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eminent usefulness. His natural talents were excellent, his acquired knowledge was truly respectable, his disposition amiable. He appeared at first view to be reserved and rather austere; but a farther acquaintance removed this impression and discovered the man. He was fond of society, especially in the last of his days, and was well qualified to shine in it. His great excellence, however, was in the pulpit. Long will he be remembered by those who have sat under his stated ministry. He had a happy faculty of expressing himself in his discourses with plainness and neatness, beyond any one the writer of this has ever heard. His eloquence, with a few exceptions, was natural, impressive and commanding. At times, he had too much vehemence in his manner. His subjects were generally practical. He exalted the Saviour and directed sinners to his Cross as their only ref uge. He seemed to feel the importance of his work, and dealt faithfully with the souls of his hear

ers.

His exhortations were earnest, pathetic, persuasive and alarming. He was peculiarly fitted for convincing the sinner, and urging him to flee to Christ. His ministerial career he

commenced in the Presbyterian church. During the revolutionary war he was a chaplain in the army, and ever since has been a true friend to his country. A few years after the peace he connected himself with the Reformed Dutch Church, and settled in the city of New-York. Indisposition finally constrained him to resign his pastoral charge. The church of Christ, and society at large, have few men like him to lose. As long as health permitted, he devoted his talents and time to the service of that cause which he early espoused; a cause which lay near to his heart; which he loved. His complaints were considered in a great measure as ideal by his numerous friends; but his death has proved the contrary. It is probable he has felt more than he wished to declare. He is gone; we shall see him no more;

hear him no more on this side of eternity. His memory, however, will be ever dear to all who were favoured with his friendship, as well as to those who were allied to him by the ties of nature. One who knew him well, and has long been an intimate in his family, pays this feeble but sin cere tribute of respect and affection to his merits.

Drdinations.

ORDAINED October 14th, 1807, at Dartmouth, Rev. Daniel Emerson. Introductory prayer by Rev. Oliver Cobb, Rochester; sermon by Rev. Eli Smith, Holles, N. H.; consecrating prayer by Rev. Mase Shepard, Little Compton; charge by Rev. Curtis Coe, Missionary from M. M. S.; fellowship of churches by Rev. Isaiah Weston, Fair Haven; Concluding prayer by Rev. Caleb J. Tenny, Newport.

At Lexington, Jan. 30, 1808, Rev. Mr. Avery Williams. Introductory prayer by the Rev. Mr. Gile, of Milton; sermon by Rev. Dr. Kendal of Weston; consecrating prayer by Rev. Mr. Marrett of Burlington; charge by Rev. Dr. Cushing of Waltham; right hand by Rev. Mr. Fiske of West-Cambridge; and concluding prayer by Rev. Mr. Stearns of Lincoln.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

OUR Correspondent on the subject of a General Association shall be heard in our next. Also others, whose communications are received and approved, as fast as our pages will admit.

Errata.-In No. 8, for Jan. page 357, line 19 from top, second column, for threatened read treated.

OR,

THE CHRISTIAN'S ARMORY.

No. 34.]

MARCH, 1808. [No. 10. VOL. III.

Biography.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN CALVIN,

Taken from the Religious Monitor, with the addition of several extracts of a communication received from a learned and ingenious Correspondent.

Concluded from page 390.

CASTALIO renewed his con- termined to reveal his discovetroversy in 1552; but became ries to the world. These he afterwards so conscious of his published at Vienne in 1553, errors, and of the injuries which in a volume, entitled, The Restihe had done to Calvin, that when tution of Christianity, in which on his death-bed, he declared the knowledge of God, of the that he could not die in peace if Christian faith, of justification, rehe did not receive his forgiveness. generation, baptism, and the eatCalvin quickly removed this ing of the Lord's supper, are perground of uneasiness, and sooth- fectly restored. So unscriptural, ed his mind with the voice of were the sentiments which it friendship, and the consolations contained, that it was reprobated of the gospel. even by the Papists, who felt so indignant, as to condemn him to be burnt for heresy. He escaped, however, from Vienne, the place of his condemnation and subsequent imprisonment; but the magistrates and clergy executed the sentence on his effigy, and along with it, committed his writings to the flames. Intending to retire to Naples, he travelled by the way of Geneva, where he was apprehended and imprisoned. After a trial, protracted by various causes, a sentence similar to that from which he had so lately escaped, was pass

