Statorius Peter, Junior

Statorius Peter ,  (Polon. Stoienski, or Stoinski,) junior, was born about the year 1565. He was the son of Peter Statorius, of Thionville, and married the daughter of Gregory Pauli. In 1588, at the early age of twenty-two, he was appointed Pastor of the Church at Luclavice ; and after residing there for some time was stationed at Racow, where he soon became very popular. Though much younger than Faust Socin, he is known to have been, for many years, the companion of that illustrious man's life and labours. Nor did he long survive his friend ; for Socin's death took place March 3rd, 1604, and Statorius, who delivered a funeral oration for him, died May 9th, 1605, before he had completed the fortieth year of his age. Smalcius records, in his Diary, that Christopher Brockayus, Rector of the School, or College, at Racow, died on the 15th of the same month ; that they were interred on the same day ; and that the funeral service for both was conducted by himself.

Many writers, among whom is Calovius, Professor of Divinity in the University of Rostock, have confounded the younger with the elder Peter Statorius. This error was pointed out to Calovius himself by Ruarus, in the forty-seventh of his First Century of Epistles.

The subject of the present article was engaged in various controversies, and is styled, by the anonymous author of the "Life of Andrew Wissowatius," appended, with some other small pieces, to Sandius's "Bibliotheca Antitrinitariorum," (p. 228,) "strenuus ille veritatis, (cui et in medio Turcarum, in ipsa Byzantina arce, haud veritus est praebere testimonium,) propugnator propagatorque." In this description there may be some slight exaggeration, as Statorius went to Turkey in the suite of the Polish Ambassador : but still it was thought, by his friends, that he incurred no small degree of danger, during his residence at the Porte. Of this, ample testimony is afforded by the following extract from a letter, addressed by Faust Socin to John Volkelius, Nov. 16th, 1596. "We are all in great anxiety at the absence of our Statorius. Would that he were safe among us again! For there are flying rumours of the death of Ostrowski, the King's Ambassador to the Turk, in whose train he went out. But we hope these rumours are false. I cease not to entreat God, that he would console us by the return of both to their friends." The reports, to which Socin alludes, proved unfounded ; for both the Ambassador and Statorius returned in safety, as Socin, with great delight, announces in another letter to the same correspondent, written March 8th, 1597.

How dear to Socin Statorius was after this, appears from his own correspondence ; and particularly from a letter, which he addressed to Christopher Ostorod, Feb. 17th, 1602, and from another addressed to Valentine Radecius, Nov. 23rd, 1603, a few months before his own death. The anonymous author of the "Life of Andrew Wissowatius," already referred to, describes Statorius as "the mouth-piece, and inseparable companion" of Socin (Ibid.) ; and Francis Cheynell, speaking of Socin, says, "he was so wise as to strike in with the Nobles, and the Courtiers, with the most youthfull and sharp-witted Pastors, and not only with subtile disputants, but smooth Popular Oratours, men more able to corrupt the people, witnesse Peter Steinius, or Statorius, by whose unhappy eloquence the sublimest subtilties of Socin which transcended vulgar capacities, were so explained and smoothed in a popular, but plausible way, that the most refined notions were made familiar to the common people."

Statorius was associated with Socin, in preparing for publication a Catechism, intended to exhibit a summary view of the doctrinal sentiments of the Polish Socinians ; but they were both arrested by the hand of death in the midst of their labours, and the work was transferred to Valentine Smalcius and Jerome Moscorovius, who, with the assistance, real or nominal, of John Volkelius, succeeded in bringing it to a state of completion. Smalcius alludes to this circumstance in his Diary, under April 25th, 1605. On that day, as he informs us, he himself, Statorius, Moscorovius and Volkelius, began to compose a Catechism; but the very next entry in his Diary is a record of the death of Statorius, which took place within fourteen days of the above date.

The following are the works of Statorius.

1. A Conference or Disputation held at Luclavice with Farnovius in 1591, on the Existence of Christ the Lord before his Mother. This Conference was in Polish ; and we are told, by Daniel Clementinus, who quotes from it, that Statorius interpreted John viii. 58 in the following manner. "Before Abraham shall be that, which the name Abraham denotes, namely, the father of many believing nations, I, Jesus, am already the Christ."

2. A Disputation held during two days, at Lublin, in 1592, with Adrian Radziminski, and other Jesuits, in their own Church, and in the Presence of the Judges of the Supreme Tribunal of the Kingdom of Poland. This Disputation was also in Polish ; but another account of it was published by the Jesuitical party.

3. A Confession delivered at the Synod of Lublin, in1593. Sandius places this in his list of Anonymous Writings (B. A. p. 174) ; but Bock claims it f or Statorius. (Hist. Ant. T. I. P. ii. p. 924.)

4. A Conference with Farnovius and Wisnovius, on the Existence of Christ the Lord before his Mother, held in 1593. MS. Polon.

5. A Disputation held on the 12th of Dec, 1593, with John Petricius.

6. A Translation of Faust Socin's "Reply to "Wujek" into Polish. 1592, 4to. A second edition in 8vo. appeared in 1593.

7. A Defence of F. Socin "On the Nature and Mode of our Salvation," drawn up in reply to a work of Gregory Zarnovecius, entitled, "Apocatastasis." Polon. This Defence was held in high estimation by the Socinians, as may be inferred from the fact, that at the Assembly of Czarcow in 1654, Ciachovius was requested to render it into Latin.

8. An Exhortation to Evangelical Ministers on a proposed Union with recently baptized Ministers, &c. Polon.

9. Reply to a Book of Martin Smiglecius, in which he has endeavoured to prove the eternal Deity of Jesus Christ ; and for this Purpose has heaped together several monstrous Arguments. Polon. This Reply probably appeared in 1595 or 1596.

10. A Polish Version of F. Socin's Proof, that Evangelical Persons, studious of perfect Piety, ought to join the recently baptized, &c. 1600, 4to.

11. Funeral Oration on the Death of F. Socin, in the year 1604. Polon. et Lat. MS.

12. A Pasquinade. 1610. Polon.

13. Sermons on various Passages of Scripture ; particularly on a large Part of John's Gospel. Polon. MS.

 (Vidend. Sandii B. A. pp. 92,93. Bock, Hist. Ant. T. I. pp. 922— 938. Smalcii Diarium, A. D. 1605. Bibl. Fratr. Polon. T. I. pp. 451. 492. Epistola de Vita A. Wissowatii, 1. c. Ruari Epistolae, Cent. i. N. 47. ChcyneWs Rise, Growth and Danger of Socinianisme,.Chap. ii. p. 23.)

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