verfial duft. They tendered accufations against him, of errors in point of doctrine: particularly, for his fuppofed heterodoxy concerning the nature of the Lord's fupper; his denial of the ubiquity of Chrift's natural body, and his protefting against the lawfulnefs of images, &c. Nay, they even went fo far, as to charge him with unfound opinions concerning predestination and the perfeverance of the truly regenerate: fo early did fome of Luther's pretended difciples, after the death of that glorious reformer (and he had not been dead at this time above fifteen years), begin to fall off from the doctrines he taught, though they ftill had the effrontery to call themfelves by his name! A grand occafion of this diffention, was a book concerning the eucharift, and in defence of confubftantiation, written by one Hefufius; a fierce, invidious preacher, who lavished the opprobrious names of heretic and atheist, on all, without diftinction, whofe religious fyftem went an hair's breadth above or below his own ftandard. In his preface, he grofly reflected on the Elector Palatine (Frederic III.), Peter Martyr, Bullinger, Calvin, Zuinglius, colampadius, and other great divines of that age. Zanchy, in mere respect to these venerable names, did in concert with the learned Sturmius, prevail with the magiftrates of Strafburgh to prohibit the impreffion. Mr. Bayle is fo candid, as to acknowledge, that "Zanchy caused this book to be fuppreffed, not on account of its doctrine, which he left to the judgment of the for the calumnies of the preface." zealous friend to religious liberty. great a share of good fenfe and real religion, to pur Church; but public occafion, Ori hujus Suevi nunquam aranea poerunt telas texere; "This talkative Swabian need not be afraid of fpiders: for he keeps his lips in fuch conftant motion, that no fpider will ever be able to weave a cobweb on his mouth." * Vide Zanch, Op. tom. vii. part 2. col. 250, 251. fue fue any measures, which fimply tended, either to reftrain men from declaring their principles with fafety, or to fhackle the human mind in its enquiries after truth. But he ardently wished to fee the contending parties, of every denomination, carry on their debates with Chriftian meekness, modefty, and benevolence and, where these amiable ingredients were wanting, he looked upon difputation as a malignant fever, endangering the health, peace, and fafety of the Church. When candor is loft, truth is rarely found. Zanchy's own obfervations * fubjoined below, exhibit a striking picture of that moderation, detachment from bigotry, and liberality of fentiment, which strongly characterize the Chriftian and the Proteftant. Notwithstanding the precautions taken by the magiftrates, Hefhufius's incendiary piece ftole through the prefs: and Zanchy's efforts, to ftifle its publication, were looked upon, by the author's party, as an injury never to be forgiven. They left no methods uneffayed, to remove him from his profefforfhip. Many compromifing expedients were propofed, by the moderate of both parties. The chapter of St. Thomas (of which Zanchy himself was a canon) met, to confider what courfe fhould be pursued. By them, it was referred to a felect committee of thirteen. Zanchy offered to debate the agitated points, in a friendly and peaceable manner, with his opponents: which offer not being accepted, he made feveral journies to other Churches and * Si liber ifte non fuiffet refertus tot calumniis & convitiis, tùm in ipfum principem Palatinum, tùm in tot præclaras ecclefias & earum dictores; ego non curâssem in ejus imprfionem impediri. LICET ENIM UNICUIQUE SUAM SENTENTIAM SCRIBERE ET EXPLICARE. Sed cùm audirem tot ecclefias in libro ifto damnari hærefeos & atheismi; idque non propter unum aut alterum articulum fidei, qui impugnaretur, fed folummodò propter interpretationem aliquam verborum, in quâ neque tota religio confiftit, neque falus periclitatur;-adductus fui, ut libri iftius impreffionem, &c. ZANCH. ubi fupr. univerfitios univerfities in different parts of Germany, and requested their opinions: which he brought with him in writing. Things, however, could not be fettled, until the fenate of Strafburgh convened an affembly, from other diftricts, confifting, partly, of divines; and partly of perfons learned in the laws. Thefe referees, after hearing both fides, recurred to the old, fruitless expedient, of agreeing on certain articles, to which they advised each party to fubfcribe. Zanchy, defirous of laying thefe unchriftian heats, and, at the fame time, no lefs determined to preserve integrity and a good confcience; subscribed in these cautious terms: Hanc doctrine formulam ut piam agnofco, ità etiam recipio: "I acknowledge this fummary of doctrine to be pious, and so I admit it." This condefcenfion, on Zanchy's part, was not fol lowed by thofe peaceful effects which were expected. The peace was too loosely patched up, to be of any long