A92138:1923
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.
believers, for their necessity ordinary, and for nourishment, might eat fleshes in private, though before a weak Jew they could n•• ▪ because the sin is not in the act of eating, but wholly in the scandal, and in the manner of the unseasonable doing of it. But these things which are morally not necessary, because t•• substance of the fact is against a law we are to forbear, both in private, because they are against a law, and in public before others, for the scandal. as Achan sinned in taking the Babylonish Garment, though in private, and his sin should have been more scandalous, if he had done it publicly; Now these we are upon no ordinary necessity to do, but such as may encroach upon the hazard of the loss of life, in which case an exigence of providence, does stand for a Command of non-murdering, had Saul and his Army been reduced to a danger1 of starving in a wilderness, and could have no food, except they should kill, and eat the Cattle of the Amalekites, • conceive, The Lords preferring of Mercy before Sacrifice, should warrant them to eat of the Amalekites Cattle, yet would this providential necessity be so limited, as it may fall out, that it stand not for a divine Command; for it holdeth in affirmative commands only, and 2. so positives as there must be, yea there can be no sin eligible by such and such a case, as Lot sinned in exposing his daughters to the lust of men, to redeem abstinence from Sodomy.
beleevers, for their necessitie ordinarie, and for nourishment, might eat fleshes in private, though before a weak Jew they could n•• ▪ because the sinne is not in the act of eating, but wholly in the scandall, and in the manner of the unseasonable doing of it. But these things which are morally not necessarie, because t•• ••bstance of the fact is against a law we are to forbeare, both in private, because they are against a law, and in publick before others, for the scandall. as Achan sinned in taking the Babilonish Garment, though in private, and his sinne should have been more scandalous, if he had done it publickly; Now these we are upon no ordinarie necessitie to doe, but such as may incroach upon the hazard of the losse of life, in which case an exigence of providence, does stand for a Command of nonmurthering, had Saul and his Army been reduced to a danger