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Przipcovius Samuel
Przipcovius Samuel
Przipcovius Samuel, (Polon. Przypkowski,) of Przypkowice, was a Polish Knight of noble family. Smalcius, in his Diary, (apud Zeltner, p. 1197,) mentions a gentleman, of the name of Nicholas Przybcovius, who sustained the office of Elder in the Church of Luclavice, and who died Sept. 1st, 1612 ; and Bock thinks that this may have been the father of Samuel Przipcovius. Samuel was born about the year 1592 ; and having laid the foundation of his acquaintance with literature in his own country, removed, along with Daniel Taszycki, of Luclavice, to the University of Altorf, March 22nd, 1614, at which time the Socinian movement in that seat of learning was acquiring great strength. On its being discovered, in 1616, that Przipcovius belonged to the Socinian party, he deliberated with himself, whether it would be better for him, of his own accord, to quit the University of Altorf, or await the result. Soon after this, he withdrew into Holland, and finished his Academical studies at Leyden. There, when little more than eighteen, as the author of the Preface to his works informs us, he published an anonymous tract "On the Peace and Concord of the Church," which was immediately ascribed to the pen of the celebrated Episcopius. The same writer tells us, that another of Przipcovius's juvenile productions was a reply to a severe satire of Daniel Heinsius, entitled, "Cras credo, hodie Nihil," in which Heinsius had poured out all the virulence of his wit and raillery on Uitenbogaerdt, Episcopius, and the other leaders of the liberal party in Holland. These secured for their author the admiration and applause of all competent judges.
Przipcovius returned to his native country, loaded with academical honours ; and by his political and rhetorical writings, and particularly his Apology for Prince Janussius Radzivil, and his Panegyric on Vladislav IV., King of Poland, obtained great celebrity, and prepared the way for his own advancement to posts of distinguished honour and authority. Ruarus, writing to Grotius, in 1631, speaks of Przipcovius as Secretary to Prince Radzivil. After this, he attained to the dignity of Royal Secretary ; and when the Unitarians, at a still later period, were banished from the kingdom of Poland, he was appointed Secretary to Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg.
During the Cossack war in 1648, in which the Unitarians were great sufferers, and on their subsequent banishment from Poland, which proved fatal to their existence as a religious body in that country, Przipcovius was reduced to extreme want ; and till the year 1663, he, in common with the rest of the Polish Brethren, underwent a variety of hardships, which he narrates in a letter, addressed to John Naeranus, and written in the same year. He afterwards spent the principal part of his life in the court and the camp. Nor had he only to contend against the misfortunes to which he was subjected, in common with the rest of the Polish exiles; but refusing to become the implicit follower of any master, and preferring rather the title of an eclectic in religion, he found that the minds of his Brethren were alienated from him. He entertained different sentiments from the generality of the Socinians, concerning the office of the Civil Magistrate, the duration of Christ's kingdom and power, and the person of the Saviour, whom he believed to be properly, and without any figure, the Son of God, begotten of the divine essence, though not from eternity. But though there was not a perfect agreement in opinion between him and them, yet they honoured him as a skilful theologian, and placed confidence in him as a man of talent and experience. The Assembly held at Kreutzberg devolved on him the task of conducting an epistolary correspondence with their Brethren of other nations, for the purpose of promoting the interests, and increasing the numbers of their religious body. For some years he resided at Konigsberg ; but he was compelled to leave that place at the instance of the Provincial Diet, although the Prince had extended over him the shield of his protection. To this circumstance he feelingly alludes, in a letter addressed to John Naeranus a few months before his own death. He had hoped, that the edict might have been delayed for some time, by the influence of the Most Illustrious Duke Boguslav Radzivil, Governor of Prussia, and the last Protestant of that name ; but that hope had recently been frustrated by the Duke's sudden death, on the 31st of December, 1669. His own death soon followed ; for, on the 19th of June, 1670, after a life of extraordinary vicissitude, he breathed his last, on the borders of Prussia, in the seventy-eighth year of his age.
