A42767:106
A sermon preached before the right honourable the House of Lords in the Abbey…
A sermon preached before the right honourable the House of Lords in the Abbey Church at Westminster, upon the 27th of August, 1645 being the day appointed for solemn and public humiliation : whereunto is added a brotherly examination of some passages of Mr. Colemans late printed sermon upon Job 11.20, in which he hath endeavoured to strike at the root of all church-government / by George Gillespie, minister at Edinburgh.A sermon preached before the right honourable the House of Lords in the Abbey Church at Westminster, upon the 27th of August, 1645 being the day appointed for solemne and publique humiliation : whereunto is added a brotherly examination of some passages of Mr. Colemans late printed sermon upon Job 11.20, in which he hath endeavoured to strike at the root of all church-government / by George Gillespie, minister at Edenburgh.
London: printed by F. Neile for Robert Bostock, 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.
Lastly, the Brother, after second thoughts, may think he hath done another disservice to the Magistrate, in making the Magistracy to be below and behind the Ministry. The Apostle puts them in this order: God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondly Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that Miracles, then gifts of Healings, Helps, Governments, &c. How makes the Brother this to agree with his Interpretation?
Lastly, the Brother, after second thoughts, may think he hath done another disservice to the Magistrate, in making the Magistracy to be below and behinde the Ministery. The Apostle puts them in this order: God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondly Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that Miracles, then gifts of Healings, Helps, Governments, &c. How makes the Brother this to agree with his Interpretation?
Next, he citeth Eph. 1.21, 22, 33. to prove that all Government is given to Christ, and to him as Mediator; and Christ, as head of these, given to the Church. But this place maketh more against him then for him: for the Apostle saith not that Christ is given to the Church as the Head of all Principalities and Powers. The Brother saith so; and in saying so, he makes Christ a Head to those that are not of his Body.
The Apostle saith far otherwise, that God gave Christ to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is his Body; which the Syriac readeth more plainly, And him who is over all, he gave to be the Head to the Church. He is a Head to none but the Church: but he who is Head to the Church is over all, God l••sed forever, Rom. 9.5. yea, even as man, he is over or above all. The very Humane nature of Christ which was raised from the dead, being set at the right hand of the Majesty of God, is exalted to a higher degree of honour and glory, then either man or Angel ever was, or ever shall be: So that he that is Head of the Church, is over all, because he doth not only excel his own members, but excel all creatures that ever God made. It is one thing to say that Christ is exalted to a dignity, excellency, preeminence, majesty, and glory, far above all Principality, and Power, and