without any exception, to all the rites and ceremonies of the church of England. Above five hundred clergy were immediately silenced, or degraded, for not complying. Some were excommunicated, and some banished the country. The Dissenters were distressed, censured, and fined, in the Star-chamber. Two persons were burnt for heresy, one at Smithfield, and the other at Litchfield. Worn out with endless vexations, and unceasing persecutions, many retired into Holland, and from thence to America. It is witnessed by a judicious historian, that, in this and some following reigns, 22,000 persons were banished from England by persecution to America. In Charles the First's time arose the persecuting Laud, who was the occasion of distress to numbers. Dr. Leighton, for writing a book against the hierarchy, was fined ten thousand pounds, perpetual imprisonment, and whipping. He was whipped, and then placed in the pillory; one of his ears cut off, one side of his nose slit; branded on the cheek with a red hot iron, with the letters S. S. whipped a second time, and placed in the pillory. A fortnight afterwards, his sores being yet uncured, he had the other ear cut off, the other side of his nose slit, and the other cheek branded. He continued in prison till the long parliament set him at liberty. About four years afterwards, William Prynn, a barrister, for a book he wrote against the sports on the Lord's day, was deprived from practising at Lincoln's Inn, degraded from his degree at Oxford, set in the pillory, had his ears cut off, imprisoned for life, and fined five thousand pounds. Nor were the Presbyterians, when their government came to be established in England, free from the charge of persecution. In 1645 an ordinance was published, subjecting all who preached or wrote against the Presbyterian directory for public worship to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds; and imprisonment for a year, for the third offence, in using the episcopal book of common prayer, even in a private family. In the following year the Presbyterians applied to Parliament, pressing them to enforce uniformity in religion, and to extirpate popery, prelacy, heresy, schism, &c. but their petition was rejected; yet in 1648 the parliament, ruled by them,

joining brook. In the reign of Henry VIII. Bilney, Bayman, and many other reformers were burnt; but when queen Mary came to the throne, the most severe persecutions took place. Hooper and Rogers were burnt in a slow fire. Saunders was cruelly tormented a long time at the stake before he expired. Taylor was put into a barrel of pitch, and fire set to it. Eight illustrious persons, among whom was Ferrar, bishop of St. David's, were sought out, and burnt by the infamous Bonner in a few days. Sixty-seven persons were this year, A. D. 1555, burnt, amongst whom were the famous Protestants, Bradford, Ridley. Latimer, and Philpot. In the following year, 1556, eighty-five persons were burnt. Women suffered; and one, in the flames, which burst her womb, being near her time of delivery, || a child fell from her into the fire, which being snatched out by some of the observers more humane than the rest, the magistrate ordered the babe to be again thrown into the fire, and burnt. Thus even the unborn child was burnt for heresy! O God, what is human nature when left to itself! Alas dispositions ferocious as infernal then reign and usurp the heart of man! The queen erected a commission court, which was followed by the destruction of near eighty more. Upon the whole, the number of those who suffered death for the reformed religion in this reign, were no less than two hundred and seventy-seven persons; of whom were five bishops, twenty-one clergymen, eight gentlemen, eighty-four tradesmen, one hundred husbandmen, labourers, and servants, fifty-five women, and four children. Besides these, there were fifty-four more under prosecution, seven of whom were whipped, and sixteen perished in prison. Nor was the reign of Elizabeth free from this persecuting spirit. If any one refused to consent to the least ceremony in worship, he was cast into prison, where many of the most excellent men in the land perished. Two Protestant Anabaptists were burnt, and many banished. She also, it is said, put two Brownists to death; and though her whole reign was distinguished for its political prosperity, yet it is evident that she did not understand the rights of conscience; for it is said that more sanguinary laws were made in her reign than in any of her predeces-published an ordinance against heresy, sors, and her hands were stained with the blood both of Papists and Puritans. James I. succeeded Elizabeth: he published a proclamation, commanding all Protestants to conform strictly, and

and determined that any person who maintained, published, or defended the following errors, should suffer death. These errors were, 1. Denying the being of a God.-2. Denying his omni