The author of the Preface, prefixed to his Works, says, that he supported himself from the profits of the posts conferred upon him by the Elector of Brandenburg, and Prince Radzivil. "Out of these," adds the same writer, "as far as he possibly could, he maintained some families at his own house, stinting himself, in order that he might relieve the more by his kindness ; and making no provision for the support of the widow of his only son, and two grandchildren, to whom, at the age of seventy, and already on the borders of the grave, if God were not to take charge of them, he had nothing to leave, but actual starvation."
It is truly astonishing, that one, whose attention was so distracted by military and court affairs, should have been able to make such attainments in critical and exegetical theology, as are rarely to be met with. Ruarus calls him a man of a most elegant turn of mind ; and the following extract from a letter, written by him at the age of seventy, and containing a description of the sufferings endured by the exiled Polish Brethren, from the year 1648 to 1663, will fully justify the encomium. "Postulas ut calamitatis et egestatis nostrae tibi descriptionem exhibeam. Infandum tu nempe jubes renovare dolorem, ire per vestigia luctuum iterum, et cruda adhuc et hiantia, necdum cicatricibus obducta retractare vulnera: horret animus ad exceptos tot fulminum ictus, attonitus et pavens. Qui nos casus hucusque agitaverint, quaeque ipse miserrima vidi, et quorum pars quantulacunque fui exponere, non mens tantum, sed manus quoque ac calamus trepidat et refugit. Fuimus, fuimus Troes, et vel ipsa non multo ante benignitate Dei, tot per annos indulta Ecclesiis nostris felicitas, acriorem sensum praesentium malorum reddit: ut etiam recordari pigeat, quando, et quomodo, et quibus gradibus, quod fuimus esse desinimus. Et nisi mentes nostras, causae ob quam patimur bonitas, et commendatae quondam a Domino hujus generis patientiae solatia erigerent, tanta calamitatis procella prostratis atque obrutis pene optimum factu videbatur, quo levius ferantur praesentia, praeteritorum memonam amittere. Quia tamen aliquam status nostri imaginem poscis, dabimus earn non suis h. e. vivis coloribus depictam, sed simplicissimis lineamentis adumbratam, ea cursim attingentes in quibus immorari molestum est," &c. (Hist. Ref. Pol. L. iii. C. xvii. pp. 278, 279.)
Many of the works of Przipcovius were collected after his death, and published in the year 1692, in folio, so as to form a tenth volume of the "Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum." That collection, indeed, originally consisted of no more than eight volumes, comprising the principal works of Faust Socin, John Crellius, John Ludovicus Wolzogenius, and Jonas Schlichtingius, but a set is scarcely regarded as complete, without this supplementary volume, and another, containing the works of Daniel Brenius. It is entitled, "Sacred Thoughts on the Beginning of Matthew's Gospel, and on all the Apostolical Epistles, together with Treatises on several Subjects, and particularly on the Rights of the Christian Magistrate." The following is a more detailed account of the contents of this volume.
1. Thoughts on the Beginning of Matthew's Gospel, (viz. from Chap. i. to Chap, vi.) and on all the Apostolical Epistles, except the one to the Hebrews. (Fol. 1—368.) The "Thoughts on Matthew" had been before published under the name of Julius Celsus, and those on the Apostolical Epistles contribute greatly to the explanation of the text; for the meaning and intention of the sacred writer are always pointed out, though with great brevity, and where the commentator differs from those of his own school, which he sometimes does, he is never at a loss for arguments by which to justify his own interpretation. Subjoined to the "Thoughts on the Epistle to the Colossians," is "A Reply to some friendly Notes" upon them by Andrew Wissowatius. (Fol. 196—206.) Wissowatius was dissatisfied, among other things, with the distinction, which Przipcovius had made between the ordinary and extraordinary power of Christ, in his interpretation of Col. i. 15; and this led him to write the Notes, to which our author replies. A manuscript copy of the Works of Przipcovius fell into the hands of Bock, who says, that, on comparing the "Thoughts upon the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians," as they appear in the printed copies, with the text of this manuscript, he found that the editor had made not a few alterations, and not unfrequently added his own meditations, so as almost to give them the appearance of a different work ; and he extends the same remark to Przipcovius's " Reply to the friendly Notes" of Wissowatius.
