A92138:561
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.
Then is there a public Church-rebuking by way of censure, beside the pastoral rebuking. But the former is expressly said, 1 Tim. 5. 19, 20. This must be a rebuking in a Church-court, except we say Timothy his alone was the Church, and a Monarch ⟨p. 223⟩of the Church, who hath power to lead witnesses against Elders.
Then is there a publike Church-rebuking by way of censure, beside the pastorall rebuking. But the former is expresly said, 1 Tim. 5. 19, 20. This must be a rebuking in a Church-court, except we say Timothy his alone was the Church, and a Monarch ⟨p. 223⟩of the Church, who hath power to lead witnesses against Elders.
2. Conclusion. There is such a censure as excommunication in1 the hands of the Church, by which scandalous offenders are to be debarred from the society of the Church, and other holy Ordinances, that they do not profane them, which is proved from Mat. 18. 15, 16, 17, 18. Thus, he who is to be of a brother esteemed as no brother, but as a Heathen and a Publican, and whose offence is bound in Heaven, as the Church bindeth on Earth, and that upon the testimony of Witnesses, he incurreth some other censure of real ejection out of the society of brethren in a Church State, then Pastoral rebuking. But he who trespasseth against his brother, and will neither be gained by private admonition, nor by the Church rebuking him, is in such a case; Ergo, such a one is to be excommunicated, and so Christ must have instituted such a censure.