Alciatus Simanus Casanovius Menno and divers other Anabaptistical Vipers who extreamly increased the restlesse waves of sects and opinions We recommending the rest to their proper place Hell will take a more particular survey of one Religion and by the horridnesse of that guesse at the others This Servetus was a Spaniard born in the kingdom of Arragon most unworthy both of his Name and Nation Being rapt into a most incredible enthusiasme he boldly layeâ— his unwash'd hands upon holy divinity and at 〈◊〉 four and twentieth year of his age boasted himselfe 〈◊〉 be the only Teacher and Seer of the world making 〈…〉 main design and that by his impious and worthlesse â—â—â—â—tings to inveigh against the Deity of the Son of God 〈◊〉 which writings being sufficiently furnished and withâ— enflamed with hopes of raising no ordinary tumults 〈◊〉 bestirres himself winde and tyde for Basill but Oecâ—lampadius an Ecclesiastical Doctor learnedly before a full Senate confuted the blasphemies of this man and by the publick Authority he had caused him as a poisonous blasphemer to be thrust out of the Church of Basil. From thence he went to Venice where in regard the Venetians had been timely forewarned of him by the wise and learned Melancthon he made no harvest of his incredible blasphemies nor indeed was he permitted â—eed-time for them Religion is nowhere safe But having consulted with the Arch-hereticks his Predecessors and being bird-lim'd he held that there was but one person in the Godhead to be worshipped and acknowledged which was revealed to mankind sometimes under one notion sometimes under another and that it was thus that those notions of Father Son and Holy Ghost were to be understood in the Scriptures Nay with the same line of his blasphemous mouth he affirmed that our Saviour Iesus Christ according to his humane nature was not the Sonne of God nor coeternal with the Father The Holy Ghost he granted to be nothing but that influence by which all things are moved which is called nature He most impiously Ironical affirmed that to understand the word Person we must referre our sesves to Comedies But the most horrid blasphemy of all was when by the suggestion of Satan he imagined that the most glorious and ever to be worshipped and adored Trinity who doth not tremble at it was most fitly-compared to Cerberus the Porter of Hell-gate But he stayed not here no he thought it should be accounted nothing but a diabolical phantasme the laughing-stock of Satan and the monstrous Geryon whom the Poets by some strange mystery of Philosophy feigned to have three bodies O incredible and unheard of subtily of blasphemy The most glorious name of the most blessed Trinity is grown so odious to this man that he would personate being the greatest that ever was all the Atheists that have quarrelled with that name Moreover he maintained that taking but away the only Article of the Trinity the Turkish Alcoran might be easily reconciled to the Christian Religion and that by the joyning together of these two a great impediment would be removed yea that the pertinâ—cious asserting of that Article had enraged to madnesse whole Countries and Provinces This abomination of God and men held that the Prophet Moses that great servant of God and faithful steward of the Lords house that Prince and Captain Generall of the people of Israel one so much in favour with God that he was admitted to speak to him face to face was to be accounted no other than an Impostor He accounted the Patriarch Abraham and his seed too much given to Revenge and that he was most unjust and most malicious to his enemy The most glorious Church of Israel 't is the swine that loves the miâ—e he esteemed no better than a Hogge-Sâ—y and declared himself a sworn Prince of the Anabaptistical generation But keep off and approach not O all ye other Heresies and Hydra's of opinions of this one man furies not capable of expiation Being arrived at Geneva and being forbidden to spue out and spatter his pestiferous blasphemies he continued in hostility against all sharp but wholesome admonitions which Calvin that famous Minister of the Church perceiving being desirous to discharge the duty of a soul-saving Pastor went friendly to Servetus in hopes to deliver him out of his most impious errours and horrible Heresie and so to redeem him out of the jawes of Hell and faithfully reproved him But he being dazled with the brightnesse of Truth and overcome returned nothing to Calvin so well deserving of him but an intolerable obstinacy and inconvincible recapitulation of his blasphemies whence it came to passe that by the just and prudent Decree of the Senates of Bernen Zuring Basil and Scaffuse and by the righteous condemnation of the eternal God in the moneth of December in the year one thousand five hundred fifty and three or as Sleidan hath it in October he was How great is the obstinacy of blasphemy being at that time ecstatically hardened and intoxicated consecrated to the avenging flames ARRIuS Divisit Trini qui formam numinis ecce Dividitur membris Visceribusque suis. THE CONTENTS Arrianisme it 's increase ANNO 323. THe General Councill at Nice Anno 325. called as a Remedy against it but without successe The Arrians misinterpret that place John 10. 30. concerning the Father and the Sunne They acknowledged one onely God in a Iudaical sense They deny the Trinity Arrius his wretched death Anno 336. ABout the year of the Incarnation of the Son of God three hundred twenty and three Hell was deliver'd of a certain Priest at Alexandria named Arrius a man subtle beyond expression the trumpet of eloquence one thee 〈…〉 have been cut out for all honesty and elegance 〈◊〉 with the poison of his Heresie and the 〈…〉 of his destructive doctrine did in the time of Silvester Bishop of Rome and the Emperour constaâ—â—â— draw in a manner all Christendome to his opinion and so corrupted some even great nations in the Eastâ— that except a few Bishops who stood to the true doctrine none appeared against him To remedy this disease at Nice in Bithynia in the year three hundred twenty 〈◊〉 a generall Council was called but to 〈…〉 the contagious stocks of Arrianisme were deeply 〈◊〉 so that they were become such ravening wolves among the flock of Christ that all that would not embrace their belief were to expect banishment or death These imagined that the Sonne was not of an equall nature and coeternall with the Father but that he was onely agreeing and concurring with his Father to confirm which they alledged that place of Iohn 10. 30 which sayes I and the Father are one and though they called the Sonne a great God yet they denied that he was a living and true God and coessential with the Father They boasted that they were ready to answer all objections and acknowledged
