A92138:876
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.
An. Ergo, he repen: ed, and was pardoned by the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 2. 10. after he had been killed, which is absurd.
Erastus. If to deliver to Satan, were nothing but to debar the man from the Sacraments, ever while he should repent; Why should Paul with a great deal of pains and many words, have excused himself to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 2. and cap. 7. and as it were deprecate the offending of them; for they should know, that this manner of coercing and punishing, was, and ought to be exercised in the Church; if it was but a saving remedy and invitation to repentance, Why were they sad? They should rather have rejoiced, as the Angels of Heaven doth at the Conversion of a sinner, then Paul must have intended another thing.
Erastus. If to deliver to Satan, were nothing but to debar the man from the Sacraments, ever while he should repent; Why should Paul with a great deal of pains and many words, have excused himself to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 2. and cap. 7. and as it were deprecate the offending of them; for they should know, that this manner of coercing and punishing, was, and ought to be exercised in the Church; if it was but a saving remedy and invitation to repentance, Why were they sad? They should rather have rejoyced, as the Angels of Heaven doth at the Conversion of a sinner, then Paul must have intended another thing.
Ans. This is a mere conjecture as Erastus granteth most he1 saith against the place is; for he saith, Aliam conjecturam etiam addidi, such a violent remedy of repentance, as is the cutting off of a member from Christs body, being the most dreadful sentence of the King of the Church, nearest to the last sentence, was to Paul, and ought to be a matter of sorrow to all the Servants of God, as the foretelling of sad Judgements, moved Christ to tears,