brethren (as they choose to be called) living in Poland and Transylvania.(3)

3. While the Reformation was still immature, certain persons, who

(1) Jo. Cloppenburg, Diss. de origine Arianischen Socinianismus, Frankf., 1725,
et progressu Socinianismi. Jo. Honibcck, 8vo. And the Histoire de Socinisme, by
Summa Controversiarum, p. 563, &c. Jo. Lamy, Paris, 1723, 4to, is a compilation
Henry Hottinger, Historia Ecclesiast., torn, from the common writers, and abounds not
ix., p. 417, &c., and others. only with errors, but likewise with various

(2) Hicron. Zanchius, Prasfatio ad librum matter quite foreign from a history of ths
de tribus Elohim. T/icod. Beza, Epistolar. Socinian sect and religion The very in-
volumen, ep. Ixxxi., p. 167. Several wri- dustrious and learned Maturin Viess la
tings are ascribed to him : (see Sand s Bib- Croze promised the world, a complete his-
liotheca Anti-Trinitar.,p. 18), but it is very tory of Socinianism down to our times ; see
doubtful, whether he was the author of any his Dissert. Historiques, tome i., p. 142.
of them. But he did not fulfil his promise. [Besides

(3) There is still wanting a full and ac- the above, there are G. G. Zeliuf.r s Histo
curate history, both of the sect which fol- ria Crypto-Socinianismi Altorfini quondam
lows the Socini, and also of Lcdius and academiae infesti arcana, Lips., 1729, 4to
Faustus Socinus, and of those next to them J. Toulmiri s Memoires of the life, charac-
rnost active in establishing and building up ter. sentiments and Writings of Faustus
this community. For the curiosity of those Socinus, Lond., 1777, 8vo. F. Sam. Bock s
v/ho wish to acquire an accurate knowledge Historia Antitrinitariorum, maxime Socini-
ef tlvs whole subject, is awakened but not anismi et Socinianorum, quorum auctores,
satisfied, by what they find in John Horn- promotores, coetus, templa recensentnr ;
beck s Socinianismus Confutatus, vol. i. Koningsb., 1774-84, 2 vols. 8vo. (The
Abraham Calovius, Opera Anti-Sociniana ; first vol. gives account of modern Socinian
Jo. Cloppenburg s Diss. de origine et pro- authors ; and the second traces the origin of
gressu Socinianismi, (Opp., torn, ii., Lugd. Anti-Trinitarianism. The whole, therefore,
Bat., 1703, 4to) ; Christopher S&ndius, is only a broad introduction to a proper His*
Bibliotheca Anti-Trinitariorum ; Stanisl. tory of the Socinian community.) Ch. F.
Lubicniccius,HisloriSL Reformations Polon- Hgen, Vita Laelii Socini, Lips., 1814, 870
icce ; Sam. Fred. LautetbarV Polnisch- Tr.]



HISTORY OF THE SOCINIANS.



223



looked upon everything the Romish church had hitherto professed as ei-
roneous, began to undermine the doctrine of our Saviour s divinity, and
the truths connected with it ; and proposed reducing the whole of religion
to practical piety and virtue. But the vigilance both of the Lutherans and
of the Reformed and papists, promptly resisted them, and prevented their
organizing a sect. As early as the year 1526, divine honours were de
nied to Jesus Christ, by Lewis Hetzer, a name famous among the vagrant
Anabaptists, and who was beheaded at Constance in 1529. (4) Nor were
there wanting, other men of like sentiments among the Anabaptists, though
that whole sect cannot be charged with this error. Besides these, John
Campanus of Juliers, in what year is not ascertained, among other unsound
doctrines which he spread at Wittemberg and elsewhere, made the Son of
God to be inferior to the Father ; and declared the appellation Holy Spirit
to denote, not a divine person, but the nature both of the Father and the
Son : that is, he revived substantially the monstrous errors of the Arians.(5)
In the territory of the Orisons, in Switzerland, at Strasburg, and perhaps
elsewhere, one Claudius an Allobrogian or Savoyard, excited much com.
motion about the year 1530 and onward, by impugning the divinity of
our Saviour. (6) But none of these were able to establish a sect.

