A92138:1408
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.
But if you mean that the Sacrament formally, as the Sacrament is of its nature a mean of converting a moral Seneca, you mistake the nature of the seal, very far, God never intended that food as food should give life to the dead, the Supper as the Supper is spiritual food, and presupposeth the eater hath life, and how gate he life but by the word of God? 2. Doth the Sacrament as the Sacrament humble or speak one word of the Law? doth the Sacrament say any thing here, but Christ died for thee, O Seneca, ⟨p. 527⟩and there is a pledge of his love in dying for thee; and the like it speaketh to Judas, as Master Prinne thinketh, and can this convert a moral man never yet humbled for sin? But I have gone thus out of the way in this purpose, I return and desire pardon for this digression, not (I hope) fruitless at this time.
But if you mean that the Sacrament formally, as the Sacrament is of its nature a mean of converting a morall Seneca, you mistake the nature of the seal, very farre, God never intended that food as food should give life to the dead, the Supper as the Supper is spirituall food, and presupposeth the eater hath life, and how gate he life but by the word of God? 2. Doth the Sacrament as the Sacrament humble or speak one word of the Law? doth the Sacrament say any thing here, but Christ died for thee, O Seneca, ⟨p. 527⟩and there is a pledge of his love in dying for thee; and the like it speaketh to Iudas, as Master Prinne thinketh, and can this convert a morall man never yet humbled for sinne? But I have gone thus out of the way in this purpose, I returne and desire pardon for this digression, not (I hope) fruitlesse at this time.
If the Magistrate be the chief Church-officer, how is it that the Church was without Christian Magistrates in the Apostles time? then is there no exact pattern of a Christian Church, what it should be, de jure? hath Christ in the New Testament not moulded the Church, the second temple in all the dimensions of it, as Moses, David, Solomon, did by immediate inspiration show us the measure of the first Tabernacle, Sanctuary, and Temple? finally should Cesar, suppose he had been a Christian, have received imposition of hands from the Elders, a his deputies the Ministers do? and be over the Church in the Lord as King? and receive accusations against Elders, ordain Elders in every Church, put out and cast out the unworthy? only for the iniquity of the time, Ministers were forced to do these? Erastus and his have not one word of Scripture for this, or were the keys of the Kingdom of heaven given to Cesar? and because Cesar was without the Church, therefore Peter received them,