• Stegmann Joachim


    Bradenburg

    Stegmann Joachim

      

    Stegmann Joachimthe Elder, was a native of Brandenburg, and Minister of Fahrland, in the Middle Mark. From this situation he was removed, on account of his attachment to Unitarian principles. The Acts of the Synod of Racow, A. D. 1626, contain an account of a Conference held at Spandau, in the course of that year, between Joachim Stegmann, on the one part, and John Berg, Jerome Brunnemann, and Peter Vehr, on the other. It is also stated, in those Acts, that Ruarus was instructed to make inquiry into the case of Stegmann, and inform the Brethren at Racow, whether he was dismissed or not. Ruarus told him, that the whole Synod were anxious that he should obtain his dismissal ; and advised him, when he had obtained it, to go without loss of time to Racow. He went with Jonas Schlichtingius into Poland, and was appointed Minister of the Reformed Church of St. Peter, at Dantzic ; but there he was a second time deprived of the pastoral office, on account of his zeal for the diffusion of Socinianism. He then went, as he had been advised, to Racow, where he was appointed Rector of the Gymnasium. It is not true, as some have stated, that he was removed from his situation at Dantzic in 1631 ; for nothing is clearer, according to Bock, than that this happened before he was appointed to the Rectorship of the Gymnasium at Racow. Baumgarten is also in error, when he represents Stegmann as going first to Clausenburg, and undertaking the pastoral office there ; and afterwards returning to Racow, and being made Rector of the Gymnasium in that town. The very reverse of this is the fact. He went first to Racow, and the Synodical Acts place it beyond all doubt, that he was Rector of the Gymnasium there till 1630. In the year following Valentine Radecius died, and the Senate of Clausenburg wrote to the Synod of Racow, to announce that event, and to request that the Synod would recommend some suitable person, to succeed him in the office of Minister to the Saxon Unitarian Church in that city. The Synod, in compliance with this request, recommended Joachim Stegmann, who went into Transylvania about the Autumn of the year 1631, and undertook the pastoral charge of the Saxon Church, which had been temporarily supplied by Samuel Jarai. He died in 1633 ; and was succeeded by Adam Franck. He left two sons, Joachim and Christopher ; and had three brothers, Christopher, Laurence and Peter, of whom accounts will be given hereafter. His writings were as follow. 

    1. The Controversy of the present Time about the Church. 1626, 4 to. This is mentioned by Sandius ; but Bock doubts whether it was printed.

    2. On the Use of Reason in Matters of Religion. Germ. MS. This appears to have been written in the year 1629.

    3. An Examination of the Theses of John Berg. MS. 1629. These were probably the Theses, which formed the subject of the Conference held at Spandau in 1626, and which are mentioned above.

    4. A Refutation of the Refutation of the Catechism. MS. Frequent mention is made of this manuscript in the Synodical Acts. The commission to prepare it was given to Stegmann in the Synod of 1629. In 1630, he was again urged to finish, and print it ; and it was determined, that it should be committed to the press, even though a debt should be contracted by its publication. In 1633, after the author's death, it was resolved that Adam Franck, his successor in the pastoral charge of the Saxon Church at Clausenburg, should put the finishing stroke to it, and send it for revision to Racow ; and Franck was reminded of this by the Synod of 1635. At length, in 1655, after the lapse of twenty more years, the Brethren were charged by the Assembly at Raszcow, to make inquiries after it in Transylvania. But nothing more appears to have been heard of it. Bock thinks that it was written in reply to Baldwin's " Refutation of the Racovian Catechism." (Vide Art. 234.)

    5. The German Version of the N. T., published at Racow in 1630, was the joint production of John Crellius and Joachim Stegmann. 

    6. Two Books of Mathematical Institutions, in which the Rudiments of Arithmetic and Geometry are made clear for Beginners, and illustrated by Examples: written for the Use of the School at Racow by Command of the Governors. 1630, 8 vo.

    7. A Letter, in which the Author explains his Sentiments concerning the Satisfaction of Christ. Nov. 7th, 1630. MS.

    8. Von der Reformation oder Ernewerung der Gemeine Christi. Gedruckt im Jahr, 1632, 8vo. The place where this was printed is not mentioned in the title-page ; but it probably issued from some press in Germany, under the superintendence of Ruarus, who, writing to Grotius, A.D. 1633, says, "I take this opportunity of sending you a little work On the Reformation of the Church, which I promised you when I last saw you, and the author of which, who is a native of Brandenburg, lately died in Transylvania." (Ruari Epp. Cent. i. Ep. 31, p. 165.) It is divided into nineteen Chapters, and relates to the reformation and restoration of Christian Churches, according to the discipline and scheme of the Socinians. Sandius refers to a Latin translation of it, as existing in manuscript.

