A42757:1111
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.
First he tells us we grant that moral carnal Christians, and all such as are not convicted of scandalous sins, are to be admitted to the Sacrament. Therefore doubtless (saith he) it is and was intended by Christ for a converting Ordinance to all such as these, to turn them from their evil ways, and work saving grace within their hearts, since it can have no other proper primary effect in such. Certainly God and Christ bestow no Ordinances upon men in vain; therefore their intentions in instituting this Supper, even for such visible, moral, unregenerate Christian, as well as real Saints, must necessarily be for their conversion, not their confirmation and sealing only.
First he tells us we grant that moral carnal Christians, and all such as are not convicted of scandalous sins, are to be admitted to the Sacrament. Thrrefore doubtlesse (saith he) it is and was intended by Christ for a converting Ordinance to all such as these, to turn them from their evil waies, and work saving grace within their hearts, since it can have no other proper primary effect in such. Certainly God and Christ bestow no Ordinances upon men in vain; therefore their intentions in instituting this Supper, even for such visible, moral, unregenerate Christian, as well as real Saints, must necessarily be for their conversion, not their confirmation and sealing onely.
Answ. Lapsus in initio mali augurii est. He confoundeth here things most different. 1. He confoundeth our admitting of Communicants, with Gods intention to do good to their souls: and his Argument runs upon this mistake, that God intendeth good to the souls of all who come to the Lords Table, ⟨p. 523⟩though wicked close Hypocrites; and since this good cannot be sealing only, it must be conversion. But it is neither sealing, nor conversion, nor any good at all which God intends by that Ordinance to them that perish: yet it is not in vain: for he himself tells us pag. 34. that even in these, the Minister administering the Sacrament, is a sweet savour to God, who hath appointed the Sacrament secondarily and contingently, to be a means of aggravating mens sins and condemnation, to magnify his justice. 2. There is a most dangerous mistake in that which he saith of the intentions of God and of Christ. If he mean of what God intendeth or purposeth in the Counsel of his own will, that in this sense God intendeth the conversion of those that perish, is to make void and frustraneous the decree, will, and intention of God, which is gross Arminianism and Jesuitism. But if he mean finis operis, the proper end for which the Sacrament was instituted, and the good which the Word of God tells us we ought to seek, and may through the grace of God find in the Sacrament: Then in that sense, to say that Christs intention in instituting this Sacrament was for conversion of moral unregenerate Christians, is merely a begging of what is in question. The like I say of that proper primary effect of the Sacrament in such. If he mean the proper primary effect decreed in the secret counsel of God, he mires himself in Arminianism. If he mean the proper primary effect of the Sacrament in respect of its own nature, this is but petere principium. 3. All who pretend right to the Sacrament are either visible Saints, qualified according to the rule of Christ, and such as the Eldership (examining their profession and practice according to the rules of the word) judgeth fit to be admitted to the Sacrament; or they are not such. If they be such, then the end and use of the Sacrament in reference to them, is to be a sealing Ordinance. for the Eldership judgeth and supposeth them fit to be sealed and confirmed, so far as they can understand, and in that capacity do admit them: