Page:Chelčický, Molnar - The Net of Faith.djvu/135



CHAPTER 71

THE ARGUMENTS OF AEGIDIUS CARLERII (CONTINUED)

[ The Church defends warfare and violence with the reasonings of famous men, saintly men, and men full of the Holy Spirit. ] They sanctioned with the Holy Spirit the spilling of blood committed by the Church…  Yes, the Holy Spirit has gone into blood-letting for the peace of the holy mother Church.

Therefore, in order that their justifications might stand honorably and firmly among the Christians, they cunningly based their law on the words of Saint Paul who, condemning sins, said:

Though they know God’s decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they do not only do them but also approve those who practice them.[483]

The doctors interpret the words, “deserve to die,” as sanctioning civil courts and executions… But these words apply to the transgressors of the law of Christ and their punishment is the death of damnation. Jesus Christ sent St. Paul to call the transgressors to the judgment of death and repentance… And St. Paul preached to them repentance, giving himself for an example, that he was a murderer, and an enemy, and that (in spite of that) Christ Jesus showed him supreme patience, accepting him into his grace for the edification of those who are to believe in the Son of God and to repent for that for which they deserve death, and even hell…  The doctors have built a false foundation on these words with which they murder people, having perverted these words into a law for the spilling of free blood; and they gave this law as a testament to state authorities.[484]

CHAPTER 72

THE ARGUMENTS OF AEGIDIUS CARLERII (CONTINUED)

The second justification of war is also affixed to the words of Saint Paul who says:

If you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrong-doer.[485]

[ Paul speaks of the civil authority; in his case it was personalized by Emperor Nero. ] And Paul admits that Nero with his sword is a servant of God, and an executioner of God’s anger. [ Yet Nero used his sword even against Paul condemning him to death. The apostle committed no wrong and yet the Emperor killed him. And here come the Church’s obedient apologists who say, “He did not kill; it was the law that killed.” ] Accordingly, the soldiers do not take their murders to their consciences … because