Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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went so far as to declare that the orthodox party “worshipped three devils
worse than all the idols of popery.” After a three hours’ discussion, it was
resolved that all the members of the congregation should subscribe a
confession of faith, which asserted the divinity of Christ and the Holy
Spirit, as being consistent with the essential unity of the Godhead.
Six members at first refused to subscribe, but yielded afterwards with the
exception, it seems, of Biandrata and Alciati. They felt unsafe in Geneva,
and went to Bern. There they found a sympathizer in Zurkinden, the
secretary of the city, who engaged in an angry controversy with Calvin.
Biandrata left for Poland, gained the confidence of Prince Radziwill,
propagated his Unitarian opinions, and justified himself before a synod at
Pinczow (1561). In 1563 he accepted a call of Prince John Sigismund of
Transylvania as his physician, and converted him and many others to his
views, but was charged by Faustus Socinus to have in his last years favored
the Jesuits from mercenary motives. It is possible that the old man, weary
of theological strife, lost himself in the maze of scepticism, like Ochino.
Tradition reports that he was robbed and murdered by his own nephew
after 1585.
3. The peace of the Italian congregation was again disturbed by GIOVANNE
VALENTI GENTILE of Calabria, a school-master of some learning and
acuteness, who was attracted to Geneva by Calvin’s reputation, but soon
imbibed the sentiments of Gribaldo and Biandrata. He was one of the six
members who had at first refused to sign the Italian confession of faith.
Soon after the departure of Biandrata and Alciati he openly professed their
views, urged, as he said, by his conscience. He charged the orthodox
doctrine of the Trinity with quaternity,—adding a general divine essence to
the three divine essences of Father, Son, and Spirit,—and maintained that
the Father was the only divine essence, the “essentiator.” Both these ideas
he borrowed from Servetus. The Son is only an image and reflection of the
Father.
Gentile was thrown into prison, July, 1557, by order of the Council, on the
charge of violating the confession he had signed. He repeated his views and
appealed to the ministers and the Council for protection against the tyranny
of Calvin, but he was refuted by the ministers. At last he apologized for his
severe language against Calvin, whom he had always revered as a great
man, but he refused to recant his views. The Council asked the judgment of
five lawyers, who decided that, according to the imperial laws (De summa