A85785:26
The magistrates portraiture drawn from the Word, and preached in a sermon at Stowe-Market…The magistrates pourtraiture drawn from the Word, and preached in a sermon at Stowe-Market…
The magistrates portraiture drawn from the Word, and preached in a sermon at Stowe-Market in Suffolk, upon August, the 20. 1656. before the election of Parliament-men for the same county. / By William Gurnall, M.A. of Eman. Coll. now pastor of the Church of Christ in Lavenham. Suffolk.The magistrates pourtraiture drawn from the Word, and preached in a sermon at Stowe-Market in Suffolk, upon August, the 20. 1656. before the election of Parliament-men for the same county. / By William Gurnall, M.A. of Eman. Coll. now pastor of the Church of Christ in Lavenham. Suffolk.
London: printed for Ralph Smith, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE MAGISTRATES Portraiture Drawn from the WORD.THE MAGISTRATES Pourtraiture Drawn from the WORD.
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.
First, a liberty which they fancy Christ hath given them, to which, subjection under Magistracy (forsooth) is inconsistent; what will not a strong imagination find in the Scripture? even that which was never writ, if it hath but a strong desire it should be so to back it. A liberty that never came into his mind to give a ⟨p. 10⟩strange liberty that leads to licentiousness, and ends in bondage. True liberty is to choose good, and reject evil, and this Magistracy is erected to defend thee in doing, Rom. 13. Rulers are not a terror to good works.
First, a liberty which they fancie Christ hath given them, to which, subjection under Magistracy (forsooth) is inconsistent; what will not a strong imagination finde in the Scripture? even that which was never writ, if it hath but a strong desire it should be so to back it. A liberty that never came into his minde to give a ⟨p. 10⟩strange liberty that leads to licentiousnesse, and ends in bondage. True liberty is to chuse good, and reject evil, and this Magistracy is erected to defend thee in doing, Rom. 13. Rulers are not a terrour to good works.
Secondly, a perfection that they dream of, which lifts them up so high, that now they need not the Ministry of the Magistracy to keep them within bounds. The Magistrate is an avenger (say they) to execute wrath to them that do evil, but Saints, who are led by the Spirit, dare not do thus Well, suppose them so holy as they would seem, yet do they not live among those that are wicked? (I am sure they think and speak bad enough of all besides their own tribe,) and do they not need the Magistrates help, that they may be defended in the exercise of holiness? The Saints do not find the world so kind, as that they should need dismiss their guard, before they get safe to Heaven. But what horrible pride is this, to pretend to such a conduct of the Spirit, as to be privileged from sin? the Apostles that were of as high a form in the Spirits School, I trow, as the best in the Anabaptists bunch, are willing to be branded themselves for loud liars, if they should pretend to such a perfection. If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us,