A42757:641
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.
Fourteenthly, that passage, 2 Cor. 10. 6. is by some brought (not without very considerable Reasons) for the Spiritual or Ecclesiastical censures. And have in readiness, saith the Apostle, or (as the Syriac, we are ready) to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. Novarinus in 2 Cor. 10. 6. plerique de excommunicandi potestate haec verba interpretantur. In this sense was the Text understood a thousand years ago by Gegro•y Epist. lib. 2. cap. 37. The Dutch Annotations upon the place, say that the Apostles meaning is; of declaring the vengeance of God against the obstinate; and of exercising the Ecclesiastical Ban or Discipline, against those who professing themselves members of the Congregation, do yet teach or lead unchristian lives or doctrine. Others also (among whom is Master David Dickson) understand Church-censures to be here meant. The Apostle is in that Chapter confuting the calumny of such as said of him, His Epistles were weighty and powerful, and did speak of great things; but when he himself is bodily present, he doth but little, he assumes no great authority, he is weak and almost contemptible. In answer hereunto, he tells them, The weapons of our warfare (speaking not only in his own name, but in the name of all the Ministers of Christ) though they be not carnal, yet they are mighty through God to conquer and captivate souls to the obedience of Christ. And as for the stubborn and unruly, we are armed with a power of corrective government, which shall be more fully executed in due time. There is but one of two Interpretations which can with any probability seem to agree ⟨p. 289⟩to this Text, namely, that it is meant either of the extraordinary Apostolical power, by which they did miraculously punish some offenders (as Peter did Ananias and Sapphira, and as Paul did E•ymas) or of a corrective Church-government, and Excommunication. The Reasons which induce me to believe, that the Apostle meaneth here of Church-censures, especially Excommunication, and not of that extraordinary miraculous power, are these. 1. The reason added, When your obedience is fulfilled, cannot suit to the power of working miracles (for it had been the more seasonable to work such miracles, while the obedience of the Corinthians was not yet fulfilled. Miracles are not for them that believe, but for them that believe not, saith the same Apostle.)