Anti-Socinianism, Part 18
Franciſcus Liſmanninus. Claudiopolitani caetus Paſtor.
Se Liſmanninus puteum conjecit in altum:
Triſte erat exemplum Juſtitiae Domini.
MEn do commonly wrong themſelves with a groundleſſe expectation of good; fore-promiſing to themſelves all fair terms in their proceedings, and all happy ſucceſſe in the iſſue; and indeed they may go on with a proſperous gale, and full ſaile for a time, but at laſt they fall into unexpected trouble and danger, ſo that their former miſreckoning makes their preſent diſ-appointment, ſo much the more grievous to them, and drives them into the greater deſperation. This we ſhall find verified in Liſmanninus, who encouraged himſelf with a hope of gaining many to the embracing, and following of his wicked, and abominable opinions, and for this purpoſe, he thought no pains to much, travelling from place to place, to propagate the ſame. It were to be deſired, that we that profeſſe the truth, would be but half ſo induſtrious, for the converting of ſome, and the confirming of others in the profeſſion thereof, as theſe inſtruments of the Devil, theſe Factors for Hell, are for the ſubverting them in, or ſeducing them from their holy profeſſion, to their diabolical tenets, and helliſh devices. He was one of thoſe, which that runagate Blandrata, (having inſinuated into the favour of the moſt illuſtrious and excellent Prince of Tranſylvanià) ſent for thither, to unſettle the newly ſetled Churches of God in thoſe parts, by ſowing tares among their good corne, his moſt pernicious hereſies, even then, when they leaſt ſuſpected it. But he could not go over to them, as yet for having ſo much of the devils buſineſs to do in other places, he could not at preſent intend to wait upon them there. His expectat on was high, and ſoaring, thinking to over-run all the Churches in Italy: firſt, with his damnable Doctrines, and that in a moment, ere he could perform the deſire of Blandrata in going into Tranſylvania. Hear what he wrote back unto him, and you ſee his aime. Before he returned, he muſt constitute the Churches of Bernen, Lauſanna and Geneva, formerly viſited by him, and to which he was again taking his journey, to obſerve the form of doctrine, diſcipline, and ceremonies, together with the adminiſtration of the Sacraments, which were in each of them, and to confer and reaſon with the Miniſters, by whoſe help and councel, he ſhould co…e the better inſtructed and inform'd to their Church, when time and opportunity ſerved; Which he performed according to his promiſe, and by which he did very much retarde the bleſsed reformation, which Calvin ſo much endeavoured to promote among thoſe Churches. For he did ſo exceedingly faſcinate the minds of divers, that they could not be reſtrained by the faithful admonit ons, no not of Calvin himſelf, whom they once highly eſteemed, and vvho much laboured in the buſineſs; but vvould needs ruſh head-long into the dangerous pit of Arianiſme, or Tritheitariſme, to their ovvn ruine and deſtruction. This man vvas Paſtor of the conventicle at Claudiopolis, to vvhichwhich he openly preached the Doctrine of Arius, and held that Christ was a certain ſpiritual ſubſtance, being before all others created of God, who afterwards took unto him an humane body, in which he performed many things for our example. At laſt being openly confuted, plainly detected, and too late (if God had not othervviſe permitted it) for the Churches good, convicted, either for ſhame of vvhat he had done, or for fear of vvhat he vvas to ſuffer, he threvv himſelf head-long into a vvell, and ſo periſhed; He that wilfully caſt many others avvay, doth novv deſperatly caſt avvay himſelf both body and ſoul.