A92138:1389
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.
and so Christ evidently proveth in these words, that the power that beareth the sword, which is the very essence of the Magistrates office as a Magistrate, is not a part of his Kingdom, for his Kingdom is of another World, and Spiritual; but the Magistrates power is of this World, and useth worldly weapons, as the sword. Then it is evident that the Magistrate as the Magistrate, 1. Is not subordinate1 to Christ as Mediator and head of the Church. 2. That when it was said, All power in heaven and earth is given to the Mediator Christ: The sense cannot be, the power of the sword was given to him as Mediator, to be a judge and a Ruler on earth, which he refused, Luke 12. 13, 14. (though as God he hath the power of the sword.) 3. That the supreme Magistrate as Magistrate is not the only Deputy, Delegate, and Vicar of Christ as Mediator; for if Christ as Mediator have a substitute and Deputy, such as the Magistrate as the Magistrate, who beareth his bloody sword to cut off the enemies of the Church, and to fight for Christ: then 1. Christs Kingdom surely should be of this World. 2. By the same reason, since as Mediator he is Priest, and a High Priest to offer a sacrifice to God, as all Priests must do that are proper Priests Heb. 8. 3. c. 9. 7. c. 10. 14. c. 10. 1, 2, 3. &c. there must be Priests under Christ properly so called, to offer some bloody sacrifice satisfactory for sin, which is blasphemy to say, I mean proper Priests; for otherwise in a figurative and borrowed sense, all believers are Priests to offer themselves to God, Rom. 12. 1. Revel. 1. 5. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. but not the Deputies of the High Priest Jesus ⟨p. 512⟩Christ, and by the same reason he must have Prophets under him that are Vicars and Deputies, which is unpossible for Christ as Prophet and great Prophet, is essentially Lawgiver, and the Author of Canonic Scripture, and he who really by a supernatural power teacheth the heart, but so he hath no Deputies, nor any Ministers or Prophets, nor any under Law-givers, or under Prophets, which by an action or any active power communicated to them, can as under Lawgivers devise any part of Law or Gospel or any other part of Canonic Scripture, or have any active influence supernatural to make a new heart: