A92138:1955
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.
1. It is expressly said Levit. 18. 3. I am the Lord your God, after the doings of the Land of Egypt, wherein •e• dwelt, shall ye not do: And after the doings of the Land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; Neither shall ye walks in their ordinances. 4. Ye shall do my judgements, and keep min• ordinances, to walk therein, I am the Lord your God. Hence if God be a 1God, in a peculiar manner, in covenant with his Church, then may not his Church take a rule of worship, and walking from other profane Churches and people, such as Egypt, Canaan, and whorish Rome. There is an Instance given in things of their own nature indifferent, Levit. 19. with the same Argument. 27. Ye shall not round the corners of your heads,▪ neither shalt tho• mar the corners of thy Beard. 28. Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, I am the Lord. Certain a greater scandal cannot be, then that those who are in Covenant with God, should borrow significant Ceremonies of sorrowing for the dead, Levit. 19. 19. Ye shall keep my Statutes? Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with divers kind: Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: Neither shall a garment mingled of linen and wool come upon thee. Hence there is a clear opposition made between Gods statutes. Ye shall heap my statutes, and the statutes of Canaan. The Can••••tes might wear Garments of linen and wool, and and •owe mingled seed. But Deut. 2•. 9. Thou (the Israel of God) shall not sow thy Vineyard with divers seeds: Why? le•t the fruit of the seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard be defiled. The seed of the Nations was not defiled, though they did sow mingled seed, Ergo, the Lord putteth some peculiar Character on his people, by this, to distinguish them from other Nations by giving these laws to them, which did not oblige other Natio.