A92138:1512
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.
That one judge on the Bench, and the same stand at the Bar and be judged, at divers and sundry times, is not so impossible, by far, as to reconcile East and West together; A•••b may judge Naboth to be condemned and stoned for his vineyard to day, and immediately after Elijah the Prophet may arraign him before the Bar and tribunal of God to be condemned, and adjudged to dye in the portion of Jezreel, where the dogs may lick his blood: It is true Elijah is not properly a judge, but a declarer, in a prophetical and authoritative way of the judgement of God; but this is all the judicial power which we ascribe to Church, or Presbytery and Pastors; they are mere Ministers or servants to declare the will and sentence of God: When the Minister preacheth wrath against the King for his sins, he judgeth the King in a Pastoral and Ministerial way, which is all we contend for, in many officers united in a Church way, and at that same time, the King hath power after that, to judge him for preaching treason for •ound Doctrine; if it be found to be treason by the Church, and this reciprocation of judging we maintain as consistent and necessary in Ministers of Gospel and Magistrates: But such a distance between them, as between East and West, we see not. The Author should have shown it to us by his own grounds: The Church may excommunicate a Magistrate as a persecutor, who cutteth off Idolaters for their conscience; yet the godly Magistrate may judge and punish them with the sword, for abusing the ordinance of Excommunication, so as to excommunicate the godly Magistrate, because he doth punish evil doing with the Sword, Rom. 13. 4. 4. The Author infers that tumults and bloods do arise from ⟨p. 577⟩these two▪ But that will not prove these two to be inconsistent and contr•dictorious; tumults and blood arise from preaching the Gospel, what then? Ergo, the Gospel is a mass of contradictions, •• followeth not: The •umul•s and blood have their rise from mens lusts, who are impatient of the yoke of Christ, not from these two powers to judge Ecclesiastically in the Church, and to be judged civilly by the Magistrates: The Author draweth his instance to the actual judging of the same thing contradictory ways;