Valentinus Gentilis – The Tritheist Put to Death In Bern, Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. I.
How, and where he fell into those New Opinions, and what great mischief he did by spreading of them.
VAlentinus Gentilis, a Campanian, having lest his Native Countrey Cosentia, Travell'd through Naples, Sicily, and Italy, and at last arriv'd at Geneva. There were at that time in the Italian Church [of that City] several Persons out of all parts of Italy, who came thither upon very different accounts; but were mostly such, as being Banish'd out of their own Country for the sake of Religion, had made this their place of Refuge. Amongst them were several foreign, So that Dr. Sherl. may find sevaral foreign, much Antienter than himself.Inventers of New Doctrines. Such was G. Blandrata a Physician, who had newly began to attack the Doctrine of the Trinity; but as yet all he did was in private only, and by way of Letters to some familiar Acquaintance. The Dispute was concerning the commonly received Terms, foreign, and foreign, Trinitas, foreign, &c. At the ☞same time M. Gribaldus an eminent Lawyer, and Paulus Alciatus a Milanese were engag'd in carrying on the same design. Gentilis was no sooner come to Town, and heard of the Controversie, but he wholly applied himself to the Study of it. And in a short time he and his Friends became so great Proficients in it, as boldly to assert, That the Reform'd Churches were still agreed with the Papists in that abominable and grievous Error, of subscribing to the Article of the Trinity: For by that Doctrine of theirs, they as well as the Papists, did not defend a Trinity, but rather a Quaternity. That a true Trinity ought to consist So says Philoponus, Joachim, and Dr. Sherlock, with the rest of the Tritheistick Tribe.of Three Eternal distinct Spirits, differing from each other essentially rather than personally. This was what these Innovators did then unanimously profess; but falling afterwards into different Factions, they ran into several contradictory and extravagant Opinions: And being call'd to account for their Doctrines at Geneva, they all made a shift some way or other to get off; by what particular means, I shall not now concern my self; my chief design being to give a brief account of Gentilis only.
Who though he had undertaken to defend the same Opinions with Blandrata, Gribaldus, and Alciatus, yet shortly after made his Recantation, and by an exemplary Pennance, publickly abjur'd his Novel Doctrines. This happen'd in the Year 1558; to testifie the truth of which there is extant a Narrative of the whole Proceedings.
But having thus solemnly renounc'd his own Opinions more for fear of Death, than out of any real sense of their Impiety, and still retaining a strong desire, of defending them, it was not long, e're despising the Calvin says that he had most perfidiously for sworn himself Thrice. But Tritheists must be allowed to have more skill in dealing with an Oath, than other Men. See Calvin's Narrative of Gentilis, in his Opuscula, p. 764.sacred Obligations of his Oath, and committing the most horrid Perjury, he fled from Geneva.
Near which place was the Town of Fargiae, where M. Gribaldus lived, with whom he associated himself: And in the same place was Alciatus, and with him a certain Schoolmaster, and Tutor to Gribaldus's Children; amongst whom (after the coming of Gentilis) there were frequent Conferences and Disputes about the same Controversies; by all which Gentilis was mightily confirm'd in his Notions: And so leaving them, he went to Lyons, where he was furnish'd with plenty of Books by one Baptista Lucensis, and there made Collections out of the Fathers in order to confirm and establish his new Opinions. And seeing both the Latin and Greek Fathers were universally quoted by the Orthodox, he made it his business to consult the most ancient of them.
But the Collections he made, were only some miserable, imperfect, broken Quotations out of Ignatius's Epistles, Iustin Martyr, and Tertullian; nay, so impudent was St. Hilary.he, as to ransack the Alcoran for Authorities, and quote even Mahomet himself. And then he very roundly condemn'd and exploded all the rest of the Fathers, such as St. Austin, St. Ierome, St. Basil, Chrysostome, Damascene, and whoever else had plainly express'd their Thoughts concerning the Trinity in a different way from him. Nay, he wholly rejected some Books in Iustin Martyr and Tertullian, and question'd the Authority of others. And because so grand an Affair could not be successfully manag'd without Writing, he set himself upon that also; and in a short time wrote a Book, entituled his Antidotes, wherein he endeavour'd to vindicate himself against his Adversaries of Geneva, and to answer the Objections, which the Ministers of the Italian Congregation there, had produc'd against his Opinions. The Book, which he made was not publish'd, but was found lying by him in MSS. Being now furnish'd with new Arguments and Reasons, he went to Grenoble, where his dear Friend Gribaldus was then publick Professor. And besides all this he was now fall'n into a Distemper, which forc'd the needy Gentleman to seek out for a place, where he might be kindly receiv'd, and find a comfortable retirement and subsistence during his Sickness.
Whilst he was under Cure, his Principles began to be known abroad, upon which account he was commanded by the Magistrates to exhibit a Confession of his Faith, which he so cunningly contrived, by abusing the Reform'd Churches, and in particular Mr. Calvin, that it was admitted for Orthodox by the *Particularly by Genebrardus.Papists. But he said nothing at all to the purpose as to the main point and business of the Controversie. From thence he went to Chambrey a Neighbouring Town, but being disturb'd in this place also, he return'd to Fargiae. By this time his Doctrines began to make a noise in the World. For Geneva, being not far off, was able to give an ample Testimony of the See the account given of him by Calvin in his Opuscula.whole Proceedings. And he himself was well enough known by his rambling about at Lyons, Chambrey, Grenoble, and in Dauphiny.
The Town of Fargiae is in the Presecture of Gaium, and belongs to the Illustrious Lords of Bern. The Governour of which place being advertis'd of the arrival of this Pestilent Fellow, order'd his Officers to apprehend him, and bring him to Gaium; where he was put into Custody, but after some time, was releas'd out of Prison, tho' still bound to his good Behaviour. But notwithstanding all this, he still continued industriously to propagate his Errors, denying that his Opinions did in any wise interfere with the publick Peace.
And here he play'd a fresh Prank. For when the Governour had demanded of him a Confession, with design to send it to Bern, there to be examin'd by the Clergy; what did Gentilis do, but sent it to the Press, pretending the Governour's Command for so doing: To this Confession he added some Propositions with many seurrilous Reflections upon St. Athanasius. Nor was this enough, but he must likewise abuse the Name and Authority of the Governour, by Dedicating his Book to him, which so highly incens'd the Governour, that could he have laid hold of the Offender, he would immediately have thrown him into Gaol again.
Hence he went back to Lyons, where the Provost of the City put him into Prison for the very same Doctrine, and kept him there almost two Months, but at last he gain'd his Liberty by much such another Trick as before. For he so soften'd his Book of Antidotes and Confession, that they rather seem'd Libels against Mr. Calvin, than Treatises against the Trinity; and so he got free.
The next Summer he went into Poland, being invited thither by Blandrata and Alciatus, who look'd upon him as a fit Instrument to raise Innovations in the Churches of Poland. Here he stay'd for above two Years, to the great Mischief both of Church and State. And had not Divine Providence confounded the Designs of these Men, by setting them at variance amongst themselves, 'tis probable the Wounds they had given Religion might have proved more dangerous to the Church. For Blandrata and Gentilis turn'd Arians, and Alciatus a Mahometan; and others (as their wild Fancies led them) embrac'd more monstrous and extravagant Opinions. And thus having disturb'd the Peace of the Church, they now began to quarrel amongst themselves: And that this is true, the present unhappy state of Poland does sufficiently testifie. The Followers of Blandrata were arriv'd to such a pitch as to avow and openly defend the Doctrine of Arius. They condemn'd the Council of Nice, and the Creed made by it; ridicul'd and exploded the Terms foreign, As Dr. Sherlock, and his Tritheistical Followers now do in England.foreign. Some denied the Incarnation of the Son of God, and others impugn'd the Immortality of the Soul; a third sort asserted, that our Saviour had his Beginning and Existence from the Virgin Mary, a fourth allow'd of Polygamy; and a fifth sort became Patrons of the Extravagancies of Mahomet. These are the sad Effects of those Spirits of Error, which Satan (by the just Judgment of God) sends to delude the old, decaying World. How great the Distractions and Confusions were that follow'd the Publication of these erroneous Doctrines, we may easily gather from the King's Proclamation, strictly commanding all such Strangers as were Setters up of New Doctrines, immediately to depart the Kingdom; by which Edict, Gentilis, amongst the rest, was driven out of Poland. Being expell'd Poland, his next Journey was into Moravia, where he join'd with the Anabaptists. From thence he went to Vienna; every where, as he travell'd, dispersing his new invented Notions.
But still continuing unsettled, indeed being able to stay no where, he began to think of returning into Savoy, believing, as he said, the Churches there to be the most moderate, and less infected of any whatever; and, besides this, he was in hopes to find Gribaldus, and the rest of his Accomplices alive, from whom he might receive assistance; Mr. Calvin (whom he always found a most zealous Adversary to all his Novelties) being now dead. All these Considerations put together, made him look upon Savoy, at this time, as the most secure place of Retirement, after so many dangerous Adventures. But as the wise Providence of God had ordain'd he should by his own Folly blindly run on upon ruin, he came to Gaium, where the very same Governour, he had formerly affronted, was then by an extraordinary Commission, continued Governor of that Province. To him Gentilis made his Application, and begg'd of him the Favour of a Publick Disputation: The Governour's Answer was, He should be sure to have Justice done him: And thereupon committed him to Prison. Thus was this subtle, cunning Heretick, who had been so insufferably troublesome to so many Churches, brought into such straits, that He was never afterward able to extricate himself.
This I thought necessary to be at large premised, that the Reader might the better be inform'd, how he came to fall into these strange Absurdities; and in what Places he dispers'd them; what a Disturber he had been of the Peace of the Church; how oft he had brought himself by these Practices into very dangerous Circumstances; and yet still by some crafty Evasion or other, made a shift to escape, till at last Divine Justice brought him to condign Punishment.
CHAP. II.
Upon what Account he was brought to Bern.
THE Senate of Bern were soon acquainted with his Confinement at Gaium, which happen'd on the 2d. of Iune, 1566. And understanding, (1.) That he maintain'd and taught the same Errors he once had abjur'd; and, (2.) That thereby he had involv'd himself in a grievous Perjury; (3.) That he had condemned our Church as still subject to Papal Slavery; when at the same time he himself, tho' in a Popish Country, could publish such a Confession, as easily procur'd him Liberty. (4.) That he had actually endeavour'd to undermine the Doctrine of the Trinity. (5.) That Poland had been mightily disturbed by him and his Accomplices. (6.) That the Ring-Leaders of the Faction (who formerly did all profess the same Opinion) were now altogether by the Ears; one an Arian, and another a Mahometan, &c. (7.) That their Doctrines were publickly condemn'd throughout Germany, their Errors animadverted upon from the Pulpit, and their Opinions, both by Writing Andtherefore not preached from thence before their Universities; nor written against by One only amongst them, and no more.and Disputations, in all the Schools were every where rejected and exploded. The Senate upon these Accounts ordered him to be brought to Bern. Besides all this, he was to give the Governour of Gaium Satisfaction for the Book, which he published and dedicated to him. Nay more, Gentilis himself, perceiving the Governour did so highly resent the Affront, which he had offered him by the said Dedication, made his Appeal to the Senate at Bern, whither he was brought the 19th. of Iuly.