A92138:1594
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.
Ans. But this is an Ecclesiastic, not a civill administration; and if it be a lawful Ecclesiastical supremacy, why may not the Magistrate who hath power to send Deputies to act in his name, depute a lawful Ecclesiastical power, to Ecclesiastical persons, Pastors and Doctors, who in the mind of the adversaries are all but the Deputies of the Magistrate in all that they do.
Ans. But this is an Ecclesiastick, not a civill administration; and if it be a lawfull Ecclesiasticall supremacy, why may not the Magistrate who hath power to send Deputies to act in his name, depute a lawfull Ecclesiasticall power, to Ecclesiasticall persons, Pastors and Doctors, who in the mind of the adversaries are all but the Deputies of the Magistrate in all that they doe.
Obj. 2. But is it not Popery that the Magistrate shall be obliged as a Lictor to execute the decrees of the Church?1
- 1The Magistrate not the servant of the Church.
Ans. I know not, if the Lictor with blind obedience be to behead John Baptist, or if Doeg should kill the Lords Priests, because King Saul commandeth him. 2. This Argument concludeth that neither Magistrate nor people should believe Articles of faith, because the Church and Pastors saith so, but because Jehovah saith so, nor is the Ruler to believe or execute what the Church decrees, because they decree it, but because he believeth it is the will of Christ, ⟨p. 617⟩what they give out in Name of Christ. 3. Is it not Popery that the Pastors and Teachers should execute the laws of the Magistrate both in dispensing Word, Sacraments, and Discipline? for they may not as Pastors and Doctors judge whether the Ecclesiastical decrees of the Magistrate be the will and mind of Jesus Christ or no. The Magistrate in doctrine and discipline is the only supreme judge here, as in all causes civill, as he exerciseth a [Greek or Hebrew] and a dominion in the on