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Franciscus Junius (1545-1602) and the English Separatists at Amsterdam

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2016

C. de Jonge*
Affiliation:
Theological Institute, University of Leiden
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Extract

At the end of 1598 or the beginning of 1599 an English separatist congregation at Amsterdam sent its confession of faith to the theological faculty of Leiden University for judgment. This resulted in a correspondence between the professor primarius of the faculty, Franciscus Junius, and the congregation. It is with this correspondence, and with Junius’s point of view, considered in the context of his book Le Paisible Chrestien, in which he sets forth his eirenical ecclesiology, that this paper is concerned.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Ecclesiastical History Society 1979 

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References

* Communication delivered to the first Anglo-Dutch CIHEC colloquium, held at Leiden, 16-20 April 1979. An extended version of it, entitled ‘Franciscus Junius (1545-1602) en de Engelse separatisten te Amsterdam’, will appear in Ncderlands Archief voor Kerkgeschiedenis, 59 (Leiden 1979) pp 133-59. The author is grateful to Dr J. C. Grayson, who kindly corrected the English of this article.

1 See besides the articles sv in the dictionnaries of biography, Cuno, F.W., Franciscus Junius der Altere, Professor der Theologie und Pastor (1545-1602). Sein Leben und Wirken, seine Schriften und Briefe (Amsterdam/Leipzig/Basel 1891)Google Scholar. See also Reitsma, J., Franciscus Junius. Een levensbeeld uit den eersten tijd der Kerkhervorming (Groningen 1864)Google Scholar. Junius’s autobiography was published in 1595 by Paullus Merula: Vita Nobilis et eruditi viri Francisa Junii, S. Theologiae Doctoris, et in Academia Lugduncnsi Professons dignissimi: Ab ipso nuper conscripta, in lucent vero edita ab Panilo G.F.P.N. Merula, J. C. Historiarum ibidem enarratore. …, Lugduni Batavorum, Ex officina Plantiniana, apud Franciscum Raphelengium (1595) in quarto; compare Petit, [L. D.], [Bibliographische lijst der werken van de Leidsche hoogleeraren van de oprichting der Hoogeschool tot op onze dagen, Faculteit der Codgeleerdheid, eerste afdeeltng (1575-1619) (Leiden 1894) p 58, no 44Google Scholar.

2 (np 1598) in -16, compare Dexter, [H. M.], [The Congregationalism of the Last Three Hundred Years as Seen in its Literature] (London 1880, repr London 1970) appendix (Collections toward a Bibliography of Congregationalism), p 17, no 223Google Scholar.

3 See, apart from my article. Dexter, Lectures 5 and 6, pp 253-356; Scheffer, [J. G.] de Hoop, [‘De Brownisten te Amsterdam gedurende den eersten tijd na hunne vestiging in verband met het ontstaan van de broederschap der Baptisten’], Verslagen en Mede-deelingen der Koninklijke Akademie der Wetenschappen. Afdeeling letterkunde, Tweede reeks, 10 (Amsterdam 1881) p 203–80, 303–99Google Scholar; White, [B. R.], [The English Separatist Tradition from the Marian Martyrs to the Pilgrim Fathers] (Oxford 1971) cap 5, pp 91115Google Scholar.

4 See about him Dexter pp 236 seq.; White cap 5, pp 91-115.

5 See for this Dexter pp 267-8 and nn 60, 61; De Hoop Scheffer pp 221-3; White p 98.

6 See about him Dexter register 1, 4, 5.

7 A True Confession of the Faith, and Hvmble acknowledgment of the Alegeance, vvich vvee hir Maiesties Subjects, falsely called Brovunists, doo hould towards God, and all other that are otter vs in the Lord. Set down in Articles or Positions, for the better & more easie understanding of those shall read yt: And published for the cleering of our seluesfrom those unchristian slanders of heresie, schisme, pryde, obstinacie, disloyaltie, sedicion, &c. vuich by our adversaries are in ail places giuen out against vs, (np 1596) in quarto; compare Dexter appendix, p 16, no 215; repr Amsterdam/New York 1969.

8 White p III.

9 Dexter p 299.

10 P[raestantium ac] E[ruditorum] V[irorum] E[pistolae Ecclesiasticae et Theologicae, Quorum. longe major pars scripta est a Jac. Arminio, Joan. Uytenbogardo, Com. Vorstio, Ger. Joa Vossio, Hug. Grotto, Sim. Episcopio, Casp. Barlaeo], Editio tenia, novo augmento locupleta (Amstelaedami 1704) in folio, p 65.

