Our history topic this year was meant to be the Famous men of the Renaissance and the Reformation(from Greenleaf press). But, I decided to start with the Reformation first. Since I have found the Renaissance to require more outside activities, and we had a new baby in the fall. Anywho, we are nearing the end of our reformation study. yesterday we completed John Calvin and read some actual documents written by him and one in particular a rebuke by Sebastian Castellio. He tried to reason with Calvin over the persecution and subsequent execution of Michael Servetus over his opinions on the Trinity. I found his parable applicable to many current controversies. He presented a parable to illustrate that tolerance and mutual love constitute a Christian imperative. As I could not find it online, I had to type it out(I did NOT include the entire text). It IS long, but even my children enjoyed it(ok, found it interesting?).

Most Illustrious Prince, suppose you had told your subjects that you would come to them at some uncertain time and had commanded them to make ready to go forth clad in white garments, to meet you whenever you might appear. What would you do if, on your return, you discovered that they had taken no thought for the white robes, but instead were disputing among themselves concerning your person? Some were saying that you were in France, others that you were in Spain; some that you would come on a horse, others in a chariot; some were asserting that you would appear with a great equipage, others that you would be unattended. Would this please you?
Suppose further that the controversy was being conducted no merely by words, but by blows and swords, and that one group wounded and killed the others who did not agree with them. “He will come on a horse,” one would say.
“No, in a chariot,” another would retort.
“You lie.”
“You’re the liar. Take that.” He punches him.
“And take that in the belly.” The other stabs.
Would you, O Prince, commend such citizens? Suppose, however, that some did their duty and followed your command to prepare the white robes, but the others oppressed them on that account and put them to death. Would you not rigorously destroy such scoundrels?
But what if these homicides claimed to have done all this in your name and in accord with your command, even though you had previously expressly forbidden it? Would you not consider that such outrageous conduct deserved to be punished without mercy? Now, I beg you, most illustrious Prince, to be kind enough to hear why I say these things.
Christ is the Prince of this world who on His departure from the earth foretold to men that He would return someday at an uncertain hour, and he commanded them to prepare white robes for His coming: that is to say, that they should live together in a Christian manner, amicably, without controversy and contention, loving one another. But consider now, I beg you, how well we discharge our duty.
How many are there who show the slightest concern to prepare the white robe? Who is there who bends every effort to live in this world in a saintly, just and religious manner in the expectation of the coming of the Lord? For nothing is there so little concern. The true fear of God and charity are fallen and grown cold. The true fear of God and charity are fallen and grown cold. Our life is spent in contention and in every manner of sin. We dispute, not as to the way by which we may come to Christ, which is to correct our lives, but rather as to the state and office of Christ, where He is now is and what He is doing, how He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and how He is one with the Father; likewise with regard to the Trinity, predestination, free will; so also of God, the angels, the state of souls after this life and other like things, which do not need to known for salvation by faith(for the publicans and sinners were saved without this knowledge), nor indeed can they be known before the heart is pure(for to see these things is to see God Himself, who cannot be seen save by the pure in heart, as the text itself says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”). Nor if these are known do they make a man better, as Paul says, “Though I understand all mysteries and have not love it profiteth me nothing.” This perverse curiosity engenders worse evils. Men are puffed up with knowledge or with a false opinion of knowledge and look down upon others. Pride is followed by cruelty and persecution so that now scarcely anyone is able to endure another who differs from him. Although opinions are almost as numerous as men, nevertheless there is hardly any sect which does not condemn all others and desire to reign alone. Hence arise banishments, chains, imprisonments, stakes and gallows and this miserable rage to visit daily penalties upon those who differ from the mighty about matters hitherto unknown, for so many centuries disputed, and not yet cleared up.

(skip to the end)

I ask you then, most illustrious Prince, what do you think Christ will do when He comes? Will He commend such things? Will He approve of them?

Makes you think, doesn't it?