A57976:272
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.
3. Argument. 1If that Church be rightly constitute and a true Church, where the man without the wedding garment cometh to the Marriage of the Kings son, that is, where multitudes were called, and do hear the Word, and so come to the banquet of the Gospel, that are not chosen, and are destitute of the wedding garment of faith and Christs righteousness, and all these that are professed hearers of the word, and yet not sound believers. Then a professed and external use of the means (if no outward out-breakings of scandals be in them) maketh men members of the visible Church, and the Church is rightly constitute where these are; but the former is true, Mat. 22. v. •, 3. &c. v. 11, 12, 13. and this is a point most ordinary in every visible Assembly, where the word is preached, where some believe, and some are hardened, as in the parable of the sower, where the seed falleth upon good ground, and bringeth forth fruit, and also upon the way side, upon the rocky and thorny ground, and in the parable of the ten Virgins, to make them all the visible kingdom of heaven, there is no more required, but that all have l•mps, that is, a profession that they are the Bridegrooms men attending the wedding, and yet five of them wanteth oil. And so when Christ preacheth and worketh miracles, some believe, and some believe not, Joh. 7. 31, 32, 33. Acts 2. 48, 49, 50. compared with Acts 5. 1, 2. 2 Cor. 15. 16.
3. Argument. 1If that Church be rightly constitute and a true Church, where the man without the wedding garment commeth to the Marriage of the Kings sonne, that is, where multitudes were called, and doe heare the Word, and so come to the banquet of the Gospell, that are not chosen, and are destitute of the wedding garment of faith and Christs righteousnesse, and all these that are professed hearers of the word, and yet not sound beleevers. Then a professed and externall use of the meanes (if no outward out-breakings of scandals be in them) maketh men members of the visible Church, and the Church is rightly constitute where these are; but the former is true,