A92138:1749
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.
Quest. II.
Whether or no the Ceremonies and things indifferent commanded by humane authority be objects scandalous, and what rules are to be observed in eschewing scandals.
Whether or no the Ceremonies and things indifferent commanded by humane authority be objects scandalous, and what rules are to be observed in eschewing scandalls.
Formalists object, That Ceremonies be not no•ent agents in giving scandal, but men do unjustly take scandal, whereas innocent Ceremonies give none.
FOrmalists object, That Ceremonies be not no•ent agents in giving scandall, but men doe unjustly take scandall, whereas innocent Ceremonies give none.
But observe that a scandal is given two ways. 1 Physically. 12. Morally. Physically, when the object hath an influence merely physical in raising Scandal, in this meaning, as there be no passion, but it hath an action; so there is no scandal taken, but it is some way given. The Pharisees are scandalized at Christs preaching. The preached Word had some influence on their corruption to scandalize it, but physical, not moral: but sinful and inordinate actions, scandalize morally by contributing, a moral influence culpably to the scandalizing of others. Hence the question is, wherein standeth this moral and culpable influence.