A42757:789
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.
I Hope I have already made it to appear that to draw Excommunication from Matth. 18. is not to extract water out of flint, as Mr Prynne supposeth: but that it cometh as liquidè from the Text, as water out of the fountain. Wherein I am the more confirmed, because Mr Prynnes exposition of these words, Let him be to thee as an Heathen man and a Publican, can not stand, for he takes the sense to be no more but this, keep not any civill fellowship or company with such a one. Now that this can not be our Saviours meaning, I prove thus.
I Hope I have already made it to appeare that to draw Excommunication from Matth. 18. is not to extract water out of flint, as Mr Prynne supposeth: but that it commeth as liquidè from the Text, as water out of the fountaine. Wherein I am the more confirmed, because Mr Prynnes exposition of these words, Let him be to thee as an Heathen man and a Publican, can not stand, for he takes the sence to be no more but this, keepe not any civill fellowship or company with such a one. Now that this can not be our Saviours meaning, I prove thus.
1. If a private man shall thus at his own hand withdraw and separate from an offending brother, as from an Heathen man and a Publican, nwhat order, peace, or good government can there be either in Church or State? And all the odium cast upon Excommunication (as contrary to the spiritual privileges of Christians) will fall more heavy upon his own way, which brings any man (be he Prince, Parliament-man, Pastor, or whoever he be) under so much slavery to the lust of any private person, that he may be by that person (and by ten thousand persons more, in case of so many civill injuries, not amended after complaint to the Magistrate) esteemed, avoided, and abhorred, as an Heathen man and a Publican. So that in the issue it may fall out, that any man how eminent or deserving soever he be in Church or State, may be looked upon as a Heathen and a Publican by ten thousand of the people, before ever he be so judged by any Judicature. For instance, put case