4. Those who watched over the interests of the Reformed church,
were much more alarmed by the conduct of Michael Servedc,(l) or Serve-



(4) Christ. Sand s Bibliotheca Anti-Trin-
itarior., p. 16. Jo. Bapt. Oitius, Annales
Anabaptist , p. 50. Jo. Jac. Breitrnge^s
Museum Kelveticum, torn, v., p. 391, torn,
vi.. p. 100, 479, &c. [See above, p. 203,
note (7). TV.]

(5) See Jo. Gco. Schelhorn s very learn
ed Dissertation, de Job. Campano, Anti-
Trinitario ; in his Amoenitates Litterar., torn,
xi., p. 1-92. [He was a native of Maeseyk
in the territory of Liege, and came to Wit
temberg in 1528 ; but so concealed his opin
ions, that they first became known after he
had retired to Marpurg ; where he wished
to take part in the public dispute, and to
debate with Luther on the subject of the
Lord s supper, but was refused. He repeat
ed the same at Torgaw, where he likewise
sought in vain to dispute with Luther. This
filled him with resentment against Luther
and his associates, and induced him to quit
Wittemberg, (to which he had returned),
and go to Niemek ; the pastor of which,
Wicclius, fell under suspicion of Anti-Trin-
itarianism in consequence of his harbouring
Campanus, and soon after went over to the
Catholics. Campanus went from Saxony
to the duchy of Juliers ; and both orally and
in writing, declared himself opposed to the
Reformers, and sought underhandedly to
disseminate his Arian doctrines. But he
was committed to prison by the Catholics,
at C .eves ; and continued in confinement
twenty-six years. Whether he made his es
cape from prison, or was set at liberty, is
not knovn. AVI we know, is tha 1 he lived



to a great age. The substance of his doc
trine, may be learned from the very scarce
book, entitled, The divine and Holy Scrip
ture, many years since obscured and dark
ened by unwholesome doctrine and teachers
(by God s permission), now restored and
amended ; by the very learned John Campa-
nus, 1532, 8vo, (in German). Schl.]

(6) See Jo. Gco. Schelhorn s Epistolary
Dissert, de Mino Celso Senensi, Claudio
item Allobroge, homine fanatico et SS. Trin-
itatis hoste ; Ulm, 1748, 8vo. Jo. Jac.
Breitingcr l s Museum Helveticum, torn, vii.,
p. 667. Jo. Halter s Epistle, in Jo. Conr.
Fitsliri s Centuria Epistolar. viror. erudi-
tor., p. 140, &c. [He first held Christ to
be a mere man ; but the Swiss divinea
brought him to admit, that he was the natu
ral Son of God ; though he would not allov?
his eternal existence ; and he positively de
nied three persons in the Godhead. Ho
also maintained, that the beginning of John s
Gospel had been falsified. He was impris
oned at Strasburg ; and then banished.
Schrocckh, Kirchengesch. seit der Reforma
tion, vol. v., p. 491. TV.]

(7) By rejecting the last syllable of the
name, which is a common Spanish termina
tion, there remains the name Serve : and
the letters of this name, a little transposed,
produce Rcvrs ; which is the name Servetui
assumed in the title-pages of hia books,
Omitting also his family name, altogether,
he called himself from his birthplace, Mi
chael Villanovanus, or simply, Vi!la?iovanu*



