A42757:568
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.
Now that the corrective part of Church-Government, or the censure of scandalous persons in reference to the purging of the Church, and keeping pure of the ordinances, is no part of the Magistrates office, but is a distinct charge belonging of right to Ministers and Elders; as it may fully appear by the Arguments brought afterwards to prove a government in the Church distinct from Magistracy: (which Arguments will necessarily carry the power of Church censures and the administration of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven into other hands then the Magistrates;) so I shall here strengthen it by these confirmations.
First, Church-censures must needs be dispensed by Ministers and Elders, because they are heterogeneous to Magistracy: For first, the Magistrate by the power which is in his hand, ⟨p. 248⟩ought to punish any of his Subjects that do evil, and he ought to punish like si•s with like punishments. But if the power of Church-censures be in the Magistrates hands, he cannot walk by that rule; For Church-censures are only for Churchmembers, not for all Subjects: 1 Cor. 5. 10. 12. Secondly, Church-censures are to be executed in the name of Christ, Matth. 18. 20. with vers. 17, 18. 1 Cor. 5. 4. and this cannot be done in his name, by any other but such as have commission from him to bind and loose, forgive and retain sins. But where is any such commission given to the civil Magistrate, Christian more then Heathen? Thirdly, Church-censures are for impenitent contumacious offenders: but the Magistrate doth and must punish offenders (when the course of Justice and law so requireth) whether they appear penitent or impenitent. Fourthly, The Magistrates power of punishing offenders, is bounded by the law of the land. What then shall become of such scandals as are not crimes punishable by the law of the land? such as obscene rotten talking, adulterous and vile behaviour, or the most scandalous conversing and companying together (though the crime of adultery cannot be proved by witnesses) living in known malice and envy, refusing to be reconciled, and thereupon lying off (it may be for a long time) from the Sacrament, and the like, which are not proper to be taken notice of by the civil Judge. So that in this case, either there must be Church-censures and discipline exercised by Church-officers, or the Magistrate must go beyond his limits: Or lastly. Scandals shall spread in the Church, and no remedy against them. Far be it from the thoughts of Christian Magistrates, that scandals of this kind shall be tolerated, to the dishonour of God, the laying of the stumbling blocks of bad examples before others, and to the violation and pollution of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, who hath commanded to keep his ordinances pure.