A92138:1037
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. It is false, That Paul willed the man to be delivered to Satan by the suffrages of the Corinthians: For he saith [Greek or Hebrew], I have already Concluded, Ordained, Decreed, to deliver him to Satan, though I be absent in body: what then would he have done? he would all the Church being gathered together (not some Presbyters only) by his own spirit, and the power of the Lord Jesus granted to him, deliver the man to Satan, that he might strike fear and terror on others, and that the man might bear the just punishment of his wickedness.
Erastus. It is false, That Paul willed the man to be delivered to Satan by the suffrages of the Corinthians: For he saith 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, I have already Concluded, Ordained, Decreed, to deliver him to Satan, though I be absent in body: what then would he have done? he would all the Church being gathered together (not some Presbyters only) by his own spirit, and the power of the Lord Iesus granted to him, deliver the man to Satan, that he might strike fear and terror on others, and that the man might bear the just punishment of his wickednesse.
Ans. Paul chideth them, that they were puffed up, and mourned not, that the man might be put out of the midst of them: Then, whereas it might be said, we want the presence of the Apostle Paul, and his privity to the business: To this Paul saith, ver. 3. [Greek or Hebrew],1 For me (saith he) I have, as if I were present in body when you are Convened together, &c. Judged to deliver such a one to Satan: Now that this Decree was the judicial Decree and sentence of Paul as a miraculous Magistrate giving sentence judicially, when Paul himself was absent, and had not convinced the man, nor spoken with him, I do not believe; 1. Because, though [Greek or Hebrew] may signify such a sentence of a man when the guilty is before him, yet the word doth not necessitate us to this Exposition, Luk. 19. 22. Out of thy own mouth will I judge thee; for it doth as often signify a simple act of the mind, and the opinion of any not sitting in judgement, as