A92138:892
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. To put away out of the midst of them, is to put the man out of the Congregation, as the word Careh is expounded before, and is not to kill: were Hymeneus and Alexander delivered to Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme? what learning or Discipline can dead men be capable of? 2. There's need of mourning when any is cut off from Christs body, it being the highest judgement of God on earth. 3. Without the visible Church altogether as Heathens are, there is no salvation; But to be so without the Church, as the casting out is a medicinal punishment, That the soul may be saved in the day of the Lord, is a mean to bring the soul in, to both the invisible and visible Church, and putteth none in that state, that they cannot be saved, but by the contrary in a way to be saved; so the man periret, nisi periret.
Ans. To put away out of the midst of them, is to put the man out of the Congregation, as the word Careh is expounded before, and is not to kill: were Hymeneus and Alexander delivered to Satan, that they might learn not to blaspheme? what learning or Discipline can dead men be capable of? 2. There's need of mourning when any is cut off from Christs body, it being the highest judgement of God on earth. 3. Without the visible Church altogether as Heathens are, there is no salvation; But to be so without the Church, as the casting out is a medicinall punishment, That the soul may be saved in the day of the Lord, is a mean to bring the soul in, to both the invisible and visible Church, and putteth none in that state, that they cannot be saved, but by the contrary in a way to be saved; so the man periret, nisi periret.
Erastus. It would seem, it may be proved from the Text, that the1 man persevered not in that wickedness, for the Text saith, [Greek or Hebrew] & [Greek or Hebrew]: He that hath done, and that hath wrought this deed, not he that doth this deed; and therefore it seems Paul would inflict punishment as a good Magistrate useth to do (even though the man repent) and he saith, that his spirit may be saved, then the man repented.