A92138:1045
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. 10.
Whether Erastus doth strongly prove that there is no Presbytery, nor two distinct judicatures, one of the Church, another of the State?
Erastus. I deny not, First, such a Presbytery, as the Evangelists1 mention, which is called a Presbytery, a Synedry, a Synagogue; this was the civill Magistrate who had amongst the Jews the power of the sword. 2. I deny not a Presbytery, 1 Cor. 6. when the Church wanteth a civill Magistrate. 3. I deny not a Presbytery of learned men, who being asked, may give their judgement of doubts: of which Ambrose, there was nothing of old done sine seniorum consilio, without the Counsels of the Elders. But I deny a Senate, collected out of the body of the Church, to judge who repenteth, and are to be excommunicated, and debarred from the Sacraments, and who not; or I deny any Ecclesiastical judicature, touching the manners and conversation of men, different from the judgement or court of the civill Magistrate, or that there be two supreme Courts touching manners in one Common wealth.
Erastus. I deny not, First, such a Presbytery, as the Evangelists1