Anti-Socinianism, Part 6
Michael Servetus Hiſpanus Medicus Tarraconenſis.
Ignibus errorurm Eccleſiam vaſtâſſe triumphas
Servaté? ex meritis ignibus ipſe peris.
THE next inſtrument of the Devil after him, mentioned in former Hiſtories, is Michael Servetus, a Spaniard of Tarracon, by profeſſion at firſt a Phyſician, Honeſt and Honorable in reſpect of it ſelf, but growing weary of this, (a notable argument of the inconſtancy, or ſelfe conceit of the man) he betook himſelf to the ſtudy and profeſſion of Divinity. Plato ſets it down for a rule, that the beginnings of all councels are in our Will, but the performance in the destinies, ſo may we make the firſt choiſe of the pitch, which we mean to fly, but after we begin to mount and ſoare above the common ſight, Nullum medium inter ſumma & praecipitia, there is mean or middle courſe, between the breaking of our necks, and the ſatisfying of our humours; Thus fared it with this unhappy man: For ſoaring a loft, and having now pitcht upon the beſt profeſſion, became worſe in it then he was before; and by the juſt judgment of God, falls upon thoſe tookes by which he was ruined. A the black fly called the Beetle paſſing over all thy pleaſant and fragrant flowers of choice and comely garden, doth light upon an heap of dung: So this man paſſing by the many glorious truths of Divinity, in the ſtudy and practiſe of which he might have found much comfort, pitcheth upon ſuch contagious errours, and ſuch damnable hereſies, the purſuite and publiſhing of which could effect no leſſe then the deſtruction both of body and ſoul. Thus men overborne with the ſtrength of a ſelf conceit, are ſo precipitated and drawn on with the ſwindge of an unruly fancy, that leaving the beaten road, and more uſual way of truth, they run into by-pathes of errour, and ſo at length loſe both their judgment and their faith, ſo that then no way comes amiſſe to them, how foul or beaſtly ſoever it be.
Servetus being now a Divine in repute, but a Devil in practiſe raketh up and reviveth many wicked and deſperate opinions; among the reſt that damnable hereſie againſt the bleſſed Trinity in which he was ſo deeply rooted, that he left no ſtone unturned whither by preaching or writing to overthrow the Article of the Chriſtian faith concerning, the ſame; invading it with many execrable blaſphemies, thereby endeavouring to corrupt the faith of others, and divert them from the the truth. The fire of diſſention, which had ſome time now laine raked up in the embers of oblivion, began to break out again, and to flame about the eares of the Churches in thoſe parts, which for the preſent was ſomewhat ſmothered, but could never be wholly quenched, unto this day, For this Factor for Hell being taken, had deſerved puniſhment inflicted on him, being, publickly burnt at Geneva, to the example of all thoſe that were ſeduced by him. But this fact was heynouſly token of thoſe that were his friends, and adverſaries to Calvin, who to work him a ſpIght, did publiſh it abroad for truth, that that ſlaughter, as they called it, was long before plotted and contrived by him, and at laſt cruelty effected by his only means; when as indeed the Councel of Geneva did nothing in the buſines without the judgment and approbation of the Senates of Bernen, Zuring, Baſil and Schaffuſe, the adviſe alſo of many Cities and Churches of Chriſt being required and received; How ever theſe friends of his, and adverſaries of the truth have cenſured the fact, and opened their mouths wide to condemne it; yet other un-by aſſed men of as great ability, and more integrity then they, have highly approved of it. Melancthon in his Ep…ſtle to Bullenger writeth thus concerning it; I have read, ſaith he, your anſwers to the blaſphemies of Servetus, and I Commonly your piety and judgment. Alſo I ſuppoſe the Senate of Geneva hath done w…ll, and performed a noble act, in taking away that obſtinate wretch, who was reſolved never to ceaſe blaſpheming, ſo long as he had here a being. But I wonder that any ſhould accuſe them of ſeverity in inflicting just vengeance on a perſon guilty of ſo much impiety. Alſo famous Rivet, Alexander More, Jacob Trigland, with divers others, do commend the zeale of that Senate in this very matter.
