A92138:665
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. 1. Declaring by Preaching, that a Drunkard is not of the number of the faithful in the Visible Church, is materially Excommunication: This Erastus saith, We want only a Court of ⟨p. 263⟩Elders: But how proveth he that one Pastor should cast out of the Church by Preaching, all those that God judgeth unworthy of life eternal. Erastus saith, A Presbytery cannot do this: 1. Because the heart is known to God only, pag. 83. And doth one single Pastor know the heart, and a Senate of Pastors knoweth it not? 2. Must Pastors know the heart, which God only knoweth, 2 Chron. 29, 30. Jer. 17. 10. Otherwise they cannot judicially Excommunicate, and one Pastor may by way of Preaching, Excommunicate, and yet he knoweth not the heart. 3. For the first of his four, we need not prove it, we assert it not. 4. Though a Turk or an Apostate should say that he repents, yet he lies; and Erastus saith, l. 3. cap. 3. pag. 207. Hunc ego minime admittendum censeo. I think such a one is not to be admitted to the Sacrament. 5. What Christ saith, Matth. 18. we take to be Gods will. 6. If there were no Christian Magistrate, belike a Church-Court might excommunicate; and shall the Magistrate, because Christian, spoil the Church of the power she had while she wanted a Magistrate? 7. The power of Excommunicating, and binding and loosing in earth and heaven, must then be principally in the Magistrate: And who gave the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Magistrate?
Ans. 1. Declaring by Preaching, that a Drunkard is not of the number of the faithfull in the Visible Church, is materially Excommunication: This Erastus saith, We want only a Court of ⟨p. 263⟩Elders: But how proveth he that one Pastor should cast out of the Church by Preaching, all those that God judgeth unworthy of life eternall. Erastus saith, A Presbytery cannot do this: 1. Because the heart is known to God only, pag. 83. And doth one single Pastor know the heart, and a Senate of Pastors knoweth it not? 2. Must Pastors know the heart, which God only knoweth,