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.

How the Papists once cryed out against forcing of Conscience: How Calvin was against it, and for it: How Luther and they that owned him were intreated, when they renounced Popery, and when the Protestants begun to persecute.

THE Papists themselves (who have been the greatest Persecutors of any that ever pro∣fessed Christianity) when they were much con∣quered in the Low-Countries, and came to be persecuted by such as they had persecuted; then they themselves cryed out against forcing of Conscience as an unfitting thing, and then could they say also, that the Conscience ought to be free, &c. this appears by their Remonstrations, Requests, and Apologies: Vide Merckteyck, pag. 126.

Calvin, Swinglius, and others, before they had gotten the power in their hands, they car∣ried themselves meek and lowly, and condemn∣ed

Persecutors, but when they were become strong and mighty, then did they glory in their Magnificence, and begun to beat their fellow Creatures; yet when Calvin was persecuted himself, he blamed such as sought to compel others to believe by corporal Punishments; but afterward he himself taught that Hereticks * 1.1 might be punished with the Sword: Merck∣teyck, pag. 151, 153.

When Luther renounced Popery, then was he looked upon as a Devil in Man's shape, and as a Veterator (i. e. an old experienced crafty De∣ceiver, or a subtle Knave;) yea, as a wicked shameless Man that bewitched People; and the * 1.2 Lutherans were looked upon in the general for the shamefull est People that were to be found upon the Earth, and not worthy that the Sun should shine upon them, and in those Days Peo∣ple were to burn them for Hereticks, with∣out shewing them mercy. Bond. hist. lib. 40. f. 449.

Afterwards when they were grown mighty, * 1.3 then they contended with others about Religi∣on, and run out in bitter Scolding, Blasphem∣ing, partial Judgment, and condemning others that came out of Popery, so well as the Papists, and that not only in their Pulpits, but also with their Libels.

Likewise in the Low-countries the Reformed Remonstrants scolded at, and reviled the Contra-Remonstrants; notwithstanding the Proclama∣tion of the Lords, the Remonstrants were cryed out against as Pelagians, Socinians, &c. yea, as Papists, Traytors, and Enemies of

the Country. Acerba•…•… fratrum bella, Prov. 18, 19.

As for the Arminians, they were accused for bringing in Atheism, (i. e. the damnable Opinion of the Atheists) for being Hereticks; yea, more hurtful and more dangerous than the Arrians, Macedonians, and other Sects, and it was said of them, that they Damned themselves before God; with all that heard them.

And upon a certain time, when the Priests were met together at Harlem, they desired (for the Defence of their Religion, that the Procla∣mation against the Arminians might be renew∣ed, published, and put in execution. Thus the Priests manifested the same evil Spirit of Perse∣cution to be in their Hearts, which was in the Papists, whom they pretended to renounce in Words, yet they retained their envious Spirit, which could bear others no more that differed from them, than the Papists could bear them.

The Histories do shew how that after the Protestant Church, had been about ten Years, * 1.4 then did they put forth a Proclamation against the Wederdoopers, (i. e. such as were Baptized a∣gain, or Anabaptists as they are commonly called in England) wherein they commanded all the Inhabitants of the Land, to discover unto their Officers the Wederdoopers, to prevent their mul∣tiplying, (it is said) they were determined to put them to Death, with their adhaerents, ac∣cording to their Laws, &c, Merck-teyck, pag. 154.

Thus it appears from what I have here brief∣ly instanced, that the Protestants so well as the

Papists, have been out of the right way, and that they have run in the way of the persecut∣ing Iews, persecuting Gentiles, and persecuting Arrians, who are said to be the first that per∣secuted under the Name of Christians; but since many Sects have followed their pernicious ways, rather than the practise of the ancient Christians, who stretch'd not forth a Hand in their own Defence (as it is said) when they were persecuted, but both Papists, Lutherans, Calvinists, (otherwise Presbyterians) Arminians, Independants, and many of the Wederdoopers have shewed themselves to be of another Spirit since they degenerated from that Glory and Power; Love and Life, Meekness and Long∣suffering, Patience and Purity, which abound∣ed among the ancient Christians in the Primi∣tive Church, unto which the Eternal God hath again restored a Remnant, who at this time suf∣fer, as the manner of their Fellow Citizens hath been who are gone before. And such as are now found in the Life and Power of the Truth, they are at this Day judged by Papists, by Lu∣therans, by Arminians, by Presbyterians, by In∣dependants and Paptists, &c. as the Lutherans and others were, when they renounced Popery: And the Sects now, that are among the Prote∣stants, are as apt to hate and cast out their Bre∣thren from among them, when they come to walk in a more excellent way than the rest of their Sect, as the Papists were, to persecute them that renounced Popery; therefore are the Protestants so well degenerated as the Papists; witness their daily Practises.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Calvin's Apostasie.
• * 1.2

  How Lu∣ther and his Adhe∣rents were reviled
• * 1.3

  And what Spirit they were of.
• * 1.4

  Prote∣stants de∣generati∣on.