A92138:1384
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.
for directions and commandments of God in this kind, are more principally given to the Master, Lord, and chief Governor of the house of God, (if the Magistrate be such) then to the servants & delegates▪ But where is there any such directions given to the Emperor, King, or Christian Magistrate, by any shadow of ground in the Word? It is not much to say, The Magistrate was an heathen & an enemy at this time, and therefore those could not be written to him. For 1. No force can strain these two Epistles to Timothy, ⟨p. 508⟩and the other to Titus, which contain a form of Church-policy to any Christian Magistrate; for then the qualification of the King, if he be the supreme Governor of the Church should far rather have been expressed, then the qualification of a Bishop and a Deacon, which is no where hinted at. 2. All these directions, notwithstanding this, do and must actu primo, agree to the Magistrate: for his office who is chief governor, & what he should be is described in the Word. 3. When Christ ascended on high, he gave, as a fruit of his ascension, sufficient means for his intended end, The perfecting of the Saints, the gathering of his Body the Church, and the edifying thereof, even till we all meet in the Unity of the Spirit, and the knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect man, Eph. 4. Now neither in that place, nor in any other place, did Christ give a Magistrate for the edifying his Body the Church; but only those that are but his Delegates, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, i• the Magistrate be the only Governor of the Church, and he who sendeth into the Vineyard those who edify the Body; the King should have been first in this Role, as the only supreme gatherer, edifier and builder of the Church: It cannot be said, The Ruling Elder then, because he is omitted here, should not be the gift of Christ, given to Edify the Church; and by this it must be denied, that the King the Nurse father of the Church who is to take care that the Children be fed with the sincere milk of the Word, is given of God to edf•ie the Church, because he is not name• here.
for directions and commandments of God in this kinde, are more principally given to the Master, Lord, and chief Governour of the house of God, (if the Magistrate be such) then to the servants & delegates But where is there any such directions given to the Emperour, King, or Christian Magistrate, by any shadow of ground in the Word? It is not much to say, The Magistrate was an heathen & an enemy at this time, and therefore those could not be written to him. For 1. No force can strain these two Epistles to Timothy,