As for the many sects and rents in and presently after Luther's time, they would fill up a large volume to name them, with their several opinions and ways. There is one Schlusselburgius a Protestant Divine, that hath gathered the chief of them together in twelve or thirteen several Books that he wrote about them. There is not any one strange opinion amongst us now, but you shall find it amongst them in terminis, and that so prevailing as to get a strong party to join with it. Only I remember not that one that hath taken some, who though they acknowledge the Scripture, yet think there is no visible Church upon the earth. In after-times whosoever shall read Junius his Comment upon Psal. 122. will find the state of the Church in his time miserably distracted and distressed with contentions. I ⟨p. 237⟩cannot (says he): but be exceedingly moved,1 when I think of these evils. What shall I do? Shall I hold my peace when the Devil has stirred up so great a perturbation, has kindled so great a fire? Certainly there is such a fire kindled in the Christian world, that unless God looks from heaven upon us, it will consume all: the minds of men are as hearths for this fire, upon which sin burns; the tongues of men, some are the bellows that blow this fire, others as fuel by which this fire burns more and more. That the tongue cannot do to blow up and down this fire, that virulent papers do, dung carts of virulent papers, that is his expression. Yea a great part of the Christian world at this time, seems to be rather like the place of the burning of dead bodies, then the house of Christs flock: are these Shepherds? are these the Sheep of Christ, whom I see to consume away in their miserable burning? Surely they are Shepherds still, they are the Sheep of Christ, and anointed ones still: but many of them in this horrible and deadly burning, remember not that they are Sheep or Shepherds. And thus he proceeds further in pouring forth his soul in most grievous complaints.
As for the many sects and rents in and presently after Luthers time, they would fill up a large volume to name them, with their severall opinions and wayes. There is one Schlusselburgius a Protestant Divine, that hath gathered the chief of them together in twelve or thirteen severall Books that he wrote about them. There is not any one strange opinion amongst us now, but you shall finde it amongst them in terminis, and that so prevailing as to get a strong party to joyne with it. Only I remember not that one that hath taken some, who though they acknowledg the Scripture, yet think there is no visible Church upon the earth. In after-times whosoever shall read Junius his Comment upon Psal. 122. will finde the state of the Church in his time miserably distracted and distressed with contentions. I ⟨p. 237⟩cannot (sayes he): but be exceedingly moved,1 when I thinke of these evills. What shall I doe? Shall I hold my peace when the Devill has stirred up so great a perturbation, has kindled so great a fire? Certainly there is such a fire kindled in the Christian world, that unlesse God looks from heaven upon us, it will consume all: the mindes of men are as hearths for this fire, upon which sin burns; the tongues of men, some are the bellowes that blow this fire, others as fuell by which this fire burnes more and more. That the tongue cannot do to blow up and down this fire, that virulent papers do, dungcarts of virulent papers, that is his expression. Yea a great part of the Christian world at this time, seems to be rather like the place of the burning of dead bodies, then the house of Christs flock: are these Shepherds? are these the Sheep of Christ, whom I see to consume away in their miserable burning? Surely they are Shepherds still, they are the Sheep of Christ, and anointed ones still: but many of them in this horrible and deadly burning, remember not that they are Sheep or Shepherds. And thus he proceeds further in pouring forth his soul in most grivious complaints.
- 1Non possun quin vehementissime commovear quotie, haec mala apud me reputo: quid agam? taceam ne in tanta perturbation publica, tantoque incendo, quod S•tanas ex it wit? Certe incondium est in orbe Christiano, nisi Deus è caelo prospixerit omnia, conumturum animi huma•i foci sunt, in quibus peccatum fl•g•ati linguae hae folles sunt, illae fomites. quilius incandium magis ac magis ina •descit: linguis succedunt chartarum virulentissimarum plaustra quibus perrumpit incondium in omnes partes, qu••unquae linguae p•stari non possunt bona pars Christiani orbis, bustum videtur potius quam Christiani gregis domicilìum: an his pastores? an hae oves Christi, quas in suo mi erabili hust• miser […] contab. •scere? Sunt certe pastores adhuc, sunt oves Christi, & Christi sunt, sed in hoc tetro & lethali incendio, nec se essc Christi, nec pastores nec oves esse meminerani. Ju 1. Ps. 112.Non possun quin vehementissime commovear quotie, haec mala apud me reputo: quid agam? taceam ne in tanta perturbatione publica, tantoque incendo, quod S•tanas ex it wit? Certe incondium est in orbe Christiano, nisi Deus è caelo prospixerit omnia, conumturum animi huma•i foci sunt, in quibus peccatum fl•g•ati linguae hae folles sunt, illae fomites. quilius incandium magis ac magis ina •descit: linguis succedunt chartarum virulentissimarum plaustra quibus perrumpit incondium in omnes partes, qu••unquae linguae p•stari non possunt bona pars Christiani orbis, bustum videtur potius quam Christiani gregis domicilìum: an his pastores? an hae oves Christi, quas in suo mi erabili hust• misere 〈…〉 contab. •scere? Sunt certe pastores adhuc, sunt oves Christi, & Christi sunt, sed in hoc tetro & lethali incendio, nec se essc Christi, nec pastores nec oves esse meminerani. Ju
