N00061:39
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.
The persons sent ought to be Elders, of both Orders, Teaching and Ruling, to represent the whole Church; or •n defect of Ruling Elders to represent the people, Faithful Brethren eminent in holiness and wisdom, who are as Elders: Acts 1•.2. Certain other of them Ver. 22. Chosen men chief men among the Brethren. Ver. 32. Being Prophets also ⟨p. 5⟩themselves. And the reason hereof is, Because, as the temptation of Learned men, is to affect a Prelacy over the people: So the temptation of the Fraternity, is to affect a Morellian Democracy. And therefore the wisdom of God hath by institution balanced all Ecclesiastical Councils with Members of both sorts, that may balance each other, by Number at least, though not in Weight, yet enough to prevent any prevalency of a temptation, either to subjugate the Churches under any Prelatical Usurpation of the Learned; or to elevate and intoxicate the Fraternity, to affect any inordinate power: which rather, and more effectually tends to enervate and evacuate Government, then to preserve any Lawful and just Liberty of the Brotherhood.
The persons sent ought to be Elders, of both Orders, Teaching and Ruling, to represent the whole Church; or •n defect of Ruling Elders to represent the people, Faithful Brethren eminent in holiness and wisdome, who are as Elders: Acts 1•.2. Certain other of them Ver. 22. Chosen men chief men amon• the Brethren. Ver. 32. Being Prophets also ⟨p. 5⟩themselves. And the reason hereof is, Because, as the temptation of Learned men, is to affect a Prelacy over the people: So the temptation of the Fraternity, is to affect a Morellian Democracy. And therefore the wisdome of God hath by institution ballanced all Ecclesiastical Councils with Members of both sorts, that may ballance each other, by Number at least, though not in Weight, yet enough to prevent any prevalency of a temptation, either to subjugate the Churches under any Prelatical Usurpation of the Learned; or to elevate and intoxicate the Fraternity, to affect any inordinate power: which rather, and more effectually tends to enervate and evacuate Government, then to preserve any Lawful and just Liberty of the Brotherhood.