'Si non jurabis non regnabis: if you will not swear you shall not reign;' and thereby compelled him to take the oath agreed upon.

This progress, I say, had the doctrine of the gospel made in those nations, so considerable a portion of the body of the people were won over to the belief of it, when, through the craft and subtlety of the old enemy of the propagation thereof, this apostacy of some to Treithism, as Georgius Pauli; of some to Arianism, as ErasmusJohannes; of some to Photinianism, as Statorius Blandrata; some to Judaism, as Sidelius, of whom afterward; the foundation of the whole building was loosened; and, instead of a progress, the religion has gone backwards almost constantly to this day. When this difference first fell out, the Papists not once moved a mouth, or pen for a long time, against the broachers of all the blasphemies mentioned, hoping that by the breaches made by them on the reformed churches, they should at length be able to triumph over both. For which end, in their disputes since with Protestants, they have striven to make advantage of the apostacy of many of those who had pretended to plead against the Papacy, in behalf of the reformed churches, and afterward turned Antitrinitarians: as I remember it is particularly insisted on in an English treatise which I saw many years ago, called Micheus, the converted Jew and indeed it is supposed, that both 'Paulus Alciatus and Ochinus turned Mahometans.

Having thus then disturbed the carrying on of the reformation, many ministers and churches falling off to Tritheism and Samosatenianism, they laid the foundation of their meeting at Racovia, from which place they have been most known since, and taken notice of in the world. The first foundation of what they call the church in that place, was made by a confluence of strangers out of Bohemia and

e Quid interea bonus ille Hosus Cardinalis cum suis Catholicis? Nempe ridere suaviter, et quasi ista nihil ad ipsos pertinerent, aliud quidvis agere, imo etiam nostros undique, ad extinguendum hoc incendium accurentes, probrosis libellis arcessere. Bez. Ep. 81.

f Cum Gentilis de Paulo Alciato sodali suo rogaretur, factus est inquit Mahometanus. Beza. Epist. ubi supra.

g Erant alii quoque Antitrinitarii sectæ Anabaptisticæ per Bohemiam et Moraviam longe lateque serpentis sectatores, qui absurdam illam bonorum communionem, observaturi ultro abjectis suis conditionibus Racoviam se contulerunt. Novam Hierusalem ibi loci extructuri, (ut aiebant) ad hanc ineptam societatem plurimos invitabant nobiles, &c. Regen, lib. 1. p. 90.

Moravia, with some Polonians, known only by the name of Anabaptists, but professing a community of goods, and a setting up of the kingdom of Christ; calling Racovia, where they met, the New Jerusalem, or at least professing, that there they intended to build and establish the New Jerusalem, with other fanatical follies, which Satan hath revived in persons not unlike them, and caused to be acted over again in the days wherein we live; though for the most part, with less appearance of holiness and integrity of conversation than in them who went before.

The leaders of these men who called themselves their ministers, were Gregorius Pauli, and Daniel Bielenscius; of whom Bielenscius afterward recanted, and "Gregorius Pauli being utterly wearied, ran away from them, as from a hard service.

And as Faustus Socinus tells us in his preface to his answer to Palæologus, in his old age left off all study, and betook himself to other employments: such were the persons by whom this stir began.

This Gregorius Pauli, Schlusselburgius very ignorantly affirms to have been the head of the Antitrinitarians, and their captain, when he was a mere common trooper amongst them, and followed after others, running away betimes: an enthusiastical, antimagistratical heretic, pleading for community of goods. But this Gregory had said, that Luther did but the least part of the work, for the destruction of antichrist; and thence is the anger of Doctor Cunradus, who every where shews himself as zealous of the honour of Luther, as of Jesus Christ. So was the man, who had some divinity, but scarce any Latin at all.

Be pleased now to take a brief view of the state of these men, before the coming of Faustus Socinus into Poland and Transylvania; both those nations, after the death of Sigismund the second, being in the power of the same family of the Bathori. Of those who professed the reformed religion,

h Qaid commemorem animosi illius Gregorii Pauli insalutato suo grege fugam, Bez.

¡Novi isti Ariani exorti sunt in Polonia, Lithuania, et ipsa nimirum Transylvania, ac eorum caput et ducem se profitetur Gregorius Pauli minister Ecclesiæ Racoviensis, homo impius, ambitiosus, et in blasphemiis effutiendis plane effrænis; et ita quidem jactabundus, ut adscribere sibi, cum aliis Arianis, non vereatur excisionem antichristi; et ejusdem extirpationem ab imis fundamentis: Lutherum enim vix minimam partem revelationis antichristi reliquisse; Schluffelburgh, de Antitri. p. 3.

and were fallen from the Papacy, there were three sorts; Lutherans, and Calvinists, and the united brethren; which last were originally Bohemian exiles; but, professing and practising a more strict way of church order and fellowship than the other, had very many of the nobility of Poland, and the people joined to their communion. The two latter agreed in all points of doctrine, and at length came in sundry meetings and Synods to a fair agreement and correspondency, forbearing one another, wherein they could not concur in judgment. Now as these grew up to union amongst themselves, the mixed multitude of several nations that had joined themselves with them in their departure out of Egypt, fell a lusting after the abominations mentioned; and either withdrew themselves, or were thrown out from their communion.

