A92138:576
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.
5. Christs way of proceeding to take away scandals between brother and brother, is spiritual, Tell him, admonish the offender, tell the Church, that they may rebuke and admonish, and this is a Moral way all along: But the Magistrates proceeding is not Moral, by requests, orations, admonitions, but by the real use of the sword to compel: for he beareth not the sword in vain, Rom. 13. 4.
5. Christs way of proceeding to take away scandals between brother and brother, is spirituall, Tell him, admonish the offender, tell the Church, that they may rebuke and admonish, and this is a Morall way all along: But the Magistrates proceeding is not Morall, by requests, orations, admonitions, but by the reall use of the sword to compell: for he beareth not the sword in vain, Rom. 13. 4.
6. The proceeding here is with much lenity, patience, and long ⟨p. 228⟩suffering to gain an offender, but having recourse to the Magistrate to use his club and sword, is rather a way of irritation, to make the gap the wider, and therefore Paul, 1 Cor. 6. condemns this as repugnant to love, that they should go to law one with another, before the heathen Magistrate.
6. The proceeding here is with much lenity, patience, and long ⟨p. 228⟩suffering to gain an offender, but having recourse to the Magistrate to use his club and sword, is rather a way of irritation, to make the gap the wider, and therefore Paul, 1 Cor. 6