A92138:1038
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. 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 Act. 13. 46. Ye judge your selves [Greek or Hebrew] unworthy of life Eternal, 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined [Greek or Hebrew] to know nothing but ⟨p. 375⟩Christ, Luk. 7. 43. [Greek or Hebrew], saith Christ to Simon the Pharisee who was not on the bench, Thou hast judged rightly, Tit. 3. 12. I have determined there to winter, 1 Cor. 10. 15. Judge ye what I say, Act. 27. 1. When it was determined to sail into Italy. 2. We do not read that Apostle, Prophet or Judge, gave out a sentence of death against any, the person condemned not being present nor heard: the Lord himself did it not to Adam, nor to Sodom; he came down to see, he examined Adam: Moses did not so condemn the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day: Joshua convinced Achan, the Prophet convinced Gehazi, ere he smote him with Leprosy, Peter convinced Ananias and Sapphira to their faces, ere he killed them, so did Paul convince Elimas the sorcerer in his face, so did Christ in his miraculous purging of the Temple, convince them that His Fathers house should be a house of Prayer. Now Paul here giveth a judicial sentence of death on a man, he never spake of being at Philippi whence he wrote, and the delinquent at Corinth, if we believe Erastus. 3. Erastus judgeth that Paul knew this man to be penitent, and how knew Paul this?