"That government is good which with all diligence seeks the common good, leading men to virtue and to good living, and above all to Divine worship.'—Savonarola.
WHILE the Holy Scripture declares and history proves that " not many noble " of earth are numbered in the high calling of Heaven (1 Cor. 1:26), yet there are some bright and blessed exceptions, and the present brief sketch shows one of these. The wave of spiritual blessing which passed over England about the middle of last century, was remarkable for the way in which it reached the upper classes, leading many of them to become faithful followers of Him who is " meek and lowly in heart " (Matt. 11:29).
The name Guicciardini is familiar to the reader of Italian history, and no one has visited the fair city of Italian art without walking through the street and passing the palace which bear this famous Italian family name. Count Guicciardini was born in that palace on the 21st of July, 1808. He received the highest possible education, and had as one of his fellow-students the future Grand Duke of Tuscany.
When the young Count had reached his twenty-fifth year, that is in 1833, a temporal wave of progress caused Leopold II. to patronize a higher standard of education than had prevailed in Tuscany, and he called his friend Count Guicciardini to undertake the organization of a better educational system. It was no easy task. The young nobleman soon found that he would require to make a new class of teachers, and give special attention to the moral aspect of the art of teaching. Books on the subject were lacking, and Count Guicciardini was in quest of a suitable text book, when one day he met a well-known literary friend. He asked him whether he could recommend any good, moral book on the art of teaching. After some reflection his friend exclaimed, “take the Gospel."
The abrupt recommendation did not remain unheeded by the Count, who examined his valuable library, but could find no copy of the Bible in Italian. He had, however, the Latin Vulgate, and he began to read it as a fit source from which at least he might translate some helpful matter on the subject of his quest. With this object in view he read on day by day. “O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! " (Rom. 11:33).
While Count Guicciardini was thus perusing the Vulgate Bible, he began to discover several serious points of divergence between it and his Church, and his educational pursuits became lost in his more spiritual researches. It was in this frame of mind that one day he was about to go out for a walk. He was descending the magnificent staircase of his palace when he observed the caretaker at the bottom, reading a book which was hurriedly hidden on the approach of the nobleman. Filled with curiosity almost amounting to suspicion, the Count informed his servant that he had noticed his surprising action, mad asked for an explanation. Begging his master to keep the matter a secret, he confessed that the mysterious volume was the Italian Bible, and he handed it to the Count.
“But do you understand it?”
“Yes, some of it," replied the humble dependent.
“Well, take it and come upstairs with me."
Count Guicciardini and his caretaker were soon shut in a room in the palace, reading and meditating together upon God's Word, and this continued daily for some time. One day a warm discussion took place upon a certain passage, and it only ended by the Count saying to his servant, " Well, let us go out and get some fresh air; perhaps in a calmer mood we shall understand it better." Saying so, they left the palace together, and the familiar manner in which Count Guicciardini walked and talked with his servant was observed and caused much comment in the vicinity where the nobleman was so well known and so highly esteemed by all.
While the truth of the Gospel was maturing in his mind, one day Count Guicciardini was saying his creed, and came to the profession of his belief in “the communion of Saints." He suddenly stopped and asked himself the question: “Who are these Saints in whose communion I believe? They must be Saints on earth."
Before many days passed Count Guicciardini found his all in Christ, and his conversion and testimony showed this. He rejoiced to know that Christ was made unto him wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption; and now he gloried, no longer in his own righteousness, but in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:30).
The Grand Duke was now completely under the power of the Jesuits, and he consented to a determined and definite effort proposed by his government for the suppression of any evangelical work or worship in Tuscany. In January, 1851, the services held in Italian in the Swiss Church were forbidden, and one hundred and twenty persons who had attended them received notice, under the penalty of imprisonment, to cease frequenting these or any other public or private evangelical meeting, while a special prohibition was forwarded to Count Guicciardini.
With all the nobility of his character the Count resented this tyrannical action of the Tuscan Government, and informed the authorities that if they insisted upon it, he would feel obliged to go into voluntary exile. This sacrifice he proved ready to make. On the 3rd of May, 1851, what he thought was the eve of his departure, he wrote to his few Christian brethren the following letter, which ranks as one of the noblest documents in the history of the Italian Gospel testimony. We have translated it from the original Italian, and present it in toto to our readers, assured that they will find it a frank and clear Gospel testimony that requires no comment: " Dear brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ, " It is fully two years that I have been with some of you, searching and meditating upon the Holy Scriptures to know and obtain with prayer the faith which saves in Jesus Christ our Lord. Most of you have been added little by little to our meetings, invited by no one, but rather impelled by the Divine Will to seek the truth. So we did not refuse the call of God, and through the Divine mercy we beheld His work in the increase and prosperity of our gatherings, which have abounded in the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus.
