who would proscribe the writings of their opponents if they had the power; they give proof of this by doing all they can to prevent their being circulated and read. Arrogant men! Have not others understanding as well as you? Are you the only men of judgment, and shall wisdom die with you? Show your superior sagacity, not by condemning and burning, nor by restraining in any form, but by refuting those books you deem heretical. When shall the happy time come when all christians, filled with the spirit of liberty and independence, shall spurn the degrading idea that they are not competent to judge for themselves on every subject? After all, those men who would be lords over God's heritage, have preserved, with a view to justify their persecuting spirit, and to calumniate the memory of those they treated as heretics, what they thought most false and dangerous in the writings they destroyed.

Servetus was connected with no religious party. He was the first man, at that time, who dared openly to attack those corruptions of the christian doctrine, which both papists and protestants deemed fundamental truths of religion. He had no avowed disciples, no adherents; he stood alone in the difficult and dangerous attempt

it

to reform what the whole christian world thought too sacred to be scrutinized. He had no relative, no friend, at hand, to espouse his cause and vindicate his memory. He left no associates to disabuse the world by giving a fair statement of his character and doctrine. Hence may be concluded that the world at that time would receive very wrong ideas of him and his opinions and wrong ideas once received, in such circumstances, would be likely to pass down the stream of time and remain current for ages. An honorable or dishonorable place in the page of history is not procured merely by the excellency, or the worthlessness, of the character described. Historians, in the represen

tation they give of particular persons, are influenced by a variety of circumstances. Their accounts too frequently derive their coloring from the opinions and prejudices of their own times. The accounts given of Servetus, by writers of that age, ought to be read with much caution, and are likely to be erroneous in some particulars.

The enemies of Servetus had a very extensive influence in the protestant churches, of which they were the founders and leaders. Their opinions have great authority with multitudes to the present day. Many christians still think it

criminal to charge them with great errors. They employed all their influence, used every means in their power, to degrade the character and blacken the opinions of the person they had destroyed. This the desire of justifying themselves, equally with their rooted aversion to him and his notions, would prompt them to do. Their pens were employed in vindicating their cruelty in putting him to death: and to accomplish this they represented him in the worst light they could.

In such circumstances, and under the influence of such feelings, they would draw a veil over his virtues, keep out of sight his learning and general good character, mangle his writings, catch up every idle report and circulate it to his disadvantage, distort his expressions, disguise his sentiments, and excite all the prejudice they could against him, to render his name execrable. Blinded by prejudice themselves, irritated by the opposition he had made to their favorite notions, fired by a false zeal, and wrought up to a persuasion that they were doing God service by decrying such a heretic and rendering his opinions odious, they would not be aware of the length to which they proceeded in misrepresentation and injustice. Having once committed

themselves so far, in the face of the whole world, as to condemn and burn him as an infamous heretic, they were not likely to desist from loading his name with infamy.

The minds of men at that time were strongly prepossessed in favor of the opinions Servetus attempted to explode, and deeply prejudiced against those he inculcated. Hence they would readily credit whatever was reported to his discredit, and suppose him to maintain the most absurd notions imputed to him by his adversaries. They would take for granted that he was a bad man, and, without examination, regard his opinions with detestation. The same prejudices have, in some degree, retained their influence with multitudes of christians to the present time: hence the respect due to his memory, as a virtuous man, and faithful martyr, has been unjustly withholden.

The preceding remarks are sufficient to show that to give an impartial account of Dr. Servetus and his writings is attended with no small difficulty. We must collect what we can from different writers, and make those conclusions which appear most probable.

SECTION IV.

A glance at the state of the christian world down to the period of Servetus' sufferings.

Rightly to appreciate the character of Servetus, and judge of his actions, it will be necessary to consider the state of the christian world in his day. To form an accurate judgment of the reformers, their religious views, and plans of reform, so as duly to estimate their moral worth, and the consistency of their measures, requires that we look back to the days of Christ and his apostles, compare the systems they adopted with the New Testament; that we also glance at the gradual corruption of christianity, and the gross darkness of the middle ages; and that we remember that the reformation was but the dawn of a brighter day; otherwise we shall not be prepared to maké due allowance for the imperfection of their views, spirit and conduct. Nothing more than a glance at these things is intended in this place.

Christianity, as taught by Jesus and his apostles, was a system of pure truth, stated with the