y govern civilly; bot it is proper to Christ
onlie to be callit Lord and Master in the spirituall government of the
kirk, and all utheris that beiris office therein aucht not to usurp
dominion therein, nor be callit lordis, bot onlie ministeris, disciples,
and servantis. For it is Christis proper office to command and rewll His
kirk universall, and every particular kirk, throw His Spirit and Word,
be the ministrie of men."[265] But it is not made sufficiently prominent
anywhere in the Book that these men are only entitled to unreserved
obedience when they truly speak Christ's mind and truly follow His Word.
Those who have made most of the Book have neither clearly perceived this
nor have they realised the full meaning of the lucid and explicit
statement made by Rutherfurd when he was contending against the
Erastians and Independents of England. Had they done so, I cannot but
think that the bitter divisions among Scottish Presbyterians would have
been fewer, and that there would have been far less occasion for the
reproach often cast on them, that new presbyter is but old priest writ
large.

[Sidenote: Rutherfurd's Opinion.]

"That the magistrate is not obliged," Rutherfurd affirms, "to execute
the decrees of the church without further examination, whether they be
right or wrong, as Papists teach that the magistrate is to execute the
decrees of their Popish councels with blind obedience, and submit his
faith to them, because he is a layman and may not dare to examine
whether the church doth erre or not, is clear. 1. Because, if in hearing
the Word all should follow the example of the men of Berea, not relying
on the testimony of Paul or any preacher, [and] try whether that which
concerneth their conscience and faith be agreeable to the Scriptures or
no, and accordingly receive or reject; so in all things of discipline
the magistrate is to try by the Word whether he ought to adde his
sanction to these decrees which the church gives out for edification,
and whether he should draw the sword against such a one as a heretick
and a perverter of souls. But the former is true; the magistrate's
practise in adding his civill sanction and in punishing hereticks
concerneth his conscience, knowing that he must do it in faith as he
doth all his moral actions; _ergo_, the magistrate must examine what he
practiseth in his office according to the Word, and must not take it
upon the meer authority of the church, else his faith in these m