We have mentioned, that so early as 1531, or 1532, Michael Servede, or Servetus, began to speculate on the doctrine of the Trinity, and undisguisedly to oppose the orthodox faith. He was a Spanish physician, but left his native country, and settled at Vienne in France, where he acquired great reputation by his professional knowledge and suc

But when he applied himself to theology, the ardour of his fancy seduced him into the dangerous path of error; and in the fulness of his zeal, he deVol. III. No. 10.

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ed on him, in consequence of which, he was burnt alive for his heretical opinions.

on

This tragical history has opened the mouths of many, particularly among the ancient Socinians and the modern Unitarians, against Calvin, whom they accuse of being the principal agent in the whole transaction. It has been repeatedly affirmed, that to gratify a long concealed and inveterate enmity against Servetus, he denounced him to the magistracy of Vienne, as a heretic, and caused him to be apprehended immediately his arrival at Geneva. It is not our intention to justify the conduct of Calvin in this business; but the following remarks may have the effect at least of so far exculpating him, as to prove, that he was actuated by no private personal motive of malice or cruelty; and that his behaviour throughout can be easily justified on the principles which were at that time commonly received by the mildest, the wisest and the best of men, though to us they now justly appear equally inhuman, unreasonable, and unchristian.

Bolsec, though the author of a life of Calvin, in which every charge that malice could devise, or falsehood propagate, is recorded; and Maimbourg, celebrated for partiality and misrepresentation, never so much as insinuate, that Calvin and Servetus had a mutual hatred of each other; but on the contrary, accuse the latter only, of insolence and pride.. That the magistracy of Vienne were not instigated by Calvin to persecute Servetus, may be satisfactorily proved. In a letter to Farel and Viret,

with whom he had no secrets, he says, that if Servetus came to Geneva, he would undoubtedly lose his life. This he concluded from his knowledge of the constitution of the state, and the general opinion of the times On this concerning heresy. part of the accusation let us hear his own reasoning:"It is affirmed that I was the cause of Servetus' being apprehended at Vien

ne.

Whence, then, this sudden and powerful intimacy with the satellites of the Pope? Is it credible that there should be such an intercourse between those, who are not less opposed to each other, than Christ is to Belial ? Four years have elapsed since Servetus spread a similar report at Venice whether this was the effect of hatred, or whether he had been deceived by others, I know not. I only ask, if he was betrayed by my information, how was he permitted to live quiet and unmolested, for the space of three years in the very midst of his enemies? They must allow, either that his pretended crime was a falsehood which I invented; or that this holy martyr was in greater favour with the Papists, than to be injured by any accusation of mine."*

But it is farther said, that Calvin, informed that Servetus had escaped from prison at Vienne, made him be seized immediately on his arrival at Geneva. This assertion is not supported by facts: for Servetus must have left Vienne before the 17th of June, that being the day fixed for his death; yet he was not ap

Tract. cui titul. An Christianis

judicibus hereticos punire liceat-Oper. tom. viii. p. 5. 7.

prehended at Geneva till August 13th. It is thus more than probable, that he was five or six weeks, at least, at Geneva, as his safety was every moment endangered while he remained within reach of Popish violence. He besides declined returning to Vienne, when the Council demanded him, preferring the chance of a more lenient sentence from the reformed church. But the principles of toleration were then unknown; even the Protestants retained a portion of the persecuting spirit of Rome; and the constitution of Geneva, in particular, not only permitted, but required the punishment of heretics. So closely connected were the civil and ecclesiastical laws, that sedition and heresy were convertible terms at Geneva. In 1536, accordingly, all who did not submit to the discipline of the church, were subjected to civil excommunication, being deprived of their rights of citizenship. In 1558, also, Gentilis -escaped death, only by a recantation of his errors.

