A92140:495
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.
3 If it be only a piercing merely minatory, by threatening and rebukes, these do not change the Prophet and gain him to the truth, as the Objector would imply, for refutation in a doctrinal, and instructing, and teaching way only doth that: no rebukes no law-threatenings do change the false Prophet, for threatenings and rebukes do suppose the seducer seeth that he seduceth, and that he prophesieth ⟨p. 216⟩lies which yet the false Prophet cannot see, till he be convinced of the error of his way, and rebukes will not do that. But I would put to the Objector his own query, is it fit to rebuke a man who can do no other but publish lies, because he lacketh supernatural grace, which would make him a true Prophet? These words v. 6. What are those wounds in thy hands? hold forth a visible and real piercing through of the hands, for some false doctrine he hath preached, according to the merit of his heresy, then it must be some other thing then a verbal threat or a metaphorical piercing through with words which are transient, and not permanent, and visible as wounds and print of strokes, cicatrices, in the hands: so I cannot but think the Objector hath strained his light to find a violent exposition to elude the place.
3 If it be onely a piercing meerly minatory, by threatning and rebukes, these doe not change the Prophet and gaine him to the truth, as the Objector would imply, for refutation in a doctrinall, and instructing, and teaching way only doth that: no rebukes no law-threatnings doe change the false Prophet, for threatnings and rebukes doe suppose the seducer seeth that hee seduceth, and that he proprophesieth ⟨p. 216⟩lyes which yet the false Prophet cannot see, till hee bee convinced of the errour of his way, and rebukes will not doe that. But I would put to the Objector his owne quere, is it fit to rebuke a man who can doe no other but publish lyes, because he lacketh supernatural grace, which would make him a true Prophet? These words v. 6. What are those wounds in thy hands? hold forth a visible and reall piercing through of the hands, for some false doctrine hee hath preached, according to the merit of his heresie, then it must bee some other thing then a verball threate or a metaphoricall piercing through with words which are transient, and not parmanent, and visible as wounds and print of stroakes, cicatrices, in the hands: so I cannot but think the Objector hath strained his light to find a violent exposition to elude the place.