tere Mennonites, like their forefathers, not only animadvert, with the most unrelenting severity, upon actions manifestly criminal, and evidently repugnant to the divine laws, but also treat in the same manner the smallest marks of an internal propensity to the pleasures of sense, or of a disposition to comply with the customs of the world. They condemn, for example, elegant dress, rich furniture, every thing, in a word, that looks like ornament, or surpasses the bounds of absolute necessity. Their conduct also to offenders is truly merciless; for they expel them from the church without previous admonition, and never temper the rigour of their judgments by an equitable consideration of the infirmities of nature in this imperfect state. The other Mennonites are by no means chargeable with this severity toward their offending brethren; they exclude none from their communion but the obstinate contemners of the divine laws; nor do they proceed to this extremity even with regard to such, until repeated admonitions have proved ineffectual to reform them. 3. The more rigid Mennonites look upon those that are excommunicated as the pests of society, who are to be avoided on all occasions, and to be banished from all the comforts of social intercourse. Neither the voice of nature, nor the ties of blood, are allowed to plead in their behalf, or to procure them the smallest degree of indulgence. In such a case the exchange of good offices, the sweets of friendly conversation, and the mutual effusions of tenderness and love are cruelly suspended, even between parents and children, husbands and wives, and also in all the other endearing relations of human life. But the more moderate branches of this community have wisely rejected this unnatural discipline, and look upon the honour and sanctity of the church to be sufficiently vindicated, when its members avoid a close and particular intimacy with those who have been expelled from its communion. 4. The rigid anabaptists enjoin it as an obligation upon their disciples, and the members of their community, to wash the feet of their guests as a token of brotherly love and affection, and in obedience to the example of Christ, which they suppose, in this case, to

les Peuples du Monde, tom. iv. p. 200. But that these writers are mistaken, is abundantly manifest from the public Confession of Faith of the Waterlandians, composed by Ries. See also, for a further refutation of this mistake, Herm. Schyn, Deductio Plenior. Histor. Mennonit. p. 165.

have the force of a positive command; and hence they are sometimes called podonipta. But the other Mennonites deny that Christ meant, in this instance of his goodness and condescension, to recommend this custom to the imitation of his followers, or to give his example, in this case, the authority of a positive precept.

The state of

mong the Ana

XIX. The Anabaptists, however divided on other subjects, were agreed in their notions of learning and philosophy, which, in former times, they unanimously learning and considered as the pests of the Christian church, philosophy a and as highly detrimental to the progress of true baptists. religion and virtue. Hence it happened, that among a considerable number of writers, who in this century employed their pens in the defence of that sect, there is none whose labours bear any inviting marks of learning or genius. The rigid Mennonites persevere still in the barbarous system of their ancestors, and neglecting totally the improvement of the mind, and the culture of the sciences, devote themselves entirely to trade, manual industry, and the mechanic arts. The Waterlandians indeed are honourably distinguished from all the other Anabaptists in this, as well as in many other respects. For they permit several members of their community to frequent the public universities, and there to apply themselves to the study of languages, history, antiquities, and more especially of physic, whose usefulness and importance they do not pretend to deny; and hence it happens, that in our times, so many pastors among the Mennonites assume the title and profession of physicians. Nay more; it is not unusual to see Anabaptists of this more humane and moderate class engaged even in philosophical researches, on the excellence and utility of which their eyes are at length so far opened as to make them acknowledge their importance to the well being of society. It was no doubt in consequence of this change of sentiment, that they have erected, not long ago, a public seminary of learning at Amsterdam, in which there is always a person of eminent abilities chosen as professor of philosophy. But, though these moderate Anabaptists acknowledge the benefit which may be derived to civil society from the culture of philosophy and the sciences, yet they still persevere so far in their ancient prejudices, as to consider theology as a system that has no connexion with them; and consequently, they are of opinion,

that, in order to preserve it pure and untainted, the utmost caution must be used not to blend the dictates of philosophy with the doctrines of religion. It is further to be observed, that in the present times, even the Flemish or rigid Anabaptists begin gradually to divest themselves of their antipathy to learning, and allow their brethren to apply themselves to the study of languages, history, and the other sciences.

into a multi

tude of sects.

