A92138:1397
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.
hence by this we may give the pearls of the Gospel to such dogs as the Pharisees, for to them Christ tendered the pearl of the Gospel. 4. Christ might have hindered, being God equal with the Father, the Pharisees and Jews to malice him; Ergo, he being above the Laws that he gives to us, doth not in this example warrant us to cast the pearls of the Gospel to such as we know to be Judases, Pharisees, and malicious haters and heart-murderers of Christ. 2. There is not the like reason1 of preaching the word, and dispensing the seals, 1. Because the word is a converting ordinance out of question, and preached to heathen and to the non-converted, though they refuse to embrace and believe the Gospel, and refuse to entertain the preachers of it: as is clear, Act. 19. 22, 23, 24, 25. Tit. 1. 10, 11, 12, 13. 2 Tim. 3. 25, 26, 27. The Texts that Master Prinne allegeth, that the Gospel should not be preached to heathen who refuse to embrace and believe the Gospel, to wit, Mat. 10. 14, 15. Luk. 9. 5. Act. 13. 46. are to no purpose, for Mat. 10. Luk. 9. is but a Temporary Commandment, given for a time, that the Disciples should depart from those houses of Judea (there is nothing of the heathen; But by the contrary the Apostles are forbidden to go to Samaritans or Gentiles at all, Mat. 10. 5, 6.) who would not receive the peace of God in the Gospel, which precept the Apostles in the story of the Acts, did not observe; but preached the Gospel to many heathen who refused to embrace and believe the Gospel: As Act. 16. and 17. and 19. 2. The place,