A92138:1827
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.
4. That must be false (It is better to obey God nor man, Act. 5.) but to abstain from scandalizing a weak brother, is an act of obedience to the sixth Commandment. Ergo, the contrary cannot be done at the command of Prelates. 6. Gods positive laws yieldeth (Thou shalt not kill) to wit to the law of nature. David may eat show bread, when he is famishing. Ergo, the Prelates law far more must yield to the sixth Commandment (thou shalt not scandalize, nor kill the soul of him for whom Christ died.) 7. Rulers must all be infallible law-makers. 8. Rulers might command bodily murder, and it should not be murder, they may command to dig pits in the way of Travellers, To marry with Infidel•, to send abroad a goring Ox, to give knives to little children.
4. That must be false (It is better to obey God nor man, Act. 5.) but to abstaine from scandalizing a weake brother, is an act of obedience to the sixt Commandement. Ergo, the contrary cannot be done at the command of Prelates. 6. Gods positive lawes yeildeth (Thou shalt not kill) to wit to the law of nature. David may eat shew bread, when he is famishing. Ergo, the Prelates law farre more must yeild to the sixt Commandement (thou shalt not scandaliz•, nor kill the soule of him for whom Christ died.) 7. Rulers must all be infallible law-makers. 8. Rulers might command bodilie murther, and it should not be murther, they may command to digge pitts in the way of Travellers, To marry with Infidel•, to send abroad a goaring Ox, to give knives to little children.
They object. A Master a father, may command a servant and a son to do that, which if the servant or son refuse to do, their disobedience scandalizeth. And again, a Master, a Father, may command the contrary, and if they disobey, they scandalize culpably. Erg. The commanding will of a Master and a Father, and far more of public Rulers, may make that to be active scandal, which is no active scandal. A Carpenter may command his servant to remove a tree from the East end of his house, to the West end, and again, he may for his sole will, to try his servants obedience, command him to remove it again to the East end of his house.