17TH CENTURIES***


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SPIRITUAL REFORMERS IN THE 16TH & 17TH CENTURIES

by

RUFUS M. JONES, M.A., D.Litt.

Professor Of Philosophy, Haverford College, U.S.A.







MacMillan and Co., Limited
St. Martin's Street, London
1914

Copyright




_OTHER VOLUMES IN THIS SERIES_

_EDITED By RUFUS M. JONES_


STUDIES IN MYSTICAL RELIGION.  (1908.)
  By Rufus M. Jones.

THE QUAKERS IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES.  (1911).
  By Rufus M. Jones, assisted by Isaac Sharpless and Amelia M. Gummere.

THE BEGINNINGS OF QUAKERISM.  (1912.)
  By William Charles Braithwaite.

THE SECOND PERIOD OF QUAKERISM.  (_In preparation._)
  By William Charles Braithwaite.

THE LATER PERIODS OF QUAKERISM.  (_In preparation._)
  By Rufus M. Jones.




{v}

PREFACE


In my _Quakers in the American Colonies_ I announced the preparation of
a volume to be devoted mainly to Jacob Boehme and his influence.  I
soon found, however, as my work of research proceeded, that Boehme was
no isolated prophet who discovered in solitude a fresh way of approach
to the supreme problems of the soul.  I came upon very clear evidence
that he was an organic part of a far-reaching and significant
historical movement--a movement which consciously aimed, throughout its
long period of travail, to carry the Reformation to its legitimate
terminus, the restoration of apostolic Christianity.  The men who
originated the movement, so far as anything historical can be said to
be "originated," were often scornfully called "Spirituals" by their
opponents, while they thought of themselves as divinely commissioned
and Spirit-guided "Reformers," so that I have with good right named
them "Spiritual Reformers."

I have had two purposes in view in these studies.  One purpose was the
tracing of a religious movement, profoundly interesting in itself, as a
great side current of the Reformation.  The other purpose was the
discovery of the background and environment of seventeenth century
Quakerism.  There can be little doubt, I think, that I have here found
at least one of the great historical sources of the Quaker movement.
This volume, together with my _Studies in Mystical Religion_, will at
any rate {vi} furnish convincing evidence that the ideas, aims,
experiences, practices, and aspirations of the early Quakers were the
fruit of long spiritual preparation.  This movement, as a whole, has
never been studied before, and my work has been beset with
difficulties.  I have been aided by helpful monographs on individual
"Reformers," written mainly by German and French scholars, who have
been duly credited at the proper places, but for the most part my
material has been drawn from original sources.  I am under much
obligation to my friend, Theodor Sippell of Schweinsberg, Germany.  I
am glad to announce that he is preparing a critical historical study on
John Everard and the Ranters, which will throw important light on the
religious ideas of the English Commonwealth.  He has read my proofs,
and has, throughout my period of research, given me the benefit of his
extensive knowledge of this historical field.  I wish to express my
appreciation of the courtesy and kindness which I have received from
the officials of the University Library at Marburg.  William Charles
Braithwaite of Banbury, England, has given me valuable help.  My wife
has assisted me in all my work of research.  She has read and re-read
the proofs, made the Index, and given me an immense amount of patient
help.  I cannot close this Preface without again referring to the
inspiration of my invisible friend, John Wilhelm Rowntree, in whose
memory this series was undertaken.


HAVERFORD, PENNSYLVANIA,

_January_ 1914.




{vii}

CONTENTS

                                                           PAGE

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS "SPIRITUAL RELIGION"...............   xi


CHAPTER I

THE MAIN CURRENT OF THE REFORMATION ...........    1


CHAPTER II

HANS DENCK AND THE INWARD WORD..............   17


CHAPTER III

TWO PROPHETS OF THE INWARD WORD: BUeNDERLIN AND ENTFELDER     31


CHAPTER IV

SEBASTIAN FRANCK: AN APOSTLE OF INWARD RELIGION .....   46


CHAPTER V

CASPAR SCHWENCKFELD AND THE REFORMATION OF THE "MIDDLE WAY"  64


CHAPTER VI

SEBASTIAN CASTELLIO: A FORGOTTEN PROPHET.........   88



{viii}

CHAPTER VII

COORNHERT AND THE COLLEGIANTS--A MOVEMENT FOR
  SPIRITUAL RELIGION IN HOLLAND .............  104


CHAPTER VIII

VALENTINE WEIGEL AND NATURE MYSTICISM ..........  133


CHAPTER IX

JACOB BOEHME: HIS LIFE AND SPIRIT ............  151


CHAPTER X

BOEHME'S UNIVERSE ....................  172


CHAPTER XI

JACOB BOEHME'S "WAY OF SALVATION" ............  190


CHAPTER XII

JACOB BOEHME'S INFLUENCE IN ENGLAND ...........  208


CHAPTER XIII

EARLY ENGLISH INTERPRETERS OF SPIRITUAL RELIGION:
  JOHN EVERARD, GILES RANDALL, AND OTHERS ........  235


CHAPTER XIV

SPIRITUAL RELIGION IN HIGH PLACES--ROUS, VANE, AND STERRY   266


{ix}

CHAPTER XV

BENJAMIN WHICHCOTE, THE FIRST OF THE "LATITUDE-MEN" ...  288


CHAPTER XVI

JOHN SMITH, PLATONIST--"AN INTERPRETER OF THE SPIRIT" ..  305


CHAPTER XVII

THOMAS TRAHERNE AND THE SPIRITUAL POETS OF THE
  SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ..................  320


CHAPTER XVIII

CONCLUSION........................  336


INDEX ..........................  351

{x}

  Within thy sheltering darkness spin the spheres;
  Within the shaded hollow of thy wings.
  The life of things,
  The changeless pivot of the passing years--
  These in thy bosom lie.
  Restless we seek thy being; to and fro
  Upon our little twisting earth we go:
  We cry, "Lo, there!"
  When some new avatar thy glory does declare,
  When some new prophet of thy friendship sings,
  And in his tracks we run
  Like an enchanted child, that hastes to catch the sun.

  And shall the soul thereby
  Unto the All draw nigh?
  Shall it avail to plumb the mystic deeps
  Of flowery beauty, scale the icy steeps
  Of perilous thought, thy hidden Face to find,
  Or tread the starry paths to the utmost verge of the sky?
  Nay, groping dull and blind
  Within the sheltering dimness of thy wings--
  Shade that their splendour flings
  Athwart Eternity--
  We, out of age-long wandering, but come
  Back to our Father's heart, where now we are at home.


  EVELYN UNDERHILL in _Immanence_, p. 82.




{xi}

INTRODUCTION


WHAT IS "SPIRITUAL RELIGION"

I

There is no magic in words, though, it must be confessed, they often
exercise a psychological influence so profound and far-reaching that
they seem to possess a miracle-working efficacy.  Some persons live all
their lives under the suggestive spell of certain words, and it
