A57976:476
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. 1. This Objection proceedeth from a great mistake, as if Church-communion with a particular independent congregation were more, and a better and ⟨p. 175⟩nearer ground of baptizing, then Christian-communion, which we judge to be false; because the Catholic Church is by order of nature, and first and more principally the body, spouse, redeemed flock of Christ, then any particular independent congregation, that is but a part or member of the Catholic Church; and therefore the covenant, promises of grace, the power of the keys, the seals of the covenant belong first & principally to the Catholic Church, & to these that are in Christian communion with her, before they belong to this or that visible part of the Catholic Church, and so all ecclesiastic power of the keys must be first & more principally in the Catholic Church, then in a particular congregation, as a reasonable soul by order of nature is in man, before it be in Peter, Thomas or John.
Answ. 1. This Objection proceedeth from a great mistake, as if Church-communion with a particular independent congregation were more, and a better and ⟨p. 175⟩nearer ground of baptizing, then Christian-communion, which we judge to be false; because the Catholick Church is by order of nature, and first and more principally the body, spouse, redeemed flocke of Christ, then any particular independent congregation, that is but a part or member of the Catholike Church; and therfore the covenant, promises of grace, the power of the keys, the seals of the covenant belong first & principally to the Catholike Church, & to these that are in Christian communion with her, before they belong to this or that visible part of the Catholick Church, and so all ecclesiastick power of the keys must be first & more principally in the Catholick Church, then in a particular congregatiō, as a reasonable soul by order of nature is in man, before it be in Peter, Thomas or Iohn.
2. I believe these are within, that are professors of the true faith, suppose they be not members of the Church of Corinth, or of any settled Church, it is enough if they be within the covenant, and these are without only, who are Infidels and Pagans, not professing the true and sound faith, as the Apostle meaneth,