The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 72
HIERONYMVS ZANCHYVS.
The Life and Death of Hieronimus Zanchiu….
IN the year of grace 1516. Hieronimus Zanchius descended from a Noble and renowned Family; was born in Italie at a Town called Alzanum, scituate in the valley S…ria … who became such a light unto the Gentiles, that many parts in Christendome dawned with the luster of his writings. His Father was called Franciscus Zanchius, famous not o…ely for his Parentage, but also for his knowledge in the Civill Law; he was blessed with many other children, which he received from Ba…bara, sister unto Marcus Antonius Morla…tus, both Nobly descended.
This Zanchius in his youth shewing some testifications of his hopefulnesse, he was sent forth by his Father to be instructed in the Grounds of Learning, in the Schooles he continued untill that he was twelve years old; at which time his Father dyed, and shortly after his Mother also. Being thus deprived of both his Parents, he began to consider with himselfe what course to take, for the increasing and bettering of his knowledge in the Arts; and withall, perceiving that not onelyonly his Unckle Eugenius Mu…ius, but also many of his Kinsmen and Cozen-germans had betaken themselves unto a Monasticall life, and were advanced unto the dignity of Regular Cannons, he perswaded himselfe that there were many learned persons to be found in that Society, and that youth might be well instructed & brought up amongst th…m, as well for civill behaviour as for learning; he resolved to take that course of life upon him, being also thereunto induced by the advice of his intimate friend Basileus. Wherefore revealing himselfe unto his Unkle and other friends, he was by their meanes elected and chosen into the Monastery.
In this place he lived almost ninteen years, and was by profession a Lateran Canon Regular; in which space he gave himselfe first unto the study of the Tongues, and proved a good Linguist. Secondly, unto the study of Aristotle, and became a good Logician: and thirdly, unto the study of School Divinity, wherein his excellency is manifest by his Workes. For the space of sixteen years he was familiarly acquainted, and dearly beloved of that illustrious and vertuous, grave Celsus Martinengus; who perceiving that his life was sought for the profession of the truth, fled out of Italie, and went unto Geneva, and was the first Pastor which the Italian Church had in that place; who when he dyed commended the care of his Flocke to Calvin, 1558.
During his residence in this Monastery, he would walke sometimes with Martinengus, for recreations sake unto Luca a Towne in Tuscanie, where he heard Peter Martyr openly expounding the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans, and in private the Psalmes of David unto their Canons: and these Expositions of this learned man wrought so effectually with him, that he gave himselfe wholly unto the study of Divinity, and made diligent search into the Commentaries of the most learned and authenticke Fathers; perused positive and polemicall discourses, and delivered for a season the purity of the truth of the Gospell of Christ in Italie. But in regard that Italie was too hot for Peter Martyr, and much more for his Schollars, who were hardly permitted to reside in the Countrey, much lesse to be publick Teachers; eighteen of them within the space of one year followed their Master, amongst whom was this Zanchius.
Being thus freed and delivered from this Babilonian captivity (an expression often used by himselfe) in the year 1550. he first went unto the Rhetians, because a greater liberty was ganted unto their Churches, and because …e might serve Christ with a free and a good conscience amongst them. Yet here he continued not fully nine months but he left them, and went unto Geneva; and after that he had spent other nine Moneths in that place, by the meanes of Peter Martyr, he was called into England, to performe the place of the Divinity Lecturer; unto which motion he willingly condescended: and having taken his leave of his friends and acquaintance he sets forward in his journey; he was detained by the Inhabitants of Strarburge, because their Pastor Casper Hedio was then dead, and because it was decreed by the Magistrates that an Italian following the Doctrine of Peter Martyr should be called unto the Citie… and therfore they first used meanes to bring in the grav… Martinengus; but he refused to leave his Flocke in Geneva: wherefore seing, they could not prevaile that way. They kindely intreated Zanchy to stay amongst them; hither he came in the yeare 1553. and in this place he performed a Pastorall office almost eleven years; and at vacant times he expounded Aristotle unto such as were desirous to attain unto some understanding in the Arts.
