A42757:825
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.
Finally, Let him be unto thee as an Heathen man, may have a Commentary from 1 Sam. 26. 19. where David curseth his enemies before the Lord, because they had made him as an Heathen man: they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go serve other Gods. He did not reckon his banishment, want of civill liberties, cutting off from the civill fellowship and company of the children of Israel, in comparison of that which was far worse to him, and a great deal heavier to be borne, namely, that he was rejected and repudiate ⟨p. 386⟩from spiritual fellowship with Gods people, from partaking in the holy Ordinances, from coming to the Sanctuary, from the Church privileges, that his persecution was materially and substantially an Excommunication, and qua Excommunication it was more grievous to him then qua persecution.
Finally, Let him be unto thee as an Heathen man, may have a Commentary from 1 Sam. 26. 19. where David curserh his enemies before the Lord, because they had made him as an Heathen man: they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Goe serve other Gods. He did not reckon his banishment, want of civill liberties, cutting off from the civill fellowship and company of the children of Israel, in comparison of that which was farre worse to him, and a great deale heavier to be borne, namely, that he was rejected and repudiate ⟨p. 386⟩from spirituall fellowship with Gods people, from partaking in the holy Ordinances, from comming to the Sanctuary, from the Church priviledges, that his persecution was materially and substantially an Excommunication, and qua Excommunication it was more grievous to him then qua persecution.
I suppose it now appears that Let him be to thee as an Heathen man, is a shutting out not from civill, but from sacred fellowship. The other branch, Let him be to thee as a Publican, I have before said enough of it. This only I add. There were among the Jews two sorts of Publicans: some were good and just men, exacting no more then what was appointed them; others were unjust and extortioners, and thereby made infamous. The former sort the Hebrews have professed they were willing to converse civilly withal, as members of the same Commonwealth. See L'Empereur de legibus Ebraeorum forensibus, pag. 272. But when Christ saith, Let him be to thee as a Publican, he means the impious and unjust Publican only, as the same learned Antiquary there saith. And so when our Saviour bids us esteem such a one not only as an Heathen man, but as a Publican, he means that he is not only to be denied fellowship in the holy things, but further made infamous among the people; for the name Publican is used to signify the worst of men,