A92140:278
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. This renders the heretic the most innocent and righteous Martyr that ever was; for if his end be only life eternal,1 and none of the three ends which lead all sinners, neither pleasure, nor profit, nor honour, 1 Joh. 2. 16. and if he ought to follow his conscience, all heresy shall be nothing but a most innocent, harmless, godly and zealous error, why then doth this Author say, it is such a sin as he is self-condemned, that is, as he expoundeth it, though there were not a God, nor any other to condemn him, yet he is condemned of himself? why doth the Holy Ghost bid us turn away from such a godly innocent man, who loveth the truth of Christ, Christ and heaven, better then father, mother, brother, sister, lands, inheritances, his own glory and name, yea nor his own life, sure he must be the man to whom life eternal, and a hundred fold more is due by the promise of our Saviour, Matth. 19. 28, 29. yea he doth more then merit life eternal, he is free of self, any aim to pleasure, profit, honour, or any created thing, and minds God only as his end; but can his end; though never so good, justify his heresy, or his dying for a lye? let Celsus, or any Libertine, show what end the Fathers had in killing their sons and daughters to God? the Holy Ghost saith, they sacrifice to devils, not to God, but they would not say they intended to gratify the devil, but to serve God in giving the dearest thing they had for God; and could their end be pleasure, profit, honour? to look on these, except in a spiritual fury, and mad zeal, that Satan inspired them withal, is folly, for there was no pleasure in it but sorrow, no gain, but to lose a sweet child, but it purchased to them great glory to be said to love their Lord God, above the fruit of their body, and to give the fruit of their body for the sin of their soul.
Answ. This renders the hereticke the most innocent and righteous Martyr that ever was; for if his end be onely life eternall,1 and none of the three ends which lead all sinners, neither pleasure, nor profit, nor honour, 1 Joh. 2. 16. and if he ought to follow his conscience, all heresie shall be nothing but a most innocent, harmelesse, godly and zealous errour, why then doth this Author say, it is such a sinne as he is selfe-condemned, that is, as he expoundeth it, though there were not a God, nor any other to condemne him, yet he is condemned of himselfe? why doth the Holy Ghost bid us turne away from such a godly innocent man, who loveth the truth of Christ, Christ and heaven, better then father, mother, brother, sister, lands, inheritances, his owne glory and name, yea nor his owne life, sure he must be the man to whom life eternall, and a hundreth fold more is due by the promise of our Saviour,