A42757:1124
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.
His fifth Argument is taken from the converting power of the Word: that which makes conversion by the Word is the particular application of Christ and the promises. Now the Sacrament doth most particularly and effectually apply Christ and the promises unto every Communicants eyes, ears, heart, and soul, far livelier then the Word preached.
Answ. 1. This is a mere fallacy, à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter: and easily discovered. The Sacrament applieth Christ, but to whom? not to the unconverted and unbelievers (for that were to give a seal without a charter) but to those that are supposed to be converted and believers. He had this to prove, That the Sacrament doth apply Christs death, passion, and merits to unconverted persons, and to unbelievers, yea to their heart and soul. 2. That the Sacrament doth apply the death, passion, and merits of Christ to the Communicants ears, and that far livelier than the word preached, is to me a riddle which I think will trouble Mr. Prynn himself to expound. 3. A great controversy there hath been about the oral or corporal manducation of the body of Christ in the Sacrament. But Mr. Prynn out-runneth here all Ubiquitaries in the World, for he hath said no less then that every Communicant eateth spiritually and by faith the body of Christ, even unconverted persons, for he saith, that this Sacrament doth most particularly, fully, lively, and sensibly apply the promises, yea the death, passion, and merits of Christ unto EVERY Communicants eyes, ears, HEART and SOUL. Which is plainly universal grace to all who ever received this Sacrament (and so to Judas, according to his principles) and to all who ever shall receive it. 4. Whereas he would confirm this which he saith, by his Antagonists Confession; I do not think he can give any conscientious account of that word. Who said it, or where? He must needs hold universal grace, hold it who will. 5. Here lies the strength of his Argument: The Word converts by applying Christ, therefore the Sacrament, which doth more lively apply Christ to every Communicant, must be a converting Ordinance. Which necessarily implieth, that all who receive the Sacrament ⟨p. 529⟩are converted. Yea if application infer conversion, as the effect of the Application, the Saints and Believers themselves must be again constituted in the first Article of Conversion, and transition from the estate of nature and unregeneration. 6. The Application of Christ in the Word unto Conversion, is a thing of another nature than the Sacramental application of Christ, and therefore like effects ought not to be ascribed unto these Ordinances: