A80640:604
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.
Ob. But these Brethren in Corinth, and Jerusalem, though they had not office-power in themselves, yet they had it amongst themselves in the Apostles, and in the Elders then Assembled; And so with them they might join in some Act of Church-power, which without them, they might not have been put forth at all: or if they had, It had been of no power.
Ob. But these Brethren in Corinth, and Jerusalem, though they had not office-power in themselves, yet they had it amongst themselves in the Apostles, and in the Elders then Assembled; And so with them they might joyn in some Act of Church-power, which without them, they might not have been put forth at all: or if they had, It had been of no power.
Answ. This were indeed to make the Church-Power in Brethren a mere Cipher, yea less then a Cipher. For a Cipher though it be of no number or account, unless some Figure of the Decad be joined before it; yet if it be joined before it, the Cipher will increase the number and account, and make it at least tenfold more then it was before. But all the Brethren of the Church without officers, are not only made as so many Ciphers, as those who of themselves can do no Act of number or account at all: But also though an Officer, or a whole Presbytery join with them, and go before them, yet the Act of the whole Church of Brethren, maketh the Act of no more account, no more value or validity, then it was before; which seemeth to me an unworthy thing and unreasonable. For seeing that the profession of the Faith in Christ was the original ground, (or at least the occasion) of the grant of all Church Power unto Peter in the name of the Church, how can it stand either with Faith or Reason, That a Church of Believers professing the same Faith with Peter, shall receive no part of Church-Power at all, in respect of their profession of the Faith, but only in respect of their Officers that preach the Faith? whereas Peter then spake not as a Preacher only, but as a Professor of the Faith. Faith when it seeth a Promise made to another in respect of this or that Qualification or Duty, It is apt (by the help of the Spirit of Grace) to apply the same blessing, or some part of it at least, unto it self in the same case.