A42757:504
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.
Fourthly, He tells us pag. 17. if kings may be called holy, if their Offices may be accounted holy Offices, or not sinful, they must be held off and under Christ. Answ. If he mean holy in opposition to civil, humane, worldly, secular, I deny the office of kings to be holy; if he mean holy in opposition to sinful, unlawful, unholy ⟨p. 213⟩(as it seems he doth) then I confess the office of Kings is lawful not sinful, and themselves are holy when sanctified: but this proves not that they hold their office of and under Christ, more then carters or cobblers hold their office of and under Christ: I am far from making a parallel between the Magistrate and these: but this I say, Mr. Husseys plea for the Magistrate is no other than agreeth to these. And where he addeth out of Calvin, Kings have place in the Church, and flock of Christ, and are not spoiled of their Crown and Sword that they may be admitted into the Church; this in reference to the conclusion he driveth at, is no more than if he had argued thus, carters and cobblers have place in the Church and flock of Christ, and are not necessitated to quit their secular calling that they may be admitted into the Church of Christ, therefore they hold their offices of and under Christ.
Fourthly, He tells us pag. 17. if kings may be called holy, if their Offices may be accounted holy Offices, or not sinful, they must be held off and under Christ. Answ. If he mean holy in opposition to civil, humane, worldly, secular, I denie the office of kings to be holy; if he mean holy in opposition to sinful, unlawful, unholy ⟨p. 213⟩(as it seems he doth) then I confesse the office of Kings is lawful not sinful, and themselves are holy when sanctified: but this proves not that they hold their office of and under Christ, more then carters or coblers hold their office of and under Christ: I am far from making a paralel between the Magistrate and these: but this I say, Mr. Husseys plea for the Magistrate is no other than agreeth to these. And where he addeth out of Calvin, Kings have place in the Church, and flock of Christ, and are not spoiled of their Crown and Sword that they may be admitted into the Church; this in reference to the conclusion he driveth at, is no more than if he had argued thus, carters and coblers have place in the Church and flock of Christ, and are not necessitated to quit their secular calling that they may be admitted into the Church of Christ, therefore they hold their offices of and under Christ.