2. A Dissertation on the Peace and Concord of the Church (Fol. 369—386); formerly published under the Name of Irenaeus Philalethes. Eleutherop. Typ. Godf. Philadelphus, 1628, 12mo. A second edition, amended and enlarged by the author, was printed in 1630, 12mo. This Dissertation was erroneously attributed to "the evermemorable John Hales," by Anthony Wood ; and by others, to the celebrated Episcopius. There is no doubt that Przipcovius was the author ; but that it was published by him, as has been asserted, at the age of eighteen, is chronologically impossible.
3. An Apology against the Satire of the celebrated Daniel Heinsius, entitled, "Cras credo, hodie Nihil" (Fol. 387—402) ; first published in 1644, 4to.
4. An Apology for the Most Illustrious and Mighty Janussius Duke Radzivil, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, &c, formerly Palatine of Wilna, and Chief General of the Armies of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. (Fol. 403*—410*.) This was originally published without date, in 4to.; but did not appear till after the death of the Prince, whose cause it pleads.
5. A Panegyric dedicated to the Honour and Glory of the Most Serene and Potent Prince and Lord, the Lord Vladislav Sigismund, King of Poland, &c.; by a Polish Knight. 1633. (Fol. 403—416.)
6. A Life of Faust Socin, of Sienna, (Fol. 417— 425,) first published in 1636, 4 to., and again in 1651, 12 mo.; and afterwards prefixed to the Works of F. Socinus in the "Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum," T. I. A German version of this Life, by Joachim Pastorius, appeared in 1637, 4to.; a Dutch one in 1663, 4to., which came to a second edition in 1664, 8vo.; and John Biddle published an English translation of it in 1653, 12mo., London.
7. A Dissertation to be prefixed to the Works of F. Socinus. (Fol. 427—433.) This Dissertation was first published in 1636, 4 to., under the title, "De Christianorum Summo Bono," and again in 1651, l2mo.; and was afterwards prefixed to the collected Works of Faust Socin, in the "Bibl. Fratr. Polon." T. I. In the editions of 1636 and 1651, as well as in that of 1692, the following lines were added; but they are wanting in the reprint of 1656, at the beginning of the First Volume of the Works of F. Socinus.
Autor dissimulat nomen: tu nosse laboras:
Edidimus nomen: nee tamen edidimus.
[Noinen autoris SAPIS CUM ZELO PURIU8.]Num sine flagranti pura est sapientia Zelo ?
Cum Zelo sapiens purius ergo sapis.Biddle translated this Dissertation into English, and published it with the "Life of Faustus Socinus," under the title of "An Excellent Discourse, which the same Polonian Knight would have premised to the Works of Socinus." He also translated the following "Elogy of the Writings of Socinus out of Bodecherus," which, as Bock informs us, (Hist. Ant. T. I. p. 674,) was annexed to the original Latin, on a separate leaf. "The truth is to be acknowledged everywhere. For neither doth she receive her value from any person, but give it to him. Nor can we in this place forbear to give this testimony unto Socinus, where he agreed with the Orthodox: let the Christian world hear, if it please. He disputeth with the thrust: granteth to the adversary whatsoever he may without prejudice to the truth, and his cause ; where the adversary is to be pressed, there he maketh a stand, and argueth the conscience; contendeth rather with Scriptures than with suppositions ; and with reasons, not with prejudices, as the School of Calvin is for the most part wont to do ; he sheltereth not himself amidst certain nice captions ; he seeketh not starting-holes, but hits the very throat of the cause. In him Atheists, Jews, Gentiles, Papists, find matter of employment, otherwise than in the writings of the Calvinista."
8. The Judgment of one who retains the sound and ancient Custom of his Ancestors, and of a Catholic who loves his Religion no less than his Country, respecting a Libel presented by Father Nicholas Cichovius to the Polish Diet. (Fol. 435—450.) The Libel alluded to was entitled, "An Exhortation to the Knights of Poland, to adhere firmly to the Constitution of the Kingdom, enacted against Arians and Socinians." Przipcovius's reply to this Libel was published originally in 4to., and written in the Polish language ; but was without date, or printer's name. He wrote it after his exile, under the disguise of a Roman Catholic.
9. The Apology of afflicted Innocence, addressed to the Most Serene Elector of Brandenburg, and Supreme Prince of the Duchy of Prussia, (Fol. 451—453,) written in the name of the Polish exiles, who had been driven from their country, on account of their retigion. It seems to have been drawn up originally in French. The manuscript copy of the Latin version, inserted in the works of Przipcovius, fell into the hands of Bock, from whom we learn, that tbis Apology was presented to the Elector on the 20th of March, 1666.