At first there were almost as many minds as men amongst them the tessera of their agreement among themselves, being purely opposition to the Trinity, upon what principles soever; had a man learned to blaspheme the Holy Trinity, were it on Photinian, Arian, Sabellian, yea, Mahometan, or Judaical principles, he was a companion and brother amongst them. To this, the most of them added Anabaptism, with the necessity of it, and among the Papists were known by no other name. That they opposed the Trinity, that they consented not to the reformed churches, was their religion: for Pelagianism, afterward introduced by Socinus, there was little or no mention among them. In this estate, divided amongst themselves, notwithstanding some attempts in their Synods (for Synods they had) to keep a kind of peace in all their diversities of opinions, spending their time in disputes and quarrellings, were they when Faustus Socinus came into Poland, who at length brought them into the condition wherein they are, by the means and ways that shall be farther insisted on.

And this state of things, considering how not unlike the condition of multitudes of men is thereunto in these nations wherein we live, hath oftentimes made me fear, that if Satan should put it into the heart of any person of learning and ability, to serve his lust and ambition with craft, wisdom, and diligence, it were not impossible for him to gather the dispersed, and divided opinionatists of our days to a consent in some such body of religion, as that which Socinus framed

for the Polonians. But of him, his person, and labours, by what ways and means he attained his end, it may not be unacceptable from his own, and friends' writings to give some farther account.

That Faustius Socinus, of Sene, was born of a good and ancient family, famous for their skill in the law, in the month of December, in the year 1539; that he lived in his own country, until he was about the age of twenty years. That then leaving his country after his uncle Lælius, he went to Leyden, and lived there three years. That then upon the death of his uncle, having got his books, he returned into Italy, and lived in the court of the great duke of Tuscany twelve years; about the close of which time he wrote his book in Italian, 'de Authoritate Sacræ Scripturæ.' That leaving his country he came to Basil, in Switzerland, and abode there three years, and somewhat more, are things commonly known, and so little to our purpose, that I shall not insist upon them.

All the while he was at Basil, and about Germany, he kept his opinions much to himself, being intent upon the study of his uncle Lælius's notes, as the Polonian gentleman who wrote his life confesseth: whereunto he added the dialogues of Bernardus Ochinus, as himself acknowledgeth, which, about that time were turned into Latin by1 Castellio, as he professed, to get money by his labour to live upon (though he pleads that he read Ochinus's dialogues in Poland, and as it seems not before); and from thence he was esteemed to have taken his doctrine of the mediation of Christ.

The papers of his uncle Lælius, of which himself often makes mention, were principally his comment upon the first chapter of St. John, and some notes upon sundry texts of Scripture, giving testimony to the Deity of Christ; among

Illic sollidum triennium quod excurrit theologiæ studio incubuit, paucissimis Lælii patrui scriptis et pluribus ab iis relictis notis multum adjutus est. Vita Fausti Socini.

1 Bernardini Ochini Dialogos transtuli, non ut judex, sed ut translator; et ex ejusmodi opera ad alendam familiam quæstum facere solitus. Castel. Apol.

m Illud certissimum est, Gregorium Zarnovecium ministrum ut vocant evangelicum qui nominatim adversus disputationem meam de Jesu Christo Salvatore libellum Polonice edidit, in ejus præfatione asserit, me ex Ochini dialogis annis ab hinc circiter triginta quinque editis sententiam illius meæ disputationis accepisse, nam certe in Dialogis illis, quorum non pauca exempla jamdiù in ipsa Polonia mihi videre contigit, &c. Faust. Socin. Epist. ad Martinum Vadovitum Acad. Craco. Professorem.

which Faustus extols that abominable corruption of John viii. 58. of which afterward I shall speak at large. Socin. Respon. ad Eras. Johan. His comment on the first of John, "Beza tells us, is the most depraved and corrupt that ever was put forth; its author having outgone all that went before him in depraving that portion of Scrip

ture.

The comment itself is published by Junius,' in defensione sanctæ Trinitatis,' and confuted by him; and Zanchius, at large, de tribus Elohim. lib. 6. cap. 2. et deinceps;' Faustus varying something from his uncle in the carrying on of the same design.

His book,' de Jesu Christo servatore,' he wrote, as the author of his life assures us, whilst he was in, and about Basil; as also many passages in his epistles and other writings manifest.

About the year 1575, he began it, which he finished about the year 1578; although the book was not printed till the year 1594. For, upon the divulging of it (he then living at Cracovia), a tumult was raised against him by the unruly and disorderly students, wherein he was dragged up and down, and beaten, and hardly escaped with his life; which inhuman procedence he expostulates at large in an epistle to Martin Vaidovita, a professor of the university, by whose means he was delivered from being murdered. But this fell out in the year 1598, as is evident from the date of that epistle, four years after the book was printed.

The book is written against one Covet, whom I know by nothing else, but what of his disputes with Socinus is by him published. Socinus confesseth that he was a learned man, and in repute for learning. And, indeed, if we may take an estimate of the man from the little that is there delivered of him, he was a godly, honest, and very learned man, and spake

n Lælius in Samosateni partes clam transiit; verbo Dei ut ex quodam ejus scripto nunc liquet adeo veteratorie et plane versute depravato, ac præsertim primo evangelii Johann. capite, ut mihi quidem videatur omnes ejus corruptores superasse. Beza Epist. 81.

• Cum Basiliæ degeret ad annum usque 1575 dum lumen sibi exortum, ad alios propagare studet, ab amicis ad alienos sensim dilapso disserendi argumento, disputationem de Jesu Christo Servatore ore primum inchoatam, postea scripto complexus est: cui anno 1578 summam manum imposuit. Eques Polon. Vita Socin.

P Et sane mirum est cum bonis literis ut audio, et ex sermone quem simul habuimus conjicere, atque ex tuis scriptis potui sis admodum ex cultus te id non vidisse. Socin. de Servatore, l. 1. part 1. c. 10.