A92138:1517
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.
Quest. 22.
Whether appeals are to be made from the Assemblies of the Church, to the civill Magistrate, King or Parliament? and of Paul his appeal to Cesar.
For the clearer explanation of the question, its possible these considerations may help to give light, 1. There be these opinions touching the point: Some exclude the Magistrate from all care1 of Church-discipline, •. As Jesuits and Papists will have Princes not to examine what the Church, the Pope and the cursed Clergy of Rome decrees in their Synods. To these the Sorbonists of Paris oppose, and the Parliament of France cause to be burnt by the hand of the hangman, any writings of Jesuits that diminisheth the just right of the Magistrate. 2. Those who in the Low-countries did remonstrate under the name of Arminians, as they are called, hold, that the Magistrate ought to tolerate all Religions, even Turkism and Judaism not excepted, because the conscience of man cannot be compelled: Some of them were Socinians▪ as Henry Slatius, who ⟨p. 579⟩saith right down, he that useth the sword, or seeketh a Magistracy▪ 2is not a Christian; yea, war is against the command of Jesus Christ, or in any terms to kill any; saith Henry Welsingius, Episcopius their chief man will have the Magistrate, going no further then real or bodily mulcts or fines, Joan. Geisteranus pronounceth it unlawful to be a Magistrate to use the sword: But all say the Magistrate ought not to use the sword against Heretics, Blasphemers, Idolaters, or against any man, for his conscience or Religion. 3. Those that think the Magistrate bear the sword lawfully, yet do confine him to the defence of the half of Gods Law, the duties of the second Table, and not to these all, but to such as border not directly on conscience; for if some should sacrifice their children to Molech and Devils, as some do, the Magistrate were not to punish them, it being a joint of their Religion and a matter of conscience: and all these will be found to give to the Magistrate as the Magistrate, just as little as Jesuits do in the matters of Religion, and that is right down nothing, except possibly the Magistrate be of their Religion only, whom he Governs only as a Christian man; the Magistrate hath more with these, then with Papists. 4. Erastus giveth all in Doctrine and Discipline, both in power and exercise to the Magistrate, even to the dispensing of Word and Sacraments. 5. Others forsaking Erastus in a little, But following him in the main, deny power of order. 2.