10. Hyperaspistes, or a Defence of the Apology presented to the Most Serene and Potent Prince and Lord, Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, &c, and delivered to the Most Illustrious Diet of the Duchy of Prussia, in the Year 1666, by the Churches lately suffering Persecution in Poland, and now in a State of Exile and Danger in Prussia. (Fol. 451—474.) In this work Przipcovius reprobates the opinions of that party among the Unitarians, who were said to judaize. He endeavours to prove, against them and others, that the Lord Jesus Christ is to be regarded as the Son of God, not in a metaphorical, but a literal sense; that he is properly speaking the onlybegotten Son of God ; that there are two natures in Christ, the human and the divine ; that the Son of God, who now reigns in heaven, possesses not the human, but the celestial and divine nature, and therefore may and ought to be truly and properly called the divine substance, and God by nature; and lastly, that the reign of Christ is eternal and perpetual, in subordination to God the Father, and in dependence on him. But although he acknowledges, in common with the reputedly orthodox, that there is in Christ a divine as well as a human nature, he supposes, and endeavours to persuade others, that the divine succeeds the human, which it expels.
11. Apologetical Animadversions on the severe Satire of John Amos Comenius against the recently persecuted Churches in Poland, published by him in his reply to the "Irenicum Irenicorum" of an anonymous Writer. (Fol. 475—531.) The anonymous writer alluded to is Daniel Zwicker, of whom more will be said hereafter. (Vide Art. 311.) Przipcovius denies that the author of the "Irenicum" is a Socinian ; and Bock, who contends that he is a Socinian, nevertheless admits, that he differs from the Socinians on many points in that very book and elsewhere, and has a strong leaning towards the sect of the Mennonites.
12. Reply to a Paper of the Illustrious and Magnificent Lord, George Niemiricius, Vice-Chamberlain of Kiow, in which, having himself gone over to the Greek Church, he exhorts all Dissenters from the Romish Religion in the Kingdom of Poland, and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, to take Refuge in the Bosom of the Eastern Church: translated from the Polish into the Latin. (Fol. 533— 596.) In this reply, which was originally published under the name of Julius Celsus, the author expresses the opinion, that one retarding cause of the course of the Reformation was, that when the Italians, French and Spaniards, after being in bondage to Antichrist, aspired to liberty of conscience, but found the same restraints imposed upon free inquiry by the Reformed as the Catholic Church, they paused, and instead of advancing, went backwards.
13. A Proof that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ neither can, nor ought to be called the Father metaphorically; and that his only-begotten Son neither can, nor ought to be called the Son metaphorically. (Fol. 597— 599.) In this tract, the author enters into a defence of the former Chapters of his "Hyperaspistes," (No. 10,) against Schlichtingius's "Commentary on the Gospel of John." It appears from a memorandum of his own, in red ink, written on the margin of his manuscript, that it was composed during his exile, at Elgota, in 1664.
14. Religion vindicated from the Calumnies of Atheism, in Reply to the Letter of F. M. (Fol. 600—617.) This Vindication of Religion was first printed in 1672, 12mo.; and, as the title-page informs us, at Eleutheropolis, (i. e. Amsterdam,) by Christian Ammonius. It was ushered into the world by Christopher Sandius, Junior; and the editor of the collected Works of Przipcovius thinks that it was the last production of his pen.
15. Animadversions on a Publication, "Concerning the Nature of Christ's Kingdom," in which the Inquiry is instituted, Whether Earthly Dominions belong to the Christian, or Subject of that Kingdom? (Fol. 619—681.) These Animadversions were first published in 1650, and were directed against a work of Daniel Brenius, written in the Dutch language. Przipcovius decides, that earthly dominions do belong to the Christian, and that among the subjects of Christ the office of Magistrate ought to have place.
16. On the Right of the Christian Magistrate, and of private Individuals, in Matters of Peace and War. (Fol. 683—736.) In this work Przipcovius undertakes to refute the arguments of those among the Polish Brethren, who contend, that it is unlawful for a Christian to bear the office of a Civil Magistrate, to sanction the infliction of capital punishments, to wage war, and to serve in a military capacity ; but it is chiefly directed against Joachim Stegmann, Jun., and Daniel Zwicker.
