Spiritual Reformers in the 16th & 17th CenturiesJones, Rufus M. (Rufus Matthew)
Religion
Spiritual Reformers in the 16th & 17th Centuries
Jones, Rufus M. (Rufus Matthew)
Mysticism; Reformers
[63] Contemporary writers held that the Giles Randall who preached in
"the Spital" was the translator. Robert Baillie, Principal of Glasgow
University, in his work on _Anabaptisme_, pp. 102-103, speaks of
Randall who preached in "the Spital," and refers to his increasing
temerity as shown by the fact that "he hath lately printed two very
dangerous books and set his Preface before each of them, composed as he
professes long ago by Popish Priests, the one by a Dutch Frier and the
other by an English Capuchine." Baillie further refers to the "deadly
poison" of these books as shown in Benjamin Bourne's _Description and
Confutation of Mysticall Antichrist, the Familists_ (1646), where "the
dangerous books" are named, as _Theologia Germanica, the Bright Star,
Divinity and Philosophy Dissected_. Edward's _Gangraena_ also
identifies Randall the preacher with the translator of "Popish Books
written by Priests and Friers," citing as an example "The Vision of God
by Cardinall Cusanus," _op. cit._ (1646), part iii.
[64] Preface.
[65] Bourne's _Description and Confutation_ and Baillie's
_Anabaptisme_. It seems likely that there was an earlier edition of
the Theologia than this of 1648, as the chapters and pages quoted by
Bourne do not correspond with those of the 1648 edition, whose
title-page has this clause: "Also a Treatise of the Soul and other
additions not _before_ printed."
[66] _Gangraena_, part iii.
[67] Goodwin's _Cretensis_ (1646). The book, entitled _Divinity and
Philosophy Dissected_, and attributed by implication to Randall, was
published in Amsterdam in 1644, with the following title-page:
"Divinity & Philosophy Dissected, & set forth by a mad man.
"The first Book divided into 3 Chapters.
"Chap. I. The description of the World in man's heart with the
Articles of the Christian Faith.
"Chap. II. A description of one Spirit acting in all, which some
affirme is God.
"Chap. III. A description of the Scripture according to the
history and mystery thereof.
"Amsterdam, 1644."
[68] _Survey_, etc., part ii. chap. xlvii. p. 53.
[69] The only copy of Randall's _Bright Starre_ which I have been able
to locate is in the Lambeth Palace Library. A copy of it formerly
belonged to the learned Quaker, Benjamin Furly, and was sold with his
remarkable collection of books in 1714.
[70] This term, "Children of the Light," was the name by which Friends,
or Quakers, first called themselves. It was plainly a term current at
the time for a Christian who put the emphasis on inward life and
personal experience.
[71] Preface to _Theologia_.
[72] Preface to _The Vision of God_.
[73] _Ibid._
[74] Nicholas' Preface to _De visione Dei_.
[75] _The Vision of God_, p. 11.
[76] _Ibid._ p. 13.
[77] _Ibid._ p. 19. Compare this passage with Pascal's saying: "Thou
wouldst not seek me if thou hadst not already found me."
[78] _Ibid._ p. 37.
[79] _Ibid._ p. 130.
[80] _Ibid._ p. 138.
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