by George Gillespie
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
In the Points of Ruling Elders, and of the Authority of Presbyteries and Synods
George Gillespie’s An Assertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland is a robust and masterfully argued defense of Presbyterian church polity, demonstrating the biblical foundation for ruling elders, presbyteries, and synods. In an age when ecclesiastical authority was hotly contested, Gillespie stands as a formidable advocate for a church governed not by hierarchical bishops or independent congregations but by a system of elders and assemblies modeled after Scripture and the early Church. This work is no mere theoretical treatise—it is a battle-tested exposition, forged in the fires of the seventeenth-century struggles for ecclesiastical purity in Scotland. Gillespie painstakingly defends the role of ruling elders, demonstrating their legitimacy from both Old and New Testament texts, the practice of the early Church, and the testimony of Reformed writers. His precision and polemical skill leave no room for the objections of Episcopalians or Independents, as he dismantles their arguments with exegetical clarity and historical rigor.
The second part of the book presents a compelling case for the authority of church assemblies, both provincial and national, as necessary for maintaining doctrinal purity and discipline. Gillespie systematically refutes the idea of autonomous congregations by appealing to Scripture, natural reason, and the necessity of order within Christ’s Church. He engages directly with contemporary critics of Presbyterianism, including prominent Anglican divines, exposing the inconsistencies in their reasoning and the dangers of their ecclesiology. An Assertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland is a must-read for pastors, elders, and serious students of Reformed ecclesiology who desire to understand not only the structure of the Presbyterian Church but also the biblical and theological reasoning behind it. This is ecclesiastical warfare at its finest—Gillespie writes with a zeal for God’s truth, a mastery of biblical exegesis, and an unwavering commitment to the purity of Christ’s Church.
About the Author:
George Gillespie (1613–1648) was one of the leading theologians of the Scottish Covenanters and a key figure in the Westminster Assembly. A minister, polemicist, and ecclesiastical statesman, he played a crucial role in shaping Reformed church polity, advocating tirelessly for Presbyterian government. His works, including Aaron’s Rod Blossoming and A Dispute Against English Popish Ceremonies, showcase his theological precision and fearless defense of biblical truth. Though he died at a young age, his influence on Reformed ecclesiology remains profound, and his writings continue to serve as a rallying cry for Presbyterian governance based on the Word of God.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE FIRST PART; CONCERNING RULING ELDERS
CHAPTER I: OF THE WORDS ELDER, LAY ELDER, AND RULING ELDER
CHAPTER II: OF THE FUNCTION OF RULING ELDERS AND WHAT SORT OF OFFICERS THEY ARE
CHAPTER III: THE FIRST ARGUMENT FOR RULING ELDERS TAKEN FROM THE JEWISH CHURCH
CHAPTER IV: THE SECOND ARGUMENT FROM MATTHEW 18:17
CHAPTER V: OUR THIRD ARGUMENT FROM ROMANS 12:8
CHAPTER VI: ARGUMENT FOURTH, FROM 1 CORINTHIANS 12:28
CHAPTER VII: ARGUMENT FIFTH, FROM 1 TIMOTHY 5:17
CHAPTER VIII: THE TESTIMONY OF AMBROSE FOR RULING ELDERS VINDICATED
CHAPTER IX: OTHER TESTIMONIES OF ANTIQUITY
CHAPTER X: THE CONSENT OF PROTESTANT WRITERS AND THE CONFESSION OF OUR OPPONENTS REGARDING RULING ELDERS
CHAPTER XI: DOCTOR FIELD'S FIVE ARGUMENTS AGAINST RULING ELDERS ANSWERED
CHAPTER XII: ANSWERING DOCTOR FIELD’S SECOND AND THIRD ARGUMENTS
CHAPTER XII: THE EXTRAVAGANCES OF WHITGIFT AND SARAVIA IN THE MATTER OF RULING ELDERS
CHAPTER XIII: WHETHER RULING ELDERS HAVE THE POWER OF DECISIVE VOICES WHEN THEY SIT IN PRESBYTERIES AND SYNODS.
CHAPTER XIV: OF THE ORDINATION OF RULING ELDERS, THE CONTINUANCE OF THEIR OFFICE, AND THEIR MAINTENANCE
THE SECOND PART: CONCERNING ASSEMBLIES OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, AND AUTHORITY THEREOF.
CHAPTER I: OF POPULAR GOVERNMENT IN THE CHURCH
CHAPTER II: OF THE INDEPENDENCY OF THE ELDERSHIPS OF PARTICULAR CONGREGATIONS
CHAPTER III. OF GREATER PRESBYTERIES, WHICH SOME CALL CLASSES.
CHAPTER IV. OF THE AUTHORITY OF SYNODS, PROVINCIAL AND NATIONAL.
CHAPTER V. THE FIRST ARGUMENT FOR THE AUTHORITY OF SYNODS, AND THE SUBORDINATION OF PRESBYTERIES THERETO, TAKEN FROM THE LIGHT OF NATURE.
CHAPTER VI. THE SECOND ARGUMENT, TAKEN FROM CHRIST'S INSTITUTION.
CHAPTER VII: THE THIRD ARGUMENT, TAKEN FROM THE JEWISH CHURCH.
CHAPTER VIII: THE FOURTH ARGUMENT, TAKEN FROM ACTS XV.
CHAPTER IX: THE FIFTH ARGUMENT, TAKEN FROM GEO-METRICAL PROPORTION.
CHAPTER X: THE SIXTH ARGUMENT, TAKEN FROM NECESSITY.
CHAPTER XI: OBJECTIONS MADE AGAINST THE AUTHORITY OF SYNODS ANSWERED.