A42757:250
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.
First, the causes for which men were put out of the Synagogues, were matters of scandal, offences in point of Religion, and we read of none cast out of the Synagogue for a civill injury or crime; It was for confessing Christ Jo. 9. 22. & 12. 42. then counted heresy: and for Preaching of the Gospel Jo. 16. 2. Secondly, The Synagogical Assembly or Court, was Spiritual ⟨p. 62⟩and Ecclesiastical, as Ludoviens de Dieu noteth upon Matth 10. 17. we read of the Rulers of the Synagogue, Act. 13. 15. among whom he that did pre•de and moderate, was called the chief Ruler of the Synagogue Act. 18. 8. 17. names never given to civill Magistrates or Judges. Therefore Brughton makes this of the Rulers of the Synagogue, to be one of the parallels between the Jewish, and the Christian Church. Se• his exposition of the Lords Prayer pag. 14. 16. As for that Assembly of the Pharisees, which did cast out, or excommunicate the blind man, Jo. 9. Tossanus upon the place calls it Senatus Ecclesiasticus; and Brentius argueth from this example against the infallibility of Councils, because this Council of the Pharisees called Christ himself a sinner. 3 The Court of civill Judgement, was in the Gates of the City, not in the Synagogue. 4 Such as the Communion and fellowship was in the Synagogue, such was the casting out of the Synagogue. But the Communion or fellowship, which one enjoyed in the Synagogue, was a Church-Communion and Sacred fellowship, in acts of Divine worship. Therefore the casting out of the Synagogue was also Ecclesiastical and Spiritual, not civill or temporal. 4 The end was Sacred and Spiritual, to glorify God Is. 66. 5. to do God good service Jo. 16. 2. in that which did more immediately and nearly touch his name and his glory, Though the Pharisees did falsely pretend that end, their error was not in mistaking the nature of the Censure, but in misapplying it where they had no just cause. 5 Master Prynne himself tells us pag. 49. That this excommunication from the Synagogue was of force forty days (though I believe he hath added ten more then enough, and if he look over his Books better, he will find he should have said thirty,) yet so as that it might be shortened upon repentance. But I pray, are civill punishments shortened or lengthened according to the parties repentance? I know Church Censures are so.