A92138:1392
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.
The adversaries must prove Moses, David, Solomon, and those godly Kings, as Kings and Magistrates, and virtute officij, were supreme rulers and Church-officers, and so that Constantine, and all the godly Princes and Emperors, were, by virtue of their office, as Magistrates, all such Prophets, as were Moses, David, Solomon: for certainly, they as Prophets wrote Scripture, had the form and structure of the Temple revealed to them of God, received Laws from God for the Priests: if our Kings as Magistrates now can do the like, we shall then say something to their Headship over the Church. 4. And if they reformed Religion in the time of the defection of the Priests, when they were holy and zealous, and walked with God, and did right in the sight of the Lord like unto David, such as Jehoshaphat, Josiah, when the Priests were corrupt: we shall grant the like to Parliaments made up of Josiahs and Ezechiahs; when the Assembly of Divines are corrupt, Heterodox, and all the Pastors have corrupted their ways. 5. Civill punishing of Church-men when they are1 Heretical and scandalous, we heartily yield to Magistrates. But that Magistrates as such should Excommunicate and admit such to the Sacrament, and reject other such, and rebuke, or, that the Magistrate as the Magistrate, did of old judge between the clean and the unclean, cast out from the congregation and camp, and receive ⟨p. 514⟩in, and so govern the Church, is altogether unwarrantable. Now the adversaries, as Erastus, grant that Idolaters, Apostates, and 2extremely profane men, are to be cast out of the Christian society, and not to be suffered there; and also that Dogs, and Swine, and Apostates, & persecutors, are neither to be admitted to hear the Word, nor partake of the Sacraments: So also Mr. Pryn, if Magistrates must cast them out of the Church by virtue of their office, and judge as Magistrates who are profane, and who truly fear God, and who are dogs and Apostates, who not, surely then Magistrates as Magistrates must discern between the clean and the unclean, as Priest▪ of old, and must separate the precious from the vile, as the Prophets did of old, and so were the mouth of God, and must stand before the Lord, le•. 15. 19.