A92138:1475
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.
Obj. 2. Then may the Church censure all sins, even those that are most proper to the civill judge, such as sorcery, parricide, sodomy, for the which the Magistrate is to draw the sword, and for which the Lord made the land to cast out seven great Nations.
Obj. 2. Then may the Church censure all sinnes, even those that are most proper to the civill judge, such as sorcery, parricide, sodomie, for the which the Magistrate is to draw the sword, and for which the Lord made the land to cast out seven great Nations.
Ans. The case is one within the Church, and another without the Church. 2. It is one in the case of a confused, or backsliding Church, another in the Church rightly constitute and pure; without the Church, God intendeth nothing, either in the intention of the worker or the work; but the external peace of humane society: Then, I grant the Magistrate is at the first without any previous labours of religious men, to save the soul of the offender, to take care of peace and the conservation of humane society; But within the visible Church, where the Gospel is preached, it is presumed, that God intendeth salvation in regard of the intention of the work, the Gospel being preached to all within the visible Church; if therefore any within the visible Church, fall in horrible scandals, and such as are capital, in the intention of Gods dispensation, without the Church, God intendeth nothing but peace; But in regard of the intention of Gods dispensation, within the Church, where the Gospel is preached, he intendeth both peace by the godly Magistrates care and eternal life, by the preaching of the Gospel; Because therefore life eternal is more necessary then external peace, it is necessary that the Church first labour to try, cognosce of, and cure the mans soul by rebukes, threats, conviction; and (if need be) by excommunication, that the souls of many may be saved from the contagion of scandal, before the Magistrate punish either to death, (if the scandal so deserve) or by any coactive way by the sword, the genuine fruit whereof is not repentance and gaining of the mans soul, except by accident and through the co-operation of a higher hand, above nature even of free grace) ⟨p. 563⟩