A92138:1969
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.
Hooker. When Reason evicteth that all such Ceremonies are1 not to be abolished they answer, they do only condemn Ceremonies unprofitable, or Ceremonies in stead whereof as good, or better may be devised, so they cannot get out of the Briars.
Hooker. When Reason evicteth that all such Ceremonies are1 not to be abolished they answer, they doe only condemne Ceremonies unprofitable, or Ceremonies in stead whereof as good, or better may be devised, so they cannot get out of the Bryars.
- 1Hooker, pag. 134▪
Ans. 1. Who answereth so? Hooker should have known, that if the Testament of Christ warrant not Ceremonies, they and all their kind are unprofitable, and to be abolished, whither they lay in the womb of the mother of •ornications, or be bastards of any other Mother. 2. Yea, we condemn all such Ceremonies, because unnecessary, as devised by the will or lust of men, for all necessity and usefulness of positive, religious, and teaching observances is from the will of God. And when he saith, we condemn only all unprofitable Ceremonies, we are not in the briars, for he saith, his own Ceremonies are unprofitable briars, for we condemn them as unprofitable. Cartwright, that godly and learned witness of Jesus Christ. from whom Hooker would bring this answer, saith, Popish Ceremonies ⟨p. 101⟩are not to be used to adorn the worship, when as good or better may be established. But he meant never that as good positive Symbolical rites, without the word of God, can be lawfully devised at all, this should have been proven from Cartwrights words.