The sentence denounced a gainst Servetus, was not the effect of momentary heat among the people, or of personal enmity in Calvin, but the result of solemn deliberation, and of the unanimous advice of the reformed churches. In a letter to Farel, Calvin writes thus: "The messenger has returned from the Swiss. They declare with one consent, that Servetus has renewed those impious errors with which Satan formerly disturbed the church, and that he is a monster not to be endured. The people of Basil are cordial in the matter; those of Zurich are the most vehement, for they strong

ly express the atrocity of such impieties, and exhort our senate to severity; those of Schaffhausen are of the same opinion. The letter from the ministers of Bern is confirmed by another from the senate, a circumstance which greatly encourages our council. He was condemned without hesitation or controversy. Tomorrow he will be brought to punishment. We have attempted to get the manner of his death altered, but in vain."* This letter, though written in the full confidence of friendship, contains no appearance either of enmity against Servetus, or of joy at his condemnation; but a simple statement of facts, which prove, that the right of punishing heretics with death was the common sentiment of Christians: and instead of being marked by expressions of cruelty, it rather gives a favourable view of Calvin's mildness. In another letter, this feature is still more apparent. Convinced of the justness of the accusations brought against Servetus, he saw that the law of the state could not be suspended, yet wished the punishment annexed to his crime by the law, to be mitigated.†

"The intolerance, therefore, of the age, not the cruelty of Calvin, (says Sennebier, whose apology for this reformer merits the fuller credit from their being

Calvini Epistol. p. 72. col. 1. oper. tom. ix. The letters from the churches of Bazil and Schaffhausen, and from the ministers and senate of Bern, are in the same collection, p. 72-74.

† Spero capitale saltem fore judicium; pænæ vero atrocitatem remitti cupio. Calv. Epist. p. 70. col. 1. oper. tom. ix.

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Calvin, and all the magistrates Let us remember, that of Geneva, in the year 1553, were born and bred up in the best apology that can be made church of Rome. This is the for them."†

After this period, Calvin's life peaceful. The disputes concernwas comparatively quiet and ing discipline were sometimes indeed revived, and the senate for communication into their own a season took the power of exhands, but tranquillity was soon again restored. The number of strangers gradually increased in Geneva, and the English who took refuge there, from the persecution of Queen Mary, were allowed to found a church, with their own liturgy and ecclesiastical goverment, as the Italians. had done in 1551 but when Elizabeth ascended the throne, and revived the Protestant religion, they thanked the magisreturned to their own country. trates for their protection, and

of very different theological city. sentiments) dictated the sentence, October 27, that Servetus should be burnt alive. Castalio alone had the courage to write a dissertation against the punishment of heretics, which, though he was at Basil, he thought it necessary for his own safety to publish under the feigned name of Bellius. But Servetus persisted to defend his opinions in blasphemous language: the laws of the times could not be violated; and, therefore, the endeavours of some to satisfy themselves with his banishment, and of Calvin to render his punishment less cruel, had no effect. It is certain, Calvin deplored Servetus' fate; and the disputes in prison were managed with much greater moderation on his side, than on that of the pannel. Calvin's situation was peculiarly delicate; Roman Catholics accused him of dangerous theological errors. Their eyes were fixed him; and had he reupon mained an indifferent spectator of the process against Servetus, they would have pronounced him a favourer of his opinions. Add to this, had Servetus escaped, his gross and abusive charges against Calvin would have appeared wellfounded; and Calvin's adversaries would have availed themselves of that advantage, for ruining his influence."* clude," if the Roman Catholics To conhad never put any person to death for the sake of religion, Servetus had never been condemned to die in any Protestant

* Sennebier's Hist. Liter. de Geneve, quoted and abridged by Dr. Erskine.-Sketches of Ch. Hist. Vol. II No. xi. in which article the substance of the above vindication is to be found.

with a quartan ague, which gave In 1556 Calvin was seized a shock to his constitution, already debilitated and worn out with his incessant labours, anxiety, and study, from the effects of which he never wholly recovered: but the flame of life was not yet extinguished,its ardour again revived, and he lived to publish the last edition of his Institutions his commentary on Isaiah, and in French and Latin; and to prepare for the press his annotacontaining his ingenious harmotions on the five books of Moses, ny of the law. After several years of declining health, during

† Memoirs of Literature, Vol. 1. p.

138.

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