fhew the priesthood, by our cruelty, that we are no lefs religious than they. But our religion is more holy than that of the Romans, and confequently impiety is a greater crime. Granted. God will punish it. The part of man is, to punish that which is criminal in the public diforder which the impiety hath occafioned. But if in the act of impiety the delinquent hath not even ftolen a handkerchief; if the ceremonies of religion have been in no wife difturbed, shall we, as I faid before, punish the impiety as we would punish parricide? The Marfhal d'Ancre had caufed a white cock to be killed when the moon was at full: ought we therefore to burn the Marshal d'Ancre. Eft modus in rebus, funt certi denique fines CHAF CHAP VII. On the Crime of Preaching; and of Anthong. A CALVINIST teacher, who, in certain provinces, preaches to his flock, if he be detect ed, is punished with death; and those who have given him a fupper, or a bed, are fent to the gallies for life. In other countries, if a Jefuit be caught preaching, he is hanged. Is it to avenge God that this Calvinist and this Jefuit are put to death? Have both parties built upon the following Evengelical law? If he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. But the Evangelift does not order that this heathen and this publican fhould be hanged. Or have they built on this passage in Deute ronomy; If among you a prophet arife; and that which he hath faid come to pass ; and he fay, eth unto you, let us follow ftrange gods; and if thy brother, or thy fon, or thy wife, or the friend of thy heart, fay unto thee, Come, let us follow frange gods: let them be ftraightways killed, Arike thou first, and all the people after thee. Chap. xiii. But But neither this Jefuit nor the Calvinist said unto you, Come, let us follow strange gods. The counsellor Dubourg, the monk Jehan Chouvin, named Calvin, the Spanish physician Servetus, the Calabrian Gentilis, all worshipped the fame God and yet the president Minard caufed counsellor Dubourg to be burnt; and Dubourg's friends caufed prefident Minard to be affaffinated; Jehan Calvin caufed the phyfician Servėtus to be roafted; and had likewife the confolation to be a principal means of bringing the Calabrian Gentilis to the block; and the fucceffors of Jehan Calvin burnt Anthony. Was it reafon, or piety, or justice, that committed thefe murders? This hiftory of Anthony is one of the most fingular which the annals of phrenzy hath preferved. I read the following account in a very curious manufcript; it is in part related by Jacob Spon. Anthony was born at Brieu in Lorrain, of catholic parents, and he was educated by the Jefuits at Pont a Mouffon. The preacher Feri engaged him in the proteftant religion at Metz. Having returned to Nancy he was profecuted as a heretic, and, had he not been faved by a friend, would certainly have been hanged. He fled for refuge refuge to Sedan, where, being taken for a Papift, he narrowly escaped affaffination. Seeing by what strange fatality his life was not in fafety, either among Papifts or Proteftants, he went to Venice and turned Jew. He was pofitively perfuaded, even to the last moments of his life, that the religion of the Jews was the only true religion; for that, if it was once true, it must always be fo. The Jews did not circumcife him, for fear of offending the ftate; but he was no lefs internally a Jew. He now went to Geneva, where, concealing his faith, he became a preacher, was prefident to the college, and finally what is called a minifter. The perpetual combat in his breast between the religion of Calvin, which he was obliged to preach, and that of Mofes, which was the only religion he believed, produced a long illness. He became melancholy, and at laft quite mad, crying aloud, that he was a Jew. The ministers of the gospel came to vifit him, and endeavoured to bring him to himself; but he answered, "that "he adored none but the God of Ifrael; that "it was impoffible for God to change; that "God could never have given a law, and in"fcribed it with his own hand, with an inten"tion that it fhould be abolished." He fpoke against Christianity, and afterwards retracted all he had faid, and even wrote his confeffion of faith, to escape punishment; but the unhappy perfuafion of his heart would not permit him to fign it. The council of the city affembled the clergy, to confult what was to be done with the unfortunate Anthony. The minority of these clergy were of opinion, that they should have compaffion on him, and rather endeavour to cure his disease than punish him. The majority determined that he should be burnt, and he was burnt. This tranfaction is of the year 1632*. A hundred years of reafon and virtue are scarce fufficient to expiate fuch a deed. * Spon, p. 500. Guy Vances. СНАР. |