The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1888-01-29

was contrary 10 sOunu uOcJrlnei anu l.
cannot apply different rule to others >
Calvin's own life was in danger, and he
had to escape from his native country,
and take refuge in Switzerland. The
principles of religious liberty were not
understood at that day as we under
stand them now. Servetus during the
progress of his trial petitioned, in a
Memoir sent to the Council of Geneva,
for the arrest and trial of Calvin. Ii
he could have sustained himself before
the Council, Calvin would have been
adiudged the hereto, and been exposed
to death or Punishment l0uh the ap-
proUaL Of ServetuS.
Servetus had been already condemn.
ed to death by the Catholic authorities
at Vienne, had escaped from prison and
was fugitive when he came to Geneva.
The author of the appeal published
in the Dispatch claims honor for Serve
tus as "the martyred exponent of an
antagonism to some of the old Calvin
istic dogmas" 1t was for nothing of
the sort that Scrvetus was tried and
condemned. 1t was not on the issue
of Calvinism that he was arraigned,
but on charges of pantheism and de-
NAL of the Trinity. He called "the
persons of the Godhead the inventions
of the Devil, and the Sriune Deity a
hell.hound" For this he had, as we
have mentioned, already been con-
demned to death at Vienne.
Servetus knew perfectly well the
danger he braved in going to Geneva.
When he minated his intention of Wis
ting that place, Calvin gave him fair
warning, that, if he came, he would
prosecute him to the death. (Sec let
ter to Farel, Feb. -, 1850
We wish it distinctly understood that
we do not exonerute Calvin, but we are
sure that he acted on his convictions Of
what was his duty, and that he only
did what other eminent Reformers of
his day approved.
Why is Calvin singled out? What
shall we say of Cranmer, the Father of
the Church of England? Take this
little narrative: In the reign of Ed
ward VI. there was a woman accused
of heretical opinions, named Joan Bo
cher, or Joan of Kent. Her doctrine
was that Christ was not truly the in
5arnate of the Virgin, whose flesh be.
ing the outward man, was sinfully be.
gotten, and born in sin and conse
quently he could take none of it; but
the Word, by the consent of the in
ward man of the Virgin, was made
flesh" She refused to recant, and was
condemned to be burned at the stake.
Tho young king, as Hume remarks
(Vol. III, chap. 81, Though in such
tender years, had more sense than all
his councillors and preceptors; and he
long refused to sign the warrant for her
execution" Cranmer undertook to
convince him of his error-he urged
that there was a great difference be
tween errors in other points of divinity
and those which were in direct contra
diction of the Apostles Greed these
latter were impieties against God,
which the prince, being Gods deputy,
ought to repress in like manner as in.
ferior magistrates were bound to pun
ish offences against the kings person.
The poor boy submitted to the preate's
arguments with tears in his eyes, but
told him that if any wrong were done,
the guilt should be entirely on his
(Cranmers) head" And after making
another effort to reclaim the woman, by
Cranmer's orders she was committed to
the flames
One rarely hears this story; but we
often hear about Servetus Calvin
burned a man (and very dangerous
man, as they regarded him); Cranmor
burned a 0oman
The burning of Servetus was APP
proved by Melancthon-the mild stu.
dent of the Reformation by Farel, by
Bullingeri by Bucer by Gcoampadius,
and the leading spirits in that move
ment.
We doplore the fact that such names
are associated with such mistakes; but