A92138:1116
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.
yea, that Magistrates teach the people by the Pastors, as by their Vicars, then Zebadiah should more diligently care for the matters of God, then Amariah as the Lord and Master should more care his own business, then his servant should do: 3. More or less doth not vary the nature of things; then must ⟨p. 410⟩the Magistrate Sacrifice, Teach, judge between the clean and the unclean, minister before the Lord as the sons of Aaron, and the sons of Levi, but less diligently. But what calling hath he to any of these Acts at all? Hath the Lord chosen the Tribe of Judah, or the Tribe of Levi to minister before him? And by the same reason, the Priests, Levites should do these same things, but more diligently. And again Amariah is to use the sword, and to condemn ill doers to death: But less diligently, these be pleasant dreams. 5. The Priest and Judges are companions, as Moses and Aaron: Ergo, the one is not Master and the other servant and Deputy, •• Erastus dreameth, and they are the rather of that in divers Senats. 6. But how proveth Erastus, That the Levites were common Servants both to Priests and Judges? For though it were so, this will never subject the Priests to the Civill Judge, nor confound these two Judicatures: David 1 Chron. 26. divided the Levites, and set them in their courses for service; Ergo, They were King Davids servants as King, it followeth not, except Erastus prove David did not this as a Prophet, and that the Lord did not choose the Tribe of Levi. But David did it as a King, and so all Magistrates may appoint offices in the House of God, and call men to the Ministry, by virtue of the Magistrates place: But David, 1 Chro. 24. distributed the Priests as well as the Levites; Ergo, the Priests are servants to the King, as well as the Levites. But the Levites are expressly, 1. Chron. 26. given by office, to wait on the sons of Aaron, for the service of the house of the Lord, for the purifying the holy things, for the show bread, for the fine flour for meat offerings, and for the unleavened Cakes, and that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measures and size, to praise the Lord at morning and night; to offer all burnt sacrifices to the Lord, &c. In all which no man can say, they were servants to the King: For then the King sacrificed by them, as by his servants; no Divinity is more contrary to Scripture.