A92138:1402
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.
Ergo, may they dispense the Lords Supper to Heathen remaining Heathen? What more absurd? yet, remaining Heathen, they are as capable of Mr. Pryn his sense-sealing, and sense-converting Sacraments, as any sound believer. 3. A sealing to the senses cannot be divided from the inward sealing by the Spirit; neither in the intention of God, for the external sealing without the internal is Hypocrisy, and ⟨p. 522⟩God cannot intend Hypocrisy, nor can this division be in regard of the nature of the Sacrament, for it doth seal to us our spiritual nourishment in Christ, except we sinfully separate the one from the other, and sin is no ordinance of God. 4. What word of Christ hath Mr. Pryn for extraordinary conversion of men by Miracles 1without the Word? He must conceive with Arminians and Socinians, that many are converted that never heard of that precious name of Jesus, without which there is no salvation, Act. 4. 11. or of a faith in Christ, as Moses Amyraldus dreameth, without the knowledge of Christ, and may write books de salute Ethnicorum, for this external conversion doth lead of its own nature to internal conversion and salvation: This may make us fancy somewhat of the salvation of Aristotle, Seneca, Cicero, Aristides, Scipio, Regulus, without the Law or Gospel, this way of extraordinarily saving men by Miracles without the Gospel, is the doctrine of Arminians and Socinians; so say the Arminians at the Synod of Dort▪ pag. 334, 335. Those whom God hath deprived of the Gospel, he hath not precisely rejected them from a communion of the benefits of the Gospel. Adolphus Venator. adver. Dracenos p. 84. saith, The heathen are saved without the Gospel, if they ••n but pray, Ens Entium miserere mei, Socinus praelec. Thelo. c. 3. telleth us of an inspired word that saveth us, called verbum interius. You may please Schoolmen thus, such as Granadus Contr. 8. de grat. tract. 6. disp. 1. numb. 43. did. Ruiz. de Predesti. 2se. 8. numb. 7. Alexand. Alens. 8. p. q. 69. memb. 5. art. 3. De bonis Philosophis sic credo, &c. Roa. lib. 1. De Provident. quest. 7. n. 50. Vega lib. 13. in Trident. cap. 12. Enriquez Tom. 2. De ultimo fine, c. 14. num. 6. quod lib. 8. quest. 5. Vasquez 1. par. disp. 97. and c. 5. Soto lib. 1. de nat. & grat. c. 18. ad. 2. Francis. Sonnius in demonstrat. Tract. 12. de consiliis c. 8. Camerarius lib. 1. de grat. c. 8. & lib. 7. c. 8.