B20736:49
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 1
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. I.
THE Church being thus gathered, as hath been described, our next care is that it may be supplied with all those Officers and members which Christ hath ordained to continue in his Church until his second coming, for they are all given for the edifying and perfecting of his body, until we all grow unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, Eph. 4.11, 12, 13. The Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists, they still continue in their writings, to be Master-builders of the Churches in all ages, and therefore the Church is said to be built upon their foundation, that is, upon the foundation which they by their writings have laid, Eph. 2.20. but in their Successors in the same eminent calling they continue not: whence the Apostle speaketh of himself and Barnabas, as the last Apostles, 1 Cor. 4.9. And when the new Jerusalem (the Church of the Jews) cometh to be planted, it is not said to be planted by new Apostles, but by the former twelve Apostles of the Lamb, Rev. 21.19. to wit, by them, in respect of their Doctrine still left behind them in their writings.
THE Church being thus gathered, as hath been described, our next care is that it may be supplyed with all those Officers and members which Christ hath ordained to continue in his Church untill his second comming, for they are all given for the edifying and perfecting of his body, untill we all grow unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ,