A92138:1207
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. To be gathered in the Name of the Lord is not referred ⟨p. 436⟩to the congregations meeting together, but to Pauls act of delivering to Satan, the Corinthians and Pauls Spirit instructed thus with the power of Christ, might have delivered others to Satan as they did this man, if the Apostle had not pardoned them, but they had not Pauls spirit with them in their convention afterward, because in no place he biddeth them be gathered together with his Spirit, as he doth here.
Ans. Paul doth construe the words v. 4. in the Name of Christ with the Participle [Greek or Hebrew] ye being convened, and the words [Greek or Hebrew], are separated from the word [Greek or Hebrew] (I have judged) by the interposition of these words, [Greek or Hebrew] so Erastus his grammar will be a little confused. 2. What needed the Corinthians be gathered together with the Spirit of Paul, and the power of the Lord Jesus to pray that the man might be miraculously1 killed? for when they were not gathered together in a Church meeting, but were all separatim in their own houses and closets, they had power to judge the man, that is, to pray that he might be miraculously killed, else Erastus cannot make Paul, in any reasonable manner to rebuke them because they prayed not that he might be killed, for Erastus must suppose the power of praying; for this, in faith, was tied to this public convention of the Church, and Erastus saith, in no place he biddeth them be gathered together as here. This Spirit of Paul and power of the Lord Jesus that was in them, was not given to elevate them to any higher or more supernatural acts of miraculous co-operating with Paul, then their naked act of consenting that the man should be cut off, and this act of consenting, they could not want, in their private praying at home, that the man be miraculously killed, and so this spirit of Paul, and the power of the Lord Jesus shall be brought so low, as I know not what to make of it.
Ans. Paul doth construe the words v. 4. in the Name of Christ with the Participle ye being conveened, and the words , are separated from the word (I have judged) by the interposition of these words, so Erastus his grammar will be a little confused. 2. What needed the Corinthians be gathered together with the Spirit of Paul, and the power of the Lord Jesus to pray that the man might be miraculously