A92138:660
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 4. objecteth. Excommunication must exclude men from1 only the external society of the Church, for he only can join us to Christ, or separate us from internal and spiritual society of Christ, who can beget lively faith in us, and extinguish lively faith when it is begotten, for by faith only we are made living members of Christs body, and by only infidelity we leave off to be members of his body: But no Church, no creatures can either beget lively faith in us, or extinguish it in us: or thus, men can neither give to us, nor take from us salvation, therefore Excommunication should not be defined by cutting men off from salvation.
Erastus 4. objecteth. Excommunication must exclude men from1 only the externall society of the Church, for he only can joyne us to Christ, or separate us from internall and spirituall society of Christ, who can beget lively faith in us, and extinguish lively faith when it is begotten, for by faith only we are made living members of Christs body, and by only infidelity we leave off to be members of his bodie: But no Church, no creatures can either beget lively faith in us, or extinguish it in us: or thus, men can neither give to us, nor take from us salvation, therefore Excommunication should not be defined by cutting men off from salvation.
- 1Pag. 78.
Ans. This is the only Argument of Erastus, that seemeth to1 bear weight; But it is false and groundless, it supposeth the false principle that Erastus goeth on, that Excommunication is a real separation of a member from Christs Invisible and Mystical body, and that the Excommunicated person who may be an Invisible member of Christ, and regenerated, may be an Apostate, and fall from Christ, and leave off to be a member. The contrary of which all our Protestant Divines teach against Papists; whereas, Excommunication is only a Declarative; but withal, an Authoritative Act or Sentence of the Church, and no real cutting off of a believer from Christ: But you will say, It presupposeth a cutting off in heaven from Christ; and therefore the Excommunicated person is declared to be cut off. Let me Answer, I conceive Excommunication hath neither Election nor Reprobation, Regeneration or non-Regeneration, for its object, or terminus, but only it cutteth a contumacious person off from the Visible Church on earth, and from the head Christ in heaven, not in regard of his state of Regeneration, as if Christ ratifying the Sentence in heaven, did cut him off so much as conditionally from being a member of his body: No, but in regard of the second Acts of the life of God, and the sweet efficacy and operation of the spirit, by which the Ordinances are less lively, less operative, and less vigorous, the man being as the Learned and Reverend Mr. Cotton saith, As a palsy Member, in which life remaineth, but a little withered and blunted, and he in Satan's power to ve his spirit, and therefore I grant all, to wit,