CENT. are no malefactors, magistrates are useless. Hence XVI. do they pretend also to deny the lawfulness of repelPART Hling force by force and consider war, in all its shapes, SECT II! Their sys ranty. as unchristian and unjust; for as those who are perfectly boly, can neither be provoked by injuries, nor commit them, they do not stand in need of the force of arms, either for the purposes of resentment or defence. It is still the same principle that excites in them the utmost aversion to the execution of justice, and more especially to capital punishments; since, according to this principle, there are no transgressions nor crimes in the kingdom of Christ, and consequently no occasion for the arm of the judge. Nor can it be imagined, that they should refuse to confirm their testimony by an oath upon any other foundation than this, that the perfect members of a boly church can neither dissemble nor deceive. It was certainly then the ancient doctrine of the Anabaptists, concerning the sanctity of the church, that gave rise to the tenets now mentioned, and that was the source of that rigid and severe discipline, which excited such tumults and divisions among the members of that community. XVII. The rules of moral discipline, that were tem of mo-formerly observed by the Mennonites, were rigorous and austere in the highest degree, and thus every way conformable to the fundamental principle, which has been already mentioned as the source of all their peculiar tenets. It is somewhat doubtful whether these rules still subsist and are respected among them; but it is certain, that in the times of old their moral precepts were very severe. And indeed it could not well be otherwise; for, when these people had once got it into their heads, that sanctity of manners was the only genuine mark of the true church, it may well be imagined, that they would spare no pains to obtain this honourable character for their sect; and that, for this purpose, they would use the strictest precautions to XVI. SECT. ART II. to guard their brethren against disgracing theirc E N T. profession by immoral practices. Hence it was, Scr.III. that they unanimously, and no doubt justly, ex-p alted the rules of the Gospel, on account of their transcendent purity. They alleged, that CHRIST had promulgated a new law of life, far more perfect than that which had been delivered by MOSES and the Prophets; and they excluded from their communion all such as deviated, in the least, from the most rigorous rules of simplicity and gravity in their looks, their gestures, their clothing, and their table: all whose desires surpassed the dictates of mere necessity: nay, even all who observed a certain decorum in their manners, and paid a decent regard to the innocent customs of the world. But this primitive austerity is greatly diminished in the more considerable sects of the Mennonites, and more especically among the Waterlandians and Germans. The opulence they have acquired, by their industry and commerce, has relaxed their severity, softened their manners, and rendered them less insensible of the sweets of life; so that at this day the Mennonite congregations furnish their pastors with as much matter of censure and admorition as any other Christian conmunity [6]. There are, however, still some remains of the abstinence and severity of manners. that prevailed formerly among the Anabaptists; but these are only to be found among some of the smaller sects of that persuasion, and more particularly among those who live remote from great and populous cities. XVIII. The particular sentiments and opinions The singu that divided the more considerable societies of the lar tenet Mennonites, sects. H h 4 [b] It is certain, that the Mennonites in Holland, at this day, are, in their tables, their equipages, and their country seats, the most luxurious part of the Dutch nation. This is more especially true of the Mennonites of Amsterdam, who are very numerous and extremely opulent. of some CEN T. Mennonites, were those that follow: J. MENNO XVI. denied that CHRIST derived from his mother the PART II. Dody he assumed; and thought, on the contrary, SECT. III. that it was produced out of nothing, in the womb of that blessed virgin, by the creating power of the Holy Ghost [c]. This opinion is yet firmly maintained by the ancient Flemingians, or rigid Anabaptists; but has, long since, been renounced by [c] This is the account that is given of the opinion of Menno by Herman Schyn, in his Plenior Deduct. Hist. Menonit. p. 164, 165. which other writers represent in a different manner. After an attentive perusal of several passages in the writings of Menno, where he professedly handles this very subject, it appears to me more than probable, that he inclined to the opinion attributed to him in the text, and that it was in this sense only, that he supposed Christ to be clothed with a divine and celestial body. For that may, without any impropriety, be called celestial and divine, which is produced immediately, in consequence of a creating act, by the Holy Ghost. It must, however, be acknowledged, that Menno does not seem to have been unchangeably wedded to this opinion. For in several places he expresses himself ambiguously on this head, and even sometimes falls into inconsistencies. From hence, perhaps, it might not be unreasonable to conclude, that he renounced indeed the common opinion concerning the origin of Christ's human nature; but was pretty much undetermined with respect to the hypothesis, which, among many that were proposed, it was proper to substitute in its place. See Fueslini Centuria 1. Epistolar. a Reformator. Helveticis scriptar. p. 383.-Be that as it may, Menno is generally considered as the author of this opinion concerning the origin of Christ's body, which is still embraced by the more rigid part of his followers. It appears probable, nevertheless, that this opinion was much older than his time, and was only adopted by him with the other tenets of the Anabaptists. As a proof of this, it may be observed, that Bolandus, in his Poem, entitled, Motus Monasteriensis, lib. x. v. 49. plainly declares, that many of the Anabaptists of Munster (who certainly had not been instructed by Menno) held this very doctrine in relation to Christ's incarnation: Esse (Christum) Deum statuunt alii, sed corpore carnem, At Diam mentem, tenuis quasi fauce canalis, XVI. by all the other sects of that denomination [d].CENT. 2. The more austere Mennonites, like their SECT. III, forefathers, not only animadvert, with the most PART H. unrelenting severity, upon actions manifestly cri- →→→→ minal, 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 judgment by an equitable consideration of the infirmities of nature in this imperfect state. The other Mennonites are by no means chargeable with this severity towards 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 upon 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 [d] Many writers are of opinion, that the Waterlandians, of all the other Anabaptists, shewed the strongest propensity to adopt the doctrine of Menno, relating to the origin of Christ's body. See Histoire des Anabaptistes, p. 223.-Ceremonies et Coutumes de tous 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 farther refutation of this mistake, Herm. Schyn, Deductio Plenior Histor. Mennonit. p. 165. CENT them the smallest degree of indulgence. In such XVI. a case the exchange of good offices, the sweets of PARTI fiiendly conversation, and the mutual effusions of SECT. III. and philo. Anabap tists. 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 hose 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 have the force of a positive command; and hence they are sometimes called Podonipte. 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 XIX. The Anabaptists, however divided on learning other subjects, were agreed in their notions of sopay a learning and philosophy, which, in former times, mon the they unanimously considered as the pests of the Christian church, and as highly detrimental to the progress of true 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 |