A92138:1409
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.
If the Magistrate be the chief Church-officer, how is it that the Church was without Christian Magistrates in the Apostles time? then is there no exact pattern of a Christian Church, what it should be, de jure? hath Christ in the New Testament not moulded the Church, the second temple in all the dimensions of it, as Moses, David, Solomon, did by immediate inspiration show us the measure of the first Tabernacle, Sanctuary, and Temple? finally should Cesar, suppose he had been a Christian, have received imposition of hands from the Elders, a• his deputies the Ministers do? and be over the Church in the Lord as King? and receive accusations against Elders, ordain Elders in every Church, put out and cast out the unworthy? only for the iniquity of the time, Ministers were forced to do these? Erastus and his have not one word of Scripture for this, or were the keys of the Kingdom of heaven given to Cesar? and because Cesar was without the Church, therefore Peter received them, Matth. 16. while Cesar should be converted, what Scripture have we for this? for to rule the Church as the Magistrate doth, is an act of the Magistrate performed by power of the sword: Whether the Magistrate do rule in his own person, or by his deputies and servants; Ergo, the Apostles governing the Church meddled with the sword, which Christ forbade, Luk. 22. 25, 26. Rom. 13. 4. Luk. 12. 13, 14. and all the Pastors and teachers now in the exercise of discipline do usurp the sword; Yea, if they be the deputies of the Magistrate in dispensing word and Sacraments, they must use the Magistrates sword as Ministers of the Gospel; for what servants do in the name of the supreme swordbearer, that the swordbearer must principally do by the servants, so Ministers by this use both swords.
If the Magistrate be the chiefe Church-officer, how is it that the Church was without Christian Magistrates in the Apostles time? then is there no exact paterne of a Christian Church, what it should be, de jure? hath Christ in the New Testament not moulded the Church, the second temple in all the dimensions of it, as Moses, David, Solomon, did by immediate inspiration shew us the measure of the first Tabernacle, Sanctuary, and Temple? finally should Cesar, suppose he had been a Christian, have received imposition of hands from the Elders, a his deputies the Ministers do? and be over the Church in the Lord as King? and receive accusations against Elders, ordaine Elders in every Church, put out and cast out the unworthy? only for the iniquity of the time, Ministers were forced to do these? Erastus and his have not one word of Scripture for this, or were the keys of the Kingdome of heaven given to Cesar? and because Cesar was without the Church, therefore Peter received them,