A57976:537
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 answer, they have warrant of both: for it is Gods positive law, that the Elders and Over-seers be over the Church in the Lord, Heb: 13. 17. 1 Thess. 5. 12, 13. Math: 18. 17, 18. I call this Gods positive Law, because if it had bin the will of the Law-giver, he might have appointed an high-Priest, or some arch-Pastor or ⟨p. 201⟩prime officer in his name to command the whole Church, like to the Judge and the high-Priest in the old Testament: So Aristocratical government is not natural, our presbyteries are founded upon the free-will of Christ, who appointed this government rather then another. Now the question, how subordination of congregations to presbyteries, and of presbyteries to greater Synods is of natures law is harder, but a thing is natural two ways, 1. simply and in it self, 2. and by consequent; an example of the former is, by the law of nature, the hand moveth, the feet walketh, at the direction of the will, which is a commanding faculty that ruleth all the motions of moving from place to place: This way it is not directly natural that Archippu• be governed by the Eldership and Presbytery at Coloss; because he may be removed to another Presbytery, he possibly might have bee•e a member of the presbytery at Corinth, and never been subject to the presbytery at Coloss. Example of the latter, it is simply supernatural for Peter to be borne over again, •ath: 16. 17. John 1. 12, 13. but upon supposition that God hath given him a new nature, it is natural or (as we say) connatural and kindly to this new nature in Peter to love Christ, and to love Christs sheep and his lambs, because every like loveth a like; So the subordination is not natural: for it is not natural for John and Thomas to be subject to such an Eldership of this congregation; for Gods providence might have disposed that John and Thomas should have dwelt in another congregation as members thereof, and so subject to another Eldership. But secondarily and by consequent upon supposition that they are members and inhabitants of this ecclesiastical incorporation it is kindly and connatural now that they be subjected ecclesiastically to the Eldership of Christs appointing in this congregation: