A92140:835
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 Vindicators call the denying of Scriptures to be the word of God a damnable Heresy, and we have no certainty that the Scriptures of the old and new Testament which we now have, either the English translation, or the Original of Hebrew and Greek copies are the word of God. So then holding the Scriptures to be the Word of God in either of these two senses, or significations of the words (either translations, or original) can with no tolerable pretext or colour be called a foundation of Christian Religion, unless their foundations be made of the credit, learning and authority of men.
The Vindicators call the denying of Scriptures to be the word of God a damnable Heresie, and we have no certainty that the Scriptures of the old and new Testament which we now have, either the English translation, or the Originall of Hebrew and Greek copies are the word of God. So then holding the Scriptures to be the Word of God in either of these two senses, or significations of the words (either translations, or originall) can with no tolerable pretext or colour be called a foundation of Christian Religion, unlesse their foundations be made of the credit, learning and authoritie of men.
Because there is need to wonder, by the way, at this, Let the reader observe, that Libertines resolve all our faith, and so the certainty of our salvation on Paper and Ink; and Mr. John Goodwin will allow us no foundation of faith, but such as is made of grammars and Characters,1 and if the Scripture be wrong pointed, or the Printer drunk, or if the translation slip, then our faith is go•e: Whereas the means of conveying the things believed may be fallible, as writing, printing, translating, speaking, are all fallible means of conveying the truth of old and new Testament to us, and yet the Word of GOD in that which is delivered to us is infallible, 1. For let the Printer be fallible, 2. The translation fallible. 3. The Grammar fallible. 4. The man that readeth the word or publisheth it fallible, yet this hindereth not but the truth it self contained in the written word of God is infallible; I suppose four men who shall show to a