A92140:770
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.
Though Christianity add nothing to the essence of a judge as a judge, yet Christianity addeth something to the being and authoritative power of such a judge, a Christian, a Scottish, an English judge, this remaineth then true of a judge. What a Judge doth as a Judge, that all Judges may do, for quod convenit [Greek or Hebrew] convenit [Greek or Hebrew] but what such a judge doth as such a judge, as Christian, as Scottish, as English, that all judges may not, nor cannot do: So a Christian husband, father, master, as Christian, is to give Christian Counsels and instructions to his wife, children, servant, but it follows not that all husbands, all fathers, all masters, though heathenish and Pagan, though they never head of Christ, are to give Christian counsels and […] ⟨p. 331⟩to the principles of the Gospel, to their wives, sons, servants; So the Christian Prince, not as a Prince simply, but as a Christian Prince is to confer his royal authority, in a politic and co-active way to promote the Mediatory Kingdom of Christ, which all judges on earth are not to do, for these Judges only Psal. 2. are to kiss the Son, who hear the decree published, Thou art my Son, Psal. 2. 6. for a Law never pro•••gated, neither by heart engraving, neither by minister all publication can oblige no man, as is clear Rom. •. 12. Rom. 10 14, 15. and 5. 13. Joh. •5. 22. Matth. 11. 2• 23, 24. Yet shall it not follow that the Christian Judge is a sub-mediator under Christ, and subordinate as a Vice-gerent to the Mediator, for the christian Magistrate does not promote Christs Kingdom, as the Minister of Christ, or as representing Christs person, for the Christian Magistrate is the Minister of God, and the Vice-gerent of God; now God as the Sovereign Lord hath a co-active power overall, the Magistrate, Heathen, or Christian, is his Vicegerent, and the Christian Ruler may compel with the Sword all to serve the Son, yet the Son as Mediator whose kingdom is not of this world, sends not men out to promote his Kingdom with the sword,