PART II. one hand, they could not but stand well affected CENT. to the Puritans, who were stedfast defenders of XVI. the discipline and sentiments of the Helvetic SECT. III. 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 church 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 SECT. III. PART II. CENT. more or less by intestine feuds, is yet both powerXVI. ful and respectable in a high degree. Besides the dispute between the church of England and the 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]. Many persons of emi ing among the Reformed. XLIV. That the Reformed church abounded, nent genius during this century, with great and eminent men, and learn- justly celebrated for their illustrious talents and universal learning, is too well known to stand in 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 passage. The clergy of the episcopal church began to lean towards 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 so the same system, and all these abettors of Calvinism, whether episcopal or presbyterian, were called Doctrinal Puritans. XVI. SECT. III. others, whose names and merits are recorded by CENT. the writers of philological history, and particularly by Melchior Adam, Antony Wood, and Daniel Neal, the learned and industrious author of the History of the Puritans. CHAP. III. The History of the Anabaptists or Mennonites. PART II. HE true origin of that sect which ac- The origin quired the denomination of the Anabap-" tists [e] by their administering anew the rite of obscure. baptism [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's Historia 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 rebaptised, 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. baptists CENT. baptism to those who came over to their commuXVI. nion, and derived that of Mennonites, from the famous SECT. III. PART II. For they not only re-baptise the children that have been al- His datum, XVI. SECT. III. famous man, to whom they owe the greatest part CENT. of their present felicity, is hid in the remote depths of antiquity, and is, of consequence, PART IF extremely difficult to be ascertained [f]. This uncer datum Christi, i. e. according to the commandment of Christ,) discovers sufficiently the artifice and fraud that lie hid in this apology; for the Anabaptists maintain that there is no commandment of Christ in favour of infant baptism. Moreover, we see the whole fallacy exposed, by what the author adds to the sentence already quoted: "Sed illum etiam adultorum baptismum ut sufficientem agnoscunt." Nevertheless, this author, as if he had perfectly proved his point, concludes, with an air of triumph, that the odious name of Anabaptists cannot be given, with any propriety, to the Mennonites at this day; "Quare (says he) verissimum est, illud odiosum nomen Anabaptistarem illis non convenire." In this, however, he is certainly mistaken; and the name in question is just as applicable to the modern Mennonites, as it was to the sect from which they descend, since the best and wisest of the Mennonites maintain, in conformity with the principles of the ancient Anabaptists, that the baptism of infants is destitute of validity, and consequently are very careful in re-baptizing their proselytes, notwithstanding their having been baptized in their tender years, in other Christian churches. Many circumstances persuade me that the declarations and representations of things given by the modern Mennonites, are not always worthy of credit. Unhappily instructed by the miseries and calamities in which their ancestors were involved, they are anxiously careful to conceal entirely those tenets and laws that are the distinguishing characteristics of their sect; while they embellish what they cannot totally conceal, and disguise with the greatest art such of their institutions as otherwise might appear of a pernicious tendency, and might expose them to censure. [f] The writers for and against the Anabaptists are amply enumerated by Casper Sagittarius, in his Introductio ad Histor. Eccles. tom. i. p. 826, and Christ. M. Pfaffius, in his Introduct. in Histor. Liter. Theologiæ, part II. p. 349.-Add to these a modern writer, and a Mennonite preacher, Herman Schyn, who published at Amsterdam, in 8vo, in the year 1729, his Historia Mennonitar. and, in 1729, his Plenior Deductio Histor. Mennonit. These two books, though they do not deserve the title of a History of the Mennonites, are nevertheless useful, in order to come at a thorough knowledge of the affairs of this sect; for this author is much more intent upon defending his brethren against the accusations and reproaches with which they have been loaded, than careful in tracing out the |