A92138:617
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. They must prove the Apostles admitted into the Sanctuary of the Visible Church Ananias, Sapphira, Simon Magus, and others uncircumcised in heart, to pollute the holy things of God, and that the Apostles erred, and were deceived in the moulding of the first Apostolic Church in the world, which was to be a rule and pattern to all Churches in the New Testament, to all Ages: I deny not, but they might have erred according to the grounds of these, who urge the comparison for a Church of visible Saints, but that the Apostles De facto did ⟨p. 244⟩err in their Election and judgement, in that wherein the holy Ghost holdeth them forth and their acts to be our rule and pattern, I utterly deny: I grant Act. 15. In that Synod they did Act as men and Elders, not as Apostles, but that it could fall out, that they should actually err, and obtrude false Doctrine instead of truth to the Churches in that Synod which is the first rule and pattern of Synods, I shall not believe.
3. They must prove the Apostles admitted into the Sanctuary of the Visible Church Ananias, Saphira, Simon Magus, and others uncircumcised in heart, to pollute the holy things of God, and that the Apostles erred, and were deceived in the moulding of the first Apostolick Church in the world, which was to be a rule and pattern to all Churches in the New Testament, to all Ages: I deny not, but they might have erred according to the grounds of these, who urge the comparison for a Church of visible Saints, but that the Apostles De facto did ⟨p. 244⟩erre in their Election and judgement, in that wherein the holy Ghost holdeth them forth and their acts to be our rule and pattern, I utterly deny: I grant Act. 15. In that Synod they did Act as men and Elders, not as Apostles, but that it could fall out, that they should uctually erre, and obtrude false Doctrine instead of truth to the Churches in that Synod which is the first rule and pattern of Synods, I shall not believe.