A92140:705
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.
3 To correct with the sword, and with the rod of men, as a father, is consistent with Covenant-Mercy and Meekness, Psal. 99. 32, 33, 34, as not to punish is one of divine wrath, Hos. 4. 14. yea, to deliver scandalous persons to Satan, to excommunicate them, to thunder wrath against them, to pull them out of the fire by the hair; that they may be saved in the day of the Lord, by as good reason, are against the meekness and gentleness of Christ; as the Christian Magistrates using of the sword against heretics, if we speak of that, which is penal in both these, to wit, to be under infamy, reproach and shame, and cast out of the society of the Godly.
3 To correct with the sword, and with the rod of men, as a father, is consistent with Covenant-Mercy and Meeknesse, Psal. 99. 32, 33, 34, as not to punish is one of divine wrath, Hos. 4. 14. yea, to deliver scandalous persons to Sathan, to excommunicate them, to thunder wrath against them, to pull them out of the fire by the haire; that they may bee saved in the day of the Lord, by as good reason, are against the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ; as the Christian Magistrates using of the sword against hereticks, if we speake of that, which is penal in both these, to wit, to be under infamy, reproach and shame, and cast out of the society of the Godly.
4 To judge before the day, 11 Cor 4. 5. is not to forbid all judging of heretics, for except we judge them to be heretics, how shall we beware of them, as Christ biddeth us, Mat. 7. 15. and eschew them, Rom. 16. 17. And not bid them God speed, nor receive them into our houses, Joh. 2. 10. And avoid them,