A42757:453
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.
I do not intend to enumerate all the differences between the Papal and Prelatical Government on the one side, and the Presbyterial Government on the other side; in this point of unlimitedness or arbitrariness. These differences which I have given, may serve for a conscientious caution to intelligent and moderate men, to beware of such odious and unjust comparisons, as have been used by some, and among others by Mr. Sal•marsh in his Parallel between the Prelacy and Presbytery: Which as it cannot strike against us, nor any of the Reformed Churches (who acknowledge no such Presbytery as he describeth) and in some particulars, striketh at the Ordinance of Parliament (as namely in point of the Directory) so he that hath a mind to a Recrimination, might with more truth lay diverse of those imputations upon those, whom (I believe) he is most unwilling they should be laid upon.
I do not intend to enumerate all the differences between the Papal and Prelatical Government on the one side, and the Presbyterial Government on the other side; in this point of unlimitednesse or arbitrarynesse. These differences which I have given, may serve for a consciencious caution to intelligent and moderate men, to beware of such odiou• and unjust comparisons, as have been used by some, and among others by Mr. Sal•marsh in his Parallel between the Prelacy and Presbyterie: Which as it cannot strike against us, nor any of the Reformed Churches (who acknowledge no such Presbyterie as he describeth) and in some particulars, striketh at the Ordinance of Parliament (as namely in point of the Directory) so he that hath a mind to a Recrimination, might with more truth lay diverse of those imputations upon those, whom (I beleeve) he is most unwilling they should be laid upon.
In the third place, The Presbyterian Government is more limited and less arbitrary than the Independent Government of single Congregations, which exempting themselves from the Presbyterial subordination, and from being accountable to, and censurable by Classes or Synods, must needs be supposed to exercise a much more unlimited or arbitrary power, than the Presbyterial Churches do: especially when this shall be compared