17. A lengthened Apology of the Treatise, "On the Right of the Christian Magistrate," (Fol. 737—851,) against Joachim Stegmann, Jun.
18. A Vindication of the Treatise concerning the Magistrate, against the Objections of Daniel Zwicker. (Fol. 853—880.) This Vindication closes the volume of the collected works of Przipcovius ; but he left behind him many other detached writings, some published, and others unpublished, of which the reader will find brief notices in what remains of the present article.
19. A Congratulatory Address to Prince Janussius Radzivil, on his return from the Cossack Expedition. 1649. Polon. MS.
20. A History of the Churches of the Unitarians in the Kingdom of Poland. This History was written, in compliance with a request of the Synod, repeatedly made to its author, between the years 1627 and 1663. Sandius informs us, that it was destroyed by fire, during the exile into which Przipcovius was driven, on account of his religion ; and that not a few of his other works were lost in those times of persecution. Schelhorn, in a "HistoricoLiterary Dissertation on Books which have perished by Fire," inserted in the seventh volume of his "Amcenitates Literariae," (p. 127,) mentions the same fact, on the authority of Sandius.
21. A Treatise on Liberty of Conscience, in two Books, of which one only appears to have been finished. MS. The object of this work was, to shew, that men are not to be driven to embrace the Christian Religion. It came, with other manuscripts of Przipcovius, into the hands of Bock, who gives an outline of its contents, with an extract from the beginning of the Preface. (Hist. Ant. T. I. P. ii. pp. 682—684.)
22. A Periphrasis of the Lord's Prayer.
23. A Prayer to God, in Elegiac Verse.
24. A Prayer to Christ, the Son of God, in the same kind of verse. No. 22—24 were subjoined to a little work of Andrew Wissowatius, Jun., printed at Amsterdam, A.D. 1682, 12mo., and entitled, "Stimuli Virtutum, Frena Peccatorum." No. 23 and 24 were translated into Polish verse, by a person, who assumed as his signature Z. M.
25. Arguments against Atheists, proving that there is a God, and that He ought to be worshiped, but only in the Way in which He is worshiped by Christians. MS. This also was translated into Polish verse by Z. M.
26. A fraternal Declaration to a non-fraternal Admonition, which the Author has addressed to the Dissenters, under the Name of a Polish Knight. 1646, 4to. Polon. This work was drawn up in 1645, and printed by Kmita in the year following, after being revised by Christopher Lubieniecius.
27. A Short Disquisition on Faith.
28. Remarks on the Adoration of the Man Christ Jesus, addressed to Claude, a Frenchman. MS. 1626.
29. The Injury done to oppressed and betrayed Liberty a Reproach to the Diet of the Year 1647 ; or an Account of the impending Charge against Jonas Schlichtingius. Bock says, that, as far as he knows, this valuable historical document has never seen the light, and intimates his intention of giving it a place in his History of Socinianism in Poland.
30. A Request made to the King, in the Cause of the Dissenters, at the Diet of the Year 1652. MS. Polon. Sandius, in his list of anonymous writings, mentions a similar petition of the Polish Churches to King Vladislav, to which he assigns the date 1645 ; and Bock supposes it to have been drawn up either by Przipcovius, or Stanislaus Lubieniecius, Junior.
31. Epitaph of the Vice-Chancellor of the Kingdom George Ossolinius's Nymph Cavaleria, composed by a Polish Knight of the ancient Valour and Faith. MS. This is a satirical composition, in the lapidary style, occasioned by a proposal to institute a new equestrian order of the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, which was approved of by the King, and received the sanction of Pope Urban VIII.
32. An Ode on the Prussian Treaty with Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden. MS. The Treaty to which this Ode refers was the one made in 1630.
33. The Institutions of Monks and Anchorites not the best Method of arriving at the Perfection of Holiness, but injurious and dangerous to the Church. MS.
34. A Hymn on the Apostles' Creed. Polon. This Hymn was inserted in the Book of Psalms and Hymns used by the Polish Brethren; and was composed at the request of the Synod of Siedliski, A. D. 1643.