224 BOOK IV. CENT. XVI. SEC. III. PART II. CHAP. IV.

tus as his name is written in Latin, a Spanish physician, born at Villa Nue.
va in Aragon, a man of no ordinary genius and of extensive knowledge.
He first published in 1531, vii. Books, de Trinitatis erroribus ; and the next
vear, two Dialogues, de Trinitate ; in which he most vio^.ntly assailed the
opinion held by the great body of Christians, respecting ;he divine nature
and the three persons in it. Subsequently, after retiring to France and
passing through various scenes, he fixed his residence at Vienne, where
le was a successful practitioner of physic ; and now, by his strong power
of imagination, he devised a new and singular species of religion, which he
committed to a book that he secretly printed at Vienne, in 1553, and which
he entitled : Restitutio Christianismi (a restoration of Christianity). Many
things seemed to conspire, to favour his designs : genius, learning, eloquence,
courage, pertinacity, a show of piety, and lastly, numerous patrons and
friends, in France, Germany, and Italy, whom he had conciliated by his
natural and acquired endowments. But all his hopes were frustrated by
Calvin ; who caused Servetus to be seized in 1553, at Geneva, as he was
passing through Switzerland towards Italy, after his escape from prison at
Vienne, and to be accused of blasphemy by one of Calvin s servants. Tho
issue of the accusation was, that Servetus, as he would not renounce the
opinions he had embraced, was burned alive by a decree of the judges, as
being a pertinacious heretic and blasphemer. For in that age the ancient
laws against heretics, enacted by the emperor Frederic II. and often re
newed afterwards, were in full force at Geneva. A better fate was merit
ed by this highly gifted and very learned man : yet he laboured under no
small moral defects ; for he was beyond all measure arrogant, and also
ill-tempered, contentious, unyielding, and a semi-fanatic. (8)

(8) I have composed, in the German Ian- to Spain, he connected himself with Jo.

gtiage, a copious history of this man, who Quintana, confessor to the emperor Charley

was so unlike every body but himself ; which V. and accompanied him to Italy, where Ii6

was published at Helmstadt, 1748, 4to, and witnessed the emperor s coronation at Bo-

again, with large additions, Helmst, 1749, logna, A.D. 1529. The year following, he

4to. [Dr. Maclaine recommends to those accompanied Quintana into Germany; and

who cannot read the German, to peruse a perhaps was at Augsburg, when the Prot-

juvenile production of one of Mosheini s pu- estants presented their Confession of faith ;

pils, composed twenty years earlier, enti- and he might there first become acquainted

tied : Historia Mich. Serveti, quam, praeside with Bucer and Capita. When and where

J. Laur. Mosheimio, &c., xponit Hcnricus he separated from Quintana, does not ap-

ab Attwacrdcn, Helmst., 1727, 4to. But pear. But in the year 1530, he went to

Mosheim, in his history of Servetus, pro- Basle, to confer with CEcolampadius. He

nounces this an incorrect performance, and had then struck out a new path in theology,

not to be relied on. Von Einem here intro- He rejected the doctrine of three divine per-

duces, in a long note of 23 pages, an epit- sons ; denied the eternal generation of the

ome of Mosheini s history of Servetus. Son ; and admitted no eternity of the Son,

The account which Schroeckh gives of Ser- except in the purpose of God. (Ecolampc-

vetus, (Kirchengesch. seit der Reformat., dius attempted [in vain to bring him to other

vol. v., p. 519. &c.), accords in general with views ; and he laid his case before Zwingle,

that of Mosheim, as abridged by Von Einem. Bucer, Capita, and Bullinger ; who all con-

From both these, the following sketch is sidered him a gross heretic. He left Basle,

made. determined to publish his projected work.

He was born at Villa Nueva, in Aragon, It was printed at Hagenau, in 1531 ; and,

A.D. 150 ). His father was a lawyer, and at once, was every where condemned. Quin-

sent hrai to Toulouse to study law. But tana, laid it before the emperor, who ordered

he preferred literature and theology. He- it to be suppressed. Scrrefus was assailed

brew, Greek, the fathers, the Bible, and the by his best friends, wherever he went, and

writings of the Reformers, seemed to have was pressed to abandon his errors. H

engaged his chief attention. On his return therefore wrote his Dialogues, which b*



HISTORY OF THE SOC1NIANS.



