A92138:1438
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.
Hence, our 1. Assertion: The Magistrate as the Magistrate is to1 procure that there be Preachers and Church-officers to dispense Word, Sacraments, and Discipline: For 1. his end is, That people under him may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in godliness and honesty, 1 Tim. 2. 2. And the Magistrate attaineth his end as a Magistrate, if there be simple exercise of Religion in the quiet and peaceable way, that may consist with the subjects indemnity, and immunity, from rapine, injuries, and violence. 2. The difference between the Magistrates and other callings, is, that the Magistrate was to take care of old, That there were Levites who bare the Ark, and, Priests who should burn incense before the Lord, and Sacrifice; and yet it was unlawful for the Magistrate to bear the Ark on his own shoulders, or in his own person to burn incense or sacrifice; so the Physicians hinder that diseases rage amongst the subjects, and the Magistrates do also hinder that they should rage: But the Physicians hinder them by curing diseases, and the Magistrate hinders them not by curing diseases; for then he should as a Magistrate also be a Physician, but by procuring that there should be Physicians in the Common-wealth. The Magistrate hindereth ignorance, and losing Ships by Tempests, not by professing and teaching Sciences and Arts in Academies in his own person, nor by steering Ships, and guiding them himself to their Ports, for so a magistrate as a magistrate should be a Schoolmaster, a professor of Arts and Sciences in the Universities, and a Pilot or Shipmaster, which were a confounding of all callings; but by procuring that there should be Universities and Professors of Arts and Sciences, and by providing honourable stipends and wages for them, and procuring that in the Commonwealth there should be Sailors who are skilled in Shipping: and so doth the magistrate by his office take care, that the Word, Sacraments and Discipline, be dispensed. 3. But the magistrate as the ⟨p. 544⟩magistrate doth no• command sincere, hearty, zealous, and affectionate dispensing of Word, Sacraments a•d Discipline: But only the dispensing of those without the qualification of the spiritual,2