A92138:461
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.
gGeo: Cassander wisheth, That they had continued (in majorum suorum sententia) in the mind of their forefathers, and that the Superstition of people in, Worshipping images had been suppressed. The Council convened by hConstantius Capronimus condemneth Worshipping of Images, or placing them in Churches. 1. Because it is forbidden in the second Commandment. 2. The Picturing of Christ is a dividing of the two Natures. 3. It is against the Ancients, Epiphanius, Nazianzen, Chrysostom, Athanasius, Amphylocius, Theodorus, Eusebius Pamphili. The Council of Nice is builded upon lies. Adrian Bishop of Rome, writeth to the Council of Nice, That the Emperor Constantine being a Leper, and labouring to cure his Leprosy by shedding of innocent Babes blood; Peter and Paul appeared to him by night, in a Vision, and bade him go to be Baptized by Sylvester, and that he, to be cured by Sylvesters Baptizing, builded a Temple with the Images of Peter and Paul. This is as true as the Image of Christ spake to Tho: Aquinas at Naples, Bene Scripsistti de me, Thoma, Why is not all Evangel that Aquinas hath written then? For their own Platina asaith, The story of Constantine's Leprosy is a fable; and Socrates saith, That Constantine was sick when he was 65. years, and he maketh no mention of his leprosy; so bHospinianus saith, and our own cSimson saith, That Sylvester and Marcus his successor were both dead before Constantine was Baptized: dGenebradus a Papist saith, ⟨p. 188⟩down right, that the Council of Frankford condemned the second Nicene Council; But eBellarmine, fSuarez, g