they will not acknowledg it but continue still in their obstinacy and cruelty against Christ and his members they â—rag themselves to be the seed of Abraham and glory in their seal of circumcision given to him but if they were of Abraham they would do the works of Abraham they would beleeve with Abraham who saw the day of Christ and rejoyced they can claim no share in the covenant made with Abraham because they deny and persecute him who is the foundation of the Covenant they condemn Christians for making and honouring of the image of Christ and of his Saints which is not so much out of zeal against images for they allow the images of the Cherubins which were in the Tabernacle and Temple but rather out of spight against Christ and his Saints They count it idolatry to honour Christ in his picture or image and yet they consider not that themselves are the greatest Idolaters in the world in worshipping God according to their own fansie and not according to his word which teacheth us that he is to be worshipped in the unity of Essence and Trinity of persons which they deny thus they worship though not images yet their own imaginations how often have their Progenitors attempted to reestablish their antient government but still in vain and to their own destruction witnesse what they suffered under Vespasian and Titus what under Iulian when by his permission they began to rebuild their Temple what under Hadrian when they rebelled and attempted to set up their earthly Monarchy what under Trajan and Marcus Antoninus what under King Philip called Longus in France when they poysoned the Wells what shall I speak of their barbarous cruelties and inhumane savagenesse under Andrew their Captain in the time of Trajan when they murthered many thousands of people eating their flesh wearing their skins and girding themselves with their guts yet bleeding of these passages we may read in Sozomen Dio Marcellinus Paulus Aemilius the French Historian and others as they have still been the greatest enemies that ever Christianity had so doe they continue their harred against us at this day but being kept under they dare not do the mischief they would yet they curse us still and hold that the best of Christians is no better then the Serpent whose head deserved to be trod upon They think they do God good service if they can cheat a Christian and they make no conscience to forswear themselves when they take an oath upon any of our Bibles thinking they are bound to keep no oath but what they take upon their own Torah or book of the Law which is read in their Synagogues Neither will they swear willingly but in the Hebrew tongue counting all other languages profane especially the Latine which they hate because the Romans and Latin Church have been their greatest subduers and conquerers They call us Gentiles Edomites and Devils and Anathematise us daily They will not call Mary the Mother of Christ but in derision The mother of him that was hanged They are mercilesse Extortioners and cunning in the Art of poysoning Their Religion consisteth most in needlesse and ridiculous ceremonies in Rabbinical fables Cabalistical whimsies Thalmudical Traditions large Fringes and Phylacteries and in a meer outside whereas mercy and justice and weighty things of the Law are neglected and slighted Q. May Christian Primes with a safe conscience permit Iews to live within their Territories A. Yes conditionally that they communicate not in Religion nor marry together nor be too familiar and that these Jews be obedient to the civil power quiet modest distinguished by some outward badge and not to be admitted to any publick office or charge for they have been tolerated both by the Civil and Canon Law 2. The Jews in the old Testament had leave to commerce with the Gentiles 3. We ought to permit them upon hope we may convert some of them to the knowledge and love of Christ. 4. We ought by all meanes to commiserate their condition because to them pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the convenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises whose are the Fathers and of whem as concerning the flesh Christ came c. Rom. 9. 4. 5. we must consider that by their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles and if the fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more then fulnesse Rom. 11. 12. let us not then insult over their miseries nor boast against the branches for we are but wild Olives graffed upon them and if God spared not the natural branches take heed least he also spare not thee Rom. 11. For blindnesse is happened but in part upon Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles do come in Rom. 11. And then all Israel shall be saved that is most of them according to the Scripture phrase For the Angel tells Daniel that every one of his people shall be delivered whose names shall be found in the book Dan. 12. 1. so them all the Jews before the last judgement shall be saved and shall acknowledge Christ the true Mesliah yet not all without exception but all whose names are written in the book of life this restriction sheweth that some will not be saved 5. By suffering the Jewes to live amongst us we shall be the more induced to acknowledge the goodnesse of God towards us Gentiles in receiving us to mercy when he cast off his own people By this also we are taught to fear and tremble at Gods judgements because for unbelief they were broken off we stand by faith let us not be too high minded but fear for if we continue not in his goodnesse we shall also be cut off Rom. 11. Lastly from the Jewes we have our Scriptures they can be our witnesses to the Gentiles that cut Scriptures are not devised and compiled by us but by our enemies out of which Scripture even to the great grief of the Jewes we can clearly prove that Christ is the true Mesliah therefore it is convenient that we permit them to live amongst us Q. May Christian Princes permit the Iewes to exercise their own Religion A. They may if so be they dishonour not Christ nor traduce or molest his Church For they were better exercise their Religion then curn Atheists principally seeing they worship the same God with us though not in the same manner and read the same Scriptures though not in the same sense For this cause the Primitive Church and the Imperial Laws suffered them and Christ himself permitted their Doctors to sit in the chair of Moses and to teach his Doctrine and counselled the people to obey the same besides by permitting the Jews to use their Religion without molestation by using them courteously they may be the sooner enduced to embrace Christ and indeed our cruelties against them and the wickednesse of our lives have been
names of Saturn Iupiter Mars Venus and Mercury At length they multiplyed their gods so fast that every Beast Spring River Tree Trade or Profession in the world Disease in the body Faculty and Passion in the Mind had its peculiar Deity And so mad they were upon idolatry that of a mans Yard they made a god under the name of Phallus and Priapus in memory of Osiris his Privities which after much toyl were found by Isis in Nilus being drowned there by Typhon his brother who had cut his body into many pieces and buried them in many places They worshipped Beasts Birds Vermiâ— Leeks and Onyons Their Priests were shaved and clothed in pure Linnen abstained from fish Wine and Onyons Their Kings after election were chosen into the society of Priests They held two beginnings they consecrated red Bulls flung the heads of their Sacrifices into Nilus and abstained from salt See Arnobius Eusebius Plutarch Iamblichus and many others Q. What devotion did the Egyptians use to their deified Beasts A. They were fed by their Priests in their Temples with choice food when any dyeth it is wrapped in clean Linin and embalmed and buried in a consecrated place with much lamentation All shave themselves in that house where a Dog dieth Their god Apis being dead and lamented another was found by the Priests and brought to Memphis where he was placed in Vulcans Temple and seven days kept holy for him By their Law he must live but a prefixed time then he is drowned in a sacred spring and buried with much lamentation All beasts are not worshipped in all parts of Eygpt but in some places the Crocodile in other places the Goat in some Satyrs in others Cynocephalus or Anubis with his Dogs-head The Serpent was a great god amongst them so was the Bull