Here he was commanded by the Magistrates (if he intended to teach in that City) to subscribe unto that Confession of Faith concluded on, and set forth at Auspurge, called the Augustines Confession: unto which he consented with this caution, modo Orthodoxe intilligatur; now because his opinion about the Sacrament wa… the chiefest cause which did urge this Subscription, he wrote a Treatise concerning the Lords Supper; wherein he delivered his opinion thus.
First, that the true body of Christ, which was given for us, and his true blood which was shed for the remission of …innes, was truely eaten and drunken in the Supper.
Secondly, that it was not eaten with the mouth and teeth of the body, but with true faith.
Thirdly, and therefore received of none but of those which were elected.
And this his opinion was generally answered unto, and approved in the City, so that when they had made a triall of the sufficiency of his parts, for the space of two years, and had approved of that method and order which he had observed both in teaching and disputing, he was admitted and chosen into the Society of the Thomists: where he lived a Canon for the space of nine years, in which time he was beloved of all good men that knew him: a detester of Contraversies as cau…es of strife, and he was also a lover, and a favourer, and a furtherer of peare and quietnesse.
Yet notwithstanding diverse Controversies and accusations, were afterwards instituted and moved against him, during his residence here, and that by some of the Divines and Professors of the same Common-wealth concerning the Sacrament, and concerning the Ubiquity of the humain nature, concerning the setting of …mages in Churches and Chappels, concerning Antichrist, and the end of the world, co…cerning Praedestination, & concerning the perseverance of the Saints in Faith; wherein his opinions were condemned by them as haereticall; this flame also was increased by the addition of the fuell of a Tractate of the Lords Supper, printed by Hestrusius in the same Citie: and it came also unto that height, that he must either voluntarily depart, or else be forced thereunto by the Colledg: although meanes were used for a reconciliation, and the cause referred unto thirteen men; and although he offered publickly to dispute with his adversaries touching the same points, and had obtained the judgements of all the Churches and Academies throughout Germanie, concerning the same, and had presented them in writing unto the Senate; yet no conclusion could be effected, untill the Senate had procured learned Divines and Lawyers from Tubinge, Bipont and Basil, who were appointed as Judges to hear both parties, and to establish an agreement.
These Judges, after the hearing of the matters controverted, privately withdrew themselves, and composed c…rtaine arcicles, unto which they desired that the disagreeing partyes would subscribe, for the setling of peace and qui…tnesse in the City. To this request Zanchy used delay in the performance, and declared unto them, that there were two especiall things which detayned him that he couly not subscribe; first because in so doing he should give an occasion of offence unto the godly, and secondly it would come to passe that by his subscription, those who were seduced from the truth would be confirmed in their errours, yet notwithstanding when he perceived that his subscription might be done without any prejudice unto his doctrine, for quietnesse sake he subscrib…d with this Caveat, Hanc doctrin… formulam, ut piam agnosco, ita etiam recipio: this subscription was so joyful unto his adversaries, that after a boasting and tryumphant manner, they dispersed the tidings by letters unto their friends in Saxonie & in other adjacent Regio…s, whereas if they had truely understood it they could no… have h…d received from it such matter and cause of glory.
But it happily fell out at that time during these action… that the Church at Clavenna, by reason of the death of Augustinus Moynardus was d…stitute of a Pastor, and the inhabitants of that place had with one consent made choyce of Zanchy; assoone as he had notice hereof, and perceiving little hope of quietness… in the City he forthwith repaires unto the Senate obtaines leave to depart, and thereupon resignes his Cannonship and leaves Strasburge, and makes towards Clavenna, a famous Towne situate in Rhetia.
During this controversie and contention in Strsburge he was called by the Tigurines, to succeed Peter Martyr, but he refused to go, because he would not be seene to betray and give over the truth, and that good cause which he had in hand; he was also desired by the Italian Church at Geneva, to be their Pastor; he was sought for by the Inhabitants of Heidleberg and Marpurge, he was invited also unto Lausanna, but from these latter he was detayned by the Senate.
