A92140:449
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. That is no matter of greater or less great danger. It is sin in the Pharisees in heart and word of month to condemn the Lords Disciples of breach of Sabbath, when they are innocent, as to kill them for Sabbath-breach when they are innocent, Matth. 12. 7. the one is a greater sin, the other less; but if we may not venture on a greater sin of shedding innocent blood because of want of infallibility, neither is it lawful to venture upon the least sin, because of the want of that same infallibility, nor is an infallible and immediate oracle our only rule in judging the blasphemer. Suppose a man should wilfully profess there is no God, and rail against such as say there is a God, as our Atheistical age wanteth not a Caligula, and an Anaxagoras, and the like now, if the Parliament should punish such a limb of hell. The thirteenth Proposal of the Army will say the Parliament forces this man to sin, and to believe and profess a truth against his judgement and conscience; and upon this ground, for we know not infallibly such a man to be a damned Atheist.
Answ. That is no matter of greater or lesse great danger. It is sinne in the Pharisees in heart and word of month to condemne the Lords Disciples of breach of Sabbath, when they are innocent, as to kill them for Sabbath-breach when they are innocent, Matth. 12. 7. the one is a greater sinne, the other lesse; but if wee may not venture on a greater sinne of shedding innocent blood because of want of infallibility, neither is it lawfull to venture upon the least sinne, because of the want of that same infallibility, nor is an infallible and immediate oracle our onely rule in judgeing the blasphemer. Suppose a man should wilfully professe there is no God, and raile against such as say there is a God, as our Atheisticall age wanteth not a Caliguala, and an Anaxagoras, and the like now, if the Parliament should punish such a limb of hell. The thirteenth Proposall of the Army will say the Parliament forces this man to sinne, and to beleeve and professe a truth against his judgement and conscience; and upon this ground, for wee know not infallibly such a man to be a damned Atheist.