A42757:24
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.
And that it is lawful for Christian men, at the command of the Magistrate, to bear Arm, and to serve in just wars All these things we do sincerely, really, constantly, faithfully, and cheerfully yield unto and assert in behalf of the civill Magistrate. So that the cause which I now take in hand doth not depress but exalt, doth not weaken but strengthen Magistracy. I do not plead against the power of the Sword when I plead for zthe power of the Keys. These two are most distinct, they ought not to be confounded, neither need they to clash or interfere between themselves. The controversy is not about taking from the Magistrate what is his, but about ⟨image 9⟩giving to Christ that which is his. We hold a reciprocal subordination of persons, but a coordination of powers. aAs the Ministers and others of the Ecclesiastical estate are subject to the Magistrate civill, so ought the person of the Magistrate be subject to the Church Spiritually, and in Ecclesiastical government. And the exercise of both these jurisdictions cannot stand in one person ordinarily. Again, b The Magistrate neither ought to preach, minister the Sacraments, nor execute the censures of the Church, nor yet prescribe any rule how it should be done, but command the Ministers to observe the rule commanded in the Word, and punish the transgressors by civill means. The Ministers exercise not the civill Jurisdiction, but teach the Magistrate, how it should be exercised according to the word. cThe Laws and Statutes of Geneva do at once ratify the Ecclesiastical Presbyterial power of Jurisdiction or censure, and withal appoint that Ministers shall not take upon them any civill jurisdiction, but where there shall be need of compulsion or civill punishments, that this be done by the Magistrate. Yea, under a Popish Magistrate (as in France) and even under the Turk himself ⟨image 9⟩many Churches do enjoy not only the Word and Sacraments, but a free Church government and Discipline within themselves, rectio disciplinae libera, which is thought no prejudice to the civill government, they that govern the Churches having no dominion nor share of Magistracy. Vide D. Chytraei orat. de statu Ecclesiarum in Graecia &c.