A92138:1273
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 cast out of the Synagogue is not to be Excommunicated:1 For the Synagogue signified sometime all Judea, sometime a particular Congregation, or the place of meeting, or the sermon. By no Law could a circumcised Jew be cast out of all Judea, and sent to the Gentiles, or be compelled to say they were not Jews; Yea, they were killed who denied Judaism. 2 Maccabees so the cast out of the Synagogue, were not debarred from the Temple. The Church of the Jews was tied to one certain place, but every particular Church hath alike power: To be cast out of the Synagogue then with the Jews, must be another thing, then to be Excommunicated now, for he that is cast out of one particular Church, is cast out of the whole Catholic Church. But it was not so in Judea, for Sacrifices and Sacraments (except circumcision and expiation) were only at Jerusalem, not in Synagogues: how then could they deny Sacraments, which they wanted themselves? they could not deny what was not in their power to give: Moses was read in their Synagogues every Sabbath, No man could be forbidden to hear the word read, this had been against a manifest precept: It is like they admitted heathens to the Synagogue, Act. 13. 14. c. 12. c. 18. But it was not lawful for heathen to enter into the Temple: And when Moses commanded all the clean to go to Jerusalem, no Synagogue could forbid them to go.
Erastus. To be cast out of the Synogogue is not to be Excommunicated:1 For the Synagogue signified sometime all Iudea, sometime a particular Congregation, or the place of meeting, or the sermon. By no Law could a circumcised Iew be cast out of all Iudea, and sent to the Gentitles, or be compelled to say they were not Iews; Yea, they were killed who denyed Iudaisme. 2 Maccabees so the cast out of the Synagogue, were not debarred from the Temple. The Church of the Iews was tyed to one certaine place, but every particular Church hath alike power: To be cast out of the Synagogue then with the Iews, must be another thing, then to be Excommunicated now, for he that is cast out of one particular Church, is cast out of the whole Catholick Church. But it was not so in Iudea, for Sacrifices and Sacraments (except circumcision and expiation) were only at Ierusalem, not in Synagogues: how then could they deny Sacraments, which they wanted themselves? they could not deny what was not in their power to give: Moses was read in their Synagogues every Sabbath, No man could be forbidden to heare the word read, this had been against a manifest precept: It is like they admitted heathens to the Synagogue,