A92140:503
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.
Divers answers to little purpose are given to this argument. As 1.1 It is against the wisdom of God in governing the World to make Magistrates judges of what is truth, and heresy, since the generality of Magistrates, yea of men are ignorant thereof, and ⟨p. 219⟩uncapable in questions of doubtful disputation. 2 Say that the Synod were equally divided, whether Presbytery or Independence be the way of God, or say the major part (which is ever the worst) determine amiss, what shall the Magistrate do? and the evil doer, Rom. 13. cannot be he that doth evil without limitation, or thinks evil, but pro subjecta materia. But he that doth evil, whereof ordinary Magistrates, heathen or Christian, are competent judges, which is manifestly of political consideration, as that which is contrary to the light and law of nature, as whoredom, adultery, murder, theft, unjustice, sedition, treason.
Divers answers to little purpose are given to this argument. As 1.1 It is against the wisdome of God in governing the World to make Magistrates judges of what is truth, and heresie, since the generallity of Magistrates, yea of men are ignorant thereof, and ⟨p. 219⟩uncapable in questions of doubtfull disputation. 2 Say that the Synod were equally divided, whether Presbytery or Independence be the way of God, or say the major part (which is ever the worst) determine amisse, what shall the Magistrate do? and the evill doer, Rom. 13. cannot be he that doth evill without limitation, or thinks evill, but pro subjecta materia. But he that doth evil, whereof ordinary Magistrates, heathen or Christian, are competent judges, which is manifestly of politicall consideration, as that which is contrary to the light and law of nature, as whoredome, adultery, murther, theft, unjustice, sedition, treason.
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