A89735:232
The heart of N-England rent at the blasphemies of the present generation. Or A…
The heart of N-England rent at the blasphemies of the present generation. Or A brief tractate, concerning the doctrine of the Quakers, demonstrating the destructive nature thereof, to religion, the churches, and the state, with consideration of the remedy against it. : Occasional satisfaction to objections, and confirmation of the contrary trueth. / By John Norton ...
Cambridge: printed by Samuel Green, 1659
Chapter 4: CHAP: 4. Of the Remedy against Heretical doctrines, and in particular, against the doct…
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 object subjected to the Coercive power of the Magistrate, must be some Act of the outward man. Tis not matter of judgement, but matter of fact, which Civil-power dealeth with. Hence; so far is it from being a truth, that the magistrate proceeding according to Rule, either punisheth or troubleth any for their Conscience as that it neither doth nor can concern him, to meddle with the error of their Conscience,1 as such, be it heresy; or whatsoever. Whilst a man keepeth his heterodoxy to himself, he is doubtless out of the reach of the Magistrate in that respect.
The object subjected to the Coercive power of the Magistrate, must be some Act of the outward man. Tis not matter of judgement, but matter of fact, which Civil-power dealeth with. Hence; so far is it from being a truth, that the magistrate proceeding according to Rule, either punisheth or troubleth any for their Conscience as that it neither doth nor can concern him, to meddle with the errour of their Conscience,1 as such, be it heresye; or whatsoever. Whilst a man keepeth his heterodoxy to himself, he is doubtlesse out of the reach of the Magistrate in that respect.
- 1Lex non Judicat du occultis.
Conscience, properly so called, error of Conscience or heresy, heresy uttered & retracted, heresy uttered & not retracted but quiet, (called heresy alone) & heresy Turbulent are all distinct, & of distinct consideration. Heresy schism, and sedition, differ. Though usually it falls out otherwise, yet a man may be an heretic, who is neither dogmatist, schismatic, or seditious: neither teaching his errors as truths, nor causing irregular separation from Church-Communion, nor sowing seeds of discord, or mutiny in the Common-wealth.
Conscience, properly so called, error of Conscience or heresy, heresy uttered & retracted, heresy uttered & not retracted but quiet, (called heresy alone) & heresy Turbulent are all distinct, & of distinct consideration. Heresy schisme, and sedition, differ. Though usually it falls out otherwise, yet a man may be an heretick, who is neither dogmatist, schismatick, or seditious: neither teaching his errours as truthes, nor causing irregular separation from Church-Cōmunion, nor sowing seeds of discord, or mutiny in the Common-wealth.