A92138:675
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. Erastus evidenceth, he hath little skill in Divinity, he thinks a regenerate man not capable of Excommunication, why? and the sad falls of David, Peter and others prove, they may fall in as great sins, as not hearing of the Church 2. If one repent in his death, as the repenting Thief, will that infer he was never all his life separated from Christ? The contrary is true and clear in the Ephes. 2. 1•, 12, 13. Tit. 3. 3. • Tim. 1. 13, 14, 15. 3. This is as strong (as it is weak as water) against all the threatenings denounced against such sinners as the Lord gisteth with Repentance, for Excommunication to the regenerated is a sort of Evangelic conditional threatening.
Ans. Erastus evidenceth, he hath little skill in Divinity, he thinks a regenerate man not capable of Excommunication, why? and the sad falls of David, Peter and others prove, they may fall in as great sins, as not hearing of the Church 2. If one repent in his death, as the repenting Theef, will that infer he was never all his life separated from Christ? The contrary is true and cleare in the Ephes. 2. 1•, 12, 13. Tit. 3. 3. • Tim. 1. 13, 14, 15. 3. This is as strong (as it is weake as water) against all the threatnings denounced against such sinners as the Lord gisteth with Repentance, for Excommunication to the regenerated is a sort of Evangelick conditionall threatning.
Erastus. To give internal communion with Christ is a spiritual1 thing, Ergo, The Church cannot take it from any, and that same power that giveth, taketh away, then the Presbytery cannot by loosing, give salvation, nor by binding, take it away. Excommunication on earth is nothing, except God bind first in heaven, then it is but a declaration of what God doth, to show the sentence that another judge hath given out, is not to judge; there is a difference between those that by authority give out a sentence, and those who as servants doth promulgate the sentence. So Luther tom. German. 1. fol. 239. Excommunicare non est, ut quidam opinantur, animam Satanae trader, & precum