1

xx. That simplicity and ignorance, of which the ancient Anabaptists boasted, as the guardians of their piety Their division and the sources of their felicity, contributed principally to those divisions and schisms that reigned among them, from even their first rise, in a degree unknown and unexperienced in any other Christian community. This will appear evident to such as inquire, with the smallest attention, into the more immediate causes of their dissensions. For it is observable, that their most vehement contests had not for their object any difference in opinion concerning the doctrines or mysteries of religion, but generally turned upon matters relating to the conduct of life, on what was lawful, decent, just, and pious, in actions and manners, and what, on the contrary, was to be considered as criminal or unseemly. These disputes were a natural consequence of their favourite principles, that holiness of life, and purity of manners, were the authentic marks of the true church. But the misfortune lay here, that being ignorant themselves, and under the guidance of persons whose knowledge was little superior to theirs, they were unacquainted with the true method of determining, in a multitude of cases, what was pious, laudable, and lawful, and what was impious, unbecoming, and criminal. The criterion they employed for this purpose, was neither the decision of right reason, nor the authority of the divine laws, accurately interpreted; since their ignorance rendered them incapable of using these means of arriving at the truth. They judged therefore of these matters by the suggestions of fancy, and the opinions of others. But as this method of discerning between right and wrong, decent and indecent, was extremely uncertain and precarious, and could not but produce a variety of decisions, according to the different feelings, fancies, tempers, and capacities of different persons, hence naturally arose diversity of sentiments, debates, and contests of various kinds. These de

bates produced schisms and divisions, which are never more easily excited, nor more obstinately fomented and perpetuated, than where ignorance, the true source of bigotry, prevails.

the Menno

nites in the

vinces.

XXI. The Mennonites, after having been long in an uncertain and precarious situation, obtained a fixed The first solid and unmolested settlement in the United Pro- settlement of vinces, under the shade of a legal toleration pro- United Procured for them by William, prince of Orange, the glorious founder of Belgic liberty. This illustrious chief, who acted from principle in allowing liberty of conscience and worship to Christians of different denominations, was moreover engaged, by gratitude, to favour the Mennonites, who had assisted him, in the year 1572, with a considerable sum of money, when his coffers were almost exhausted. The fruits however of this toleration, were not immediately enjoyed by all the Anabaptists that were dispersed through the different provinces of the rising republic; for, in several places, both the civil magistrates and the clergy made a long and obstinate opposition to the will of the prince in this matter; particularly in the province of Zealand and the city of Amsterdam, where the remembrance of the plots the Anabaptists had laid, and the tumults they had excited, was still fresh in the minds of the people. This opposition indeed was in a great measure conquered before the conclusion of this century, partly by the resolution and influence of William the First, and his son Maurice, and partly by the exemplary conduct of the Mennonites, who manifested their zealous attachment to the republic on several occasions, and redoubled, instead of diminishing, the precautions that might remove all grounds of suspicion to their advantage, and take from their adversaries every pretext which could render their opposition justifiable. But it was not before the following century, that their liberty and tranquillity were fixed upon solid foundations, when, by a Confession of Faith, published in the year 1626, they cleared themselves from the imputation of those pernicious and detestable errors that had been laid to their charge."

e See Brandt, Historie der Reformatie in de Nederlande, vol. i. p. 525, 526. Ceremonies et Coutumes de tous les Peuples du Monde, tom. iv. p. 201.

f Brandt, loc. cit. book xi. p. 555, 586, 597, 609, 610, book xiv. p. 780, book xvi. p. 811.

g See Herm. Schyn, Plenior. Dedactio Histor. Mennonil. cap. iv. p. 79.

XXII. The sect, in England, which rejects the custom of The English baptizing infants, are not distinguished by the tiAnabaptists. tle of Anabaptists, but by that of Baptists. It is however probable, that they derive their origin from the German and Dutch Mennonites; and that, in former times, they adopted their doctrine in all its points. That indeed is by no means the case at present; for the English Baptists differ, in many things, both from the ancient and modern Mennonites. They are divided into two sects. One of which is distinguished by the denomination of general or Arminian Baptists, on account of their opposition to the doctrine of absolute and unconditional decrees; and the other by that of particular or Calvinistical Baptists, from the striking resemblance of their religious system to that of the Presbyterians, who have Calvin for their chief." The Baptists of this latter sect settled chiefly at London, and in the towns and villages adjacent; and they have departed so far from the tenets of their ancestors, that, at this day, they retain no more of the peculiar doctrines and institutions of the Mennonites, than the administration of Baptism by immersion, and the refusal of that sacrament to infants, and those of tender years. And consequently they have none of those scruples relating to oaths, war, and the functions of magistracy, that still remain among even the most rational part of the modern Mennonites. They observe in their congregations the same rules of government, and the same method of worship, that are followed by the Presbyterians, and their community is under the direction of men eminent for their piety and learning. From their Confession of Faith, that was published in the year 1643, it appears plainly, that their religious sentiments were the same then that they are at this day." XXIII. The general Baptists, or as they are called by some the Antipodobaptists are dispersed in great numbers through several counties of England, and are, for the most part, persons England. of mean condition, and almost totally destitute of learning and knowledge. This latter circumstance will appear less surprising, when it is considered, that like the ancient Mennonites, they profess a contempt of erudition and science. There is much

The opinions falarda

of the genepar

ticular Anabaptists in

h See Whiston's Memoirs of his Life and Writings, vol. ii. p. 461.

i See a German work, composed by Ant. William Bohm, under the title of the History of the Reformation in England, p. 151, 473, 536, 1152.

k Bibliotheque Britannique, tom. vi. p. 2.