A77847:69
The reformation of the church to be endeavoured more then that of the common-wealth,…The reformation of the church to be endeavoured more then that of the common-vvealth,…
The reformation of the church to be endeavoured more then that of the common-wealth, declared, in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords at the public fast, August 27. 1645. / By Anthony Burges, pastor of Sutton Coldfield, and now preacher at Laurence-Jury, London.The reformation of the church to be endeavoured more then that of the common-vvealth, declared, in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords at the publike fast, August 27. 1645. / By Anthony Burges, pastour of Sutton Coldfield, and now preacher at Laurence-Jury, London.
London: printed by G.M. for T. Underhill, 1645London: printed by G.M. for T. Vnderhill, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable the House of LORDS, A… › Part › Application
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.
Lastly, There is no solid excuse, or plea can be made for it. Not that it is a mans ignorance, and therefore we are to do with them as blind men, whom we pity, and not beat, for by this means the Jews who opposed Christ should have been excused; and those who thought they did God good service in killing of the Prophets: insomuch that a man may be under much guilt by error; and yet be persuaded he is in the right way; neither doth this excuse him, that he cannot help it, or remove his error no more then he can remove a mountain into the sea, for then this ⟨p. 23⟩would excuse those also who are captivated to any sinful way; and certainly the commands of God are as much to understand the truth, and to believe what God hath revealed, as to embrace in our will and affections what is good; neither doth this excuse them, that they have good intentions and ends, for the Socinians profess they dare not hold Christ to be the true God, equal with the Father, out of reverence and respect to the Father, lest they should dishonour him. Nor lastly, that every man is fallible, and therefore no man may judge another to err, for if because all may err, it would follow that they do err, then all truths in Religion would be quite overthrown.
Lastly, There is no solid excuse, or plea can be made for it. Not that it is a mans ignorance, and therefore we are to do with them as blinde men, whom we pity, and not beat, for by this means the Jews who opposed Christ should have been excused; and those who thought they did God good service in killing of the Prophets: insomuch that a man may be under much guilt by errour; and yet be perswaded he is in the right way; neither doth this excuse him, that he cannot help it, or remove his errour no more then he can remove a mountain into the sea, for then this ⟨p. 23⟩would excuse those also who are captivated to any sinfull way; and certainly the commands of God are as much to understand the truth, and to believe what God hath revealed, as to embrace in our will and affections what is good; neither doth this excuse them, that they have good intentions and ends, for the Socinians professe they dare not hold Christ to be the true God, equall with the Father, out of reverence and respect to the Father, lest they should dishonour him. Nor lastly, that every man is fallible, and therefore no man may judge another to erre, for if because all may erre, it would follow that they do erre, then all truths in Religion would be quite overthrown.