A57976:593
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.
9. Argument is from the care of Christ Jesus the head of the Church,1 in the end of excommunication. Hence if Christ Jesus take care that one particular congregation be not leavened, and soured with the wicked conversation of one, then far more will he take care that many Churches be not leavened, and hath ordained excommunication for many, as for one; but our brethren grant he hath taken care that one lump leaven not one single congregation, 1 Cor. 5. 4. &c. I prove the proposition, For Christs remedy for removing of scandals is hence argued to be unperfect, if excommunication do not remove all offences, and prevent the leavening of many lumps; for he that careth for the part must far more care for a whole Church, and ordain excommunication of a Church, for the edifying thereof, 1 Cor. 4. 20, 21. 2 Cor. 10. 8. That their spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord, 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. and since he took this care for a National Church, Numb. 5. 2, 3, 4, 5. Who can doubt, but he hath care of edifying and saving in the day of the Lord, Churches of Nations and Provinces under the New Testament, yea and a greater care, then for saving one single man, seeing the influence of his love is bounded first upon the body, bride and spouse by order of nature, before it be bounded upon one finger or toe or any particular member of the body, I mean one single person. They answer. God hath provided other means for whole Churches then to excommunicate them, for it wanteth precept, promise and practice to excommunicate a whole Church, th•y are to be rebuked, and we must ⟨p. 222⟩plead with obstinate Churches, Hos. 2. 2. and if they remain obstinate, we are to with-draw our fellowship an• communion from them, and not to acknowledge them as sister-Churches that is we are to separate from them, but there is no warrant to excommunicate them.