A42757:754
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.
Tenthly, the true state of the present Question is not, whether the Parliament should establish the power of suspending scandalous persons from the Sacrament, as Jure divino, (nay, let Divines assert that, and satisfy peoples consciences in it: but let the Parliament speak in an authoritative and legislative way, in adding their civill sanction.) Nor, whether there ought to be any suspension from the Sacrament of scandalous persons, not yet excommunicated and cast out of the Church; and that the Elder-ship should do it; for the Ordinance of Parliament hath so far satisfied the desires of the Reverend Assembly and of the generality of godly people, that there is to be a suspension of scandalous persons (not excommunicated) from the Sacrament, and power is granted to the Eldership to suspend from the Sacrament for such scandals as are enumerate in the Ordinances of Octob. 20. 1645. and March. 14. 1645. Which Ordinances do appoint that All Persons Or any Person that shall commit such or such an offence, shall be by the Eldership suspended from the Sacrament, upon confession of the party, or upon the Testimony of two credible witnesses. So that in truth the stream of Master Prynnes exceptions runneth against that which is agreed and resolved upon in Parliament: and his arguments (if they prove any thing) must necessarily conclude against that power already granted by Parliament to Elder-ships. And now if he will speak to that point which is in present public agitation, he must lay aside his Queries and his Vindication thereof, and write another Book to prove that the Assembly and other godly ministers and people ought to rest satisfied (in point of conscience) with the power granted to Elderships to suspend from the Sacrament in the enumerate cases, and that there is not the like reason to ⟨p. 548⟩keep off scandalous persons from the Sacrament for other scandals beside these enumerate in the Ordinance of Parliament. Nay, and he must confine himself within a narrower circle, then so; for the Parliament hath been pleased to think of some course for new emergent cases, that the door may not be shut for the future upon the Remonstrances of Elderships concerning cases not expressed. I know the Gentleman is free to choose his own Theme to treat of, and he may handle what cases of Conscience he shall think fit for the Churches edification.
Tenthly, the true state of the present Question is not, whether the Parliament should establish the power of suspending scandalous persons from the Sacrament, as Iure divino, (nay, let Divines assert that, and satisfie peoples consciences in it: but let the Parliament speak in an authoritative and legislative way, in adding their civill sanction.) Nor, whether there ought to be any suspension from the Sacrament of scandalous persons, not yet excommunicated and cast out of the Church; and that the Elder-ship should doe it; for the Ordinance of Parliament hath so farre satisfied the desires of the Reverend Assembly and of the generality of godly people, that there is to be a suspension of scandalous persons (not excommunicated) from the Sacrament, and power is granted to the Eldership to suspend from the Sacrament for such scandals as are enumerate in the Ordinances of Octob. 20. 1645. and March. 14. 1645. Which Ordinances doe appoint that All Persons Or any Person that shall commit such or such an offence, shall be by the Eldership suspended from the Sacrament, upon confession of the party, or upon the Testimony of two credible witnesses. So that in truth the stream of Master Prynnes exceptions runneth against that which is agreed and resolved upon in Parliament: and his arguments (if they prove any thing) must necessarily conclude against that power already granted by Parliament to Elder-ships. And now if he will speak to that point which is in present publike agitation, he must lay aside his Querees and his Vindication thereof, and write another Book to prove that the Assembly and other godly ministers and people ought to rest satisfied (in point of conscience) with the power granted to Elderships to suspend from the Sacrament in the enumerate cases, and that there is not the like reason to