A57976:541
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 prove the assumption, A question troubled these Churches, some false teachers said (Cyrinthus as Epiphanius thinketh) You must be circumcised after the manner of Moses, 1Acts 15. ver. 1. and there was no small dissension and disputation about this, ver. 2. and this question troubled the Church of Jerusalem, as ver. 4. and 5. do declare: And it troubled the Churches of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, ver. 23. 2. That the question could not well be determined in their particular Churches, is clear from ver. 34, from three circumstances, 1. The maintainers of the question troubled them. 2. They almost subverted their souls with words. 3. They allege a necessity of keeping Moses Law, and that it was the commandment and doctrine of the Apostles and Elders. 3. That in this question that troubled them so much, they have their recourse to a Synod, is clear, ver. 6. And the Apostles and Elders came to consider of this matter; and ver. 2. They determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, unto the Apostles and Elders about this question; And that the Apostles who were led by an infallible spirit, and could not err, might have determined the question, is clear by their speeches in the council, if the Apostles had not had a mind to set down a Sampler and a Copy of an Assembly in such cases. 4. That there are here the members of a Synod is clear, Apostles, Elders, Brethren, ver. 23. and Commissioners from Antioch, ver. 2. certain others, and the Elders of the Church at Jerusalem, James, Paul, and the Elders of Jerusalem, chap. 21. v. 17, 18 compared with ver. 25. So here are Elders from sundry Congregations. 5. That these Decrees did tie and Ecclesiastically oblige the Churches; howbeit all the members were not present to consent is clear, chap. 16. ver. 4. And as they went through the Cities, they delivered them the Decrees for to keep, Acts 21. ver. 25. We have written and concluded that they observe no such things, but that they keep themselves, &c. So chap. 15. 28. It seemed good to lay on you no greater ⟨p. 205⟩burden then these necessary things, &c. Now let us hear the exceptions which our brethren propound on the contrary, to prove that this was no general Assembly.