Anti-Socinianism, Part 10
Georgius Blandrata Salucienſis Medicus.
Hic Medicus Blandrata fuit, dum corpora curat,
Haereſeos virus mentibus ille parat.
GEorge Blandrata of Salucia, by profeſſion a Phyſician, who not long after followed his companion Gentilis, flying from Geneva for fear of the Magistrate, who is not a terrour, but to thoſe that do evil, and who (as he ſuppoſed) laid out for him, to take him if poſſible, conſcius ipſe ſibi, as one conſcious of his own baſeneſs; but by a ſlight eſcaped, he fled away, no man ſo much as purſuing him: For while he, among the reſt, was hearing Calvin in a publick Auditory, by chance eſpying the Magiſtrate or chief Judge comming in, whom to avoid, he cunningly clapt his hand-kerchief to his noſe, as if he had bin taken with a ſudden bleeding, and ſo fled out of the Church and out of the City, being never afterwards ſeen therein. During his abode at Geneva he often diſputed with Calvin, in whoſe works we may find the anſwers to Blandrata's queſtions; He ingennouſly confeſſeth that he received great ſatisfaction from Calvin by his publick diſputations, and conſented with him, but never held to any thing ſo cloſe, as his pernicious errours, and damnable hereſies, of the foulneſs of which, notwithſtanding he vvere convinced in his conſcience by his ovvn confeſſion, yet ſuch povver had the Devil over him, that he was never able, or willing to retract, and wholly forſake them: Inſomuch that Calvin told him to his face, thy countenance bewrayes that all is not well, thou hast ſome deteſtable monster within thee, which thou makeſt much of, and lies lurking in thy very heart. Ill actions are perpetual perturbations: his countenance cannot be ſerene, whoſe conſcience is over caſt with the guilt of his impiety.
At Ticinus eſcaping the hands of the Inquiſitors, who would willingly have gotten him into their power, he went into Helvetia, and ſo to Germany. He paſſeth from thence to Polonia and Tranſylvania, where he practiſeth Phyſick, and under the notion of that profeſſion, wherein he proved happy, either by his ability or ſucceſſe, did the better obſcure that hereſy which he mainta…ned, and endeavoured ſo much to advance by his wily whiſperings, and crafty diſt…lling it into the ears of thoſe eminent perſons, who by reaſon of his practiſe he had to be his patients. To him Fauſtus Socinus, (being now grown up) write an Epiſtle bearing this title or Dedication, To George Blandrata chief Phyſician to Stephen the moſt renowned King of Poland, and one of the privy Councel, his Lord and Patron moſt worthy to be honoured, &c. This man was a very great favourer and promoter of the Socinian faction, and ſtood them in great ſteed, both in the Court of Polonia and Tranſylvania, where his word did bear ſome weight by reaſon of his profeſſion and power, by which alſo he attained to a very rich and plentiful eſtate; But it ſeems towards his end, he grew ſomewhat luke-warm in his affections to them, and not ſo indulgent towards their affairs as they expected or deſired, which made them much to compla…n of him, and inſteed of titles of honour, to lade him with terms of infamie and reproach. However he dealt with them at the laſt, yet ſure they had never gotten ſo much footing in thoſe parts, had it not bin for him: his ſecret endeavours, his open and apparent writings, may evidence the good will he bare unto them; and therefore ſhall not go unpuniſhed, ſometimes private puniſhments gripe a man within; while others looking in their face diſcern not their hurt; ſometimes God puniſheth openly, and the offences of men meet with a Market laſh; thus dealt he with Blandrata, he was ſtrangled in his bed by his own Brothers Son, whom he had appointed and conſtituted his heyr. Non haec ſine numine, &c. This was not done in a corner, nor without Gods just revenge upon this wicked and ungodly wretch, whom he thought fit to hurry out of the World, by ſuch an unwonted and curſed kind of death, being a prime Authour, of many execrable hereſies in the Churches of Chriſt, many horrible blaſphemies againſt God and his truth, many filthy and abhominable books, many terrible rufflings among the Profeſſors of the ſame truth of God, which can never be wholly vanquiſhed; Errour and hereſy may blow on it, and ſhake it to, but not overthrow it; for it is founded on ſuch Baſis, and hath ſuch a ſure ground-work, as is ſubject neither, to battery, nor undermining, The rock Chriſt Jeſus.
This Blandrata, with the counſel and aſſiſtance of Francis Davidis, wrote a book againſt the bleſsed Trinity, oppoſing one (to whom the Church of God in thoſe parts was very much beholding, as being a notable Aſſertor of the Orthodox Religion, that is, George Major,) whoſe very Title doth declare both the Authour and the matter of the ſame, (being a certain Refutation of a writing of George Major's) to be unſound and heretical, wherein he endeavours to prove, but out of the pit of Anti-Christ, that there are not three diſtinct Perſons, and but one Eſſence in the Godhead; We will not trouble our ſelves with the blaſphemies againſt God, the Calumnies and Slanders vomited out againſt the maintainers of the truth, which are therein conteined; it is ſufficiently known, that their whole Religion conſiſteth in nothing elſe, which being (if it were poſſible) taken from them, they would not have a figleaf left them to cover themſelves withall. By this book of Blandrata's, we come to know who were the Authours of that moſt curſed pamphlet publiſhed 1567. in the name of the Miniſters of the Churches agreeing together in Sarmatia and Tranſylvania, that is to ſay, this wicked Blandrata, Francis Davidis, and ſome others of the ſame ſtamp; It is no marvel, that he who laboured to ſtifle the honour of God in the Churches, ſhould be ſtifled by the hands of him, who ſhould have done honour to him. We ſee though the wayes of vice be ſmooth, yet are they ſlippery, inviting by the eye, but tripping up the heels, to the wounding or drowning of thoſe that take a delight to walk on them.