A92138:1448
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.
Obj. 4. When its required that the Magistrates be men fearing1 God, hating covetousness, &c. is not this an essential ingredient of an King as a King, that he read in the book of the Law, that he may fear God, Deut. 17?
Obj. 4. When its required that the Magistrates be men fearing1 God, hating coveteousnesse, &c. is not this an essentiall ingredient of an King as a King, that he read in the book of the Law, that he may feare God, Deut. 17?
- 1Exo. 18. 21 Deu. 1. 16. 17. D•u. 17. 19 20.
Ans. There is a twofold goodness here to be considered, one of the magistrate as a magistrate, another as a good and Christian ⟨p. 548⟩magistrate. The former is an official goodness, or a magistratical prudence, justice, and goodness; this is required of all magistrates as such, to judge the people: so the acts of an heathen magistrate done according to common natural equity, by Nebuchadnezzar, Pilate, Cesar, Felix, Festus, are to be acknowledged as acts of a Lawful Magistrate, valid and no less essentially Magistratical, then if performed by King David; and of this goodness the Scriptures speak not as essential to a Magistrate as a Magistrate: But there is another goodness required of Magistrates as1