A92138:1963
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. Tannerus the Jesuit saith, tom. 3. in 22. disp 9. de fide, ⟨p. 98⟩spe. q. 6. dub. 9. abstinendum est ab omni speciè male pr•pter scandalum, ratio, quia scandalum tali cas• oritur ex vi actionis ipsius, non aliter f•r• quam si mala esset, then though the Nations heathenish rites were not ill, yet being not necessary to the Jews, and having appearance of ill, in that they are Characters of the worship of strange Gods, scandal must ref••e from the using heathenish Ceremonies, vi actionis, from the nature of the using of them, as if they were intrinsically ill. 2. If it were no more but this, they were so much the worse, and more scandalous▪ that beside that they are intrinsically evil, yet they are the Statutes of Egypt and Can•a•, and not the Statutes of the Lord. So either these words must be idly set down, amongst whom ye dwells, and to which the Lord bringeth you. Or they must add a degree of wickedness to the sins that they were the sins of Egypt, and of Canaan, and so they are forbidden, both as sins, and also for the bare Similitude, as the words imply, for God will not only have them to walk in right judgements, but also in his righteous judgements, because •aith he, (I am the Lord) and ye shall not do after such and such a way, because such are the doings and ways of Egypt, and Canaan. Ergo, Though all were intrinsically evil, that are forbidden of this kind, they partake also of a farther degree of moral evil, in that Egypt, Canaan, and Idolatro•s Papi••• do these same things to their Idols.
Ans. Tannerus the Jesuite saith, tom. 3. in 22. disp 9. de fide, ⟨p. 98⟩spe. q. 6. dub. 9. abstinendum est ab omni speciè male pr•pter scandalum, ratio, quia scandalum tali cas oritur ex vi actionis ipsius, non aliter fr quam si mala esset, then though the Nations heathenish rites were not ill, yet being not necessarie to the Jewes, and having appearance of ill, in that they are Characters of the worship of strange Gods, scandall must refe from the using heathenish Ceremonies, vi actionis, from the nature of the using of them, as if they were intrinecally ill. 2. If it were no more but this, they were so much the worse, and more scandalous that beside that they are intrinscally evill, yet they are the Statutes of Egypt and Cana, and not the Statutes of the Lord. So either these words must bee idly set downe, amongst whom yee dwels, and to which the Lord bringeth you. Or they must adde a degree of wickednesse to the sinnes that they were the sinnes of Egypt, and of Canaan, and so they are forbidden, both as sinnes, and also for the bare Similitude, as the words imply, for God will not only have them to walke in right judgements, but also in his righteous judgements, because aith hee, (I am the Lord) and ye shall not doe after such and such a way, because such are the doings and wayes of Egypt, and Canaan. Ergo, Though all were intrinsecally evill, that are forbidden of this kinde, they partake also of a farther degree of morall evill, in that Egypt, Canaan, and Idolatros Papi doe these same things to their Idols.