A92140:504
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. 11. This argument is against the wisdom of God in appointing Magistracy, as well as against us, for there be a world of questions of doubtful disputation, what is according or what contrary to the light and law of nature, in murder, medicine, usury, polygamy, incest, marriage, contracts, false witness, and these are so controverted, yea and there be matters too hard in judgement for ordinary men, between blood and blood, plea and plea, stroke and stroke, Deut. 17. 12. no less then in matters of Religion, and to err in taking the life of a guiltless man in any subject, is as great misgovernment as can be, though I dare not charge God with it, as the Objecter doth. 2. When the Holy Ghost forbiddeth the Master of every Christian family (and there must be a far larger number of heads of families then Christian Magistrates) to own a heretic as a guest, or to salute him, 2 Joh. 10. and commandeth Christians not to eat with an Idolator, 1 Cor. 7. 11. to reject an heretic, Tit. 3. 10. to avoid false teachers that creep into houses, 2 Tim. 3. 5, 6. and such as cause divisions contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel, Rom. 16. 17, 18. sure he supposeth they have knowledge to judge what is error and heresy, what is truth, otherwise he commands us to turn our backs on such, as the blind man casts his club. May not one say, This is against the wisdom of God in the government of Christian families and societies to interpose our judgement in doubtsome disputations, to judge who is the heretic, and to be avoided, 2who is the sound believer.
Answ. 11. This argument is against the wisdome of God in appointing Magistracy, as well as against us, for there be a world of questions of doubtfull disputation, what is according or what contrary to the light and law of nature, in murther, medicine, usury, polygamy, incest, marriage, contracts, false witnesse, and these are so controverted, yea and there be matters too hard in judgement for ordinary men, between blood and blood, plea and plea, stroake and stroake,