A92138:131
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.
But Christ is the head and only head of the Church, for by what title Christ is before all things, he in whom all things consist, and is the beginning, the first borne frame the dead, and hath the preeminence in ⟨p. 14⟩all things; and he is only, so•ely and absolutely all these, by the same title he is the Head, and so the only Head of the Body the Church, Col. 1. 17, 18. And he is the head of his Politic body, and so a head in all externals, as well as of mystical and invisible body, for if his Church be an external Political body, and ruled by Organs, Eyes, Watchmen, Rulers, Feeders, and such as externally guideth the flock, as it is, Eph. 4▪ 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Matth. 16▪ 17, 18. A society to which Christ hath given the keys of his House, and so external power in a visible Politic Court on earth to bind and loose, to take in and put out, to open and shut the doors of his visible Politic house; then this Politic body must have a head in external policy, and this head in externals must as a head govern by Laws all the members in their external society; for a body without a head is a monster, and a Politic body, without a head Politic, and one that ruleth Politically, is a Monster. And Christ is the King, yea the only King of his own Kingdom, either as this Kingdom is mystical and invisible, or as it is Politic, external, and visible on earth, as these Scriptures proveth, 1. Mat. 28. 18. Jesus •aith unto me, is all power given in Heaven and in earth: I hope this power is only given to Christ, not to Pope or earthly Prince: It is the name above all names, Phil. 2. 9. King of Kings▪