A70175:54
Wholesome severity reconciled with Christian liberty, or, The true resolution of a present controversy…Wholesome severity reconciled with Christian liberty, or, The true resolution of a present controversie…
Wholesome severity reconciled with Christian liberty, or, The true resolution of a present controversy concerning liberty of conscience here you have the question stated, the middle way betwixt popish tyranny and schismatizing liberty approved and also confirmed from Scripture and the testimonies of divines, yea of whole churches : the chief arguments and exceptions used in the bloody tenet, The compassionate Samaritan, M.S. to A.S. &c., examined : eight distinctions added for qualifying and clearing the whole matter : and in conclusion a parænetick to the five apologists for choosing accommodation rather than toleration.Wholesome severity reconciled with Christian liberty, or, The true resolution of a present controversie concerning liberty of conscience here you have the question stated, the middle way betwixt popish tyrannie and schismatizing liberty approved and also confirmed from Scripture and the testimonies of divines, yea of whole churches : the chiefe arguments and exceptions used in the bloudy tenent, The compassionate samaritane, M.S. to A.S. &c., examined : eight distinctions added for qualifying and clearing the whole matter : and in conclusion a parænetick to the five apologists for choosing accommodation rather than toleration.
London: printed for Christopher Meredith, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
But 2. this objection doth as much strike against the New England government, as against the government of the neighbouring reformed Churches. For in New England there hath been severity enough (to say no worse) used against Heretics and Schismatics.1 And here I must appeal the consciences of those who now plead so much for liberty of conscience and toleration in this Kingdom, were they able to root out the Presbyterians and their way, & could find civil authority inclinable to put forth the coercive power against it, whether in that case would they not say, that the Magistrate may repress it by strong hand, if it cannot be otherwise repressed. It is not without cause that I put this Query to them; for M. S. pag. 50. (a passage before cited) doth allow of the Magistrates fighting against a doctrine or way which is indeed superstition, heresy, or schism,2 and only pretendeth to be from God, when it is indeed from men. Also that pamphlet called As you were, p. 3. tells us that it was neither Gamaliel's meaning nor Mr Goodwins meaning, that every way pretending to be from God must be let alone, but that only we are to refrain & let alone, till we are certain that we are out of danger of fighting against God, while we endeavour to overthrow it. Now I assume, there are some who plead for liberty of conscience, who profess that they are certain and fully assured, upon demonstrative proofs, that the Presbyterial way is not from God, nor according to the mind of Jesus Christ (which is hinted to us both in the pamphlet last cited p. 5, 6. & in [Greek or Hebrew] pag. 25.) Therefore according to their principles they must allow of the putting forth of the civil coercive power against ⟨p. 20⟩the Presbyterial way. And if so, what a grand imposture is this? what a deceiving of the world? what a mocking of the Parliament and of the Kingdom? to plead generally for liberty of conscience, when they intend only liberty to themselves, not to others that are opposite to them. Which appeareth yet further by the compassionate Samaritan, pag. 10. he saith that no man is to be punished or discountenanced by authority for his opinion, unless it be dangerous to the State, pag. 23, 24. he discourseth against the opinion of Presbyterians as most dangerous to the State.
But 2. this objection doth as much strike against the New England government, as against the government of the neighbouring reformed Churches. For in New England there hath been severity enough (to say no worse) used against Hereticks and Schismaticks.