A92140:659
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.
It rejoiced the hearts of the Godly in the three Kingdoms,1 when the Houses passed an Ordinance for the directory of public worship, to be used in all the three Kingdoms, and laid aside the book of Common-prayers, and burdensome Ceremonies upon a resolution professed to the world, according to the Covenant to reform Religion according to the word of God, 2and the example of the best reformed Churches, which was accordingly approved and ratified in the Parliament of Scotland, if we then turn back again from that begun uniformity, what do we also but pull down and destroy what we have builded? Especially since uniformity, which we swear to endeavour in our Covenant, is cried down by Familists, and Antinomians, and all external worship and profession of Christ before men, as indifferent, and all Religion retrenched into only things of the mind and heart, upon a dream that the written word of God is not our rule obliging us, but an inward law in the mind beyond, all ordinances,3 must regulate us now under the Gospel.
It rejoyced the hearts of the Godly in the three Kingdomes,1 when the Houses passed an Ordinance for the directory of publicke worship, to be used in all the three Kingdomes, and layed aside the booke of Common-prayers, and burdensome Ceremonies upon a resolution professed to the world, according to the Covenant to reforme Religion according to the word of God, 2and the example of the best reformed Churches, which was accordingly approved and ratified in the Parliament of Scotland, if wee then turne backe againe from that begunne uniformity, what doe wee also but pull downe and destroy what we have builded? Especially since uniformity, which we sweare to indeavour in our Covenant, is cryed downe by Familists, and Antinomians, and all externall worship and profession of Christ before men, as indifferent, and all Religion retrinched into onely things of the minde and heart, upon a dreame that the written word of God is not our rule oblieging us, but an inward law in the mind beyond, all ordinances,