A92138:990
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.
Whereas once I esteemed him a Brother, and did keep Brotherly fellowship with him; now this is materially Excommunication▪ I do no more in this kind to one who is formally Excommunicated; yea, I am not so strange to a Heathen; Ergo, This I must have done upon some foregoing sentence of the Church, otherwise, I might un-Church and un-Brother the man whom the Church neither hath, nor can, un-Church and un-Brother. 3. Eschewing of Brotherly fellowship to any, is an act of Government distinct from the Preaching of the Word, tending to make a Brother that walketh disorderly ashamed, that he may repent, and of a Brother in name only, may become a Brother in reality, 2 Thes. 3. 14. But this act of Government belongeth not to the Christian Magistrate; for every Brother (saith Erastus) may exercise it toward his Brother; Ergo, here is Church-Government that the Magistrate hath no hand in, contrary to the way of Erastus, and not in the hands of Pastors, for it is distinct from Preaching; nor is it in a College of Pastors, Doctors, and Elders, for Erastus denieth any such College; Ergo, here every one must govern another, the man the woman, and the woman the man; the son the father, if he walk unorderly, and the Father the Son; this can be nothing, but the greatest Confusion on Earth. 4. To put any to shame, especially publicly, by way of punishment for public sins, must come from some Judges, or others armed ⟨p. 360⟩with Authority, Judg. 18. 7. 1 Cor. 4. 14. 1 Cor. 6. 5. 1 Cor. 25. 34. Then the Apostles sense cannot be, that every one hath power of himself without the Church, or any authority there from to put his brother to shame; for when a brother is not to eat with a scandalous brother, he must be convinced by the Church to be scandalous, and so cast our, 1 Cor. 5. 11, 12, 13. as we have proved before, and every man here should be his own judge, and party in his own cause, except he put his brother to some shame by an higher authority then his own. The word [Greek or Hebrew], is to put a public note or [Greek or Hebrew] upon the offender. So Stephanus. So Piscator, Nota ignominiosâ excommunicationis. Pomponius laetus de Magistr. Rom. . 21. Censores quinto quoque anno creari solebant, hic prorsus cives sic notabantur, ut qui Senator esset ejeceetur Senatu, qui eques Romanus equum publicum perderet, &c. Mathaeus Harnish & Gec.