A92138:1431
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.
5. Dist. A judge is one thing, and a just judge another thing, so here are we to distinguish between a Magistrate, and a Christian Magistrate. As 1. a husband is one thing, and a Christian husband another thing, a Captain is one thing, and a Christian, and a believing Centurion or Captain, such as Cornelius, Acts 10. is another; a Physician is one thing, and a gracious Physician is another thing; sure a heathen Husband hath the same jus Marital, the same Husband power in regard of Marriage union, that a Christian and believing Husband hath. 2. A Magistrate and a Christian Magistrate may be one and the same Magistrate, with one and the same Magistratical power, as being first heathen Magistrate, as Sergius Paulus, Act. 13. 7, 12. and there after converted to the faith. Paulus 1was no less a civill Deputy, when Heathen then when Christian, and not more a Deputy as touching the essence of a Magistrate, when a Christian believer, then he was before when a Heathen; yet to be a Magistrate, and to be a believing Magistrate, are two different things, even as Christianity is a noble ornament, and a gracious accident, and to be a Magistrate, is as it were the Subject, even as a man, and the accidents of the man, are two different things.
5. Dist. A judge is one thing, and a just judge another thing, so here are we to distinguish between a Magistrate, and a Christian Magistrate. As 1. a husband is one thing, and a Christian husband another thing, a Captaine is one thing, and a Christian, and a beleeving Centurion or Captain, such as Cornelius, Acts 10. is another; a Physitian is one thing, and a gracious Physitian is another thing; sure a heathen Husband hath the same jus Maritale, the same Husband power in regard of Marriage union, that a Christian and beleeving Husband hath. 2. A Magistrate and a Christian Magistrate may be one and the same Magistrate, with one and the same Magistraticall power, as being first heathen Magistrate, as Sergius Paulus, Act. 13. 7, 12. and there after converted to the faith. Paulus 1