the Dog the Cat the Hawk and Ibis and two fishes peculiar to Nilus to wit Opyrinchus and Lepidotus They worshipped the Hippopotamus Frogs Beetles and other vermifie Their Priests were bound to offer a Cock to the Sun a Dove to Venus a Peacock to Iuno c. And bloody Busiris sacrificed men to Nilus Quis illaudati nescit Busiridis aras The Egyptians hate Swine so much that if by chance one should touch them he instantly washeth his cloathes and Sow-heards are forbid their Temples They circumcise male and female and offer wine to the full Moon The Priests wash themselves thrice in the day time and twice in the night They must not eat milk eggs or oyl except with Salads Their Priests were Judges their Gymnosophists were Philosophers who had their Colledge in a Grove neer the banks of Nilus The Egyptians observed divers feasts to Isis Diana Latona Mars Minerva Mercury Bacchus Osiris and his Nurse In these feasts was much disorder and vanity some beating of themselves some cutting their fore heads with knivs some dancing some singing some drinking some quarrelling In the feast of Bacchus they were all drunk In that of Mars all mad knocking down one another with clubs In the feast of Isis they shewed their folly in tumbling an Ass down from a Precipice In that of Minerva in burning lights with oyl and salt But of these and other ridiculous or rather impious Rites see Hospinian Coelius Rhodiginus Plutarch Herodotus Diodorus Siculus Eusebius Strabo Lucian and others Q. How long continued this heathenish idolatry in Egypt A. Till the Sun of Righteousnesse shined upon it and by the bright beams of his Gospel dispelled and scattered all the dark mists of idolatry so that Alexandria the chief nursery thereof by the preaching of Saint Mark became a Patriarchal seat whose successors have continued till this day but their residence now is at Cairo where the Metropolitan of Aethiopia or Archbishop of the Abissins receiveth his confirmation from the Patriarch of Alexandria 'T is true that Gambyses son to Cyrus King of Persia destroyed many of the Egyptian Idols and Ochus his successor killed their Apisâ—â— but these were shortly after restored by Alexander the great whose successors the Ptolemies upheld the same idolatry and so did the Romans till by the preaching of the Gospel darknesse was forced to give place to light Q. What Religion is there now professed in Egypt A. Here at this day Christians have their Churches Jews their Synagogues and Mahumetans their Mosques of these last there be four sorts differing in their Laws Liturgies and Ceremonies There is a Sect in Chairo which liveth altogether on horse flesh And another who go naked giving themselves to fleshly lusts openly The Christians there are Eutychians and are circumcised but it is thought that they have forsaken circumcision by the perswasion of the Popes Legates at a Synod held at Cairo Anno. 1583. These are called Cophti not from their Profession but from their Nation for in the Thalmud Egypt is called Gophti and the Egyptians in old time Aegophtia They are not rigid Eutychians which were condemned in the Council of Chalcedon for affirming one Nature and one Will in Christ but they are modern Eutychians called Iacobites from Iacobus the Syrian who held that Christ was true God and true man yet he and his Scholars will not in direct termes affirm there are two natures lest they should fall into the error of Nestorius of the two Persons These fast every Wednesday and Friday and have four Lents in the year They make Infants Deacons and baptise them not afore the fourtieth day and then give them the Eucharist They leave out the words in the Nicene Creed From the Son They condemne the Council of Chalcedon and admit no general Council since that of Ephesus They read publickly the Gospel of Nicodemus They receive the Eucharist in both kinds and in leavened bread To the sick they neither administer the Eucharist nor Extream Unction They deny Purgatory and Prayer for the dead They Marry in the second degree of consanguinity And in their Church government are subject to the Patriarch of Alexandria There are not above three Christian Churches at Alexandria and so many at Cairo about fifty thousand Christians in all Of these passages see Boterus in his Relations Thevet in his Cosmography Chytraerus of the State of the Church Baronius in his Annals c. And Brerewoods Collections out of them The Contents of the third Section Of the old African Religion 2. The Religion and Church Discipline of Fez. 3. Of Morocco 4. Of Guinea 5. Of the ancient African Aethiopians 6 Of the modern Abissins 7. Of the lower Aethiopians 8. Of Angola and Congo 9. Of the northern neighbours of Congo 10. Of the African Islands 11. The Religion of America 12. Of Virginia 13. Of Florida 14. Of the Religions by west Virginia and Florida 15. Of New Spain and Mexico 16. Idolaters their cruelty and cost in their barbarous sacrifices 17. Of the Americans their superstitious fear and tyranny thereof 18. Of Jucatan and the parts adjoyning 19. Of the southern Americans 20. Of Paria and
from the Father and the Son not by way of Generation or Conception but of Eternal and Spiritual dilection he also taught that it was injustice to punish any man for opinions in Religion or Heresie The Whippers taught that whipping of themselves with rods full of knots and sharp pricks did more expâ—â—te and abolish sin then confession that this their voluntary whipping was before Martyrdom which was inflicted by outward force that now there was no use of the Gospel nor of the Baptisme of Water sith the Baptisme of Blood was better that holy water was â—â—â—iesâ—e that no man could be saved who did 〈…〉 himselfe They also held perjury lawful The 〈◊〉 whose author was one Hermannus Italus held community of Wives lawful which Doctrine they put in practise at their meetings to pray then putting out their lâ—ghts â—hey used promiscâ—ous copnlation and the children born of such commixtion they put to death They taught that all things amongst Christians should be in common that Magistracy did not consist with Christianity and that the Saints did not see God till the day of judgement Gerardus Sagarellus of Parma whose Disciples were named Pseudâ—-apostoli that is false Apostles because they bragged that they did imitâ—te the Apostles poverty therefore they would not take or keep money or reserve any thing for the next day he taught that to make vows or to swear at all was unlawful that marriages might be dissolved by such as would embrace their Religion and that they were the onely Christians they were enemies to Tythes and to Churches which for prayer they accounted no better then Hogs Styes Q. 7 What were the opinions in Religion the feurteenth Century A. The Beguardi who professed a Monastical life taught that we might attaine to as much perfection and beatitude in this life as in Heaven that all intellectual natures were blessed in themselves not in God that it was a sin to kisse a Woman but not to lie with her because nature inclined to this but not to that That perfect and spiritual men were freed from obedience to superiours from fasting praying and good works and that such men could not sin nor encrease in grace being perfect already They would have no reverence to be used in the Eucharist nor at all to receive it for that did argue imperfection The Beguinae professed the same Tenets and withal were against vows and voluntary poverty The Beguini taught that wealth consisted not with Evangelical perfection and therefore blamed Pope Iohn 22 for permitting the Franciscans to have corn in their barns and