A42757:426
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.
The Tutor which bred up the Erastian error, was Arminianism; for the Arminians finding their plants plucked up, and their poison antidoted by Classes and Synods, thereupon they began to cry down Synodical authority, and to appeal to the Magistrates power in things Ecclesiastical, hoping for more favour and less opposition that way. They will have Synods only to examine, dispute, discuss, to impose nothing under pain of Ecclesiastical censure, but to leave all men free, to do as they list. See their exam. cens. cap. 25. and Vindic. lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. 131. 133. And for the Magistrate they have endeavoured to make him head of the Church, as the Pope was; yea so far, that they are not ashamed to ascribe unto the Magistrate that Jurisdiction ⟨p. 164⟩over the Churches, Synods, and Ecclesiastical proceedings' which the Pope did formerly usurp: For which see Apollonius in his Jus Maj•statis circa sacra.
The Tutor which bred up the Erastian error, was Arminianisme; for the Arminians finding their plants pluckt up, and their poison antidoted by Classes and Synods, thereupon they began to cry down Synodical authority, and to appeal to the Magistrates power in things Ecclesiastical, hoping for more favour and lesse opposition that way. They will have Synods onely to examine, dispute, discusse, to impose nothing under pain of Ecclesiastical censure, but to leave all men free, to do as they list. See their exam. cens. cap. 25. and Vindic. lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. 131. 133. And for the Magistrate they have endeavoured to make him head of the Church, as the Pope was; yea so far, that they are not ashamed to ascribe unto the Magistrate that Jurisdiction ⟨p. 164⟩over the Churches, Synods, and Ecclesiastical proceedings' which the Pope did formerly usurpe: For which see Apollonius in his Ius Maj•statis circa sacra.
But the Erastian Error being thus borne, nursed, fed, and educated, did fall into a most deadly decay and consumption: the procuring causes whereof were these three. First, the best and most (and in some respect all) of the Reformed Churches refused to receive, harbour, or entertain it, and so left it exposed to hunger and cold, shame and nakedness.