A57976:434
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.
9. They object, God commandeth the godly to plead with their mother, because (saith he) she is not my wife, nor I her husband, Ergo, if the Church turn a harlot, the children are to protest and plead against her, as reputing her no mother, and so they are to forsake her.
9. They object, God commandeth the godly to plead with their mother, because (saith he) she is not my wife, nor I her husband, Ergo, if the Church turne a harlot, the children are to protest and plead against her, as reputing her no mother, and so they are to forsake her.
Answ. If this place prove lawfulness of separation from the Jewish Church, as from a harlot cast off of God, it shall cross a main principle of Separatists, that the Jewish Church was the only visible Church from which it was not lawful to separate, seeing the Messiah behooved to be borne there, and the Temple, sacrifices were only there. Also this pleading was for harlotry and Idolatry: But M. Smith and others say, that wickedness and Idolatry did not mar the constitution of the Jewish Church, so being they had ceremonial and typical holiness according to the letter of the outward legal service; and so from this separation from the true Church is vainly collected. 2. Plead with your mother for her harlotries. Hence it followeth first, 1. They were to esteem her as a mother, and of duty as sons to plead with her. 2. If they were to plead with her, and rebuke her, they were to keep communion with her; because non-rebuking for a time is a sign of separation and suspending communion for a time, Ezech. 3. 26. Thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover, for they are a rebellious house, Ergo, reproving is a sign of communion. But they say, they were to plead with their mother by power of the keys; and if their mother would not return to the Lord her first husband, then they were to go on to a full separation from her.
Answ. If this place prove lawfulnesse of separation from the Jewish Church, as from a harlot cast off of God, it shall crosse a maine principle of Separatists, that the Jewish Church was the onely visible Church from which it was not lawfull to separate, seeing the Messiah behooved to be borne there, and the Temple, sacrifices were onely there. Also this pleading was for harlotry and Idolatry: But M. Smith and others say, that wickednesse and Idolatry did not marre the constitution of the Jewish Church, so being they had ceremoniall and typicall holinesse according to the letter of the outward legall service; and so from this separation from the true Church is vainly collected. 2. Plead with your mother for her harlotries. Hence it followeth first, 1. They were to esteem her as a mother, and of duty as sonnes to plead with her. 2. If they were to plead with her, and rebuke her, they were to keep communion with her; because non-rebuking for a time is a signe of separation and suspending communion for a time,