A42757:1239
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.
Another▪ sort is of those which would be Christians but in name and title only, they promise an honest enough show of Christian profession; they dispute both learnedly, and every where with great endeavour, of Christ; they carry about in their hands the Gospel; they frequent sacred Sermons; have cast off all superstition; they feed with the perfect; they marry, eat, and are clothed, so as they hold no difference either of times or of places. Finally, Whatsoever is pleasing in Christ they take and stiffly hold. But if ye look into their life, they are Epicures, Wasters, Ravenous, Covetous, Sons of Belial; Not Christs servants, but slaves of their belly; who according to the Satirist, think virtue to be but words, as the wood to be but trees. And of these there is a great store every where, who seeing only for their belly they follow Christ, they leave nothing undevised and uninterprised to hinder Excommunication, that so they may the more freely satisfy and serve their own lusts. So ⟨p. 590⟩the Covetous man feareth that his Covetousness be called in question, which he will not forsake. The Adulterer, he that buyeth or selleth men into slavery, the dicer, the whoremonger, the drunkard would rather his intemperance to be concealed. So the Robber, the Murderer, the Incendiary is afraid to be laid open or made known. So he that delighteth to be fatted and enriched with the damages of the Common▪ wealth, is unwilling to have any bridle to curb and restrain him: The Cheater that with false wares beguileth the people; the seller that with unjust gain outeth counterfeit wares; the deceiver who cozeneth and circumventeth his Neighbour. Last of all whosoever are thus affected that they savour or follow nothing but their belly, their ambition, and the purse, they do not willingly endure that their liberty of sinning should be stopped to them.
Another▪ sort is of those which would be Christians but in name and title onely, they promise an honest enough shew of Christian profession; they dispute both learnedly, and every where with grea• endeavour, of Christ; they carry about in their hands the Gospel; they frequent sacred Sermons; have cast off all superstition; they feed with the perfect; they marry, eat, and are clothed, so as they hold no difference either of times or of places. Finally, Whatsoever is pleasing in Christ they take and stiffely hold. But if ye look into their life, they are Epicures, Wasters, Ravenous, Covetous, Sons of Belial; Not Christs servants, but slaves of their belly; who according to the Satyrist, think vertue to be but words, as the wood to be but trees. And of these there is a great store every where, who seeing onely for their belly they follow Christ, they leave nothing undevised and uninterprised to hinder Excommunication, that so they may the more freely satisfie and serve their own lusts. So