A92138:1671
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.
Confessio. Augustana. nonnulli incommodè commiscue runt potestatem Ecclestasticam & potestatem gladii. It distinguisheth well ⟨p. 643⟩between the power of the keys in the Church, and the power of the sword in the Magistrate.▪ To this agreeth Confessio Swevica, Art. 13. and Confessio Bohemica, Saxonica, Basiliensis, Tetrapolitana.
Confessio. Augustana. nonnulli incommodè commiscue runt potestatem Ecclestasticam & potestatem gladii. It distinguisheth well ⟨p. 643⟩between the power of the keyes in the Church, and the power of the sword in the Magistrate.▪ To this agreeth Confessio Swevica, Art. 13. and Confessio Bohemica, Saxonica, Basiliensis, Tetrapolitana.
Amongst our late writers, I should conceive that renowned1 Salmasius, that rich treasure of Antiquity, can stand as one for all to speak for us in this point. The Emperors (saith he) had of old a suffrage in choosing of Metropolitans, Patriarchs, and Popes, and of convocating General Councils: So as Jerome maketh it a Mark of a General Council, that it was indicted by the Emperor; and there was reason, because, it concerned the consciences of the Magistrate as the Magistrate, what Pastors, Popes, and Doctors there were in their dominions to watch over their souls, and the souls of their subjects. It is true, de facto, Honorius the Emperor did ordain Marcellinus moderator of the conference at Carthage between the Catholics and the Donatists, The Emperors added the force of a civil Law to the Councils: So Justinian. Constitut. 130. sanxit ut quatuor conciliorum Canone• pro legibus haberentur; Ergo, the Councils had the force of Ecclesiastical Laws, without the Emperors; But they had not the force of civil Laws, having civil penalties annexed to them, without the Emperors; Ergo, the confirmation of Councils made by the Emperors, were politic and civil confirmations: for the decrees of the Council of Jerusalem, were Ecclesiastical decrees, without the will, Law, and Authority of any Emperor on earth, and laid an Ecclesiastical tie on the Churches, without the Emperor,