versity of sentiment no where more certainly produces permanent schisms,
than among a people who are ignorant, and therefore pertinacious.
21. The Mennonites first obtained a quiet and stable residence in the
United Provinces of Belgium, by the favour of William prince of Orange,
the immortal vindicator of Batavian liberty ; whom they had aided with a
large sum of money in the year 1572, when he was destitute of the re
sources necessary for his vast undertakings. (20) Yet the benefits of this
(26) Gcrh. Brandt s Historic de Refor- tion ought to be held equivalent to an oath ;
matie in de Nedderlande, vol. i., book x., and that in this case, no farther coercion
p. 525, 526. Ceremonies et Coutumes de couul be used with them, unless we would
tous les peuples dn monde, tome iv , p. 201. justify the Catholics in compelling the Re-
[General History of the United Netherlands, formed, by force, to adopt a mode of wor-
(in German), vol. iii., p. 317, &c. Wage- ship from which their consciences revolted.
naer, in the passage here referred to, relates And afterwards, when the city council de-
the matter thus. At Middleburg, because mandel of them to mount guard, and threat-
the Anabaptists would not take the citizen s ened to close their shops, if they refused ;
oath, it was resolved to exclude them from the prince commanded the city council, per-
the privileges of citizenship, or at least not emptorily, to trouble the Anabaptists no
lo admit them fully to the rank of citizens, more, for declining oaths and the bearing o
But the prince opposed it ; and maintained, arms. This took place in the year 1578
very rationally, that an Anabaptist s ajfirma- Schl.]
HISTORY OF THE ANABAPTISTS OR MENNONIT2S 217
.indulgence reached by slow degrees, to all that resided in Holland. For
opposition was made to the will of the prince, both by the magistrates and
by the clergy, and especially, by those of Zealand and Amsterdam, who
remembered the seditions raised by the Anabaptists only a short time pre
vious. (27) These impediments [to their peace] were, in a great measure
removed in this century, partly by the perseverance and authority of Wil
liam and his son Maurice, and partly by the good behaviour of the Men-
nonites themselves ; for they showed great proofs of their loyalty to the
state, and became daily more cautious not to afford any ground to their ad
versaries for entertaining suspicions of them. Yet full and complete peace
was first given to them, in the following century, A.D. 1626, after they
had again purged themselves from those crimes and pernicious errors
which were charged upon them, by the presentation of a Confession of
their faith.(28)
22. Those among the English who reject the baptism of infants, are
not called Anabaptists, but only Baptists. It is probable that these Bap.
tisls originated from the Germans and the Dutch, and that they all once
held the same sentiments with the Mennoniles. But they are now divided
into two general classes ; the one called that of the General Baptists or
Remonstrants, because they believe that God has excluded no man from
salvation by any sovereign decree ; the other are called Particular or Cal-
vinistic Baptists, because they agree very nearly with the Calvinists or
Presbyterians in their religious sentiments. (29) This latter sect reside
chiefly at London, and in the adjacent towns and villages ; and they recede
so far from the opinions of their progenitors, that they have almost no-
thing in common with the other Anabaptists, except that they baptize only
adults, and immerse totally in the water whenever they administer the or
dinance. Hence, if the government requires it, they allow a professor of
religion to take an oath, to bear arms, and to fill public civil offices. Their
churches are organized after the Presbyterian [or more strictly, the Inde
pendent] plan ; and are under the direction of men of learning and lit fea
ture. (30) It appears from the Confession of these Baptists, published in
1643, that they then held the same sentiments as they do at the present
day.(31)
(27) Gerh. Brandt, loc. cit., book xi., p. hardly be said to have existed as a visible
555, 586, 587, &c., 609, 610, b. xiv., p. sect in England, during the sixteenth cen-
780, b. xvi., p. 811. tury. And their division into General and
(28) Herm. Schyri s Plenior deductio Particular Baptists, did not talo place till
Historioe Mennonitar., cap. iv., p. 79, &c. the reign of James I. See Wall s Hist, of
(29) William Whiston, Memoirs of his Infant Baptism, pt. ii., ch. vii., 6, p. 206,
life and writings, vol. ii., p. 461. &c. TV.]
