B20736:214
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 4
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.
so every Member of the Church is implanted and received into the same body, by taking hold of the same Covenant, and professing subjection thereunto.
Again, when the Apostle speaketh of the planting of the Church of Corinth, calleth it espousing of it as a chaste Virgin unto Christ, 2 Cor. 11.2. It implieth plainly, that he drew them all as one body to profess their acceptance of Christ as an husband to them all, and of one another, as member of the same body: if he had spoken of his conversion of their particular souls unto Christ, he would not ⟨p. 63⟩have spoken of them as one virgin, but so many souls so many virgins; but now speaking of them all as one virgin, it plainly argueth he joined them all as one virgin into one body, and that one body into a Covenant of Espousals with Christ Jesus; for there are no Espousals without a covenant; and therefore they that will take hold of their Espousage, must take hold of their covenant.
Againe, when the Apostle speaketh of the planting of the Church of Corinth, calleth it espousing of it as a chaste Virgin unto Christ, 2 Cor. 11.2. It implyeth plainly, that he drew them all as one body to professe their acceptance of Christ as an husband to them all, and of one another, as member of the same body: if he had spoken of his conversion of their particular soules unto Christ, he would not ⟨p. 63⟩have spoken of them as one virgin, but so many soules so many virgins; but now speaking of them all as one virgin, it plainly argueth he joyned them all as one virgin into one body, and that one body into a Covenant of Espousalls with Christ Jesus; for there are no Espousalls without a covenant; and therefore they that will take hold of their Espousage, must take hold of their covenant.