A42757:1061
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.
May it not be said to Pagans and Turks, that if they repent and believe on Christ, they shall have pardon of sin? Here is the thing to be sealed in Mr. Prynn's opinion. What then should hinder the sealing? He shunneth to call the Sacrament a converting ordinance in reference to Pagans; and now behold his principles will admit the giving of the Sacrament even to Pagans as a sealing Ordinance, how much more then as a converting Ordinance?
May it not be said to Pagans and Turks, that if they repent and beleeve on Christ, they shall have pardon of sin? Here is the thing to be sealed in Mr. Prynn's opinion. What then should hinder the sealing? He shunneth to call the Sacrament a converting ordinance in reference to Pagans; and now behold his principles will admit the giving of the Sacrament even to Pagans as a sealing Ordinance, how much more then as a converting Ordinance?
We have now heard his two distinctions, which if they have given any clearing to his assertion, it is such as is little to his advantage. I will now premise some distinctions of my own to clear that which I hold.
We have now heard his two distinctions, which if they have given any clearing to his assertion, it is such as is little to his advantage. I will now premise some distinctions of my owne to clear that which I hold.
1. The Question is not de potentia Dei absoluta, Whether God by his omnipotency can give the first grace of conversion in the instant of receiving the Sacrament. But the Question is of the revealed will of God, and the way of the dispensation of grace made known to us in the Gospel, which must be the rule to us to walk by. A peradventure it may be, and who knoweth but the scandalous sinner may be converted, is no warrantable ground to go upon in this case, as Mr. Prynn would make it pag. 47. for we may as well adventure to delay repentance, upon a peradventure it may be. There is an example in the New-Testament of one who got repentance and mercy at his end, and if we believe the Hebrews and divers Christian Interpreters; there is another example of the same kind in the Old Testament, which is the example of Achan. Whereas there is no example in all the Scripture of any converted by the Sacrament. But if a thing be contrary to the revealed will and commandment of God (as both these are, the delaying of repentance, and the admission of scandalous persons to the Sacrament) we may not dare to go upon peradventures. To the Law, and to the Testimony. Search the