A42757:727
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.
Pag. 250. Out of the confession of Bohemia. The 14th. Chapter of Ecclesiastical doctrine is of the Lords keys, of which he saith to Peter, I will 1give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and these keys are the peculiar function or Ministry and administration of Christ his power, and his holy Spirit; which power is committed to the Church of Christ, and to the Ministers thereof, unto the end of the world: that they should not only by preaching publish ⟨p. 332⟩the holy Gospel, although they should do this especially, that is, should show forth that Word of true comfort, and the joyful message of peace, and new tidings of that favour which God offereth, but also that to the believing and unbelieving, they should publicly or privately denounce and make known, to wit, to them his favour, to these his wrath, and that to all in general, or to every one in particular, that they may wisely receive some into the house of God, to the communion of Saints, and drive some out from thence, and may so through the performance of their Ministry, hold in their hand the Sceptre of Christ his Kingdom, and use the same to the government of Christ his Sheep. And after, Moreover a manifest example of using the power of the keys is laid out in that sinner of Corinth and others, whom St. Paul, together with2 the Church in that place, by the power and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of his Spirit, threw out from thence and delivered to Satan: and contrariwise after that God had given him grace to repent, he absolved him from his sins, he took him again into the Church to the communion of Saints3 and Sacraments, and so opened to him the Kingdom of Heaven again. By this we may understand, that these keys, or this divine function of the Lords, is committed and granted to those that have charge of souls, and to each several Ecclesiastical Societies, whether they be small or great. Of which thing the Lord sayeth to the Churches, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven. And4 straight after: For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the middest of them.