A92138:1023
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.
Ans. 1. Erastus professeth he standeth for their admission to the Lords Supper, who are Recte instituti, & profitentur dolere se propter peccata sua, who are instructed in the grounds of Christian Religion, and repenteth of their sins, or professeth it: And he said before, as I1 observed it, If any shall be found who shall trample on the Sacraments, Ego hunc minime admittendum censeo: I judge such a man should not be admitted to the Sacraments: Whence it is clear, That Erastus professeth that the ignorant and the scandalous should be debarred from the Lords Supper: But, good Reader, Observe that Erastus contradicteth himself in all his Arguments; for he proveth, that not any one Christian in the Visible Church, ignorant, or not ignorant; who profess their Repentance, or not profess it, can be excluded from the Sacraments; but that all are commanded by Christ to come. But Erastus saith, Scriptura illos, de quibus nos loquimur, nec à sacrificiis arcet, nec à sacramentis aliis ullis: Imò sub penâ capitis mandat, ut universi mares, &c. The Scripture excludeth none from Sacrifices, or any other Sacraments: But commandeth that all the Male Children, Jews and strangers, who are not legally unclean, and from home, should compear at Jerusalem thrice a year before the Lord: And pag. 104. In sacris literis non tantum non inveniri aliquos à sacramentis propter solam vitae turpitudinem, ab actos esse, sed 2contrarium potius probari: And John Baptist (saith he) Baptized all that came to him, Pharisees and Sadducees, whom he affirmeth to be a Generation of Vipers, Ex quo intelligimus: Whence we understand, that Ministers are not to deny the Sacraments to those who seek them, ⟨p. 370⟩and the Judgement is to be left to God, Whether he who professeth Repentance, dissemble, or deal truly and sincerely: Yea, when Erastus saith, That it is not in all the Scripture to be found, Aliquos a Sacramentis propter solam vitae turpitudinem abactos esse: That any were debarred from the Sacraments for only wickedness of life; but rather the contrary may be proved, either ignorance of God, opposed to due instruction, and professed impenitency, is no wickedness of life, which is most absurd; or then in Scripture, some must be debarred3