A92140:484
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
Chapter 16: Prophesies in the Old Testament, especially Zach. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4. 5, 6. for punishing f…
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. Answ. Be it that civill Magistrates ought to proceed, with as great zeal, against delinquents under the Gospel, as Elijah against ⟨p. 212⟩Baals priests and Phinehas against Idolaters, yet it follows not they ought to put out their zeal in killing false prophets with the •word, for this is blind zeal under the Gospel, John 16. 1. Act 22 3. 4. Act. 26. 9.
2. Answ. Be it that civill Magistrates ought to proceed, with as great zeale, against delinquents under the Gospel, as Eliah against ⟨p. 212⟩Baals preists and Phineas against Idolaters, yet it followes not they ought to put out their zeal in killing false prophets with the •word, for this is blind zeale under the Gospell, John 16. 1. Act 22 3. 4. Act. 26. 9.
Answ. The Holy Ghost commends this zeal under the Gospel, when the fountain shall be opened for Davids house, his father that begat him shall thrust him through. This answer saith that this zeal, Zach. 13. is the bloody zeal of persecuting Saul, and of others, raising persecution against the Gospel preached by Paul and Barnabas, so the answer contradicts God, who saith this zeal was truly and lawfully set, as touching the object, not being set on against the members of Christ and Paul, for the Gospel, but against false prophets that speak lies in the name of the Lord, ver. 3. Mr. Goodwin brings an example of blind and bloody zeal against the Saints and the Apostles, to prove that the Christian Magistrate should have no zeal at all to punish false teachers under the New Testament, which is just this in logical reduction: Magistrates under the New Testament should not butcher the innocent, nor murder the Saints, ergo, under the New Testament magistrates should not take vengeance on murderers, evil doers, and blasphemers, who preach doctrines of devils. It is as good logic as this, Godly Rulers should not do unjustice and oppression, ergo, They should not do justice and right in saving the flock from grievous Wolves.