(VOLKEL Jan of Misnici, CRELLIUS Jan), Iohannis Volkelii Misnici De Vera Religione Libri Quinque: Quibus praefixus est Iohannis Crelii Franci Liber De Deo Et Ejus Attributis, ita ut unum cum illis constituat.

Iohannis Volkelii Misnici De Vera Religione Libri Quinque: Quibus praefixus est Iohannis Crelii Franci Liber De Deo Et Ejus Attributis, ita ut unum cum illis constituat.

[Vignette here: on the shield a head]. Racoviae (Raków) 1630. typis Sebastiani Sternacii. (21 x 16 cm), f. [6], p. 352; 715, [1], f. [50], period perg. binding.
(Estr. T. 33). begins with a preface by John Crellius (1590-1633), theologian of the Polish Brethren and rector of the Rakov Academy. In the preface, among other things, he describes the circumstances of the work's creation and explains that the work of his authorship: "De Deo et ejus attributis" he placed at the beginning with separate pagination, and this was in order not to delay the printing of Volkel's work. "He also thanks Stanislaw Lubieniecki, who, after Volkel's death, preserved the orphan manuscript and stimulated Crellius to publish it,... The work is a systematic, thorough exposition of all Arian theology, but not all doctrine (because there is no ethics) - something that no one has done so far. It is divided into six books. The first of these occupies the third part of the work and is compiled by Crellius. It talks about the names of God (El, Jehova, Adonai, Theos, Despotes) and the attributes of God. It is based entirely on quotations from Scripture, but sometimes older and newer writers are referenced, e.g. Plato, Cicero, Seneca, Aristotle, from the new ones J. Lipsius, Musculus, Melanchthon and others. The second part of the work consists of Books II-VI, which have separate pagination. Book II deals with the creation of the world, angels and man, religion, the Mosaic law, etc. Book III talks about the Christian religion (the nature of Christ, the baptism of St. John, the miracles and death of Christ, the kingdom of God, the priesthood of Christ). In Book IV about repentance, prayers, about the commandments of the Decalogue, about sin. In Book. V about the flesh as our enemy. In Book VI about the head of the church, ordinances, etc. "Volkel also quotes arguments almost exclusively from the Bible; writers of the Socinian camp are nowhere cited, which is obviously intentional in order to show that the entire Arian theology is already contained in the Bible. He very rarely polemicizes with his opponents, .... Writers of the Catholic camp he does not name and does not fight, which is probably dictated by caution. ... He concludes the work with two extensive indexes ... The work above was discussed at several Arian synods in 1612-29 before being printed, as is already clear from Crellius' preface. ... It was also the subject of numerous polemics after its publication. ..." (Estreicher). Jan Völkel (d. 1618), Reformation activist in Poland and Lithuania, clergyman and teacher of the Polish Brethren. He took refuge in tolerant Poland from religious persecution. He was one of the teachers at the Rakov Academy. He was also an Arian clergyman in the churches of Smigl and Wegrow. In the latter city he also served as rector and teacher at the local Arian school, which was converted into a Calvinist church in 1592, after the death of the Polish Brethren's protector, Jan Kiszka. Owner's stamp and inscription on title page, notation on preface page, traces of non-moisture and stains; minor rubbing and soiling of binding. Good condition. Very scarce. 1647polonic.