A92138:1555
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.
This Doctrine we disclaim, as Popish and Antichristian: It hath its rise from Bonifacius the III. who obtained from Phocas a bloody tyrant, who murdered Mauritius and his Children, as Baronius confesseth: and yet he saith of this murderer optimortum imperatorum vestigia sequutus, he made an Edict that the Bishop of Constantinople should not be called Oecumenick nor universal Bishop; but that this should be given only to the Bishop of Rome: So Baronius yieldeth, this tyranny was enlarged by Hildebrand, named Gregorius the seventh, a monster of tyrannical wickedness, and yet by Papists, he is sanctitate et miraculis clarus, Baronius extolleth him, these and others invaded both the swords: Bishops would be civill judges, and trample first upon the neck, then upon the consciences of Emperors, and make Kings the horns of the beast, and seclude them from all Church businesses, except that with blind obedience, having given their power to the beast, as slaves they must execute the decrees of the Church. Paul the III. the confirmer of the order of Jesuits, who indicted the Council of Trent, as Onuphrius saith, up braideth Charles the V. for meddling1 with Church business: They write that Magistrates do not see in Church matters with their own eyes, but with Bishops eyes, and that they must obey without examining the decrees of Councils; and this they write of all subject to the Church, Toletus in Instruct ⟨p. 596⟩Sacerd•t. l. 4. c. 3. Si Rusticus circa articulos fidei credat suo episcopo proponenti-aliquod dogma hereticum, mor•tur in credendo, licet sit error▪ Card. Cusanus excit. l. 6. sermon. obedientia irrationalis est consumata et perfectissima obedientia sicut Jumentum obedit domino. Ib. sententia pastoris ligat te, pro tua salute, etiam si injusta fuerit: Envy cannot ascribe this to us, Calvin, Beza, yea, all our writers condemn blind obedience as brutish: But our Adversaries in this are more Popish, for they substitute King and Parliament in a headship2 over the Church, giving to the King all the same power in causes Ecclesiastic, that the Pope usurped. 2. They make the King a mixed person, to exercise spiritual jurisdiction, to ordain Bishops, and deprive them; and Mr.