A92138:1864
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 tolling of Bells seemeth Popish, and the degrees of necessity of convenience should sway the Churches determination in these cases, and this exsuperancie of necessity of convenience is in all things, though we cannot see it always; 2. The instamped civill gravity in a Gown, maketh it necessary with the necessity of expediency, being in it self a grave habit fit for an Orator who is to persuade. 3. The names of days to signify civill times and things, out of a religious state is necessary now: and the Holy Ghost doth use for civill signification such terms, as Mars-street to signify civill and merely historically such a place. And the Ship whose sign is Castor & Pollux, yet these were heathen names, and most superstitious, and cannot be used in a religious state. I grant, we may not term our Jehovah, Jupiter or Baal; nor Christ, Mercurius, though he be the word of Gods mind to us, for God teacheth us other words and language in his Word. The truth is, that alearned noble Lord said well and judiciously, all the indifferency (in the ⟨p. 55⟩world) lieth in our understandings, and the darkness thereof—but there is none in the things themselves, or actions, which are still either unlawful or necessary. And this is most true in actions moral and humane. The Church putteth indifferency on nothing, there a necessity in respect of our darkness, many be scandalized at things which seem not necessary to them, yet are they in re, in themselves necessary. But conformists object, That the very will of the Church, Act. 15. made things indifferent before the act now to become necessary, if then the Church may take away indifferency, she may give also. But I answer, The antecedent is most false, Junius, Calvin, Beza, Bullinger, Brentius, Pomeranus, Marloret, and the text clearly saith, by the law of Nature these were scandalous. So bOrigen thinketh to eat bl•oà was scandalous. And cStrabo saith, the heathen in their sacrifice drank blood; Yea, d