A92138:1494
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.
Object. 8. But if the Kingdom be heathenish, and the heart of the King be first supernaturally affected, then Religion beginneth at him as a Magistrate, and he may appoint gifted men after they are converted to preach the Gospel; Ergo, The first rise of Religion is from the Magistrate as the Magistrate.
Object. 8. But if the Kingdome be heathenish, and the heart of the King be first supernaturally affected, then Religion beginneth at him as a Magistrate, and he may appoint gifted men after they are converted to preach the Gospell; Ergo, The first rise of Religion is from the Magistrate as the Magistrate.
Ans. If the King be converted first as a Christian, not as a Magistrate, he may spread the Gospel to others, and preach himself but not as a Magistrate, as Jehoshaphat commanded the Levites to do their duty, so might he command those of the house of Aaron, who had deserted the Priests office, to take the office on them, to which God had called them, so here gifts and faithfulness appearing to the new converted Prince, he is to command those so gifted, (for their gifts and faithfulness is as evident a call as to be borne the sons of Aaron,) to take on them the calling of preaching and of dispensing the Seals. But▪ 1. he ordaineth them not ⟨p. 570⟩Pastors as a Prince, but commandeth them to follow the calling which now the Church not constitute, cannot give. 2. He can preach himself as a gifted believer, in an extraordinary exigence,1 but he cannot do this as a Magistrate, yea, Moses did never prophecy as a Magistrate, nor David as a King. 2. All the rise that Religion hath from the Prince as the Prince in this case is civill, that men gifted may be commanded by civill Authority, to dispense Word and Sacraments, but nothing Ecclesiastical is here done by the Prince as the Prince. 3. The highest power in the Church as the Church, and the highest amongst men, as men, are much different. The Magistrates power in commanding that this Religion that is true and consonant to the Word of God be set up, and others that are false be not set up in his Kingdom, is a civill power, and due to him as a Magistrate, but a highest Church power, to dispense Word and Sacraments agreeth to no Magistrate as a Magistrate; but it followeth not, that when the true Religion is erected by his power as a Magistrate, that he may as a Magistrate dispense Word, Sacraments, and Synodical acts and censures; except God have called him to preach the Word, and to use the sword of the other Kingdom, as a Member of the Church joined with the Church.