Sohner Ernest

Sohner Ernest, was born at Nuremberg, in Franconia, in the year 1572. His father, Mark Sohner, was a merchant, a respectable citizen, and a man of no ordinary merit, on which account he was invested, by Maximilian II., with the privileges of nobility. Ernest received his school education at Nuremberg ; and was sent to the University of Altorf in the month of August, 1588. He studied Philosophy and Medicine under Philip Scherbius, and Nicholas Taurelli. At the end of April, 1597, he accompanied Christopher Fürer, and Christopher Schlaudersbach, two young men of noble rank, through Holland, France, Italy and Great Britain ; and formed an acquaintance with many literary and scientific men, in the course of his travels.

When he left Altorf, no suspicion of heresy had fallen upon him ; nor is there the least reason to suppose, that his mind was then at all prepossessed in favour of the doctrines, which he afterwards embraced, and to the diffusion of which he so greatly contributed. Thomas Crenius thought, indeed, that he was erroneously charged with Socinianism in the subsequent part of his life ; but what Zeltner has related concerning him, in his "History of Crypto-Socinianism at Altorf," and Ruarus, in the second Century of his Epistles, (No. 26,) clearly proves, not only that he disbelieved the doctrine of the Trinity, but that he was, in private at least, active and unwearied in his endeavours to undermine the popular faith.

It has been said, that he formed an intimacy with Conrad Vorstius at Leyden, and that it was Vorstius who first unsettled his religious principles. But this report has been shewn by Zeltner to be incorrect, and its truth chronologically impossible. It was from Voidovius and Ostorod, who happened to be staying at Leyden, with some Polish youths of whom they had the charge, while Sohner was there, that his mind took its first bias towards Socinianism. Zeltner mentions a keepsake, which Sohner received from Voidovius during his stay at Leyden, and which he himself had seen, bearing the following inscription. "Quis sapiens corruent in eis" (vide Hos. C. xvi. ult.): "Ornatissimo Dno. Ernesto Sonero, Norimbergensi, artium et philosophiae Magistro, studioso pietatis: amico honorando, Andreas Voidovius scripsi. Lugd. Batav. Septembris 10 Ao. unigenae Dei 1598." (Hist. CryptoSoc. p. 33, Not. b.) It appears, also, that, from this time, Sohner commenced an epistolary correspondence with Ostorod.

When he had finished his travels, and taken the highest medical honours at Basle, he began to practise as a Physician at Nuremberg ; but was called, in the course of a few years, to succeed his former Tutor, Scherbius, at Altorf, where he became a popular Teacher of Physics and Medicine, in which he chiefly followed Aristotle and Galen. From this time till the period of his death, he carried on a regular correspondence with the Polish Brethren ; and secretly instilled his religious sentiments into the minds of his pupils, among whom two of the most promising were John Crellius and Michael Gittichius. There seemed a probability, indeed, that Socinianism would firmly establish itself within the walls of the University of Altorf ; but the death of Sohner, which took place on the last day of September, 1612, at the early age of forty, and of which John Crellius, on his flight from Altorf, carried the first tidings into Poland, prevented such a consummation.

Mosheim, speaking of Sohner, says, "This subtile philosopher, who had joined the Socinians during his residence in Holland, instilled their principles into the minds of his scholars with much greater facility, by his having acquired the highest reputation, both for learning and piety. The death, indeed, of this eminent man, which happened in the year 1612, deprived the rising society of its chief ornament and support ; nor could the remaining friends of Socinianism carry on the cause of their community with such art and dexterity, as to escape the vigilant and severe eye of the other Professors. Their secret designs were accordingly brought to light in the year 1616 ; and the contagion of Socinianism, which was gathering strength from day to day, and growing imperceptibly into a reigning system, was all of a sudden dissipated and extinguished by the vigilant severity of the Magistrates of Nuremberg. The foreign students, who had been infected with these doctrines, saved themselves by flight ; while the natives, who were chargeable with the same reproach, accepted of the remedies that were presented to them by the healing hand of orthodoxy, and returned quietly to their former theological system."

