A92138:960
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.
Erastus. The leaven of the Passover does not so signify impurity of life, that Excommunication can be hence gathered: therefore the Apostle alludeth to that place, that or the like way, as the Jews did Celebrate their Passover without leaven; so it becometh us to Celebrate our Passover without the leaven of malice and wickedness: Leaven simply, may either signify good or evil, as Matth. 13. and 16. and Potuit, it might signify our natural corruption. For God not only forbiddeth to eat leaven, but to have it in the house; and leaven signifieth ⟨p. 350⟩[…]sse so to be punished, as ye• say, even by death.
Erastus. The leaven of the Passeover does not so signifie impurity of life, that Excommunication can be hence gathered: therefore the Apostle alludeth to that place, that or the like way, as the Jews did Celebrate their Passeover without leaven; so it becometh us to Celebrate our Passeover without the leaven of malice and wickednesse: Leaven simply, may either signifie good or evil, as Matth. 13. and 16. and Potuit, it might signifie our naturall corruption. For God not only forbiddeth to eat leaven, but to have it in the house; and leaven signifieth ⟨p. 350⟩〈…〉sse so to be punished, as ye• say, even by death.
Ans. The Leaven of the Passover, signified so impurity, as we are to put out the person that leaveneth the Church, out of the Church, as they were to put leaven out of the house; and not only simply, not to eat it; so are we not only, not to eat and drink with a scandalous man, but he is to be reputed no member of the Church, but a leavening and contagious man; and therefore Paul doth not here, as Erastus dreameth, show what way every one in his own personal practise and duty, as a single Christian is to do, that he may save his own soul; and therefore every one was to celebrate a Christian Passover in his own soul, laying aside the leaven of malice: Though I grant, That Paul, ver. 8. doth infer and draw a conclusion of a personal purging out of the leaven of malice and hypocrisy out of every mans heart: But Paul doth expressly command the Corinthians as a convened Church, to put out from amongst them another man, for the saving of that other mans soul: And what they should do in a Church society toward the man, [Greek or Hebrew], Who hath done this, to wit, down right they should Judge him, Cast him out, purge him out as a leavening piece. And the world cannot give any other meaning of the words, then that, as the Jews were to put all leaven from amongst them, when they were to celebrate their Passover: So the Corinthians were to exercise the like work, upon this incestuous man, and to put him out from amongst them, as one delivered to Satan, as a lump of sour leaven; and we seek no more for Excommunication. 2. Leaven signifieth