Lingurius Alfonso

Lingurius Alphonso immediately follows Adam Pastoris in Sandius's Catalogue of Antitrinitarian authors. He was a countryman, and probably a friend of Servet, having been born at Tarragona, in Spain. We know nothing further, however, of his personal history. But we learn, from the Preface to a work which he left behind him, what Servet contemplated, and what he would in all probability have accomplished, if his life had not been suddenly cut short by a cruel martyrdom. "Servet," says he, "having suffered much in France and Germany, intended to have gone to Venice, to publish a Commentary upon the whole of the Old Testament, had he not been burnt, on his way, at Geneva. He was about to publish several discourses, if I am not mistaken, under the following titles. 'On the proper Understanding of the Scriptures ; On the Origin of the Defection from the Apostolic Doctrine ; On the Power of Truth ; On the true Knowledge of the One God ; On the Error of the Trinity ; On the Word and the Holy Spirit ; On the Exaltation of the Man Jesus ; On the Nature and Ministry of Angels ; On Zeal and Knowledge ; On the Efficacy of Faith ; On the Power of Charity ; On Body, Soul and Spirit ; On those who are born, and those who are born again ; On Man's Calling and Election ; On Prescience and Predestination ; on human Works, and Ceremonies ; On the Baptism of Water and the Spirit ; On the Lord's Supper ; On Sin and Satisfaction ; On Justification ; On the Fear and Love of God ; On the true Church ; On the Head and Members ; On the Sleep of the Saints ; On the Resurrection of the Dead, and the Change of the Living ; On the Day of Judgment ; On the Blessedness of the Elect,' &c. It would have been interesting to know, what Servet had to say upon many of these subjects ; but Alfonso has merely enumerated their titles, a knowledge of which he had probably obtained from Servet himself.

The Ministers of Poland and Transylvania, in a short notice of the subject of this article, say, "What has not Alfonso of Tarragona attempted, who, in his 'Five Books on the One God, and his only Son,' has some excellent observations, directed against the tyranny and pride of those Aristarchuses, who teach the commonly received doctrine ?"

The name Alfonso, which has for ages been a common one in Spain, occurs frequently in M'Crie's History of the Reformation in that country ; but we look in vain for that of Alfonso Lingurius, or Alfonso of Tarragona. It is deeply to be regretted, indeed, that so little has survived respecting him, and other eminent Spanish reformers, of whom the name alone, and in some cases scarcely even that, has been left upon record; although Spain, at one time, promised to take a leading part in the great Protestant movement of the sixteenth century.

(Vidend. Sandii B. A. pp. 15. 40. Bock, Hist. Ant. T. JL pp. 320, 321. 382, 383.)

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