Luther, that great instrument, under God, of the reformation in Germany, was, as his followers allow, naturally of a warm and violent temper, but was however in his judgment against punishing heretics with death. Thus, in his account of the state of the Popish church, as related by Seckendorf, he says:[292] “the true church teaches the word of God, but forces no one to it. If any one will not believe it, she dismisses him, and separates herself from him, according to the command of Christ, and the example of Paul in the Acts, and leaves him to the judgment of God: whereas our executioners and most cruel tyrants teach not the word of God, but their own articles, acting as they please, and then adjudge those who refuse to believe their articles, and obey their decrees, to the fires.” The same author gives us many other strong passages to the same purpose. Particularly, in one of his letters to Lineus, who asked his opinion about the punishment of false teachers, Luther says:[293] “I am very averse to the shedding of blood, even in the case of such as deserve it: and I the more especially dread it in this case, because, as the Papists and Jews, under this pretence, have destroyed holy prophets and innocent men; so I am afraid the same would happen amongst ourselves, if in one single instance it should be allowed lawful for seducers to be put to death. I can therefore, by no means, allow that false teachers should be destroyed.” But as to all other punishments, Luther seems to have been of Austin’s mind, and thought that they might be lawfully used. For, after the before-mentioned passage, he adds, “it is sufficient that they should be banished.” And in another place[294] he allows, that “heretics may be corrected, and forced at least to silence, if they publicly deny any one of the articles received by all Christians, and particularly that Christ is God; affirming him to be a mere man or prophet.” “This,” says he, “is not to force men to the faith, but to restrain from public blasphemy.” In another place he goes farther and says,[295] that “heretics are not indeed to be put to death, but may however be confined, and shut up in some certain place, and put under restraint as madmen.” As to the Jews, he was for treating them more severely;[296] and was of opinion, that “their synagogues should be levelled with the ground, their houses destroyed, their books of prayer, and of the talmud, and even those of the old testament, be taken from them; their rabbies be forbid to teach, and forced, by hard labour, to get their bread; and if they would not submit to this, that they should be banished, as was formerly practised in France and Spain.” ----- Footnote 292: L. 2. Sect. 36. § 83. Footnote 293: Ibid. Sect. 13. § 43. Footnote 294: Ibid. Sect. 36. § 83. Footnote 295: L. 3. Sect. 8. § 28. Footnote 296: L. 3. Sect. 27. § 3. -----