavour to defend their Sect, their Religion, their Worship, and their Discipline with that Sword, which may kill the Body, but connot slay nor destroy the Spiritual Wickedness in the Body, which at this day abounds among Anti-Christians, who are yet Persecuting about Worship, Faith, Religion and things of this Nature, as their forefathers, the Arrians did; in whose steps most of the professors have been found, who wrestle with flesh and blood; And when that their Clargy could not prevail with their Original, with their Philosophy, with their quirks of Logick; nor with their strong reasons and Ar∣guments; then were they to have the help of the Civil Magistrate, unto whom they have cryed for help, as the Jews did unto the men of Israel, and often have they combined together for to kill and destroy, that which God had made alive, * 1.18 yea and to extinguish that which he had kind∣led, as appears from what I have rehearsed; And the same Spirit of enmity (which hath been in the World since the beginning) hath appea∣red often, against the work of God and his In∣struments,

as it now hath appeared against the true Christian-Quakers, who are found in the footsteps of the suffering (but not of the Perse∣cuting) Christians.

I might here add, very much concerning the terrible and redious Persecution in Iermany, and in the Low-Countrys, which begun in the year 1524. And continued untill the year 1641. A∣bout the beginning of which, the Emperour put forth a Proclamation, wherein it was contained, That all such as were found stained or polluted * 1.19 with the cursed Sect of Anabaptism (for so he called it) of what state or condition soever they were, their adhaerents and compliences, were to forfeit both their Lives and Estates, and were to be brought to the utmost punishment without any delay, especially those that conti∣nued constant, and that had Baptized any, likewise they that had the name of Prophets, Apostles, or Bishops, they were to be Burned: And all other sorts of people that were baptiz∣ed, or had entertained any of the aforesaid A∣nabaptists, though they renounced that oppinion and were truly sorry for what they had done, yet were they to be drowned: And for the better manifesting of the Wederdoopers the Em∣perour expressly commanded all his Subjects, that they manifested the same to the Officer, of the place where they lived, or where they were found: And if any knew of them, and did not manifest the same to the Officer, or Officers of the place, such were to be punished, as Favourers of, complyers, with, and adhae∣rents to the aforesaid Sect: And such as did dis∣cover

the same, were to have the third part of the partys confiscated goods.

Moreover he forbad all his Subjects, to re∣require or further any mercy, favour or for∣givness, for the aforesaid Wederdoopers, or A∣nabaptists, or to occasion request, or shew any petition on their behalf in pain of being arbi∣trarily punished; Forasmuch as he would not allow that any of the aforesaid people (because of their Wicked oppinion as he called it) should be received into mercy or favour, but they should be severly punished, to be made examples to the rest, without any dissimulation, favour or delay. This was given out at Brussel and Printed the 10 day of Iuly (so called) Anno 1535.

When this same came to be Proclaimed, most terrible Persecutions did follow, and great Ha∣vock was made of these People, The cruelty of their Persecutors towards them, the severity▪ o•…•… their Punishments, by terrible Tortures and sad Imprisonments, with the sundry sorts of Cruel Deaths which they suffered in this sore Persecu∣tion, would be to tedious for me now to re∣hearse perticulerly, together with the reproach of the Wicked, the threatning of Tyrants, how they would not fly when they were apprehen∣ded, though sometimes they had oppertunity, how they were hindred from praying at the time of execution, how the Rulers were devi∣ded among themselves concerning them, and somtimes the wrath of the furious Magistrats was mitigared, and they brought to a sence of the suffering Sufferers, and laid down their Com∣missions,

comforted the Sufferers, and prayed for Forgiveness: And likewise how the Sufferers were prevented from Speaking, sometimes with Bridles, sometimes with Balls in their Mouths, and sometimes with Cords or Ropes, sometimes by Drums, sometimes having their Tongue bound, with other Inhumane Devices: And what Iudgment fell upon their Persecu∣tors? These things to demonstrate at large, (I say) would require a far greater Vo∣lume than I am now determined to publish; and them to Compose, Translate, and Tran∣scribe, would ask more time than I can now well spare, having the weight of a weightier Service upon me; yet for the Reader's better satisfaction, I shall here rehearse what Articles were charged against one of them, with a hint of the manner of this suffering, whereby he may the better judge how and for what the rest suffered.

First Article.

• THat he and his Adhaerents had done contrary to the Emperours Proclamation.
• 2. That he had taught and believed, that the Sacrament was not the Body and Blood of Christ,
• 3. That he had taught and believed, that In∣fant Baptisme was not profitable to Salvation.
• 4. That he had rejected the Sacrament of Anointing with Oyle.
• 5. That he had rejected and despised Mary the Mother of God.
• ...

