Page:Essays of Francis Bacon 1908 Scott.djvu/128

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BACON'S ESSAYS

cases of religion; so it is a thing monstrous to put it into the hands of the common people. Let that be left unto the Anabaptists,^[1] and other furies. It was great blasphemy when the devil said, I will ascend and be like the Highest;^[2] but it is greater blasphemy to personate God, and bring him in saying, I will descend, and be like the prince of darkness: and what is it better, to make the cause of religion to descend to the cruel and execrable actions of murthering princes, butchery of people, and subversion of states and governments? Surely this is to bring down the Holy Ghost, instead of the likeness of a dove,^[3] in the shape of a vulture or raven; and set out of the bark of a Christian church a flag of a bark of pirates and assassins. Therefore it is most necessary that the church by doctrine and decree, princes by their sword, and all learnings, both Christian and moral, as by their Mercury rod,^[4] do damn and send to hell for ever those facts and opinions tending to the support of

↑ Anabaptists. The followers of John Matthiesen and John Bockold, or John of Leyden, who attempted to set up a socialistic kingdom of New Zion or Mount Zion at Münster in Westphalia, about 1530–1535. Anabaptize means to baptize again; an Anabaptist in the literal sense is one who believes in re-baptism, or adult baptism. Bacon compares the Anabaptists to furies from their vicious doctrines, one of which was polygamy.
↑ "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." Isaiah xiv. 14. "For so we see, aspiring to be like God in power, the angels transgressed and fell; Ascendam, et ero similis altissimo." Advancement of Learning. II. xxii. 15.
↑ "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him." Matthew iii. 16.
↑ Mercury rod. The caduceus, a rod entwined with two serpents and surmounted by two wings. With it Mercury, the messenger of the gods, summoned souls to Hades.

[1] Anabaptists. The followers of John Matthiesen and John Bockold, or John of Leyden, who attempted to set up a socialistic kingdom of New Zion or Mount Zion at Münster in Westphalia, about 1530–1535. Anabaptize means to baptize again; an Anabaptist in the literal sense is one who believes in re-baptism, or adult baptism. Bacon compares the Anabaptists to furies from their vicious doctrines, one of which was polygamy.

[2] "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." Isaiah xiv. 14. "For so we see, aspiring to be like God in power, the angels transgressed and fell; Ascendam, et ero similis altissimo." Advancement of Learning. II. xxii. 15.

[3] "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him." Matthew iii. 16.

[4] Mercury rod. The caduceus, a rod entwined with two serpents and surmounted by two wings. With it Mercury, the messenger of the gods, summoned souls to Hades.

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