A92138:651
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.
Thomas Erastus a Physician, who meddled not much with Divinity, save in this, in which he was unsound, in his reply to Beza laboureth to make Excommunication a dream, and nothing but a device of Pastors affecting domination.1
THomas Erastus a Physitian, who medled not much with Divinity, save in this, in which he was unsound, in his reply to Beza laboureth to make Excommunication a dreame, and nothing but a device of Pastors affecting domination.1
- 1Confirmati• Thosium Erast. Cons••. thes. l. 1. c. 1. p. 72.
1. Object. Only Peter killed Ananias; only Paul excommunicated Alexander and Hymeneus, only Paul said he would come to the Corinthians with the rod, and for a long time only Bishops excommunicated, Presbyters gave advise only. Ergo▪ This power is not in the Church.
1. Object. Onely Pet•r killed Ananias; onely Paul excommunicated Alexander and Hymeneus, onely Paul said he would come to the Corinthians with the rod, and for a long time onely Bishops excommunicated, Presbyters gave advise onely. Ergo▪ This power is not in the Church.
Ans.▪ The consequence is naught, Christ said only to his Disciples in person, Go teach and Baptize, Is it a good consequence therefore, that none hath power to teach and Baptize, but only the Apostles? Only Paul exhorted the Corinthians, to mourn for the incestuous mans fall, therefore no Pastors have power to exhort in the like kind. 2. We grant the Apostles did many things out of their Apostolic power, which in a constitute Church, the Church only may do, as Paul his alone disputed against Circumcision of the Gentiles,