A92138:1069
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.
If the cause of the King, were all one with the judgement of the Lord, and the cause of the Lord, yea, if it were all one with all causes whatsoever either civill or Ecclesiastical, what reason was there they should be distinguished in the Text? and that Amaziah should not be over the people in the Kings matters, though he were the chief Priest, and Zebadiah though a civill Judge over all the matters of the Lord, and causes Ecclesiastical? 3. The Kings matters are the causes of the widow, and orphan, and oppressed, as is evident, Jer. 22. 2. O King of Judah, v. 3. execute ye judgement and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, so Esa. 1. 10. 17. Prov. 31. 4, 5. Job 29. 12, 13, &c. Then the▪ Text must bear that every matter of the King is the Judgement of the Lord, and the matter of the Lord; and every matter and judgement of the Lord, is ⟨p. 389⟩also the matter of the King, and to be judged by the King, then must the King as well as the Priest, judge between the clean and the unclean, and give sentence who shall be put out of the Camp, and not enter into the Congregation of the Lord, no less then the Priests. Let Erastus and all his see to this, and then must the Priests also relieve the fatherless and widow, and put to death the oppressor. 2. The different presidents in the judicatures maketh them different judicatures. 3. It is denied, that all causes whatsoever came before the Ecclesiastical Synedry at Jerusalem, Erastus doth say this, but not prove it; for the place 2 Chron. 19. doth clearly expound the place, Deut. 17. for the causes of the brethren that dwell in the Cities, between Blood and Blood, between Law and Commandment, Statutes and judgements are judged in the Ecclesiastical Synedrim at Jerusalem not in a civill coactive way by the power of the sword. 1. Because all causes are by a coactive power judged, as the matters of the King, the supreme sword bearer,