A77844:39
The magistrates commission from heaven. Declared in a sermon preached in Laurence Jury, London, the…The magistrates commission from heaven. Declared in a sermon preached in Laurencejury, London, the…
The magistrates commission from heaven. Declared in a sermon preached in Laurence Jury, London, the 28. day of Sept. 1644. at the election of the Lord Major. / By Anthony Burgess, sometimes fellow of Immanuel College in Cambridge; now pastor of Sutton Coldfield in Warwick shire, and a member of the Assembly. Imprimatur Thomas Gataker.The magistrates commission from heaven. Declared in a sermon preached in Laurencejury, London, the 28. day of Sept. 1644. at the election of the Lord Major. / By Anthony Burgesse, sometimes fellow of Immanuel Colledge in Cambridge; now pastour of Sutton Coldfield in Warwick shire, and a member of the Assembly. Imprimatur Thomas Gataker.
London: printed by George Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1644London: printed by George Miller for Thomas Vnderhill, 1644
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.
Again, in the second place, their power extendeth yet farther, and that is to restrain Heresies and Errors, or any thing that may spread it self to the destruction of the Church, they are to restrain them also. I know that this is a Question of a great and large dispute, and I have not time to venture into such an ocean as this is; only a little I will say of it: Austin, he was indeed of judgement once, that the Magistrate ought not forcibly to repress Errors and Heresies; but afterward, when by experience he did see, that the Gangrene did increase, and that it would spoil the whole body; and when he had experience that men who were by fear brought into their duties, at first, yet afterwards they began to know and love the truth, he altered and changed his mind: yet notwithstanding ⟨p. 9⟩many things are warily to be said here: I will but briefly touch them, and so go on to other matters.
Againe, in the second place, their power extendeth yet farther, and that is to restraine Heresies and Errours, or any thing that may spread it selfe to the destruction of the Church, they are to restraine them also. I know that this is a Question of a great and large dispute, and I have not time to venture into such an ocean as this is; only a little I will say of it: Austin, he was indeed of judgement once, that the Magistrate ought not forcibly to represse Errors and Heresies; but afterward, when by experience he did see, that the Gangreen did increase, and that it would spoile the whole body; and when he had experience that men who were by feare brought into their duties, at first, yet afterwards they began to know and love the truth, he altered and changed his mind: yet notwithstanding ⟨p. 9⟩many things are warily to be said here: I will but briefly touch them, and so goe on to other matters.
As in the first place, the most proper, and suitable, and genuine way to cure an Error is, to bring Arguments out of the Scripture. Fides est donum Dei non Caesaris, sayes he well; Faith it is not Caesars gift, but it is Gods gift: and so, Fides est suadendo non imperando, many such things are out of Lactantius to that purpose: For certainly if humane persuasion cannot bring a man to believe: Veritas (as Tertullian says well) docendo persuadet, non suadendo docet, Truth persuades a man by teaching, it teaches not a man by persuading: it is much more true then of Threatening, and of outward violence.