A42757:642
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.
But it suits very well to the power of Church-censures: for as Esthius and Novarinus explain the Apostles reason, it is in vain to excommunicate all such as are worthy of Excommunication, when there is a general re•itency and unwillingness in the Church; or to cut off a member, when the same evil hath infected either the whole or the greatest part of the body; which Augustine also tells us in divers places. And this (by the way) confirms the reason which I gave why the Apostle only wisheth those that troubled the Galatians to be cut off, but doth not command it, in regard of the present unwillingness and disaffection of those Churches. 2. We may have a great deal of light to this place by comparing it with Cha•. 12. verse 20, 21. and Chap. 13. verse 2. Many among the Corinthians had sinned foul and •eandalous sins, whereof they had not repented, and for which they were not censured or cast out of the Church. The Apostle certifieth them, that if he come, he will not spare. What? was it his meaning to work a miracle upon every fornicator, and each other scandalous person in the Church of Corinth? No sure: mark his words; Now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to ALL OTHER, that if I come again, I will not spare. Who can imagine his meaning to be, that he would work a miracle upon them and all other? So •ere when it is said, having in readiness to […] ALL […], let it be remembered that the Apostolical power of miracles was never appointed to be executed against ALL disobedience. Thirdly, ⟨p. 290⟩that which the Apostle saith of the Spiritual weapons, mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, &c. was not proper or peculiar to the Apostles, but is rightly applied to all the Ministers of the Gospel: the more hardly can it be supposed, that what is immediately added, and as it were with one breath uttered, And having in readiness to […] all disobedience, is meant of the extraordinary Apostolical power. Fourthly, such as the weapons are for conquering and subduing souls to the obedience of Christ, such is the corrective or punitive part there spoken of. But the weapons for conquering, are merely Spiritual, not corporal: Therefore the corrective or punitive part there spoken of, is also Spiritual, and so doth not concern the inflicting of corporal punishment, such as the Erastians understand by delivering to Satan.