A92140:896
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.
Obj. 3. Artaxerxes knew not the Law of God, which he confirmed, how then could be judge it? 2. In such fits and pangs of a terrifying conscience, what laws have Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius, Artaxerxes, put forth for the Israel of God, yet were they not charged with the spiritual crown of governing the worship of God.1
Obj. 3. Artaxerxes knew not the Law of God, which he confirmed, how then could be judge it? 2. In such fits and pangs of a terrifying conscience, what lawes have Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Darius, Arta•erxes, put forth for the Israel of God, yet were they not charged with the spirituall crowne of governing the worship of God.1
- 1Bloody Tenet, 16. 148.Bloodie Tenet, 16. 148.
Answ. That was their Error, they knew not the Law of God,1 but it was their duty, that they ratified it. 2. Those Princes did their duty as Magistrates in those Laws, no matter what Conscience, renewed, or not renewed put them on to act, the duties in the substance of the act were lawful, the corruption of nature (they being unrenewed) might vitiate the work, and put them a working to act lawfully, in the duties. Saul as King did fight the battles of the Lord, and led his people, and that lawfully according to the substance of the work, but God knows his motives and end. 3. This ignorant man never hears of a Magistratical act to promote the worship of God in a civill way, but he dreams of a spiritual tribunal given to the Magistrate, which we abhor as much as he; for the material object of the Magistrates power though spiritual, rendereth not his power spiritual, as the Magistrate punisheth spiritual confederacy with Satan, in Magicians, and Sorcerers, a Witch should not be suffered to live, and Sodomy flowing from Gods judicial delivering men up to a reprobate mind,