" But the higher powers and governments will often oppose the Lord, who, although He is more powerful, sometimes permits His servants to pass through affliction, that their faith may be tried, His holy name confessed before men and glory brought to Him (Acts 4:1-31; 5:17-42; 1 Peter 4:12-16). We must not be surprised, therefore, if at present we are subject to persecution, and if we are prevented from preaching and teaching the Gospel, and if the Bible itself cannot be in the hands of all.
“Among a large number of our fellow-citizens you know that I, too, was placed under this kind of renewed inquisition, which intends to bind persons and consciences. But since before God and in my social position I do not believe it my duty to submit to it, I have resolved rather to abandon voluntarily this unhappy country, and so regain my liberty of action and fulfill my duties and the sentiments of my conscience. And knowing how deeply you have been interested in me, out of gratitude, and reciprocating your sympathy, it gives me pleasure to leave you this farewell letter. To you, who more than all others know the secrets of my heart, because of the common bonds in our Lord, I am pleased to say a word, and call you to witness the intolerance of Romanism and the despotism which have driven me to the hard path of abandoning my dear country, while I have and can have the conviction that I have wronged no one; that I have certainly taken nothing from anyone; I have respected the laws; I have given the example of obedience to the authorities. I have spoken of that Sacrifice whose blood was shed for the remission of sins. I have not been ashamed to act according to the will of God, even when the current of the times was carrying the majority out of the right way. I have never been ambitious of riches or honors. I have not offered you silver or gold, nor promises of any kind in order to attract you to the faith in Jesus Christ.
" So on leaving this earthly country, on abandoning every worldly interest, the sweet ties of family, the comforts of friendship and the holy conversations which I have had with you, I feel I am under the protection and power of my God. I enjoy the peace of conscience and the assurance of eternal life, not because I am worthy of it, but because Christ is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).
" For the comfort of you who remain, let me exhort you to rest assured that the Lord will be with you in the future, and will give you in the future, as He has given you in the past, the means of edifying yourselves and establishing yourselves in the holy truths; and on this you may depend, remembering that Christ Himself is the Good Shepherd who has given His life for His sheep, and that He will feed them continually with His divine word (Psa. 23; John 10:1-29).
" In these trying times, however, in which the world is led astray by so many vain speculations, I counsel you that in matters of faith and conscience you will never put your trust in any individual, nor in any class of persons: the Lord Jesus is our only Mediator, our only High Priest, our only Master (1 Cor. 3:3-7).
" Do not place your trust in any particular church: seek rather to belong to the one true Church which is invisible, the assembly of the elect, the redeemed, the true and faithful believers in spirit and truth, knowing that Jesus alone is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).
“Search the Scriptures, the Word of God, the whole Bible, and especially the New Testament, to be taught and corrected by them (2 Tim. 3:16; John 5:39; 1 Thess. 5:21; 1 Peter 3:15; Rom. 15:4; James 1:25).
Pray to the Lord. The prayer of faith can do all (Mark 11:24; Matt. 7:7-11; 17:20; 1 Tim. 2:1). It is not necessary to go to church to pray or to worship the Lord. When you wish to pray, enter into your own room. Where two or three are gathered in the name of the Lord, there He is present and hears (Matt. 6:6,18,19,20). Remember the Lord's death in breaking the bread and drinking the wine (1 Cor. 11:26). In this way you will show your faith in His sacrifice offered once for all and which has no need to be renewed because it was perfect and complete (Heb. 9:24-28; 10:10, 12). Go from house to house to break bread. So did all the faithful, all the disciples in apostolic times. To do this there is no need of adornment, ceremony nor special persons. It is well to know this in times of difficulty and persecution like these in which the true Church is not permitted to have an external organization. All the faithful are priests unto the Lord, all brethren being able to enter into the sanctuary, being all built together to be a holy priesthood, Jesus Christ having made us priests to God (Heb. 10:19; 1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6). The Lord will then manifest in the assembly of the faithful His diverse gifts and ministries; and the Church (not the pope nor any hierarchy) will acknowledge the gifts of the Spirit and the different ministries, trying the spirits by the Word, as is expressly ordered (1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4:11-13).
