A57976:92
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.
Answer. 1All this dependeth upon this Argument. If the whole scope and intent aim at Disciples and Brethren,2 then power of binding and loosing is given to brethren, which connection is most false, and loose: Christ speaketh to believers of the power of the ministerial Church, or Preaching, Baptizing, Ergo, He giveth to these he speaketh unto, and to all brethren, power to bind, and loose, and preach, and baptize: This doth not follow, for so a power to preach and baptize is given to believing women. Christ speaketh to his Disciples as Disciples, of the dominion of the Kings and Princes of the Gentiles, of false Prophets, Wolves in Sheep-skins, ergo, he giveth to his Disciples a power to be Kings, and a warrant to be false Teachers, it followeth no ways. 2. By a brother, v. 15. is not meant a true believer, but a brother in profession, else we are not to labour to gain, by this text, unbelieving brethren, and to complain to the Church of their obstinacy, or to forgive them private offences done against us to seventy times seven times, which is against the course of the Text. 3. By this gloss, little Bairns, which are not to be offended, are brethren, which have power to bind and loose, and preach and baptize, which is absurd. 4. It is clear, by the Church here is meant a Society different from the faithful and brethren, that he speaketh of: for he will have the offended brother to rebuke before two or three brethren in private, and if the offender ⟨p. 27⟩hear not (tell the Church) Now three believers, to whom the matter is already told,3 is a Church to Master Smith; for so he saith in that same place, Then Christ biddeth tell the matter to the Church, before the Church hear of it. 5. Neither doth the hearing of prayers prove a ministerial Church, seeing God heareth the prayers of one believer in the Prison, or the Whales belly: but it is the doctrine of these, with whom we now reason, that six, professing Christ, being visible Saints (who may be unseen Devils in heart▪ and so neither Brethren, Disciples, nor little ones) are an independent visible Church, having power to bind and loose: and therefore suppose Christ spake here, to his Disciples and believers, of the Churches power in excommunication, it is a weak collection, that therefore all Disciples have power to bind and loose: And these words, verse 18. Whatsoever ye bind on earth, &c.