Immediately after his comming unto Clavenna a vehement and heavy pestilence invaded the City, which was the cause of great sorrow and lamentation in that place: for within the space of seven months three dyed 1200. persons, yet Zanchy continued his course of teaching so long as any Auditor came unto him; afterwards he removed himselfe out of the towne, unto the top of an high Mountaine, with his family, where he spent three months in reading, meditation and prayers; and at the end thereof it pleased God to remove his scourge from the City, and he returned and performed his ordinary function for the space of four years, to the great benefit of that Church, but not without many afflictions and crosses unto himself.
Hence then he was called by that incomparable vertuous and religious Prince Frederick the third Elector Palatine, unto that famous Academie at Heidleberge, and by him most courteously entertained, and constituted successor unto Zachary Vrsin, at his entrance into his office which was in the year 1568. he delivered an excellent and learned speech concerning the conservation of the purity of doctrine in the Church, and in the same year he was graced with the title of Doctor in Divinity, in the presence of the Prince Elector, and of his son Casimirus; who being most desirous of propagating the truth of Christ, injoyned him (after his returne from Rhetia to the Palatinate) to lay open the true doctrine concer…ing God, and concerning the three Persons in the Diety, and to confute the opinion and to overthrow the arguments of such adversaries as at that time opposed the Diety of Christ, and of the holy Ghost, in Poland and in Transilvania: whereupon he wrote his treatises ful of learning and piety, de natura Dei, detribus Elohmi filio & spiritu Sancto, uno eodemque Iehovah.
In this Academie he professed Divinity ten years even unto the death of …rederich the third Prince Elector, afterwards he went unto Neostadt where he was entertained Divinity Lecturer, in a School newly erected, where he continued seven years: after the death of Frederick the third he was called unto the Academy at Leyden in Holland, then newly consecrated, in the year 1578. and also unto Antwarp in Brabant, in the year 1580. but because that School could not want him, he was willed by the Prince to remain there where he continued untill such time as the School was translated unto Heidleberge, and then by reason of his old age, he was discharged of his office by Casimirus then Elector Palatine; whereupon he went towards Heidleberg to visit some friends which he had there, whom when he had seene and comforted in those perillous times, he changed this life for a better and more durable, in the year 1590. and in the 75. year of his age, and lyes buried in St. Peters Chappel at Heidelberg.
He was well read in the auncient Fathers, and in the writings of the Philosophers; he was of singular modesty, he alwayas earnestly desired peace amongst the Churches, and in his old age was afflicted with blindnesse.
His works are here inserted.
1 Divine Miscillanies, with the explication of the August…n Confession. 2 His judgement of the Controversies about the Lords Supper. 3 Of the Trinity, bookes thirteen in two parts, in the fi…st the Orthodox mystery of this Doctrine is proved, and confirmed by Scripture, in the latter the adversaries are confuted. 4 A C…mpendium of the chiefe points of Christian Doctrine. 5 A Perfect tretise of the sacred Scriptures. 6 Of the Incarnation of Christ. 7 Of the Divine Nature and his Attributes. 8. Of the Workes of God in six dayes. 9… Of Mans Redemption. 10 A Commentary upon Hosea. 11. A Commentary on the Ephesians. 12. Colossian.. 13 Thessalonians. 14 Iohn. 15 Observations of Physicke. 16 His answer to an Arrian.
He sought and found the truth, and would not hide
That light from others that did still abide
Within his breast, his soul was alwayes free
T'advance the works of reall piety;
Uertue, and gravity were both combin'd
Within the ceture of his breast, and shin'd
With equall luster; all that heard his voyce
Were fil'd with raptures, and would much rejoyce
At his discourse, for what his tongue exprest
Alwayes proceeded from a reall breast.
Let his examples teach us how to stand
Firmely obedient to our Gods command:
That at the last we may rejoyce, and sing
Praises with Zanchy to heav'ns glorious King.