A92138:1081
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. 1. Well, then Erastus granteth that the Ministers are to preach the Word and dispense the Sacraments: But not to judge of those that profane the holy things of God, nor to debar from the Sacraments any who desire them; if Erastus did mean a bodily debarring by the power of the sword, if any openly profane shall violently intrude himself, we should yield that to the Magistrate as the keeper of both Tables. But Erastus is of that mind, that as the Magistrate may preach and dispense the Sacraments, he may by that power also Ecclesiastically cognosce, and judge of the scandals, for which the openly profane are to be debarred, and accordingly debar. Now Erastus saith he may preach ⟨p. 395⟩as a Christian, because that all Christians now under the New Testament may preach and prophecy, all are Priests and Prophets, so saith he, page 175. So the Magistrate by this as a Christian, and1 so all Christians women and children, may try and examine all that are openly profane, and unworthy of the Seals: this can be nothing but popular Anarchy; yet that the Magistrate, as a Magistrate, and not as a Christian, is to examine and try who are unworthy communicants, I conceive is the mind of Erastus, as I have proved before: Which though it be a plain contradiction, yet it is the pillar of all the Erastian doctrine, that the Magistrate as the Magistrate hath the supreme power of all Church government. Therefore (saith he, page 171.) they do wickedly who 2take from the Magistrate that part of the visible jurisdiction in government of the Church which God hath given to him, and subject the Magistrate to some other jurisdiction,—Magistrates are Gods.
Ans. 1. Well, then Erastus granteth that the Ministers are to preach the Word and dispense the Sacraments: But not to judge of those that prophane the holy things of God, nor to debarre from the Sacraments any who desire them; if Erastus did mean a bodily debarring by the power of the sword, if any openly prophane shall violently intrude himself, we should yeeld that to the Magistrate as the keeper of both Tables. But Erastus is of that minde, that as the Magistrate may preach and dispense the Sacraments, he may by that power also Ecclesiastically cognosce, and judge of the scandals, for which the openly prophane are to be debarred, and accordingly debarre. Now Erastus saith he may preach