A37205:90
The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of…
The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of Mr. J. Paget entitled The defence of church-government exercised in classes and synods / by John Davenport.The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of Mr. J. Paget intituled The defence of church-government exercised in classes and synods / by John Davenport.
London: printed for Rich. Chiswell and to be sold by John Usher of Boston, 1672
Part 1 › Chapter 4: Concerning the quantity and compass of a Christian Church.
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.
CHAP. IV. Concerning the quantity and compass of a Christian Church.
THE Church, which Christ calls his Church, he telleth Peter, that he will build it; Upon this Rock (Mat. 16.18.) I will build my Church. Where, the verb is in the first person, and in the future tense. 1. He speaketh in the first Person, not in the second, to show, that though he will use men, as his instruments, in this work, yet it is his presence and blessing that causeth the work to prosper in their hands, Mat. 28.19, 20. 1 Cor. 3.9. It is by the Spirit of the Lord that Church-work is carried on successfully, Zech. 4.6. 2.1 He speaketh in the future tense, not in the praeter, or present; for, though Christ was in all ages the builder of the Church, yet he thus speaketh of the Church under the New Testament, because it was to be constituted after his Death, Resurrection ⟨p. 51⟩and Ascension, when the Gospel should shine forth so clearly, that it should obscure the light of former ages, as the Sun rising in its strength, doth the light of the Stars: and it should appear, 2bringing Salvation to all men, even to the Gentiles, and they should be gathered and joined unto Christ, that one Head, 3and become Members of his Body, together with the believing Jews, in Church-communion visibly, the partition Wall being broken down. And, because all Nations could not be joined together in one visible Church (as the Nation of the Jews might be, and was) to have their solemn set meetings together, to worship God thrice a year, or once in an age; the Lord Jesus instituted a Congregational-Church among Christians, and invested every such Church with sufficient Church-power within it self, for attainment of all the ends of Church-communion. This is the Church, which Christ saith, he will build, and appropriates it to himself, My Church, 1. Because it is his Institution. 2. Because his Name is called and put upon it. The Members of it are, not Moses his disciples, but Christs, and therefore were, of old, called Christians,