A92138:1434
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.
Nor can they make a Christian Magistrate, à medium per participationem utriusque extremi, a middle between a Magistrate and a Christian. 1. For where is there such an office in either Church or state? for so a Christian Magistrate as a Christian Magistrate should be Ens per aggregationem, a thing composed of Magistracy and Christianity, as a Christian Physician, a Christian Painter; and then the question should be, whether judgeth he as a Magistrate, or as a Christian? as we may ask whether a Christian painter painteth as a painter or as a Christian: not as a Christian, 1for then all Christians should be Painters; and a result of both should neither be a Magistrate nor a Christian, but middle between both, which fighteth with reason and sense. Some say, The power of the Magistrate in a Christian Magistrate who knoweth the doctrine of the Gospel, and hath help of the counsel and light of godly Pastors and Teachers, is perfecter then in Heathen Magistrates, and therefore this power as not Christian or heathenish, governs men as men, but as Christian, it governeth them as Christian m•n. But the learned and worthy professor Jac. Triglandius saith this is said without probation, for (saith he) men as Christians are members of the Church, and so are not governed but in an Ecclesiastical way▪ and where hath the Lord commanded the Christian Magistrate to govern the sheep of Christ, as the sheep of Christ? Then (say I) 1. The magistrate must govern the Church as the Church, and so rule ⟨p. 542⟩over the conscience of men in relation to eternal happiness, by promising to them temporal rewards, and by compelling them by the sword, to be carried toward eternal beatitude; for to rule the Church as the Church, is to direct and lead them by spiritual means, Word, Sacraments and Discipline, to heaven, which the magistrate as a magistrate cannot do by the sword; and what he doth as a Christian▪ that he must do in a spiritual way, not with a secular2 arm and power as magistrate; and the two powers of a magistrate and of a Christian, cannot coalescere, grow together in one office which is made up of both, as of two parts, being in nature and species different, no more then of a Horse and a Lyon you can make a third living creature.