A86004:71
Nihil respondes
Nihil respondes: or, A discovery of the extreme unsatisfactoriness of Master Colemans piece, published last week under the title of A brotherly examination re-examined. Wherein, his self-contradictions: his yielding of some things, and not answering to other things objected against him: his abusing of Scripture: his errors in divinity: his abusing of the Parliament, and endangering their authority: his abusing of the Assembly: his calumnies, and namely against the Church of Scotland, and against my self: the repugnancy of his doctrine to the solemn League and Covenant, are plainly demonstrated. / By George Gillespie minister at Edinburgh. Published by authority.Nihil respondes: or, A discovery of the extream unsatisfactorinesse of Master Colemans peece, published last weeke under the title of A brotherly examination re-examined. Wherein, his self-contradictions: his yeelding of some things, and not answering to other things objected against him: his abusing of Scripture: his errors in divinity: his abusing of the Parliament, and indangering their authority: his abusing of the Assembly: his calumnies, and namely against the Church of Scotland, and against my selfe: the repugnancy of his doctrin to the solemne League and Covenant, are plainly demonstrated. / By George Gillespie minister at Edenburgh. Published by authority.
London: printed for Robert Bostock, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
6 It seems strange to him that I did at all give instance of the usefulness of Church-Government in the preservation of purity in the Ordinances and in Church-members. He saith for an Independent to have given this instance, had been something; but it seems strange to him that I should have given an instance of the power and efficacy of Government, as it is Presbyterial, and contradistinct to Congregational. This is a calumny against Presbyterial Government, which is neither privative nor contradistinct, but cumulative to Congregational Government; and the Congregational is a part of that Government which is comprehended under the name of Presbyterial. But in cases of common concernment, difficulty, appeals, and the like, the preserving of the Ordinances and Church-members from pollution, doth belong to Presbyteries and Synods.
6 It seemes strange to him that I did at all give instance of the usefulnesse of Church-Government in the preservation of purity in the Ordinances and in Church-members. He saith for an Independent to have given this instance, had been something; but it seemes strange to him that I should have given an instance of the power and efficacy of Government, as it is Presbyteriall, and contradistinct to Congregationall. This is a calumny against Presbyteriall Government, which is neither privative nor contradistinct, but cumulative to Congregationall Government; and the Congregationall is a part of that Government which is comprehended under the name of Presbyteriall. But in cases of common concernment, difficulty, appeals, and the like, the preserving of the Ordinances and Church-members from pollution, doth belong to Presbyteries and Synods.
7 He saith of me, page 9. He ascribeth this power of purifying men, and means of advancing the power of godliness afterward, to Government. A calumny. It was only a sine quo non which I ascribed to Government, thus far, that without it Ministers shall not keep themselves nor the Ordinances from pollution, pag. 23. But that Church-Government hath power to purify men, I never thought it, nor said it. That which I said of the power (which he pointeth at) was, that his way can neither preserve the purity, nor advance the power of Religion; page 40. and the reason is, because his way provideth no ecclesiastical effectual remedy for removing and purging away the most gross scandalous sins, which are destructive to the power of godliness. God must by his Word and Spirit purify men, and work in them the power of godliness. The Church-Government which I plead for against him, is a means subservient and helpful, so far as remover prohibens, to remove that which apparently is impeditive and destructive to that purity and power.