A42757:1154
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.
Now that the admission of scandalous and notorious sinners to the Sacrament in a reformed and constituted Church, is a profanation or pollution of that Ordinance, may be thus proved.
First, Paraeus upon the 82 Question in the Heidelberg Catechism, where it is affirmed, that by the admission of scandalous sinners to the Sacrament, the Covenant of God is profaned, giveth this reason for it, Because as they who having no Faith nor Repentance, if they take the s•als of the Covenant, do thereby profane the Covenant; so they who consent to known wicked and scandalous persons their taking of the seals, or to their coming to the Sacrament, do by such consenting make themselves guilty of profaning the Covenant of God (for the doer and the consenter fall under the same breach of law) yea, so far do they sin by such consenting, as that they do thereby acknowledge the children of the devil to be the children of God, and the enemies of God to be in Covenant and to have fellowship with God. He distinguisheth these two things, who ought to come to the Sacrament, and who ought to be admitted. None ought to come, except those who truly believe and repent: None ought to be admitted, except such as are supposed to be believers and penitent, there being nothing known to the contrary. If any impenitent sinner take the Sacrament, he profanes the Covenant of God. If the Church admit to the Sacrament any known to live in wickedness without repentance, the Church profaneth the Covenant of God.
First, Paraeus upon the 82 Question in the Heidelberg Catechism, where it is affirmed, that by the admission of scandalous sinners to the Sacrament, the Covenant of God is profaned, giveth this reason for it, Because as they who having no Faith nor Repentance, if they take the s•als of the Covenant, do thereby profane the Covenant; so they who consent to known wicked and scandalous persons their taking of the seals, or to their coming to the Sacrament, do by such consenting make themselves guilty of profaning the Covenant of God (for the doer and the consenter fall under the same breach of law) yea, so far do they sin by such consenting, as that they do thereby acknowledge the children of the devil to be the children of God, and the enemies of God to be in Covenant and to have fellowship with God. He distinguisheth these two things, who ought to come to the Sacrament, and who ought to be admitted. None ought to come, except those who truely believe and repent: None ought to be admitted, except such as are supposed to be believers and penitent, there being nothing known to the contrary. If any impenitent sinner take the Sacrament, he profanes the Covenant of God. If the Church admit to the Sacrament any known to live in wickednesse without repentance, the Church profaneth the Covenant of God.