To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
SERVETUS his converse with Mahumetans and Jewes. He disguiseth his monstrous opinions with the Name of Christian Reformation. The place of his birth. At the 24. year of his age, he boasted himself the onely Teacher and Sec•• of the world, He enveighed
against the Deity of Christ. Oecolampadius confute his blasphemies, and causeth him to be thrust out of the Church of Basil. Serve••us held but one per∣son in the Godhead to be worshipped, &c. He held the holy Ghost to be Nature. His horrid blasphemy. He would reconcile the Turkish Alcaron to Christian Religion. He declares himself Prince of the Anabap∣tists. At Geneva, Cal••in faithfully reproves Ser∣vetus, but he continues obstinate. Anno 1553. by the decrees of severall Senates, He was burned.
MICHAEL SERVETUS, like ano∣ther▪* 1.1 Simon Magus, having conversed long among the Mahumetans and the Iewes, and being excellently well furnished with their imaginous opinions, begat both out of Divinity, and the general treasury of Christian Re∣ligion,* 1.2 amonstrous issue of opinions, with the co••tion of what he had received from the extravagant Mahume∣tans, and Thalmudists, upon which brat, this instru∣ment of Satan, must needs bestow the disguised name of Christian Reformation. From this cocks egge were bred these Cocka••••ices, Gonesus, Gribaldus, Blandra∣ta, Gentilis, Alciatus, Simanus, Casanovius, Menno▪ and divers other Anabaptistical Vipers, who extreamly increased the restlesse waves of sects and opinions. We, recommending the rest to their proper place, Hell, will take a more particular survey of one Religion,* 1.3 and by the horridnesse of that guesse at the others. This Ser∣vetus was a Spaniard, born in the kingdom of Arragon, most unworthy both of his Name and Nation.* 1.4 Being rapt into a most incredible enthusiasme, he boldly laye•• his unwash'd hands upon holy divinity;* 1.5 and at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 four and twentieth year of his age, boasted himselfe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be the only Teacher and Seer of the world, making 〈…〉〈…〉 main design,* 1.6 and that by his impious and worthlesse ••••••••tings, to inveigh against the Deity of the Son of God;〈◊〉〈◊〉 which writings being sufficiently furnished, and with•• enflamed with hopes of raising no ordinary tumults, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bestirres himself winde and tyde, for Basill; but Oec••∣lampadius, an Ecclesiastical Doctor, learnedly before a full Senate confuted the blasphemies of this man, and
by the publick Authority he had, caused him as a poiso∣nous blasphemer to be thrust out of the Church of Basil. From thence he went to Venice, where, in regard the Venetians had been timely forewarned of him by the wise and learned Melancthon, he made no harvest of his incredible blasphemies, nor indeed was he permitted ••eed-time for them. Religion is nowhere safe! But having consulted with the Arch-hereticks his Predeces∣sors,* 1.7 and being bird-lim'd, he held that there was but one person in the Godhead to be worshipped and ac∣knowledged, which was revealed to mankind some∣times under one notion, sometimes under another, and that it was thus, that those notions of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, were to be understood in the Scriptures. Nay, with the same line of his blasphemous mouth, he affirmed that our Saviour Iesus Christ according to his humane nature, was not the Sonne of God; nor coe∣ternal with the Father.* 1.8 The Holy Ghost he granted to be nothing but that influence by which all things are mo∣ved, which is called nature. He, most impiously Ironi∣cal, affirmed that to understand the word Person, we must referre our sesves to Comedies.* 1.9 But the most horrid blasphemy of all, was, when by the suggestion of Satan, he imagined, that the most glorious and ever to be wor∣shipped and adored Trinity (who doth not tremble at it?) was most fitly-compared to Cerberus the Porter of Hell-gate. But he stayed not here; no, he thought it should be accounted nothing but a diabolical phan∣tasme, the laughing-stock of Satan, and the monstrous Geryon, whom the Poets by some strange mystery of Philosophy feigned to have three bodies. O incredi∣ble, and unheard of subtily of blasphemy! The most glorious name of the most blessed Trinity is grown so odious to this man, that he would personate (being the greatest that ever was) all the Atheists that have quar∣relled with that name. Moreover he maintained, that taking but away the only Article of the Trinity, the Turkish Alcoran might be easily reconciled to the Chri∣stian Religion;* 1.10 and that by the joyning together of these two, a great impediment would be removed; yea, that the pertin••cious asserting of that Article had en∣raged to madnesse whole Countries and Provinces.
This abomination of God and men held that the Pro∣phet Moses, that great servant of God, and faithful steward of the Lords house, that Prince and Captain Generall of the people of Israel, one so much in favour with God, that he was admitted to speak to him face to face, was to be accounted no other than an Impostor. He accoun∣ted the Patriarch Abraham and his seed, too much given to Revenge, and that he was most unjust and most ma∣licious to his enemy. The most glorious Church of Israel ('tis the swine that loves the mi••e) he esteemed no better than a Hogge-S••y;* 1.11 and declared himself a sworn Prince of the Anabaptistical generation. But; keep off, and approach not, O all ye other Heresies and Hydra's of opinions of this one man, furies not ca∣pable of expiation! Being arrived at Geneva, and be∣ing forbidden to spue out and spatter his pestiferous blasphemies, he continued in hostility against all sharp,* 1.12 but wholesome admonitions: which Calvin, that famous Minister of the Church perceiving, being desi∣rous to discharge the duty of a soul-saving Pastor, went friendly to Servetus, in hopes to deliver him out of his most impious errours and horrible Heresie, and so to redeem him out of the jawes of Hell, and faithfully re∣proved him. But he being dazled with the brightnesse of Truth, and overcome, returned nothing to Calvin (so well deserving of him) but an intolerable obstinacy,* 1.13 and inconvincible recapitulation of his blasphemies, whence it came to passe, that by the just and prudent Decree of the Senates of Bernen, Zuring, Basil, and Scaffuse, and by the righteous condemnation of the eternal God,* 1.14 in the moneth of December in the year one thousand five hundred fifty and three, (or as Sleidan hath it, in October,) he was (How great is the obstinacy of blasphemy!) being at that time ecstatically hardened and intoxicated, consecrated to the avenging flames.
Servetus his converse with Mahumetans and Jewes.
He disguiseth his monstrous opinions, with the name of Christian Re∣formation.
The place of his birth.
His arrogant Boast.
He enveighes against the Deity of Christ.
Oecolampadi∣us confutes his blasphemies, & causeth him to be thrust out of the Church of Basil.
Servetus held but one per∣son in the God∣head to be wor∣shipped, &c.
He held the holy Ghost to be Nature.
His horrid blasphemy.
He would re∣concile the Al∣coran to Chri∣stian Religion.
He declares himself Prince of the Anabap∣tists.
At Geneva, Calvin re∣proves Serve∣tus.
Servetus his obstinacy.
ANNO 1553. By the Decree of several Se∣nates he was burned.