N00061:80
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.
Answ. Yea, they may: For the great Collection of the Gentile Churches, which Paul carried up to Jerusalem at his last going thither, was an act of many Churches: And Paul, with those that went with him to present it, were chosen by the Churches unto that service, 2 Cor. 8.1•. And there were many more Churches Contributors, then there were Messengers sent to carry it. Acts 20.4. there were but seven or eight in Pauls company, but all the Churches of Galatia, Corinth, Asia, and Macedonia, were Contributors. Therefore many Churches chose Messengers who were none of their own particular Churches, unto that public and common service of Christ, and of the Churches.
Answ. Yea, they may: For the great Collection of the Gentile Churches, which Paul carried up to Jerusalem at his last going thither, was an act of many Churches: And Paul, with those that went with him to present it, were chosen by the Churches unto that service, 2 Cor. 8.1•. And there were many more Churches Contributors, then there were Messengers sent to carry it. Acts 20.4. there were but seven or eight in Pauls company, but all the Churches of Galatia, Corinth, Asia, and Macedonia, were Contributors. Therefore many Churches chose Messengers who were none of their own particular Churches, unto that publick and common service of Christ, and of the Churches.
Again, the ready subjection of all the Churches about Antioch, and other places, Acts 16.4. unto the Decrees of the Council at Jerusalem, doth probably speak, That, as the trouble by those Questions, was a common case in all the Churches; so they had some fore-knowledge, concurrence, and consent (after consent sure enough they had) in the Mission of Paul and Barnabas (Teaching Elders of Antioch,