his sentiments upon the authority of reason and of scripture, and his adversary was armed with impudence alone, the issue of the dispute was eminently favourable to our reformer: the. truth triumphed over error, and the writings of Calvin were recognized as orthodox by the suffrages of those who had condemned him, SECTION III. An examination of the Reformer's conduct in the affair of Servetus. We are now arrived at a most delicate part of the history of this illustrious reformer; the part which he confessedly took in the punishment of Servetus. The history of Servetus, so often referred to, and so little understood, merits the minute attention of all who are sufficiently impartial to weigh the opposing interests and circumstances which mark this tragical transaction. The blemishes, real or pretended, of the reformer, having been maliciously employed to discredit the reformation itself, it becomes of no small importance to elucidate this point of history, and to clear Calvin from the injurious imputations which have been falsely thrown upon him. It has been confidently pretended, and boldly asserted, that Calvin had, through life, nourished an implacable hatred against Servetus, and that the Genevese theologian had employed all his efforts to satiate it in the blood of the unhappy Spaniard; that he denounced him to the magistrates of Vienna, and occasioned him to be arrested on the day after his arrival at Geneva. Things advanced with an air of confidence are readily believed, and it is scarcely suspected that they may be false. Bolzec, however, the mortal enemy of Calvin, who wrote the life of that illustrious man merely to blast his memory, and who was cotemporary with the facts which he relates; and Maimbourg, equally known by his partialities and his falsehoods, have never dared to advance those things which modern historians have not been ashamed to risk. Bolzec says that Servetus quitted Lyons to establish himself at Charlieu, because," His pride, his insolence, and the danger of his projects, made him equally feared and hated." He adds, that "Servetus returned to Lyons; that he entered into a correspondence with Calvin; that he communicated to him his ideas; that Calvin combated them with force, and that Servėtus persisted in them with obstinacy; that he sent him his work entitled Restitutio Christianismi, which he printed at that time; and that Calvin, indignant, declined all acquaintance with him."* "Restitutio Christianismi, hoc est totius ecclesiæ apostolicæ ad sua limina vocatio: in integrum restitutâ cognitione It is evident that Calvin did not betray the secret of Servetus, and that he did not occasion his arrest at Vienna, since he wrote to Viret and to Farel, that, if that heretic came to Geneva, he would take care that he should be capitally punished. The ideas of Calvin included in this revolting sentence, were the ideas of all persons and of all sects: they constituted the spirit of the laws, and of the public administration of the times. Disputes are frequently the source of intolerance; we easily learn to hate those who try to convince us that we are wrong: this was not, however, the case with Calvin; he bore with Servetus as long as there was any hope of reclaiming him. Servetus began with employing injurious expressions of the grossest kind. It is certain that he had rendered himself odious to all who knew him, and that the ideas of most persons agreed with those of Calvin on the punishment which he merited. It is evident Dei, fidei christianæ, justificationis nostræ, regenerationis, Baptismi, & Cœnæ Domini manducationis; restituto denique nobis regno cœlesti, Babylonis impiâ captivitate soluto, & antiChristo cum suis penitus destructo." This book is extremely scarce; all the copies were burned at Vienna and at Frankfort: it has been long doubted whether there were any remaining, but it appears certain that Doctor Mead possessed a copy, which found its way into the library of the Duke de la Valiere. from the letters of Farel, and of Viret, that they did not blame the conduct of Calvin in this affair. Bucer was not ashamed to write, that, Servetus deserved something worse than death." The excellent, the gentle Melancthon approved the punishment of Servetus: writing to Calvin, he remarks; "In my opinion your magistrates have acted justly, in putting to death a blasphemer, convicted by due process of law." Farel expressly says that, "Servetus deserved a capital punishment." And Beza defended the sentence. All these celebrated men entertained the same opinion on the subject; and as no personal hatred of Servetus can be imputed to them, it is at least as unjust to accuse Calvin of it. But Calvin, it is said, abused the confidence of Servetus; he sent to Vienna the letters which he had received from him, to which he added his work entitled Restitutio Christianismi, of which Servetus had made him a present. This accusation is mysterious; is it to be believed that Calvin, whose name was execrated in all catholic countries, could expect from their magistrates any attentions to his complaints, or any regard to his letters? * But, * The extreme improbability of the correspondence here alluded to, may be inferred from the character of the individual to whom Calvin is said to have applied. "All |