(30) Anth. With. Bohm s Englische Ref- (31) Bibliotheque Britannique, tome vi.,
ormations-historie, p. 151, 473, 536, book p. 2. [The Baptist Confession of 1643,
viii., p. 1152, &c. [Crosby s History of was "set forth in the name of seven con-
the English Baptists, vol. i. Bogue and gregations then gathered in London." In
Rennet s History of the Dissenters, vol. i., September, 1689, elders and messengers
ch. i., $ iii., p. 141, &c. Dutch and German from upward of one hundred congregations of
Anabaptists or Mennonites appeared in Eng- Calvinistic Baptists in England and Wales,
land, and doubtless made some proselytes met. in London, and drew up a more full
there, as early as the year 1535 ; and thence- Confession? and substantially the same in
forward to the end of the century. But they doctrine ; but expressed very much in the
were so rigorously persecuted, not only by words of the Westminster and the Savoy
Henry VIII., but by Edward VI., queen Confessions, with both which it agrees in
Mary, and queen Elizab& h, that they can doctrine, while in discipline and worship it
VOL. Ill, -EB
218 BOOK IV. CENT. XVI. SEC. III. PART II. CHAP. III.
23. The General Baptists, or as some call them the Antipadol>aptists t
who are dispersed in great numbers over many provinces of England, cjn-
sist of illiterate persons of low condition ; for, like the ancient Menno-
nites, they despise learning. Their religion is very general and indefinite ;
so that they tolerate persons of all sects, even Arians and Socinians ; and
do not reject any person, provided he professes to be a Christian, and to
receive the holy scriptures as the rule of religious faith and practice. (32)
They have this in common with the Particular Baptists, that they baptize
only adults, and these they immerse wholly in water : but they differ from
them in this, that they rebaplize such as were either baptized only in in
fancy and childhood, or were not immersed ; which, if report may be cred
ited, the Particular Baptists will not do. (33) There are likewise other pe
culiarities Of this sect. I. Like the ancient Mennonites, they regard their
own church as being the only true church of Christ, and most carefully
avoid communion with all other religious communities. II. They immerse
candidates for baptism, only once, and not three times ; and they esteem
it unessential, whether new converts be baptized in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, or only in the name of Jesus. III. With Menno,
they expect a millennial reign of Christ. IV. Many of them likewise,
adopt Menno s opinion respecting the origin of Christ s body. V. They
consider the decree of the apostles, Acts xv., 25, respecting blood and
things strangled, to be a law binding on the church universal. VI. They
believe that the soul, between death and the resurrection at the last day,
has neither pleasure nor pain, but is in a state of insensibility. VII. They
use extreme unction. VIII. Some of them, in addition to Sunday or the
Lord s day, keep also the Jewish Sablatli. (34) I omit the notice of some
accords only with the latter. The Calvin- I suppose the former, to have always been
istic Baptists in England have, generally, the smaller community ; and at the present
been on the most friendly terms with the day, they are only about one sixth part as
Independents or Congregationalists there ; numerous, as the Particular Baptists. See
and often both sects worshipped together, Bogue and Bennct, loc. cit., vol. iv., p. 326.
and were under the same pastors. See 7Y-]
Bogue and Benncfs History of Dissenters, (34) These statements are derived from
vol. i., p. 142, 143, vol. ii..p. 140, &c.,also Wm. Wkis ton s Memoirs of his life, vol. ii..
the Confession of the Baptist convention of p. 461, and from Wall s Hist, of Infant Bap
1689, and its Preface. Tr.~\ tism, pt. ii., p. 390, &c. ed. Latin, [p. 280,
(H2) This appears from their Confession, &c., ed. London, 1705. Wall does not rep-
drawn up in 1660, and published by Wm. resent all these as distinguishing tenets ol
Whiston, Memoires of his life, vol. ii., p. the General Baptists. He enumerates the
561, which is so general, that all Christian various peculiarities to be found among the
sects, with the exception of a few points, English Baptists of all sorts. Some of the
could embrace it. Whiston himself, though peculiarities mentioned, constitute distinct
an Arian, joined this community of Bap- sects, as the eighth, which gives rise 1o the
tists ; whom he considered to bear the near- small and now almost extinct sect of Mer
est resemblance to the most ancient Chris- enth-day Baptists ; who however do not
tians. Thomas Emlyn also, a famous So- keep both days, Saturday and Sunday, but
cinian, lived among them ; according to the only the former. The 2d peculiarity, so far
testimony of Whiston. as respects a single application of water, is
(33) [I know not on what authority Dr. not peculiar to the Baptists : and so far as
Moshcim makes this distinction between the it respects baptizing in the name of Jesus
General and the Particular Baptists : and only, was confined, (as Wall supposed), to
I know of no sufficient proof of its reality, the General Baptists, who were early in-
Neither does it appear, as Dr. Mosheim clined to Anti-Trinitarianism, and of late in
seemed to be informed, that the General Bap- England, have generally taken that ground
lists were more numerous in England, than Tr.]