35. A Comparison of the Apostles' Creed with the Creeds of the present Day. MS. Sandius refers to this manuscript in his "Bibl. Ant." (p. 126); and Bock has printed it from the manuscript copy of the Works of Przipcovius which fell into his hands, and in which it is entitled, "Antithesis Symboli Unitariorum et Trinitariorum." As the whole occupies but a small space, the reader will perhaps be gratified to see the following translation of it, which is adopted, with slight variations, from that of the late Dr. Toulmin. (Memoirs of the Life, Character, Sentiments, and Writings of Faustus Socinus. London, Johnson, 1777, 8vo. pp. 447—452.)
1.
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
1.
I believe in three divine consubstantial persons equal to each other, each of which is the Supreme God, and who created heaven and earth by the exercise of equal power and efficacy.
2.
I believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of this Creator.
2.
I believe in Jesus Christ, partaker of the same numerical essence, and one God with the unbegotten Father, and himself the Creator of heaven and earth.
3.
I believe that this onlybegotten Son of God was conceived of the Holy Spirit.
3.
I believe that from this only-begotten Son the Holy Spirit from all eternity has proceeded, and does proceed.
4.
I believe that this Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary.
4.
I believe that this Son of God, coeval and coeternal with the unbegotten Father and the Holy Spirit, was born infinite ages before Mary, and is born, and will for ever be born.
5.
I believe that this onlybegotten Son, that is, his person, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried, and descended into hell.
5.
I believe that the person of the same only-begotten Son of God, and the divinity of his nature remaining perfect and untouched, thehuman nature only, and not the person, of the same suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried, and descended into hell.
6.
I believe that this Son of God, being raised by God the Father, (Acts ii. 24.32; iii. 15. 26; iv. 10; x. 40; xiii. 30. 37; xvii. 31; Rom. iv. 24; viii. 11; 1 Cor. vi. 14; xv. 15; 2 Cor. iv. 14; Gal. i. 1; Eph. i. 20; Col. ii. 12; 1 Thess. i. 10; Heb. xiii. 20,) rose from the dead on the third day.
6.
I believe that this Son of God raised his human nature from the dead by his own proper strength and power.
7.
I believe that this Son of God, after his resurrection, was exalted, and sat down, and sits down, at the right hand of the Father Almighty.
7.
I believe that this Son of God, coequal in power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, sits down on his celestial throne, and reigns with dominion and glory from all eternity to all eternity.
8.
I believe that this Son will come from heaven, to judge the living and the dead.
8.
I believe that this Son of God, as God Most High, the God whose essence is everywhere, and fills all things, has no need to make any descent for judging the living and the dead.
9.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, that is, a gift communicated, and poured out by the Father, through the Son, on the faithful.
9.
I believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, coeternal and equal with the Father and the Son, and yet proceeding from both.
10.
I believe in the Holy Catholic, or Universal Church, which professes all the articles of the Apostles' Creed that are embraced by all Christians, as alone necessary; and admits and embraces all the pious, though differing in other points of less importance, provided they lead holy lives.
10.
I believe in that particular Holy Church, which is distinct from all others, and in which I was born or baptized (for instance, the Roman, the Greek, the Augustan, or the Reformed, &c); which professes creeds, or even doctrines framed many ages after the Apostles, and expels from its communion, and treats as a heretic, whoever dares to call in question the least article held by it.
11.
I believe in the communion of saints, that is, of those who live a holy life, although they may chance to differ from us on some points.
11.
I believe that the communion of those is to be abhorred, who in the least dissent from the dogmas of my Church, although they may be most holy in their life and manners. Such condemned Churches, among the Papists, are the Greek and other Oriental ones, the Augustan, the Reformed, and all others, except that of Rome: among the Greeks, they are the Papal, the Augustan, the Reformed, and all others except the Greek: among those of the Augustan Confession, they are the Papists, the Greeks, the Reformed, and all others except the Lutherans: and among some of the Reformed, the Papists, the Greeks, and all others except the Reformed, are accounted such, and excluded from communion.
12.
I believe in the forgiveness of sins, which can be regarded only as gratuitous.
12.
I believe in a satisfaction made for sins, and a price exacted for them.
13.
