A92138:868
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.
was mistaken in sending his servant with his staff to raise the dead son of the Shunamite (a Pastor with nothing but a club and naked words cannot give life to the dead) ver. 31. and therefore the working of a miracle in particular Hic & nunc was not always revealed to the most eminent Prophets, such as Elisha was; and so I believe, as working of miracles on this; and this man, came not from an habit in the Prophets and Apostles, far less from a habit subject to their free will, but God reserved that liberty to himself, to act his servants immediately, both to pray by the faith of this miracle, Hic & nunc, and to work this miracle, Hic & nunc. Now to the Assumption: How can Erastus or any of his followers assure our conscience that God had given the Faith of miracles to all the sanctified in Christ Jesus at Corinth, whom Paul so sharply rebuketh, 1 Cor. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. That this being revealed to them by God, and they having the faith, that it was the will of Jesus Christ, that Paul should kill, or (as some say) deliver to Satan this incestuous man to be miraculously tormented in the body or flesh, as Job was, that he might repent; is it like Christ would reveal more of his will, touching every particular miracle to be done by Paul, to all and every secure one in the Church of Corinth that were puffed up, and mourned not for this mans fall, then he revealed to the Apostles themselves? But I have proved that the Apostles and Prophets knew not, nor had they the particular Faith of this, and this miracle, how then had all and every one of the Church of Corinth this Faith? Now they behoved to have this light of Faith of this miracle revealed to them, that this was Christs will, that Paul should work a miracle for the destruction of the man; else the Corinthians could no more be justly rebuked, because they prayed not to God, that Paul might work this miraculous destruction of the man (which yet he never wrought, as its clear, 2. Cor. 2. he ⟨p. 320⟩was not killed, but repented, and was pardoned) then because they prayed not, that he miraculously might cure the cripple man at Lystra, Act. 14. or that he might work any other miracle. Now how was this revealed to all of the Church of Corinth that this was Christs will?