A42757:629
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.
Eighthly, I argue from Revel. 2. 14. 20. The Lord Jesus reproveth the Angel of the Church in Pergamus for suffering those that taught the doctrine of Balaam, and the Angel of the Church in Thyatira for suffering Jezebel which called her self a Prophetess, to seduce his people. The fault here reproved must be the neglect of Church-censures and corrective government, which is so manifest, that they who plead most for liberty of Conscience from the Magistrate, do acknowledge that the Angels of these Churches are reproved for not censuring Ecclesiastically those that did thus seduce Gods people. Neither is it said because thou art silent and dost not reprove nor convince; but because thou hast there them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam: that is, because thou dost not cast them out of the Church, that they may not hurt others. So the English Annotations upon the place, referring us also to 1 Cor. 5. The Angel of the Church was guilty in this, that those who had so much scandalized the Church by their Doctrine, were still in the Church, and not yet cast out of the Church. And who can imagine that the Angels of those Churches whom Christ himself commendeth for holding fast his name, and for their love, service, faith, and ⟨p. 281⟩patience were so void either of prudence as not to observe, or of zeal, as not to gainsay and confute by sound doctrine those soul and scandalous errors? Certainly their sin was like that of Eli, they did not together with the doctrinal and monitory part, make use of that Jurisdiction and corrective power, which God had put in their hands.
Eighthly, I argue from Revel. 2. 14. 20. The Lord Jesus reproveth the Angel of the Church in Pergamus for suffering those that taught the doctrine of Balaam, and the Angel of the Church in Thyatira for suffering Iezebel which called her self a Prophetesse, to seduce his people. The fault here reproved must be the neglect of Church-censures and corrective government, which is so manifest, that they who plead most for liberty of Conscience from the Magistrate, do acknowledge that the Angels of these Churches are reproved for not censuring Ecclesiastically those that did thus seduce Gods people. Neither is it said because thou art silent and dost not reprove nor convince; but because thou hast there them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam: that is, because thou dost not cast them out of the Church, that they may not hurt others. So the English Annotations upon the place, referring us also to