A92138:528
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.
Jackson saith, Of things good in themselves and apprehended so by us, without any scruple of evil, every mans conscience hath sufficient authority1 to enjoin it, only the alacrity of doing in what time or measure it is to be done, or such circumstances, cometh within the subject of obedience to governors.
Iackson saith, Of things good in themselves and apprehended so by us, without any scruple of evil, every mans conselence htah sufficient authority1 to inioyn it, only the alacrity of doing in what time or measure it is to be done, or such circumstances, cometh within the subiect of obedience to governours.
- 1Ibid. p. 259▪ 260.
Answ. Then because faith in Christ is evidently good by the Doctors learning, the Pastor hath no more authority to command the people to believe in Christ, then the people hath to command the same to him. So in preaching all the necessary fundamentals of salvation, the authority of Pastors is merely titular. There be then little necessity of a public Ministry, as Socinians teach us. 2. The alacrity and manner and measure of believing, and doing things ⟨p. 212⟩evidently good is as particularly set down in Gods Word, as obliging the Conscience, as the Mandates themselves, God who commandeth us to love him, and to believe in his Son, hath not left that power to Prelates, that createth wretched Ceremonies, to command us to love God with all our heart, or not, and to serve God with alacrity or not, or to believe in Christ with all the heart or with half a heart; the sincerity, measure and manner of the loving of God, is no more the subject of obedience to rulers then the loving of God. Rulers do command both alike, Pari authoritate, except the man say that we obey Gods Law perfectly, when we give obedience to it, according to the substance of the acts, though we obey not sincerely.