N00027:222
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, teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston. Who was appointed thereunto by the order of the General Court. ; [Four lines from Revelation]
printed by Samuel Green, 1659
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.
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, schimse, 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.
By Quiet heresy, or heresy alone; understand heresy although uttered and not retracted, yet without endeavour either directly or indirectly tending to induce others to receive their errors: As also; without disturbance of public order, either ecclesiast colour Civil. This; divers godly-learned do not only exempt from the number of Capitals, but also seem Cautious, if not silent, concerning subjecting it to any Corporal punishment.
By Quiet heresy, or heresy alone; understand heresy although uttered and not retracted, yet without endeavour either directly or indirectly tending to induce others to receive their errours: As also; without disturbance of publick order, either ecclesiast color Civil. This; divers godly-learned do not only exempt from the number of Capitals, but also seeme Cautious, if not silent, concerning subjecting it to any Corporal punishment.