A42757:468
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.
4. They differ in their ends. The supreme end of Magistracy is only the glory of God, as King of Nations, and as exercising dominion over the inhabitants of the earth: And in that respect the Magistrate is appointed to keep his Subjects within the bounds of external obedience to the moral Law, the obligation where of lieth upon all Nations, and all men. The supreme end of the Ecclesiastical power, is either proximus or remotus. The nearest and immediate end is the glory of Jesus Christ, as Mediator and King of the Church. The more remote end is the glory of God, as having all power and authority ⟨p. 187⟩in heaven and earth. You will say, Must not then the Christian Magistrate intend the glory of Jesus Christ, and to be subservient to him as he is Mediator and King of the Church? Certainly he ought and must; and God forbid but that he should do so. But how? not qua Magistrate, but qua Christian. If you say to me again, Must not the Christian Magistrate intend to be otherwise subservient to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ as Mediator, then by personal or private Christian duties, which are incumbent to every Christian? I answer, no doubt he ought to intend more, even to glorify Jesus Christ in the administration of Magistracy. Which that you may rightly apprehend, and that I be not misunderstood, take this distinction. It is altogether incumbent to the ruling Officers of the Church, to intend the glory of Christ as Mediator, even ex natura rei, in regard of the very nature of Ecclesiastical power and government which hath no other end and use for which it was intended and instituted, but to be subservient to the Kingly office of Jesus Christ in the governing of his Church upon earth (and therefore sublata Ecclesiâ perit regimen Ecclesiasticum, take away the Church out of a Nation, and you take away all Ecclesiastical power of government, which makes another difference from Magistracy, as we shall see anon.) But the Magistrate though Christian and godly, doth not ex natura rei, in regard of the nature of his particular vocation▪ intend the glory of Jesus Christ as Mediator, and King of the Church: but in regard of the common principles of Christian Religion, which do oblige every Christian in his particular vocation and station (and so the Magistrate in his) to intend that end.
4. They differ in their ends. The supreme end of Magistracy is onely the glory of God, as King of Nations, and as exercising dominion over the inhabitants of the earth: And in that respect the Magistrate is appointed to keep his Subjects within the bounds of external obedience to the moral Law, the obligation where of lyeth upon all Nations, and all men. The supreme end of the Ecclesiastical power, is either proximus or remotus. The neerest and immediate end is the glory of Iesus Christ, as Mediator and King of the Church. The more remote end is the glory of God, as having all power and authority