A92138:814
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. Converted Publicans left not off to be Publicans, but they left off to be such as went under the name of Publicans; that is, abominable Extortioners and grinders of the Poor: and therefore it follows well, that to be as a Publican in the common speech of the Jews familiar to our Saviour, was to be a wretched godless profane man, without the Church, and without God and Christ in the world, as also the Heathen were, Eph. 2. 11, 12. 1 Cor. 5. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 3, 4. Acts 21. 11. Rom. 2. 24 blasphemers of the Name of God, and 1 Cor. 12. 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away with dumb Idols, Eph. 4. 17. That ye walk not as other Gentiles, in the vanity of their mind. 18. Having the understanding darkened, being strangers from the life of God: These and many other Scriptures confirmeth me much, that in Christs time to be as a Heathen and a Publican, was to be cast out, whereas the man was once a brother, a believer, and a member of the Church, and in profession in the covenant of God, and a brother to Peter, John and the Lords Disciples, and a Christian and professing Saint, as the disciples of Christ were; but now one who is turned out of ⟨p. 304⟩that society, and as a Gentile serving Satan, walking in the vanity of the mind, as an uncircumcised man, &c. This is as like Excommunication, as one egg is like another, we have clear Scripture for this Exposition, but it is good Erastus never gave us one syllable of Scripture for his exposition▪ Nor can it be shown that to be as a Heathen and a Publican by Scripture, or any that ever spoke Greek, is to be in subjection to the Roman Empire, or liable to their laws, only we have [Greek or Hebrew] of Erastus for it.