A92138:1398
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.
in 1. Epist. Joh. c. 4. p. 307. saith the same: and Mr. Pryn is pleased in the same sense to cite them, I conceive imprudently, for I believe that Reverend and learned man doth hate those impious Sects, the Enemies of the grace of God; but truly if this be a rule to Pastors to spread the Gospel, that they are to offer and give the pearl of the preached Gospel to those that willingly receive it, and harbour the preachers, and presently to depart and preach no more the word of the Kingdom to those who refuse it, as the places Mat. 10. 14. & Luke 9. 5. carry that sense, because they are Heathens who refuse to embrace and believe the Gospel, and harbour the Preachers, as (the worthy Divine saith,) conceiving that to be a casting of Pearls to Dogs and Swine; I see not how the Preachers & spreaders of the Gospel to the Heathen, are to believe that God out of mere grace, & the good pleasure of his will, without respect to good or bad deserving, sendeth the Gospel to some, and denieth it to others. 3. Though the Sacrament of the Supper be a converting Ordinance in this sense, that it corroborateth faith and conversion, where it was once, and so applieth the Promises to one who before believed, yet it is not a converting ordinance, that is to be administered to one dead in sins and trespasses, as the word is, for then at the first Sermon that ever is preached to a Heathen, if he should say, though for base & worldly ends known to the Church that he desired to have the Sacraments, we are obliged to believe that he sincerely desireth these Seals, and1 instantly at the same sermon to baptise him, & administer the other Seal of the Lords Supper to him; for how can we deny converting Ordinances to those who desire them? say our adversaries. 4. An ordinance that cannot be dispensed to a Heathen, remaining a Heathen, and to an unconverted man known to be an unconverted man, is not an Ordinance that ought to be dispensed, as the ordinance of the Word, and as the first converting ordinance, to so many as we may safely dispense the Word unto, and if it be first a converting ordinance, as the preaching of the Word is; then it is to be dispensed to all those to whom we are to preach the Word. But Erastus and Mr.
in 1. Epist.