Yet farther to cleer Calvin from this falſe imputation, that it was not his malice, but Servetus juſt deſert that brought him to that ſhameful and painful end, may evidently appear by that great endeavour which he uſed to reduce this blaſphemous monſter to a better mind; but when he ſaw it would not do, nor any gentle and fair perſwaſions prevaile with him, he ſought to mitigate the rigour (as he then thought) of that Sentence which was paſt upon him; And ſure there was ſomething more then ordinary in it, that he, (who was alwayes ſevere towards other offenders of a far lower form) ſhould be ſo courteous and gentle towards ſuch a monſter of mankind, ſo blaſphemous an heretick, and ſuch a diſturber of the peace, both of Church and Common-weal, as he declared himſelf to be.
He wrote ſome books, but ſo ſtuft with impiety, and detestable blaſphemy, that they are not without danger, and horrour to be received, and read among us. Beza writing to Andrew Dudithius (of whom we ſhall ſpeak hereafter) doth thus expoſtulate with him, Who hath bewitched thee, my dear Brother, that thou ſhouldeſt take ſo deſperate a courſe, and be led away by ſuch damnable opinions, what hath Servetus, that Archheretick done it? Who maketh the very ſubſtance of God to be mutable, and teacheth that he is part of all things, who denies the eternity of the Son of God, and taketh away the Hypoſtatical Union of the two natures in him, who gain ſaies the ſubſtance and Divinity of the bleſſed Spirit of God, who often terms, [obstupui, ſteteran que comae, &c. I tremble to rehearſe it,] the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the three-headed Cerberus of Hell, who affirmeth the Soul to be mortal, calling Moſes a ridiculous Impoſter, the Ancient Church of the Jews, an heard of Swine, maintaining Cata-baptiſme, denying redemption by Chriſt, and thirty years and more, hath never ceaſed to blaſpheme the living God? What wilt thou be ruled and over-ruled, b… ſuch an one as he? Can any Chriſtian ſay, (yet ſome there are that do affirm) that he was burnt for Religion, a…d not ra…her for his horrible impiety and execrable blaſphemy?
By the good opinion which they had of this man, his piety and holineſs, they would fain make a Martyr of him; but it will be but a ſtinking one, when all his done. Well, neither better nor worſe, burnt he is, but indeed too late, who, if it had bin the good pleaſure of God, I would had never b…n borne, to poyſon the Church, and ſeduce ſo many poor Souls from the truth with his peſtoferous and damnable Doctrines. Calvin, then whom no man was more diligent in the peruſal of his blaſphemous writings, which he publiſhed and commended to his ſeduced Diſciples, in the confutation hereof, doth teſtifie, that in more th…n an 100 ſeveral places, he impiouſly calls the Holy and ever bleſſed Trinity, the three headed Cerberus, a Diabolical phanſie, the monstrous Geryon, of whom the Poets of old had ſtrang fictions, and by ſome ſtrang myſterie of Philoſ…hy they feigned to have three bodies. Good God! what pains did this man take to out-doe all the hereticks that went before him, and to un-doe both himſelf and all thoſe, who by his ſtrang deluſious ſhould follow after him, or be led by him? But what ſhall we ſay, negamus? potius hor…emus vocem. Errours, that are ſo inſolent are to be exploded, not di…puted, to be ſpit at, rather then con…r…u'd. Confutat…on bears no rule, no ſway here, it is Authority that muſt do it; And therefore the State, did well to rid the Church of ſuch a violent enemy to the truth of her profeſſion. Melanchion wrote an excellent, and pithy admonition to the States of Venice, wherein he adviſeth them to take ſpecial heed, and beware of the blaſp…mous errours and hereſies of Servetus, which (to omit thoſe which he had drawn out of the works of others) are briefly, theſe:
1. He denied and oppoſed the eternity of the Son of God, affirming that he might be the Son of the eternal God, but not the eternal Son of God.
2. He denied the power of Original ſin, that we are not lyable to it, nor to be puniſhed for it, with divers others of the ſame kind.
Thus this wretched Man having conſulted with Jews, Turks, with all manner of Hereticks his Predeceſsours, was taken with their hereſies, and juſtly puniſhed for them.