A92140:272
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 It is most false that pertinacy is known to God only, that pertinacy that evidenceth it self to us, 1by such marks and outward evidences is known to us, as such a Familist, a Socinian leadeth silly women captive, and subverteth the faith of many, and causeth simple people to believe the God manifested in the flesh and crucified, is nothing but a Saint-suffering, and having much of God and saving grace evidenced in him, and he is ones and twice by word and writing admonished, 2but he still goeth on and seduceth many, then he is so far pertinacious, as ye may judge him an Heretic, and having tried that he is an heretical spirit, avoid him, and bid him not God speed, doth not Paul exhort the Elders of Ephesus to take heed of ravening Wolves that should arise and speak [Greek or Hebrew] perverse things to draw away disciples after them, and they should not spare the flock,3 Act. 20. 29, 30. Yea; but our abominable Libertines come in and say, Elders of Ephesus, be charitable, judge them not to be grievous wolves, least ye condemn them for wolves before men, who are the redeemed sheep of Christ in the high court, it is true, they speak perverse things, as ye apprehend, but Elders, are you infallible now? when Paul and the Apostles are departed this life, they judge that you speak perverse things, and ye are the grievous wolves.
2 It is most false that pertinacy is knowne to God only, that pertinacy that evidenceth it selfe to us, 1by such markes and outward evidences is knowne to us, as such a Familist, a Socinian leadeth silly women captive, and subverteth the faith of many, and causeth simple people to beleeve the God manifested in the flesh and crucified, is nothing but a Saint-suffering, and having much of God and saving grace evidenced in him, and he is ones and twice by word and writing admonished, 2but he still goeth on and seduceth many, then he is so farre pertinacious, as ye may judge him an Heretick, and having tryed that hee is an hereticall spirit, avoid him, and bid him not God speed, doth not Paul exhort the Elders of Ephesus to take heede of ravening Wolves that should arise and speake perverse things to draw away disciples after them, and they should not spare the flock,