A42757:533
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.
The next thing which I did reply, was in explanation of the Text, which was to this sense. He that is the Churches head, is over all, both as he is the Son of God, or as the Apostle saith Rom. 9. 5. God over all, blessed for ever, yea even as man he is over or above all creatures, being exalted to a higher degree of glory, majesty, and dignity, then man or Angel ever was, or shall be: but neither his divine omnipotency, nor the height of glory and honour which as man he is exalted to, nor both these together in the Mediator and Head of the Church, omnipotency and exaltation to glory, can prove that (as Mediator) he exerciseth his Kingly office over all Principalities and Powers, and that they hold of and under him as Mediator. Mr. Hussey replieth that the Text makes Christ over or above Principalities and Powers, not only in dignity and honour, but as King or Head of them, and that thus we must understand the comparison, that he is above Principality in Principality, Power in Power, Might in Might, Dominion in Dominion. This is nothing but a begging of what is in Question: That the Power and Dominion of the civil Magistrate, is eminently in Christ as Mediator, and from him (so considered) derived to the Magistrate, is that which I deny can be proved from that Text; and lo when he comes to the point of probation, ⟨p. 226⟩he supposeth what he had to prove. My exposition of the Text made good sense; For as an earthly King is exalted to have more power and more glory, then those not only of his Subjects, but of another State or Kingdom to whom he is not King; so the Mediator and King of the Church is exalted to power and glory far above all Principality and Power, but is not therefore Head or King or Governor to all Principality and Power, as Mediator. And as me exposition makes good sense of the Text, his makes very bad sense of it. For if Christ as Mediator be head and King of all Principalities, powers, and Dominions, then he is, as Mediator, head and King of Heathenish and Turkish Principality, Power, might, and Dominion; and when the Apostle wrote this to the Ephesians, it must be granted (according to Mr. Husseys gloss) that Christ as Mediator was head and King of the Roman Emperor, and that Caesar held his office of and under Christ as Mediator: for if head of all Principality, how shall they except any?
The next thing which I did replie, was in explanation of the Text, which was to this sence. He that is the Churches head, is over all, both as he is the Sonne of God, or as the Apostle saith