Calvinism - pagina 15

1

Constitutional Liberties.

895-]

He

illimitable."

therefore

is in

657

favor of parliaments, depu-

superiors of the people, viagistratus infcriores, with

ties,

sovereignty each

in their circle.

These, and not private

izens, are to resist tyrannic authority.

He

cit-

hailed with glad-

For Condc he

ness the Dutch insurrection against Spain.

recruited cavalry regiments, and presided over the diplomatic

Geneva which maintained the French Huguenots in friendly relation with Germany's Reformed princes. If then in Beza no single character-trait is wanting, the development of which we saw in the course of Calvinism, we find them still more sharply outlined in Calvin, even if some-

bureau

what

in

intricate

because of the trappings of the times.

With him, also, we consider

The

trial

first

the liberty of conscience.

of Servetus needs no recital here.

Whoever

chides

the reformer of Geneva for this procedure makes simple exhibition thereby of lack of historic knowledge.

The

spirit

of

the times was the executioner at the stake of Servetus, and

not Calvin.

For

and

final

clusive

this assertion

we have no proof more con-

than the testimony of Servetus himself,

when, concerning the "incorrigible and obstinate wickedness of heresy," he writes with his

own hand,

that " this

is

a crime

worthy of death with God and men." What Calvin spake and did after the manner of his times does not concern us, but only that which, in distinction from the spirit of the And this was his potimes, he introduces as new principle. plainly

sition, that,

although

in

the essentials of our Christian con-

no heresy was to be tolerated, yet toward those who diverged in minor points toleration should be shown, "since there is no one whose mind is not darkened by some little This is a principle. The Huguenots cloud of ignorance." extended this toleration to unarmed Romanists. The Holfession

land republic went farther, and tolerated different forms of

worship, at least within closed doors.

Still

further developed,

led in England to the "Toleration Act," until finally in America the last consequence is deduced in the emancipait

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