A92138:213
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: About things easy and manifest to all men by Common sense, there needeth no higher Consultation, because a man whose wisdom is for weighty affairs admired, would take it in some disdain to have his Counsel solemnly asked about a toy; so the meanness of some things is such, that to search the Scriptures of God for the ordering of them, were to derogate from the Reverend Authority of the Scripture, no less then they do, by whom Scriptures are in ordinary talking very idly applied unto vain and Childish trifles.
Hooker: About things easie and manifest to all men by Common sense, there needeth no higher Consultation, because a man whose wisdom is for weighty affairs admired, would take it in some disdain to have his Counsel solemnly asked about a toy; so the meannesse of some things is such, that to search the Scriptures of God for the ordering of them, were to derogate from the Reverend Authority of the Scripture, no lesse then they do, by whom Scriptures are in ordinary talking very idely applied unto vain and Childish trifles.
Ans. 1. It is a vain comparison to resemble God to an earthly wise1 man in this; for a King of Kings, such as Artaxerxes, if he were building a stately Palace for his Honour and Magnificence, would commit the drawing of it, the frame, the small pins, rings, bowls, to the wisdom of a Master of work, skilled in the Mathematics, and not trouble his own Princely head with every small pin; but this is because he is a man, and cometh short of the wisdom, skill, and learning of his servants. 2. Because, how his Honour and Magnificence be declared in every small pin of that Palace, is a business that taketh not much up the thoughts of a stately Prince. The contrary of both these are true in the Lord our God, his wisdom ⟨p. 71⟩is above the wisdom of Moses, and Moses cannot frame a Tabernacle or a Temple for Gods Honour in the least pin or s•uffer, with such wisdom as the only wise God can do. 2. The Lord is more jealous and tender of his own Honour, in the means and smallest way of Illustrating of it: Yea, in the smallest Pin, then earthly Princes are, for earthly Princes may Communicate with their inferiors the glory of curious works set forth, as speaking monuments of their honour; the Lord who will not give his glory to another; never did communicate the glory of devising worship, or the Religious means of worshipping and honouring his glorious Majesty to men. 2. God hath thus ar condescended in his wisdom, to speak particularly in written Oracles of every Pin, Ring, tittle, Officer of his house, of every Sign, Sacrament, Sacramental never so mean and small; Ergo, It is no derogation from the dignity of Scripture, to have a mouth to ask counsel, where God hath opened his mouth to give Counsel in written Oracles: 3. There is nothing positive in Gods worship so small, as that we may dare to take on us to devise it of our own head. 4. Hooker contradicteth himself; he said the Ceremonies have their authority from God, and though unwritten have the self same force and authority with the written Laws of God, pag. 44. Here he will have the unwritten positives so small and far inferior to written Scripture, that to ask for scripture to warrant such small toys, is to derogate from the reverend Authority and Dignity of the Scripture: so Ceremonies pag. 46. are but Toys, unworthy to be written with Scripture, but p. 44.