A Free Disputation Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience #15 - Samuel Rutherford

This audio file contains the first part of Chapter 25.

Chapter 25. Whether the rulers by their office, in order to peace, are to stand to the laws of Moses, for punishing seducing teachers.

How judicial laws oblige to punishment.

Judicial laws were deduced from the moral law.

True cause of war with other nations.

Two kingdoms become one body, by a religious covenant, if it be mutual, the one part may avenge the quarrel of the covenant on the other in case of breach.

The new altar erected by the two tribes and the half, beyond Jordan, Joshua 22. How a just cause of war.

Christian princes' laws against errors and heresies.

As Constantine gave out severe laws against Donatists, so did Julianus the apostate restore temples to heretics, and grant liberty of conscience to them, that so he might destroy the name and religion of Christians, as is before observed, so Aug. Ep. 166 ad. Donat.

God only determineth punishments for sin.

The punishing of a seducing prophet is moral.

The punishing of seducing teachers is an act of justice, obliging men ever, and everywhere.

False teachers in seducing others apprehend the hand of divine vengeance pursuing them, as other ill doers do, and so it must be natural justice in the magistrate to punish them.

The punishing of false prophets is of the law of nature.

Idolatry is to be punished by the judge, and that by the testimony of Job, who was obliged to observe no judicial law, but only the law moral and the law of nature.

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