A92138:1016
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.
Erastus. The end of refusing familiar conversing with the scandalous,1 is, that he may be ashamed; and you say, that same is the end of debarring from the supper; then it must follow, as private conversing can do the contrary, to wit, it can foment and nourish sins, both in the brother we converse with, and in us, so the frequent use of the Lords supper should nourish vices in us, which were wickedness to think.
Erastus. The end of refusing familiar conversing with the scandalous,1 is, that he may be ashamed; and you say, that same is the end of debarring from the supper; then it must follow, as private conversing can do the contrary, to wit, it can soment and nourish sinnes, both in the brother we converse with, and in us, so the frequent use of the Lords supper should nourish vices in us, vvhich vvere vvickednesse to think.
- 1Pag. 252. 253.
Ans. This presumeth, that to avoid a scandalous brother, and to debar him from the Sacraments, must be formally one, which we teach not. 2. Hence it followeth, since they be divers formally, they cannot have the same formal and intrinsical ends. 3. The frequent eating at the Lords table, in a scandalous man, doth dispose him more and more to sin, as frequently sinning inclineth more to sin; but this is by the frequent abusing of Gods ordinance, and not from the nature of the Sacrament.
Ans. This presumeth, that to avoyd a scandalous brother, and to debarre him from the Sacraments, must be formally one, which we teach not. 2. Hence it followeth, since they be divers formally, they cannot have the same formall and intrinsecall ends. 3. The frequent eating at the Lords table, in a scandalous man, doth dispose him more and more to sinne, as frequently sinning inclineth more to sinne; but this is by the frequent abusing of Gods ordinance, and not from the nature of the Sacrament.