A92140:179
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.
Answ. These are of a wide difference, to kill blasphemers, and false teachers for spreading heresies and blasphemies, and to compel them by war, and fire and sword to be of our Christian Religion. As I hope to prove, for the former's lawful, •he later unlawful. Its true Lactantius speaks of all Religion true and false, that we are to compel none with the sword to any Religion, but he no where saith that the Magistrates may not kill open and pernicious seducers and false teachers who pervert others, for the Magistrate is not to compel yea nor to intend the conversion of a pernicious seducer, but to intend to take his head from him, for his destroying of souls. And Lactantius denies Religion after it is begotten, can be defended, that is nourished and conserved in the hearts of people by the sword, but by the word and Spirit. Those are far different tormenting and piety (saith he) nor can violence be conjoined with verity, nor justice with cruelty.
Answ. These are of a wide difference, to kill blasphemers, and false teachers for spreading heresies and blasphemies, and to compell them by warre, and fire and sword to be of our Christian Religion. As I hope to prove, for the formers lawfull, •he later unlawfull. Its true Lactantius speaks of all Religion true and false, that we are to compell none with the sword to any Religion, but he no where saith that the Magistrates may not kill open and pernicious seducers and false teachers who pervert others, for the Magistrate is not to compell yea nor to intend the conversion of a pernicious seducer, but to intend to take his head from him, for his destroying of souls. And Lactantius denyes Religion after it is begotten, can be defended, that is nourished and conserved in the hearts of people by the sword, but by the word and Spirit. Those are farre different tormenting and pietie (saith he) nor can violence be conjoyned with veritie, nor justice with crueltie.
And again, but as in Religion, so also in defending of Religion they are deceived, Religion is to be defended not by killing but admonishing, others read, by being killed, not by cruelty, but by patience, not by wickedness, but by faith.