A92138:598
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.
3. It cannot be denied, but when one private brother pardons another repenting Brother, God ratifieth that in heaven. But it is clear the pardon here holden forth by our Saviour, is such a loosing, as hath witnesses going before. 2. Such an one as cometh higher to the knowledge of the Chuuch. Nor doth the particle1 [Greek or Hebrew] again, signify any thing but pretereà, moreover.
3. It cannot be denyed, but when one private brother pardons another repenting Brother, God ratifieth that in heaven. But it is cleare the pardon here holden forth by our Saviour, is such a loosing, as hath witnesses going before. 2. Such an one as cometh higher to the knowledge of the Chuuch. Nor doth the particle1 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 again, signifie any thing but pretereà, moreover.
- 1Binding and loosing acts judicial.Binding and loosing acts judiciall.
4. And who can say that binding and loosing here, is some other thing then binding and loosing in the Chap. 16. ver. 9. Where the same very phrase in the Greek is one and the same, except that the Lord speaketh, Mat. 16. 19. in the singular number to Peter, as representing the teachers and Governors of the Church, and here Mat. 18. He speaketh in the Plural number, relating to the Church. Now Mat. i6. i8, 19. binding on earth, and loosing, which is ratified in heaven, is evidently the exercise of the power of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, I will give to thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. What be these keys, he expoundeth ⟨p. 236⟩