wine in their cellars They held that the state of Minorites was more perfect then that of Bishops that they were not bound to give an account of their faith when they were demanded by the Inquisitors and that the Pope had no power to dispense with Vows The Lolhards so called from Walter Lolhard their author held that Lucifer was injuriously thrust out of Heaven that Michael and the blessed Angels should be punished eternally that Lucifer should be saved that the blessed Virgin lost her Virginity after Christs birth and that God did neither see nor would punish sins committed under ground therefore they gave themselves to all uncleannesse in their vaults and caves Richardus Armacanus taught that voluntary poverty was unlawful and that priests could blesse and confer orders as well as Bishops One Ianovesiâ—s taught that in the year â—â—60 on Whitsunday Antichrist would come who should pervert all Christians and should mark them in their Hands and Foreheads and then should be damned eternally and that all Iewes Saracens and Infidels who were seduced by Antichrist should after his destruction be converted to Christ but not the Christians that fell off from Christ. The Turelupini taught that we should not be ashamed of those members we have from nature and so like the Cynicks they gave themselves openly to all uncleannesse they held also that we were not to pray with our voice but with the heart onely Q. 8. What were the Tenets of the Wicklevits who lived in this Centurie A. They were so called from Iohn Wickliffe an Englishman and taught that the substance of bread and wine remained in the Sacrament that neither Priest nor Bishop remaining in any mortal sin could consecrate or ordain that the Mass had no ground in Scripture that outward confession was needlesse where there was true contrition that a wicked Pope had no power over the faithful that Clergy-men should have no possessions that none should be excommunicate by the Church but he who is first excommunicate by God that the Prelate who excommunicates a Clerk appealing to the King is a traitorâ— and so is he that being excommunicate refuseth to hear or to preach that Deacons and Priests may preach without authority of the Bishop that the King might invade the Churches Revenues that the people may punish their Kings that the Laity may detain or take away the Tytâ—es that special prayers for any man were of no more force then general that religious orders were unlawful and that such should labour with their hands that it was a sin in Constantine and others to enrich the Church that the Church of Rome was Satans Synâ—gogue they rejected also the Popes election by Cardinals Indulgences decretal Epistles the Popes excommunications and his supremacy they held also that Austin Benet and Bernard were damned for instituting religious orders that God ought to obey the Devil that he who gives almes to Monasteries should be excommunicate that they are Simoniacks who pray for their Parents or Benefactors that Bishops reserved to themselves the power of Ordination Confirmation and Consecration for lucres sake that Universities Degrees and Schools of Learning were hurtfull to the Church These and such like Tenets of Wickliff are let down in the Councel of Constance where they were condemned Other opinions are fathered upon him to wit that man had no free will that the sins of the Predestinate were venial but of the Reprobate all mortal that the Saints were not to be invocated nor their reliques kept nor the Crosse to be worshipped nor images to be placed in Churches they rejected also Vows Canonical hours Church-Musick Fasting Baptizing of Infants Benedictions Chrism and Episcopacy He held also that the Brother and sister might marry that every creaâ—ure may â—e called God because its perfection is in God Q. 9. What opinions were taught the fifteenth Century A. Iohn Hus of Bohemia publickly maintained the Doctrine of Waldus and Wickliffe and withal taught that Saint Peter was never head of the Church that the Church is onely of the predestinate that Saint Paul when he was a persecutor was not a member of Satan that the Divinity and the Humanity made up one Christ whereas the personal union consisted indeed not between the two Natures but between the Person of the Word and the Humane Nature That the Pope was subject to Cesar that the Pope
Doctrin of the Trinity was not unknown even by the light of nature to the Gentile Philosophers Poets and Sibylls Zoroastres speaketh of the Father who having perfected all things hath delivered them to the second Mind which Mind saith he hath received from the Father knowledge and power Here is a plain testimony of the first and second person Concerning the third he saith that the Divine love proceeded from the Mind or Intellect what else is this Divine love but the Holy Ghost The Chaldaean Magi which were their Philosophers acknowledged three beginnings to wit Ormases Mitris and Ariminis that is God the Mind and soul Mercurius Trismegistus taught his Egyptians that God who is life and light begot the Word who is the other Intellect and maker of all things and together with him another who is the firie God or Spirit here the three persons are distinctly named He sheweth also that the subtil intellectual Spirit by the power of God did move in the Chaos this is consonant to the words of Moses the spirit of God moved on the waters Orpheus singeth the praises of the Great God and of his word which he first uttered Pythagoras and his Schollars were not ignorant of this Mystrey when they placed all perfection in the number of three and made love the Original of all things Zeno the Stoick confesseth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word is God and the Spirit of Iove Socrates acknowledgeth God to be the Minde or Intellect that the Essence of God is his Idea which he begets by the knowledge of himself and by which he made the World Numenius the Pythagorean Plotinus Iamblichus and others do write very plainly of the three Hypostases or Persons in the Trinity so that no Christian can write more fully as may be seen in their own words as they are alleadged by Du-Plessis in his Book of the truth of Christian Religion who citeth also certain Oracles of Serapis the Egyptian chiefe Idol or Devil and of Apollo out of Suidns by which we may see how the evil Spirits are forced to confesse the Trinity I could also alledge the testimonies of the Sybills to the same purpose but because I study brevity and these heathen testimonies and Sibyllin verses are cited by Clemens Alexandrinus Origin against Celsus Cyril against Iulian Eusebius in his preparation Saint Augustine in his bookes of the City c. I forbear to insist any more on this subject And as the Gentiles gave testimony to this plurality of persons so did the Jewes also though now they reject this doctrine thinking that we by worshipping the Trinity do worship three Gods but their ancient Rabbins do prove the Trinity out of the Old Testament as Rabbi Simeon the Sonne of Iohai brings a place out of Rabbi Ibba upon Deuteronomy 6. Hearken O Israel the Lord our God is one God In the Hebrew thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah Elohenu Iehovah Echad He shewes that the first Iehovah is God the Father the second word Elohenu our God is God the Son for so he is called by the Propher and Evangelist Emanuel God with us The third word Iehovah is God the holy Ghost And the fourth word Echad that is One is to shew the Unity of Essence in this plurality of persons Many other passages I could alleadge out of the writings of the ancient Rabbies to