225



5. Servetus had devised a strange system of religion ; a great part of
which was intimately connected with his notions of the nature of things.



printed in 1532. He there condemned his
former book, as a juvenile and ill-reasoned
performance ; yet brought forward substan
tially the same doctrines, and urged them
with all his powers of logic and satire. In
1533, he went to Italy, and travelled in
France. He studied a while at Paris ; then
went to Orleans ; and thence to Lyons,
where he resided two years, as a superin
tendent of the press ; held a correspondence
with Calvin, and began to write his great
theological work. In 1537, he went again
to Paris, became a master of arts, and lec
tured on mathematics and astronomy. He
also devoted a year to the study of physic ;
and now commenced medical writer and
physician ; yet continued to labour on his
Restoration of Christianity. But soon he
got into collision with the medical fraternity,
and had to leave Paris. In 1538, he went
to Lyons, thence to Avignon, and thence to
Charlieu, where he resided as a physician
till 1540. He next went again to Lyons,
and soon after to Vienne, where he resided
twelve years, as a physician, under the pat
ronage of the archbishop and the clergy, to
whom he rendered himself quite acceptable.
During this time, though still labouring se
cretly upon his Restoration of Christianity,
he professed to be a sound Catholic, and
passed currently for one. He also re-edited
Ptolemy s geography, with corrections and
notes ; and published notes on Pagniri s
Latin Bible, the chief object of which was,
to show that all the Old Testament prophe
cies, which were commonly applied to Christ,
had a previous and literal fulfilment in events
prior to his advent, and only an allegorical
application to him. At length he determined
to print his favourite work on theology. It
was worked off, in a retired house in Vienne,
by his friends ; and he himself corrected the
press. It was finished in January, 1553 ;
and bore on its title-page only the initials of
his name, M. S. V. (Michael Servetus Villa-
novanus). Parcels of the book were sent to
Lyons, to Frankfort, and elsewhere. A few
copies reached Geneva ; and Calvin was
one of the first who read it. Near the end
of February, one Trie, a young French Prot
estant residing at Geneva, wrote to his Cath
olic friend at Lyons, who laboured hard to
convert him to popery, taxing the Catholics
of Lyons with harbouring Serve(us, the im
pious author of this new book which excited
such universal abhorrence. This letter first
awakened suspicion at Vienne, that Servetus
was the author of it. A process before the
Inquisition was commenced against him ;

VOL. III. F F



but the proof was deemed insufficient. The
court however prosecuted the matter with
zeal, and obtained more and more evidence
against him. Servetus, at length, foreseeing
the probable result, took to flight. The
court still proceeded, till they deemed the
evidence sufficient, and then condemned him
in his absence. Servetus fled to Geneva ;
and there lay concealed four weeks, waiting
for an opportunity to proceed to Italy and
Naples. Just as he was getting into a boat
to depart, he was discovered by Calvin him
self; who gave notice immediately to the
government, and they apprehended him.
Nicholas dc la Fontaine, Calvin s secretary,
took the part of an accuser ; and Calvin him
self is supposed to have framed the 38 arti
cles of charge. They were taken from his
writings, especially his last work ; and rela
ted to his views of the Trinity and infant
baptism ; his taxing Moses with falsely rep
resenting the land of Canaan as very fertile ;
his perverting the prophecies concerning
Christ ; and several other points of less im
portance. In the first hearing, Servetus ac
knowledged himself the author of the books
whence the charges were drawn ; but either
explained away, or justified, the articles al
leged ; and La Fontaine was unable to meet
his arguments. In the second hearing, Cal
vin was present ; and he exposed the eva
sive pleas of the criminal. In the mean
time, the council of Geneva wrote to the au
thorities of Vienne, informing them of the
arrest of Servetus, and inquiring respecting
the proceeding against him at Vienne. The
governor of the castle of Vienne came to
Geneva, exhibited a copy of the sentence
passed upon Servetus, and requested that
the prisoner might be delivered up to him,
to be conveyed to Vienne. Servetus was
called before the court, and with tears en
treated, that he might not be delivered up ;
but that he might be tried at Geneva. To
gratify his wishes, the court of Geneva re
fused to give him up, and proceeded in his
trial. He denied the competence of a civil
court to try a case of heresy : but his objec
tion was overruled. He also appealed to
the council of 200 : but the appeal was not
admitted. He attempted to accuse Calvin
of heresy ; but the court would not listen to
his accusations. He objected, that Calvir
reigned at Geneva, and begged to have his
case tried by the other cantons. Accord
ingly the court ordered that Cakin should
extract objectionable passages from Serve-
tus books, in his own words ; that Servetus
should subjoin such explanations and argu



