enthusiasms,
sottish revelations they had, how absurdly they carried themselves, deluded
others; and as profane Machiavel in his political disputations holds of
Christian religion, in general it doth enervate, debilitate, take away
men's spirits and courage from them, _simpliciores reddit homines_, breeds
nothing so courageous soldiers as that Roman: we may say of these peculiar
sects, their religion takes away not spirits only, but wit and judgment,
and deprives them of their understanding; for some of them are so far gone
with their private enthusiasms and revelations, that they are quite mad,
out of their wits. What greater madness can there be, than for a man to
take upon him to be a God, as some do? to be the Holy Ghost, Elias, and
what not? In [6586]Poland, 1518, in the reign of King Sigismund, one said
he was Christ, and got him twelve apostles, came to judge the world, and
strangely deluded the commons. [6587]One David George, an illiterate
painter, not many years since, did as much in Holland, took upon him to be
the Messiah, and had many followers. Benedictus Victorinus Faventinus,
_consil. 15_, writes as much of one Honorius, that thought he was not only
inspired as a prophet, but that he was a God himself, and had
[6588]familiar conference with God and his angels. Lavat. _de spect. c. 2.
part. 8._ hath a story of one John Sartorious, that thought he was the
prophet Elias, and _cap. 7._ of diverse others that had conference with
angels, were saints, prophets. Wierus, _lib. 3. de Lamiis c. 7._ makes
mention of a prophet of Groning that said he was God the Father; of an
Italian and Spanish prophet that held as much. We need not rove so far
abroad, we have familiar examples at home: Hackett that said he was Christ;
Coppinger and Arthington his disciples; [6589]Burchet and Hovatus, burned
at Norwich. We are never likely seven years together without some such new
prophets that have several inspirations, some to convert the Jews, some
fast forty days, go with Daniel to the lion's den; some foretell strange
things, some for one thing, some for another. Great precisians of mean
conditions and very illiterate, most part by a preposterous zeal, fasting,
meditation, melancholy, are brought into those gross errors and
inconveniences. Of those men I may conclude generally, that howsoever they
may seem to be discreet, and men of understanding in other matters,
discourse well, _laesam habent imaginationem_, they are like come