A92138:685
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. Paul forbiddeth to eat with fornicators, 1 Cor. 5. It shall never follow that they are worthy of holy convention that are worthy of a common Table, and that they are unworthy of the Supper, who are unworthy of a common Table, they were debarred from a familiar Communion with the godly: 1. That they might be ashamed: 2. Least they should infect them; Paul saith, be not mixed with them [Greek or Hebrew] but he saith not, exclude them from the Lords Table, and other holy things: In the Sacrament I must try my self, not others; in my familiar Tabling with others, I am to try them, that I may gain them; yea, 2 Thes. 3. Though we are to eschew familiar conversing with those that walk unorderly, yet are we to keep communion in holy things with them, and to admonish them as brethren.
Erastus. Paul forbiddeth to eat with fornicators, 1 Cor. 5. It shall never follow that they are worthie of holy convention that are worthy of a common Table, and that they are unvvorthy of the Supper, who are unworthie of a common Table, they vvere debarred from a familiar Communion with the godlie: 1. That they might be ashamed: 2. Least they should infect them; Paul saith, be not mixed vvith them 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 but he saith not, exclude them from the Lords Table, and other holy things: In the Sacrament I must try my self, not others; in my familiar Tabling with others, I am to try them, that I may gain them; yea, 2 Thes. 3. Though we are to eschew familiar conversing with those that walk unorderly, yet are we to keep communion in holy things with them, and to admonish them as brethren.
Ans. Erastus propounds an Argument of his own, 1 Cor. 5