A92138:340
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.
And Ceremonies are made Symbolical and Religious teaching signs, yet is the stock called a Doctrine of lies, Jer. 10. 8. Habac. 2. 18. Though it teach and represent the same Jehovah that the Word teacheth, Isa. 40. 18. So it is not a living teacher, because it representeth a false god, or not the true ⟨p. 130⟩God: for the true Jehovah saith, To whom will ye liken me? But now the stock by mans institution took on it, without a warrant from God, to represent God. Now if God had warranted the stock to be an image representing God, as he warranteth the Temple, the Ark, Bread and Wine, to be images and representations of the true God Jesus Christ, the stock should be a Doctrine of truth, and not of lies; so Surplice is a Doctrine of lies, not because what it teacheth is a lie, for what it teacheth is Scripture, Isa. 52. 11. That these who beareth the Vessels of the Lord, (that is Pastors) should be holy: but it is a Doctrine of lies, because it representeth Pastoral holiness by humane institution, without all warrant of the Word of God. And when Paul calleth holidays Elements, Gal. 4. 6. He meaneth that they spell to us, and teach us some truth, as aEstius saith, That holidays do teach us Articles of Faith: To which meaning, bPaludanus, cCajetan, dVasquez say, God may well be painted in such expressions, as Scripture putteth on God, as in the likeness of a Dove, as a man with hands, eyes, ears, feet, all which are given to God in Scripture. 4. It is essential to the Word to set down the means of Gods worship, which is the very scope of the second Commandment; and therefore the Jews washings and Traditions are condemned, because they be Doctrines of men, appointed by men to be means of the fear or worship of God, as