A92138:1028
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.
Quest. 9.
Other Arguments for Excommunication vindicated.
Erastus. The Apostle writeth, if any man love not the Lord Jesus,1 let him be accursed: Ergo, Paul will have the Elders to sit and judge who truly repent, who not, that they may admit the one to the supper, not the other; if this be excommunication, excommunication is grounded on a thousand places: to love Christ is to keep his commandments, Joh. 13. and 15. then who ever saith those that keep not the commandments of Christ, are cursed of God, he shall this way excommunicate: then Moses did often excommunicate. But because the false Apostles did strive to make Paul contemptible, therefore Paul saith, God be judge which of us loveth Christ, and let God destroy him who loves him not, this is the true meaning.
Erastus. The Apostle writeth, if any man love not the Lord Jesus,1 let him be accursed: Ergo, Paul will have the Elders to sit and judge who truely repent, who not, that they may admit the one to the supper, not the other; if this be excommunication, excommunication is grounded on a thousand places: to love Christ is to k•ep his commandements, Ioh. 13. and 15. then who ever saith those that keep not the commandements of Christ, are cursed of God, he shall this way excommunicate: then Moses did often excommunicate. But because the false Apostles did strive to make Paul contemptible, therefore Paul saith, God be judge which of us loveth Christ, and let God destroy him who loves him not, this is the true meaning.