A92138:568
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.
That by the Church here, is meant a number of private Christians, is against the Text, for then three witnesses should be a Church, being three private Christians, but sure it is Christ ascendeth in his speech to an higher degree, to the Church who is to hear the Witnesses, the Plaintiff and the Offender, who hath power to bind, and loose, which is nothing but a Church-court. 2. Thou hast gained thy brother, must be a spiritual gaining of him to repentance, as 1 Pet. 3. 1. That they may be gained by the conversation of the wives, 1 Cor. 9, 20. [Greek or Hebrew] That I may gain those that are under the Law. Ver. 21. That I may gain those that are without Law. ver. 19. That I might gain the more. Ver. 20. [Greek or Hebrew] That I might gain the Jews, so is the Word used for spiritual gaining, Mat. 2. 17, 20, 22. and Christ in his Sermons never speaketh of civill gaining of brethren: And 2. Because he speaketh of the brother, as he is a member of a society, where there be three or more brethren, and a Church of brethren whose help he may seek to gain a brother; it is clear he must speak of a Church-gaining, or of a gaining in order to a Church, and not with reference to any civill Sanhedrin or Court of Magistrates.
That by the Church here, is meant a number of private Christians, is against the Text, for then three witnesses should be a Church, being three private Christians, but sure it is Christ ascendeth in his speech to an higher degree, to the Church who is to heare the Witnesses, the Plaintiffe and the Offender, who hath power to binde, and loose, which is nothing but a Church-court. 2. Thou hast gained thy brother, must be a spirituall gaining of him to repentance, as 1 Pet. 3. 1. That they may be gained by the conversation of the wives, 1 Cor. 9, 20. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 That I may gain those that are under the Law. Ver. 21. That I may gain those that are without Law. ver. 19. That I might gaine the more. Ver. 20. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 That I might gain the Iewes, so is the Word used for spirituall gaining,