A92138:771
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. The sense is when thy brother, that is, any Jew, doth thee1 an injury, study to reconcile him to thee thy self alone; if thou speed not so, assay the same before two or three Witnesses: but if neither so thou can free thy self of injury, tell the Synedrie, that is, tell the Magistrate of thy people, or thy own Religion; but if he will not hear the Magistrate, then thou mayest without the offence of any, deal against him, as a Publican, and an injurious Heathen, who will acknowledge only the Roman judicature, and pursue him there.
Erastus. The sense is when thy brother, that is, any Iew, doth thee1 an injurie, study to reconcile him to thee thy self alone; if thou speed not so, assay the same before two or three Witnesses: but if neither so thou can free thy self of injurie, tell the Synedrie, that is, tell the Magistrate of thy people, or thy own Religion; but if he will not heare the Magistrate, then thou mayest without the offence of any, deale against him, as a Publican, and aninjurious Heathen, who will acknowledge onely the Roman judicature, and pursue him there.
- 1Page 26. in Thes. 41.
Ans. If this be the sense, it is farther from the understanding many miles then the words; a common reader may come after, and find a more native sense. 1. If thy brother offend thee, &c. should1 not be restricted to the Jews only, nor the Gentiles only, the Disciples, for the most were Gentiles and nearer Christians then Jews. 2. Brother is as large as the offender, as those of the Church. 3. As large as the offender, to be gained, Paul was to do what he could to gain Jews and Gentiles, and both may offend. 2. Christs scope is not so much to free the Plaintiff from injuries, (it is a carnal like gloss) as to remove Scandals and Stumbling blocks out of the way of both; and gain the offenders soul. Observe that the Exposition of Erastus is so wild, that sense, scriptures, or Greek Authors cannot dream that (let him be as a Heathen) can be in sense all one with this, Pursue him for his injury before the Roman judicatures. But the Exposition we give according to the word in its first notion, doth offer it self to the understanding: For, Let him be to thee, as an Heathen, is, let him be counted as one that is without the Church, and not of the people of God, as the word Heathen is ten,