A39224:193
Communion of churches, or, The divine management of gospel-churches
Communion of churches, or, The divine management of gospel-churches by the ordinance of councils constituted in order according to the Scriptures as also the way of bringing all Christian parishes to be particular Reforming Congregational Churches, humbly proposed as ... a means of uniting those two holy and eminent parties the Presbyterians and the Congregationals ... / written by John Eliot.Communion of churches, or, The divine management of gospel-churches by the ordinance of councils constituted in order according to the Scriptures as also the way of bringing all Christian parishes to be particular Reforming Congregationall Churches, humbly proposed as ... a means of uniting those two holy and eminent parties the Presbyterians and the Congregationals ... / written by John Eliot.
printed by Marmaduke Johnson, 1665
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.
IX. If they agree in Counsel about any case or point of Religion, in Faith or Order: and if any person or persons, or Church concerned therein, do not accept of their counsel and judgement; he, or they, have liberty to appeal to the next Provincial Council; provided, that if the Council advise the Church to proceed to Cedar, they are to follow that counsel, notwithstanding his appeal, and not to […] sin to lie upon their brother; for if it were in the appeala• power to stop the clear process of a Gospel-medicine to his soul in gross scandals, some would never come under the Soul-medicine of Christ Jesus, or not so soon as were meet: but he may appeal higher, for all actions of the Churches and Councils, are able to a Review, until it come unto the highest. And his Appeal▪ with the Reasons and manner thereof, are to be recorded.
IX. If they agree in Counsel about any case or point of Religion, in Faith or Order: and if any person or persons, or Church concerned therein, do not accept of their counsel and judgement; he, or they, have liberty to appeal to the next Provincial Council; provided, that if the Council advise the Church to proceed to Ce•re, they are to follow that counsel, notwithstanding his appeal, and not to 〈…〉 sin to ly upon their brother; for if it were in the appeala• power to stop the clear process of a Gospel-medicine to his soul in gross scandals, some would never come under the Soul-medicine of Christ Jesus, or not so soon as were meet: but he may appeal higher, for all actions of the Churches and Councils, are •ble to a Review, until it come unto the highest. And his Appeal▪ with the Reasons and manner thereof, are to be recorded.
X. Every first Council, in the Sessions immediately foregoing the quarterly time of the Provincial Councils meeting, must choose from among themselves, at least one Teaching Elder and one Ruling Elder, to be sent unto the Provincial Synod, as Members of the same, there to represent the first Councils (who chose and sent them) and all the Churches with them combined: and to carry on the Ordinance of Counsel among them, according to due Order.