acquitted him. And one of the judges propofed that; but he was abufed by Calvin, who influenced most of the judges, and carried things very much as he pleased.

October 27. being the day appointed for his execution, he defired to fee Calvin, two hours before he was burnt. Calvin went to him, accompanied with two of the magiftrates. Servetus beged his pardon for all the abufive language he had ufed towards him; but I do not find that Calvin beged his pardon; though he had ufed as fcurrilous language to Servetus, and bafely and treacheroudly procured against him the fentence of death. He did, indeed, fay (when Servetus beged his pardon) that he never thought of revenging himself, for the hard words Servetus had given him; and intimated, that he had ufed all gentle methods to convince him of his errors, till he faw they were in vain. Calvin likewife exhorted him to pray to God, that he would forgive him, for having attempted to pluck three Hypoftafes out of his fubftance, &c. but Servetus continued stedy in his opinion; and was not moved by any thing Calvin could fay.

After he was condemned to die, Calvin fays, he fometimes appeared fpeechleffe, and without any motion; fometimes he fetched deep fighs, and at other times again made great lamentations, like a madman; crying out Mercy, Mercy, after the Spanish way.

When

When he came to the ftake, he made no speech to the people, nor fhewed any fign of relenting. It is very likely he thought his enemies would not suffer him to speak to the people P.

Champel, or Champey, a small rifing ground, about a mufket-fhot from Geneva, was then the common place of execution; and there the unfortunate Servetus expired in the flames; a victim to the refentment of Calvin, and the cruel zeal of the magiftrates of Geneva; and a flagrant inftance of the dreadful tendency, and horrible confequences, of Perfecution, whether found among Papifts or Proteftants!

I am,

SIR,

Your affectionate, humble Servant

CHARISTES.

P Slichtingius fais, Servetus died, calling upon Christ, in the midft of the flames. Vid. Slichting. in 1 Johan.

iii. 12.

The

The OLD WHIG, &c.

N° 160.

Thursday, March 30, 1738.

I'

To the Author of the OLD WHIG,

SIR,

SOME time ago, gave you an account of Servetus, and of the treatment which he met with, from feveral of the renowned Reformers.

I would now beg Leave to offer fome Remarks on the conduct of his adverfaries.

One of their methods of hunting down Servetus and his opinions, was, by writing letters, founding an alarm, and raising a pannic, in various countries, and among people that had never read his books, to excite them to condemn him, before they had heard him fpeak for himself.

They afcribed to him wicked and dangerous defigns, and reprefented him as no Chriftian; nay, as an Atheist; because he did not believe Christianity, according to their interpretation: (tho' it must be owned that Servetus was as ready to call names, as any of his adverfaries:So much did the spirit of Popery and the barbarity of the preceding age remain, even in men, who themfelves ftood in need of the charity and candor of others!) They feized, by

violence,

violence, upon Servetus's books, and burned them as full of blafphemy; whereas he and his friends might, with as much juftice, have feized upon their books, and burnt them.

They raked into his whole life and converfation; as if his opinions would have been the leffe true and reafonable, if he had been found to be an immoral man. But, though they could not fix any great immorality upon him, they nevertheleffe condemned him; fo that his vices would have aggravated his Herefy; but his virtue could be of no fervice to him.

Another most wicked method of blasting his reputation was, the mifreprefenting his doctrine, expreffing it, fometimes, in their own words, and fixing their odious confequences upon him. I mention this the rather, because bigots of all parties commonly take this method, that they may represent their adverfaries opinons in the most odious light.

They ought to have taken Servetus's own words, in order to expreffe his fentiments, and not have charged him with feveral things, which he utterly disowned. And they should, likewise, have let the world read them in his own writings; that they might have been fure they were faithfully reprefented; — as well as have seen how he fupported them. However, they found a different way of treating him to be proper, in order to blacken his character, and incenfe the people against him.

But

But the grand fource of their cruel treatment of Servetus, was a tacit claiming to themselves (what the Church of Rome openly lays claim to, that is) Infallibility. If Calvin and his friends had not fet themselves up as Standards of truth and orthodoxy, what pretence could they have had of profecuting Servetus, for differing from them, and delivering him over to the flames, as a blafphemer, and Heretic convict? It is true, they did not openly declare for infallibility. But it is evident, by their conduct, they claimed as much deference, among the Reformed churches, as the Pope claimed among the Papifts. For, as the latter declares, that he is always right, the former were very pofitive, they were never wrong. And he must be very sharp-fighted, that can find out the difference. The truth is, Calvin had no more dominion over Servetus's faith, than Servetus over his; and therefore he fet out upon a wrong fuppofition.

However, as Calvin was almoft adored by the people, that were Proteftants; as he had moft of the magiftrates of Geneva at his beck, and very great influence in other cities and ftates; Servetus, a poor exile, could expect no favor. The claiming Infallibility, without the civil power to back it, is a mere Farce. But, when the fword of the magiftrate is at the service of an infallible Prieft, it exalts him into a God, that (like Moloch) must be appeafed by the blood of innocent victims,