A92138:1110
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. That Jehoshaphat speaketh of the same judicature that Moses speaketh of, is clear, 2 Chron. 19. 8, 9. 10. The very words of Moses Deut. 17. 8. are the same, both the same judges, and the same causes, compared with v. 5, 6, 7. But Jehoshaphat maketh two judicatures, as I have proved, and Jehoshaphat reformed according to Moses his Law, as Erastus granteth. 2. I cannot be induced to believe that the judges here teached by judging, it is spoken contrary ⟨p. 406⟩to Theology: The end of teaching is to inform the conscience,1 and Teachers as Teachers watch for the soul; and the end of civill and politic judging, is a quiet and peaceable life, 1 Tim. 2. 2. the weapons of teachers are not carnal, but spiritual, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. the weapons of civill Judges are carnal, for the civill Judge beareth not the sword in vain, Rom. 13. 4. then these same civill judges did not both teach and judge at once, they taught not as civill judges, but as Priests; they judged not as Priests, but as civill Judges; and therefore there is no ground to say that Moses ascribeth these same acts to civill judges, and Priests and Levites, as if they made one Synedry; for in both Texts not one word of teaching, which is proper to the Priests, Mal. 2. 7. Jer. 2. 8. Hos. 4. 6. is ascribed to the civill Judge; and not one word of judging and condemning to death, which is proper to the civill Judge, Num. 35. 24.