A92138:169
The divine right of church-government and excommunication
The divine right of church-government and excommunication: or a peaceable dispute for the perfection of the holy scripture in point of ceremonies and church government; in which the removal of the Service-book is justified, the six books of Tho: Erastus against excommunication are briefly examined; with a vindication of that eminent divine Theod: Beza against the aspersions of Erastus, the arguments of Mr. William Pryn, Rich: Hooker, Dr. Morton, Dr. Jackson, Dr. John Forbes, and the doctors of Aberdeen; touching will-worship, ceremonies, imagery, idolatry, things indifferent, an ambulatory government; the due and just powers of the magistrate in matters of religion, and the arguments of Mr. Pryn, in so far as they side with Erastus, are modestly discussed. To which is added, a brief tractate of scandal ... / By Samuel Rutherfurd, Professor of Divinity in the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Published by authority.The divine right of church-government and excommunication: or a peacable dispute for the perfection of the holy scripture in point of ceremonies and church government; in which the removal of the Service-book is justifi'd, the six books of Tho: Erastus against excommunication are briefly examin'd; with a vindication of that eminent divine Theod: Beza against the aspersions of Erastus, the arguments of Mr. William Pryn, Rich: Hooker, Dr. Morton, Dr. Jackson, Dr. John Forbes, and the doctors of Aberdeen; touching will-worship, ceremonies, imagery, idolatry, things indifferent, an ambulatory government; the due and just powers of the magistrate in matters of religion, and the arguments of Mr. Pryn, in so far as they side with Erastus, are modestly discussed. To which is added, a brief tractate of scandal ... / By Samuel Rutherfurd, Professor of Divinity in the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Published by authority.
London: printed by John Field for Christopher Meredith, 1646
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.
But I pray you what better is the distinction of beside the word, not contrary to the word of God, out of the mouth of Papists, to maintain unwritten Traditions, which to them is the express word of God, then out of the mouth of Formalists, for their unwritten Positives, which are worse then Popish Traditions in that they are not the express word of God, by their own grant? 2. Let the Formalist assure us, that after this, some Moses and Elijah shall arise and write Scripture touching the Surplice and Cross, that they are the very mind of God, as the Lord could assure the Church between Adam and Moses, that all Divine truths which he had delivered by Tradition, should in Gods due time be written in Scripture, by Moses, the Prophets and Apostles: I think they shall here fail in their undertakings. Hence the Argument standeth strong, the Jews might devise nothing in doctrine, Worship, or Government; nay, neither the Patriarchs nor Moses, nor the Prophets of their own head, without Gods immediate Tradition, or the written Scripture (which are all one) ⟨p. 41⟩Ergo, Neither can the Church, except she would be wiser then God in the Scriptures. 2. Hookers Various and Harmonious Dissimilitude of Gods g•iding his Church, is his fancy: This variety we admire, as it is expressed, He•. 1. 1. But Hooker would say (for he hath reference to that place) God at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets, and now to us by hi• Son: But test of all, he hath revealed his Will, by the Pope of Rome, and his cursed Clergy, that we should Worship Images, pray to Saints, and for the dead, believe Purgatory, &c. and now by humane Prelates, he hath shown his will to us, touching Crossing, Surplice: Now Papists, as Horantius, Sanderus, Malderus, Bellarmine, and others1 say, Most of the points that are in Question between them and Protestants, and particularly Church-Ceremonies, are unwritten Traditions delivered by the Church; beside the warrant of Scripture▪ 3. We grant that there was no Uniform Church-Government in the Apostles time, Deacons were not at the first, Elders were not ordained [Greek or Hebrew], in every Church: But this is nothing against a Platform of Uniform Government▪ which cannot be altered in Gods Word. For by this reason the Learned and Reverend Mr. Prynne, because points of Government did grow by succession of time;