11 PEVE pp 65-9.

12 Certayne Letters, [translated into English, being first written in Latine. Two, by the reverend and learned Mr. Fr. Iunius, Diuinitie Reader at Leyden in Holland. The other, by the exiled church, abiding for the present at Amsterdam in Holland. Together with the Confession of faith prefixed: where upon the said letters were first written, (np 1602) pp 52-4; compare Dexter appendix, p 18, no 251; Petit p 63, no 63; reprinted as Netherlands. The Confession of Fayth (Amsterdam/New York 1971).

13 PEVE pp 60-73.

14 ‘… ubicunque doctrinae veritatis, quae arx salutis est, fundamentum remanet’, ibid P 72.

15 Ibid pp 73-8.

16 Ibid pp 78-80.

17 See Brandt, G., Historie der Reformatie en andere kerkelijke geschiedenissen, 1 (Amsterdam 2 1674) pp 843–4Google Scholar; De Hoop Scheffer pp 251-4; Nauta, D., De Nederlandse Gerefor-meerden en het Independentisme in de zeventiende eeuw (Amsterdam 1936) pp 1112Google Scholar and nn 13, 14; White p 104.

18 PEVE pp 80-1.

19 Ibid pp 82-3.

20 Compare Certayne Letters, p 52.

21 Dexter appendix, p 18, no 249, supplies the title of A Christian Letter on separation from the church assemblies in England and elsewhere (np/nd) in quarto. Because this book was inaccessible to me I cannot say whether it contains both of Junius’s letters or only one. Certayne Letters pp 52-3 clearly speaks about two subsequent editions, but also about ‘this little book to witt your letters translated’. In the preface of R. G. translator of Junius’s letters, which is taken over in Certayne Letters p 1, also more than one letter is mentioned. See Dexter p 302, n 20; De Hoop Scheffer pp 251, 257-8; White p 104.

22 Certayne Letters pp 52-4.

23 PEVE pp 83-4.

24 Ibid pp 84-5.

25 See for the political aspect White p 105.

26 Compare De Hoop Scheffer pp 222-3.

27 Complete title: L[e] P[aisible] C[hrestien, ou de la Paix d’ Eglise Catholiques. Comment il faut garder sainctement la paix, la nourrir, & entretenir, mesmes en la diversité & difference d’ opinions. Sur les Pseaumes CXXII & CXXXIII. Meditation de François Dujon natif de Bourges] (Leiden 1593) in octavo; compare Petit p 55, no 36a. A Latin version of it appeared, probably earlier, in 1593: Eirenicum de Pace Ecclesiae Catholicae inter Christianos, quamvis diversos sententiis, religiose procurando, colenda atque continuenda: in Psalmos Davidis CXXII et CXXXIII Meditatio Fr. Junii (Lugduni Batavorum 1593) in octavo; compare Petit p 55, no 36. See about Le Paisible Chrestien my article ‘De ircnische ecclesiologie van Francisais Junius (1545-1602). Schets aan de hand van zijn geschrift Le Paisible Chrestien’, Kerkhistorische Studiën. Feestbundel uitgegeven ter gelegenheid van het 75—jarig bestaan van het kerkhistorisch gezelschap S.S.S. (Leiden 1977) printed for private circulation, pp 51-73; Holtmann, farther W., ‘Die Pfäkische Irenik im Zeitalter der Gegenreformation’, dissertation (Göttingen 1960) typescript pp 282–90Google Scholar; Venemans, B. A., Framiscus Junius en zijn Eirenicum de pace ecclesiae catholicae (Leiden [1977])Google Scholar.

28 On psalm 122, LPC, pp 19-314.

29 Ibid pp 173-5, 190-2.

30 Ibid p 275.

31 Ibid pp 286-91.

32 On psalm 133, ibid pp 315-92.

33 Ibid pp 361-4.

34 Ibid pp 383-4.

35 See also cap 17 of his treatise De Ecclesia Libellus Singularis (1602), incorporated in Opera Theologica Francisci Iunii Biturigis Sacrarum literarum professons eximii…. ([Heidel-bergae] In Officina Sanctandreana 1608) folio, 2, cc 997-1023 (cap 17: cc 1018-23); compare Petit p 62, no 60a and p 64, no 69a.

36 Sec n 14.