A92138:773
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.
3. It will be long, ere Scripture make a parallel to this; Tell the Church, that is, Tell the King, tell the civill judge, that is, tell not the Church; For the Church dealeth with spiritual Armour (and the King is not the Church) 2. with no force or violence, but the word and discipline; 3. with the mans conscience, to gain the man to repentance, for so all Christs three steps is to save the soul and to gain him to repentance.
3. It will be long, ere Scripture make a parallell to this; Tell the Church, that is, Tell the King, tell the civill judge, that is, tell not the Church; For the Church dealeth with spirituall Armour (and the King is not the Church) 2. with no force or violence, but the word and discipline; 3. with the mans conscience, to gain the man to repentance, for so all Christs three steps is to save the soul and to gain him to repentance.
Erastus lays a good Iron club over the offenders shoulders, and1 brings the offender to a Civilian, to whom Christ never committed the Gospel: What? shall the justice of peace, preach Christ to the offender, and wield the rod of Christs power out of Zion to him? Is there no way but that to gain a soul? 2. He brings him to one who hath no weapon, to a Magistrate, but a weapon of steel, the sharp sword; or 3. will this Magistrate not labour to gain him, which clearly is Christs intent (O he is greedy in his stairs to have the lost gained, as is ver. 11. 12.) then Christ misseth his end. But whether the man repent or no (saith Erastus) the Magistrate as such, must cudgel the offender. 4. It is admirable that (Let him be to thee as a publican and a Heathen) must be a new Judicature, and this is to drive him to Caesars Tribunal; a strange gloss: but 1. This will loose him out of hand; will Nero and the Heathen2 judge, Preach him back a submissive Lamb to the Jews? But. 2. How do you this Citrà offensionem, without scandalizing? Paul cannot advise what Erastus doth; he thinks Christians should rather suffer injuries, then to implead a brother before a Heathen judge,