A57976:427
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.
Answ. In your holiest independent Church where discipline is m•st in vigour, you meet with this doubt, and must separate also, if this reason be good: For suppose you know one to be guilty of adultery and murder, and had seen it with your eyes, the party guilty to you is not guilty to the Church: For 1. you are but one, none is guilty Ecclesiastically, and to be debar•ed penally and judicially from the holy things of God, except by confession to the Church, or by two or three witnesses. 2. You know what is holden by all our Divines,1 yea even the Canon Law and Papists teach that the Church cannot judge of hid things, and acts of the mind.2 So saith Thom. Aquin. Cajetan, Soto, Durandus, Almain, Gerson, Navarre. Driedo, Joan. Major. Paludan. 3Antonin. their ground is good: The Church cannot judge of that they cannot see;4 And the Churches power of the keys is all for the external policy of the Church,5 and therefore such a sin cannot be the object of Church-censure,6 or cause of Separation,7 Excommunication is ever used against external scandals,8 Mat. 18. 15. 1 Cor. 5. 1. 1 Tim. 1. 19, 20. 2 Thes. 3▪ 14. show one place where the Church excommunicateth for non-regeneration.