A92138:1472
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.
Objections touching the subordinations of Magistrate and Church removed.
There is nothing more hated by the Adversaries then the pretended emulation of those two superlatives and highest powers: Some Object, 1. Are not all powers on earth subject to the Magistrate? Ministers of the Gospel not excepted; doth not the Magistrate command the Pastors to preach the Word?
THere is nothing more hated by the Adversaries then the pretended emulation of those two superlatives and highest powers: Some Object, 1. Are not all powers on earth subject to the Magistrate? Ministers of the Gospel not excepted; doth not the Magistrate command the Pastors to preach the Word?
Ans. All power deviating offensively, and to the disturbance of societies in Morals, is subject to the Civill power and the Sword; and every power failing against the Law and Gospel within the bosom of the Church, is subject to the Word of God, in the mouth of the Ministers, who are nothing but Servants and Heralds; so that the subjection is to God, not to the Church, and in a spiritual and Ecclesiastical way: See P. Martyr. Lo. Come. l. 4. c. 13. & seq; Its but a poor evasion of Vedelius, to say, That the Magistrate is subject to the Church Catachrestice & abusive, unproperly and abusively. 1. Because the Ministers as the Ambassadors of Christ do properly and not abusively preach the Gospel to Magistrates. 2. Magistrates are not unproperly the sheep of Christ; yea, they are to ⟨p. 562⟩the adversaries chief Members of the Church; Ergo, they are that way subject as other Members, as Pareus saith, Come. Rom. 13. Nor, 3. Will that prove any thing that the Pastors are Ministers, not Lords: for to people and Prince as they have souls to be saved, they are Ministers, and by this people should abusively be subject as well as Magistrates: But Vedelius freeth Magistrates from subjection to Pastors; because they are subject to the Word of God, not to Pastors, but so are the people subject also the same way.