Optanda. Good men described, and good things propounded. A serious consideration of two very…

When a man sins in his Political Capacity, let Political Societies animadvert upon him; but when he sins only in a Religious Capacity, Societies more purely Religious, are the fittest then to deal with him. Indeed, in the Old Testament, the Magistrate was an Ecclesiastical Officer; and compliance with the Mosaic Rites was that which Entitled men unto the benefits of Canaan, the Typical and Renowned Land. But now these Figurative things have more Spiritual things to answer them. It may be feared that things will not go well when Heresies are not Exterminated. But I pray, when (Except once perhaps, or so, in the case of Donatism) did Fines or Gaols, ever signify any thing for the cure of Heretics? ⟨p. 44⟩The primitive Church, for the First Three Hundred Years of Christianity, Cut off a Thousand New Hydra's Heads, without borrowing such Penal Laws as have since been used;it was by sound Preaching,by Discipline, by Catechising, and by Disputation, that they Turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens. Then 'twas that Christians did use to say, Non gladiis aut Jaculis, •ut militari manu, veritas proedicatur, sed Suadendo, et Consulendo. Afterwards indeed the Orthodox Engaged the Emperors unto Severities upon the Heretics of those days; but what got they by it? When a wicked Manichee, a sort of a Quaker, was put to Death, an Excellent Historian says, 'Twas a Most wretched Example, and it made the Heresy, spread the more. Such prosecutions, do but give a Principle, which would be most fatal to the Church of God; yea, they do but afford a Root for Cains Club to grow upon. These Violences may bring the Erroneous to be Hypocrites; but they will never bring them to be Believers; no, they naturally prejudice mens minds against the Cause, which is therein pretended for; as being a Weak, a Wrong, an Evil Cause. Wherefore, that things may go well I would humbly put in a Bar against the Persecution of any that may conscientiously dissent from Our Way. Possibly the Zeal ⟨p. 45⟩in some Famous, and Worthy Disciples of Our Lord, among ourselves has been reported, & Reckoned as having once had a little too much Fire, on this account; but the Churches of God abroad, counted that things did not go well among us, until they judged us more fully come up unto the Apostical Rule, To Leave the otherwise-minded unto God.

When a man sins in his Political Capacity, let Political Societies animadvert upon him; but when he sins only in a Religious Capacity, Societies more purely Religious, are the fittest then to deal with him. Indeed, in the OldTestament, the Magistrate was an Ecclesiastical Officer; and compliance with the Mosaic Rites was that which Entitled men unto the benefits of Canaan, the Typical and Renowned Land. But now these Figurative things have more Spiritual things to answer them. It may be fear'd that things will not go well when Hoeresies are not Exterminated. But I pray, when (Except once perhaps, or so, in the case of Donatism) did Fines or Gaols, ever signify any thing for the cure of Haereticks?