confirme this truth but this is already performed by Galatinus in his books de arcanis catholicae veritatis Q. 6 Who were Simons principal Scholars and what were their opinions A. 6. Menander a Samaritan also and a Magician He flourished at Rome in the time of Titus about 49. years afser Christ. He held the same impious opinions that Simon did but differed from him in saying that himself and not Simon was the Saviour of the world and that therefore all should be baptized in his name and not in the name of Simon or Christ and that all such should in power excel the Angels and should live immortally here so he denied the Resurrection of the flesh To him succeeded Saturninus and his fellow Scholar Basilides about the fifteenth year of Adrian the Emperour and after Christ the hundreth Saturninus was of Antioch and infected Syria with his poyson as Basilides did Egypt Saturninus held the same impieties with Simon and Menander but differed from them in saying that the world was made onely by seven Angels and not by all against the Will and Knowledge of God He taught also that some men were naturally good and some naturally evil and that nothing must be eat that hath life in it which was the Doctrine afterward of the Manichees And impiously affirmed that some of the antient Holy Prophets spake and were sent by Satan Basilides also was a Simonian Heretick but differed from him in holding there were so many Heavens as dayes in the year to wit 365. the chiefe god he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the letters of which name are contained 365. He held also that this inferiour world and man was created by the 365th or last Heaven He taught also that the superiour god Abraxas begot the Minde this the Word Of the Word came Providence and of Providence Wisedome Of Wisdom the Angels were begot the last of which was the God of the Jewes whom he calls an ambitious and a turbulent God who had attemped to bring all Nations in subiection to his people He said that Christ was sent by Abraxas to oppose the turbulent God of the Jewes and doth not call him Iesus and Saviour but Goal a Redeemer He held it unlawful to suffer Martyrdom for Christ He permitted Idolatry and taught that no voluntary sin was pardonable and that Faith was not the gift of God but of Nature as also election The other errours which this Egyptian held for he was of Alexandria were the same that Simon maintained Q. 7. What was the Religion of the Nicholaitans and Gnosticks A. The Nicholaitans so called from Nicholas one of the seven Deacons Act. 6. and whose works Christ hated Rev. 2. gave themselves to all uncleannesse and sflshly lusts teaching that men ought to have their Wives in common They made no scruple of eating things offered to Idols At their meetings or love Feasts they used to put out the lights and commit promiscuous adulteries with each others wise They taught that the world was made by the copulation of light and darknesse out of which Angels Daeâ—ons and Men were procreated Mans seed and menstruous blood were with them sacred and used by the Gnosticks in their divine service whereby they brought an odium upon Christianity They would not have God but Angels creators of this inferiour world which Angels they called by divers barbarous names Nicholas the father of this Sect was by birth an Antiochian whose doctrine began to spread about the beginning of Domitians reign after Christ 52 yeers before S. Iohns banishment into Pathmos The professors of this
this cause these Abclites did marry Wives but not use them as Wives for propagation for â—â—ar of Original sin whereof they would not be authors therefore they condemned copulation as a work of the flesh and altogether Satanical But for the conservation of their Sect they used to adopt other mens Children This heresie sprung up under Arcadius the Emperout 370. yeares after Christ in the Terriroties of Hippo where Saint Austin was Bishop This heresie lasted not long Q. 36. What Tenets in Religion held the Pelagians Praedestinati and Timotheans A. The Pelagians were so called from Pelagius a Brittain by birth and a Monk at Rome afterward a Presbyter under Theodâ—sius the yonger 382. years after Christ. They were named also Caelestiani from Caelestius one of Pelagius his scholars These taught that death was not the wages of sin but that Adam should have died though he had not sinned That Adams sin was hurtful onely to himselfe and not to his posterity that concupiscence was no sin that Infants did not draw original sin from their Parents that infants might be saved without baptisme that they should have life eternal but out of the Kingdom of God that man after the fall had the free will to do good and ascribed no more to grace but that by it we had our nature and that by our good works wee obtaine grace they rejected the Doctrine of predestination perhaps because the Hereticks called Praedestinati made Predestination a cloak for all wickednesse security and desperation for they taught that the Predestinate might sinne securely for he could not be damned and that such as were not predestinate should never be saved though their life were never so holy This heresie was not long before Pelagianisme and is the same with that of the Libertins The Timotheans so called from Timotheus Aelurus that is the Caâ— from his bad conditions sprung up under Zeno the Greek Emperour 447. years after Christ. These taught that the two natures of Christ were so mixed in the Virgins Womb that they ceased to be what they were before and became a third substance made up of both as a mixed body is made up of the Elements which lose their names and forms in the mixtion These Hereticks afterward lost the name of Timotheans from Timotheus their Author Bishop of Alexandria and were called Monothelites and Monophysites from ascribing onely one will and one nature to Christ. Of the Pelagians see Austin and the other Fathers who have written against them Q. 37. What was the Religion of the Nestorians Eutychians and of those Sects which sprung out of them A. The Nestorians were so called from Nestorius Patriarch of Constantinople who broached his Heresie under Theodosius the younger 400 years after Christ. He taught that in Christ were two distinct persons to wit the Son of God and the Son of Mary that the Son of God in Christs baptisme descended into the Son of Mary and dwelt there as a lodger doth in a house therefore he would not call the Virgin Mary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of Christ. Besides he made the humanity of Christ equal with his divinity aad so confounded their properties and operations This Heresie was but the spawn of some former Heresies chiefly of Manicheisine and Arrianiame It was condemned in the Councel of Epâ—esus under Theodosius the younger in which Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria was Presidentâ— and the author Nestorius was deposed and banished where his blasphemous tongue was eat out with Wormes and his body with Core and his seditious complices swallowed up by the Earth The Eutychians so named from Euâ—yches Archimandrite or Abbot of Constantinopie who lived in the latter end of Theodosius the younger held opinions quite contrary to Nestorius to wit that Christ before the Union had two distinct natures but after the Union only one to wit the Divinity which swallowed up the Humanity and so they confounded the property of the two natures affirming that the Divine nature suffered and died and that God the Word did not take from the Virgin Humane nature This heresie was first condemned in a Provincial Synod at Constantinople