A92138:571
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.
Tell the Church, that is, (saith Erastus) tell the civill Synedry1 of the Jews, and therefore this place is nothing for excommunication, or any Spiritual Church Discipline, and if the Offender refuse to hear the Orthodox Magistrate, then may the offended brother plead his right before the Heathen Magistrate, and deal with the Offender, as with a Heathen, and a Publican.
Tell the Church, that is, (saith Erastus) tell the civill Synedry1 of the Iewes, and therefore this place is nothing for excommunication, or any Spirituall Church Discipline, and if the Offendor refuse to heare the Orthodoxe Magistrate, then may the offended brother plead his right before the Heathen Magistrate, and deale with the Offendor, as with a Heathen, and a Publican.
- 1Object. 4.
Answ. In the Word of God, the word Ecclesia, Church, applied to matters of Religion, (as it is evidently here, where it is1 said that the offended brother, is to labour to gain the soul of his offending brother) doth never signify a civill judicature and therefore the exposition is insolent, and the words [Greek or Hebrew] or [Greek or Hebrew] or [Greek or Hebrew] or [Greek or Hebrew] can never bear such a sense, we desire one parallel place in the old or new Testament for it.
Answ. In the Word of God, the word Ecclesia, Church, applyed to matters of Religion, (as it is evidently here, where it is1 said that the offended brother, is to labour to gaine the soule of his offending brother) doth never signifie a civill judicature and therefore the exposition is insolent, and the words or or or can never beare such a sense, we desire one paralell place in the old or new Testament for it.