A57976:125
A peaceable and temperate plea for Pauls presbytery in Scotland, or, A modest and…A peaceable and temperate plea for Pauls presbyterie in Scotland, or, A modest and…
A peaceable and temperate plea for Pauls presbytery in Scotland, or, A modest and brotherly dispute of the government of the Church of Scotland wherein our discipline is demonstrated to be the true apostolic way of divine truth, and the arguments on the contrary are friendly dissolved, the grounds of separation and the independency [sic] of particular congregations, in defence of ecclesiastical presbyteries, synods, and assemblies, are examined and tried / by Samuel Rutherfurd ...A peaceable and temperate plea for Pauls presbyterie in Scotland, or, A modest and brotherly dispute of the government of the Church of Scotland wherein our discipline is demonstrated to be the true apostolick way of divine truth, and the arguments on the contrary are friendly dissolved, the grounds of separation and the indepencie [sic] of particular congregations, in defence of ecclesiasticall presbyteries, synods, and assemblies, are examined and tryed / by Samuell Rutherfurd ...
London: printed for John Bartlet, 1642London: printed for Iohn Bartlet, 1642
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.
Believers (I grant) have authority of grace to be Kings and Priests to God (for grace hath with it heavenly Majesty and authority) but they have not authority official, or power ecclesiastic, they want both power of order and jurisdiction, except they be called Pastors and Elders, but then they are believers and somewhat more. But if they want power of jurisdiction, their power as members of the congregation is christian, popular, private, not authoritative, not a power of the keys. Grace true and saving addeth a fair lustre to the power of the keys, and doth graciously qualify and adorn that power, but where there is no power of the keys in simple believers it cannot adorn it: to please and embroider a wicked man is not Christ. What is the power of believers shall be declared hereafter, if God permit.
Believers (I grant) have authoritie of grace to be Kings and Priests to God (for grace hath with it heavenly Majestie and authoritie) but they have not authoritie officiall, or power ecclesiastick, they want both power of order and jurisdiction, except they be called Pastours and Elders, but then they are believers and somewhat more. But if they want power of jurisdiction, their power as members of the congregation is christian, popular, private, not authoritative, not a power of the keyes. Grace true and saving addeth a faire lustre to the power of the keyes, and doth graciously qualifie and adorn that power, but where there is no power of the keyes in simple believers it cannot adorne it: to please and embrouder a wicked man is not Christ. What is the power of believers shall be declared hereafter, if God permit.
4. Parker disputeth thus.1 The Church-guides must be subject to the censures of the Church of believers, 2whereof they are members, The Colossians must say to Archippus, 3take heed to the ministry that thou hast received of the Lord. So Ambrose thinketh it the rulers, even the Emperors honour to be subject to the Church. Nazian. calleth the Emperor himself a