A92138:993
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.
And whereas Erastus saith, Paul will have us 2 Thes. 3. 15. to admonish this man as a brother; Ergo, In holy things, and in the Sacraments▪ that are helps of piety and Salvation, we are not to •ast him off: It is true, the cast out man is not to be reputed as an enemy, but a brother. Yet a sick and diseased brother, under the roughest Medicine of the Church, to wit, the rod of Excommunication, that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. But withdrawing of brotherly fellowship, is not a mere civill unbrothering of him, for if the brotherly fellowship of Christians must be spiritual, religious, and for the edifying of one another's souls, for exhorting one another, to prevent hardening of heart, ⟨p. 361⟩for provoking one another to love, and to good works, to teach one another, to comfort and support one another, as we are expressly commanded by the Holy Ghost, Heb. 3. 13. Heb. 10. 24. Col. 3. 16. 1 Thess. 5. 11, 14. Mal. 3. 16. Jer. 50. 5. Zach. 8. 22. Psal. 42. 4. I wonder where Erastus learned this Divinity, to say, the denying of this edifying Communion to a scandalous brother, while he be ashamed and repent, Is to deny nothing that belongeth to his salvation: Admonition is but one of twenty comfortable acts of Communion, which we deny not to him, least the man should despair, and we should cast off all care, hope, or intention to save his soul, whereas the genuine and intrinsical intention of avoiding him, and casting him out of the Church, is, that he may be saved: Lastly, we deny not admonition, and preaching of the word to the man, thus cast out, because they be converting Ordinances, simply necessary to work the mans humiliation and repentance; but the Lords Supper is a confirming Ordinance, and denied to the excommunicated while he is in that condition upon that very reason, that it is denied to Pagans and Heathens; and though it be an help of piety, it is no help either to a Pagan, or an excommunicate man, but damnation: But it may be, the excommunicate man hath faith. I answer, To us in the Court of the Church, in which the Seals are dispensed,