A42757:1009
Aaron's rod blossoming, or, The divine ordinance of church-government vindicated so as the present…Aarons rod blossoming, or, The divine ordinance of church-government vindicated so as the present…
Aaron's rod blossoming, or, The divine ordinance of church-government vindicated so as the present Erastian controversy concerning the distinction of civill and ecclesiastical government, excommunication, and suspension, is fully debated and discussed, from the holy scripture, from the Jewish and Christian antiquities, from the consent of latter writers, from the true nature and rights of magistracy, and from the groundlessness of the chief objections made against the Presbyterial government in point of a domineering arbitrary unlimited power / by George Gillespie ...Aarons rod blossoming, or, The divine ordinance of church-government vindicated so as the present Erastian controversie concerning the distinction of civill and ecclesiasticall government, excommunication, and suspension, is fully debated and discussed, from the holy scripture, from the Jewish and Christian antiquities, from the consent of latter writers, from the true nature and rights of magistracy, and from the groundlesnesse of the chief objections made against the Presbyteriall government in point of a domineering arbitrary unlimited power / by George Gillespie ...
London: printed by E.G. for Richard Whitaker, 1646
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.
Fourthly, he hath not proved his minor, especially being understood of the second kind of right, which renders me• actually and presently capable of the thing. He saith that the Sacraments were bequeathed by Christ, to his visible Church on Earth, and all visible members of it. Which he hath not proved, and I deny it, except it have this limitation, all visible members of the visible Church, which are (visibly or in external profession and conversation) qualified according to the rule of Christ, and against whose admission to the Sacrament there is no just exception.
Fourthly, he hath not proved his minor, especially being understood of the second kind of right, which renders me• actually and presently capable of the thing. He saith that the Sacraments were bequeathed by Christ, to his visible Church on Earth, and all visible members of it. Which he hath not proved, and I deny it, except it have this limitation, all visible members of the visible Church, which are (visibly or in externall profession and conversation) qualified according to the rule of Christ, and against whose admission to the Sacrament there is no just exception.
Fifthly, when he concludeth, that no unexcommunicated Christians who are able to examine themselves (that is, as himself hath explained, who are not naturally disabled as children, and fools: though he shall find it a very hard task to prove, that all other unexcommunicate Christians besides these, ⟨p. 481⟩are able to examine themselves) ought in justice or conscience to be deprived of the Sacrament by any Minister or Presbytery: he doth upon the matter conclude, that the Ordinances of Parliament Octob. 20. 1645. and March 14. 1645. authorising Presbyteries to suspend from the Sacrament scandalous persons unexcommunicated, are contrary to all justice and conscience. N. B.
Fifthly, when he concludeth, that no unexcommunicated Christians who are able to examine themselves (that is, as himselfe hath explained, who are not naturally disabled as children, and fooles: though he shall finde it a very hard taske to prove, that all other unexcommunicate Christians besides these,