A92138:1350
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.
that this should be perpetual, because Christ in particular hath not abolished it, to me seems most unjust; for as Paul saith, He that is Circumcised becomes debtor to the whole Law, sure to all the Ceremonies of Moses his Law: So I Argue, à pari, from the like, He that will keep one judicial Law, because judicial and given by Moses, becometh debtor to keep the whole judicial Law, under pain of Gods eternal wrath.
that this should be perpetuall, because Christ in particular hath not abolished it, to me seems most unjust; for as Paul saith, He that is Circumcised becomes debter to the whole Law, sure to all the Ceremonies of Moses his Law: So I Argue, à pari, from the like, He that will keep one judciciall Law, because judiciall and given by Moses, becometh debter to keep the whole judiciall Law, under pain of Gods eternall wrath.
We do not teach that men are to be Excommunicated, for whatever scandalous sins deserve death at the hand of the Magistrate, whether they openly repent or not; if any give evident signification of their repentance for murder, they are not to be Excommunicated, for the end of Excommunication, being once obtained, which is the visible and known repentance, and saving of the offenders soul, the mean is not to be used, which is Excommunication. But if any commit murder, whether he repent or repent not, the Lord hath made no exception of regenerate or not regenerate, of men repenting or not repenting, he should die by the sword of the Magistrate, Gen. 9. 9. It is true, some are to be Excommunicated for the very atrocity of the sin, it being parricide; but that is, because he giveth no positive signs of repentance to the Church, which is contumacy added to his parricide.
We do not teach that men are to be Excommunicated, for whatever scandalous sins deserve death at the hand of the Magistrate, whether they openly repent or not; if any give evident signification of their repentance for murther, they are not to be Excommunicated, for the end of Excommunication, being once obtained, which is the visible and known repentance, and saving of the offenders soul, the mean is not to be used, which is Excommunication. But if any commit murther, whether he repent or repent not, the Lord hath made no exception of regenerate or not regenerate, of men repenting or not repenting, he should die by the sword of the Magistrate,