A57976:813
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.
2. If Paul had put down a general only in the former part, and said, an Elder is worthy of honour, this answer might have had some colour (howbeit but a colour) But now Paul putteth down a special: Elders ⟨p. 285⟩who rule well are worthy of double honour; and with these another special sort of Elders, especially these who labour in the word and doctrine; and so clearly he setteth down two particular species and sorts of Elders: Now to make good the sense of the objectors of this, they must say, a worthy Preacher who ruleth well is worthy of double honour, but especially a worthy Preacher is worthy of double honour; Therefore of necessity some Elders who rule well must be meant in the former part, who are not meant in the second, and these can in good reason be no other but ruling Elders and teaching Elders; for these same sort of Elders cannot be understood in both places.
2. If Paul had put downe a generall onely in the former part, and said, an Elder is worthy of honour, this answer might have had some colour (howbeit but a colour) But now Paul putteth downe a speciall: Elders ⟨p. 285⟩who rule well are worthy of double honour; and with these another speciall sort of Elders, especially these who labour in the word and doctrine; and so clearly he setteth downe two particular species and sorts of Elders: Now to make good the sense of the objectors of this, they must say, a worthy Preacher who ruleth well is worthy of double honour, but especially a worthy Preacher is worthy of double honour; Therefore of necessity some Elders who rule well must be meaned in the former part, who are not meaned in the second, and these can in good reason be no other but ruling Elders and teaching Elders; for these same sort of Elders cannot be understood in both places.
3. And this sense, suppose it should stand, should have but a colour of reason, because you shall never find the Spirit of God commend and praise the simple exercise of an office; but the right and conscientious exercise thereof. Gods Spirit will not say, he who ruleth, and he who preacheth is worthy of double honour; but he who ruleth well and preacheth well is worthy of double honour.