A42757:609
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.
He contradistinguisheth a reproving minister from a minister labouring in the Word and Doctrine. The very reproof given by a minister will be, (it seems) at last challenged as an act of government. It is as wide from the mark, that he will have the two sorts of Elders to differ thus, that the one must govern and not preach, the other must preach and not govern; not observing that the Text makes ruling to be common to both. The one doth both rule and labour in the Word and Doctrine: The other ruleth one y, and is therefore called ruling Elder, non quia solus praeest, sed quia solum praeest. But to let all these things be laid aside as heterogeneous to this present Argument: the point is, here are Rulers in the Church who are no civil Rulers. Yea this my Argument from this Text was clearly yielded by Mr. Coleman in his Maledicis pag. 8. But I will deal clearly saith he, these Officers are Ministers, which are instituted not here, but else-where; and those are the Rulers here mentioned. Ergo, he yieldeth Ecclesiastical rulers (and those instituted) distinct from Magistracy. Neither is it a Lordly but a ministerial ruling of which our Question is. For my part saith Mr. Hussey, I know not how Lordship and Government doth differ one from another. Then every Governor of a ship must be a lord. Then every Steward of a great house must be lord of the House. There is an economical or ministerial government, and of that we mean.
He contradistinguisheth a reproving minister from a minister labouring in the Word and Doctrine. The very reproof given by a minister will be, (it seemes) at last challenged as an act of government. It is as wide from the mark, that he will have the two sorts of Elders to differ thus, that the one must governe and not preach, the other must preach and not govern; not observing that the Text makes ruling to be common to both. The one doth both rule and labour in the Word and Doctrine: The other ruleth one y, and is therefore called ruling Elder, non quia solus praeest, sed quia solum praeest. But to let all these things be laid aside as heterogeneous to this present Argument: the point is, here are Rulers in the Church who are no civil Rulers. Yea this my Argument from this Text was clearly yeelded by Mr. Coleman in his Maledicis pag. 8. But I will deal clearly saith he, these Officers are Ministers, which are instituted not here, but else-where; and those are the Rulers here mentioned. Ergo, he yeeldeth Ecclesiastical rulers (and those instituted) distinct from Magistracy. Neither is it a Lordly but a ministeriall ruling of which our Question is. For my part saith Mr. Hussey, I know not how Lordship and Government doth differ one from another. Then every Governour of a ship must be a lord. Then every Steward of a great house must be lord of the House. There is an oeconomicall or ministerial government, and of that we mean.