B20736:70
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 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.
Answ. 1. Paul speaketh as well of public officers as of particular gifts, as hath been showed by three reasons above, out of the words of the Text. It is true indeed, he speaketh of particular gifts also, not peculiar to any office, but common to all believers, from verse 9. to the end; but gifts are not the members of the body of Christ, but the persons endued with those spiritual gifts; neither can it be said, that all the members of the Church have all these gifts without manifest contradiction to the words of the Text, for then all the members had the same power to do all of them the same actions, which the Apostle expressly denieth, vers. 4. all the members (saith he) have not the same action, which is translated office; whence it is, that when he speaketh of different offices, he divideth them by particles of partition, [Greek or Hebrew], vers. 7, 8. and he enjoineth each office to attend his own function, but when he cometh to speak of the private members, and of the gifts common to them all, he neither maketh any partition of them into several sorts, nor bindeth them to attendance on the employment or exercise of any special gift, as he doth the former.
Answ. 1. Paul speaketh as well of publike officers as of particular gifts, as hath been shewed by three reasons above, out of the words of the Text. It is true indeed, hee speaketh of particular gifts also, not peculiar to any office, but common to all believers, from verse 9. to the end; but gifts are not the members of the body of Christ, but the persons indued with those spirituall gifts; neither can it be said, that all the members of the Church have all these gifts without manifest contradiction to the words of the Text, for then all the members had the same power to do all of them the same actions, which the Apostle expresly denieth, vers. 4. all the members (saith he) have not the same action, which is translated office; whence it is, that when hee speaketh of different offices, he divideth them by particles of partition, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, vers. 7, 8. and he injoyneth each office to attend his own function, but when he cometh to speak of the private members, and of the gifts common to them all, he neither maketh any partition of them into severall sorts, nor bindeth them to attendance on the imployment or exercise of any speciall gift, as he doth the former.