A92138:866
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. Exclusion from the Sacrament, is but one of the fruits of Excommunication; not formally Excommunication; yet he harpeth on this alway, that to be excommunicated, or to be delivered to Satan, is but to be debarred from the Sacrament. 2. The answer presupposeth he was Excommunicated, we urge the place for a precept only of Excommunication, if he repented to the satisfying of the Church, there was no need of Excommunication. 3. If the man 2 Cor. 2. was delivered from rebuke only, and if that was all his punishment; Ergo, he was not miraculously cut off, for then he must have been miraculously cut off, and raised from death to life again, unless miraculous cutting off had been no punishment: But if he was not miraculously cut off, because he prevented it, then with what faith could the whole Church pray for the miraculous killing of a brother, and not rather that he might repent and live? 4. In all the Word of God, the intrinsical end of putting to death a Malefactor, is to avenge Gods quarrel, Rom. 13. 4. That all Israel may hear and fear, and do no more any such wickedness, Deut. 13. 11. To put away the guilt of sin off the Land, Numb. 34. 33, 34. that the Lords anger may be turned away, and a common plague on the Church stayed, when justice is executed on the ill doer, Psal. 106. 28, 29, 30, 31. And it concerneth the Church and Common-wealth, more then the soul of the Malefactor, and there is nothing of such an end here. But the intrinsical end here, is, that the mans Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord ⟨p. 318⟩Jesus, and this delivering to Satan is in the Name and authority, and by the power of the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. Now the1 Son of man came to save souls, not to destroy bodies, and burn cities; and though by the power of Christ, Peter miraculously killed Ananias and Sapphira, and Paul stroke Elimas the Sorcerer blind, yet these being Miracles, we hear not that this was done by any intervening act of the Church convened, or by their prayers to bring vengeance, by a miracle, on the ill dor. Peter and Paul do both these not asking any consent, or intervention of the peoples prayers, but by immediate power in themselves from the Lord Jesus. 2.