A92138:1675
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.
There is a Law making (unproper I grant, because declarative in Mortal men, constitutive in the head Christ only) touching Faith and Religion which is politic; but it is when there is a constitute Church, subsequent, not antecedent, and in order to bodily coaction by the sword which is due to the Magistrate▪ O• this Lawgiving doth Salmasius speak as his words clear, and because bodily and external co-action is not the Churches, therefore the Magistrate as the Magistrate according to Salmasius, hath no proper Ecclesiastic power.
There is a Law making (unproper I grant, because declarative in Mortal men, constitutive in the head Christ only) touching Faith and Religion which is politick; but it is when there is a constitu•e Church, subsequent, not antecedent, and in order to bodily coaction by the sword which is due to the Magistrate▪ O• this Lawgiving doth Salmasius speak as his words clear, and because bodily and externall co-action is not the Churches, therefore the Magistrate as the Magistrate according to Salmasius, hath no proper Ecclesiastick power.
The reciprocation of subordination of Pastors and Magistrates1 is clearly taught by Salmasius Minister, Ecclesiae principem Christianum ligare et solvere id est, suspendere et excommunicare aque potest ut alium quem libet de grege per illam internam potestatem et [Greek or Hebrew] quam a deo acc•pit. At princeps rursus potest Episcopum per illam suam exteriorem [Greek or Hebrew], quae no• animam, sed corpus curat, cogere, coercere, ad officium comp•••ere, si exorbitet, etiam deponere, et abijcere, et exilio punire, vita quoq••, si meruerit, sntntiam,