A92138:1462
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.
If God have made the subordination of ministers as ministers, and servants of the magistrate as a magistrate, then the visible Church hath no ordinary right, to Ordinances, Word, Sacraments, discipline, but by the magistrate; and all that the Churches did in the Apostles times, or the first three hundred years after Christ, being contrary to the magistrates will, must be either seditious, or then it was by no rule of the Gospel, but by an extraordinary dispensation; and we shall have no warrant for any dispensing of the Word, and of Seals, or Government from the Apostolic Church, because all that must have been beside the rule and extraordinary. 6. From this pretended subordination, as the supreme magistrate may do all that the inferior magistrate may do, because the King is eminently all that the inferior Magistrate is, and something more; so may he dispense the Word and Sacraments, in regard that the King is by the same official power over the Church as the Church, in sacris, in all matters of Religion, as in civill things, and containeth in him, in a high and eminent manner, all that the Church and Pastors can do, as they are such, and because the King hath the same power, in all Arts and Trades, then by his Royal power he might (if he had time and leisure) build houses, because of his royal Eminency over all Trades, he might sit at the helm of any ship, and steer and rule it, he might ⟨p. 556⟩paint Images, he might plough the ground, because he hath the like Royal power over masons, Sailors, Painters, Husband-men, carpenters, and the like, as he hath over the common-wealth, and the Church; we must then say that God hath called the King to all these to be a minister, a mason, a Sailor, a Painter, and if he had leisure, he hath Gods calling to be a Preacher, a Sailor, as to be a King, yea, and that as King he is all these: Now the Apostle clearly distinguisheth between him who exhorteth and teacheth in the Church, Rom. 12. and him who is the Minister of God, and beareth not the sword in vain, Rom. 13. and clearly insinuateth a distinction of calling, so that God never called one man to all callings, as it is 1 Cor. 7. 17. But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk, ver. 20. Let every one abide in the same calling wherein he was called: And it is clear, if the King be a Head in the body