XVI. pleasure of conversing with him. Jaques de Bour- c E N T. gogne had employed Bolsec as his physician, and SECT. III. was so well satisfied with his services, that he en- PART. Il deavoured to support him, and to prevent his being ruined by the enmity and authority of Calvin. This incensed the latter to such a degree, that he turned the force of his resentment against this illustrious nobleman, who, to avoid his vengeance, removed from Geneva, and passed the remainder of his days in a rural retreat [6]. XLII. Bernardin Ochinus, a native of Siena, and with and, before his conversion, general of the order Ochinus. of Capuchins, was, in the year 1543, banished from Switzerland, in consequence of a sentence passed upon him by the Helvetic church. This proselyte, who was a man of a fertile imagination, and a lively and subtile turn of mind, had been invited to Zurich as pastor of the Italian church established in that city. But the freedom, or rather the licentiousness, of his sentiments, exposed him justly to the displeasure of those who had been his patrons and protectors. For, among many other opinions very different from those that were commonly received, he maintained that the law, which confined a husband to one wife, was susceptible of exceptions in certain cases. In his writings also he propagated several notions that were repugnant to the theological system of the Helvetic doctors, and pushed his enquiries into many subjects of importance, with a boldness and freedom that were by no means suitable to the genius and spirit of the age in which he lived. Some have, however, undertaken his defence, and have alleged in his behalf, that the errors he maintained at the time of his banishment (when, Ff2 worn [b] See Lettres de Calvin à Jaques de Bourgogne, Preface, p. 8. La Bibliotheque Raisonnée, tom. xxxiv. p. 444. tom. xxxiv. p. 456. XVI. SECT. III. CEN T. worn out with age, and oppressed with poverty, he was rather an object of compassion, than of resentPART Iment), were not of such a heinous nature as to justify so severe a punishment. However that may Have been, this unfortunate exile retired into Poland, where he embraced the communion of the Anti-trinitarians and Anabaptists [c], and ended his days in the year 1564 [d]. The contro versy be Church of England and the tween the XLIII. It is remarkable enough, that those very doctors, who animadverted with such severity upon all those who dared to dissent from any part of their theological system, thought proper, nevertheless, to behave with the greatest circumspection, and the most pacific spirit of mildness, in the long controversy that was carried on with such animosity between the Puritans, and the abettors of episcopacy in England. For if, on the one te Boverii Annales Capucinorum.-Together with a book, entitled, La guerre Seraphique, ou Histoire des perils qu'a couru la barbe des Capuchins,' livr. ii. p. 147. livr. iii. p. 190, 230.-Observationes Halenses Latina, tom. iv. Observ. xx. p. 406, tom. v. Observ. i. p. 3.-Bayle's Diction. at the article Ochin.-Christ. Sandii Biblioth. Anti-Trinitat. p. 4. Niceron, Memoires pour servir à l'Histoire des bommes illustres, tom. xix. p. 166. [d] Ochinus did not leave the accusations of his adversaries without a reply, he published, in Italian, Five Books of Apology for his character and conduct, which were printed, together with a Latin translation of them, by Seb. Castalio, without the date of the year. The Geneva edition of this apology bears date 1554, and is in 8vo. There is a German edition in 4to, published (according to Vogtius, Catal. Lib. rar. p. 430) in the year 1556. That copy in the Jena library bears date 1559. See Mylius's Memor. Acad. Jenens. C. 6. p. 432. Beza, in his letter to Dudithius, insults the memory of Ochinus, and pretends to justify the severity with which he was treated, in such a taunting and uncharitable manner as does him little credit. See his Epist. Theolo. Geneva, 1575, in 12mo, Epist. i. p. 10, and Ep. 81. What the writers of the Romish church have laid to the charge of Ochinus, may be seen in the life of Cardinal Commendoni, written by Gratiani bishop of Amelia (and published in a French translation by the eloquent Flechier bishop of Nismes), B. 2, C. 9, p. 138-149. N. XVI. one hand, they could not but stand well affected C E N T. to the Puritans, who were stedfast defenders of SECT. II. the discipline and sentiments of the Helvetic PART 11. church; so, on the other, they were connected with the episcopal doctors by the bonds of Christian communion and fraternal love. In this critical situation, their whole thoughts were turned towards reconciliation and peace; and they exhorted their brethren, the Puritans, to put on a spirit of meekness and forbearance towards the episcopal church, and not to break the bonds of charity and communion with its rulers or its members. Such was the gentle spirit of the doctors in Switzerland towards the church of England, notwithstanding the severe treatment the greatest part of the Reformed had received from that church, which constantly insisted on the divine origin of its government and discipline, and scarcely allowed the other reformed communities the privileges, or even the denomination, of a true church. This moderation of the Helvetic doctors