A92138:889
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. This is much for us, you never read that Paul did write1 to one or many, and did chide them, because they prayed not that he might work this and this particular miracle; or that without error he might write this or that Canonic Scripture, and therefore because this delivering to Satan, was commanded to the convened together Church, with his Apostolic spirit, and warrant to deliver such a one to Satan, and to judge him. v. 12. And to purge him out, and cast him out, therefore am I persuaded it was no miracle proper to Paul only. 2. How prove you that Paul, his alone without the Church Excommunicated Hymeneus? Paul saith that Timothy received the gift of God, by his laying on him hands, 2 Tim. 1. 6. Ergo, By the laying on of his hands only, and not of the whole Presbytery? It followeth not, the contrary is, 1 Tim. 4. 14. 3. Delivering to Satan, v. 5. is all one with purging out, v. 7. as is clear by the Illation. I have decreed, though absent, to deliver such a one to Satan. Hence his consequence, v. 7. [Greek or Hebrew], Purge out therefore. 2. To deliver to Satan, is either all one with judging those that are within, v. 12. And so with judging this man, and with putting of him out, v. 13. or it is not all one; if these be all one, then hath the Church a hand in this delivering to Satan, and so it is not a miraculous killing. Erastus granteth the consequence, if these be not all one, this is two judgings of the man, one of Pauls v. 5. by miraculous killing, and another of Pauls and the Church, v. 12. This latter must be some Church judging of those that are within the Church, common to Paul and the Corinthians, as the words clear, and which is opposed to Gods judging of those that are without; and this is so like Excommunication, that Erastus must make some other thing of it. Now we cannot say that there was any miraculous judging of this man, common to Paul as an Apostle, and to the Corinthians, the ordinary believers and Saints, as Erastus yieldeth. 3. [Greek or Hebrew] to put 2away the man, which is expressly commanded to the Church of Corinth, v. 13. must be the same [Greek or Hebrew] and putting away, [Greek or Hebrew], in the same word [Greek or Hebrew], that is, v. 2.