Anti-Socinianism, Part 20
Franciſcus Puccius Florentinus.
Eccleſiae Chriſti membrum ſe Puccius instat,
Scilicet egreg…um; Relligionis inops.
IF our ſouls were as ſenſible of ſin, as our bodies are of pain, we would be m…re careful of our ſelves for …ear of a relapſe. We would not willingly fall again into the ſame ſickneſſes, under which we have a long time groaned, and …rom which we are for the preſent delivered; and yet we take no care of falling into the ſame ſins, or runing into the ſame wayes of errour, out of which God by his mercy hath luckt us, like brands out of the fire; when we were ready to be conſumed.
This was verely the fault of Francis Puccius a Florentine, of the noble and renowned family of the Puccij of Florence, who, ſo journing at Lyons, being there about ſome neceſſary affair, when as diſputations about religion waxed hot, and matters of moment were freely debated therein, was convinced in his conſcience of the vanity of the Popiſh religion, in which he was at that time very Zealous, after ſome debatement thereof with himſelf, and ſome conference concerning it, with others, he utterly renounced it, as tend…ng to the deſtruction both of body and ſoul. Hereupon, he came into England, and firſt to Oxford, where for ſome time he ſtudied Divinity, after that, to London; and ſo over to B…ſil, where he had that diſputation with Socinus, which was formerly mentioned by us; But where, or from whom he got thoſe whimſies, and fancies of dotage with which he was poſſeſſed, thoſe wild, and mad opinions, which he broached, and by which the Churches were very much troubled, we cannot learn, nor do we greatly care to know. For beſides thoſe opinions, which he held in common with the Socinians, he maintained a certain kind of natural faith, by which we m…ght attain to ſalvation, as alſo univerſal redemption and other ſtuffe, ejuſdem f…rmae, of the ſame batch. By reaſon of which, he was conſtrained to leave Baſil, from whence he took his courſe directly for England, and ſo up to London; where he began to publiſh his paradoxical opinions; and that with ſuch confidence, as if, Orpheus like, he meant to charm all to follow him, that did but once vouchſafe to hear him. Spiritual arrogance, is ſo much more miſchievous, as the ſoul is beyond all earthly pelf. For when we are once come to advance, and admire our own judgments, we are at firſt apt to hugge our own inventions, then to eſteem them too precious to be ſmothered within our own cloſets, the World muſt know of how happy an iſſue we are delivered, and muſt applaud it to, or elſe abide a conteſtation: So that the Wiſeman well noteth, Prov. 13.10. only by Pride cometh contention: So Puccius grew ſo high in the in-ſtep, by reaſon of this new-light, which only he had diſcovered, and theſe new opinions, which he broaching defended, that there grew ſome trouble thereby in the City, of London; for which, he (as the ring-leader) was clapt up into priſon; Out of which being again delivered, and perceiving that this was not a place for his purpoſe, he again croſſed the Seas, being before croſſed by Land, and betook himſelf to Bavau; From hence he ſent divers times to ſolicite Socinus to a conference, about their mutual opinions, certain conditions were agreed upon, and Moderators appointed to that end; Socinus returns anſwer, that he was in a readineſſe to make his appearance there, and to accompliſh whatſoever ſhould in reaſon be requeſted or required of him; But Puccius, either in confidence of his own ability, or elſe induced by ſome other weighty argument, takes a journey on purpoſe by way of prevention: For he, which for Socinus his ſake, came to Baſil to meet him, comes now for his ſake alſo, to Cracovia in Polonia; where after they had met, and had had divers diſputations between them, and could not agree, for it is next to a wonder to ſee hereticks, though never ſo neerly linkt together, to agree in all things unleſſe it be in the oppoſition of truth; he returning from thence became a companion of ſome that ſtudied magick, with whom he came to Prague, and there like an Apoſtate as he was, fell to his old ſuperstitious devotion again, of cringing and crouching to every ſtock, and joyned in Communion with the Church of Rome, whom he had openly renounced and defyed, as the whore of Babylon. We ſee here the inconstancy of mans nature, even in that, wherein he ſhould be moſt conſtant, and that is religion. Apoſtacy of manners cannot but be dangerous, of faith deadly: together with truth it looſeth ſhame; and not ſeldom ſwells up to the ſin againſt the Holy Ghost, for which there is no forgiveneſs in Heaven, becauſe there can be no remorſe on earth. This is a moſt perilous effect of ſpiritual pride, which bears ſuch ſway in the heart of man, that neither he himſelf is, nor ſhall the Church of God be, if he can help it, at any quiet, through his miſgrounded novelty, and moſt dangerous hereſy, to which he ſtands extreamly affected.
Can it be any other then an height of pride, for a man to think himſelf wiſer then the whole Church of God upon earth? wiſer then the Church of God that hath bin upon earth, ever ſince the Apoſtles of Chriſt incluſively in all ſucceſſions to this preſent time? It was this pride that undid Puccius, and brought him back with ſhame to that religion, which he had diſclaimed. And many ſuch examples have we of divers, who have ſtrayed from the truth, to the Samoſatenian or Socinian aſſemblies, ye tat length have foully miſcarryed, either returning back to Popery, from whence at firſt they took their flight, or elſe to Iudaiſme or Turciſme, which is worſt of all; That Spirit which beareth rule in the hearts of the Children of diſobedience, bringeth them about with, ſuch a giddineſs of mind, that without, Gods ſpecial preventing grace, there is no help for them. And no marvel they are ſo ready to turn Turcks or Jews, that are once entred into the Socinian Doctrines, For they are ſo like, that there is not a pin to chuſe.