A92138:695
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.
Though we should give, but not grant, that there was no Excommunication amongst the Jews, but only for Ceremonial uncleanness; yet it proveth not, there is no Excommunication in the Christian Church, but the contrary; for if for touching the dead by Gods Law, men were separated from the holy things; in that Church, far more, for Moral uncleanness, are men to be separated from the holy things of God under the New Testament, for undeniably Ceremonial separation signified and typed out Moral separation, Col. 2. 21. 2. What ground Erastus hath to except those that were Ceremonially unclean, and so as uncircumcised in flesh, that they were not to appear before the Lord, (let him show the Letter of Scripture for it,) the same ground have we to show that the uncircumcised in heart are not to appear before the Lord, Ezek. 44. 7, 8, 9. Ezek. 22. 26. Nor shall I think God would both command all the male without exception, to compeare before him thrice a year, whether they were Adulterers, Thieves, Murderers, Idolaters, or not such: but truly sanctified and holy; and that he would expressly rebuke the Males that were Adulterers, Thieves, Murderers, Idolaters, because they compeared for him in his House, Jer. 7. 8, 9, 10. So then as he commandeth the the Males to compeare, except they be legally unclean, or Lepers, and would rebuke them, if they should appear before him being Ceremonially unclean; and therefore in that case God would have them not to come. So also, if they should be Morally unclean, he would have them not to come, that is, it is not their sin, that they appear before the Lord, quoad substantiam actus, but their obedience, but it is their sin that they appear •ali m•do, in their unrepented guiltiness, yet is it the sin of the Priests in not differencing ⟨p. 272⟩between the clean and the unclean, that they suffer them to come tali modo, that as Swine they pollute the holy things of God, to the Male it is their sin, that they come so, and so guilty; and that they come not, it is their sin, but to the Priests it is their sin, that they admit the unclean, and cast Pearls to Dogs. But as God would not rebuke unworthy Eaters at the Lords Table,