A01760:906
A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…
A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not only our own arguments [sic] against the same are strongly confirmed, but likewise the answers and defences of our opposites, such as Hooker, Morton ... Forbesse, &c. particularly confuted.A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not only our ovvne argumemts [sic] against the same are strongly confirmed, but likewise the ansvveres and defences of our opposites, such as Hooker, Mortoune ... Forbesse, &c. particularly confuted.
Leiden: printed by W. Christiaens, 1637
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Princes therefore may not suffer Bishops to usurp the power of Suspending and Depriving at their pleasure, and whensoever they commit any such tyranny in smiting of their fellow servants, it is the part of Princes to cause these things to be redressed, and for this end graciously to receive the grievances of oppressed Ministers. The Arians of old being assembled in a Council at Antioch, kdecreed, that if any Ecclesiastical Person, should without the advice and the letters of the Bishops of the Province, and chiefly of the Metropolitan, go to the Emperor to put up any grievance unto him, he should be cast out, not only from the holy Communion, but from his proper dignity which he had in the Church. ⟨image 159⟩Whereupon lOsiander hath this observation: This Canon also was composed against holy Athanasius: for Athanasius being expelled by the Arians, had fled to the Emperor Constantine the younger, and had from him obtained a return to his own Church. Now this Canon is very unjust, which forbids that a Bishop or any other Minister of the Church, being unjustly oppressed, flee to his godly Civill Magistrate: since it was lawful to the Apostle Paul to appeal to the Roman Emperor, wicked Nero, as the acts of the Apostles witness. But it may be seen in this place, that Bishops were very soon seeking dominion, yea tyranny over the Church, and over their Colleagues. Besides all this, there is yet another thing which ought to have a very principal consideration in the Deposition of a Minister, and that is the consent of the Church and Congregation where he hath served. Let the Magistrate know saith mGerard, that as the vocation of Ministers pertaineth to the whole Church, so to the same also pertaineth the removing of Ministers, therefore as a Minister ought not to be obtruded upon a unwilling Church, so the Hearers being unwilling and striving against it, a fit Minister ought not to be plucked away from them. The Deposing of a Minister whom the Church loves and willingly hears, nBalduin accounteth to be high Sacrilege, and holdeth, that as the calling, so the dismissing of Ministers pertaineth to the whole Church. And so teacheth