A53717:78
A peace-offering in an apology and humble plea for indulgence and liberty of conscience
A peace-offering in an apology and humble plea for indulgence and liberty of conscience by sundry Protestants differing in some things from the present establishment about the worship of God.
London : s.n., 1667
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.
The World is full of Instances of the like kind.
On the other hand, When by the crafty Artifices and carnal Interests of some, the Principle of External Coercion for lesser Differences in matters of Christian Religion, came to be enthroned, and obtained place in the Imperial Constitutions, and Laws of other Kingdoms, the main use that was made of it, was to drive ⟨p. 28⟩Truth, and the purity of the Gospel, out of the World, and to force all men to centre in a Profession and Worship, framed to the Interest of some few men, who made no small advantage of it.
On the other hand, When by the crafty Artifices and carnal Interests of some, the Principle of External Coercion for lesser Differences in matters of Christian Religion, came to be inthroned, and obtained place in the Emperial Constitutions, and Laws of other Kingdoms, the main use that was made of it, was to drive ⟨p. 28⟩Truth, and the purity of the Gospel, out of the World, and to force all men to center in a Profession and Worship, framed to the Interest of some few men, who made no small advantage of it.
According as the Power and Purity of Religion decayed, so did this persuasion get ground in the Minds of Men, until it became almost all the Religion that was in the World, That those who submitted not unto the Dictates of them who by various ways obtained a mixture of Power, Civil and Ecclesiastical, into their hands, should be destroyed; and rooted out of the Earth.
According as the Power and Purity of Religion decayed, so did this perswasion get ground in the Minds of Men, untill it became almost all the Religion that was in the World, That those who submitted not unto the Dictates of them who by various wayes obtained a mixture of Power, Civil and Ecclesiastical, into their hands, should be destroyed; and rooted out of the Earth.