A92140:524
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.
4. The Objector would be put in mind of the same Answer given to this place, and others of the New Testament by the Anabaptists, who say there is no warrant in the Old Testament, that Christians should be Magistrates, because the use of the sword was then typical and ceremonial, and this, and all places of the New Testament doth command conquered Christians subjection to heathen Magistrates, and not to raise Arms against them, but warrants not Christians to take on them Magistracy, because heathens should not be our pattern, but the word of God.
4. The Objector would be put in minde of the same Answer given to this place, and others of the New Testament by the Anabaptists, who say there is no warrant in the Old Testament, that Christians should bee Magistrates, because the use of the sword was then typicall and ceremoniall, and this, and all places of the New Testament doth command conquered Christians subjection to heathen Magistrates, and not to raise Armes against them, but warrants not Christians to take on them Magistracie, because heathens should not be our patterne, but the word of God.
5. Most false it is, and a begging of the question that evil doing is contracted and hampered in here, to subjection to the higher powers, that is, to the Roman Laws and Edicts only; for it is opposed to the lawful subjection due to the Parliament of England, and to the King of Britain, and to all lawful powers as well as to Roman Magistrates, as is clear; for there is no power but of God, and the powers that be, are ordained of God; and Paul speaketh of all Magistrates, Christian and heathen, that are lawful Magistrates, and commandeth subjection to every power, Roman and Christian, in the Lord. What? Are there no powers ordained of God, but Roman Magistrates? Then may Anabaptists well say, we owe not subjection to Christian Magistrates by this text, but only to the Roman Magistrate, who made no Laws against spreading of heresies, and when the Apostle faith, Let every soul be subject to superior powers, 1shall every soul, by this text, be subject to none but the Roman Magistrate? I am sure, the Reformed Churches, and all our Writers argue, that as many as have souls, Popes, Prelates, and Roman Clergy ought to be subject, by this text, to the good laws of the Christian Emperors, and that all men, none excepted, neither