A57976:269
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.
1. From the manner of receiving members in the ⟨p. 100⟩Apostolic Church, where nothing is required but a professed willingness to receive the Gospel, howbeit they receive it not from their heart, Act. 2. 41. then they that gladly received his word (Peters word) were baptized, and the same day were added to the Church about three thousand souls, v. 45. And they sold their possessions and parted them to all men. Now amongst these glad receivers of the Gospel were Ananias and Sapphira, ch. 4. v. 34, 35, 36, 37. chap. 6. v. 1, 2, 3. It is true they are all charged by Peter to repent, ere they be baptized, and added to the Church; but the Apostles require no more to make members of the visible Church, •ut 1. professed willing receiving of the word and this receiving expressed by an outward act of selling their goods, which was but hypocrisy in Ananias and Sapphira, as the event declared; yet were Ananias and Sapphira, for that time members of the Churches as truly visible, and their acts of electing and choosing a Pastor, and consenting to excommunicate scandalous persons in that time valid in Christs court: Yea suppose Ananias had been a preacher, his preaching and baptizing should have been valid, by grant of Separatists. Also there is no more required by the Church of Simon Magus, Act 8. v. 13. but believing historically at the sight of miracles, and he was baptized and received into the Church presently. Now this believing was not seen to be saving faith to Peter and the Apostles, we know no ways they had to know it, seeing they know not the heart, but what is said, v. 13. he continued with Philip, and wondered, which an hypocrite might do, and he had been not long since an abominable sorcerer, and usurped the honour of God like a sacrilegious robber of the Almighty of his glory, ver. 9, 10, 11. And the like we may see of Demas, who forsook Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 10 and followed the present world: There was nothing to make him a member of the visible Church then, but that for a while he followed Paul in his journeys, and professed the faith. And the like must be said of Hymeneus and Alexander, ⟨p. 101⟩who for a time were members of the true Church, as it is visible, and a professing Church; and this was known only by their profession; yet that they had but a bare profession is clear, seeing afterward they made shipwreck of faith,