A92138:308
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.
Enough of this▪ But so the worship of the Devil is lawful▪ and, Aaron's golden Calf is lawful; for I can find a major Proposition for them in Scripture, of which you have a Faith both Negative and Positive; as this, Whatever God 1commandeth in his Word, that is lawful: But God commandeth the Indians Devil worship in his Word: Ergo, &c. I am not holden to give my Faith for the Assumption: Yet it is as good as our Masters reasoning. 4. Jackson is wide in his lawful Negatives, for to fight against Roman Catholics, at our Kings Command, upon good grounds, is not an indifferent thing, Except to kill men, and shed blood, be indifferent and lawful Negatively: I thought, to make War, had been amongst the Substantials, and Positively conform to Gods Word. 5. The Fathers, as Origen, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Theophylact, Oecumenius, Theodoret, Anselm and Jerome, upon the place Rom. 14. 23. as Vasquez saith ffrom this place, Rom: 14▪ 23. that What any doth, must be warranted by the light of the conscience as lawful. ⟨p. 121⟩If Formalist; stand to this, they must give us some things against conscience, and something beside conscience, that is morally lawful, and therefore if conscience see not such a thing against Scripture, though it have no warrant in Scripture, yet it is lawful, and done in a certain persuasion of a well informed conscience; but these who eat things thought to be unclean by Gods Law, to the scandal of others, who knew these meats were not against Piety and Gods Law, nor yet that the eating of them was against charity, while Paul delivered the Doctrine of Scandal, yet their eating was unlawful. 6. Formalists say nothing here, but what Papists said before them, they say, Men may go to War, doubting of the lawfulness thereof; and therefore hVasquez, iAngelus,