A57976:493
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. We deny that children borne within the visible Church are an unclean offering to the Lord, and that the baptizing of them polluteth the Nation, and all the worship of the Nation, as they would gather from Haggai: For being borne of the holy Nation, they are holy with a federal and national holiness, Rom. 11. 16. If the root be holy so are the branches: For our brethren baptize children of Parents who are hypocrites and unbelievers, and so the uncircumcised in heart come into the Sanctuary: Yea Peter in baptizing Simon Magus, and Ananias and Sapphira brought in the uncircumcised in heart and the strangers to Gods covenant, as Best allegeth from Ezech. 44. borrowing such abused testimonies of Gods word from Separatists, as they borrowed them from Anabaptists: For we preach and invite in the Gospel all the uncircumcised in heart, and all the wicked to come and hear and partake of the holy things of the Gospel, and receive the promises thereof with faith: And when many come to this heavenly banquet without their wedding garment, Mat. •2. 12, 13. 2 Cor. 2. 16. Mat. 21. 43, 44. It followeth not, because they profane the holy things of God, that Ministers who baptize the Infants of hypocrites, and profane persons, are accessory to the profaning of the holy things of God, and that we bring in the polluted in heart to the Sanctuary of God. It is one thing whom Ministers should receive as members of the Sanctuary and Church; and another thing, who should come in, and what sort of persons they are obliged to be who come to be members. To say that Ministers should receive none into the Church but those that are circumcised in heart, and clean and holy, and clothed with the wedding garment of faith is more then our brethren can prove: Nay, we are to invite to the wedding good and bad, chosen and unchosen, Mat. 22. 9. As many as you find bid to the wedding. But that all that come to be received members of the unvisible Church are obliged to be circumcised in heart, and holy, and ⟨p. 181⟩