A92138:1461
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.
Ans. 1. If we give a supremacy royal, and princely to the Ministers, which they call Archi•ectonica, as the adversaries do to the Magistrate; multitudes of Popes behoved to be in the Church; but we make them mere Heralds, Trumpeters, and Messengers to relate the will of God, void of all royal power, and having neither earthly majesty, power, nor Sword. 2. It is not our Argument, that in which they conceive we repose, to wit, that we think the adversaries resolve all ultimatè, and last which concerneth the government of the Church, in the will of the Magistrate, as on an infallible rule, we grant they teach that the Word of God is to rule the Magistrate in the matters of the first Table, and justice and equity in the things of the second Table, but they say this in words only, but the Magistrate as Magistrate may mould1 out of his high dominion what Church government he will, and this by consequent resolveth all in the Magistrates will; and that they teach, that when the Magistrate doth command against the Word of God, then it is better to obey God then men. And 2. This we infer as an absurdity that they cannot shun that there is such a ⟨p. 555⟩new officer, a new Church head, a creature most like a Pope in every Christian Kingdom brought in the Church, who is above Bishops, Pastors, Doctors, who by office must carry the mind of God to Pastor and people, who hath the keys of the House to make and unmake, call and send, recall and exantorate ministers as his Servants and Heralds. 3. Look what power the Magistrate as a Magistrate hath in civill affairs, the same hath he in dispensing Word, Sacraments, admitting to, or rejecting from the Sacraments, calling of ministers, excommunicating by this way, and so by office, he is no less essentially a Pastor to watch for the soul, then he is a civill Judge. 4. How doth this confound the two Kingdoms? the Kingdom that is of this world, and fighteth with the Sword; and the Kingdom that is not of this world, and fighteth not with the Sword? if the magistrate as the magistrate and armed with the sword, be the supreme Head over both, and as he beareth the Sword have a carnal dominion over the Church as the Church? 5.
Ans. 1. If we give a supremacy royall, and princely to the Ministers, which they call Archi•ectonica, as the adversaries doe to the Magistrate; multitudes of Popes behoved to be in the Church; but we make them meer Heralds, Trumpeters, and Messengers to relate the will of God, void of all royall power, and having neither earthly majesty, power, nor Sword. 2. It is not our Argument, that in which they conceive we repose, to wit, that we thinke the adversaries resolve all ultimatè, and last which concerneth the government of the Church, in the will of the Magistrate, as on an infallible rule, we grant they teach that the Word of God is to rule the Magistrate in the matters of the first Table, and justice and equity in the things of the second Table, but they say this in words onely, but the Magistrate as Magistrate may mould