A92138:653
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.
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, Act. 15. 2. What? Ergo, Paul in a Synod, and a Synod hath not power to dispute and determine the same, the contrary is evident, Act. 15. 12, 22, 23. 3. It is false that the Authority and rod, with which Paul said he would come to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 10. 8. was proper only to Paul an Apostle, the same he giveth to Timothy, and to all the Elders. 3. If Bishops exercised the same power for many ages, Erastus must show us Bishops who could kill miraculously, such as Ananias and Elimas, and work miracles; now beside that, Erastus must with his new opinion, hold up a new creature called a Prelate, unknown to the Apostles or Jerome and the Fathers, he must parallel Bishops for working of miracles to Paul and the Apostles.1
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 incestuou• mans fall, therefore no Pastors have power to exhort in the like kinde. 2. We grant the Apostles did many things out of their Apostolick power, which in a constitute Church, the Church onely may doe, as Paul his alone disputed against Circumcision of the Gentiles, Act. 15. 2. What? Ergo, Paul in a Synod, and a Synod hath not power to dispute and determine the same, the contrary is evident,