A92138:582
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.
11. The complaining to an Heathen Magistrate, or the punishing of an offender by the sword, by no Scripture, is such a binding on earth, by the power of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, as this is expounded, Matth. 16. 19. And such a binding as is ratified in Heaven, and that by the joint Prayers of two or three on earth, as is here spoken, ver. 18, 19, 20. A Heathen Magistrates Sentence, though never so just, should not be valued, except it were confirmed by the Prayers of the Church, as the Sentence of Excommunication must be.
11. The complaining to an Heathen Magistrate, or the punishing of an offender by the sword, by no Scripture, is such a binding on earth, by the power of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, as this is expounded, Matth. 16. 19. And such a binding as is ratified in Heaven, and that by the joynt Prayers of two or three on earth, as is here spoken, ver. 18, 19, 20. A Heathen Magistrates Sentence, though never so just, should not be valued, except it were confirmed by the Prayers of the Church, as the Sentence of Excommunication must be.
12. The Jewish Sanhedrim was now to take an end, and expire with all the Jewish policy; it is not to be imagined that Jesus Christ ⟨p. 229⟩would appoint a perishing remedy for a perpetual and ever-enduring disease; now offences and scandals between brother and brother were to be in the world to the end, ver. 15. If thy brother offend, &c. And Christ saith, Offences must be, and the remedy here is moral and perpetual: as 1. That Christ shall have a Church visible on earth, against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail: 2. That we first deal to gain our brother in private, ere to his greater shame, he be brought in public, before the Church. 3. The Lords ratifying in Heaven, what his servants shall bind and loose on earth. 4. The agreeing of two to pray together, the convening of two or three in the name of Christ, with a promise of the presence of Christ, all these are Moral and perpetual: The Lord never did the like of this, before or after.