A92140:944
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.
13. Ob. The Elect cannot finally and totally fall away from Grace, and perish, as the Scripture saith, Joh. 6. 37. &c. Why then should we be so fondly jealous, lest the people of God should be carried away with every wind of doctrine, as to suppress each opinion supposed to be erroneous, so as to run the hazard of silencing the most saving truths, of putting to death Gods dearest Saints, reducing souls to such a posture, as if we be in ignorance and error,1 we must be uncapable of ever coming out of either.
13. Ob. The Elect cannot finally and totally fall away from Grace, and perish, as the Scripture saith, Joh. 6. 37. &c. Why then should we be so fondly jealous, lest the people of God should be carried away with every winde of doctrine, as to suppresse each opinion supposed to be erroneous, so as to run the hazard of sileucing the most saving truths, of putting to death Gods dearest Saints, reducing soules to such a posture, as if we be in ignorance and errour,1 we must be uncapable of ever comming out of either.
- 1Baptist c. 6. p. 3•. 35.
Answ. A foolish argument without head or foot. 1. We are to be afraid of every sin, our Lord hath bidden us beware ⟨p. 399⟩of,1 though the Elect cannot perish, since he that chooseth to the end, chooseth to the means, and to both immutably and irrevocably without shadow or change, else this argument will prove, we need not be afraid to whore, murder, oppress, or the most heinous transgressions, for these sins cannot more prejudge the chosen of their state of grace, and certainty of glory, then being carried about with every wind of doctrine, and unsound opinions continued in and published to pervert others, do argue that we are of the number of those, that are ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth,