An impartial history of Michael Servetus, burnt alive at Geneva for heresie / [By Sir Benjamin Hodges?].

  • Michael Servetus
Date:
1724
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An impartial history of Michael Servetus, burnt alive at Geneva for heresie / [By Sir Benjamin Hodges?]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fat* on the one fide, left we return into Egypt; neither too far on the other, left we be carried into Babylon ; let us not flng the fong of our Lord in a ftrange land; that is, let us not difpute the word of God in all adventures, as well where it is not to be rea-,. fon’d, as where it is * and as well in the ears of them that be not fit therefore as them that be, if we can in no wife forbear, but that we . muft needs difpute, let us forbear, thus much at leaft, to do it out of time and place convenient; and let us ever treat of thofe things which be holy, holily ; and upon thofe things myftical, myftically, and not to utter the divine myfteries in the ears unworthy to hear them; but let us know what is comely, as well in our filence and talking, as in our garments wearing, in our feeding, in our goings, and in all our other behaving : this contention and debates about fcriptures, and doubts thereof, fpecially when fuch as do pretend to be the favourers and ftudents thereof, cannot agree among themfelves, doth moft hurt to ourfelves, and to the furthering of the caufe, and quarrels that we fiiould have furthered above all other things. And We in this (faith he) be not unlike to them that being mad, fet their own houfes on fire, and flay their own children, or beat their own parents: and marveil much faith he, to recount, whereof cometh all the defire of vain glory, whereof cometh all this tongue itch, that we have fo much delight to talk and clatter; and wherein is our com¬ munication, not in the commendation of virtuous and good deeds, of hofpitality, of chriftian love between brother and brother, of love between man and wife, of virginity and chaftity, and of alms to¬ wards the poor; not in pfalms and godly fongs, not in lamenting for our fins, not in repreffing the affe&ion of the body, not in prayers to G o d. We talk of fcripture, but in the mean time, we fubdue not our flefli by fading, watching, and weeping; we make not the life a meditation of death; yre do not ftrive to be lords over our affeftions and appetites; we go not about to pull down our proud and high minds, to abate our fumifh and rancorous ftomachs; to re- ftrain our luft and bodily delegations; our undifcreet forrows, and Jafcivious mirth; our inordinate looking; our infatiate hearing of vanities ; our fpeaking without meafure ; our inconvenient thoughts; $nd briefly, to reform our life and manners, and all our holinefs con- iifteth but in talking, and we pardon each other from all good living, fo that we may ftick faft together in argumentation, as though there were no more ways to heaven but that alone, the way of fpeculation I and knowledge, as they take it; but in very deed, its the way, rather of fuperfluous contention and fopbiftication. Hitherto have I recited the mind of Gr ego tty Nazianzene in that book which I fpake of before ? The fame author faid alfo in another place, that the learning of a chriftian man ought to begin of the fear ofGoD, to end with matters qf high fpeculation ; and not to begin jvith fpeculation, and to end in fear; for fpeculation, faith he, either high cunning or knowledge, if it be not ftay’d with the bridle of jfpr to offend G o d, is dangerous, agd enough to tumble a man head¬ long
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