A92138:318
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.
False worship is false worship by order of nature, before we have any opinion, either that there is Religious necessity in it, or mere indifferency: Ergo, Such an opinion is not of the essence of false worship. 4. By that same reason, opinion of unjustice, or opinion of doing justice, should be of the essence of unjustice; Cains killing of his Brother, should not be Man-slaughter, except Cain placed some divine Sanctity in that wicked fact, which is against all reason; and the reason is alike in both Gods Commanding will and his forbidding will. They Answer, Gods will constituteth Lawfulness in essential worship, and mans will in things arbitrary; but this is to beg the question, for when we ask what is essential worship, they say, it is that which God commandeth, and what is accidental or arbitrary, it is that which human authority commandeth, & this is just, Gods will is the essential cause of that worship whereof it is the essential cause, & mans will is the essential cause of that, whereof it is the essential cause. 5. All the materials of Jewish and Turkish worship, might be appointed for right worship, so we held them to be Arbitrary. 6. God cannot forbid false worship, but in that tenure, that he commandeth true worship; but whether we esteem it true, or not, holy, or not; he commandeth true worship, Erg. &c.
False worship is false worship by order of nature, before we have any opinion, either that there is Religious necessity in it, or meer indifferency: Ergo, Such an opinion is not of the essence of false worship. 4. By that same reason, opinion of unjustice, or opinion of doing justice, should be of the essence of unjustice; Cains killing of his Brother, should not be Man-slaughter, except Cain placed some divine Sanctity in that wicked fact, which is against all reason; and the reason is alike in both Gods Commanding will and his forbidding will. They Answer, Gods will constituteth Lawfulnesse in essentiall worship, and mans will in things arbitrary; but this is to beg the question, for when we ask what is essentiall worship, they say, it is that which God commandeth, and what is accidental or arbitrary, it is that which human authority commandeth, & this is just, Gods wil is the essentiall cause of that worship whereof it is the essentiall cause, & mans will is the essentiall cause of that, whereof it is the essentiall cause. 5. All the materials of Jewish and Turkish worship, might be appointed for right worship, so we held them to be Arbitrary. 6. God cannot forbid false worship, but in that tenure, that he commandeth true worship; but whether we esteem it true, or not, holy, or not; he cōmandeth true worship, Erg. &c.