A92138:657
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.
Erastus. These two are not one, to declare a person hateful in1 Heaven to God, and to be cast out of the visible Church; for if they be both one, then one private Pastor may Excommunicate, for he may declare from Gods word, that an offender is excluded out of Heaven: hath not the word of God in the mouth of one as much authority and power as out of the mouth of many? the authority of the word dependeth not on a multitude, also why should this be as good a consequence (God judgeth not this man worthy of the Kingdom of God; Ergo, he is to be cast out of the visible Church) as this (God judgeth not this man worthy of life eternal: Ergo, God will not have him to live in this temporal life) Are we ignorant that God esteemeth many not ⟨p. 260⟩worthy of life eternal, to whom he hath given power to cast out devils2 in his name? Matth. 7.
Erastus. These two are not one, to declare a person hatefull in1 Heaven to God, and to be cast out of the visible Church; for if they be both one, then one private Pastor may Excommunicate, for he may declare from Gods word, that an offender is excluded out of Heaven: hath not the word of God in the mouth of one as much authority and power as out of the mouth of many? the authority of the word dependeth not on a multitude, also why should this be as good a consequence (God judgeth not this man worthy of the Kingdom of God; Ergo, he is to be cast out of the visible Church) as this (God judgeth not this man worthy of life eternall: Ergo, God will not have him to live in this temporall life) Are we ignorant that God esteemeth many not ⟨p. 260⟩worthy of life eternall, to whom he hath given power to cast out devils2 in his name? Matth. 7.