A92140:893
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
Chapter 28: Divers other Arguments for pretended Toleration, answered.
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.
2. They are obliged to believe that their Conscience must be a rule to others; which two the Law of nature cannot teach, since it is the just law of God. If ye argue what Heretics do unjustly, they persecute the sound in the faith, and there is reciprocation of persecution amongst false Religions; its true, the Christian world is a shambles, through the corruption of mens nature. But if ye argue what Christian Orthodox Magistrates ought to do, they ought to punish only Heretics and Seducers, but they do not justly […] Heretics, and those of false Religions reciprocally against themselves, for by this argument those that are just Magistrates, and take away the life of Pirates, Robbers, […] of other Nations, do they therefore justly arm all Pirates and Robbers to take away their Lives? I think not.
2. They are obliged to beleeve that their Conscience must be a rule to others; which two the Law of nature cannot teach, since it is the just law of God. If yee argue what Hereticks doe unjustly, they persecute the sound in the faith, and there is reciprocation of persecution amongst false Religions; its true, the Christian world is a shambles, through the corruption of mens nature. But if yee argue what Christian Orthodox Magistrates ought to doe, they ought to punish only Hereticks and Seducers, but they do not justly 〈…〉 Hereticks, and those of false Religions reciprocally against themselves, for by this argument those that are just Magistrates, and take away the life of Pirates, Robbers, 〈…〉 of other Nations, doe they therefore justly arme all Pirates and Robbers to take away their Lives? I thinke not.