A92140:828
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. If we distinguish obedience, there is first a necessary and good, and lawful obedience. 2. There is an obedience complete and entire, and full, and sincere. Outward obedience, which the Magistrate commandeth, is good and lawful, and necessary obedience, and is, in the kind of external and necessary obedience (I mean) necessary for its end, the safety of the society, not hypocritical, unlawful or sinful. In this notion only, it is commanded by the Magistrate, and the omission of it unlawful, and punishable, by the Sword of the Deputy, and Minister of God; but if we speak of an obedience complete, full, and sincere; which is required from the whole man, in order to the Law of God. Then the outward obedience that the Magistrate demandeth is not complete, entire, nor sincere, but in relation to the Law of God, which requireth entire obedience from the whole man, soul and body, it is not full, not entire, not sincere obedience, but an outside of obedience but in this sense the Magistrate doth not demand obedience to the Law of God, for he hath to do with the outward man only, and as a Magistrate hath nothing to do with, the soul, and conscience: so than, though the Magistrate command to preach sound doctrine, forbid to preach lies in the name of the Lord, yet he commandeth not hypocrisy and sin; for this argument may as well prove the Magistrate should neither forbid nor ⟨p. 356⟩[…] ⟨p. 357⟩[…] ⟨p. 358⟩punish murder, nor command abstinence from murder to an unrenewed man, for an unrenewed man cannot but abstain from murder in a sinful way, and his abstinence from murder in order to the spiritual Law of God, is no better then the oblation of Swines blood, and the cutting off of a dogs head to God, Esa. 66. 1, 2. as is all external obedience of either Tables of the Law, first, or second, without faith, and spiritual inward moral principles, and heart-obedience, and Mr. Williams cannot answer this argument, but by the principles of Anabaptists, Familists, and Enthusiasts, who say all outward Ordinances, Ministry, Preaching Sacraments, yea Preachers and Magistrates, who command outward obedience to God are unlawful, now under the New Testament.