A92138:1754
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.
A thing good of it self is not scandalous, but there be two Goodthing•. 1. Some simply necessary▪ •s to love God, not to steal, not to forswear, these be never scandalous. 2. Some ⟨p. 6⟩[…] ⟨p. 7⟩[…] ⟨p. 8⟩[…] ⟨p. 9⟩[…] ⟨p. 10⟩good duties positive of affirmative precepts, as not necessarie, hic & nunc, may be omitted to eschew scandal. School men move a question. If it be lawful to omit works commanded of God, or of the law of nature to eschew the scandal of our brethren? I answer, a natural commandment to eschew the scandalizing of my brother, obligeth in some Circumstances, but not simply, for it obligeth not when there occurreth a Commandment natural of greater obligation, whether it be natural or positive, if I cannot decline the transgression of the law of God, in the declining of scandalizing my brother, Certainly the Commandment of not scandalizing doth not oblige, for I am more obliged to have a care of my own salvation, then of my brothers, and so to prevent my own sins, the•• the sinning of my brother: yet Coeteris paribus, if all other things be alike, as aBecanus saith. A natural command, such as is, (not to scandalize) that is, (not to commit soul murder) doth oblige more, then a positive Commandment, as to hear the Word hic & nunc. I am obliedged hic & nunc, to omit hearing of the Word to keep my brother from killing himself, and to preserve my brothers temporal life. because, the Lord will have mercy, and not sacrifice. Though I be not obliged universally to omit the hearing of the Word▪ and receiving of the Sacraments, to eschew the scandal of my brother. 2. Sins publicly committed, are of their own nature culpably scandalous.