A42757:1162
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.
Sixthly, That Ordinance which is profaned by admitting Infants and Idiots who can make no good use of it, is much more profaned by admitting abominable and known profane persons who make a very bad use of it. But the Lords Supper is profaned by admitting Infants and Idiots who can make no good use of it. Ergo.
Sixthly, That Ordinance which is prophaned by admitting Infants and Idiots who can make no good use of it, is much more prophaned by admitting abominable and known prophane persons who make a very bad use of it. But the Lords Supper is prophaned by admitting Infants and Idiots who can make no good use of it. Ergo.
Mr. Prynn pag. 29. yieldeth that children, fools, and distracted men, are by a natural disability made uncapable of receiving the Lords Supper, because unable to examine themselves, to which (saith he) not withstanding they have been admitted in some Churches. In what Churches fools and distracted men have been admitted to the Lords Supper, I should have willingly learned from him, for as yet I know not any such thing Children I know were sometime admitted by the Ancients who did afterward discover their own great error in that particular. However, He yields as I take it, children and fools to be uncapable of the Lords Supper. And why? because unable to examine themselves, in regard of natural disability. But where there is no disability in the natural faculties, may not a sinful disability which a man hath drawn upon himself (as ignorance, drunkenness, corrupt and atheistical opinions, presumptuous excusing or defending of sin) make him unable to examine himself? Shall men that are unable to examine themselves be admitted to the Sacrament, because not disabled by any ⟨p. 546⟩natural disability? Sure this was far from Pauls thoughts when he delivered that rule concerning examining our selves before the Sacrament. Whoever they be who are unable to examine themselves, whether naturally or sinfully, much more they who manifestly appear unwilling to examine themselves, if they be admitted and allowed to come to the Lords Supper, it is a high and heinous profanation of that Ordinance. Wherefore to prosecute my Argument, Why do we exclude Infants and Idiots? because […] Apostle saith, Let a man examine himself, and so let him […] Bread, and drink of that Cup: but Infants and Idiots […] examine themselves. Now a positive profanation of the Sacrament, is worse then a negative profanation of it: abuti is more then non bene uti. We know that profane impenitent sinners will not only make no good use of the Sacrament, nor examine themselves aright, but will abuse it to the worst use that can be, even to flatter themselves in their wickedness, and to harden themselves in sin and impenitency. Mr. Prynn will tell us, we know not but God may convert such at the Sacrament. But there is not the least hint in all the Word of God of any impenitent sinner converted by the Sacrament.