A92140:169
A free disputation against pretended liberty of conscience tending to resolve doubts moved
A free disputation against pretended liberty of conscience tending to resolve doubts moved by Mr. John Goodwin, John Baptist, Dr. Jer. Taylor, the Belgic Arminians, Socinians, and other authors contending for lawless liberty, or licentious toleration of sects and heresies. / By Samuel Rutherfurd professor of divinity in the University of St. Andrews.A free disputation against pretended liberty of conscience tending to resolve doubts moved by Mr. John Goodwin, John Baptist, Dr. Jer. Taylor, the Belgick Arminians, Socinians, and other authors contending for lawlesse liberty, or licentious toleration of sects and heresies. / By Samuel Rutherfurd professor of divinity in the University of St. Andrews.
London: printed by R.I. for Andrew Crook, 1649
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.
2. There is a toleration politic and Civil and spiritual or Ecclesiastic shame and fear in punishing heresies either by the Judge or the Church,1 whither in civil or Ecclesiastical censures, rebukes, Excommunication is an evil of punishment in both, as is evident, if we compare Judg. 18. 7. Where it is said, There was no Magistrate in the land that might put them so shame in any thing. Deut. 13. 11. With these places that speaketh of spiritual censures, in the fear and shame of them as. 1. Tim. 5. 19. Receive not an accusation against an Elder, but before two or three witnesses, then an Elder that is scandalous may incur shame of being accused, and Mat 18. 17. let him be to thee as a heathen and a Publican 1 Tim. 5. 20. them that sin, rebuke before all, that others also may fear. So the avoiding of Idolaters, and Heretics. 1 Cor. 9. 11. Tit. 2. 10. •, Joh. 10. Gal. 1. 8. brings public shame on them 2. Thess 3. 14. then look what forcing power the shame the Magistrates can put Heretics to, and what compulsory […] it hath on the ⟨p. 48⟩conscience and so should not be inflicted on men for their conscience and holding of heresies, as Libertines say, the same compulsory power hath concionall rebukes of Pastors or private Christians, and of admonition, excommunication or the avoiding of the society of false teachers either by the whole Church or by private Christians, and the arguments proving the Magistrate cannot punish for conscience in his politic Sphere, do also prove that heretics should be rebuked sharply that they may be sound in the faith, contrary to