A Peaceable and Temperate Plea for Paul's 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 Independents of particular Congregations, in defence of Ecclesiastical Presbyteries, Synods and Assemblies, are Examined and tried (1642)

"'This,' says Murray, 'is one of the most temperate, judicious, and best written works he (Rutherford -RB) ever gave the world. It corresponds in every respect with the promise which its title holds out; with this exception, that it is much more learned, dispassionate, and conclusive than the promise implies. It must have had a very considerable effect on public sentiment, and have served to pave the way for that introduction of the Presbyterian system into England which soon took place'" (cited in Samuel Rutherford's Letters, page 612, footnote 1, emphases added).

It is another classic by one of the grand old leaders of the Protesters (i.e. the Covenanters who upheld the continuing obligation of the National and Solemn League and Covenant and the biblical attainments of the second Reformation).

Thomas Smith calls Rutherford a "greatly experienced Christian, and celebrated divine," further noting that "Mr. Rutherford's reputation for piety, learning, and sound theology, was so highly raised, both at home and abroad, by his writings against the Arminians and Jesuits, which were composed in Latin, that, upon the death of the learned Dematius in 1651, the magistrates of Utrecht in Holland invited him to the divinity chair in that university" (Select Memoirs... of Pious and Learned English and Scottish Divines, pp. 636, 639).

One need only read Rutherford to understand why he was held in such high esteem, internationally, by the Reformed community.

354 pages.