presence, omniscience, &c.-3. Denying | narch at the revolution. Spain, Italy, the Trinity in any way.-4. Denying and the valley of Piedmont, and other that Christ had two natures.-5. Deny- places, have been the seats of much ing the resurrection, the atonement, the persecution. Popery, we see, has had Scriptures. In Charles the Second's the greatest hand in this mischievous reigu the act of uniformity passed, by work. It has to answer, also, for the which two thousand clergymen were lives of millions of Jews, Mahometans, deprived of their benefices. Then fol- || and barbarians. When the Moors conlowed the conventicle act, and the Ox- quered Spain, in the eighth century, ford act, under which, it is said, eight they allowed the Christians the free exthousand persons were imprisoned and ercise of their religion; but in the fifreduced to want, and many to the grave. teenth century, when the Moors were In this reign also, the Quakers were overcome, and Ferdinand subdued the much persecuted, and numbers of them Moriscoes, the descendants of the above imprisoned. Thus we see how England Moors, many thousands were forced to has bled under the hands of bigotry and be baptized, or burnt, massacred, or persecution; nor was toleration enjoy-banished, and their children sold for ed until William III. came to the slaves; besides innumerable Jews, who throne, who showed himself a warm shared the same cruelties, chiefly by friend to the rights of conscience. The means of the infernal courts of inquisiaccession of the present royal family tion. A worse slaughter, if possible, was auspicious to religious liberty; and was made among the natives of Spanish as their majesties have always befriend- America, where fifteen millions are ed the toleration, the spirit of persecu- said to have been sacrificed to the getion has been long curbed. nius of popery in about forty years. It has been computed that fifty millions of Protestants have at different times been the victims of the persecutions of the Papists, and put to death for their religious opinions. Well, therefore, might the inspired penman say, that at mystic Babylon's destruction, was found in her the blood of prophets, of saints, and of all that was slain upon the earth,' Rev. xviii. 24.

IRELAND

has likewise been drenched with the blood of the Protestants, forty or fifty thousand of whom were cruelly murdered in a few days, in different parts of the kingdom, in the reign of Charles I. It began on the 23d of October, 1641. Having secured the principal gentlemen, and seized their effects, they murdered the common people in cold blood, forcing many thousands to fly | from their houses and settlements naked into the bogs and woods, where they perished with hunger and cold. Some they whipped to death, others they stripped naked, and exposed to shame, and then drove them like herds of swine to perish in the mountains: many hundreds were drowned in rivers, some had their throats cut, others were dismembered. With some the execrable villains made themselves sport, trying who could hack the deepest into an Englishman's flesh; wives and young virgins abused in the presence of their nearest relations; nay, they taught their children to strip and kill the children of the English, and dash out their brains against the stones. Thus may thousands were massacred in a few days, without distinction of age, sex, or quality, before they suspected their danger, or had time to provide for their defence.

SCOTLAND, SPAIN, &c. Besides the above-mentioned persecutions, there have been several others carried on in different parts of the world. Scotland for many years together has been the scene of cruelty and bloodshed, till it was delivered by the mo

To conclude this article, Who can peruse the account here given without feeling the most painful emotions, and dropping a tear over the madness and depravity of mankind? Does it not show us what human beings are capable of when influenced by superstition, higotry, and prejudice? Have not these baneful principles metamorphosed men into infernals and entirely extinguished all the feelings of humanity, the dictates of conscience, and the voice of reason? Alas! what has sin done to make mankind such curses to one another? Merciful God! by thy great power suppress this worst of all evils, and let truth and love, meekness_and forbearance universally prevail! Limborch's Introduction to his History of the Inquisition; Memoirs of the Persecutions of the Protestants in France, by Lewis De Enarolles; Comber's History of the Parisian Massacre of St. Bartholomew; A. Robinson's "History of Persecution; Lockman's History of Popish Persec. Clark's Looking-Ġlass for Persecutors; Doddridge's "Sermon on Persecution; Jortin's ditto, ser. 9. vol. iv. Bower's Lives of the Popes; Fox's Martyrs; Woodrow's History of the

Sufferings of the Church of Scotland;
Neale's History of the Puritans, and of
New England; History of the Bohe-

mian Persecutions.

