A42757:1140
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.
Come on to his tenth Argument. Its taken from the ends ⟨p. 535⟩for which this Sacrament was ordained. 1. The keeping in memory Christs death. 2. The ratification and sealing of all the promises and Covenant of grace unto the receivers souls. 2. To be a pledge and symbol of that most near and effectual communion which Christians have with Christ, and that spiritual union which they enjoy with him. 4. To feed the communicants souls in assured hope of eternal life. 5. To be a pledge of their resurrection. 6. To seal unto them the assurance of everlasting life. 7. To bind them as it were by an oath of fidelity to Christ, Whereupon he asketh how it is possible that this Sacrament should not both in Gods intention and Christs ordination, be a converting as well as a sealing Ordinance, since that which doth seal all these particulars to mens souls, &c. must needs more powerfully persuade, pierce, melt, relent, convert an obdurate heart and unregenerate sinner then the Word it self?
Come on to his tenth Argument. Its taken from the ends ⟨p. 535⟩for which this Sacrament was ordained. 1. The keeping in memory Christs death. 2. The ratification and sealing of all the promises and Covenant of grace unto the receivers souls. 2. To be a pledge and symbole of that most neer and effectual communion which Christians have with Christ, and that spiritual union which they enjoy with him. 4. To feed the communicants souls in assured hope of eternal life. 5. To be a pledge of their resurrection. 6. To seal unto them the assurance of everlasting life. 7. To binde them as it were by an oath of fidelity to Christ, Whereupon he asketh how it is possible that this Sacrament should not both in Gods intention and Christs ordination, be a converting as well as a sealing Ordinance, since that which doth seal all these particulars to mens souls, &c. must needs more powerfully perswade, pierce, melt, relent, convert an obdurate heart and unregenerate sinner then the Word it self?
Answ. 1. His Argument may be strongly retorted against himself, divers of these ends of the Sacrament being such as are incompetent and unapplicable to obdurate and unregenerate sinners: How did he imagine that even to such as these, the Sacrament doth ratify and seal to their souls all the promises and Covenant of grace, they not having yet closed with Christ in the Covenant? Or how will he make it to appear, that this Sacrament is a pledge of a most near union and communion with Christ, even to those who are yet far from any union with Christ? Or how shall they be fed in hope and sealed in assurance of everlasting life, who are yet under the curse of the Law and state of condemnation? Surely Master Prynne granting here that the Sacrament is ordained of Christ to seal, and that it doth seal all these particulars to mens souls, doth thereby yield the whole cause. For that which doth seal all these particulars to mens souls, most certainly doth not convert, but presuppose conversion. 2. If this Sacrament be by Gods intention a converting Ordinance, and Gods intention being by him distinguished from Christs ordination, whether doth it not necessarily follow both from this and from his first Argument (unto which this gives more light) that God did in the secret counsel of his Will intend and decree the Conversion of the flintiest heart and obdurest spirit, as he speaketh; and that either this effect is