A92138:1419
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.
He keepeth another vineyard of the Civill state, he is not Pastor to the Church as the Church, over which the Holy Ghost hath set him, Act. 20. 28. 1 Peter 5. 1, 2, 3. he is not to give an account for the soul•, and for the souls of Pastors by his office, he may as a Christian be his brothers keeper, to teach, admonish, Col. 3. 15. and exhort, Heb. 3. 13. he is not by office to blow the trumpet, as Ezekiel was, Ezek. 33. 7, 8. Ezek. 3. 17, 18, 19, 20. he is not over the people in the Lord to admonish them as a Magistrate, as a Magistrate he only is either to praise and reward well doing, or take vengeance on evil doing, Rom. 13. 4. nor doth Paul think Nero, 1 Tim. 5. 17. worthy of double honour, all those are proper to Church-officers, the proposition is necessary; because if the Magistrate be the eminent and supreme watchman over the Pastors, as his under deputies and servants, then must the Magistrate more eminently keep the vineyard, and watch for the souls, both of Pastors and people, feed the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath set him, be over the people in the Lord, be worthy of double honour, as one that ruleth well, and is worthy of double honour; and that by office: Now 1. The word never warranted him in the Old Testament, to sacrifice, to burn incense to Minister before the Lord, to carry the ark: But God separated the Priests and Levites for this only; and was it such a sin for Uzziah to burn incense; and for Uzziah to touch the Ark, and for any to bear the Ark but the Levites? and are not these things written for our instruction? are we all now to bear the Ark? and are we all to dispense the word and Sacraments? When Paul will not have women to teach in the Church, and when God hath no less in the New Testament separated some by the laying on of hands, and appointed a Ministry in the New Testament then he did in the Old? 2. Where hath God in Old or New Testament set down, that all those qualifications, in an eminent manner, and as principally due to the Magistrate, as he hath described the qualification of the officers of the New Testament in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus, and the Ephesians, Ch. 4. v. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.