PART II. CENT. Mennonites, were those that follow: 1. Menno XVI. denied that Christ derived from his mother the SECT. III. body he assumed; and thought, on the contrary, 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. Mennonit. 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 be 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 I. 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 not 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, y. 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, Per Mariæ corpus virginis isse ferunt, SECT. III. by all the other sects of that denomination [d]. CENT. 2. The more austere Mennonites, like their XVI. forefathers, not only animadvert, with the most PART II. unrelenting severity, upon actions manifestly cri-n 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 judg ments 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. XVI. PART II. CENT. them the smallest degree of indulgence. In such a case the exchange of good offices, the sweets of SECT. III. 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 have the force of a positive command; and hence they are sometimes called Podoniptæ. 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 and philo XIX. The Anabaptists, however divided on of learning other subjects, were agreed in their notions of learning and philosophy, which, in former times, mong the they unanimously considered as the pests of the Anabap sophy a tists. 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 XVI. SECT. III. PART II. entirely to trade, manual industry, and the me- CENT. chanic 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 farther 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. XX, That PART II. CENT. XX. That simplicity and ignorance, of which XVI. the ancient Anabaptists boasted, as the guardians SECT. III of their piety and the sources of their felicity, contributed principally to those divisions and schisms Their divi- that reigned among them, from even their first rise, sion into a in a degree unknown and unexperienced in any multitude other Christian community. This will appear of sects. evident to such as enquire, 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 principle, 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 |