N00061:32
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.
IV. A Council is constituted A•ts 15. where the wisdom of the holy Ghost hath given us a Pattern o• the least ▪ and of the greatest Councils, as our N. E. Divines h•ve well observed. There cannot be a less Council then that was, for there were but two Churches mentioned; and there cannot be a greater ▪ and more complete one, because there were ⟨p. 4⟩the greatest Counsellors, a most complete Pattern, even the Apostles of Jesus Christ; teaching, That if there be but two Churches, they may enjoy the Ordinance of mutual Counsel, though more incompletely. But if there be many Churches, then they are to be ordered according to the Pattern of Combining Churches into complete Councils. Of which in the next Chapter.
IV. A Council is constituted A•ts 15. where the wisdome of the holy Ghost hath given us a Pattern o• the least ▪ and of the greatest Councils, as our N. E. Divines h•ve well observed. There cannot be a less Council then that was, for there were but two Churches mentioned; and there cannot be a greater ▪ and more compleat one, because there were ⟨p. 4⟩the greatest Counsellors, a most compleat Pattern, even the Apostles of Jesus Christ; teaching, That if there be but two Churches, they may enjoy the Ordinance of mutuall Counsel, though more incompleatly. But if there be many Churches, then they are to be ordered according to the Pattern of Combining Churches into compleat Councils. Of which in the next Chapter.