B20736:272
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 4 › Section 5
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.
They over whom we have no power to censure, (in any case by Excommunication) to them we have no power to dispense the Communion; but so it is, we have no power to censure any of our Congregation (though never so scandalous) by excommunicating, unless they first commend themselves to our fellowship.
They over whom we have no power to censure, (in any case by Excommunication) to them wee have no power to dispense the Communion; but so it is, we have no power to censure any of our Congregation (though never so scandalous) by excommunicating, unlesse they first commend themselves to our fellowship.
Therefore neither have we power till then to receive them into our communion.
Therefore neither have wee power till then to receive them into our communion.
2. A second ground of their practise we take from the nature of the Sacraments, which though they be seals of the righteousness of faith, (Rom. 4.11.) yet not to all the faithful, as such, but as they are confederate and joined together in some particular visible Church. None may ordinarily dispense a Sacrament of the new Testament, but a Minister of a visible Church, nor may he dispense it to any, but to the members of a visible Church. In the old Testament, none were partakers, either of the Passover, or of Circumcision, unless they were either Israelites borne, or Proselytes to the ⟨p. 78⟩Church of Israel. Job and his three friends, and Elihu with them, though all of them righteous by faith, and all of the stock and kindred of Abraham, yet we read of none of them to be circumcised; nor is it credible they were; for had they been Circumcised, they would not have kept so deep silence of it throughout all their conference with Job, as they do; especially having so often occasion to urge the pollution of nature from the birth; whereof Circumcision had been a most pertinent and pregnant evidence to convince the same. And wherefore were they not all circumcised, being all of them righteous by faith, but only because they had not opportunity to join themselves to the house of Israel, to whom only the Church, and the Covenant of grace, unto them and their seed, and the seals of the Covenant were granted.