    9. A Brief Inquiry, Whether, and in what Manner, those who are commonly called Evangelicals can fully and clearly refute the Papists, and particularly "The Judgment of Valerianus Magnus concerning the Rule of Faith of those who are not Catholics. Elutherop. Godf. Philalethius, 1633," 12mo. Valerianus Magnus was a Capuchin, and frequent mention is made of Stegmann's reply to his work, in the Manuscript Synodical Acts, in which it is entitled, "Refutatio Capucini." It was determined, however, at the Synod of 1633, that no allusion should be made to the Capuchins in the title-page ; and that some of the Chapters should either be corrected, or omitted. The celebrated John Biddle translated this work of Stegmann into English, and published it under the title of "Brevis Disquisitio: or a Brief Enquiry touching a better Way than is commonly made Use of, to refute Papists, and reduce Protestants to Certainty and Unity in Religion. London, 1653," small 8vo. The object of this Disquisition was to shew, that the Protestants, by adhering too strictly to the systems of individual reformers, had, in many instances, laid themselves under needless restraints, and deserted the principle upon which those eminent leaders of the Reformation had acted, in throwing off the yoke of Popery. Bayle says of this work, that it did more hurt than good, not because it was not well written, but because it tended to disparage the reputation of the first reformers ; broke in upon their several systems ; and, what was worse than all the rest, was manifestly the work of somebody tainted with the heresies of Socin and Arminius. To Biddle's translation a short address "To the Christian Reader" was prefixed, in which he laboured to defend that use of reason in matters of religion, which it was the principal design of the writer to inculcate. The work commences with an assertion of the principle, (Chap. 1,) that "He that will refute an Error, must neither be intangled in the same, nor reject the true grounds of Refutation." The Contents of the remaining Chapters are as follow. Ch. 2. Of Fathers and Doctors ; Ch. 3. Of the Holy Spirit ; Ch. 4. Of the true Opinion touching the Judge ; Ch. 5. Of Traditions; Ch. 6. Of Philosophical Principles ; Ch. 7. Of the true Opinion touching the Rule; Ch. 8. Whether the dead do properly live ; Ch. 9. Whether Christ in Heaven hath yet Flesh and Blood ; Ch. 10. Whether it be possible to obey the Precepts of Christ ; Ch. 11. Whether it be necessary to obey the Precepts of Christ ; Ch. 12. Conclusion. A translation of the "Brevis Disquisitio" is preserved in the Phenix. It incurred censure, as containing sundry Socinian and Pelagian tenets, and was ascribed to Mr. John Hales, of Eton. Dr. Toulmin has given a pretty full account of this little work in his "Review of the Life, Character and Writings of the Rev. John Biddle, M.A., London, 1791" (Sect, xi.); but has committed a strange error, in supposing that Clausenburg, the place of Stegmann's death, is "in Saxony," instead of Transylvania. (P. 103.) 

    10. Joachimi Stegmanni Probe der einfaltigen Warnung fur der new Photinianischen oder Arianischen Lehr, von Johanne Botsacco, Th. D. des Gymnasii du Danzig Rectore. Rackaw, Seb. Sternacki, 1633, 8vo. The work of Botsaccus to which this is a reply, appears to have been an ill-digested compound, made up of extracts from the writings 6i others; and, if Stegmann's description of it is at all to be relied on, was undeserving of a serious refutation. Botsaccus defended himself in a work, entitled, "AntiStegmannus, d. i. wahrhaftige Gegenprobe, der falschen Prob Joachimi Stegmanns," u. s. f. 1635, 8vo.

    11. Kennzeichen der falschen Lehrer, u. s. f. 1637, 8vo. This work appears to have been reprinted in 1680, and has been attributed to Christopher Ostorod and Ernest Sohner, but erroneously as regards both. (Vide Bock, Hist. Ant. T. I. P. ii. pp. 706, 707.)

    12. Two Books concerning the Judge and Rule of Controversies of Faith. Eleutherop. Godf. Philaleth. 1644, 12mo. It was intended that one of these Books should treat of the Judge of Controversies, and the other of the Rule. But the author's death prevented him from finishing the second. Sandius mentions a Dutch version, which appeared in 1668, 8 vo.; and adds, that the same treatise exists, in a fuller form, in manuscript.

    13. An Outline of Christian Theology, in Two Books. MS. Samuel Crellius doubted whether this was written by Joachim Stegmann, or some other Unitarian.

    14. On Ecclesiastical Discipline. MS. 

    15. On the principal Controversies in the Christian Religion. MS.

    16. Analecta Mathematica. MS.

    17. Logica. MS.

    18. Metaphysica Reformata. This is probably the same work as the one said to have been written by Christopher Stegmann, and entitled, "Mathematica Repurgata".

     

    (Vidend. Sandii B. A. pp. 132, 133. Bock, Hist. Ant. T. I. pp. 948 —958. Ruari Epp. l. c. Toulmin's Review of the Life, &c of the Rev. John Biddle, M.A. Lond. 1791, Sect. xi. pp. 103—109, etc.)

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