A92138:1911
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.
Ans. I deny the major Proposition▪ for the eating of blood, the taking of both the young bird▪ and the dam in the nest, was an ensnaring of the Jews to cruelty, through their abuse of the creatures, the use whereof God▪ had made both lawful and necessary to them in the Creation. The blood was the life of the beast, and the Lord requireth in us mercy▪ to our beasts life, whereas the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel▪ Prov. 12. 10. yet is it not lawful for us to devise any way, we please, to keep us from being snared in cruelty, for then upon the same ground, it were unlawful for us to eat blood, contrary to the express word of God, Rom. 14 14. 1 Cor. 10. 25. 26. 1 Tim. 4▪ 3. 4. God by a positive and Ceremonial Command hedged in the people of the Jews, from being ensnared in Idolatry, and, by some Ceremonies, taught them to detest all Idolatry: but it doth not follow, that we Christians are to inure our hearts, from being ensnared with Idols, and to a detestation of Idolatry, by these same Ceremonies that they were commanded, for then we were obliged to stamp the Golden and Silver idols, to dust and powder: and to cast the powder into the river as Moses did the Golden Calf, Deut. 9. 21. and behoved to drink of that water, Exod. 32. 20. 1 Chro. 15. 16. 2 King. 18. 4. so it followeth no ways, though the physical use of a material Temple, should ensnare us to Idolatry, that we are therefore to disuse that house; ⟨p. 77⟩