then it was set up again by Dioscurus Bishop of Alexandria in the theevish Councel of Ephesus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and at last condemned by the generall Councel of Chalcedon under Marcian the Emperour From the Eutychians sprung up the Acephalâ— or headlesse Hereticks so called because they had neither Bishop Priest nor Sacâ—ament amongst them these held that in Christ were two natures which notwithstanding they confounded as they did also the properties saying that the humanity lost it selfe and properties being swallowed up by the divinity as a drop of Vineger is lost in the Sea Severus Bishop of Alexandria was author of this Sect under Anastasius Emperour 462. yeares after Christ. They were called also Theodosians from Theodosius their chiefe Patron and Bishop of Alexandria 2. The Monophysites were all one with the Eutychians differing onely in name 3. The Agnoetae so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignorance becausâ— they held that Christs Divinity which with them onely remained after the Union was ignoranT of the day of judgement and where Lazarus after his death was laied This heresie was revived by Theodosius Bishop of Alexandria under Mauritius the Emperour 572. yeares after Christ. 4. The Iacobites so called from Iacobus the Syrian held the same opinions that the Eutychians and scoffed the Christians with the name of Meâ—chites because they followed the Emperour in their Faith These under Phâ—cas the Emperour drew all Syria into their Heresie 575. yeares after Christ. 5. The Armenians so named from Armenia insected with that Heresie held that Christ took not a humane body from the Virgin but that it was immortall from the first minute of its Conception hence they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they againe in sâ—orn called the Orthodox Christians Manicheans and Phantasâ—asts these held a Quaternity of Persons and that the Divinity suffered and kept their Easter after the Jewish manner They sprung up under Phocas the Emperour 577. yeares after Christ. 6. The Monothelites in words held there were two natures in Christ but in effect denyed them by giving him one Will onely All these branches of Eutychianisme were condemned by the fifth General Councel held at Constantinople under Iustinian the first who confirmed the councel of Chalcedon to which these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or doubting Hereticks for so they called themselves would not subscribe At last sprung up Mahumetanisme 589. years after Christ. Of which we have spokeh already Of all these see Isidor Theodoret Evagrius Nicephorus Sâ—erates Sozomen and others The Contents of the Eighth Section Of the opinions in Religion held the seventh Centurâ— â— The opinions of the eighth Century 3. The Tenets of the ninth and tenth Centuries 4.
the house of Iacob for ever to this City of the Church shall the Kings of the earth bring their glory and honour in that day he that is feeble shall be like David and the house of David shall be as God See Isa. ch 2. ch 55. and ch 65. Ier. 16. Ezech. 21. Dan. 2. Zach. 12. Luke 1. Rev. 21 and many more places which speak of the Churches felicity under the Gospel but not a word of a millenarie Reign Q. 9. Wherein doth the vanity of the Millenaries opinion consist An. 1. In giving to Christ a temporall Kingdome of a thousand years whereas his Kingdome is eternall it shall stand fast for ever of his Kingdome shall be no end saith the angel 2. In giving him an earthly Kingdome whereas his Kingdome is heavenly My Kingdome saith he is not of this world It is not from hence it is within us 3. In making his Kingdome to consist in earthly pleasures in eating drinking fighting c. all which are directly against the nature of his Kingdome which as the Apostle saith Rom. 14. 17. Is not meat and drink but righteousnesse peace and joy of the Holy Ghost the end of his coming was to fight with no other weapon but with the two edged sword of his word proceeding out of his mouth he was the prince of peace the dove that brought the olive branch in his mouth he brought peace in his birth he preached peace in his life and recommended peace to us at his death and as Saint Austin saith pacem nobis reliquit iturus ad Patrem pacem nobis dabit perducturus ad patrem his peace he left with us and his peace he will bring again to us 4. In this their imaginary Kingdome they bring Christ down from heaven before his time for the heavens must contain him till the restitution of all things which cannot be till the last Judgement it is an Article of our Creed that Christ shall come down from heaven to judge the quick and the dead which shall not be till the last day 5. He is to sit at Gods right hand untill be hath made his enemies his footstâ—â—l Ps. 110. 1. But these men will bring him from thence before he hath obtained this conquest and triumph which is not to be obtained till the last day and consummation of all thing 6. They are injurious to Christ to bring him from his place and condition of glory to play the part of a butcher and executioner in murthering of men with the sword here on earth an office ill beseeming him and no wayes suitable to his glorious condition and mercy who came to save sinners and not to destroy them 7. The Scripture mentioneth no other Resurrection of the bodies but such as shall rise at the last day Iohn 6. 39 40 44. in the end of the world when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God 1 Cor. 15. 22. where we shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the aire and shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 15. but this Millenarie Resurrection is long before the last day and end of the world neither in it shall we be ever with the Lord if we are with him but a thousand years 8. The Scripture doth not speak of three comings of Christ but of two onely the first when he came in humility the second when he shall come in glory unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation Heb. 9. 28. let them shew us out of Scripture a third coming and we will believe them 9. Christ tells us Iohn 14. 2. that in his Fathers house that is in heaven are many mansions thither he is gone to prepare a place for us that where he is there we may bâ— but he is in heaven in his Fathers house there doth he prepare a place for us and not here upon earth for so we shall not be where he is but he will be where we are which is repugnant to his own words 10. They make the time of Christs second coming to Iudgement certain in affirming it shall be at the end of their thousand years but this is repugnant to Christs words who faith that his coming shall be sudden secret and unexpected like the coming of a thief in the night like the coming of Noahs stood or the fire of Sodom so that of that day and 〈◊〉 knoweth no man no not the angels in heaven nor Christ himself as he is man 11. Whereas the condition of Christs Church here on earth is mixed consisting of Saints and reprobates of sheep and goats of good and bad fishes of wheat and chaffe of corn and â—ares they give Christ such a Church as is without sinne or sinners as need no preaching nor Sacraments no Pastors and Jeachers no Advocate with the Father no Christ to appear for us in the presence of God and lastly such a Church as is not subject to persecution affliction sufferings and trouble all which is directly repugnant to Gods word and condition of the Church miâ—â—tant here which is subject both to infirmities and afflictions 12. Antichrist shall not be destroyed till Christs second coming to Iudgement as the Apostle sheweth 2 Thes. 2. 