The due right of presbyteries, or, A peaceable plea for the government of the Church of Scotland ... by Samuel Rutherfurd ...

About this Item

Title
The due right of presbyteries, or, A peaceable plea for the government of the Church of Scotland ... by Samuel Rutherfurd ...
Author
Rutherford, Samuel, 1600?-1661.
Publication
London :: Printed by E. Griffin, for Richard Whittaker and Andrew Crook ...,
1644.
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Subject terms
Church of Scotland -- Government -- Early works to 1800.
Church polity -- Early works to 1800.
Presbyterianism -- Early works to 1800.
Congregational churches -- Government -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A57969.0001.001
Cite this Item
"The due right of presbyteries, or, A peaceable plea for the government of the Church of Scotland ... by Samuel Rutherfurd ..." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A57969.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed February 7, 2025.

Pages

Of Ruling Elders.

WE subscribe willingly to what our Author saith, for the * 1.1 office of ruling Elders in the Church.

For Paul, Rom. 12. 8. from foure principall acts requisite in Christs house and body, v. 6, 7, 8. Teaching, Exhorting, Giveing of Almes, Rling, maketh foure ordinary officers, Teachers, Pastors, Deacons and Elders.

Opposite to the office of ruling Elders, object, that by Rulers may be understood, Governours of Families. Ans. Families as they are such, are not Churches, but parts of the Church, and cleare it is that the Apostle Speaketh of Christs Body, the Church in that place. 5. As we have many members in one body, &c.

They Object that Paul speaketh of severall gifts, not of publick Offices in the Church, for he speaketh of all the power and actions, of all the members of the Body of Christ; now the offices alone are not the body, but all the multitude of believers.

Ans. This cannot well be answered, by these, who make all the believers governours, and a generation of Kings and Teach∣ers: because it is expresly said, v. 4. all members have not the same office. Ergo, they are not all to attend ruling, and to rule

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with diligence. 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is false that he speaketh not of Officers, and publick Officer. Hee who speaketh of reigning doth in∣deed speak of a King, as he who speaketh of exhorting which is the specifick act of a pastor, speaketh of a pastor. The place, 1 Cor. 12. 28. 29. Is cleare for Ruling Elders: but some say, that governours are but arhiters, which Paul biddeth the Corinthians set up in the Church for decyding of civill controversies. 2. Cor. 6. that they goe not to Law one against another▪ before heathen Judges.

Ans. Paul commandeth to obey Judges, but never to set up a new order of Judges in their roome. 2. These arbitees we•••• not governours to command, but rather faithfull Christians to counsell, and remove controversies, or Christian reconcilers to hinder them to goe to the Law, one with another before infi•••••• judges. 3. The Apostle is speaking here of such Officers as Christ hath set in the Church, as the Church and Kingdom of Christ, but these civill arbitrators, are no Church-Officers, •••• Tim. 5. 17. The Elders who rule well are worthy of double honour, &c. This place speaketh cleare for ruling Elders.

The adversaries say: here are meant Deacons to whom are al∣lowed stipends, for either here, or elsewhere wages are allowed for Deacons.

Answ. 1. Paul would not speake so honorably of Deacons, as to allow them the worth of a double honorable reward. Yea Gods Word purteth the Deacons out of the roll of Rulers and governours in Gods house, as having nothing to doe by * 1.2 their office to labour in the Word and Prayer, but are in Gods wisdome set lower to attend Tables, nor doth the word call them Elders, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in relation to the Church but onely in relation to their owne family and house. 2 Tim. 3. 12. their office is an office of meere service of Tables. 2. He is a labouring Elder worthy of wages, that the Apostle speaketh of here, as, v. 18. The Deaconship being to receive the mercy and charity, which is almes, and not debt, cannot be such an office as taketh up the whole man, so as hee must live upon the Churches charges. 3. Bilson a 1.3 a man partiall in this cause, against the minde of all the ancients (saith Didocla∣vius b 1.4 giveth this interpetation. But it is seconded with no

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warrant of Gods Word, for Governours and Deacons are made two species of officers, Rom. 12. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he who ruleth with diligence, and he who hath mercy with chearefulnesse. And two opposite species are not predi∣cated, the one of the other. And if well governing, Rom. 12. be ell teaching and diligent exhorting, all are confounded in that Text, where the Apostle marshalleth the officers and their severall exercises so accurately.

Nor can hee meane here Bishops so old that they are not now abe to labour in the word and doctrine, for then pastos for their age and inhability to preach, should because of their age and infirmity, deserve lesse honour and reward, then the yonger who are able to labour in the word and doctrine. This is crosse to the sift Commandement, which addeth honour and double honour to age, and gray haires, being found in the way of righ∣teousnesse. 2. Against Justice, that because yeares and paines in Gods Service, hath made them aged, for that they are to have lesse honour and reward: whereas they deserve the double; rather then that the younger should be preferred to them.

Nor. 3. Can the Apostles meaning be, that these who rule well that lead an exemplarily holy life, are worthy of honour, especially painefull preachers. Because 1. A person is never called a labourer, and worthy of hire, as the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne, because of holinesse of life, especially the Church s not to give stipend to a pastor, for his holy life. 2. Their life should be exemplarily holy, who did not labour in the word and doctrine, that is, we have a pastor passing holy in his life, but he cannot preach, or keepeth an ill conscience in his calling, be∣cause he is lazy and a loyterer in preaching. 3. What Word of God, or dialect in the word expresseth a holy life, by well gover∣ing, for a holy life is the sanctity of mans conversation be he a private, or a publick man. But to govern well, is the para∣phase of a good Governour and officer, in the Greeke tongue or any other Language.

Nor. 4. Can the Apostle understand by labourers in the Word and Doctrine (as Bilson a 1.5 saith) such as wnt thorough the Earth, and made jurnies, as Apostles and Evangelists did, to plant visit and confirme Churches, and by these who govern well,

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such as labour indeed in the Word and Doctrine, but are fixed to a certaine place.

I answer, Then the well ruling Elders are not labourers in the Word and Doctrine; for out of Question one of the species of Elders here mentioned, doe not labour in Word and Doctrine at all. But by this interpretation, both labour in the Word and Doctrine; but the one in a fixed place, the other by Apostolike journeys through the World. And the object of one of these Offices, to wit, the Word and Doctrine differenceth the one from the other, whose object must be not the Word and Doctrine; for word and Doctrine need not to be governed, but the Church, and persons in Church-state need to be governed.

2. There is no warrant of the Word, that to labour in the Word is proper to the Apostles and Evangelists, journeying through the World, seeing (as a 1.6 Didoclavius observeth) the same word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is ascribed to those who in a fixed place la∣bour, 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. Who labour amongst you. Yea, and it is taken for any travell of minde or body in the Word. 3. He is not here to deny, nor can the Apostle deny, but travelling Apo∣stles and Evangelists did governe well, especially in planting Elders in every Church, and governing the planted Churches, but he cannot speake of travelling to the wearying of the body: when the object of travelling is exprest, to wit, (in Word and Do∣ctrine) which object is not given to the well ruling Elder.

Notes

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