****i Paiticular Baptists. On the contrary,
HISTORY OF THE ANABAPTISTS OR MENNONIVES. 219
minor points. These Baptists have bishops, whom they call messengers,
(for thus they interpret the word ayyf^oc, in the Apocalyptical epistles),
and presbyters and deacons. Their bishops are often men of learning. (35)
24. David George [or Jbm], a Hollander of Delft, gave origin and
name to a singular sect. Having at last forsaken the Anabaptists, he re
tired to Basle in 1544, assumed a new name, [John Bruck von Binnengen],
and there died, in 1556. He was well esteemed by the people of Basle,
so long as he lived ; for being a man of wealth, he united magnificence
with virtue and integrity. But after his death, his son-in-law Nicholas
Blesdyck, accused him before the senate of most pestilent errors ; and the
cause being tried, his body was committed to the common hangman to be
burned. Nothing can be more impious and base than his opinions, if the
historians of his case and his adversaries have estimated them correctly.
For he is said to have declared himself to be a third David, and another
son of God, the fountain of all divine wisdom ; to have denied the existence
of heaven and hell, both good and bad angels, and a final judgment ; to
have treated all the laws of modesty and decorum with contempt ; and to
have taught other things equally bad. (36) But if I do not greatly mistake,
(35) Whiston, Memoirs of his life, vol.
i., p. 460, &,c. There is extant, Thomas
Crosby s History of the English Baptists,
London, 1728, 4 vols. 8vo, which, how
ever, I have never seen. [This Crosby
was himself a General Baptist ; and kept a
private school, in which he taught young
men mathematics, and had also a small book-
(36) See the Historia Davidis Georgii,
by his son-in-law, Nic. Blesdyck, published
by Jac. Remus: also his Life, written in
German, by Jac. Slolterfoth: and many
others. Among the more modern writers,
see Godfr. Arnold, Kirchen-und Ketzer-
historie, vol. i., book xvi., ch. xvi., 44,
&c., and his extensive collections, in vin-
store. He died in 1752. See Alberti s dication of the reputation of David George,
in vol. ii.,p. 534, &c. See also p. 1185,
&c., and Henry Mare s Enthusiasmus tri-
umphatus, sect, xxxiii., &c. p. 23, &c.
Add especially, the documents which are
brought to light, in my History of Michael
Servetus, (in German), p. 425, &c. [Da
vid Joris was born at Delft, in 1501.
Though placed at school, he learned no
thing. But his inclination led him to learn
the art of painting on glass, which caused
him to travel in the Netherlands, France,
and England. Returning in 1524, he pur-
sued that business in his native town. The
Reformation here caused considerable com
motion ; and in 1530, Jons, for obstruct
ing a Catholic procession, was imprisoned,
whipped, and had his tongue bored. He
at length turned to the Anabaptists: but
being more moderate than they, and oppo
sed to their tumultuous proceedings, it was
not till 1534 that he actually was rebaptized.
He then joined the party of Hoffmann; but
he was not well pleased with any of them :
and at length, he united some contending
parties together, and actually established a
particular sect of Anabaptists. He next be-
gan to have visions and revelations. Aa
his adherents suffered persecution in West-
Letters on the most recent state of religion
ard learning in England, (in German), Pref
ace to vol. iv. From Crosby, Alberti has
translated the Confessions of both the Par
ticular and the General Baptists into Ger
man, and subjoined them, as an Appendix
to his fourth volume, p. 1245, &c., and
1323, &C.SM. The Rev. John Smyth,
is commonly represented as the father of
the sect of General or Arminian Baptists
in England. (See Bogue and Bennet, His
tory of Dissenters, vol. i., p. 150.) He was
fellow of Christ s College, Cambridge, a pop
ular preacher, and a great sufferer for non
conformity. Separating from the church of
England, he joined the Brownists ; was
one of their leading men in 1592, and was
imprisoned during eleven months. At
length he fled, with other Brownists, to
Holland ; and in 1606, joined the English
Brownist church at Amsterdam. Here he
fell into Arminian and Baptist opinions, on
which he had disputes with Ainsworth,
Robinson, and others ; and he removed, with
his adherents, to Leyden, where he died in
1610. Soon after his death, his followers
returned to England ; and, as is generally
supposed, they were the first congregation
*f English General Baptists. See his life phalia and Holland, he often attended thera
in Brook s Lives of the Puritans, vol. ii., p. and c<
195, &c. TV.]
