A92140:703
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.
2. Nor is the meekness of Christ inconsistent with his justice, and righteousness, in commanding the nursefathers of his house, the Rulers of the earth, that which the Moral and perpetual standing Law of God requireth, to wit, that they use the Sword against il-doers, of all sorts and degrees; for they stand together in the person of Christ, who is a meek King, Zach. 9. 9 and lowly and just, having salvation, 1and breaketh not the bruised reed, nor quencheth the smoking flax, which is not meant of his forbearing the use of the Sword, against grievous Wolves that spareth not the flock, and Wolves in the skin and clothing of Sheep, seducing heretics, for neither Calvin, Musculur, Gualther, Junius, Scultetus, Marlorat, nor any sound interpreter, Protestant, Lutheran or Papist, save Socinians and Anabaptists professed parties, render any such sense, for not to break or to quench by a figure Meiosis or Litote, is to cherish, and deal meekly and tenderly with weak believers, that have something of the life of God; and saving light of grace in them, as weak growing reeds, and smoking flaxes, and it saith that Christ doth cherish saving seeds of grace in them •ay 50. 5. The Lord God hath opened mine ear that I was not rebellious, that is, that I was very flexible and obedient to give my back to the smiters, John 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out, that is, I will make the believers dearly welcome, raise him up at the last day, and give him life eternal vers. 40. Libertines then must say, Heretics and bloody wolves, are such tender weak believers, as weak reeds and smoking flaxes, 2and Christ doth not only not use the sword against such tender ones, but he taketh Wolves and seducing teachers in his bosom, and nourisheth, and tenderly cherisheth ⟨p. 294⟩the principles of men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth, but as Christ is meek to weak ones, so is, Isa. 11. 25. Righteousness the girdle of his loins, So Psalm. 110. 5. Shall be strike through Kings in the day of his wrath. 6. And judge […] the heathen, and fill the places with the dead bodies, and wound the heads over many Countries, And