A42757:608
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 first Argument I draw from 1 Tim. 5. 17. [Greek or Hebrew], Elders that rule well. Mr. Hussey pag. 8. asks whether the word Elder be prima, or secunda notio. If prima notio, why must not Elder women be Church-officers as well as Elder men? If secunda notio for a ruling Officer, Parliament men, Kings and all Civil Governors are such Elders. I know no use which that distinction of prima and secunda notio hath in this place, except to let us know that he understands these Logical terms. Egregiam vero laudem. He might have saved himself the labour, for who knows not Hieromes distinction? Elder is either a word of age or of office: but in Ecclesiastical use it is a word of office. Mr. Husseys first notion concerning Elder women is no masculine notion. His second notion is an anti-parliamentary notion. For the honourable Houses of Parliament in the first words of their Ordinance concerning ordination of Ministers have declared, that by the word of God a Bishop and a Presbyter or Elder are all one; for thus beginneth the Ordinance, Whereas the word Presbyter, that is to say Elder, and the word Bishop, do in the Scripture intend and signify one and the same function, &c. Therefore Parliament men and civil Governors cannot be the Elders mentioned by the Apostle Paul, except Mr. Hussey make them Bishops, and invest them with power of ordination. Besides this, if Kings and Parliament men be such Elders as are mentioned in this Text, then the Ministers of the Word must have not only an equal share in Government, but more honour and maintenance then Kings and Parliament men. See how well Mr. Hussey pleadeth for Christian Magistracy: It is also an anti-Scriptural notion, for some of those Elders that ruled well, did labour in the Word and Doctrine, as Paul tells us in the very same place; these (sure) are not civil Governors. Wherefore Mr. Hussey must seek a third notion before he hit the Apostles meaning. It is not hujus loci to debate from this Text the distinction of two sorts of Elders; though among all the answers which ever I heard or read, Mr. Husseys is the weakest, pag. 11. that by Elders that labour in the Word and Doctrine, are meant those ⟨p. 269⟩Ministers whose excellency lies in Doctrine and instruction, and that by Elders that rule, are meant those that give reproof.