A92138:592
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.
Answ. 1. There is no necessity to condemn the office of the Publican, or the birth and condition of the Heathen as unlawful. But a Publican went for a profane man, and for a man who is a stranger to the true church of God, as Mat. 5. 46. If you love them that love you, what reward have you? Do not even the Publicans the same? Ergo, It is Christs mind to exclude the Publicans from any spiritual or eternal reward, promised to these within the visible Church; and when Christ was slandered by the Jews, because he went in to be a Guest with a Publican, Luke 19. 7. And because he did eat with Publicans, Mat. 9. 12, 13. Christ taketh it as granted that Publicans were profane men and sinners. But he saith they were sick sinners and lost, that is, such as were sensible of their by-past profanity, and desired the Physician Christ to cure them; and Gentiles or Heathen is taken for these who are without the Church, and are void of Religion, 1 Cor. 5. 1. Such fornication as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles, 1 Pet. 4. 3. Let it suffice you, that ye have wrought the vvill of the Gentiles, Eph. 2. 11. Ye were in times past Gentiles, what is that, but Ver. 2. Ye walked according to the course of the World; according to the Prince of the power of the air? So a Samaritan, is taken for one that hath a Devil, yet to be a Samaritan 1by birth and nation is not unlawful, it is then a distinctive term spoken [Greek or Hebrew] to be an Heathen, or counted an Heathen and a Publican, that is, counted a profane wicked person, not a brother, not a member of the church. Theophylact expoundeth this with us, If he hear not the Church, let him be an out-cast, least he rub any of his wickedness upon others within the Church.
Answ. 1. There is no necessity to condemne the office of the Publican, or the birth and condition of the Heathen as unlawfull. But a Publican went for a prophane man, and for a man who is a stranger to the true church of God, as