A42757:591
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.
And now while I am expressing my thoughts, I am the more confirmed in the same, by falling upon the concession of one who is of a different Judgement; For he who wrote Jus Regum in opposition to all spiritual authority exercised under any form of Ecclesiastical Government, doth not withstanding acknowledge pag. 16. Both of them (the Magistrate and the Minister) have their Commission immediately from God, and each of them are subject to the other, without any subordination of offices from the one to the other, for the Magistrate is no less subject to the operation of the Word from the mouth of the Minister, then any other man whatsoever: And the Minister again is as much subject to the authority of the Magistrate as any other Subject whatsoever; And therefore though there be no subordination of Offices, yet is there of Persons; the Person of a Minister remaining a Subject, but not the function of the Ministry. He might have said the same of the exercise of Church-discipline which he saith of the preaching of the Word, for the same Christ who gave the keys of doctrine, gave also the keys of discipline, without any tie to make the use thereof subject to the pleasure of the civil Magistrate. Let him prove that the ministry of the Word is not subordinate to, nor dependant upon the Magistrate; and I shall prove by the same medium, that the ministry of Church-censures hath as little of that subordination in it.
And now while I am expressing my thoughts, I am the more confirmed in the same, by falling upon the concession of one who is of a different Judgement; For he who wrote Ius Regum in opposition to all spiritual authority exercised under any forme of Ecclesiastical Government, doth not withstanding acknowledge pag. 16. Both of them (the Magistrate and the Minister) have their Commission immediatly from God, and each of them are subject to the other, without any subordination of offices from the one to the other, for the Magistrate is no lesse subject to the operation of the Word from the mouth of the Minister, then any other man whatsoever: And the Minister again is as much subject to the authority of the Magistrate as any other Subject whatsoever; And therefore though there be no subordination of Offices, yet is there of Persons; the Person of a Minister remaining a Subject, but not the function of the Ministery. He might have said the same of the exercise of Church-discipline which he saith of the preaching of the Word, for the same Christ who gave the keyes of doctrine, gave also the keys of discipline, without any tye to make the use thereof subject to the pleasure of the civil Magistrate. Let him prove that the ministery of the Word is not subordinate to, nor dependant upon the Magistrate; and I shall prove by the same medium, that the ministery of Church-censures hath as little of that subordination in it.