A57976:304
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.
I answer, then our adversaries give us no right description of the true natural and lively members of the true visible Church, he that would give such a definition of a man as agreeth both to a living man, and to a pictured or painted man, were but a painted Logician. ⟨p. 115⟩For they acknowledge the true parts of a visible Church to be a chosen people, a royal generation, partakers of the holy faith, either they are really and in Gods esteem a chosen people, &c. And so we are at a point, there be none members of a visible Church, none ought to hear the word as members of the Church, none ought to preach, baptize, bind and loose with the rest of the Congregation, but these that are really chosen and effectually called, which cannot be said. Ainsworth then and M. Can, and Smith do but mock us, when they say, The true matter of a true visible Church are Saints in profession, and in the judgement of charity, for that is not enough, they must be according to the Texts of Scripture alleged by Barrow, not only in the judgement of charity, but in Gods estimation, and in the judgement of verity, a chosen people, a royal generation. If the true matter of the true visible Church be a chosen generation and a royal Priest-hood only in profession, the places cited will not help them; for Peter, 1 Pet. 2. writeth not to an independent Congregation, who are in profession only a chosen people; But he writeth to the Catholic Church, even to all the dispersed and sanctified, and regenerated in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who were not only a chosen generation in profession, but also really and in Gods decree of election. Neither Peter nor Isaiah are of purpose to teach that in the independent Congregation of the New Testament there are none, but all righteous men, no stones (to speak with Isaiah) but Sapphires and Carbuncles, no thorns and briers, but only the fir and the myrtle trees; no iron and brass, but all gold and silver; no Canaanite, no Lyon, no unclean vessel, this they shall not find in the independent Congregations of Separatists, nor can it be in the visible Church on earth, except they seek the Anabaptists Church, a man in the Moon.
I answer, then our adversaries give us no right description of the true naturall and lively members of the true visible Church, he that would give such a definition of a man as agreeth both to a living man, and to a pictured or painted man, were but a painted Logician.