8. That Christ shall destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming but the millenaries will have him to be destroyed before the beginning of their thousand years which is flat against Scripture 13. They do exceedingly wrong the Martyrs in bringing their souls down from heaven where they have the fruition of God and his angels to reign here on earth and to enjoy carnall and sensuall pleasures the meanest of the Saints in heaven must be in a far better condition than the greatest martyr in this earthly Kingdome 14. The reward that is promised to the Saints after this life is not a Kingdome here on earth but the Kingdome of heaven a house made without hands eternall in the heavens a mansion in our heavenly Fathers house to sit with Christ in his throne to be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and to be ever with the Lord to be with Christ in Paradise to enjoy life eternall c. 15. Whereas they dream that Ierusalem shall be rebuilt and the Iewes shall reign in Iudea a thousand years with christ is directly also against Gods word which Ezech. 16. 53. 55. sheweth that the Iews shall be restored to their former estate when 〈◊〉 and Sodom shall be restored which will never be and Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall depart from Iuda when Sâ—iloh cometh Ierusalem saith Saint Hierom est in aetornos collapsa cineres fallen into everlasting ashes and never to rise again 16. Whereas they dream that in the millenarie Kingdome sacrifices circumcision and all other Iewish ceremonies shall be used 't is plainly to deny that christ ever came in the flesh or that he offered himself a propitiarory sacrifice to put an
quietnesse and tranquility he is not in fire earthquakes and whirlwinds but in the soft and still voyce it s not the quaking of the body but humility and reverence of mind which he requires these Sectaries deny all ministeriall Ordinances and knowledge got by study and industry pretending an inward light from the spirit and that all our Learning got by Preaching Hearing Reading or Catechising iâ— but notionall and carnall and hanging upon the tree of knowledge they blasphemously prate also that Christ had his failings and that he distrusted God on the Crosse when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me by which they overthrow the work of our Redemption which none could perform but he that knew no sin in whose lips was found â—o guil whom his enemies could not accuse of sin They will not have Ministers to preach for titheâ— which they call wages and yet our Saviour saith That the labourer is worthy of his wages and the Apostle That they who serve at the altar should live by the alâ—ar and if they communicate of their spirituall things why should they not participate of the peoples temporall things They will not have particular houses for preaching and prayer and yet among the Iews was the temple and Synagogues and after Christianity was settled Churches were erected They cannot abide studied or methodicall Sermons nor expouâ—ding nor learning in matters of Divinity by which we see how ignorant these people are who despise such helps as God hath given for propagating the Gospel Is it not better to studie and premeditatâ— than to utter quicquid in buecam veâ—erit undigested immethodicall ignorant trash Christ and his Apostles expounded and opened the Scriptures and yet these men reject expounding these men are also against singing of Psalmes a duty practised by Christ and urged by Saint Paul and Saint Iames. They reject infant-Baptisme and yet to infants belongeth the kingdome of heaven They will have no set days for Divine worship and consequently the Lords day must be of no account with them They will have no prayer before and after Sermâ—n and yet the Apostles joyned prayer with their Doctrine and breaking of bread Acts 2. 24. neither did they ever undertake any weighty businesse without prayer They condemn set houres of prayers and yet we read in the Acts of the Apostles that the third and ninth houres were set houres of prayer but by these wild Fancies we may see how crosse-grained these people are in contradicting every thing even Gods word it self if it be not consonant to their shallow reason which they call the spirit but it is indeed the spirit of giddinesse with which they are troubled and trouble others for the rejecting of all outward forms and decent ceremonies in Religion iâ— the overthrow of Religion it self which thought it consist not in ceremonies yet without them it is like a man stript naked of his garments and so for want of them exposed to all injuries of weather and danger of death The leaves of a tree are not the fruit thereof and yet without them the fruit will not prosper Q. 14. What other opinions do the Quakers hold An. Not to mention their â—orrid blasphemies in saying that some of them are Christ some God himself and some equall with God because they have the same spirit in them which is in God They maintain that the Scripture is not the word of God that out preaching is conjuration that expounding of Scripture is adding to it that the letter of Scripture is carnall that the word is not the rule to try the spirits that the soul is a part of God and long existent before the body that there is no Trinity that Christ hath no other body but his Church that Christs coming in the flesh was but a figure that all men have a light in them sufficient to salvation that the man Christ is not ascended into heaven that there is no imputation of Christs righteousnesse that prayer for remission of sinnes 〈◊〉 needlesse that we are justified by our own inherent righteousnesse that there is no 〈◊〉 life or glory to be looked for but in this world that there is no locall heaven nor hell nor resurrection of the body that many of them cannot sin that the calling of our Ministry is Antichristian that our preaching is altogether uselesse that themselves are immediately called by God that our worshiping of God in the Church is heathenish that the of children with water in Baptisme is Antichristian that we have no Sacraments that Dâ—vids Psalms are â—arnall and noâ— to be sung that in our Churches which they â—ll breasts houses God is not worshipped 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 to destroy all propertie and that therefore all things ought to be common that no man is to be called Master or Sir or to be saluted by the way and that one man ought not to have power over another here we see that these men despise Magistracy reject the Ministry sleight all decency and ordinances in Christs Church and in a word overthrow as much as in them lyeth all Religion and piety setting up a Babel of their own full of impiety ignorance aud blasphemie these are the fruits of too much liberty and the effects of reading Scripture by ignorant and malicious spirits who like spiders suck poyson out of the sweetest and wholesomest flowers and like mad men use that sword of the word to destroy themselves and others which was ordained to saye and defend us from our enemies Q. 15 Wherein do the absurdities and impieties of their opinions consist An. 1. In rejecting all Vniversity Learning because Christ and his Apostles were never taught in Schools but this opinion is ridiculous for Christ and his Apostles taught no other Divinity for the matter than what is taught in Universities the difference is onely in the manner of attaining this knowledge for they had it by inspiration we by study labour and instruction and yet the prophets had their Schools and Colledges both on the hill of God 1 Sam. 10. 5. 10. and at Bethel 2 Kings 2. 3. and at Iericho v. 5. and at Naiâ—th 1 Sam. 14. 20. Elisha had his Colledge 2 Kings 6. 1. 2. They will not have us expound Scripture because the Apostles expoundeâ— them but this conceit is also frivolous for to what purpose did Christ appoint Doctours and Pastors to continue still with his Church if they are not to expound Scripture what the Apostles expounded briefly we expound more fully In their expositions there be many intricate obscure high and figurative passages which require a further exposition God did never reveal all his truth at one time Among the Jews we read that Ezra the Scribe and the Levites expounded the Law Neh. 8. Christ took a Text and expounded it Luke 4. and so did Philip Acts 8. 3. They will not have Ministers to be called Masters but I would know of these men whether they that labour in
