CHAP. withstanding many conflicts and some reverses, has been maintained there to this day. 1 VIII. Account of P. P. We now turn again to individual history. We have before intimated that Peter Paul Vergerio. Vergerio, who was for many years a confidential agent of the court of Rome, and for his services was made bishop of Capo d'Istria, in the territory of Venice, eventually became a protestant, and suffered for his religion. The account given of his conversion and subsequent conduct deserves to be here recited, though perhaps his character, and certainly his attainments appear to have been somewhat overrated in our common English biographies. 2 3 The last service in which Vergerio was employed by the pope, though under the assumed character of a delegate from the French king, was at the conferences held at Worms in 1540-41,-to frustrate their design, and procure their dissolution; in which objects he succeeded. On his return to Rome, the pope designed to make him a cardinal: but at this time a suspicion was revived, which cardinal Aleander had three years before insinuated, that, by long intercourse with the Germans Vergerio had become too favourably disposed to the Lutheran heresy. Vergerio, being informed by one of the cardinals what had obstructed his advancement, was both surprised and indignant; and, to clear himself of the injurious suspicion, retired to the seat of his own bishopric, to write a book which should bear this title, "Against the Apostates of Germany." But, in order to refute the Lutherans, it was necessary to read their books: and, in doing this, an effect was produced, we may Middleton's Biographia Evangelica, &c. 3 Sleid. 272. 1 Seck. iii. 664. assuredly believe, under the influence of divine grace, which Vergerio had little anticipated; he became convinced that the principles he was opposing were true, and founded in scripture. "Laying aside, therefore," says the historian, "all hopes of a cardinal's hat, he went to consult with his own brother, John Baptista, bishop of the neighbouring city of Pola. His brother, alarmed, at first bewailed his condition; but, having at his earnest entreaty applied himself to search the holy scriptures with him, particularly on the great point of justification, he also yielded to conviction, and concluded the popish doctrine to be false. Whereupon, rejoicing in one another, they began to teach the people of Istria, (as the office of a bishop requires,) and to preach up the benefit of Christ to mankind, pointing out, at the same time, what works God requires of us; that so they might bring men over to the true worship of their Maker." But many adversaries arose against them; among whom was especially Hannibal Grisonio, the chief of the inquisition. This man, coming to Pola and Capo d' Istria, rushed into the houses of the citizens, and searched for prohibited books. He then mounted the pulpit, and pronounced all excommunicated who did not inform of persons suspected of Lutheranism, threatening those who did not repent and submit themselves, that they should be burned at the stake. He further openly incited the people to stone Vergerio and his heretical associates, as the true cause of the 1 "He denounced his threats from door to door every where.... Soon after nothing was seen but accusations: every one engaged in them, without regard to consanguinity or gratitude: the wife did not spare her husband, the son his father, or the client his patron." Bayle, Art. Vergerio. 453 A. D. 1545. CHAP. 1546. March. 1548. Case of calamities which they had of late years suffered in their olives, their corn, their vines, their cattle, and other goods. Vergerio upon this withdrew to his friend cardinal Hercules Gonzaga, at Mantua; but, being soon given to understand that he could not be harboured there, he betook himself to the council then sitting at Trent, and in which he had a right to appear as a member, designing to justify himself before the assembled fathers. The pope, understanding his design, though he would gladly have made him a prisoner, yet dared not venture upon a step which would have given the Germans such a handle, and so glaringly have impeached the freedom of the council. He contented himself, therefore, with ordering that he should not be admitted into the assembly, or be heard by them. In consequence, after some other removals, he at length took up his abode at Padua. And here there seems reason to suspect that his zeal in some degree abated, even if his determination did not waver, when a very awful occurrence made a salutary impression on his mind. This was no other than the awful fate of Francis Spira, which every one has seen alluded to, but with the particulars of which few, comparatively, are acquainted. Spira was a lawyer in extensive practice at the bar, who resided at Citadella, not far from Padua. He had embraced the reformed religion with great zeal and earnestness; and, making daily proficiency in the knowledge of its truths, expressed his thoughts concerning the several points of doctrine, with great freedom, both to his friends, and to those generally with whom he conversed. Information of this was conveyed to the pope's legate at Venice, and Spira began to perceive the danger to which he was exposed, and to revolve with himself what was best to be done. The legate had sent for him, and he determined to obey the summons. Before him he retracted his alleged errors, begged absolution, and promised obedience in future. The legate enjoined him to go home, and make a public recantation. He promised to do so: and, although his conscience reproached him, yet at the solicitation of his friends, who told him that the welfare not only of himself, but of his wife, his children, his estate, and every thing depended upon it, he executed his sinful engagement. But soon after, struck with horror at what he had done, he fell sick both in body and mind, and began to despair of God's mercy. Growing worse and worse, and expressing himself in language too awful to be repeated, concerning his crime and his inevitable damnation, he was removed, for the sake of better advice, from Citadella to Padua. The physicians pronounced his malady to be " the effect of pensiveness and too anxious thought," and recommended, as the best remedy, good discourse and spiritual consolation. Many learned men, therefore, daily visited him, and laboured to relieve his mind by such passages of scripture as exhibit the riches and extent of the mercy of God towards repenting sinners. He told them, that he denied not the truth of all they said, but that these texts belonged not to him, for he was doomed to everlasting pains, because for fear of danger he had abjured the known truth; that these pains he already felt in his mind, and could not love God, but horribly hated him. In this condition he continued, refusing all sustenance, and spitting it out again when forced upon him. Advice and A. D. 1546. CHAP. VIII. Its effects on Vergerio. 1548. counsel, whether of the physician or the divine, being lost upon him, and his bodily infirmity and the anguish of his mind increasing daily, he was taken home again, and there died miserably in all the horrors of despair.-Such examples are happily rare; but they do from time to time occur, presenting a warning, never to be forgotten, that we should not, for any terrors, or for any allurements that a fellow creature can hold out to us, be induced to do violence to our consciences, and thus draw down upon ourselves the wrath of Him who is "able to destroy both body and soul in hell!" 1 Among others who frequently visited Spira, while he lay at Padua, was Vergerio and, whatever might be the success of his endeavours in behalf of the unhappy man, the effect was good with regard to himself. He became more confirmed in the principles he had received, and resolved to leave his native country, and all that he had, and to submit to a voluntary exile, in order to take up his abode in some place where he might safely profess the doctrine of Christ. Accordingly he, a few months afterwards, quitted the country of Bergamo, and went and settled in Switzerland, among the Grisons: and, having for some years preached the gospel there, and in the Valteline, he was invited by Christopher, duke of Würtemberg, to Tubingen, where he passed the remainder of his days. His brother, the bishop of Pola, died before Vergerio left Italy, with the suspicion of having been poisoned: 1 Many eminent men saw Spira in the state described, and among them Matthew Gribaldo, a lawyer of Padua, who published a relation concerning him, as did also Vergerio, Sigismond Gelon, Polonus, and Henry Scott."Sleidan. |