A92138:1632
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.
5. All punitive Church-power is for edification, 2 Cor. 10. 8. That the mans spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord, 1 Cor. 5. 5. that the party may be gained by private and public Church rebukes, Mat. 18. 15. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy Brother, v. 18. If he neglect to hear the Church, let him be to thee as an Heathen, &c. Ergo, if he hear the Church his soul is gained, 2 Thess. 3. 14, 15. 1 Tim. 1. 19. but the intrinsical end of punishing an evil doer, is not the gaining of his soul, but a political civil satisfaction of justice for a wrong done to humane society, that others may fear, and do so no more; the Magistrate in using his sword as a Magistrate, looketh not to this as the intrinsical end of the sword, to convert a soul, to augment the number of the subjects of Christs mediatory Kingdom; nor doth he as a Magistrate proportion the measure of the stroke of the sword according to the repentance and godly sorrow of the man who hath sinned; but in justice his eye is not to pity or spare the blasphemer, though as dear to him as a father and friend, Deut. 13. 6, 8, 9. 10. Deut. 33. 9. whether he repent, or not repent; but the Church censure, respecting intrinsically the gaining of the soul, is proportioned to the offenders sorrow for his sin, that he be not swallowed with over much sorrow, 2 Cor. 2. 7, 8, 9, 10.1
5. All punitive Church-power is for edification, 2 Cor. 10. 8. That the mans spirit may be savdd in the day of the Lord,