A57976:356
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.
4. Conclusion, There be three sorts that have communion rightly with our Church, 1. Infants baptised, for baptism is a seal of their fellowship with Christ, and therefore of communion with the Church, because Separatists will have none members of the Church, while they can give proofs thereof by signs of regeneration, infants must be without the Church, as Infidels and Turks, for none are the Church to them, but the royal generation, partakers of the holy faith, taught of God, called and separated from the world, the rest are without: hence baptism shall either seal no entering of infants in the Church, contrary to Gods word, or the baptizing of infants is not lawful, as Anabaptists teach. 2. The hearers of the word have a communion with the Church as is clear, seeing these that eat of one bread are one body, these that profess in the hearing of the word, that same faith, are also that same body in profession; yet excommunicate persons are admitted as hearers of the word. Hence only the extreme and great excommunication, 1 Cor. 16. 22. cutteth of men from being simply no members of the Church, that excommunication that maketh the party as a heathen and Publican, supposeth him still to be a brother and hearer of the word, 2 Thes. 3. 14, 15. And all these are members of the Church and yet not necessarily converted. 3. The regenerate and believers that communicate of one bread and one cup at the Lords Table, are most nearly and properly members of one visible body, and none of these are to separate from Christs body.
4. Conclusion, There be three sorts that have communion rightly with our Church, 1. Infants baptised, for baptisme is a seale of their fellowship with Christ, and therefore of communion with the Church, because Separatists will have none members of the Church, while they can give proofes thereof by signes of regeneration, infants must be without the Church, as Infidels and Turks, for none are the Church to them, but the royall generation, partakers of the holy faith, taught of God, called and separated from the world, the rest are without: hence baptisme shall either seale no entring of infants in the Church, contrary to Gods word, or the baptizing of infants is not lawfull, as Anabaptists teach. 2. The hearers of the word have a communion with the Church as is cleare, seeing these that eate of one bread are one body, these that professe in the hearing of the word, that same faith, are also that same body in profession; yet excommunicate persons are admitted as hearers of the word. Hence only the extreame and great excommunication,