A92138:434
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.
Faith, hope, and charity (as iSuarez saith) in so far as they are given to God, for giving of honour to him as to the supreme Lord, they put on the nature of adoration, and in that same place he defineth adoration to be the exhibition of honour due to any in the acknowledgement of excellency and submission and service due to him: Now Suarez reproveth Durandus and Pic. Mirandula, because they denied that the Image was adored, but would only have honour given to ⟨p. 175⟩God, at the naked presence of the Image, as a memorable sign, but it is certain, as to trust in God, and to pray to him is incommunicable to the creature, so to adore any in acknowledgement of supreme excellency is incommunicable to the creature, therefore either the image is adored with the same knee-worship that is given to God, and that improperly and by a figure, as Durandus and Mirandula taught contrary to the mind of Suarez, and idolatrous Jesuits and F•rmalists, or else prayers may be made to wood and stone, as to God, and that properly and without a figure; as knee-worship is tendered to wood and stone by Jesuits doctrine, prope••y and without a figure. 3. Papists deny that sacrifices may be offered to Images, yet they burn incense to images; but that is not, saith ka Franciscan Antonius Capellus, a sacrifice, for it is tendered to men, to dead carrions, and to things that are blessed, and requireth neither Altar, nor Priest: It is true, they say so, but burning incense to the brazen Serpent is condemned as Idolatry, and Altar and Priest is not of the essence of a sacrifice; but however as sacrificing is a recognition that we hold all we have of God, and therefore we sacrifice creatures to him, so any adoring of stocks is an acknowledgement that these stocks or stones are by way of representation, that God of whom we hold all the creatures: and do not Papists for the honour of God, make oblations to Ministers, and burn incense to Saints? and why may not prayers be offered to them also? 4. It is a wild distinction where he faith that prayers as honour may be tendered to Images, but not prayers as petitions, whereas the very act of calling upon God in the day of trouble,