A92140:423
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. Apostates turning to false Gods, were by a written law judged. There is no consulting of an Oracle by urim and thummim here, as Libertines say, but just as the murderer is to be judged under the New Testament, if it be told thee, the people or the Judge, and thou hast •eard of it. v. 6. Under two witnesses, he shall be convinced. It were a vain thing to go and seek witnesses, and follow reports and hear-says, if they had an immediate Oracle to inform the Judge and say, Here the Idolatry, there the Idolater, bind him and lead him away to death, (as some Patrons of Liberty plead) we read not any such conjecture.
2. Apostates turning to false Gods, were by a written law judged. There is no consulting of an Oracle by urim and th••mim here, as Libertines say, but just as the murtherer is to be judged under the New Testament, if it be told thee, the people or the Judge, and thou hast •eard of it. v. 6. Ʋnder two witnesses, hee shall be convinced. It were a vaine thing to goe and seek witnesses, and follow reports and hear-sayes, if they had an immediate Oracle to informe the Judge and say, Here the Idolatry, there the Idolater, binde him and lead him away to death, (as some Patrons of Liberty plead) we read not any such conjecture.
3 He is not persecuted for opinions, Because be cannot c•me up to that measure of light in judgement that other Saints attain unto, but he is put to death for an external act of Idolatry, that is seen, heard, proved by two witnesses. and for external abomination wrought in Israel, v. 5, 6. the Lord never puts a Judge to prove opinions, that remain within the walls of the heart, and are things of the mind, by witnesses, nor is the end of putting to death to force, beat, or cudgel him to the sound faith, with the sword, but to be avenged on hi• sin, to remove evil, to save the Israel of God from infection.
3 He is not persecuted for opinions, Because be cannot cme up to that measure of light in judgement that other Saints attain unto, but he is put to death for an externall act of Idolatry, that is seen, heard, proved by two witnesses. and for externall abomination wrought in Israel, v. 5, 6. the Lord never puts a Judge to prove opinions, that remain within the walls of the heart, and are things of the minde, by witnesses, nor is the end of putting to death to force, beat, or cudgell him to the sound faith, with the sword, but to be avenged on hi sin, to remove evill, to save the Israel of God from infection.