A26924:1053
The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…
The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated and argued by Richard Baxter ; who earnestly beseecheth rulers and clergy not to divide and destroy the land and cast their own souls on the dreadful guilt and punishment of national perjury ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1689
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
L. No, but they will put them to Death as they Burn Heretics.
L. No, but they will put them to Death as they Burn Hereticks.
M. That's their way, but not Christ's way. Why should they put Apostates or Heretics to death, any more than Infidels that never believed?
M. That's their way, but not Christ's way. Why should they put Apostates or Hereticks to death, any more than Infidels that never believed?
L. Because they break their Covenant; and because they sin against the Laws which they consented to.
M. And doth not sinning against God's Law, In neither Consenting to nor Obeying it, deserve as bad? If God, by many years Preaching, call one man to Christianity, and he derides it to the last; and another took it up but by Education and the Law of the Land, and never heard and understood the Reasons of it, and turneth from it, being taken prisoner by the Turks, which of these is the greater sinner? God binds them to Believe and Consent that do not; and they sin against God's Law, which is more than to break their own Covenant as such: But both these deserve death and worse from God: But if it were Christ's way, to have men put one of them to death, I see not but why they should do so by the other. Torment or Death is no fitter way to make an Apostate believe than other Infidels. It's known that all the ancient Churches abhorred this forcing and punishing way. I have wondered at the Impudence of Baronius, Binnius, and other Papists and justify Martin for separating from the Communion of the Bishops that were for punishing the Priscillianists by the sword, and Canonize him as a Saint, and condemn these Bishops for it, and yet are for for more cruelties themselves, to far better men than the Priscillianists. But where Fleshly interest is a mans Religion, no wonder if it have neither consistency with Reason nor Modesty.