comforted and animated them, in theii
dying hours. He saw his own mother de<
220 BOOK IV. CENT. XVI. SEC. III. PART II. CHAP. III.
the barbarous and coarse style of his compositions, for he possessed some
genius but no learning, led his opposers often to put a harsh and unjust
construction upon his sentences. At least, that he possessed more sense
and more virtue than is commonly supposed, is evinced not only by his
books, of which he published a great many, but also by his disciples, who
were persons by no means base, but of great simplicity of manners and
character, and who were formerly numerous in Holstein, and are said to bo
so still in Friesland and in other countries. (37) In the manner of the
more moderate Anabaptists, he laboured to revive languishing piety among
his fellow-men : and in this matter, his imagination which was excessively
warm, so deceived him that he falsely supposed he had divine visions ;
and he placed religion in the exclusion of all external objects from the
thoughts, and the cultivation of silence, contemplation, and a peculiar an
indescribable state of the soul. The Mystics therefore of the highest or
der, and the Quakers, might claim him, if they would ; and they might as
sign him no mean rank among their sort of people.
25. An intimate friend of David George, but of a somewhat different
turn of mind, Henry Nicolai of Westphalia, gave much trouble to the
Dutch and the English, from the year 1555, by founding and propagating
the Family of Love, as he denominated his sect. To this man nearly the
same remarks apply, as were made of his friend. He would perhaps
have in great measure avoided the foul blots that many have fastened upon
him, if he had possessed the genius and learning requisite to a correct and
lucid expression of his thoughts. What his aims were, appears pretty
clearly from the name of the sect which he set up. (38) For he declared
himself divinely appointed and sent, to teach mankind that the whole of
religion consists in the exercise of divine love ; that all other things, which
are supposed to belong either to religion or to the worship of God, are of
no importance ; and of course it is of no consequence what views any one
has of the divine nature, provided he burns with a flame of piety and love.
To these opinions, he perhaps added some other fanciful views, as is usual
capitated at Delft, in 1537. A monitory heavy charges against him. His family and
let er which he sent to the senate of Hoi- friends and acquaintances, denied the "truth
land, caused the bearer to lose his head. of the charges before the court. But what
Tn 1539, the landgrave of Hesse, to whom they would not admit, was attempted to be
he applied for protection, offered to afford proved from his writings. The university
it, provided he would become a Lutheran, and the clergy pronounced his opinions
In 1542, he published his famous Book of heretical ; and the dead man, who could no
Wonders, in which he exposed all the fan- longer defend himself, was condemned,
ciful opinions that floated in his imagina- See Schroeckh s Kirchengesch. seit der
tion. He wandered in various countries, Reformation, vol. v., p. 442, &c., and Von
till he was safe no where. Therefore, in Einem s and SchlegePs notes upon this
1544 he retired to Basle; where he lived section of Mosheim. TV.]
twelve years, under the name of John von (37) See Jo. Mailer s Introductio in
Brugge; was owner of a house in the Histor. Chersones. Cimbricse, part ii. v p.
city, and an estate in the country; was 116, &c., and his Cimbria Litterata, torn,
a peaceable and good citizen, and held i., p. 422, &c.
communion with the Reformed church. (38) See Jo. HornbccK s Summa Con-
His son-in-law Blesdi/ck, was a Reformed troversiarum, lib. vi., p. 393. Godfr. Ar-
preacher in the Palatinate ; and had some nold s Kirchen-und Ketzerhistorie, pt. i.,
variance with Joris before his death. Af- book xvi., ch. xxi., 36., p. 746. Ant.
terwards, provoked perhaps by the disposi- Wilh. Bohm s Englische Reformationshis-
tioa Joris made of his property, he brought torie, book iv., ch. v., p. 541, &c.
HISTORY OF THE SOCJNIANS.
221
with men in whom the imagination predominates ; but what they were in
particular, I apprehend may be better learned from his books, than irons
the confutations of his adversaries. (39)
CHAPTER IV.
HISTORY OF THE SOCINIANS.
4 1, 2. The Name and Origin of the Socinians. 3. Their first Beginnings. 4. Mi
chael Servetus. 5. His Doctrines. 6. Other Anti-Trinitarians. t) 7. False Ori
ginations of Socinianism. 8. Its true Origination. 9. Its Progress. 6 10. Sum
mary View of this Religion. 11. Proceedings of Faustus Socinus. 12. He mod
ified the Unitarian Religion. 13. Propagation of Socinianism in Transylvania and
Hungary. 14. In Holland and England. 15. The Foundation of this Religion.
