N00061:58
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.
And when Twelve National Councils shall send forth, in like manner, from each of them, one Teaching, and one Ruling Elder, the most holy and fit among them, to constitute an Ecumenical Council (or by what other less term it may be thought meet to call it) they will still be strictly the Twenty four Elders, representing before the Lord all the Churches in all those Nations, concurring in the Election.
And when Twelve National Councils shall send forth, in like manner, from each of them, one Teaching, and one Ruling Elder, the most holy and fit among them, to constitute an Oecumenical Council (or by what other less term it may be thought meet to call it) they will still be strictly the Twenty four Elders, representing before the Lord all the Churches in all those Nations, concurring in the Election.
And why may not this ascent, and representation of all before the Lord, be part of the meaning of that Text, Rev. 5.8, 9, 11, 12, 14?
VII. And this point is the more to be heeded, because Gods visible respect unto, and acceptation of any people, is according to the good aspect and condition of their Representatives. There may be much dross in a Parish, a Province, a Nation, and in the world; yet if they have good Representatives before the Lord, and if they carry the Lords matters well, in his sight, that doth obtain, through Christ, a favourable acceptation of, and dispensation towards all that are so represented. And he hath instituted Representatives of the Church on earth: Aaron represented all Israel on his breast before the Lord, Exod. 28.29. And a Council consisting of Messengers of Churches, the glory of Christ, do represent the Churches who send and constitute that Council,