B20736:107
The way of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The way of churches…The vvay of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The vvay of churches…
The way of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The way of churches walking in brotherly equality, or co-ordination, without subjection of one church to another measured and examined bight golden reed of the sanctuary, containing a full declaration of the church-way in all particulars / by Mr. J. Cotton ...The vvay of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The vvay of churches walking in brotherly equalitie, or co-ordination, without subjection of one church to another measured and examined bythe golden reed of the sanctuary, containing a full declaration of the church-way in all particulars / by Mr. J. Cotton ...
London: printed by Matthew Simmons, 1645
THE Way of the Churches of Christ in NEW-ENGLAND, Measured by the G… › Chapter 2 › Section 2
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.
Whence, saith he, it was that the Synagogue, and afterwards the Church had Elders, without whose Counsel nothing was done in the Church: which by what negligence is grown out of use in the Church, I know not, unless by the sloth of Teachers, or rather pride, whilst they only would seem to be somewhat. Against this testimony, because it is pregnant, sundry exceptions (or rather evasions) are taken. As 1. That the Author of this Testimony was not that ancient Ambrose, the famous Bishop of Milan, but some other later of that name ⟨p. 31⟩Ans. And what though? yet all men acknowledge this other Ambrose, whose Testimony this is, to be an ancient learned Writer, and therefore his Testimony of the Antiquity of Ruling Elders, is sufficient to silence that charge and brave flourish, that Ruling Elders are utterly unknown, and unheard of from all Antiquity for 1500. years. A second Exception they give, is that Ambrose speaketh not of Elders in Office, but in years, without whose Counsel, not without whose authority nothing was done in the Church.
Whence, saith he, it was that the Synagogue, and afterwards the Church had Elders, without whose Counsell nothing was done in the Church: which by what negligence is growne out of use in the Church, I know not, unlesse by the sloath of Teachers, or rather pride, whilest they onely would seeme to be somewhat. Against this testimony, because it is pregnant, sundry exceptions (or rather evasions) are taken. As 1. That the Author of this Testimony was not that ancient Ambrose, the famous Bishop of Millaine, but some other later of that name ⟨p. 31⟩Ans. And what though? yet all men acknowledge this other Ambrose, whose Testimony this is, to be an ancient learned Writer, and therefore his Testimony of the Antiquitie of Ruling Elders, is sufficient to silence that charge and brave flourish, that Ruling Elders are utterly unknowne, and unheard of from all Antiquitie for 1500. yeares. A second Exception they give, is that Ambrose speaketh not of Elders in Office, but in yeares, without whose Counsell, not without whose authoritie nothing was done in the Church.