A92138:1185
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. Wherever the Scripture speaketh in the New Testament1 of a Presbytery, there is no other understood, but that of preachers; therefore it is false, that the Apostles have commanded any other Elders beside those that labour in the word.
Erastus. Whereever the Scripture speaketh in the New Testament1 of a Presbytery, there is no other understood, but that of preachers; therefore it is false, that the Apostles have commanded any other Elders beside those that labour in the word.
- 1Pag. 286.
Ans. The antecedent is false; 1 Tim. 5. 17. as I have demonstrate in another place, I repeat it not here, let any disciple of Erastus answer if he can. 2. The consequence is vain, for if in every place of the New Testament, where mention is made of an Elder, the Holy Ghost mean only a Preaching Elder, it followeth only that any other officers, as Deacons, and those that labour not in the Word, & yet Govern well, are not called with the name of Presbyters: And so the Argument is against the name, not against the office and thing. What if the Presbytery be named from the most principal part, as is ordinary in Scripture, doth it follow that there be none members of the Presbytery, but only Preachers of the Word? In no sort. Paul saith of the visible Church of Corinth, Ye are bought with a price, ye are justified, ye are sanctified; Ergo, none were members of the visible Church, but those that are redeemed, justified, and sanctified, it is like the consequence of Erastus. 3. I retort this vain argument thus; none in Scripture have the name of Apostles, But the Eleven, and Mathias, none are called the witnesses of the Lord but they,