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

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faithfully and honestly defended the true doctrine, it will more than
recompense me for my trouble. But though the candor and justice which
are natural to you, as well as your love towards me, lead you to judge of
me favorably, there are others who assail me harshly as a master in cruelty
and atrocity, for attacking with my pen not only a dead man, but one who
perished by my hands. Some, even not self-disposed towards me, wish that
I had never entered on the subject of the punishment of heretics, and say
that others in the like situation have held their tongues as the best way of
avoiding hatred. It is well, however, that I have you to share my fault, if
fault it be; for you it was who advised and persuaded me to it. Prepare
yourself, therefore, for the combat.” f1212
§ 158. A PLEA FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
CASTELLIO AND BEZA.
Cf. § 126, p. 627, and especially FERD. BUISSON, Sébastien
Castellion. Paris (Hachette et C), 1892. 2 vols. 8vo (I. 358–413; II.
1–28).
A month after Calvin’s defence of the death penalty of heretics, there
appeared at Basel a pseudonymous book in defence of religious liberty,
dedicated to Duke Christopher of Würtemberg. f1213 It was edited and
prefaced professedly by MARTINUS BELLIUS, whose real name has never
been discovered with certainty. Perhaps it was Martin Borrhaus of
Stuttgart (1499–1564), professor of Hebrew learning in the University of
Basel, and known under the name of “Cellarius,” in honor of his first
protector, Simon Cellarius (not to be confounded with Michael Cellarius of
Augsburg). He studied at Heidelberg and Wittenberg, appeared first among
the Zwickau Prophets, and then in connection with Carlstadt (who ended
his days likewise as a professor at Basel). f1214 The book was misdated
from Magdeburg, the stronghold of the orthodox Lutherans, in opposition
to the tyranny of the Imperial Interim. A French edition appeared,
nominally at Rouen, but was probably printed at Lyons, where Castellio
had a brother in the printing business. f1215
Calvin at once suspected the true authors, and wrote to Bullinger, March
28, 1554: “A book has just been clandestinely printed at Basel under false
names, in which Castellio and Curio pretend to prove that heretics should
not be repressed by the sword. Would that the pastors of that church at
length, though late, aroused themselves to prevent the evil from spreading