• 6. That he had said, that Men should not Swear to, or before the Magistrate.
• 7. That he had begun a new and an unheard of Custome of the Lords Supper, laying Bread and Wine in a Platter, and hath eaten the same.
• 8. That he was gone out of the Order, and had taken a Wife.
• 9. That he had said, If the Turk came into the Country he would not resist him, and that if it were lawsul to Fight, he would rather draw•…•…a Sword against the Christians, than against the Turks.

These were the Articles that were drawn up against him, which were looked upon as hai∣nous things against their Holy Faith, and their Mother the Holy Church (as they called it and especially the last of the nine, concerning which he gave them this reason, saying, Den Turck is een rechten Turck, ende en weet van dat Christen Geloove niet, ende is een Turck mae den vleesche: Maet shy wilt Christe∣nen zijn, ende veroemt u Christi, maer •…•…hy vervolght de broom Getuygen Christi ende zijt Curcken na den Geest. Which by Inter∣pretation is, The Turk is a right Turk, and knoweth nothing of the Christian Faith, and so is a Turk according to the Flesh; But you will be Christians, and you will Glory of Christ? and yet persecuted the honest or Faithful Witnesses of Christ, and so are Spiritually Turks.

Afterwards the Magistrates laughed at his answer and reason, cast their heads together, and the Recorder spoke to him, saying, Yen, thou Infamous, Devil and Monk, should men dis∣pute

with thee; yea the Hangman shall dispute with thee, believe me that. Michael Sadler (for so he was called) said, What the Lord will, that shall come to pass. Recorder, Thou devilish Heretick I tell thee, that if there were not a Hangman, I would hang thee my self, and think that I did God good service thereby. After other words that passed betwixt them, there was one that stood by M. S. and drew out a Sword that lay upon the Table, saying to M. With this shall Men dispute with thee. When some asked him, why he did not continue a Lord in the Cloyster, he answer∣ed and said, That according to the Flesh he was a Lord, but, said he, it is better to be thus: After these things had passed, his Sentence was read, which was to this purpose, That he should be de∣livered over to the Hangman, and that he should cut out his Tongue, and that afterwards he should be cast upon a Waggon, and that his Flesh should be twice torn with Hot Glowing Tongues, and that afterwards he should be brought withhot the Port, and there Tortured, and afterwards as a Heretick Burned to Ashes. Thus it was done to him, and so was he Martyred; his Brethren were Exe∣cuted with the Sword, his Wife and Sisters were Drowned, Anno 1527. And these were the fruits of the False Christians, who were be∣come as cruel Persecutors, as the Iews and Hea∣then had done of the true Christians: which thing I determined to manifest according to what I have in part done, through the help and assistance of him that put it into my heart to undertake this matter.

The People that suffered in this Persecution were upbraided with Ian van Leyden, his Consorts, and that bloody and ambitious Insurrection which hap∣pened at Munster, even as the Christian-Quakers have been upbraided with that infortunate and un∣happy Insurrection, which of late happened through wilful Men at London.

Note. The Baptists themselves do confess, that they are very much fallen and degenerated from that state and condition, in which they were, that then suffered Martyrdom.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Socra. Lib. 1. Ch. 3.
• * 1.2

  A porse∣cuting Bi∣shop set up.
• * 1.3

  The Chri∣stians de∣fend not them∣selves.
• * 1.4

  The cala∣mity of the Faithful.
• * 1.5

  Socra. lib. 4. ch. 19.
• * 1.6

  The cruel∣ty of false Christians
• * 1.7

  The Empe∣robrs Hipo∣crysie.
• * 1.8

  Socra. lib. 4. ch. 29.
• * 1.9

  Ruffin lib. 11. ch. 8.
• * 1.10

  The cour∣age of a Woman.
• * 1.11

  Bar. An. 1050. Num. 1.
• * 1.12

  Bar. An. 1116. Num. 6.
• * 1.13

  Bar. An. 1145. Num. 3.
• * 1.14

  Anno. 1148. Num. 11.
• * 1.15

  The Popes Cruelty.
• * 1.16

  Bar. An. 11 78. Num. 3, 4.
• * 1.17

  How the false Chri∣stians be∣haved them∣selves af∣ter they had got the power in their hands.
• * 1.18

  Acts 21. 28.
• * 1.19

  A cruel Preelama∣tion of the Emperours