A80640:567
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the…
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A dissuasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book entitled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A disswasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book intituled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.
London: printed by Matthew Simmons for John Bellamie, 1648
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.
Object. The Church of Believers gathered without Pastors and Teachers, though united in a Church-Covenant, yet not being builded by Pastors and Teachers (who are given to gather and to edify the Body) they are only the materials of the House, But not the House.
Object. The Church of Believers gathered without Pastors and Teachers, though united in a Church-Covenant, yet not being builded by Pastors and Teachers (who are given to gather and to edifie the Body) they are onely the materialls of the House, But not the House.
Answ. 1. The Church is truly said to be builded by Pastors and Teachers, upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, when by their Doctrine they were first brought on to believe, and by the same Doctrine taught to assemble into Church-Fellowship. It is true, the faith which they received by the edifying Ministry of Pastors and Teachers, doth not make them Members of the Visible Church, but of the Invisible; and so fit materials only of the Visible Church. But yet they being also taught to make profession of their faith before the Lord, and his people, in covenanting or professing subjection to the Lord, and one to another in the use of his Ordinances (so far as they are or shall be committed to them) they thereby receive the form of a Visible Church upon them. For as faith is the essential form of the Catholic Invisible Church: So is the profession of faith, and the obedience of faith to Christ in his Ordinances amongst themselves, the essential form of a Particular Visible Church, amongst themselves I say. For profession of faith, and of the obedience of faith at large, without respect of subjection to Ordinances in this or that Church, maketh a man no more a member of the Church at York, then of the Church at Edinburgh. But when such a Society of Believers is combined together by profession of faith, and obedience of faith to the Ordinances administered, or administrable amongst themselves; they are now not only the materials of a Visible Church, but have the true form of Church-Estate, notwithstanding their want of Pastors and Teachers. Otherwise Pastors themselves should be the form of the Church, by which it is, and without which it cannot be a Church. As if the Body of a man could not be an Human body, without eyes or arms: Or had only the matter of a Man, (or some part of the matter) but not the form.