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Discussion of George Gillespie's Wholesome Severity Reconciled with Christian Liberty
WF: Intro to first discussion 
Subject: WF: Intro to first discussion
From: Chris Coldwell 
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 1997 12:04:26 -0500

Some may get this post twice. Please ignore.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Discussion: GWS. Introduction.
George Gillespie's Wholesome Severity
Reconciled with Christian Liberty
The true resolution of a present controversy
concerning liberty of conscience.
All text for this discussion taken from
the edition of this work, Copyright (c) 
Naphtali Press 1996.  Full text available 
at: http://www.naphtali.com/naphtali
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Introduction to the thread with some suggestions.

Welcome to the WF.
There are three sections to this post, and 
if you plan to participate in our 
first discussion you probably should read 
them all.  The actual discussion is planned
to kick off with a discussion of authorship, which
I will lead off with a post to follow shortly. There
is to be a searchable archive at our website which
as of this morning still was not working right. The
posts are getting archived but no one can get to them. 
Hopefully, we'll work that out so that folks who come in
late to a discussion can search for old posts for that
thread. I will let the forum know when the archive is fully 
functional.  There is no digest function available yet. This
is something I'm talking to our software designer about.

1. Explanation and preliminary suggestions.
The moderator chose this work to begin our 
forum because it is not real long and thus 
serves the purposes of working the kinks out 
of our system.  Also, the text was already electronic,
and I was willing to make the text
available via Naphtali Press. The piece has been divided 
into 33 sections to post as outlined below 
(GWS-1 thru GWS-33).  Some will generate 
more discussion than others. If you want to 
read ahead or get the broader context then go 
to the full text at the above referenced web 
site. As far as any particular rules or 
suggestions for this discussion, I suggest 
using G or GG as an abbreviation for the 
author and WS as an abbreviation for the 
work. We're calling the thread GWS. 
IMPORTANT: Please, do not return 
the whole section as part of your post! Simply 
cut and paste the quotes that you wish to 
interact with.  If you wish to interact with the 
whole section seriatim you may by all means, 
but if you are merely responding to some 
points, don't copy the whole section back.  

2. This thread will follow the following outline:

WS is divided as follows:
Introduction to the reader
GWS-1 through GWS-2
I. Three views (Papist, Toleration, Reformed)
GWS-3 through GWS-6
II. Confirming Arguments from scripture
GWS-7, GWS-8, GWS-9, from the Law
GWS-10, GWS-11, from Scripture example
GWS-12, from the NT
GWS-13, from odious names assigned to heretics
III. Objections Answered
GWS 14 through GWS-23
IV. Eight distinctions on Gillespie's position
GWS-24 through GWS-31
V. So What? The conclusion
GWS-32
VI. A Paraenetic to the Independents
GWS-33


3. About the text and author:
George Gillespie (1613-1648). 
Wholesome Severity Reconciled with 
Christian Liberty. The true resolution 
of a present controversy concerning 
liberty of conscience. (London, 
1645). Text for this discussion as 
published in Anthology of 
Presbyterian & Reformed Literature, 
volume 4 (Naphtali Press, 1990). 
Also available via web site: : 
http://www.naphtali.com/naphtalii. 
Copyright (c) Naphtali Press 1996

George Gillespie, perhaps one of the more 
influential members of the Westminster 
Assembly, is most known for his works on 
church polity ("Assertion of the 
Government," and "Aaron's Rod 
Blossoming") and worship ("Dispute 
Against the English Popish Ceremonies"). 
Wholesome Severity (WS) was published 
anonymously at the height of the debate 
between the Independent and the 
Presbyterian Commissioners at the 
Westminster Assembly. 

Gillespie's reason for writing WS 
was "to vindicate the lawful, yea necessary 
use of the coercive power of the Christian 
Magistrate in suppressing and punishing 
heretics and sectaries, according as the 
degree of their offense and of the Church's 
danger shall require," against the position 
advocated by some for the broad toleration 
of all sorts of differing beliefs among 
professing Christians which had arisen 
before and during the English Civil War. 
Recently, it has received the attention of 
theonomists and anti-theonomists, in so far 
as the work may relate to the meaning of 
the general equity clause in WCF 19:4. 

Sincerely,
Chris Coldwell
===
WF moderator is Richard Bacon, pastor@fpcr.org
Address all mail to the forum at westminster@fpcr.org
For technical questions post Chris Coldwell at naphtali@naphtali.com