40 
monotheifm from the * Moorifh and Jewifh 
literature of Spain; and to have intro- 
duced it, too late for praétical efficiency, 
into the countries agitated by the reform- 
ers. This theological + writer was exes 
cuted in 1553 at Geneva for herefy, by 
Calvin’s inftigation: of his life the par- 
ticulars are well known; but T have vainly 
fought a detailed ftatement of his opinions. 
Perhaps it may fave trouble to future 
feekers, if you print off the following ar- 
ranged extracts from his writings. 
Concerning Deity, Serveto teaches the 
doétrine of the pantheifts, that the whole 
is god: he affumes the perfonality of the 
univerfe, and worfhips this univerfal deity 5 
he does not, like Spinoza, adopt a mate- 
rial pantheifm, or, like Berkeley, a {piritual 
pantheifm; but he embraces the doétrine 
of two fubftances, matter and fpirit; and 
accords therefore much with the Poet in 
bis idea of the conftruétion of that whole, 
' €€ Whofe body nature is, and god the foul.” 
Deus ipfe eft comprehenfio et continentia 
rerum omnium. Ipfe Deus. fuftinet nos et 
portat nas. Ipfe vivificat omnia. In ipfo vi- 
vimus, movemur et fumus. Omnia in ipfo 
confitunt. Omnia ex ‘ipfo per ipfum et in 
ipfo. Omnia {unt in ipfo, ipfe dat efle rebus, 
et fingulis formis ipfum eft formale. In ef- 
fentia {ua rerum omnium ideas continens, eft 
veluti pars formals omnium, peculiari pre- 
fertim in nobis ratione, ob quam nos dicimur 
participes divine: nature. De Trinitate lib.iv. 
Deus eft id totum quod vides, et id totum quod 
non vides. Lid. iv. Verug ipfe {fptritus Dei 
cum hominis fpiritu facit unum fpiritum, 
quod totum dicitur fpiritus fanétus, ficut ver- 
bum Dei cum ipfa carne facit unum ens, quod 
totum dicitur filius.—De Trinitate, dialogusil. 
* In the firft book de Trinitate, he adduces, 
P- 35, various teftimonies againit the trinity 
from the Koran: and in the fecond book, he 
difplays much familiarity with rabbinical li- 


terature, and Hebrew diale&t: he is even on ‘ 
the point of declaring for circumcifion : 
Chriffianifmi Reflitutio, p. 442. 
+ Serveto does not poffefs the drollery of 
Luther, the impetuofity of Calvin, or the 
urbanity of Erafmus; but he values higher 
than Luther the reputation of veracity 5 
higher than Calvin, the charities of inter- 
courfe; higher than Erafmus, the duty of 
zeal, He fometimes indulges m a coarfenefs 
of illuftration, which in vernacular fpeech 
would appear profane; [Eadem ratione conce- 
dint ipfum Deum effe-afinum, Spiritum San&um 
effe mulum, et Spiritum Sanéfum effe mortuum, fi 
shoriatur mulus. De Trin. lib. iv p.43.] he 
fometimes verges on a liberality of. opinion, 
liable to be miftaken for infidelity itfelf 
| In futuro perfeciiffimo feculo erit charitas, non 
fides aliqua. Dev Charitate, lid. iv. ] 
Opinions of Servetus. 
[June 15 
He receives the doctrine of intermediate 
fuperior beings, or dzmonifm. 
Angeli erant filii Elohim, impoftores fpi- 
ritus, qui, humano generi angelicam vitam 
comminifcentes, orbi impofuerunt. Angeli 
ipfi videntes mulierum pulcritudinem eo medio 
homines ad libidinem potentius ftimularunt, 
fe homines effe fingentes, et in magnorum 
hominum corpora fe intrudentes. Ob quam 
caufam, ait Judas, angelos illos reliquifie 
originem fuam, feu a naturali origine dege- 
neraffe, invida hominum zmulatione gene- 
rare volentes. Sunt enim dzemonum afiectus 
maxime depravati, et miris artibus homines 
fafcinant. De Trinitate, lib. ii. 
He affigns to Chrift, like the Arians, 
a demi-godfhip ; and favours the opinion 
of his apotheofis, rather than of his abo- 
riginal divinity. 
Unicus eft Deus, omnis deitatis origo. Non 
erant ex hoc Judzi offendendi, cum Mofes, 
Salomon, et Cyrus, dicti fint dil. Hlam 
Elohim deitatem mon folum debuiffent Ju- 
dzi Chrifto tribuere, videntes in eo tanta 
Dei opera, et tanta miracula, fed etiam cog- 
nofcere quod per excellentiam ei conveniret. 
Hanc Chriftus fuze eximiz deitatis ratio- 
nem reddebat, Joan. 5 et 10. De Trinitate 
lis, 3% 
His anti-trinitarian zeal is often elo- 
quent, fometimes bitter, — 
Affirmat ibi Petrus, non pofle quem de Deo 
aliquid cogitare, cujus forma nulla unquam 
extiterit : ergo non poteft trinitas illa cogi- 
tari, ergo demonum {unt illufiones, et idola 
mala in animo funt, que de tribus illis rebu$ 
vos in uno cogitatis, cum fit monftrum im- 
poffibile. Quid in hac forma ves unquam 
vidiftis, nifi tergeminos Geryones, tricipitem 
Cerherum, aut Bellerophontis Chimeram ? 
Hac prima ratione conftat, vos efle magos, 
aut magi difcipulos, de Deo cogitantes ea) 
quz nondunt, ut arguit ibi Petrus. Horri- 
hilis ef, plufquam magica, illarum trium 
zequalium, invifibilium rerum et motuum, in 
Deo incluforum, illufio. Apologia, ; 700. 
Athei vero funt trinitarii omnes. e Tri- 
nitate, lib. 1. 
He was always an anti-neceflarian ; and 
from his later writings appears to have 
become an anti-nomian, 
Decipiuntur ergo qui ex preordinatione Dei 
omnia neceflario evenire putant, et Dei po- - 
tentiam fuo ingenio metiuntur ac limitant. 
De Trinitate, lib. il. 
Yn fatali tua, ne dicam fatua, rerum om- 
nium neceflitate, feu in fervo tuo arbitrio, eft 
hoc ftuporis certum indicium, quod hominem 
id agere mones, quod {cis eum agere non poffe. 
Epiflole triginta ad F. Calvinunt, xxii. 
Jzex peccati et mortis, tefte Paulo, erat lex 
decalogi, a qua nos liberatos effe ait, Ro. 7 
et 8. Liberati, inquit, fumus qa lege illa 
decalogi; quae erat lex mortis, in qua detina~ 
= bamur. 
