A57976:203
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.
8 To ordain Elders in every city is all one, as to ordain Elders in every Church, Act: 14. 23. so doth Luke expone it,1 as Parker confesseth, Act: 20. 17. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church, he saith not of the Churches, Act: 16. 4. And when they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees, &c. now what is meant by cities is exponed in the next ver: 5. So were the Churches established: So Tit: 1. 5. That Thou shouldest appoint Elders in every city, as I appointed thee: Then that there be an Eldership and Presbytery of Pastors in every city is an Apostolic Institution, and so the commandment of our Lord Jesus: for that Paul understandeth there especially preaching Elders in every city, is clear by the words following, that showeth what sort of men preaching Elders should be, ver: 9. able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers, &c. Hence if an Eldership in a city as Ephesus and Jerusalem and Antioch, where all cannot meet for multitude, be an Eldership in one Church,2 as our book of Discipline hath it, then there was Presbyteries in great cities, where there were many Congregations, but the former is proved already, ergo, the Presbytery of many Congregations is the Apostles Presbytery.
8 To ordaine Elders in every city is all one, as to ordain Elders in every Church, Act: 14. 23. so doth Luke expone it,1 as Parker confesseth, Act: 20. 17. And from Miletus hee sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church, he saith not of the Churches, Act: 16. 4. And when they went thorow the cities, they delivered them the decrees, &c. now what is meaned by cities is exponed in the next ver: 5. So were the Churches established: So Tit: 1. 5. That Thou shouldest appoint Elders in every city, as I appointed thee: Then that there bee an Eldership and Presbytery of Pastors in every city is an Apostolike Institution, and so the commandement of our Lord Iesus: for that Paul understandeth there especially preaching Elders in every city, is cleare by the words following, that sheweth what sort of men preaching Elders should be, ver: 9. able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers, &c. Hence if an Eldership in a city as Ephesus and Ierusalem and Antioch, where all cannot meet for multitude, bee an Eldership in one Church,