I believe in a resurrection of the flesh to life eternal of such a kind, that, according to the testimony of Paul, 1 Cor. xv., we shall not have natural, animal, earthly, sensual and weak bodies, such as we derive from Adam ; but spiritual, heavenly, glorious and incorruptible bodies, such as we shall receive of the Lord from heaven: because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
13.
I believe in a resurrection of the flesh to life eternal of such a kind, that we shall have those same bodies which we derive from Adam; because those very bodies, which consist of flesh, blood, bones, nerves, veins and arteries, will inherit the kingdom of God.
36. A Letter to Valentine Radecius, of Clausenburg, dated Caschau, March 31st, 1624. MS.
37. Letters to John Naeranus, Pastor of the Remonstrant Church, Oudewater, Holland, and to various other Persons. MSS. From a letter to John Naeranus, dated Jan. 31st, 1670, which was the last written by Przipcovius, the author of the Preface to his collected works has given the following extract. "Age is not so burdensome to me, and (though lengthened out amidst heavy cares to the seventyeighth year) has not so shattered the powers of my memory, but that I well recollect our receiving from you a few years ago an important favour, and one of which we ought to retain a grateful remembrance." In these words he alludes to a collection, made in Holland on behalf of the Socinian exiles, in whose fate John Naeranus had taken a warm and lively interest.
38. On the Faith of the New Catholics, that is, of those who have gone over from the Unitarians to the Papists. Polon. Sandius has included this in his list of anonymous writings, (B. A. p. 178,) but supposes it to have been written by Przipcovius. Some of the Socinians, it would appear, in order to evade the conditions of the Decree of 1658, outwardly conformed to the Catholic religion ; but the number of such apostates, it is to be hoped, was not great. Despair induced some among them to make the proposal of entering the pale of the Catholic Church ; and the affair was to be arranged by a friendly Conference, which was sanctioned by Trzebicki, Bishop of Cracow, and took place on the 10th of March, 1660, at Roznow. The result, however, was unsatisfactory; and those who joined the Catholic Church, did so upon their own individual responsibility, and not with the approbation of the leaders of their party.
39. A Letter to John Na?ranus. This Letter was written in the Autumn of 1663, at Konigsberg; and is inserted in Lubieniecius's "History of the Polish Reformation" (L. iii. C. xvii. pp. 278—285). It contains an account of the sufferings of the Polish Unitarians from 1648 to 1658.
40. A Letter to the Polish Brethren, written at Konigsberg, A. D. 1658. Polon. MS. Bock promised to give this Letter a place in the third Part of his " Historia Antitrinitariorum" (C. iv.); which has never yet seen the light.
41. A genuine Account of the Charge brought against James Sieninius, and of the Verdict passed in that Cause. MS. This also Bock promised to give at full length in his "History of Socinianism in Poland."
42. Sponges for wiping out the Spots of Innocence. MS. This was a fragment, written in reply to one Victor Bonnus, who seems to have aspersed the characters, and misrepresented the doctrines of the Socinians.
43. The Unitarians' Claim to Religious Liberty in Poland, written by a Polish Knight. This is the last of the tracts, appended to Sandius's "Bibliotheca Antitrinitariorum" (pp. 267—296); and is attributed by Bock to Przipcovius, although Sandius, and the generality of writers who mention it, have ascribed it to Stanislaus Lubieniecius, Jun.
44. An Explanation of the Origin, Commencement and Progress of the Confederations in Poland. Przipcovius was requested to write such a work as this, at the Synod of Racow, in 1627; and at the Synod of Kissielin, in 1638, which was the first meeting of the kind held after the expulsion of the Sociniaus from Racow, he was enjoined to finish it.
(Vidend. SandiiB. A. pp. 123—126. Bock, Hist. Ant. T.I. pp. 667— 700. Zeltneri Hist. Crypto-Socin. Altorf. p. 374. Smalcii Diar. A. D. 1612, apud Zeltn. p. 1197. Toulmin's Mem. of F. Socinus, App. ii. pp. 439—452. Lubieniecii Hist. Ref. Polon. L. iii. C. xvii. Vindicise pro Unitariorum in Polonia Religionis Libertate, ab Equite Polono conscriptffi. Schelhomii Amccn. Lit. T. VII. p. 127, etc.)
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