The secret name, by which Sohner was distinguished among the Unitarian students at Altorf, was Philetus, or Philetes, a name which had its origin, according to Zeltner, in their great affection for their Tutor, and a remembrance of the singular kindness and urbanity by which he was distinguished, and which might be traced in his portrait, and a copper-plate engraving of it.

At the head of the supplementary matter, which Zeltner has appended to his "History of Crypto-Socinianism at Altorf," is a letter addressed by Sohner to his friend, Dr. Leonhard Doldius, and written March 5th, 1605, while he was residing at Nuremberg, which indicates, in no obscure or doubtful terms, the state of his mind at that time in religious matters. Subjoined to this letter is a long extract from a Catechism by Sohner in German, written with the greatest care, and with extraordinary perspicuity ; and containing, as Gundling and Zeltner suppose, the first project and outline of a Socinian Catechism. The following is an account of the writings of Sohner.

1. A Disputation against Matthew Radecius concerning the Immortality of the Soul. A manuscript copy of this Disputation was deposited in the Baumgartenian Library ; and is mentioned, in the Catalogue of MSS. in that Collection, p. 90, No. 238, under the title, "Ratio qua probatur Immortalitas Animae."

2. A theological and philosophical Demonstration, that the Eternal Punishments of the Wicked argue, not the Justice, but the Injustice of God. 1654, 12mo. Zeltner doubted whether this work on future punishments was ever published, although Sandius expressly refers to it, as having appeared in the year 1654. Sandius's testimony on this point has since been fully verified. In that year a little volume of Theological Tracts was published, bearing the following title. "Fausti et Laelii Socini, item Ernesti Soneri, Tractatus aliquot Theologici, nunquam antehac in Lucem editi. Eleutheropoli, Typis Godofr. Philadelphi, 1654." This volume, which has been reckoned among the scarcest of books, contains six treatises; and the fifth of these is Sohner's against the doctrine of eternal punishment. It was translated into Dutch ; and the original Latin seems to have been reprinted in England.

3. Arguments to prove that God the Father only is the God of Israel. These Arguments are without doubt the same, which are designated by Ruarus, (Epp. Cent. ii. N. 43,) " Reasons against the Trinity, from F. Socinus's Reply to Wujek, collected by that celebrated Man, D. E. S."

4. A Disputation concerning Predestination.

5. Explanation of Acts xxvi. 6.

6. On the Unity of Souls, and on Intelligences.

7. Appendix to the Question concerning the Unity of Souls after their Separation from the Body. MS.

8. On the Lord's Supper.

9. On the Doctrine of Satisfaction, against Albert Graver.

10. Disputations and a Commentary on the Metaphysic of Aristotle. Jena, 1657, 4to. A second edition was published at Jena, in 1666, 4to., for Matthew Birckner. It was edited by John Paul Felwinger, who added a Dissertation of his own concerning Angels, in which he took the opposite view to Sohner, endeavouring to prove that Angels were not, as had been maintained by Sohner, corporeal substances.

11. A German Catechism. MS. Zeltner, besides giving an account of the contents of this Catechism, in the body of his History of Crypto-Socinianism, (p. 46,) has inserted the whole of the last five Chapters (viz. from Chap. xiv. to xviii.) in the Supplement to that work (pp. 820—856). The subject of these Chapters was the sacerdotal and royal office of Christ.

12. A Treatise on the Obedience of a Christian Man. MS. Zeltner once thought, (p. 50,) that this was the same work as the preceding one ; but afterwards (pp. 513 and 1239) retracted that opinion, and threw out a conjecture, that it was not only a different work from the Catechism, but that Matthew Radecius was its author.

13. Three Theological Problems, discussed under the form of a Dialogue. I. Whether the Regenerate can abstain from sinning, and obey the Law or Precepts of Christ ? II. Whether Paul, Rom. vii. 7—, speaks in his own Person? III. Whether, under the Old Testament, Men had only corporal Promises, and none of eternal Life ?

14. A Letter to Leonhard Doldius, written March 5th, 1605. In this Letter, which has been mentioned above, the author unfolds his mind on the subject of religion.

15. A Discourse "De Ente." This Discourse was unknown to Zeltner.

16. A Funeral Oration for Christopher Fürer von Haimendorf; published at the end of Furer's " Itinerary of Egypt, Arabia," &c. Nuremberg, 1620, 4to.

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