A42757:441
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.
For better stating of the controversy, We shall first of all take notice of such particulars as are the Opposites concessions to us, or our concessions to them. Their concessions are these.
FOr better stating of the controversie, We shall first of all take notice of such particulars as are the Opposites concessions to us, or our concessions to them. Their concessions are these.
1. hThat the Christian Magistrate in ordering and disposing of Ecclesiastical causes and matters of Religion, is tied to keep close to the Rule of the Word of God; and that as he may not assume an Arbitrary Government of the State, so far less of the Church. 2. That Church-Officers may exercise Church-government, and authority in matters of Religion, where the Magistrate doth not profess and defend the true Religion: In such a case two Governments are allowed to stand together, one civil, another Ecclesiastical. This iErastus granteth, as it were by constraint, and it seems by way of compliance with the Divines of Zurik (who hold excommunication by Church-Officers under an infidel Magistrate, and that Jure Divino) to move them to comply the more with him in other particulars. 3. That the abuse of Church-government is no good argument against the thing it self: There being no authority so good, so necessary in Church or State, but by reason of their corruptions who manage it, may be abused to tyranny and oppression. These are Mr. Prynne's words, Vindic. of the 4. Questions pag. 2. ⟨p. 174⟩4. That some Jurisdiction belongs to Presbyteries by Divine Right. Mr. Prynne in his Epistle Dedicatory before the vindication of his four questions, saith, that his scope is, not to take from our new Presbyteries, all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction due by Divine Right to them, but to confine it within certain definite limits, to prevent all exorbitant abuses of it. 5. That the Christian Magistrate ought not, may not preach the Word, nor minister the Sacraments. Mr. Coleman in his Brotherly examination re-examined pag. 14. I never had it in my thoughts that the Parliament had power of dispensing the Word and Sacraments: Then so far there is a distinction of Magistracy and Ministry Jure Divino: Yet in this he did not so well agree with