one only God in a Iudaical sense To that I and the Father are one they were used to retort thus Doth the unity in this place denote co-essency It must therefore follow that it is as much where the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 3. 8. He that planteth and he that watereth are one They accounted the word Trinity a laughing-stock and a Fiction that the Sonne of God was a Creature and that the Holy-Ghost was both born of Christ and conceaved and begotten of the Virgin Mary All that were baptized in the name of the blessed Trinity they baptized again They denied that Christ was the sonne of God according to the Spirit and the Godhead they denied God his own Sonne While Arrius was disburthening himself of the necessities of Nature his bowels came forth and with them his life And so he who was the successor of those Arch-Hereticks Artemon who lived about the year of our Lord two hundred and Paulus Samosatenus who lived about two hundred forty one came to a miserable death in the yeare three hundred thirty six See Athanasius Epiphanius Hilarius Hieroâ— Augustine Ambrose Basil Theodoret Eusebius Socrates Nicephorus Sozomen and other Ecclesiastical writers who have treated of these things more at large MAHOMET Adsum Ingens Mahometes ego lachrymabile mundi Prodigium omnigeni dux et origo mali THE CONTENTS MAHOMET characterized He made a laughing stock of the Trinity He agreed with Câ—rpocâ—ates and other hereticks He renewed Circumcision and to indulge his disciples he allowed them Polygamy c. His Iron Tombe at Mecca IN the year six hundred twenty two Honorius the fift being Bishop of Rome and Meraclius Caesar Emperour of the East a transcendent Arch-heretick called Mahomet exchanged Hell for earth a Prophet by Nation an Arabian but most deprav'd and corrupt He had sometimes been a Merchant extremely rich and withall very subtle to be short he was a serious professor of diabolical Arts a most ungodly instrument of Satan the Viceroy of Antichrist or his sworne fore-runner This man endeavoured to extoll his brother Arrius with such praises as are correspondent to his Heaven He also with Sabelliâ— â—â—aewed the laughing-stock of the Trinity He with Arrius and 〈◊〉 most fervently and contumeliously held that Christ was onely a Mâ—n and that he was onely called God 〈◊〉 dici that is to say according to a certain manner of speaking He agrees with Carsocrates who denied that Christ was a God and a Prophet This is also he that shakes hands with Cerdonâ—â— who utterly abjur'd the Godhead of the Sonne or that he was co-substantial with the Father He imagined with the Manichees 〈◊〉 it was not Christ but some other that was fastented to the Crosse. With the Donatists he contemned the rurest Sacraments of the Church With the most impure Origen he affirmes that the devils shall be eternally saved according to an humine yet an invisible manner He with Cerinthus placed eternal Felicity in the lust of the flesh Circumcision that was long since abolished and antiquated he renewed Upon his disciples he bestowed the priviledges of Polygamy Concubines and Divorce as Moses had done and with such dreams and an imaginary Phrensy was the miserable wretch ever troubled This man when he died was put into an iron Tombe at Mecca which by the strength of Loadstones being as it were in the middle and centre of an arched edifice hangs up to the astonishment of the beholders by which means the miraculous sanctity of this Prophet is greatly celebrated All the dominions of the Great Turk professe this mans faith whom they acquiesse in as a miracle BALTHAZAR HuBMOR Ille ego qui vndarum mysteria sacra negavi Igne cremar fato disce cavere meo THE CONTENTS HUBMOR a Patron of Anabaptisme He damned usury He brought in a worship to the Virgin MARY c. The Senate of Suring by a Councill reduced him He renounced the heads of his former doctrine Himself or Sect still active He is taken and imprisoned at Vienna in Austria He and his wife both burned DOctor Balthazâ— Hubmor of Friburg a man excellently well learned another Roscius in his affaires a Clergy man at Ingolstade was the third eminent Patron of Anabaptisme and asworne promoter of that worthy Sect. This man in his Sermons at Regenburgh inveighed so bitterly and so implacably against the usury of the Jewes that he banished it even to eternal damnation he brought in a certain religious worship to be done to the Virgin Mary and some superstitious vowes and was the cause of great tumults and insurrections and had built up his doctrine upon very firm and solid foundations until the most wise Senate of Suring applyed the universal medicine of a Council to these things and assigned a day to reduce and root out that sect which was the seventeenth of Ianuary in the year one thousand five hundred twenty five wherein the Senate being present and a great presence of people the most learned Zwinlius and other sonnes of learning opposed this our Doctor by whom and the strength of truth after most hot and serious debating on both sides he ingenuously confessed himself to be overcome The heads of the Doctrine which he before defended and whereof he afterwards made his abrenâ—nciation were these That he detested the cheat and humane invention of Anabaptisme He affirmed that the spirit both before the fall and after was uncorrupt and unblamable and that it never dies in sin whence it should follow that not it but the flesh is deprived of liberty he also acknowledged that the spirit overcomes and triumphs over the flesh Though his Recantation was made and divers rebaptized into their better sences yet the Torrents of this sect neither stood still nor were dried up but increased in Switzerland into a deluge which overturned almost all This man escaping the endeavours of spies and shunning the Halter was at length taken with the figtree leafe of divine vengeance and cast into prison at Vienna in Austria Being afterwards put much to the question it being the designe of vengeance the râ—venging fire soon turned him to ashes His wife being also baptized into the same whirle-pool of Baptisme they both with mindes hardened to their own perswasions were not disengaged of thâ—t faith but with the departure of their lives JOHN HuT. Huttus ab Hubmoro excrescit cervice resectâ Sic vnâ in gâ—minum pullulat Hydra caput THE CONTENTS IOHN HUT the prop and pillar of Anabapt sme His credulity in dreames and visions He is accounted a true Prophet by his Proselytes At Merhern his Fraternity became as it were a Monastery IN the times of the forementioned Bâ—lthazar â—ise up Iohn Hut a learned man the prop and pillar of Anabaptisme an eminent despiser of Pâ—dobaptisme which kind of baptisme be accounted the execrable fiction of the schoolmen whence it came that he