Quotable Theonomy: Suppressing Heresy differs from Forcing One to Receive the Gospel (George Gillespie)

"[A]s the reformation and preservation of religion differs much from the propagation of religion: so the coercive power put forth in the suppressing of heresy and schism is a thing of another nature than the compelling of infidels by the sword to receive the gospel. Let the Pope and the Spaniard, and Mohammed propagate religion by the sword; that is not it I plead for. None of the Gentiles was of old compelled to be circumcised, but being circumcised he might be compelled to keep the Law of Moses. Also if strangers of the Gentiles were sojourning or trading in the land of Israel, they might be compelled to abstain from the public and scandalous breaking of the moral law (Neh. 13:16, 21; Ex. 20:10), which things did belong to the preservation, not to the propagation of religion."

-- George Gillespie 

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George Gillespie, Wholesome Severity Reconciled With Christian Liberty (Naphtali Press, 1997)