A42757:1083
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.
Eighthly, That Ordinance which is not appointed to work faith is no converting ordinance. But the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is not appointed to work faith. Ergo. The proposition must be granted, unless a man will say that conversion may be without faith. The Assumption is proved by Rom. 10. 14. men cannot pray if they do not believe, and they cannot believe if they do not hear the Word, v. 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. If faith cometh by hearing, then not by seeing; if by the word, then not by the Sacrament.
Eightly, That Ordinance which is not appointed to work faith is no converting ordinance. But the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is not appointed to work faith. Ergo. The proposition must be granted, unlesse a man will say that conversion may be without faith. The Assumption is proved by Rom. 10. 14. men cannot pray if they do not beleeve, and they cannot beleeve if they do not hear the Word, v. 17. So then faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. If faith commeth by hearing, then not by seeing; if by the word, then not by the Sacrament.
Ninthly, That Ordinance which hath neither a promise of the grace of conversion annexed to it, nor any example in the Word of God of any converted by it, is no converting Ordinance. But the Sacrament of the Lords Supper hath neither a promise of the grace of conversion annexed to it, nor is there any example in all the Scripture of any ever converted by it. Therefore it is no converting Ordinance.
Tenthly, That Ordinance whereof Christ would have no unworthy person to partake is not a converting Ordinance. But the Lords Supper is an Ordinance whereof Christ would have no unworthy person to partake. Ergo. The proposition I prove thus. It is not the will of Christ that converting Ordinances should be dispensed to no unworthy person (for else how should they be converted) but only he hath forbidden to dispense unto unworthy persons such Ordinances as belong to the Communion Saints. The Assumption I prove from