heresy, and that those who deny the justice of the punish- ment, themselves deserve it.[1] The book was signed by all the clergy of Geneva, as Calvin's compurgators. It was generally considered a failure; and a refutation appeared, which was so skilful as to produce a great sensation in the Protestant world.[2] This famous tract, now of extreme rarity, did not, as has been said, "contain the pith of those arguments which have ultimately triumphed in almost every part of Europe;" nor did it preach an unconditional toleration.[3] But it struck hard at Calvin by quoting a passage from the first edition of his Institutes, afterwards omitted, in which he spoke for toleration. " Some of those," says the author, "whom we quote have subsequently written In a different spirit. Nevertheless, we have cited the earlier opinion as the true one, as it was expressed under the pressure of persecution."[4] The first edition, we are informed by Calvin himself, was written for the purpose of vindicating the
Protestants who were put to death, and of putting a stop
- ↑ "Non modo liberum esse magistratibus poenas sumere de coelestis doctrinae corruptoribus, sed divinitus esse mandatum, ut pestiferis erroribus impunitatem dare nequeant, quin desciscant ab officii sui fide, . . . Nunc vero quisquis haereticis et blasphemis injuste paenam infligi contenderet, sciens et volen se obstringet blasphemiae reatu. . . . Ubi a suis fundamentis convellitur religio, detestandae in Deum blasphemiae proferuntur, impiis et pestiferis dogmatibus in exitium rapiuntur animae; denique ubi palam defectio ab unico Deo puraque doctrina tentatur, ad extremum illud remedium descendere necesse JJ (see Schenkel. iii, 389; Dyer, Life of Calvin. p, 354; Henry, iii. 234),
- ↑ De Haereticis an sint persequendi, Magdeburgi, 1554. Chataillon. to whom it is generally attributed. was not the author (see Heppe. Theodor Beza, p, 37).
- ↑ Hallam, Literature of Europe, ii. 81 ; Schlosser, Leben des Beza, p, 55, This is proved by the following passage from the dedication: "This I say not to favour the heretics, whom I abhor, but because there are here two dangerous rocks to be avoided, In the first place, that no man should be deemed a heretic ..when he is not, . . . and that the real rebel be distinguished from the Christian who, by following the teaching and example of his 1-laster, necessarily causes separation from the wicked and unbelieving, The other danger is, lest the real heretics be not more severely punished than the discipline of the Church requires JJ (Baum. Theodor Beza, i. 215).
- ↑ .. Multis piis hominibus in Gallia exustis grave passim apud Germanos odium ignes illi excitaverant, sparsi sunt, ejus restinguendi causa, improbi ac mendaces libelli, non alios tam crudeliter tractari, quam Anabaptistas ac turbulentos homines, qui perversis deliriis non religionem modo sed totum ordinem politicum convellerent, . . . Haec mihi edendae Institutionis causa fuit, primum ut ab in- justa contumelia vindicarem fratres meos, quorum mors pretiosa erat in conspectu Domini; deil1de quum multis miseris eadem visitarent supplicia, pro illis dolor saltern aliquis et sollicitudo exteras gentes tangeret " (Pnlefatio in Psalmos See "Historia Litteraria de Calvini Institutione," in Scrinium Antiquarium, ii. 452).
