John Brown of Haddington on the punishment of idolatry

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Reformed Covenanter

Cancelled Commissioner
As it is never errors or corruption of the heart, but wicked words and deeds, sufficiently and regularly manifested, which are to be corrected in families, punished in Commonwealths, or censured in Churches, Deut. 13:1-14; 17:4-6; Heb. 10:28; 1 Tim. 5:1; so even in punishing manifest crimes, especially in matters of religion, all proper mildness ought to be exercised, never proceeding to extremities, where there is any hope of reformation, or where, as in the case of heresy or blasphemy, confession and repentance can make any kind of restitution, Mat. 18:15-18.

Among the Hebrews, not one appears to have been punished for idolatry, if he professed repentance and reformation. The princes of Israel first attempted to bring the Reubenites and Gadites, whom they supposed guilty of it, to repentance, Josh. 22. Never in the reformation by Asa, Hezekiah, or Josiah, have we one instance of a penitent idolater slain. The idolaters condemned to death, Deut. 13, 17, are represented as men of Belial, presumptuous, and obstinate in their wickedness. The prophets of Baal whom Elijah caused to be put to death, 1 Kings 18:40, and Mattan the priest, who was slain by Jehoiada’s orders, 2 Kings 11:18, were no doubt of this sort; and probably also guilty of promoting the murder of the Lord’s prophets and people. The man put to death for profanation of the Sabbath appears to have acted presumptuously, Num. 15:30-36. Asa and his subjects covenanted to put to death such as obstinately adhered to idolatry, 2 Chron. 15:12, 13.

For the reference, see John Brown of Haddington on the punishment of idolatry.
 
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