A92138:584
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.
13. In all the New-Testament we do not read, that Christ, who was the end of the Law, and the body now come in the flesh to abolish all Ceremonials and temporary Laws of the Jewish Church and policy, as Jewish, did institute any old-Testament Law, such as the Sanhedrin was for offending brethren: if it be said that this was but the right expounding of an old divine Law, now almost buried through the corruption of men; then must Erastus show that this was an old Law of divine institution▪ that the Jews were to keep this threefold order in gaining an offending brother, and that this is now abolished, and that the power of the Magistrate in Church-business, by this place is not established to the end of the world; both which are contrary to the Principles of Erastus, not to say that there is not in this whole Chapter, or Luk. 17. where the same purpose is handled, any shadow of reason to assert that Christ is restoring any Ceremonial or Judicial Law to its genuine and sound meaning and sense, but by the contrary Christ speaketh of the Moral and perpetual Doctrine of scandal, and how we are to deal with an offending brother to gain him to repentance, either by our selves or the Church, and to forgive private injuries, even to seventy seven times: Lastly, since Publicans and Romans converted to the Christian saith from Paganism, even at this time were Brethren, who might both give and take scandals, it shall follow that Christ commandeth Gentiles to submit to the Jewish Magistrates, this was against Christian liberty, and to take from Cesar those things that are Caesars, which is unjust.
13. In all the New-Testament we do not read, that Christ, who was the end of the Law, and the body now come in the flesh to abolish all Ceremonials and temporary Laws of the Iewish Church and policy, as Iewish, did institute any old-Testament Law, such as the Sanedrim was for offending brethren: if it be said that this was but the right expounding of an old divine Law, now almost buried through the corruption of men; then must Erastus shew that this was an old Law of divine institution▪ that the Iews were to keep this threefold order in gaining an offending brother, and that this is now abolished, and that the power of the Magistrate in Church-businesse, by this place is not established to the end of the world; both which are contrary to the Principles of Erastus, not to say that there is not in this whole Chapter, or