A92138:393
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.
I. Conclusion. The relative expression of God which is in the1 works of God, is no formal ground of any Adoration of the creatures. 1. Because Adoration upon this ground, though the creatures, the Host of Heaven be excellent, is forbidden, Deut. 4. 19. 2. Not only Images (which cannot represent God) and the Sacraments, but all the creatures, even, Rats, Mice, Flies, Frogs, Worms, Judas and wicked men, yea, and Devils are to be worshipped, because all things having being, are shadows and footsteps of God, their cause, first Author, and last end, Psal. 19. 1. Psal. 103. 22. Rom. 1. 19, 20. Act. 17. 27, 28, Prov. 16. 4. Rev. 4. 11. Rom. 11. 36, 37▪ 3. Because God is really, and by the diffusion of his blessed essence, present in all creatures, it followeth not that we should Adore them: The Formalists upon this ground, that Christ is really present in the Sacrament, though the manner we know not, think that Christ should be Adored in the Sacrament, according to that, Verbum audimus, motum sentimus, modum nescimus. But if this be good Logic, because we know not the way of the Spirit, and how the bones grow in a woman with child, Eccles. 11. v. 5. And God, where he worketh, is present by the immediation of essence and power, though we know not the way of his presence, we are to Adore the soul of man, and the bones of a young child in a woman's belly; & though they should say that God-man Christ is in a more powerful and efficacious manner present in the Sacrament, then in the works of nature; yet should it follow, that God is to be worshipped in the works of nature also for Magis & minus non variant speciem, for then we could not conclude any thing but this: Though there be not so real a ground of Adoring Lice and Frogs, as Adoring of the Sacrament: Yet there is a ground, seeing God is, in the reality of his blessed essence, present in all creature.