Marks Cornelius , (Latin Marci), of Nuremberg, was one of the leading encouragers of Socinianims among the students in the University of Altorf. He was a young man of exellent disposition, and goods talents ; and having entered the University in the yeard 1610, when about the age of seventeen, was converted to the Unitarian faith by Martin Ruarus and Joachim Peuschel. The principal instrument of his conversion was the Racovian Catechism, which his two fellow-tudents placed in his hands, and after a careful perusal of which, douts began to arise in his mind on the subject of the Trinity. Other Unitarian works afterwards fell in his way, among which were Smalcius's "Dissertation on the Holy Spirit," written in reply to Graver, and some tracts on the Divinity of Christ ; and from the study of these he became more conviced, that the doctrine of the Trinity is founded in error.
He was known, among the Crypto-Socinians of Altorf, by the names of Lonicerus et Carmi, which were formed by the transposition of his Christian name and surname, Cornelius et Marci. These were sometimes used together, and sometimes separately, with the addition of the word Solimontanus, to indicate of what country he was. In writing to his freinds, he not unfrequently subscribed only the initial letters T. A., (that is, Tuus Amicus,) for no other purpose, as Zeltner supposes, than that of concealing his true name from those, into whose hands his correspondance might accidentally fall. (Hist. Cryto-Soc. P. 266).
We learn from a letter addressed to him by John Crellius, about the year 1614 or 1615, and preserved by Zeltner, (pp. 378-381,) that he was formally received among the number of th Brether at Racow ; but, his alleged heresy being discovered, he was cast into prison at Nurembreg, in the spring of the year 1616, and induced to make a formal recantation. After this, he was admitted to the Lord's Supper, in order, as Zeltner says, "to implore the pardon of his sins, to obtain a pledge of the divine favour, and to strengthen his faith in the God-man, Christ." This being done, he returned to Altorf ; but having determined to complete his theological education at some other University, he obtained the requise testimonial from John Fabricius, Pastor of the Church of St. Sebald, on the 21st of October, 1616. After this, he went first to Wittenberg, and then to Jena ; and from both these seats of learning he returned home, loaded with honours, on the 30th of April, 1619. Shortly afterwards, he resumed his correspondence with John Crellius ; and though none of his part of this correspondance has been preserved, there is a letter addressed to him bu Crellius from Racow, and dated january 21st, 1625, which may be seen in Zeltner's History of Cryto-Socinianism, (pp. 777-779,) and from which it appears, that their former friendship for each other remained in all its strength, and the they could still agree to differ. There is also in the third volume of the Exegetical Works of Crellius, (pp. 331-338,) a long extract from a letter of that celebrate man to Cornelius Marks, in reply to the arguments, by which the latter had endeavoured to prove the Divinity of Christ, and the Personality of the Holy Spirit.
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