duration. His adverfaries began to worry him afresh; and, just as measures were bringing on the carpet, for a new and more lafting compromife, our divine received an invitation to the Church of Chiavenna, fituate on the borders of Italy, and in the territory of the Grifons. Augustin Mainard, paftor of that place, was lately dead and a meffenger arrived, to let Zanchy know, that he was chofen to fucceed him. Having very flender prospect of peace at Strasburgh, he obtained the confent of the fenate to refign his canonry of St. Thomas, and profefforship of divinity. Whilst the above debates were depending, he had received separate invitations to Zurich, Geneva, Leyden, Heidelberg, Marpurg, and Laufanne: but until he had feen the result of things at Strasburgh, he did not judge any of these calls fufficiently providential to determine his removal. VOL. V. (24.) N He He left Strafburgh*, in November, 1563, and entered on his pastoral charge at Chiavenna, the beginning of January following. But he had not long been there, before the town was vifited by a difmal peftilence, which, within the space of feven months, carried off twelve hundred of the inhabitants. Zanchy, however, continued to exercife his miniftry, as long as there was an affembly to preach to. At length, the far greater part of the townfmen being fwept away, he retreated, for awhile, with his family, to an adjoining mountain. His own account is this (tom. vii. part 1. col. 36, 37.): “Mainard, my pious predeceffor, had often foretold the calamity, with which the town of Chiavenna has been fince vifited. All the inhabitants have been too well convinced, that that holy man of God did not prophefy at random. When the plague actually began to make havock, I enforced repentance and faith, while I had a place to preach in, or any congregation to hear. Many being dead, and others having fled the town (like fhip-wrecked mariners, who, to avoid inftant deftruction, make towards what coaft they can); but very few remained: and, of thefe remaining few, fome were almoft terrified to death, others were folely employed in taking care of the fick, and others in guarding the walls. They concurred in advifing me to confult my own fafety, by withdrawing, for a time, until the indignation fhould be overpaffed. I betook myself, therefore, with all my family, to an high mountain, not a vaft way from the town, yet remote from human Attended by his fervant, Fridric Syllapurg, a native of Heffe; concerning whom Zanchy writes thus: Diferi argentinà, unà cum filo, nor tam famulo, quàm amico & fratre, Friderico Syllæpurgio, Heffo; juvene bonorum literarum ftudujo, & fanæ doctrine amanti: "A learned youth, and a lover of the gofpel; whom I look upon, not fo much in the light of a domeftic, as of a faithful friend and a Christian brother."Oper. T. vii. part 1. col. 36. I hardly know which were most extraordinary; the good qualities of the fervant; or the gratitude and humility of the matter. converfe, converfe, and peculiarly formed for contemplation and unmolested retirement. Here we led a folitary life, for three months and an half. I devoted my time, chiefly, to meditation and writing; to prayer, and reading the Scriptures. I never was happier in my own foul, nor enjoyed a better fhare of health." Afterwards, the plague beginning to abate, he quitted his retreat, and refumed the public exercife of his function. After four years continuance at Chiavenna, Frederic III. elector palatine, prevailed with him to accept a divinity profefforfhip, in the univerfity of Heidelberg, upon the decease of the famous Zachary Urfin. In the beginning of the year 1568, Zanchy entered on his new fituation: and, fhortly after, opened the chair, with an admirable oration, De confervando in ecclefiâ puro puto verbo Dei. In the fame year, he received his doctor's degree: the elector palatine, and his fon, prince Cafimir, honoring the ceremony with their prefence. He had not been long fettled in the palatinate, when the elector (one of the most amiable and religious princes of that age) ftrongly folicited him to confirm and elucidate the doctrine of the Trinity, by writing a profeffed treatise on that most important fubject; defiring him, moreover, to be very particular and explicit, in canvaffing the arguments made ufe of by the Socinians; who had then fixed their head-quarters in Poland and Tranfylvania, and were exhaufting every artifice of fophiftry and fubterfuge to degrade the Son and Spirit of God to the level of mere creatures. Zanchy, accordingly, employed his leisure hours in obeying this pious command. His masterly and elaborate treatife De Dei naturá; and that De tribus Elohim uno eodemque Jehová; were written on this occafion: treatifes, fraught with the moft folid learning and argument; breathing at the fame time, the amiable fpirit of genuine candor and transparent piety. Among a variety of interefting particulars, N 2 |