N00061:207
Communion of churches: or, The divine management of Gospel-churches by the ordinance of councils,…
Communion of churches: or, The divine management of Gospel-churches by the ordinance of councils, constituted in order according to the Scriptures. : As also, the way of bringing all Christian parishes to be particular reforming congregational churches: humbly proposed, as a way which hath so much light from the Scriptures of truth, as that it may lawfully be submitted unto by all; and may, by the blessing of the Lord, be a means of uniting those two holy and eminent parties, the Presbyterians and the Congregationals. : As also to prepare for the hoped for resurrection of the churches; and to propose a way to bring all Christian nations unto an unity of the faith and order of the Gospel. / Written by John Eliot, teacher of Roxbury in N.E. ; [Two lines of Scripture texts]Communion of churches: or, The divine management of Gospel-churches by the ordinance of councils, constituted in order according to the Scriptures. : As also, the way of bringing all Christian parishes to be particular reforming congregationall churches: humbly proposed, as a way which hath so much light from the Scriptures of truth, as that it may lawfully be submitted unto by all; and may, by the blessing of the Lord, be a means of uniting those two holy and eminent parties, the Presbyterians and the Congregationals. : As also to prepare for the hoped for resurrection of the churches; and to propose a way to bring all Christian nations unto an unity of the faith and order of the Gospel. / Written by John Eliot, teacher of Roxbury in N.E. ; [Two lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Marmaduke Johnson, 1665
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
4. If there be no Cases transmitted to them, nor Appeals, the affairs of all the Churches in the Nation are presently issued, with glory and praise to the Lord Jesus, the King of Peace.
5. If any other person or persons within the Nation, or of any other Nation, have any Cases or Questions about Religion, they may now have liberty of proposing the same, to receive an answer.
6. If any Cases of difficulty be such, as that they cannot obtain an issue, and resolution satisfactory, then the Case must be recorded, and stay until by further consideration and discussion, God shall please to reveal further light therein, because there is no Higher Council to appeal unto for light, within the Nation. And in such cases, so the Apostles did walk, and teach the Churches to walk, Phil 3.15, 16. Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same things.
6. If any Cases of difficulty be such, as that they cannot obtain an issue, and resolution satisfactory, then the Case must be recorded, and stay untill by further consideration and discussion, God shall please to reveal further light therein, because there is no Higher Council to appeal unto for light, within the Nation. And in such cases, so the Apostles did walk, and teach the Churches to walk, Phil 3.15, 16. Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule let us minde the same things.