A92138:551
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.
Ans. 1. By the Law of nature, sins against the Law of nature deserve eternal punishment, and that essentially, laying aside the positive will of God, to whom I grant it is free to inflict punishment, or not to inflict, and this agreeth to all sin. But to carry Armour in the night, laying aside the case of scandal, and the morality thereof, that no murder follow thereupon, deserveth neither temporal nor eternal punishment. And if this Argument of the Jesuits hold good, no mortal sin shall oblige to eternal punishment, because Gods positive will is the nearest cause of actual punishment eternal in all sins. 2. God is not the Author of a proper nomothetic power in man, for that is the question.
Ans. 1. By the Law of nature, sins against the Law of nature deserve eternall punishment, and that essentially, laying aside the positive will of God, to whom I grant it is free to inflict punishment, or not to inflict, and this agreeth to all sin. But to carry Armour in the night, laying aside the case of scandall, and the morality thereof, that no murther follow thereupon, deserveth neither temporall nor eternall punishment. And if this Argument of the Iesuits hold good, no mortall sin shall oblige to eternall punishment, because Gods positive will is the nearest cause of actuall punishment eternall in all sins. 2. God is not the Author of a propper no•othetick power in man, for that is the question.
2. He answereth, Distinguishing the Proposition. None can oblige to a mortal sin, but he who can inflict the eternal punishment of a mortal sin. It is true (saith he) of the punishment which wholly dependeth upon the will of the judge who made the Law: but it is not true of that punishment, which no way dependeth upon the will of the Judge, such as is eternal punishment, excommunication dependeth upon the vvill of man, and it obligeth to eternal punishment, yet man cannot inflict that eternal punishment: for a man may command an act, the omission whereof, or the commission whereof, is of such moment, that it serveth much for the good of a community, and therefore he who of knowledge and willingly doth such an act, doth sin against right reason, and so against the eternal law of God.