A42757:432
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
Book 2 › Chapter 2: Some Postulata or common Principles to be presupposed.
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.
CHAP. II. Some Postulata or common Principles to be presupposed.
For a foundation to the following discourse, I shall premise the particulars following, which I hope shall be condescended upon, and acknowledged, as so many [Greek or Hebrew]
FOr a foundation to the following discourse, I shall premise the particulars following, which I hope shall be condescended upon, and acknowledged, as so many 〈non-Latin alphabet〉
1. There must be a most conscientious and special care had, that there be not a promiscuous admission of all sorts of persons (that please or desire) to partake in all the public Ordinances of God: but a distinction is to be made of the precious and the vile, the clean and the unclean; I mean those who are apparently and visibly such. This was a principle and rule among the Heathens themselves, therefored when they came to do sacrifice, the profane were bidden be gone, and ⟨p. 172⟩eCaesar tells us, that of old the Druids (the Heathnish French Priests) did interdict the flagitious from their sacrifices and holy things. These Druids France had from England, if the observation of Francis Holy-Oak out of Tacitus, hold. 2. That censures and punishments ought to be appointed and inflicted, as for personal and private injuries between man and man, so much more for public and scandalous sins, whereby God is very much dishonoured, and the Church dangerously scandalized. Tiberius his slighting maxim, Deorum injurias Dijs curae esse, may be entertained among Atheists, but is exploded among all true Christians. [Greek or Hebrew], is the Christian maxim. Care is to be first taken of things pertaining to God. 3. It is requisite and necessary, that he who hath given public scandal and offence to the Church, and hath openly dishonoured God by a gross notorious sin, should honour God, edify others, and (so far as in him lieth) remove the offence by a public confession of the sin, and declaration of his sorrow and repentance for the sane; and of his resolution (through the grace of Christ) to do so no more: As many of the Believers at Ephesus did publicly confess and show their deeds: