A92138:1336
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.
He could say all that Erastus requireth: I acknowledge I have offended my brother, I promise to crave him pardon, and I desire to offer according to the Law. Then the Priest was obliged to believe he dealt sincerely, and lay his gift upon the Altar, though he should not obey the command of Christ, and go and leave his gift at the Altar, and not offer while he were first reconciled to his brother; and the like I say of one that hath killed his brother, and cometh with hot blood to the Table of the Lord, and goeth not to the Widow and Orphans, whose Husband and Father he had killed▪ to be reconciled: Surely the man that should thus offer, should not come to offer, nor to eat at the Lords table rightly; even in regard of externals, which the Church may judge: for he should omit this external, Be first reconciled to the Widow, and then offer, and eat as Christ commanded. 3. It is against Scripture and experience, that a man that hath a purpose to kill his Father, and in the highest point of treason to invade King Davids throne, as Absalom did, to say he will not profess to pay his vows at Hebron. And might not Judas by his very eating the Passover, profess he believed in the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, and that he ⟨p. 489⟩would serve Christ, and yet purpose in his heart to sell his Master Christ for 30▪ pieces of silver; They seem to be little acquainted with the mystery of the hypocrisy naturally in men, who put in print such a position: The Author against whom Erastus writeth saith, We have reason to rejoice, if we find any such, who will not profess faith and repentance, though they be Hypocrites; and therefore there is need of Excommunication, and his meaning is, that there is need of Excommunication always, and therefore there will be many who profess Repentance in words, whose life and conversation belie their Repentance; and Erastus cannot deny this, if he know what it is •o have a form of godliness, and deny the power, which form many have who are to be debarred from the Sacraments, and to be Excommunicated, in regard they are lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, &c.