A92138:210
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. 1. The consequences of Scriptures are doubtless many, and1 more then are known to us, and the particulars of that Government that we contend for, are in Scripture, that is, there should be no Government, but what is either expressly in Scripture, or may be made our, by just consequence, we believe, if they cannot be proved from Scripture, let them fall as mens hay and stubble. But in the mean time, these are two different questions: Whither there be an immutable Platform of Discipline in the Word? Or whither ours be the only Platform and no other? If we carry the first, Ceremonies must fall. And certainly, in all reason, we are on the surest side: If we cannot observe all that is written, it is not like that God hath laid upon us unwritten burdens. 2. Hooker doth not reject all the Popish Traditions, as our Divines Reformed do; because they are not warranted by the Word; so, that if the Images of God and Christ, and the Worshipping of them, and Purgatory, and the Supremacy of the Pope, can be proved to be of God, though they be no more in Scripture, then Crossing and Surplice; then would he receive all these, as Having the self same force and authority with the Written Laws. Now we know no other weightier Argument to prove there's no Purgatory, but because the scripture speaketh of Heaven and Hell, and is silent of Purgatory. 2. That natural reason can warrant a positive instituted Worship, such as Surplice, betokening Pastoral Holiness, without any Scripture, is a great untruth▪ for natural reason may warrant new Sacraments, as well as new Sacramentals. 3. If Traditions have their force and credit from God, not from the manner of delivering them, that is, from being contained in scripture, or not contained in it; then certainly they must be of the same Divine necessity with scripture: For whither Christ Command that the Baereans believe in the Messiah, by the Vocal Preaching of Paul, or by the written scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles, it is all one, it is the same word, and coming from Christ, must be of the same Divine authority: But this is to beg the question, for that we are to believe no unwritten tradition; ⟨p. 69⟩because it is unwritten, to have the self same force and authority with the Written Laws of God. For Lorinus, Cornelius a Lapide, Come. in 4. Deuter. Estius, Come. in. 2. Thes 2. 15.