A57976:262
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.
That this may be right taken; observe that the visible Church falleth under a two-fold consideration. 1. In concreto, as a Church. 2. In abstracto, as visible. The visible Church considered in concreto, is a part of the universal, Catholic and unvisible Church which partaketh of the nature and essence of a true Church, and Christs mystical body, in which consideration we deny reprobates and unbelievers to be members of the visible Church. 1. Because there is no real communion (whatever Bellarmine and Papists say on the contrary) betwixt righteousness and unrighteousness, light and darkness, the seed of the woman, and the seed of the Serpent, so as they can make up one true Church. 2. Because these who are not Christs, are not members of Christ, and so no part of his mystical body. 3. Because they are not bought with a price; nor his purchased flock in the blood of God, as Acts 20. the true Church is, nor builded upon a rock, as Mat. 16. 18. 4. Christ is not their Redeemer, head, High-priest, King and Saviour, and so neither are they his redeemed, his members, his people, ⟨p. 96⟩subjects and saved ones. 5. Because the promises made to the chosen and believers, to give them a new heart, regeneration, sanctification, remission of sins are made to them only, and in Gods gracious intention, and not to reprobates. Whence I infer these conclusions.
That this may be right taken; observe that the visible Church falleth under a two-fold consideration. 1. In concreto, as a Church. 2. In abstracto, as visible. The visible Church considered in concreto, is a part of the universall, Catholike and unvisible Church which partaketh of the nature and essence of a true Church, and Christs misticall body, in which consideration we deny reprobates and unbelevers to be members of the visible Church. 1. Because there is no reall communion (whatever Bellarmine and Papists say on the contrary) betwixt righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse, light and darkenesse, the seed of the woman, and the seede of the Serpent, so as they can make up one true Church. 2. Because these who are not Christs, are not members of Christ, and so no part of his misticall body. 3. Because they are not bought with a price; nor his purchased flock in the blood of God, as