Not long after the commencement of the Reformation, several bold inquirers began to deny the trinity of persons in the Deity, the divine authority of the Old and New Testament, and the existence of mystery in the Christian dispensation.  Both Catholics and Protestants united against them.  To avoid their hostilities, the maintainers of these opinions fled to Poland, and, forming themselves into a distinct congregation, published, in 1574, their First Catechism.  They established congregations at Cracow, Lubin, Pinczow, Luck and Smila:  but their most flourishing settlement was at Racow.

[Sidenote:  Vorstius—­James I.]

They spread their doctrines over each bank of the Danube, and at length penetrated Italy.  There, they were adopted by Loelius Socinus.  After many peregrinations in different parts of Europe, he finally settled at Zurich.  Faustus Socinus, his nephew, inherited his sentiments; and, on this account, was obliged to quit Zurich.  After many wanderings, he fixed his residence at Racow.  There, he was received with open arms by the new communion, and completed their system of theology.  From him, they derived their appellation of SOCINIANS.  Their doctrine is expressed in the Racovian catechism, published, in the Polish language, in 1605.  Other editions of it have appeared.  An English translation of the edition of 1605, was published at Amsterdam in 1652:  Dr. Toulmin, in his Life of Socinus, ascribes it, seemingly by conjecture, to Mr. John Biddle.  In 1818, Mr. Rees published a new translation of it, prefixing to it an interesting historical preface.

[Sidenote:  CHAP.  VIII. 1622.]

Among the disciples of Arminius, was the celebrated CONRADE VORSTIUS, born at Cologne in 1569, of parents in reduced circumstances:  he was soon remarked for his diligence and irreproachable conduct; and was, in 1605, appointed to a professor’s chair at Steinfurth.  In 1610, he quitted it, and was named to succeed Arminius, in the chair of Professor of Theology, at Leyden.  “He was beloved and honoured,” says Mr. Chalmers, “at Steinfurth; there, he enjoyed the utmost tranquillity, and was in the highest reputation; he doubtless foresaw, that in the state in which the controversies of Arminius and Gomarus were at that time, he should meet with great opposition in Holland.  But he was tempted by the glory he should gain by supporting a party, which was weakened by Arminius’s death.”

[Sidenote:  Vorstius—­James I.]

He had previously published his Treatise “de Deo.”  Some passages in it were thought to favour the doctrine of Arminius; some, to lead to Socinianism; and some, to have an ulterior tendency.  That Arminius himself discovers these views in his writings, has been frequently asserted.  Doctor Maclaine, the learned translator of Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History,[033] observes it to be a common opinion, that “the disciples of Arminius, and more especially Episcopius, had boldly transgressed