A57976:155
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.
4. Conclusion. The essence and definition of a Church doth not ex aequo, equally, and alike agree to the Church of believers and Ministers, or office-bearers, or to a company of a visible Church, made up of these two parts, believers and officers, as our brethren speak of their visible Church. My reason is clear, Believers are essentially and properly the mystical body of Christ, and the Church of redeemed ones, Eph. 5▪ 25. Act. 20. 28. And the Church builded on a rock, which they say received the keys from Christ (which I dare not say) but the Church of officers, that are only officers and no more, that is called of God and his Church, and clothed with a calling to be Pastors and Doctors, Elders, Deacons, are not the redeemed of God; but may often be, and are reprobates, and not members of Christs true body according to the influence of saving grace, Now from this I infer, that believers and office-bearers make not one common and true mystical body that hath received equally the keys from Christ, and that these predications are unproper and figurative, and that literally and in rigour of the letter they are false. (Zion bringeth good tidings (the Church giveth suck and milk to her children) (the Church begetteth a man child) because the Pastors of the Church do these things: For there is no effective influence or causality coming from the Church of believers in these and the like Pastoral actions, except that they pray for these fruits of a Ministry, they choose the men for the work, but do not ordain them: But we cannot say that the Church doth formally preach and beget children to God in and through preachers, as their servants, as a King speaketh such a business by his Legate and Ambassador; and our King doth govern and reign in Ireland by his Deputy: Here the Kings ⟨p. 58⟩authority hath influence in the acts of his Deputy, and Legate:
4. Conclusion. The essence and definition of a Church doth not ex aequo, equally, and alike agree to the Church of beleevers and Ministers, or office-bearers, or to a company of a visible Church, made up of these two parts, beleevers and officers, as our brethren speak of their visible Church. My reason is cleare, Beleevers are essentially and properly the mysticall body of Christ, and the Church of redeemed ones,