26 BOOK IV.-CENT. XVI. SEC. III. PART. II. CHAP. IV.



which were also strange ; nor can it be stated fully in a few words. He
supposed in general, that the true doctrine of Jesus Christ was lost, even
before the council of Nice ; and indeed that it was never taught, with suf -
ficient clearness and perspicuity ; and that the restitution and explanation
of it, were divinely committed to him. As respects God and the divine
Trinity, he believed in general, that the supreme Being before the founda
tion of the world, produced in himself and formed two personal representa
tions, economies, dispositions, dispensations, or modes of existence, (for he did
not always use the same terms), namely, the Word and the Holy Spirit;
by which he might both make known his will to mankind, and impart to
them his blessings. That the Word was joined to the man Christ, who
was by the efficient volition of God born of the virgin Mary ; and that on
this account, Christ might justly be called God. That the Holy Spirit ani
mates the created universe ; and in particular, produces holy and divine
emotions and purposes in men. That after the destruction of this world,
both these Economies will cease to be, and will be reabsorbed in God.
Yet this doctrine he did not always state in the same manner, and he often
uses slippery and ambiguous terms ; so that it is exceedingly difficult to as
certain his real meaning. His moral principles agreed in many respects,
with the opinions of the Anabaptists : with whom also he agreed in this,
that he most severely condemned the baptism of infants.

6. This projected restoration of the church, of which Servetus hoped

raents as he saw fit ; then Calvin to reply, died, and he expired at the end of half an

hour. To the last, he maintained the cor
rectness of the opinions for which he suffer
ed ; and cried repeatedly, " Jesus, thou Son
of the eternal God, have mercy on me."
At this day, all agree, that Servetus ought
not to have been put to death : but in that
age, different sentiments prevailed. The
burning of heretics was then almost universal-



and Servetus to answer ; and the whole be
transmitted to Bern, Basle, Zurich, and,
Schaffhausen, for the opinion of those can
tons. This was accordingly done. The
reply from all the cantons was, that the Ge
nevans were in duty bound to restrain the
madness and wickedness of Servetus, and
to prevent him from propagating his errors



in future. But the manner in which this ly approved and practised. There

object should be accomplished, was left to however, especially among the French and

the discretion of the court of Geneva. The Italian Protestants, whose exposure on this

authorities of Basle however, intimated, that principle to be themselves put to death by



a perpetual imprisonment might be sufficient.
The court of Geneva, now unanimously, con-



the papists, led them to question the correct
ness of the principle. Calvin therefore, who



demned Servetus to be burned alive the day certainly had some hand in the death of Ser-



following. Calvin and the other ministers
of Geneva interceded for a milder death :
but the court would not yield. Servetus
was immediately informed of his sentence,
and was greatly overcome. The next day,



vetus, was censured by a few Protestants ;
while the great body of them, and even the
mild Melancthon, fully approved his conduct.
Some of the moderns have unjustly charged
Calvin with being actuated, solely, by per-



October 27, 1553, he appeared more com- sonal enmity against Servetus, and by the

posed. Fu re// attended him as a clergyman, natural severity of his disposition. On the

and urged him to retract ; which he pertina- ether hand, some have attempted entirely to

ciously refused. He was conducted to the exculpate him, and to attribute his condact

presence of the court, where his sentence to the purest motives. Jrie doubtless thought

was pronounced in form. He begged for a he was doing right, and had the approbation

commutation of the mode of death ; and of his own conscience ; as he certainly had

