A57976:148
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.
The tenet of these, with whom we now dispute is that all the power of the keys is given by Christ to the multitude of Believers, as to the first fountain, and that this power is derived and jested by the multitude ⟨p. 53⟩of believers to such and such persons to be used and exercised by them, as the servants both of Christ and the Church: For the clearing of the question and trying if this distinction be law-biding. These distinctions are to be observed.
THe tenent of these, with whom we now dispute is that all the power of the keyes is given by Christ to the multitude of Believers, as to the first fountaine, and that this power is derived and gested by the mulmultitude ⟨p. 53⟩of believers to such and such persons to be used and exercised by them, as the servants both of Christ and the Church: For the clearing of the question and trying if this distinction be law-biding. These distinctions are to be observed.
1. The power of the keys may be thought to come to the Ministers of the Church three ways, as shall be cleared, 1. By mediate derivation, the Church receiving this power from Christ, and deriving it over to the friends of the Bridegroom. 2. By immediate donation, God immediately giveth the honour of the keys to these whom he maketh his Courtiers in this kind. 3. By application, the Church only naming the men to the office. 2. The power of the keys, and all sacred offices in Gods House, are from the immediate wisdom of Christ; The designation of such men to such offices is by the ministry of the Church. 3. The power of the keys is one thing, the lawful exercise of the keys is another thing. 4. The Ministers may be thought the servants either of the Church, or servants of Christ for the Church. 5. Designation of men by the Church to sacred offices may be thought either in the Churches free-will, or tied to the laws designed by Christ. 6. The Church of believers may be thought either the virtual or the formal subject of the keys. 7. The power of the keys may be thought to be given to the community or multitude of Believers or professors of faith in Christ, in the general, not designing one man rather then another, but leaving that to the disposition of means, and disposition of second causes, who shal be the man, as to be a Musician, to be an Astronomer is given to mankind as some way proper to man,