A42757:547
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.
Secondly, They that hold the derivation of Magistracy to be from Jesus Christ, and that it is held of and under him as Mediator, must either show from Scripture that Jesus Christ as Mediator hath given a commission of Vicegerentship or Deputyship to the Christian Magistrate, or otherwise acknowledge, ⟨p. 234⟩that they have given the most dangerous and deadly wound, even to Christian Magistracy it self, which ever before it received. Mr. Hussey pag. 20 answereth, I conceive he (the Christian Magistrate) hath a Commission from Christ: but when he should prove it (which my argument called for) here he is at a loss. He citeth Psal. 72▪ 11. All Kings shall fall down before him, all Nations shall serve him. Isa. 60. 12. That Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish. I hope indeed there is a time coming when all Kings shall fall down before Jesus Christ, and all Nations shall serve him, and that will make an end of the Erastian controversy. But I pray, do all that serve Jesus Christ, hold their office of and under Christ, as Mediator, and as his Vicegerents? then the poorest servant that fears God shall be a Vicegerent of Jesus Christ, as Mediator, and shall have a commission from Christ to that effect, for every godly servant doth not serve his master only, but Christ, Eph. 6. 5, 6, 7. Again, if those who shall perish because they serve not Christ, be his Deputies and Vicegerents; then the wickedest persecutors in the World shall have a commission of Vicegerentship from Jesus Christ. Well, let the Christian Magistrate animadvert, whether these men have done any thankworthy service to Magistracy, who will needs have it to hold of and under Christ as Mediator, and by a commission of Vicegerentship from him; and when they are put to it, to produce that commission, they prove no more then agreeth either to the meanest Christian, or to the wickedest persecutor. The Ministry hath a clear undeniable commission from Christ as Mediator (even our opposites themselves being Judges) Matth. 16. 19. and 28. 19. 20