B20736:166
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 9
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.
Answ. It is an usual thing with John (and found also in other Scriptures) to use the name of Angel not singularly for one person, but collectively for a company, administering the same work: As the seven Angels that sounded the seven Trumpets, and the seven Angels that poured out the seven Vials, were not seven singular persons, but seven companies, or sorts of persons, performing that service. And when David saith, the Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Tent about them which fear him, Psal. 34.7. He speaketh not of one Angel alone, but of many of them; For one alone cannot pitch his Tents about all them that fear God. And that John in the second and third Chapters of the Revelation, did not mean by the Angel of the Church one singular person, but the whole company of the Ministers of the Church (the whole Presbytery of persons, more then one) it is evident by his speech unto them, as unto many; The Devil (saith he) shall cast some of you into Prison, Rev. 2.10. Some of you, 1which implies more then one. And again in Rev. 2.24. speaking unto the Angel of the Church of Thyatira, But unto you*, I say, and unto the rest of Thiatira; which argueth that the Angel distinguished from the rest of the Church, was more then one person; For he saith unto you in the plural number.
Answ. It is an usuall thing with John (and found also in other Scriptures) to use the name of Angel not singularly for one person, but collectively for a company, administring the same work: As the seven Angels that sounded the seven Trumpets, and the seven Angels that powred out the seven Vialls, were not seven singular persons, but seven companies, or sorts of persons, performing that service. And when David saith, the Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Tent about them which feare him, Psal. 34.7. He speaketh not of one Angel alone, but of many of them; For one alone cannot pitch his Tents about all them that feare God. And that John in the second and third Chapters of the Revelation, did not meane by the Angel of the Church one singular person, but the whole company of the Ministers of the Church (the whole Presbytery of persons, more then one) it is evident by his speech unto them, as unto many; The Devill (saith he) shall cast some of you into Prison,