“And let no one be indifferent in seeking his own salvation. In the last day God will call the stewards to account. That does not mean the minister, the confessor, the bishop nor the Pope: everyone will be judged on his own account. Therefore let everyone examine himself whether he is really a member of Christ, washed in His precious blood. To be accursed and excommunicated by men is of little account: what matters is to be united and one with the Lord, sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb and found faithful. Yea, it is well that we should excommunicate ourselves and separate ourselves from the unbelieving, so as not to participate in their sin and not approve of it even by our presence in what they do (2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 3:14; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Eph. 5:11).
“Persevere in the faith to the end, assured that you will not be put to shame. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Be subject unto the higher powers, for it is necessary we should be so (Rom. 12:18-21; 13:1); remembering, however, never to sacrifice the conscience enlightened by the Word of God, and that in many circumstances it will be right to obey God rather than men, as you already know (Acts 5:29).
“I leave this country commending you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them who are sanctified. Pray for me. I am leaving for a distant land, looking to the Lord for guidance as to where I may settle. Perhaps we shall not see one another again in this world, but we shall nevertheless be united in the future life, when we shall be able to see our God face to face without any veil, when we shall be led by the Lamb to living fountains of water, when God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes Rev. 7:17). To Him be blessing, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. May the love of God, the Father, the grace of the Lord Jesus, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
“Your brother in the Lord,
“P. GUICCIARDINI.
Florence, 3rd May, 1851."
From this pathetic farewell letter it is most evident that the noble writer had not been converted to a human party, but to a Divine Person, Christ, and therefore he was inspired by no vindictive feeling against his enemies.
On the evening of the 7th of May, Count Guicciardini went to the house of Fedele Betti, a Christian brother, to say good-bye. He was accompanied by a young Italian whom he had met on the way. Other four friends had arrived shortly before. The little gathering was therefore casual and informal, and in fact the host was the only one of the seven who had known all the others. The subject, however, soon turned upon the Count's approaching and regretted departure. Signor Betti proposed that before separating they should read the fifteenth chapter of John. Each verse afforded a subject for a brief and comforting comment, and while the simple little meeting was thus peacefully proceeding, the bell rang and seven gendarmes entered and arrested the seven disciples of Christ! At half-past eleven o'clock that night they were taken to the historical Bargello prison and all put in the same damp and dirty cell, in which, however, they were able to enjoy one comfort, the continuation of their happy meditation on John 15, for Count Guicciardini had a small New Testament in his pocket.
The following day they were examined on the charge of having been found in a meeting of the protestant propaganda. From the books and papers sequestered it was clearly proved that the little meeting was absolutely casual and informal; but the Book was sufficient! Rome could prove her case from its very presence, and the seven disciples were condemned to six month's imprisonment in different parts of Tuscany.
Through noble English and Prussian diplomacy, after nine days' imprisonment in Florence, the seven Gospel witnesses, found guilty only of reading God's Word, were allowed temporal freedom, to be followed however, by the execution of the legal sentence.
The news of the Count's arrest had filled the palazzo Guicciardini with consternation, and his mother, a devout Roman Catholic, begged him to recant; to which he replied: “If the Church in which we were born had remained the chaste spouse of the Lord, it certainly would be anti-Christian to separate from it. But it is not the true Church of Christ which we are leaving: indeed, we desire that it should return to its primitive purity. We are leaving only the superstitions she added in the darkness of the times, and we are returning to the purest fount of the faith of the Gospel."
The Countess used her high influence to obtain the liberty of her son, and would have succeeded had he not requested that it should be conditional all my brethren with me, or none of us." He begged only to be permitted to leave Tuscany, and the sentence of imprisonment was so modified that Count Guicciardini and three of his fellow-prisoners were able to start for Genoa and Turin We follow him to England, where a warm welcome awaited him by the noblest Christians in the country. His temporary exile in England was a link in God's golden chain: here he found young Signor Rossetti, and led him to Christ. Returning later to his native country, on which the day of liberty was dawning, he spent his time and means in the spread of the Gospel. He visited his dear Italian brethren in their meetings and homes, and never allowed his social position to form a barrier in Christian fellowship. From the palace which bears his name he peacefully passed to be with the Lord for Whom he suffered the loss of all things, and counted them but as naught that he might gain Christ, and he found in Him, not having a righteousness of his own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ.
Many in this proud and worldly age would vainly believe that the Gospel of Christ has no real attraction for the rich and noble of our times: formal, ritualistic religion may, but spiritual truth, they affirm, has not. But there are among the rich and noble of Britain those whose lives are a testimony against this false suggestion of the enemy, and we are glad to confirm their testimony by that of this Italian, true nobleman, rich, learned, esteemed and honored. " By faith " he made the choice of the faithful, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked unto the recompense of reward " (Heb. 2:25, 26).