A92138:589
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.
Ans. 1. Christ did well to use these words, Witnesses, Church, Congregation, Heathen, Publican, as well known to his hearers, and these same words in use amongst the Jews are used in the New Testament, as 1 Cor. 16. 22. 1 Tim. 5. 19. Act. 15. 7, 17. Revel. 11. 2, 8. 1 Pet. 4. 3. 2 Pet. 1 19. 20, 21. Anathema Maranatha, Witnesses, Gentiles, sinners of the Gentiles, imposition of hands, &c. Indeed in ordinary, the Pastor under the New Testament is not called Priest, nor high Priest, nor the Communion Table an Altar: But the words here used are obvious and very significant; and the word [Greek or Hebrew] or Church is a most obvious word in both the Old and New Testament, and doth signify any Assembly, Religious, civill or profane, according as the nature, person and use or end of the meeting or Assembly was Religious and Profane, as is evident by many places of the Old and New Testament; where the seventy Interpreters use the word for a Church-Assembly; for which see the due right of Presbyters, page 349, 350. and page 473, 474. And since the word Church here is clearly, a company convened to gain an offending brothers soul, by rebukes and censures, and which hath power to bind and loose on earth, so as their fact is ratified in heaven, it cannot be any other, then a New Testament Church-meeting, seeing we find the Church of Corinth commanded to convene and exercise such a power, 1 Cor. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. ⟨p. 232⟩And therefore it cannot be expounded of the •ivill judge; not to add, that Erastus, who objecteth this, saith the Syn•dre had both civill and spiritual or Ecclesiastical power, and therefore he hath no ground to expound the place of the Civill Magistrate. 2. Because he was not yet ascended to heaven, and had not sent down the Holy Spirit, it is no consequence to say he speaketh nothing of the Christian Church of the New Testament, for before his Ascension he appointed the Ministry, the Sacraments, the power of Censures, and the keys given to the Church of the New Testament,