A55307:81
The Samaritan showing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oil that must…The Samaritan shewing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oyl that must…
The Samaritan showing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oil that must heal the church together with the way or means to do it / by a country gentleman who goes to common-prayer and not to meetings.The Samaritan shewing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oyl that must heal the church together with the way or means to do it / by a country gentleman who goes to common-prayer and not to meetings.
London: printed for Tho. Simmons, 1682
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.
You will say, What then would you have? Would you have all men left at liberty, to believe and do as they list in Religion? Would you have no Laws or Rules be imposed upon the Judgments and Faith of men? Shall they be permitted to believe and publish what Doctrines they please? Before I make any Answer to this Objection, I shall with all humility beseech both our Civil and Ecclesiastical Governors, especially the latter, (whose Government certainly is paternal) that before they make Laws and Rules for the Consciences of men, they would a little consider,
You will say, What then would you have? Would you have all men left at liberty, to believe and do as they list in Religion? Would you have no Laws or Rules be imposed upon the Judgments and Faith of men? Shall they be permitted to believe and publish what Doctrines they please? Before I make any Answer to this Objection, I shall with all humility beseech both our Civil and Ecclesiastical Governours, especially the latter, (whose Government certainly is paternal) that before they make Laws and Rules for the Consciences of men, they would a little consider,
1. The Weakness, Impotence, and Depravation of humane Minds. Methinks those that govern ⟨p. 44⟩the Churches of Christendom, seem to have very little sense of the common Calamity of Mankind; they seem to have forgotten the great and lamentable Imperfections of the whole posterity of Adam: Are not the Understandings of most men pitifully blind and dark? Are they not strangely impotent and weak, yea, unable to discern sometimes the clearest Evidence and Light? Are they not strongly influenced by Education, Company, Interest, and many other things? Do not mens Lusts and Passions very much influence and sway their Intellects? And are not their apprehensions of things very much formed by them? This I do acknowledge is a fault, but 'tis a common fault, and surely some consideration ought to be had of it, in the making and imposing Laws and Creeds, upon the Consciences of men.
1. The Weakness, Impotence, and Depravtion of humane Minds. Methinks those that govern