A57976:370
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. Suppose the Church of Israel should have had a typical ⟨p. 137⟩privilege in this beyond all the Churches of the new Testament, which Ainsworth will not grant, neither can we see it, yet all the Separatists goodly arguments hence fall to the ground, if the faithful might lawfully keep Church fellowship with the Church of Israel so corrupted. Then in the old Testament Christ and Belial, light and darkness might be in one Church worship. Then in the old Testament, the seed of the woman, and the Serpents seed could agree together, then it was lawful to remain in Babel, lawful to become members of an Harlot Church, and be defiled with their unlawful worship, and to consent thereunto. Then it was not required in the old Testament, that the Church of God, and his people in Covenant should be a Royal Priest-hood, an holy people. In the old Testament, the Church might be a whore, Worship Baal, Sacrifice to Divel•, and yet remain the Spouse and wife of Jehovah. All their passages cited in the old Testament for separation from a Church fall. The Church of Israel had not Christ for their King, Priest and Prophet, and therefore was not separated from all false Churches, as they prove from Hos. 2. 2. Cant. 1. 7, 8. Psal. 84. 10. in the old Testament, The wicked might have taken the covenant of God in their mouth, contrary to Psal. 50. 16, 17. which place the author of the Guide to Zion, 1allegeth, to prove that idolaters and wicked persons are not members of the true visible Church. 2Then it is false that Separatists said, The Lord in all ages appointed, and made a separation of his people from the world, before the Law, under the Law, and now in the time of the Gospel. For M. Robinson teacheth us in the old Testament none were to separate from the Church of Israel though never so abominable in wickedness.