The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 73
The Life and Death of Anthony Sadeel, who dyed Anno Christi 1591.
ANthony Sadeel was born upon the confines of Savoy, and France, not far from Geneva Anno Christi 1534. and his father dying whilst he was young, his mother brought him up in learning, and sent him to Paris, and having studyed a while there, he went to Tholous, where falling into the society of some godly students of the Law, it pleased God that he left Popery, and went from thence to Geneva; where he was much holpen by Calvin, and Beza: afterwards being sent for home, and some controversie arising about his inheritance, he went to Paris and there joyned himselfe with the private Congregation of the Protestants: there the Pastor Collongius called the young students that were of that congregation together, perswaded them to apply themselves to the study of Divinity, which afterwards turned to the great good of the French Churches, and amongst others, Sadeel faithfully promised to apply him self therto; & having profited much in those studyes, being scarce twenty years old, he was by the approbation of the whole Church, chosen one of the Pastors: the year after fell out that horrid violence offered to the Church at Paris, when they were met together to hear the word, and receive the Sacrament, where above one hundred and fifty of them were laid hold of, and cast into Prison, but by a miracle of Gods mercy the Pastors escaped: the year after Sadeel was delivered from a great danger, for at midnight many Apparitors brake into his house, searched every corner, and at last brake into his chamber, seized on his books, and papers, crying out they were Hereticall, and so laid hold upon him, and carryed him to Prison: But it pleased God that Antony of Burbon King of Navar who knew him, and had often heard him, hearing of his imprisonment, sent to the officers to release him as being one of his train; and when they refused to doe it, he went himselfe to the Prison complaining of the wrong that was don him by imprisoning one that belonged to him, being neither a murtherer, nor thief, and withall bad Sadeel follow him, and so tooke him away with him: whereupon the day after he publickly before the King gave thanks to God for his deliverance, expounding the 124 Psalm: then it being judged the safest for him to absent himselfe for a while, he went to vi…it the Churches in other parts of the Kingdome, and at Aurelia he continued some moneths Preaching to many Citizens, and students in the night time to their great advantage: then he returned to Paris againe where a Synod of Ministers, and Elders (the first that was there) were assembled to draw up a confession of their Faith, which afterwards was presented to the King by the Admirall Coligny: But the King shortly after dying, the Queen mother, and the Guises drew all the Government of the Kingdom into their hands, and raised a great persecution against the Church, drawing many of all ranks to Prisons, and punishment: yet Sadeel intermitted not his office, but was wholly imployed in Preaching, comforting, confirming the weak &c. till the danger encreasing, it was thought fit that the care of the Church should be committed to one Macradus, a man lesse known, and that Sadeel should retire himselfe: and so he went into severall parts of the Kingdome, and ther…by much propagated the true faith. The year after, the persecution not being so violent at Papis, Sadeel could not refraine from going to his flocke which he loved so dearly. In the year 1561. he fell sicke of a quartan Ague, and by the advice of his Physitians and friends, he was perswaded to goe into his owne Countrey: yet neither there did he live idle, but Preached up and down, to the spirituall advantage of many. From thence he was called to be the Moderator in a Synod at Aurelia, where the opinion was discussed, and confuted of some that held, That the Government of the Church should not be in the Eldership, but in the body of the Congregation: and Sadeel took so much pains in this point, that the the first Author of that Schism was confuted, and converted, and publickly in writing confessed, and recanted his error: being returned to Paris, the persecution began to grow so hot there againe, that he was perswaded to retire himself from the same, af…er which he never could return to his flock that so loved, and was beloved of him: after his departure he was present at, and moderated in many Synods of the French Churches: but withall he was so hated of the wicked, that at last he was driven from thence to Lusanna where he Preached for a time, and from thence he went to Geneva, where for diverse years he was a Pastor: but the Church in France having some peace, he returned thither, and at Lions, and Burgundy he edified the Churches exceedingly: Afterwards he was sent for by Henry the fourth King of Navar, to whom he went very unwillingly not liking a Court-life; yet, by the advice of his friends he went to him, and for three years space in all his troubles was with him, comforting and encouraging him very much: and at the Battle of Cour…rass, a little before it began, he stood in the head of the Army and prayed earnestly for successe, which much encouraged all the Souldiers; and when they had gotten the victory, he also gave Publick, and solemn thanks unto God for the same: but by reason of sicknesse and weaknesse, being unable to follow that kind of life any longer, he was with u…willingnesse dismissed by the King, and went through his enemies Countries in much danger till he came to hi… wife, and children at Geneva: but shortly after he was sent by order from the King into Germany, upon an Embassie to the Protestant Princes, where not onelyonly the Universities, but the Princes also received him in a very honorable manner, especially Prince Cassimire and the Lantgrave of Hesse. Anno Christi 1589. he returned to Geneva, where in the middest of many troubles he continued in the work of his Ministery to the end of his life: and when the City was besieged by the Spaniards and others, he oft went out with the Citizens to the fights, so encouraging them, that through Gods mercy, a few of them put thousands of the enemies to flight many times: At last he fell …ick of a Plurifie, and though the Physitians apprehended no danger, yet he fore-told that it would be mortall: and retiring himself from the world, he wholly conversed with God: Prayers were made daily for him in the Congregations, and Beza and the other Ministers visited him often, with Prayers and tears begging his recovery: he enjoyed much inward peace, and comfort in his sicknesse, and at last slept in the Lord Anno Christi 1591. and of his age fifty seven: his losse was much bewailed by the whole City; his Preaching was not too curious, and yet not void of Art, and eloquence: So that his Ministery was alwayes most gratefull to the people; he was very holy, and exemplary in his life, and had most of the learnedst men of those times for his special friends.
Renowned Sadeel spent his dayes
In giving the Almighty praise:
He through floods of danger went
To feed his flocke, whose great content
Fatten'd their souls and made them thrive,
(No foode like truth to kéep alive)
Iu grace; they ceas'd not to applaud
His worth, that was not over-awde
By Papists rage; t'was not a Goale
Could make his lofty courage faile;
Let his example teach us to expresse
Our selves contented when we féel distresse.