A92138:1355
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. Let Erastus argue here, and we shall see his logic; Those that commit parricides, sorceries, and do trample the holy things of God under feet, whom yet the Magistrate dare not punish, because of their power and greatness▪ those are not to be debarred from the Sacraments. But there be many scandalous persons in the Church, such as Joab, whom the Magistrate dare not punish, for their greatness; Ergo,
Ans. Let Erastus argue here, and we shall see his logick; Those that commit parricides, sorceries, and do trample the holy things of God under feet, whom yet the Magistrate dare not punish, because of their power and greatnesse▪ those are not to be debarred from the Sacraments. But there be many scandalous persons in the Church, such as Ioab, whom the Magistrate dare not punish, for their greatnesse; Ergo,
Ans. The Major is manifestly false, and a begging of the question: For Erastus saith, pag. 207. He thinketh such ought not to be admitted to the Sacraments who will trample on the Sacraments and profane them. For though the Magistrate dare not punish them, which is his sinful neglect, if they be dogs and swine (as often they are) and bloody men, such as Joab, they ought not; yea, they never were by any Law of God, admitted to the Temple and Sacraments, what they did, de facto, or the Priests permitted, is not the question. It was Davids sin that he took not away the head of bloody Joab when he killed Abner and Amasa. 2. How doth Erastus prove that David neglected to punish the incest of Absalom (his sinful neglect in not punishing his murder I yield) for Absalom was never in Davids power to punish after he committed that incest; possibly he neglected to punish his own Concubines, that is but a conjecture. It is as like Absalom forced the Concubines to that incest as any other thing. 3. For that Psal. 14. There is none that doth good; it is spoken of the natural corruption of all mankind, who therefore cannot be justified by the works of the Law, as Paul expoundeth it,