A57976:88
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.
8. They reason thus. 1Christ hath given in gift Pastors to the Church. Ergo, He hath given them the authority of Pastors, for God mocketh not his Church, to give them gifts whereof they are not capable. Hence Parker inferreth, that the power of the keys is in the believers immediately, and in the Rulers at the second hand, and borrowed from them.
8. They reason thus. 1Christ hath given in gift Pastors to the Church. Ergo, He hath given them the authoritie of Pastors, for God mocketh not his Church, to give them gifts whereof they are not capable. Hence Parker inferreth, that the power of the keyes is in the believers immediately, and in the Rulers at the second hand, and borrowed from them.
- 1Parker de polit. l. 3. c. 8.
Answer. First, I retort the Argument. Christ hath given the actual exercise of the keys, the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the Sacraments to the Church of believers: will it hence follow, that believers, because they are believers, are capable of the exercise of the keys. This is against Parker himself. 2. Christ hath given Pastors to the Church (in gift) that is, to the Church as the Subject, and first disposer of these offices, it is most false, for the Rulers of the Church or Presbytery is the first subject, and these who authoritatively under Christ do ordain pastors, the Church of believers doth only elect and choose them by a popular consent. Christ hath given Pastors (in gift) to the Church, that is for the Churches good and edification: hence it followeth not that believers are uncapable of Pastors in the way and manner that ⟨p. 25⟩they are given to them. God mocketh not Israel, when he giveth to them David. as their King, but it followeth not the people are the first subject of the Kingly power.