A92140:709
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.
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, 1Darius, for fearing the God of Daniel, and obeying the God of Gods, be trampled on, because they cannot come up to the power and excellency of Gods Laws? yet they so far catch, that Laws enacted upon pain of the sword, bind up hands and tongue from doing wickedly; and this man argues against Scripture, Deut. 3. 11. And all Israel shall hear and fear (for the pain of stoning, and the sword of King or Prince Moses) and shall do no more any such wickedness as this amongst you. The man argues against the Statutes of Parliament, against Sabbath breaking, which yet catch some, Neh. 13. 21. If you do so, I will lay hands on you, from that day forth, came they no more on the Sabbath, External obedience is given, that men dare not blaspheme Christ, nor swear, nor murder, nor whore, nor steal, though the authority of God, which is higher than any earthly Kings, hath already forbidden blasphemy, swearing, killing. Ergo, by this reason all Laws of men against evil doers should be cashiered, because they cannot catch souls, when as they are not ordained to catch souls, but to bind the outward man in fetters, that he prey not upon the soul, and body, and goods of his brethren; yea, by this reason, men should not by Ministerial Authority preach the Gospel to catch men, for the Gospel is enacted already by an higher Authority than any on Earth, King or Pastor can preach, ⟨p. 297⟩and will thy cob-web preaching, poor Minister, catch whom the net of God will not catch? all these men sway to the Familist and Enthusiasts hand, beware of them.
Answ. There is a fallacy in the word catch, though he be but an innocent Sophist, who propounds it; for Lawes of men to fence from outward disorders, cannot catch soules to convert them, as they are Lawes 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 Gospell. But shall good Lawes of Artaxerxes,