A92138:1926
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.
7. The Jesuits, and Popish Doctors, as they are of a large1 conscience in many things: so in the doctrine of scandal, to2 extol obedience to men so high; as we may do things in themselves not necessary, yea that hath no necessity, but from the will of Commanders; And Formalists in this conspire▪ with them, even though from this do flow the ruin of many souls: and though the sinful scandalizing and ruin of these souls, flow from sinful corruption of either ignorance or frailty, or wilfulness or malice, yet the scandal ceaseth not to flow kindly▪ from the pretended obedience to an unlawful command, for the thing commanded having no Necessity▪ but the will of man is unlawful, and it is no good reason to say, Men are scandalized through their own ignorance and Malice. Ergo the scandal is taken, and not given, for these who were enemies ⟨p. 85⟩to the Truth, and were so scandalized at Davids murdering of Uriah, and Adultery, 2 Sam. 12. 14. as they were by him occasioned to blaspheme. Certain their actual scandal was from their own corruption. But what? Ergo, it was not also from Davids murder and adultery? and ergo it was a scandal3 only taken by the enemies, not given by David? Surely it followeth not. You may hence judge of the Rule of Lodo Caspensis, a Capucean. These (saith he) that do a work of it self indifferent, for a weighty cause, and use their own right, •tuta• tur suo jure, are excused from mortal sin, as these who let a house to Whores, and public Usurers, that are not strangers, though they may commodiously let it to others, they do not cooperate with sin, because the house it but a place, and extrinsical and remote to the sin. So Christians taken by Turks for danger of their life, (which is a weighty necessity) may furnish instruments necessary for war against Christians because they do a work indifferent of it self, for a just cause: so may a servant convey his Master to a Whore, yea and make the Bed for a Concubine and open the door, and if his Master be to climb in at a window to a whore he may lift up his foot, or reach him a ladder. Why? the servant (saith he) useth his own right in doing a work of it self indifferent, Uitur suo jure faciens opus ex se indifferens, modo non placeat ei peccatum.