A92138:1340
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.
A visible scandal is a sufficient ground of the lesser excommunication, or debarring from the Lords Supper, and so we put a Testimony of one banished from the holy things of God on him who hath committed a scandalous offence, which is a sufficient ground thereof, though the offender be not formally excommunicated. This Author saith, without the consent of the Church, no man, though contumacious, should be excommunicated; What this is against us, or for Erastus, I see not, we say the same.
A visible scandall is a sufficient ground of the lesser excommunication, or debarring from the Lords Supper, and so we put a Testimony of one banished from the holy things of God on him who hath committed a scandalous offence, which is a sufficient ground thereof, though the offender be not formally excommunicated. This Author saith, without the consent of the Church, no man, though contumacious, should be excommunicated; What this is against us, or for Erastus, I see not, we say the same.
He saith, The Magistrate may choose some of the congregation to Excommunicate; which if he say, I consent not to him, and see no warrant for it in Scripture: But I rather believe his sense to be, That the godly Magistrate may command the Church to Excommunicate ⟨p. 491⟩and punish them, if they be negligent in this. But hence it followeth not, that the Magistrate may Excommunicate them, as Erastus inferreth, no more then of old; it followeth, King Uzziah might command the Priests to burn incense to the Lord, and punish them; if in this they should neglect their duty: Ergo, King Uzziah might lawfully in his own person burn incense to the Lord: Erastus himself will deny this consequence.
He saith, The Magistrate may chuse some of the congregation to Excommunicate; which if he say, I consent not to him, and see no warrant for it in Scripture: But I rather believe his sense to be, That the godly Magistrate may command the Church to Excommunicate ⟨p. 491⟩