verance of the saints is not produced by any native principles in themselves, but by the agency of the Holy Spirit, enlightening, confirming, and establishing PERSEVERANCE is the contin- them, of course, they must persevere, uance in any design, state, opinion, or or otherwise it would be a reflection 'on course of action. The perseverance of this Divine agent. Rom. viii. 9. 1 Cor. the saints is their continuance in a state vi. 11. John, iv. 14. John, xvi. 14.-4. of grace to a state of glory. This doc- Lastly, the declarations and promises of trine has afforded considerable matter Scripture are very numerous in favour for controversy between the Calvinists of this doctrine, Job, xvii. 9. Psal. xciv. and Arminians. We shall briefly here 14. Psal. cxxv. Jer. xxxii. 40. John, x. state the arguments and objections. 28. John, xvii. 12. 1 Cor. i. 8, 9. 1 Pet. And, first, the perfections of God are i. 5. Prov. iv. 18. all which could not considered as strong arguments to prove be true, if this doctrine were false. this doctrine. God, as a Being possess- There are objections, however, to this ed of infinite love, faithfulness, wisdom, doctrine, which we must state.-1. and power, can hardly be supposed to There are various threatenings desuffer any of his people finally to fall nounced against those who apostatize, into perdition. This would be a re- Ezek. iii. 20. Heb. vi. 3, 6. Psal. cxxxv. flection on his attributes, and argue him 3.-5. Ezek. xviii. 24. To this it is anto be worse than a common father of swered, that some of these texts do not his family. His love to his people is so much as suppose the falling away of unchangeable, and therefore they can- a truly good man; and to all of them, it not be the objects of it at one time and is said, that they only show what would not at another, John, xiii. 1. Zeph. iii.be the consequence if such should fall 17. Jer. xxxi. 3. His faithfulness to them and to his promise is not founded upon their merit, but his own will and goodness: this, therefore, cannot be violated, Mal. iii. 6. Numb. xxiii. 19. His wisdom foresees every obstacle in the way, and is capable of removing it, and directing them into the right path. It would be a reflection on his wisdom, after choosing a right end, not to choose right means in accomplishing the same, Jer. x. 6, 7. His power is insuperable, and is absolutely and perpetually displayed in their preservation and protection, 1 Peter, i. 5.-2. Another argument to prove this doctrine is their union to Christ, and what he has done for them. They are said to be chosen in him, Eph. i. 4. united to him, Eph. i. 23. the purchase of his death, Rom. viii. 34. Tit. ii. 14; the objects of his intercession, Rom. v. 10. Rom. viii. 34. 1 John, ii. 1, 2. Now if there be a possibility of their finally falling, then this choice, this union, his death and intercession, may all be in vain, and rendered abortive; an idea as derogatory to the divine glory, and as dishonourable to Jesus Christ, as possibly can be.-3. It is argued, from the work of the Spirit, which is to communicate grace and strength equal to the day, Phil. i. 6. 2 Cor. i. 21, 22. If, indeed, divine grace were dependent on the will of man, if by his own power he had brought himself into a state of grace, then it might follow that he might relapse into an opposite state when that power at any time was weakened; but as the persc

away; but cannot prove that it ever in fact happens.-2. It is told as a future event that some should fall away, Matthew, xxiv. 12, 13. John, xv. 6. Matt. xiii. 20. 21. To the first of these passages it is answered, that their love might be said to wax cold without totally ceasing; or there might have been an outward zeal and show of love where there never was a true faith. To the second it is answered, that persons may be said to be in Christ only by an external profession, or mere members of the visible church, John, xv. 2. Matt. xiii. 47, 48. As to Matthew, ch. xiii. v. 20, 21, it is replied, that this may refer to the joy with which some may entertain the offers of pardon, who, never, after all, attentively considered them.-3. It is objected that many have in fact fallen away, as David, Solomon, Peter, Alexander, Hymeneus, &c. To which it is answered, that David, Solomon, and Peter's fall, were not total; and as to the others, there is no proof of their ever being true Christians.-4. It is urged, that this doctrine supersedes the use of means, and renders exhortations unnecessary. To which it may be answered, that perseverance itself implies the use of means, and that the means are equally appointed as well as the end: nor has it ever been found that true Christians have rejected them. They consider exhortations and admonitions to be some of the means they are to attend to in order to promote their holiness: Christ and his apostles, though they often asserted this doctrine, yet re

presented in that ordinance.-4. That the oblations, prayers, and good works of the living, could be in no respect advantageous to the dead. The founder of this sect, after a laborious ministry of twenty years, was burnt in the year 1130 by an enraged populace set on by the clergy, whose traffic was in danger from the enterprising spirit of this new reformer.

