A92140:923
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.
8. And that which our Saviour calleth the Law and the Prophets, Mat. 7. 12. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; was the Law of Nature, and the Moral Law, and the doctrine of the Prophets in the time of Moses, and in the Kingdom of the Messiah, though Libertines put a false gloss on it, for I would not that others should punish me, if I murder, steal, speak lies in the name of the Lord, though if I had authority, I should will to punish others, that are guilty of these crimes, for so they expound it; now if we should not will to punish others, for their conscience under the New Testament; neither should the godly Magistrate in Moses and Davids days will to punish others for their conscience; and if we should not will to rebuke and excommunicate heretics now: neither ought the godly Jews to will to do the same to others, because of old, men did not will to be punished with the Sword, rebuked, or excommunicated for their conscience.
8. And that which our Saviour calleth the Law and the Prophets, Mat. 7. 12. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; was the Law of Nature, and the Morall Law, and the doctrine of the Prophets in the time of Moses, and in the Kingdome of the Messiah, though Libertines put a false glosse on it, for I would not that others should punish me, if I murther, steal, speake lyes in the name of the Lord, though if I had authority, I should will to punish others, that are guilty of these crimes, for so they expound it; now if wee should not will to punish others, for their conscience under the New Testament; neither should the godly Magistrate in Moses and Davids dayes will to punish others for their conscience; and if we should not will to rebuke and excommunicate hereticks now: neither ought the godly Jewes to will to doe the same to others, because of old, men did not will to be punished with the Sword, rebuked, or excommunicated for their conscience.
9. It was no less unlawful for a Judge in Israel, to domineer and tyrannize over the conscience of a false Prophet, a Priest of Baal, Dagon, and to answer the arguments subverting the doctrine of Moses Law so shining with Divinity, Majesty, and the Wisdom of God, with the bloody sword, and throwing of stones, then it is for the Christian Magistrate to labour to convert, the false Prophet now, by a Sword, or an Axe domineering over his conscience, so rendering him a Lamb, disputing and trembling under the paw of the Lion. And whatever arguments Libertines draw, for pretended toleration from the Law of Nature, making punishing for conscience contradictory to the light of Nature, must infer that the Judicial Law of Moses for punishing