A92138:1301
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. Erastus mistaketh close the Authors meaning, which is to speak of the private and personal self-examination that every Communicant is to enter in before he eat, not of the public trying, 1 Cor. 5. men are to make a secret trial even of public sins; so though the sins were public, yet was the trial secret and personal, but did not exclude a public examination by the Church, if need were.
Ans. Erastus mistaketh close the Authors meaning, which is to speak of the private and personall self-examination that every Communicant is to enter in before he eat, not of the publike trying, 1 Cor. 5. men are to make a secret tryall even of publike sins; so though the sins were publike, yet was the tryall secret and personall, but did not exclude a publike examination by the Church, if need were.
Erastus. Though those that come to the Supper profess Repentance,1 yet many hypocrites come: So Isa. 1. those Hypocrites might have said, We testify by our sacrificing, that we have hands full of blood; If we deal Hypocritically or sincerely, God who knoweth the hearts only must judge, men must judge the best. Erastus saith to the place, Isa. 1. we ⟨p. 475⟩have Answered before: But (saith he) if they had said, It is true, our hands are full of blood, but we repent and are sorry, O Prophets, pray to God to have mercy on us, and we shall pray? They could not be debarred.
Erastus. Though those that come to the Supper professe Repentance,1