Fvrcll also urged the same ; but the court of the wisest and best men of that age, who,

would not listen. Me was conducted slowly as occasion was presented, pursued the sam

to the place of execution, permitted and even course themselves. But had he lived iu oui



urged to address the people ; which he re-



age, he wpuld undoubtedly have thought and
See Bcza?s Life of Cal



fused. At length, he was fastened by a acted differently.

chain to a stake, seated on a block, and sur- vin, by Sibson, ed. Philadelphia, 1836, note

rounded by combust ilies. The fire was kin c., p. 156-204. Tr.]



HISTORY OF THE SOCIMANS.



227



to be himself the author, died with him. For notwithstanding public fame
ascribed to him many disciples, and not a few divines of that age profess.
ed to have great apprehensions from the sect of Servelus ; yet it may be
justly doubted, whether he left behind him one genuine disciple. Those
who are called Servetians and followers of the doctrine of Servetus, by the
writers of that age, differed widely from Servetus in many respects ; and
in particular, they entertained very different opinions from his, respecting
the doctrine of the divine Trinity. Valentine Gentilis of Naples, whom
the government of Bern put to death in 1566, did not hold the opinions
of Servetus, as many writers affirm ; but held Arian sentiments, and made
the Son and the Holy Spirit to be inferior to the Father. (9) Not muclv
different were the views of Matthew Gribaldus, a jurist of Pavia ; who was
removed by a timely death, at Geneva, in 1566, when about to undergo a
capital trial : for he distributed the divine nature into three Eternal Spir
its, differing in rank, as well as numerically. (10) It is not equally certain
what was the criminal error of Jo. Paul Alciat a Piedmontese, and of
Sylvester Telllus, who were banished from Geneva in 1559; or what, that
of Paruta, Leonardi,(ll) and others, who are sometimes numbered among
the followers of Servetus : yet it is not at all probable, that any one ot
these regarded Servetus as his master. Peter Gonesius who is said to
have introduced the errors of Servetus into Poland.(12) although he may



(9) Peter Bayle, Dictionnaire, article
Gentilis ; torn, ii., p. 1251. Jac. Span s
Histoire de Geneve, livr. iii., torn, ii., p. 80,
&c. Christ. Sand s Bibliotheca Anti-Trin-
itar., p. 26. Lamifs Histoire du Socinian-
isme, pt. ii., cap. vi., p. 251. Jo. Conr.
Fuslirfs Reformations-Beytrage, vol. v., p.
381, &c. [Gentilis fled his country, from
religious motives, about the middle of the
century ; and settled at Geneva, in connex
ion with the Italian society there. Here,
with others, he uttered anti-trinitarian sen
timents ; for which he was arraigned in
1558, subscribed to an orthodox confession of
faith, and promised under oath, not to leave
the city without permission. He however,
fled clandestinely ; and travelled in France,
Switzerland, Germany, and Poland, propaga
ting Arian sentiments. He was imprisoned
at Lyons, and at Bern, and was expelled
from Poland. In 1566, he came to Bern a
second time, was apprehended, and con
demned to death, for having obstinately and
contrary to his oath assailed the doctrine of
the Trinity. See Bayle, loc. cit. Aretius,
a Reformed divine, wrote Historia Val.
Gentilis justo capitis supplicio Bernse af-
fecti; 1617, fol. Tr.]

(10) Christ. Sand s Biblioth. Anti-Trin-
itar., p. 17. Lamy, loc. cit., pt. ii., cap. vii.,
p. 257, &c. ^pon s Histoire de Geneve,
tome ii., p. 85, note. Holler, in the Mu
seum Tigurinum, torn, ii., p. 114.

(11) Of these, and other persons of this
class, see Sand, Lamy, and Stanislaus
Luhieniecius, Historia Reformat. Polomcse,