1647 SAMUEL RICHARDSON. Two Rare Baptist Tracts on Religious Liberty. Hanserd Knollys

A wonderful pair of individually published Baptist tracts by Samuel Richardson. The first has never been re-issued, and the second only appearing in 1846 by the Hanserd Knollys Society.  Richardson had been an Independent preacher during the English Civil War on the side of the puritans. However, as it became clear that the Presbyterians intended to set up another State Church and Richardson's Baptist theology developed, Richardson moved decidedly away from them and adopted strongly Baptistic views both theologically and in terms of religious liberty. The present work is a challenge to the right of any church to impose physical punishment, imprisonment, etc., on the grounds of religion and marks an important moment in the ideals propounded by Roger Williams. He also famously responded to Featley's "Dipper Dip't."  Richardson, Samuel. Fifty Questions Propounded to the Assembly, to Answer by the Scriptures Whether Corporal Punishment may be Inflicted upon such as Hold Different Opinions