A92138:1272
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. Here is one palpable error, that all external scandals are punished, either by the Magistrate as the Magistrate, so he must be understood, else he saith nothing, or by God only, contrary to 1 Cor. 5. 11. Rom. 16. 17. 2 Thes. 3. 14, 15. For we give a third, they are punished by the Church, but only in a Ministerial way. It is false that the godly Kings could compel the unclean Jews, though circumcised to come to the Temple, or the murderers of their Children that same day, to come with bloody hands to the Temple: Yet the very local and personal presence of a Jew in the Temple, and the very posture of his body in looking with his face toward the Temple while he prayed, was an external lawful Ordinance of God: They could not then lawfully compel the Jews to these rites, except with such and such previous qualifications; they could not compel the Priests unwashed, and having drunk wine to go to the Sanctuary, 2 Chro. 15. It is not said, they were to be put to death that should omit any Ceremony, (though every Religious observance be a seeking of God) but they that would not seek God by entering in Covenant to renounce idols, and serve the Lord, ⟨p. 464⟩or should prove apostates from the sworn Covenant, were to be put to death. 3. If that be a punishment (we contend for things, not for names) which is a privation of good inflicted for a sin: then let Erastus s•e, if the Priests punish not, who debarred men from the holy things of God (by Erastus his grant) for Ceremonial omissions against a Law of God, And if the Priests should not suffer an unreconciled man to offer gifts, and if the Church should deny pearls to apostates, if this be not punishment? and if the Magistrate be to cast out, or inflict Ecclesiastical censures, shall he not punish in so doing?
Ans. Here is one palpable error, that all externall scandals are punished, either by the Magistrate as the Magistrate, so he must be understood, else he saith nothing, or by God onely, contrary to