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.

Duplyers n. 43.

Men are ready to stumble, and to be scandalized at our refu∣sing obedience to the lawfull Commandements of our Superiours: for they will take occasion by our cariage, to doe that, unto which by nature they be most inclined, to wit, to vilipend Lawes and Au∣thoritie.

Answer. If any stumble at our non-obedience to Pearth Ar∣ticles, and thence be induced to vilipend Lawes and Authori∣tie, it is a scandall meerely taken, no wayes given, as is cleare, because they stumble at our obedience to God, in that we refuse to kill one for whom Christ died. 2. It is no wayes true, that men are naturally inclined to vilipend Laws in a matter indifferent, (as you hold Ceremonies to be) from whence ariseth Scandall, yea, we are by nature much bent to extoll and love-lawes com∣manding soul-murther, and all lawes inductive to Poperie, which is but a masse of carnall propositions of heterodox Di∣vinitie, every way sutable to our flesh. The third exception is answered already, the fourth is to be discussed in the following Chapter.