A57976:528
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.
Ergo before excommunication, they must publicly and by the power of the keys, convince them of Heresy, rebuke them, pray for them, and finally by the spirit of Paul a Pastor, 1 Cor: 5. 4. judicially cast them out. Now let all be Judges, if this be far from pastoral preaching, and if here be not ministerial acts, and the highest judicial and authoritative censure exercised by no Ministers at all; and what hindereth by this reason, but the independent Church (that doth publicly and authoritatively pray, fast, rebuke, convince gainsayers, make and unmake, by the power of the keys, pastors and Ministers) may also without Ministers preach, and administer the Sacraments? against which the Separatists themselves do speak and give reasons from Scripture, that none may administer the Sacraments, until the pastors and teachers be chosen and ordained in their office.1 But hence we clearly see an independent Church constituted in its complete essence, and exercising ministerial acts, and using the keys without any ministry and edifying their Ministers, so that a ministry is accidental, and a stranger to the independent Church both in its nature and working, and seeing they edify others without a ministry: why may not private Families, where the independent Church dwelleth, edify themselves without a public ministry? I read in Arminian and Socinian writings, that seeing the Scriptures are now patent to all. 1 A sent Ministry is rather useful and profitable then necessary. 2 The preaching of the Word by Ministers is not necessary: So Episcopi•s: ⟨p. 197⟩The Arminians in their Apology,2 and the Catechise of Raccovia: I will not impute these conclusions to our dear brethren,3 but I entreat the father of Lights to make them see the premisses.4 3 Three or four believers this way in covenant joined together to worship God,5 have intensively and essentially all the power of the keys, as the Council convented at Jerusalem,