A57976:883
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.
3. If a Synod err, and decree that man to be an heretic who is sound in the faith, the King is not obliged to err with the Synod, and to punish the innocent, he is to decree righteous judgement, and so the King is to judge of heresy, but after a regal and civill way, and with a coactive pow•r, as the Synod or Church-Assembly is to judge of heresy after an ecclesiastic way, and with a spiritual power. 2. The King punisheth heresy as it troubleth the Common-wealth, and the Synod as it is scandalous and infectious in the Church.
3. If a Synod erre, and decree that man to be an heretick who is sound in the faith, the King is not obliged to erre with the Synod, and to punish the innocent, he is to decree righteous judgement, and so the King is to judge of heresie, but after a regall and civill way, and with a coactive pow•r, as the Synod or Church-Assembly is to judge of heresie after an ecclesiastick way, and with a spirituall power. 2. The King punisheth heresie as it troubleth the Common-w•alth, and the Synod as it is scandalous and infectious in the Church.
Yea and the Christian King ruleth over men as men, and also as Christian-m•n; he ruleth over them as men, with a dominion over their bodies, lives and goods by his civill laws, he hath also dominion as King over men, as Christians and members of Christs kingdom and Church, not over their consciences (for that is proper only to the father of spirits) but he hath a coactive power over all men, even Pastors, as to cause them do their Christian duties, he hath power to compel Church-men in Assemblies to determine truth, and to use the keys right, and to preach and use the Sacraments according as Christ hath commanded in his Word, and to punish them when they do otherwise. What then if the King discern that to be truth, and absolve the man, whom the Church-Assembly doth condemn as an heretic, who shall judge betwixt them?
Yea and the Christian King ruleth over men as men, and also as Christian-mn; he ruleth over them as men, with a dominion over their bodies, lives and goods by his civill lawes, he hath also dominion as King over men, as Christians and members of Christs kingdome and Church, not over their conscences (for that is proper only to the father of spirits) but he hath a coactive power over all men, even Pastors, as to cause them do their Christian duties, he hath power to compell Church-men in Assemblies to determine truth, and to use the keyes right, and to preach and use the Sacraments according as Christ hath commanded in his Word, and to punish them when they do otherwise. What then if the King discerne that to be truth, and absolve the man, whom the Church-Assembly doth condemne as an heretick, who shall judge betwixt them?