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Fontaine brought , the 14 th of August , thirty-eight articles of ac citation against Servetus , together with a MS . sent by him to Calvin , the edition of Ptolemaeus , and Pagnini ' s Bible , both superintended and published by Servetus ,
I must content myself with giving you only the ! faithful outlines of this famous criminal prosecution , and pause awhile over some of the most remarkable incidents .
by which ^ ome light will be thrown on the leading characters ; while you may . consult , at leisure , La Roche , Mosheim and Bockius , if you desire to know the whole
process , Servetus repelled first with firmness every accusation , though he avowed that he published in
Germany his book De Trinitatts Erroribns , in France his Restitutio Christianismi ^ together with Ptolemeeus and the edition of Pagnini ' s Bible . At the second
examination , he acknowledged , when he was urged by La Fontaine to " confess the truth , some of the articles brought against him , in regard to his publications , denied others , and hesitated to explain
himself more plainly upon others . But when he again was questioned upon the 37 th art . of accusation , ^ Why he had slandered Calvin , and lacerated the Christian
doctrine ? " he protested , that Cal - vin . < had been the first aggressor , thit if he bad recriminated ^ it was done in self defence ' * which
plfja \ yas deemed by his judges such an Aggravation , that his accuser was dismissed upon giving bail by Calvin ' s brother . * To explain this , we ought to observe ;
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that the judgeshad before declared , ** that Calvin ' s doctrine , as proposed in his Institution ^ , was the holy doctrine of God ; that he wa » a faithful minister of that city ; that no person henceforward should speak against that book or doctrine- arid commanded the
parties ( Jo , Trouillet and Calvin ) and all others , ( who often had disputed with Calvin , ) to conform themselves to this decree , & Nov . 1552 / ' But was Servetus acquainted with this decree of the senate
of Geneva ? Calvin accuses Servetus of many petulant and impious expressions in a letter to Farel ; f but was it a wonder , Sir ? Let us
place ourselves in his situation ; that a man , so high spirited , so proud as Servetus , not long before so highly caressed , respected ^ and honoured at Vienne ; that such a
man , oppressed and persecuted , a $ he considered himself , in the heat of dispute , with the author of his misfortunes before his eyes , let fall undigested expressions , which he in cooler moments would
have cpndemned ? Does truth notwithstanding these reasons compel us to declare him guiltywhat verdict shall we give for
Calvin ? Servetus complained , that Calvin had so severely perse * cuted him , tba , t , had it been in his power , he would long since have been burned to ashes . It is
true Sir , Serwfcps could have pleaded the incompetence of jurisdiction oyer him in the senate of Geneva ; % x \ qt $ so , as the magistrate of Vienne had requested his being delivered up , . which , with tears ,. iv * is deprecated by
Ser-* C * lvia s JLctt . Ep / i $% . p ^ ajo . ( ii 4 ») , t so Aug . n . 134 . p . » 9 O . comp . with Rcfut . Err . Scrvcti , p . 703 .
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Sketch of the lifeoj Servetus . —^ Letter 6 . S 79
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1810, page 379, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2407/page/3/
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