A70175:81
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.
The fourth kind of toleration,1 arising from necessity which hath no law, may well be mourned for as an affliction, it cannot be condemned as the Magistrates fault. Even a David may have cause to complain that the sons of Zerviah are too strong for him. In such cases as these, our Divines have given a relief to the conscience of the Christian Magistrate, purging him of the guilt of this kind of toleration; provided always, that he hath endeavoured so far as he can to extirpate heresies, and to establish the true religion only. Which hath nothing to do with that principle now defended, that the Magistrate though he may never so easily, yet he ought not nor cannot without sin exercise a coercive power in matter of religion.
The fourth kinde of toleration,1 arising from necessity which hath no law, may well be mourned for as an affliction, it cannot be condemned as the Magistrates fault. Even a David may have cause to complain that the sons of Zerviah are too strong for him. In such cases as these, our Divines have given a relief to the conscience of the Christian Magistrate, purging him of the guilt of this kind of toleration; provided always, that he hath endeavoured so farre as he can to extirpate heresies, and to establish the true religion only. Which hath nothing to doe with that principle now defended, that the Magistrate though he may never so easily, yet he ought not nor cannot without sin exercise a coercive power in matter of religion.
- 1Kekerman. curs. philos. disp. 35. probl. 14. doth agree to these words of the Jesuit Becan•s. Ta••tsi princeps aut Magistratus Catholicus omnibus modis impedire debeat, libertaetem rel•gionis, •t dictum est: si tamen i•l facere non pessit sine graviori incommodo boni publici, potest eam tolerare tanquam minus malum, ad evitandum majus, quod •alioqui sequetur. Polan. come. in