A42757:620
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 fourth Argument shall be taken from 1 Tim. 5. 19. Against an Elder receive not an accusation, but before (or under) two or three witnesses. Which is not a temporary charge laid upon Timothy as an Evangelist, and so incompetent to ordinary Ministers: for it is joined with the rules of public Rebuking, of laying on of hands, not partaking of other mens sins, and such like things which are of ordinary concernment. He is also charged to keep the Commandment till the appearing of Christ, 1 Tim. 5. 14, which cannot be otherwise understood then as spoken to him in reference to the Ministry. Now what is an act of Government, if this be not, to receive accusations, and that against Elders, and that under two or three witnesses? The Apostle intendeth here the avoiding of these two evils; first, upon the one hand, because veritas odium parit, and Elders doing their duty faithfully, will certainly be hated, and slandered, and evil spoken of by some, that therefore every Diotrephes prattling against a servant of Christ with malicious words, may not be able to blast his Christian reputation and good name: Next, upon the other part, because the offences and scandals of Elders are not to be connived at, but to be aggravated and censured, more then the offences of others, that therefore an accusation be received against them, if it be under two or three witnesses. Now where accusations ought to be received, and that ⟨p. 276⟩under two or three witnesses, and not otherwise (with special charge also to observe these things, without partiality, or preferring one before another, vers. 21.) there is certainly a forensical proceeding, and a corrective Jurisdiction or Government. More of this Argument in Malè audis, pag. 14.
The fourth Argument shall be taken from 1 Tim. 5. 19. Against an Elder receive not an accusation, but before (or under) two or three witnesses. Which is not a temporary charge laid upon Timothy as an Evangelist, and so incompetent to ordinary Ministers: for it is joyned with the rules of publike Rebuking, of laying on of hands, not partaking of other mens sins, and such like things which are of ordinary concernment. He is also charged to keep the Commandment till the appearing of Christ,