A42757:871
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
Book 3 › Chapter 6: Of the power of binding and loosing Matth. 18. 18.
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.
Binding and loosing in the other sense by a dogmatical authoritative declaration of the will of Christ, is not so principally or directly intended Matth. 18. 18. as that other binding and loosing in respect of sin. Howbeit it is not to be excluded, because the words preceding Vers. 17. mention not only the execution of Excommunication, Let him be to thee as an Heathen man and a Publican; but also the Churches judgement, and determination of the case, if he neglect to hear the Church, which words imply, that the Church hath declared the will of Christ in such a case, and required the offender to do accordingly, but he showing himself unwilling and contumacious, as it were saying in his heart, I will break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from me, thereupon the promise reacheth to this also, that what the Church hath determined or imposed according to the will of Christ shall be ⟨p. 414⟩ratified and approved in Heaven. aNow Christ hath no where given a Commission either to every particular Christian, or to the Magistrate, to teach his people to observe all things which he hath commanded them, and authoritatively to determine controversies of faith, or cases of conscience. As in the old Testament, the Priests lips did preserve knowledge, and they were to seek the law at his mouth, Mal. 2. 7. so in the new Testament the Ministers of Christ have the Commission to make known the counsel of God.
Binding and loosing in the other sence by a dogmaticall authoritative declaration of the will of Christ, is not so principally or directy intended Matth. 18. 18. as that other binding and loosing in respect of sinne. Howbeit it is not to be excluded, because the words preceding Vers. 17. mention not onely the execution of Excommunication, Let him be to thee as an Heathen man and a Publican; but also the Churches judgement, and determination of the case, if he neglect to heare the Church, which words implie, that the Church hath declared the will of Christ in such a case, and required the offender to doe accordingly, but he shewing himselfe unwilling and contumacious, as it were saying in his heart, I will breake their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from me, thereupon the promise reacheth to this also, that what the Church hath determined or imposed according to the will of Christ shall be