Pansebeia, or, A view of all religions in the world with the severall church-governments from the creation, to these times : also, a discovery of all known heresies in all ages and places, and choice observations and reflections throughout the whole / by Alexander Ross.

ADAM PASTOR.

[illustration]

Nomine qui Pastor tu Impostor moribus audis, Qui â recto teneras Tramite ducis oues.

THE CONTENTS.

ADam Pastor a derider of Paedobaptisme. He revi∣ved the Arrian heresie. His foolish interpreta∣tion of that place, Gen. 2. 17. so often confuted.

ADAM PASTOR, a man born at a Vil∣lage in Westphal••••,* 1.1 was one of those who with the middle finger pointed at 〈…〉〈…〉, that is to say, looked upon it with indignation, as a thing ridic••lous, being of the same opinion in that busi∣nesse, as Menno and Theodorus Philip, but as to the incar∣nation of God, he was of a quite contrary judgement. For Menno held, that Christ was something more wor∣thy and more divine then the seed of a woman, but (our) Adam stood upon it, that he was lesse worthy then that of God,* 1.2 so that he rowsed up the Arrian he∣resy, which had lai•• so long asleep, as having been but too famous in the year three hundred twenty five. For in a certain book of his whose title was, OF GODS MERCIE, he writ thus, The most divine word, which is the main considerable in our businesse, is written in the second of Gen. v. 17. The day that ye shall eat of the fruit, ye shall die the death, This is that word, which is made flesh.* 1.3 John 1. Tea that God which is uncapable of suffering and impassible, is made passible, and he that was immortal, is made mortal▪ for he was crucified, and died for our advantage. To be brief, he held, that Christ was not to be accounted any thing but the hand, the finger, or the voice of God. But although the opinion or Religion of this [third, but most unfaithful] Pastor Adam wander out of the limits of divinity, & that it seem to be an ancient heresie, containing nothing in it but what is childish, tri∣f••ing, and meer foppery, & hath bin confuted & brought ••o nothing by the most religious preachers of the word of God,* 1.4 notwithstanding the barking of the viperous progeny of Arrius and Servetus; yet he hath this in particular, that he would have us look narrowly to his ••••••lication of the second of Genesis, which he so com∣mends, where he foolishly and vainly endeavours to prove that the prohibition there, is the word m••de flesh. This monster did not only beget this sect, but nursed it; here are baites, allu••ements, and all the poisonable charmes imaginable that may cunningly seduce the best and most innocent of men. But alas! where is the free and indulgent promise of God of the seed of the wo∣man, which cuts the very throat of the Devill, and tyes

him in the strictest chaines? where are his often pro∣mise•• to Abraham? to Isaac? to Israel and to his old people, confirmed by a League so solemnly made? In thy seed all the earth shall be blessed. And thou shalt be a blessing unto me. This seed, witnesse the Apostle, is none other than Christ himself, whom God without question meant. The desperate contagion of this mans Religion did Servetus and his adherents professe, em∣brace, and celebrate.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Adam Pastor a derider of Paedobaptisme.
• * 1.2

  He revived the Arrian heresie.
• * 1.3

  His foolish in∣terpretation of that place, Gen. 2. 17.
• * 1.4

  His opinion hath been sufficiently refuted.