A92138:996
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. Erastus acknowledgeth this to be no new Argument; therefore we may pass it, it is the chief pillar of his opinion: But I put it in form thus, to Erastus.
Ans. Erastus acknowledgeth this to be no new Argument; therefore we may passe it, it is the chief pillar of his opinion: But I put it in forme thus, to Erastus.
Those whom God inviteth to repentance, those he will not exclude from the Sacraments: But now under the Gospel, he inviteth all, even many Pagans and Heathen to repentance, 1 Tim. 2. 4. God will have all, even Heathen Magistrates, to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth, so Act. 17. 30. God now commandeth all men, every where, even the Idolaters, and blind Philosophers at Athens, who erected an Altar to the unknown God, ver. 23. and who jeered at the Doctrine of the Resurrection, ver. 32. even those God inviteth to repentance; Ergo, God excludeth not Pagans from the Sacraments; but the conclusion is absurd and blasphemous; therefore so must one of the premises be, but the Assumption is Scripture; Ergo, The Major Proposition of Erastus must be blasphemous. God inviteth scorners to repentance, and rebukes are means of repentance; Ergo, we may rebuke scorners; Gods spirit saith, Rebuke not a scorner, Prov. 9. 7, 8. His Proposition then must be, Those whom God inviteth to repentance, those God excludeth not from any mean of piety and sanctity: It is most false, God inviteth Dogs and Swine to repentance, and commandeth them to be holy, and the pearls of the Gospel are means of repentance, and holiness: Must we therefore, Cast pearls to dogs and swine? The contrary our Saviour enjoineth, Matth. 7. 6. 2. Moses, Deut. 14. 1. forbiddeth diverse Ceremonies and Sacraments of the Heathen by this Argument: Ye are the children of the Lord your God; and he saith expressly, that the stranger may eat some unclean thing, but the Lord saith to them, You shall not do so, for thou art an holy people to