hujus tui agonis. Tibi quoque Ecclesia et nunc et ad
posteros gratitudinem debet et debebit. Tuo judicio prorsus adsentior.
Affirmo etiam, vestros magistratus juste fecisse, quod hominem
blasphemum, re ordine judicata, interfecerunt" (Melanchthon to Calvin,
Bretschneider, viii. 362). "Judico etiam Senatum Genevensem recte
fecisse, quod hominem pertinacem et non omissurum blasphemias sustulit.
Ac miratus sum, esse, qui severitatem illam improbent" (viii. 523).
"Dedit vero et Genevensis reip. magistratus ante annos quatuor punitae
insanabilis blasphemiae adversus filium Dei, sublato Serveto Arragone
pium et memorabile ad omnem posteritatem exemplum" (ix. 133).]

[Footnote 243: "Abusus missae per magistratus debet tolli. Non aliter,
atque sustulit aeneum serpentem Ezechias, aut excelsa demolitus est
Josias" (i. 480). "Politicis magistratibus severissime mandatum est, ut
suo quisque loco manibus et armis tollant statuas, ad quas fiunt hominum
concursus et invocationes, et puniant suppliciis corporum insanabiles,
qui idolorum cultum pertinaciter retinent, aut blasphemias serunt" (ix.
77).]

[Footnote 244: "If the French and English community at Frankfort shared
the errors of Servetus or Thamer, or other enemies of the Symbols, or
the errors of the Anabaptists on infant baptism, against the authority
of the State, etc., I should faithfully advise and strongly recommend
that they should be soon driven away; for the civil power is bound to
prevent and to punish proved blasphemy and sedition. But I find that
this community is orthodox in the symbolical articles on the Son of God,
and in other articles of the Symbol.... If the faith of the citizens in
every town were inquired into, what trouble and confusion would not
arise in many countries and towns!" (ix. 179).]

[Footnote 245: Schmidt, _Philipp Melanchthon_, p. 640. His exhortations
to the Landgrave to put down the Zwinglians are characteristic: "The
Zwinglians, without waiting for the Council, persecute the Papists and
the Anabaptists; why must it be wrong for others to prohibit their
indefensible doctrine independent of the Council?" Philip replied:
"Forcibly, to prohibit a doctrine which neither contradicts the articles
of faith nor encourages sedition, I do not think right.... When Luther
began to write and to preach, he admonished and instructed the
Government that it had no right to forbid books or to prevent preaching,
and that its office did not extend so far, but t