A92138:1837
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.
As for that which ye say, that when Scandal may be taken at the doing of the thing commanded, then the thing commanded becometh inexpedient, and so ought not to be obeyed; that ye be not more deceived with this error, we pray you mark, that a thing commanded, by our Superiors, in Church or Policy, m•y be two ways inexpedient, to wit, either in respect of some particular Persons, who th•ough weakness, or malice, do stumble at it, or else in respect of the body in general, because it is contrary to Order, Decency and Edification. If the thing commanded be inexpedient, the former way, we may indeed, in such a case, for eschewing the Scandal of the weak, forbear the practice of the thing commanded, Hic, & nunc, in some particular places, and times: providing always we do this without offence of our Superiors, and without the scandal of others, but we cannot totally forbear practice, for we are to look more to the utility, which the body of the Church may receive, by the thing commanded, and by our obedience to our Superiors, then to some particular persons. 47. But if the thing commanded be in our private judgement inexpedient, the other way, we ought not for that, to deny Obedience to the laws of the Church; for when the inexpediency of a thing is questionable, and probable arguments may be brought, pro and contra, concerning the expediency of it, we have sufficient warrant to practise it, if the Church enact it as expedient. Otherwayes your way is so dangerous, that there shall never be peace, nor unity in the Church, for men ordinarily are divided in judgement, concerning the expediency of things. Suppose a Synod consisting of one hundred Pastors, threescore shall think this particular Ceremony expedient, for the good of the Church, and in respect of plurality of voices▪ make an act to be concluded for the establishing of it, shall the remnant forty, who are of the contrary judgement, deny obedience to the acts of the Synod?
As for that which yee say, that when Scandall may be taken at the doing of the thing commanded, then the thing commanded becommeth inexpedient, and so ought not to be obeyed; that yee be not more deceived with this errour, we pray you marke, that a thing commanded, by our Superiours, in Church or Policie, m•y be two wayes inexpedient, to wit, either in respect of some particular Persons, who th•ough weaknesse, or malie, doe stumble at it, or else in respect of the body in generall, because it is contrary to Order, Decencie and Edification. If the thing commanded be inexpedient, the former way, we may indeed, in such a case, for eschewing the Scandall of the weake, forbeare the practice of the thing commanded, Hic, & nunc, in some particular places, and times: provyding alwayes we doe this without offence of our Superiours, and without the scandall of others, but we cannot totally forbeare practice, for we are to looke more to the utilitie, which the body of the Church may receive, by the thing commanded, and by our obedience to our Superiours, then to some particular persons. 47. But if the thing commanded be in our private judgement inexpedient, the other way, we ought not for that, to deny Obedience to the lawes of the Church; for when the inexpediencie of a thing is questionable, and probable arguments may be brought, pro and contra, concerning the expediencie of it, wee have sufficient warrant to practise it, if the Church inact it as expedient. Otherwayes your way is so dangerous, that there shall never be peace, nor unitie in the Church, for men ordinarily are divided in judgement, concerneing the expediencie of things. Suppose a Synode consisting of one hundred Pastours, threescore shall think this particular Ceremonie expedient, for the good of the Church, and in respect of pluralitie of voyces make an act to be concluded for the establishing of it, shall the remnant fourty, who are of the contrary judgement, deny obedience to the acts of the Synode?