A42757:545
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
Book 2 › Chapter 7: Arguments for the Negative of that Question formerly propounded.
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.
and of the Apostles who in their time exhorted the Churches to be subject even to Heathen Magistrates (for they had no other at that time) to obey them, to pray for them. Rom. 13. Titus 3. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14. 17. It is justly condemned as one of the errors of the Anabaptists, that an heathen Magistrate is not to be acknowledged as a lawful Magistrate, or as being from God. See Gerhard loc. come. Tom. 6. Pag. 498 499 P. Hinkelmannus de Anabaptismo disp. 13. cap. 1. The Scriptures now cited are so clear, that when Mr. Hussey saith of the heathen Magistrate, Let Baal plead for himself, he might as well have said, that Christ and his Apostles pleaded for Baal. They that plead for the authority of an heathen Magistrate do not plead for Baal, but for God, and for his ordinance: for the powers that be, are ordained of God, saith Paul speaking even of the heathen Magistrates, Rom. 13. 1. But what will Mr. Hussey say, if his great master Erastus be found a pleader for Baal, as much as I am? Confirm. Thes. lib. 3. cap. 2. pag. 184. speaking of the heathen and unbelieving Magistrates, before whom the Corinthians went to law one against another, he saith, An non est impius quoque Magistratus à Deo praepositus, ⟨p. 233⟩ut subjectes quoslibet ab injuria & vi tueatur? Is not the ungodly Magistrate also preferred by God, that he may defend any of his Subjects from injury and violence. Yea the Scriptures afore touched are so clear in this point, that Gamachaeus in primam secunda Quaest. 4. & 5. cap. 33. though he hold that by humane and Ecclesiastical right, Pagan Princes lose their dominion and authority over their Subjects, when their Subjects turn Christians; yet he acknowledgeth that they still retain their former Jurisdiction over those Subjects, by the Law of God and nature. Surely one might as well say, that heathen Parents are unlawful, and heathen masters are unlawful, and heathen husbands are unlawful; (all which were contrary to the Word of God) as to say that heathen Magistrates are unlawful. Take the instance in Parents, for all lawful Magistrates are fathers by the fifth Commandment. Doth the paternity of a heathen father differ specie, from the paternity of a Christian father? are they not both lawful parents, being made such by God and nature? are not their children bound to honour them, and be subject to them, and obey them in things lawful?