A39224:37
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.
IV. A Council is constituted Acts. 15. where the wisdom of the holy Ghost hath given us a Pattern of the least, and of the greatest Councils, as our N. E. Divines have well observed. There cannot be a less Council then that was, for there were but two Churches mentioned; and there cannot be a greater, and more complete one, because there were ⟨p. 4⟩the greatest Counsellors, a most complete Pattern, even the Apostles of Jesus Christ; teaching, That if there be but two Churches, they may enjoy the Ordinance of mutual Counsel, though more incompletely. But if there he many Churches, then they are to be ordered according to the Pattern of Combining Churches into complete Councils. Of which in the next Chapter.
IV. A Council is constituted Acts. 15. where the wisdome of the holy Ghost hath given us a Pattern of the least, and of the greatest Councils, as our N. E. Divines have well observed. There cannot be a less Council then that was, for there were but two Churches mentioned; and there cannot be a greater, and more compleat one, because there were ⟨p. 4⟩the greatest Counsellors, a most compleat Pattern, even the Apostles of Jesus Christ; teaching, That if there be but two Churches, they may enjoy the Ordinance of mutuall Counsel, though more incompleatly. But if there he many Churches, then they are to be ordered according to the Pattern of Comblning Churches into compleat Councils. Of which in the next Chapter.
V. Christ, who hath all power, Mat. 28. 20. hath derived all Ecclesiastical Power first unto the Apostles, that they by Institution might distribute the same unto several Offices in the Church. Hence