A92138:847
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. [Greek or Hebrew] Again I say unto you, if two of you shall agree on earth, these words must refer to private men, not to the Church, it is clear that Christ speaketh nothing of two, as he doth in this verse, but when he saith that one private man is to rebuke and gain another private man; nor is it enough to say its an1 argument à comparatis, for if the same thing be not kept in both extremes, it is a vain comparison if you say a child understandeth this; Ergo, An aged man understandeth it, it followeth well. But if you say a child understandeth this; Ergo, An aged man is rich and good; who would not laugh? But if God hear the prayer of two; Ergo, far more will he hear the prayers of the Church, it followeth not, except you say, if those things that two or three binds on earth be ratified, how shall we think, that that is ratified which the Church binds and looses?
Erastus. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Again I say unto you, if two of you shall agree on earth, these words must referre to private men, not to the Church, it is cleare that Christ speaketh nothing of two, as hee doth in this verse, but when he saith that one private man is to rebuke and gain another private man; nor is it enough to say its an1 argument à comparatis, for if the same thing be not kept in both extreames, it is a vaine comparison if you say a childe understandeth this; Ergo, An aged man understandeth it, it followeth well. But if you say a child understandeth this; Ergo, An aged man is rich and good; who would not laugh? But if God heare the prayer of two; Ergo, farre more will he heare the prayers of the Church, it followeth not, except you say, if those things that two or three bindes on earth be ratified, how shall we thinke, that that is ratified which the Church bindes and looses?
- 1Pag. 203. 204.