A92140:741
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.
The proposition is clear, in regard the moral Law doth therefore oblige us Christians, because it is morally perpetual, and perpetually moral; and that in all times and places▪ as to serve God, honour our parents, not to murder, ⟨p. 312⟩&c. is perpetually moral now, as among Jews, with us, as among the Indians and Tartarians: but to punish the seducing Prophet is such; 1. because the Heretic is condemned by his own conscience,1 Tit. 3. 10. in believing lies Ergo, Far more by his own conscience, by leading others into that same condemnation with himself; and if he apprehend the vengeance of a God-head, there must be a conscience naturally apprehending such: as we see the conscience of murderers, and of Cain, fear some revenging hand. If therefore the Minister of God, the Magistrate, inflict this, it must be nothing else but an act of natural Justice, which the natural conscience doth apprehend. But what acts of Justice the conscience naturally fears, must be acts of Justice perpetually moral, not respecting one man or Nation more than another. 2. All Countries by an instinct, apprehend a God,2 and conceive their Priests and Prophets are to be entertained and rewarded, as Egypt, Gen. 47. 22. Midian, F•xed, 2. 16. Exod. 18. 1. Judg. 17. 5. c. 18. 4. 2 King. 15. 18. The Philistines, 1 Sam. 5. 5. c. 6. 2. Baal and the Zidonians had their Priests, 2 King. 10. 8, 19, Lycaonia, Act 14. 13. And if their Rulers feed their Priests, the false Prophets and Priests that deceive them, and mis-lead them, they must punish: So the King of Babylon roasted in a fire two false Prophets,