A42757:1035
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.
CHAP. XII. Whether the Sacrament of the Lords Supper be a converting or regenerating Ordinance.
I Had in answer to Mr. Prynns third Quaere, given this reason why profane and scandalous persons are to be kept off from the Sacrament, and yet not from hearing the Word: because the word is not only a confirming and comforting, but a converting Ordinance, and is a mean appointed of God to turn sinners from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God: Whereas the Sacrament is not a converting, but a confirming and sealing Ordinance, which is not given to the Church for the conversion of Sinners, but for the Communion of Saints: It is not appointed to put a man in the state of grace, but to seal unto a man that interest in Christ and in the Covenant of Grace which he already hath. Mr. Prynne doth with much eagerness contradict me in this, and argue at length the contrary. (Which is the marrow and fatness (if there be any) in his debate concerning the eighth point of difference) Whereby he doth not only contradict me, but himself too (as shall appear) yea and join not only with the more rigid Lutherans, but with the Papists themselves against the Writers of the Reformed Churches. For the very same thing which is controverted between him and me, is controverted between Papists and Protestants. The Papists hold that the Sacraments are instrumental• to confer, give, or work grace; yea ex opere operato▪ ⟨p. 490⟩as the School-men speak. Our Divines hold that the Sacraments are appointed of God, and delivered to the Church as sealing Ordinances, not to give, but to testify what is given, not to make but confirm Saints. And they do not only oppose the Papists opus operatum: but they simply deny this instrumentality of the Sacraments, that they are appointed of God for working or giving grace, where it is not. This is so well known to all who have studied the Sacramentarian controversies, that I should not need to prove it. Yet that none may doubt of it, take here some few instead of many testimonies. b