A57976:508
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.
I observed before that there be two degrees of a Church independent, 1. In every visible Congregation there is a number of believers, to whom our brethren say, Christ hath committed the power of the keys, who have power to choose and ordain their own officers, Pastors, Doctors, Elders and Deacons, and also judicially to censure, rebuke, sentence, depose and excommunicate these same office-bearers. We have disputed already against this independent Church. 2. There is another Church independent, which is that same congregation of believers new clothed with a settled and constituted eldership, one Pastor, and Elders, and Doctors: Of this Congregation is our present question. This Congregation again hath either one Pastor only, with a number of Elders; or it hath a number of Pastors and Elders who do meet for discipline, which is a Presbyterial Church, such as we esteem the Church of Corinth, the Church of Ephesus. The question is of a visible Church in both senses: And for the former, they have within themselves some power of discipline, so far as concerneth themselves, as the Arguments of our brethren do prove, but with subordination to the Eldership of their own and other sister and consociate Congregations, who shall meet in a Presbytery. The Church in the latter meaning cannot conveniently meet in all and every one of the members thereof, but doth meet in their Rulers, as the Eldership of Ephesus did meet, Acts 20. 17. And Paul and James, and the Eldership of Jerusalem did meet, Acts 21. 18, 19, 20, 21. And of this Presbytery that ordained Timothy a Pastor, we read 1 Tim. 4. 14. So the Eldership of Ephesus, Rev. 2. 2. whereof there were a number of Pastors, as we may read Acts 20. 28, 29, 36. who tried those who called themselves Apostles, and did lye, and were found liars, Rev. 2. 2. This Presbytery consisting of moe Pastors, is the first ruling and governing Church, having power of the keys in all points of discipline within themselves; They have intensively power of the keys in all ⟨p. 189⟩