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Discussion of George Gillespie's Wholesome Severity Reconciled with Christian Liberty

Subject: GWS-5 From: Richard Bacon Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 06:04:51 -0500 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Discussion: GWS. Post 5. George Gillespie's Wholesome Severity=20 Reconciled with Christian Liberty The true resolution of a present controversy=20 concerning liberty of conscience. All text for this discussion taken from the=20 edition of this work, Copyright (c) Naphtali=20 Press 1996. Full text available at:=20 http://www.naphtali.com/naphtali +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [Part I continued] The third opinion is that the Magistrate may=20 and ought to exercise his coercive power, in=20 suppressing and punishing heretics and=20 sectaries, less or more, according as the=20 nature and degree of the error, schism,=20 obstinacy, and danger of seducing others,=20 requires. This as it was the judgment of the=20 orthodox ancients (vide Optati opera, edit.=20 Al. Baspin, p. 204, 215), so it is followed by=20 our soundest Protestant writers; most largely=20 by Beza against Bellius and Monfortius, in a=20 peculiar treatise, De Hareticis =E1 Magistratu=20 Puniendis. And though Gerhard,=20 Brochmand,#10 and other Lutheran writers,=20 make a controversy where they need not,=20 alleging that the Calvinists (so nicknamed)=20 hold as the Papists do, that all heretics=20 without distinction are to be put to death: the=20 truth is, they themselves say as much as=20 either Calvin or Beza, or any other whom=20 they take for adversaries in this question,=20 that is, that heretics are to be punished by=20 mulcts [fines], imprisonments, banishments,=20 and if they be gross idolaters or=20 blasphemers, and seducers of others, then to=20 be put to death. What is it else that Calvin=20 teaches, when he distinguishes three kinds=20 of errors: some to be tolerated with a spirit=20 of meekness, and such as ought not to=20 separate brethren; others not to be tolerated,=20 but to be suppressed with a certain degree of=20 severity; a third sort so abominable and=20 pestiferous, that they are to be cut off by the=20 highest punishment? Footnotes: #10 Brochmand., de Magist. Polit., On the=20 Political Magistrate, ch. 2, question 3,=20 disputation 2. We admit that those who have=20 fallen into idolatry and lead others astray=20 ought to be killed. [Farther on] We easily=20 grant that heretics who have been ordered=20 to leave the territory of the prince, but=20 refuse to comply, can suffer capital=20 punishment. [Farther on] We feel that=20 heretics should be censured and punished=20 just as those who commit forgery are,=20 although not with death, but by=20 imprisonment, exile, and excommunication.=20 See Calvin's Refutation of the Errors of M.=20 Servetus, p. 694, between sections. We know=20 that there are three levels of errors, and we=20 grant that some should be pardoned, while=20 for others a moderate censure is sufficient,=20 and that only notorious impiety should suffer=20 capital punishment. Paul quite often exhorts=20 believers to bear with one another even if=20 there is disagreement among them, namely if=20 some petty superstition and ignorance of=20 simple matters occupied their minds: that=20 they should be eager to correct it with=20 patience rather than intemperately boil over=20 in their eagerness to defend themselves=20 against it. Even though the second level of=20 error deserves censure, a moderate severity=20 should be employed, only to the effect that=20 the wickedness and arrogance of such as=20 those who want to disturb the unity of the=20 faith are not encouraged in it by indulgence.=20 But in the event that religion is being torn=20 away from its foundations, that abominable=20 blasphemies are being brought forth against=20 God, that souls are being carried off to=20 destruction by unrighteous and destructive=20 dogma, and finally when open rebellion=20 against the only God and against true=20 doctrine is being attempted, it is necessary=20 to descend to that very last of remedies, lest=20 the deadly poison creep farther. This=20 Treatise is approved by Bullinger in an=20 epistle to Calvin. See Letters to Calvin p.=20 197, where he addeth: A little while ago D.=20 Urbanus Regius, together with all the=20 ministers of the Church of Luneburg, and=20 also with the published Germanic book,=20 displayed to heretics the coercion of both=20 divine and human law. Concerning=20 moderation he says after: I know you are not=20 cruel by nature, and you do not approve of=20 any atrocity: who is unaware that this is the=20 way to which we must adhere? But I do not=20 see how Servetus of Lerna, a heretic and a=20 thoroughly stubborn man, could have been=20 spared. When Monfort had stated the=20 question thus: There are certain people who=20 want all heretics killed, that is, those who=20 disagree with them, etc. Beza answers him:=20 Then if he can, let him give the name of one=20 who either is for the killing of all heretics, or=20 is so pleased with himself that he would hold=20 all others who see things differently to be=20 heretics. Dick Bacon I may not be your moderator after all, but I know I'm not your mother. (it has come to my attention that a "moderator" approves every post before it goes out)