Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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ft1020 “Ein graeulich boes Buch.” When Melanchthon informed him that the
opinions of Servetus found much applause in Italy, he remarked that
“Italy was full of pestilential opinions, and that if such errors as those
of Servetus should get there, horrible abominations would arise”
(horribiles abominationes ibi orituras). Bindseil, Martini Lutheri
Colloquia, Tom. I. 376. Comp. Tollin, M. Luther und M. Servet,
Berlin, 1875, and M. Servet und Martin Butzer (or Servet und die
oberlaendischen Reformatoren, Berlin, 1880, vol. I. 105 sq.). Tollin
tries to prove in both these books, on the strength of an obscure
passage in a letter of Servetus to Oecolampadius, that Servetus
accompanied Butzer as amanuensis in September, 1530, from
Augsburg to Coburg to see Luther. But neither Bucer nor Luther say a
word about it.
ft1021 Erlangen ed., vol. XXII. 558 sq.
ft1022 Corpus Reformatorum, vol. VIII. 520. He mentions among the
heresies worthy of death the deliramenta Samosateni andManichaei.
ft1023 Corpus Reformat. vol. VIII. 362 (also in Calvin’s Opera, XV. 268
sq.): Reverende vir et carissime frater: Legi scriptum tuum, in quo
refutasti luculenter horrendas Serveti blasphemias: ac Filio Dei
gratias ago, qui fuit brabeuth>v huius tui agonis. Tibi quoque ecclesia
et nunc et ad posteros gratitudinem debet et debebit. TUO JUDICIO
PRORSUS ASSENTIOR. AFFIRMO ETIAM VESTROS MAGISTRATUS JUSTE
FECISSE, QUOD HOMINEM BLASPHEMUM, RE ORDINE JUDICATA,
INTERFECERUNT.”
(The rest of this letter is an answer to Calvin’s request that he should
define his views on the predestinarian and eucharistic controversies.
Melanchthon declined to do this for prudential reasons, but intimated
his dissent from the carnal theory of the real presence by calling it
ajrtolatri>a, and expresses the hope of conversing with him once
more, “antequam ex hoc mortali carcere mens discedat.”)
ft1024 Corpus Reform. VIII. 523. After thanking Bullinger for a number of
books, he adds: “Legi etiam quae de Serveti blasphemiis respondistis,
et pietatem ac judicia vestra probo. Judico etiam Senatum
Genevensem recte fecisse quod hominem pertinacem et non
omissurum blasphemias sustulit. Ac miratus sum, esse [aliquos], qui
severitatem illam improbent. Mitto de ea quaestione breves pagellas,
sed tamen sententiae nostrae testes.” This refers to his consilium on the