A92138:569
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.
Object. 3.The place (saith Erastus) is to be understood of lighter1 faults, for which one brother may pardon another, and which a private brother hath power to conceal, it cannot therefore in good sense ⟨p. 226⟩be extended to weighty scandals that are to be punished with Excommunication.
Object. 3.The place (saith Erastus) is to be understood of lighter1 faults, for which one brother may pardon another, and which a private brother hath power to conceale, it cannot therefore in good sense ⟨p. 226⟩be extended to weighty scandals that are to be punished with Excommunication.
- 1Erastus.
Ans. 1. A fault may be light and small in its rise, so long as it is private, which deserveth not excommunication, but if contumacy shall come to the fault, as it is here in its growth and tendency to scandalize many, it is not small. 2. A private fault is not hence concluded to be small; because a brother may pardon it, and conceal it. For Christ saith to scandalize on of the least of these that believeth in him, is so great an offence, that it were good for the man so offending, to be cast in the Sea, having a millstone hanged 1about his neck, ver. 6. And yet a brother is to forgive such an offence, Luke 17. 2, 3, 4. 3. In that a brother is obliged to gain his brother, from this fault, it is clear; it is not so small a fault, and 2. Because it is a fault to be brought to the Church; and 3. If the Offender remain obstinate, he is therefore to be esteemed as an Heathen and a Publican, or as no brother, nor any member of the Church; and 4. This sin is bound in earth and heaven. 5. The text will not bear that all weigh y faults, such as Mu there, that defileth the Land, or solicitation to follow strange Gods may be transacted between brother and brother and concealed.