A92138:1065
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.
Saul and Uzziah sinned when they were bold to sacrifice and burn incense, but the Magistrate doth not therefore sin, who exerciseth the charge of the Ministry, if he might for his business perform both, doth Paul make exceptions of Magistrates and Potentates, when he saith, 1 Cor. 14. You may all prophesy? Hence he must grant that the civill Magistrate now may both preach, baptize, and administer the Supper of the Lord, and therefore not only hath the Church no Senate, nor Ecclesiastical court to punish faults, and scandals with Ecclesiastic censures; but there is no Presbytery of Elders to give their judgement in matters of doctrine, for the Magistrates and all Christians may as well prophecy by • Cor. 14. as Ministers, saith he, yea the faculty of preaching is no more proper to the Ministers of the Church, then to the Magistrates of the city. Now by this nothing is proper to the Magistrate, as the Magistrate, but to the Magistrate as a Christian, and to all Christians. But Erastus contendeth that the government of the Church, and punishing of Scandals, which we say belongeth to those that are over the people of God in the Lord, and to Church Rulers, doth belong to the Magistrate as the Magistrate, and virtute officii, by virtue of his office: so that if any Jew or Turk, or any ignorant or extremely scandalous should attempt to intrude himself upon the Seals, ⟨p. 386⟩the Magistrate as the Magistrate and virtute officii, is to examine and judge if he be unworthy, & to debar him, or as he findeth him worthy, admit him to the Seals. Now any seeth that it is but a deceiving of the Reader, to say that one man may discharge both the place of the Magistrate, and the Minister of God, as Moses did, and Joshua, & David: For let Erastus and his followers show us roundly and down-right, whether or no prophesying, debarring the unworthy from the Seals, and all acts of Church government, not proper to the Magistrate as the Magistrate, and virtute officii; And if so, (as indeed Erastus teacheth) it is bu• a poor shift to say, that one and the same man may both exercise the part of a Magistrate, and of a Minister.
Saul and Vzziah sinned when they were bold to sacrifice and burne incense, but the Magistrate doth not therefore sin, who exerciseth the charge of the Ministery, if he might for his businesse performe both, doth Paul make exceptions of Magistrates and Potentates, when he saith,