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abfurd doctrines, calculated on purpose to obtain for a few men an afcendant over all the reft of mankind: by means of thefe they cheat the people out of their money, gain to themfelves riches, extravagant honours, and unlimited power. To obtain and fecure the

poffeffion of these it is, that all the most facred ties of humanity are thus broken, and fuch horrid cruelties practised.

SECTION XI.

TH

HE examples hitherto given, in this Effay, of perfecution, or religious cruelties exercised by chriftians, fince the pope and his clergy obtained such exorbitant power in Christendom, have been collected only from the practice of Roman Catholics. Who indeed would fuppofe, were there not so many proofs of it, that those who had declared fo loudly and juftly against perfecution on account of religion when they themselves were the sufferers, had then proved to a demonftration, that it was unjuft, barbarous, and. antichriftian, should after all become violent perfecutors of others? Yet this has frequently been the cafe. Notorious it is, that the most· eminent of the first reformers, when they

obtained

obtained power, generally became perfecu tors both in principle and practice: they have by their writings taught, in direct oppofition to what they had before proved the contrary of, that perfecution was a neceffary and laudable duty: and to do them justice, they have, in this refpect, faithfully and zealously prac tised what they taught.

LUTHER, Melanthon, Zuinglius, Bucer, Beza, Farrel, and above all Calvin, have fufficiently proved themselves outrageous perfecutors. This laft in particular has rendered his name infamous by a treatife he wrote in defence of perfecution, and more still by the perfecutions he raised and carried on against several worthy men. Caftellio, or Caftalio, a perfon of diftinguished learning and piety, he moft groffly abused and perfecuted, only because

e See Chandler's Introduct. p. 61, 62, 68, 71, 75, &c. Beza, as well as Calvin, wrote a treatise to prove the lawfulness of punishing heretics: and Peter du Moulin, who, though not one of the firft reformers, was an eminent proteftant divine, and paftor of the reformed church at Paris, published, in 1618, a book, intitled The Anatomy of Arminianifm; wherein he calls the Remonftrants, heretics, fectaries, innovators, monsters, bold, blafphemous, infolent rogues, &c. and fays, he who does not believe in Jefus Chrift, is not a child of God, and confequently has no right to the poffeffion of temporal goods, tho' he be ever fo eminent for focial virtues. Abrid. of Brandt's Hiftory of the Reformation, Vol. II. p. 607, 608.

because he differed from him in opinion concerning predeftination, election, free-will, faith, Solomon's Song, and Chrift's descent into hell. Servetus alfo he procured to be imprifoned and put to death for herefy at Geneva; in which proteftant city poor Servetus was treated with as much cruelty, as if he had been in a Roman Catholic inquifition: they took from him all his money, a confiderable fum, and what he had befides of value; put him into a deep dungeon, where he was almost eaten up with vermin; and finally, burnt him to death.

To fhew what fpirit Calvin was of, I shall give the reader an abftract of the complaint made by Caftalio in his own words, concerning the treatment this latter met with from the former. He fays to Calvin, Vocas me fubinde in Gallico libello blafphemum calumniatorem, malignum, canem latrantem, plenum ignorantiæ et beftialitatis, plenum impudentiæ, impoftorem, facrarum literarum impurum corruptorem, Dei prorfus deriforem, omnis religionis contemptorem, impudentem, impurum ca-› nem, impium, obscænum, torti perverfique ingenii, vagum, balatronem, &c. i. e. "French treatife you load me with the opprobrious names of blafphemous calumniator, malignant, barking dog, full of ignorance and bestiality, full of impudence, an "impoftor,

66

"In a

"impoftor, an impure corrupter of the fa"cred writings, a mocker of God, and defpifer "of all religion, an impudent fellow, a filthy dog, an impious wretch, obfcene, of a dif"torted and perverfe mind, a vagabond, and a rascal, &c."

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CAN we wonder that fo violent a person, and fo cruel a perfecutor as Calvin, fhould believe and teach, that God would predeftinate multitudes of his own creatures to eternal damnation? Methinks this opinion feems, in a great degree at least, to proceed from the malignity of the man's temper. And perhaps the opinions of mankind in general are much more owing to their natural dispositions, than is commonly imagined.

THIS cruel perfecution of Caftalio had the fanction of Melancthon, Bucer, and Farrel. The first in a letter to Bullinger wrote, that the fenate of Geneva had done right in putting the heretic to death, and wondered. there were any who difapproved that feverity. The fecond with great charity and tenderness said publicly in a fermon, that he ought to have his bowels pulled out, and be torn in pieces. The third (Farrel) as charitably and tenderly declared, that he deferved to die ten thousand deaths f.

P

f Chandler's Introduction, &c. p. 68.

CALVIN

CALVIN was undoubtedly a person of great parts and learning, and very zealous and useful in bringing about the reformation; but he fcrupled not to accufe his brethren falfely, to prevaricate, act hypocritically, and invent and tell lyes, nay, to go fo far as to call God to witness to known falfehoods and to perfecute even to death. The reader fhall be left to bestow upon this eminent reformer the epithet he may think such a behaviour and fuch actions deferve. But furely this man, and thofe above-mentioned, evi⚫dently fhew, what has been before obferved respecting many of the ancient faints and fathers,That men may have a great deal of religion in their heads, and little or none in their hearts.

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THIS evil fpirit of perfecution, with which thefe eminent reformers were poffeffed, has generally prevailed alfo among the reformed churches. It will be difficult, if not impoffible, to name one church or fect amongst protestants, that, having power, did not perfecute their brethren. Switzerland, Holland, and our own country alfo will afford but too many inftances of PROTESTANT

PERSECUTION.

THE churches of Bafil, Bern, Zurich, and Scaffhaufen, in the feveral letters written

by

* Ibid. p. 63.

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