A92138:819
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. If we give the matter to Erastus his word, all he says are demonstrations: Let the reader read and judge. 2. All his argument here proceedeth on a false ground, while he contendeth so much to justify Publicans he presumeth (to be as a Publican) to •e in our sense all one with this, (to be excommunicated.) But 1. we lay the least weight on the word (Publican) and more on this, (to be as an heathen.) 2. We take them not divisively, but as Christ speaketh them, copulatively. We say, not to be excommunicated, is ⟨p. 305⟩all one, as, let him be as a Publican, but that to be excommunicated, is to be as an Heathen [Greek or Hebrew] and as a Publican.
Ans. If we give the matter to Erastus his word, all he sayes are demonstrations: Let the reader read and judge. 2. All his argument here proceedeth on a false ground, while he contendeth so much to justifie Publicans he presumeth (to be as a Publican) to •e in our sense all one with this, (to be excommunicated.) But 1. we lay the least weight on the word (Publican) and more on this, (to be as an heathen.) 2. We take them not divisively, but as Christ speaketh them, copulatively. We say, not to be excommunicated, is ⟨p. 305⟩all one, as, let him be as a Publican, but that to be excommunicated, is to be as an Heathen 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 and as a Publican.
Erastus. The article • is set before both the word (Heathen) and the word (Publican) by the holy Spirit, which signifies either the very1 nature of the predicate (heathen and Publican) or must put a great Emphasis, and a great edge of difference between the Heathen and Publican here, and in other places, as these be not one, Petrus est, [Greek or Hebrew], et Petrus est, [Greek or Hebrew] (Peter is a man,) and Peter is the man, or that man.) So when we say, pleasure is that good thing, [Greek or Hebrew], that chief happiness; We say more then when we say pleasure is good, so [Greek or Hebrew] that Publican must signify a Publican, as a Publican, if there be an Emphasis here common to both the heathen and the Publican, now there can be no other thing in the matter of eschewing Scandals common to both, but that both acknowledged no other but the Roman Magistrate, and therefore, except you make (to be a Publican,) & (to be debarred from the Sacraments) all one; you have not another place in all the New Testament for your Excommunication, for no Publican because a Publican, was debarred by Gods Law, Jure divino, from the Sacraments.