A92138:632
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.
5. Arg. The Church of Pergamus is rebuked for having amongst them, such as hold the doctrine of Balaam, and Revel. 2. 14. and Thyatira, that they suffered Jezebel to preach and seduce the servants of God, ver. 20. as the Church of Ephesus is praised v. 2. that they cannot bear with them that are evil, but had tried such that said they were▪ Apostles, and were not, and had found them liars, Rev. 2. 3. Here is it clearly supposed that these churches were to censure false teachers, if any shall say they were to censure them no other ways, but by preaching against their errors; 1. This would establish a Prelate above the Church contrary to that of Mat. 18. Tell the Church, and 1 Cor. 5. Where the Church gathered together was to excommunicate. 2. The Angel of the Church is taken collectively, for all the Rulers and the whole Church to whom Christ writeth, as is clear, in that he saith so often; He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches, not to the Pastors only. 2. The removing of the Candlestick, is not from the Angel but from the Church; ⟨p. 251⟩and repentance, and the fighting and overcoming, a reward of the crown of life, and many other things are evidently spoken to the Churches, not to the Angels of the Churches. And therefore the trial of false Apostles must be by a Church, a Court, a college of church rulers, as Paul speaketh unto, Act. 20. 17. Where it is said, Paul called the Elders of the Church of Ephesus, and exhorted them to beware of false teachers, that should not spare the flock, and should teach perverse things, v. 28. 29. 30. and of this sort were these lying and seducing Apostles, now how can one Angel or many Pastors by preaching only try false Apostles, and find them liars? This trying and sentencing of lying seducers, Rev. 2. 2. must be by a court, such as we find to be the practise of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem, who in a Synod