PETROJOANNITES were followers of Peter John, or Peter Joannis, that is, Peter the son of John, who flourished in the twelfth century. His doctrine was not known till after his death, when his body was taken out of his grave, and burnt. His opinions were, that he alone had the knowledge of the true sense wherein the apostles preached the Gospel; that the reasonable soul is not the form of man; that there is no grace infused by baptism; and that Jesus Christ was pierced with a lance on the cross before he expired.

PHARISEES, à famous sect of the Jews who distinguished themselves by their zeal for the traditions of the elders, which they derived from the same fountain with the written word itself; pretending that both were delivered to Moses from Mount Sinai, and were therefore both of equal authority. From their rigorous observance of these traditions, they looked upon themselves as more holy than other men, and therefore separated themselves from those whom they thought sinners or profane, so as not to eat or drink with them; and hence, from the Hebrew word pharis, which signifies to separate," they had the name of Pharisees, or Separatists.

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The Pharisees, contrary to the opinion of the Sadducees, held a resurrection from the dead, and the existence of angels and spirits, Acts, xxiii. 8. But, according to Josephus, this resurrection of theirs was no more than a Pythagorean resurrection, that is, of the soul only, by its transmigration into another body, and being born anew with it. From this resurrection they excluded all who were notoriously wicked, being of opinion that the souls of such persons were transmitted into a state of everlasting woe. As to lesser crimes, they held they were punished in the bodies which the souls of those who committed them were next sent into.

Josephus, however, either mistook the faith of his countrymen, or, which is more probable, wilfully misrepresented it, to render their opinions more respected by the Roman philosophers, whom he appears to have, on every occasion, been desirous to please. The Pharisees had many pagan notions respecting the soul; but Bishop Bull, in his Harmonia Apostolica, has clearly proved that they held a resurrection of the body, and that they supposed a certain bone to remain uncorrupted, to furnish the matter of which the resurrection body was to be formed. They did not, however, believe that all mankind were to be raised from the dead. A resurrection was the privilege of the children of Abraham alone, who were all to rise on Mount Zion; their uncorruptible bones, wherever they might be buried, being carried to that mountain below the surface of the earth. The state of future felicity in which the Pharisees believed was very gross; they imagined that men in the next world, as well as in the present, were to eat and drink, and enjoy the pleasures of love, each being re-united to his former wife. Hence the Sadducees, who believed in no resurrection, and supposed our Saviour to teach it as a Pharisee, The extraordinary pretences of the very shrewdly urged the difficulty of Pharisees to righteousness, drew after disposing of the woman who had in this them the common people, who held world been the wife of seven husbands. them in the highest esteem and vene- Had the resurrection of Christianity ration. Our Saviour frequently, how-been the Pharisaical resurrection, this ever, charges them with hypocrisy, and making the law of God of no effect through their traditions, Matt. ix. 12. Matt. xv. 1, 6. Matt. xxiii. 13, 33. Luke, xi. 39, 52. Several of these traditions are particularly mentioned in the Gospel; but they had a vast number more, which may be seen in the Talmud, the whole subject whereof is to dictate and explain those traditions which this sect imposed to be believed and observed.

This sect was one of the most ancient and most considerable among the Jews, but its original is not very well known; however, it was in great repute in the time of our Saviour, and most probably had its original at the same time with the traditions.

difficulty would have been insurmountable; and accordingly we find the people, and even some of the Pharisees themselves, struck with the manner in which our Saviour removed it.

This sect seems to have had some confused notions, probably derived from the Chaldeans and Persians, respecting the pre-existence of souls; and hence it was that Christ's disciples asked him concerning the blind man, John, ix. 2.