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HISTORY OF THE ROSICRUC1ANS.
session of many and great secrets, but is righteous in the
eyes of Almighty God. The author distinguishes at length
between the different ways whereby God makes Himself
known, and declares that it requires much study and care-
ful research, as well as personal sacrifice, to become the
possessor of transcendental secrets, but that anyone can do
so by following the Divine counsels. He concludes with
an admonition to " the highly- wise and God-beloved E. C."
to press on with their sublime work.
About this time a somewhat vicious attack was made on
the supposed Society by a writer calling himself Fredericus
G. Menapius, but whose real name was Johann Valentin
Alberti, and who is associated by Buhle with Irenseus
Agnostus as a personal friend of Andreas. It is clear, how-
ever, from the evidence of all the pamphlets, that Agnostus
and Menapius are one and the same person.
"
Epitimia,
F. E. C., to wit: The final manifestation or discovery
and defence of the worthy and worshipful Order E. C.
Also of the true and well-known confession addressed to
all classes of literati and illustrious persons in Europe.
Written by command of the above-mentioned society by
Irenaeus Agnostus (Menapius)." The only edition of this
work which I have seen is dated 1619, but it seems to
have been originally published about two years previously.
It is a skit written against the E. C. by Menapius, but pre-
tends to be printed and published by the command of the
Order. The principal purpose of the pamphlet is to prove
that the Eosicrucian Fraternity was founded by the Jesuits
for the purpose of the secret propaganda of their doctrines
in opposition to the Protestant religion.
It begins with a
lengthy and pseudo-authoritative laudation of the writer,
who is declared to be an eminently learned and godly man,