B20736:178
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 3 › 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.
SECT. II.
They that desire to be added & joined to such a body, they first make known their desires to the Elders of the Church, who take trial of their knowledge in the principles of religion, & of their experience in the ways of grace, and of their godly conversation amongst men; that if any of them be found ignorant, and graceless, or scandalous, he may not be presently presented to the Church, till these evils were removed. The stones that were to be laid in Solomons Temple, were squared and made ready before they were laid in the building; neither iron, nor axe, nor any iron tool was heard in the house while it was a building, 1 King. 6.7. And wherefore so, if not to hold forth that no members were to be received into the Church of Christ, but such as were rough-hewen, and squared, and fitted to lie close and level to Christ and to his members?
THey that desire to be added & joyned to such a body, they first make known their desires to the Elders of the Church, who take triall of their knowledge in the principles of religion, & of their experience in the wayes of grace, and of their godly conversation amongst men; that if any of them be found ignorant, and gracelesse, or scandalous, he may not be presently presented to the Church, till these evils were removed. The stones that were to be laid in Solomons Temple, were squared and made ready before they were laid in the building; neither iron, nor ax, nor any iron toole was heard in the house while it was a building, 1 King. 6.7. And wherefore so, if not to hold forth that no members were to be received into the Church of Christ, but such as were rough-hewen, and squared, and fitted to lie close and levell to Christ and to his members?