$ 16. Its fundamental Principle. 17. Summary of it. 18. Moral Principles.
$19. Racovian Catechism. 20. State of Learning among Socinians. 21. Method
of teaching Theology. 22. Controversies of the Socinians : Budneists or Budnasans.
9 23. Succeeded by Davides, Franken, and others. 9 24. The Farnovian Sect.
1. THE Socinians derived their name from the illustrious house of
Sozzini, which long nourished at Sienna a noble city of Tuscany, and gave
birth, it is said, to a number of distinguished men. For it was from this
family were descended Lalius and Faustus Socinus, who are commonly
regarded as the parents of the sect. LaUus Socinus was the son of Man-
(39) The last and most learned of those
who attacked the Familists, was Henry
More, the celebrated English divine and
philosopher, in his Mystery of Godliness,
book vi., ch. xii.-xviii. George Fox, the
fathrr of the Quakers, severely chastised
this Family of Love, because they would
take an oath, dance, sing, and be cheerful ;
and he called them a company of fanatics.
See Sewers History of the Quakers, book
iii., p. 88, 89, 344, &c. [Henry Nicolai
or Nicholas, was born at Munster, and com
menced his career about the year 1546, in
the Netherlands ; thence he passed over to
England, in the latter years of Edward VI.,
and joined the Dutch congregation in Lon
don. But his sect did not become visible
till some time in the reign of queen Eliza
beth. In 1575, they laid a Confession of
their faith, with a number of their books,
before the parliament, and prayed for tolera
tion. In 1580, the queen and her council
undertook to suppress them. They con
tinued in England till the middle of the
following century, when they became ab
sorbed in other sects. Nicolai published a
number of tracts and letters in Dutch, for
the edification of his followers, and to vin
dicate his principles against gainsayers. In
one of his pieces, he mystically styles him
self: "A man, whom God had awaked
from the dead, anointed and filled with the
Holy Ghcst, endowed with God, in the
Spirit of his love, and elevated, with Christ
to an inheritance in heavenly blessings, en
lightened with the Spirit of heavenly truth,
and with the true light of the all-perfect
Being," &c. In his preface to one of his
tracts, he calls himself: " The chosen ser
vant of God, by whom the heavenly revela
tion should again be made known to the
world." His followers in 1575, affirmed,
that they neither denied that baptism which
consists in repentance and newness of life,
nor the holy sacrament of baptism, which
betokens the new birth in Christ, and
which is to be administered to children :
that they admitted also the perfect satisfac
tion made by Christ for the sins of men.
They appeared always cheerful, and in a
happy state of mind ; which offended the
more gloomy Mystics, and produced heavy
charges against them. Yet nothing appear
ed in their moral conduct, to justify those
criminations. Arnold, Kirchen-und Ket-
zerhistorie, pt. ii., bookxvi., c. 21, 36, p.
873, ed. Schaffhausen ; and Schrocchk s
Kirchengesch. seit der Reformation, vol
v., p. 478, &c. Tr.j
22 BOOK IV. CENT. XVI. SEC. III. PART II. CHAP. IV.
anus, a celebrated lawyer ; and to great learning and talents he added, a
even his enemies acknowledge, a pure and blameless life. Leaving hia
native country, from religious considerations, in 1547, he travelled over
various countries, France, England, Holland, Germany, and Poland ; every
where examining carefully the opinions of such as had abandoned the Ro
mish church, concerning God and divine things ; for the sake of discover,
ing and finding the truth. At length, he settled down at Zurich in Switz
erland, and there died in the year 1562, when he was not yet forty years
old.(l) Being a man of a mild and gentle spirit, and averse from all con.
tention, he adopted the Helvetic Confession, and wished to be thought a
member of the Swiss church : yet he did not absolutely conceal his doubts
on religious subjects ; but proposed them in his letters, to learned friends
with whom he was intimate. (2) But Faustus Socinus, his nephew and
heir, is said to have drawn from the writings left by LceHus, his real senti
ments concerning religion, and by publishing them, to have gathered the
sect.
2. The name Socinians is often used in two different senses ; a proper
and an improper, or a limited and a more general. For in common speech,
all are denominated Socinians, who teach doctrines akin to those of the
Socinians ; and especially those who cither wholly deny, or weaken and
render dubious, the Christian doctrine of three persons in the Godhead, and
that of the divine nature of our Saviour. But in a more limited sense, those
only are called Socinians, who receive, either entire or in its principal parts,
that system of religion, which Faustus Socinus either produced himself, or
set forth when produced by his uncle, and recommended to the Unitarian