A42757:745
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.
Fifthly, he goeth about to clear the state of the question out of Aretius, and citeth him for what himself now undertaketh to prove. Whereas Aretius holds Excommunication to be an ordinance of God both in the Old and New Testament, and that it was wanting through the injury and corruption of the times, the abuse of it in Popery having made the thing it self hateful; and the most part in those places where he lived, loving carnal liberty so well; and taking upon them the protection and defence of profane ones, and being so unwilling ⟨p. 541⟩to be brought under the yoke of Christ. For these and the like reasons, he thought it not expedient to have that discipline of Excommunication erected at that time in those parts; as himself gives the reasons: and bhe professeth withal, that he doth not despair of better times, when men shall be more willing to submit to that discipline. So that this is the question, if it shall be stated out of Aretius; Whether Excommunication, being an Ordinance of God, ought to be settled where profaneness and licentiousness abounds, and where the better party is like to be oppressed by the greater party: or whether we should wait till God send better times for the settling of it.
Fifthly, he goeth about to cleare the state of the question out of Aretius, and citeth him for what himself now undertaketh to prove. Whereas Aretius holds Excommunication to be an ordinance of God both in the Old and New Testament, and that it was wanting through the injury and corruption of the times, the abuse of it in Popery having made the thing it self hatefull; and the most part in those places where he lived, loving carnall liberty so well; and taking upon them the protection and defence of prophane ones, and being so unwilling ⟨p. 541⟩to be brought under the yoke of Christ. For these and the like reasons, he thought it not expedient to have that discipline of Excommunication erected at that time in those parts; as himselfe gives the reasons: and bhe professeth withall, that he doth not despaire of better times, when men shall be more willing to submit to that discipline. So that this is the question, if it shall be stated out of Aretius; Whether Excommunication, being an Ordinance of God, ought to be setled where prophanesse and licentiousnesse abounds, and where the better party is like to be oppressed by the greater party: or whether we should wait till God send better times for the setling of it.