was the dictate of prudence. They did not think it expedient to contend with a generous and flourishing people, nor to incur the displeasure of a mighty queen, whose authority seemed to extend not only to her own dominions, but even to the United Provinces, which were placed in her neighbourhood, and, in some measure, under her protection. Nor did the apprehensions of a general schism in the Reformed chu:ch contribute a little to render them meek, moderate, and pacific. It is one thing to punish and excommunicate a handful of weak and unsupported individuals, who attempt to disturb the tranquillity of the state by the introduction of opinions, which, though neither highly absurd, nor of dangerous consequence, have yet the demerit of novelty; and another to irritate, or promote divisions in a flourishing church, which, though weakened Ff3 more XVI. CEN T. more or less by intestine feuds, is yet both powerSECT. III. ful and respectable in a high degree. Besides, the PART II dispute between the church of England and the Many per other Reformed churches did not, as yet, turn upon points of doctrine, but only on the rites of external worship and the form of ecclesiastical government. It is, however, to be observed, that in process of time, nay soon after the period now under consideration, certain religious doctrines were introduced into the debate between the two churches, that contributed much to widen the breach, and to cast the prospect of reconciliation at a distance [d]. XLIV. That the Reformed church abounded, sons of emi- during this century, with great and eminent men, nent genius. and learn- justly celebrated for their illustrious talents and ing among universal learning, is too well known to stand in the Re formed. need of any proof. Besides Calvin, Zuingle, and Beza, who exhibited to the Republic of Letters very striking instances of genius and erudition, we may place in the list of those who have gained an immortal name by their writings. Oecolampadius, Bullinger, Farel, Viret, Martyr, Bibliander, Musculus, Pellican, Lavater, Hospinian, Ursinus, Cranmer archbishop of Canterbury, Szegedinus, and many others [d] All the protestant divines of the Reformed church whether Puritans or others, seemed, indeed, hitherto of one mind about the doctrines of faith. But, towards the latter end of queen Elizabeth's reign, there arose a party, which were first for softening, and then for overthrowing the received opinions concerning predestination, perseverance, free-will, effectual grace, and the extent of Christ's redemption. These are the doctrines to which Dr Mosheim alludes in this pas sage. The clergy of the episcopal church began to lean to wards the notions concerning these intricate points, which Arminius propagated some time after this; while, on the other hand, the Puritans adhered rigorously to the system of Calvin. Several episcopal doctors remained attached to the same system, and all these abettors of Calvinism, whether piscopal or presbyterian, were called Doctrinal Puritans. XVI. others, whose names and merits are recorded by CEN T. the writers of philological history, and particularly scr. Il by Melchior Adam, Antony Wood, fand Daniel PART II. Neal, the learned and industrious author of the History of the Puritans. CHA P. III. The History of the Anabaptists or Mennonites. TH HE true origin of that sect which ac- The origin quired the denomination of the Ana- of the Anabaptists [e] by their administering anew the rite of baptists ob baptisin [e] The modern Mennonites reject the denomination of Anabaptists, and also disavow the custom of repeating the ceremony of baptism, from whence this denomination is derived. They acknowledge that the ancient Anabaptists practised the repetition of baptism to those who joined them from other Christian churches; but they maintain, at the same time, that this custom is at present abolished by far the greatest part of their community. See Herm. Schyn, Historice Mennonitarum plenior Deductio, cap. ii. p. 32. But here, if I am not much mistaken, these good men forget that ingenious candour and simplicity, of which, on other occasions, they make such ostentation, and have recourse to artifice, in order to disguise the true cause and origin of the denomination in question. They pretend, for instance, that the Anabaptists, their ancestors, were so called from their baptising a second time all adult persons, who left other churches to enter into their communion. But it is certain, that the denomination in question was given them, not only on this account, but also, and indeed principally, from the following consideration; that they did not look upon those who had been baptised in a state of infancy, or at a tender age, as rendered, by the administration of this sacrament, true members of the Christian church; and therefore insisted upon their being re-baptised, in order to their being received into the communion of the Anabaptists. It is likewise certain, that all the churches of that communion, however they may vary in other respects, and differ from each other in their tenets and practices, agree nevertheless in this opinion, and, as yet, persevere obstinately in it. In a more especial manner are the. ancient Flemish Anabaptists entitled to this denomination. Ff4 For scure. |