A92140:708
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.
Of this sort is the Pamphleteers objection, 1Religion should not be enacted by the Laws of the Magistrate, why? It is enacted (saith he) already by an higher Authority than any earthly King or Magistrate; and if it will not sway the conscience to obey,2 what can the Laws of men do? can these cobwebs catch those that the Laws of God cannot catch.
Of this sort is the Pamphleters objection, 1Religion should not be inacted by the Lawes of the Magistrate, why? It is inacted (saith he) already by an higher Authority than any earthly King or Magistrate; and if it will not sway the conscience to obey,2 what can the Lawes of men do? can these cobwebs catch those that the Lawes of God cannot catch.
- 1Ancient bounds c. 5. p. 24.Antient bounds c. 5. p. 24.
- 2Matters of Religion ought to be enacted by the Law of Princes and Christian Rulers, that such as contravene may be punished.Matters of Religion ought to be inacted by the Law of Princes and Christian Rulers, that such as contravene may be punished.
Answ. There is a fallacy in the word catch, though he be but an innocent Sophist, who propounds it; for Laws of men to fence from outward disorders, cannot catch souls to convert them, as they are Laws of men; nor teach we that Acts and Statutes of Parliament, are the power of God to salvation, that is the honour of the preached Gospel. But shall good Laws of Artaxerxes,