A39224:43
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.
VII. The Members constituent of a Council, are Church-Messengers.
The persons sent ought to be Elders, of both Orders, Teaching and Ruling▪ to represent the whole Church; or in defect of Ruling Elders to represent the people, Faithful Brethren▪ eminent in holiness and wisdom, who are as Elders: Acts 15. 2. Certain other of them Ver. 22. Chosen men, chief men among, the Brethren. Ver. 32. Being Prophets also ⟨p. 5⟩themselves. And the reason hereof is, Because, as the temptation of Learned men, is to affect a Prelacy over the people: So the temptation of the Fraternity, is to affect a Morellian Democracy. And therefore the wisdom of God hath by institution balanced all Ecclesiastical Councils with Members of both sorts, that may balance each other, by Number at least, though not in Weight, yet enough to prevent any prevalency of a temptation, either to subjugate the Churches under any Prelatical Usurpation of the Learned; or to elevate and intoxicate the Fraternity, to affect any inordinate power: which rather, and more effectually tends to enervate and evacuate Government, then to preserve any Lawful and just Liberty of the Brotherhood.
The persons sent ought to be Elders, of both Orders, Teaching and Ruling▪ to represent the whole Church; or in defect of Ruling Elders to represent the people, Faithful Brethren▪ eminent in holiness and wisdome, who are as Elders: Acts 15. 2. Certain other of them Ver. 22. Chosen men, chief men among, the Brethren. Ver. 32. Being Prophets also ⟨p. 5⟩themselves. And the reason hereof is, Because, as the temptation of Learned men, is to affect a Prolacy over the people: So the temptation of the Fraternity, is to affect a Morellian Democracy. And therefore the wisdome of God hath by institution ballanced all Ecclesiastical Councils with Members of both sorts, that may ballance each other, by Number at least, though not in Weight, yet enough to prevent any prevalency of a temptation, either to subjugate the Churches under any Prelatical Usurpation of the Learned; or to elevate and intoxicate the Fraternity, to affect any inordinate power: which rather, and more effectually teds to enervate and evacuate Government, then to preserve any Lawful and just Liberty of the Brotherhood.