N00779:51
The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in…
The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in New England, justified, by the Scripture, and by the writings of many learned men, both ancient and modern divines; in answer to several questions, relating to church discipline / by Increase Mather, president of Harvard College in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston in New England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in New England, justified, by the Scripture, and by the writings of many learned men, both ancient and modern divines; in answer to several questions, relating to church discipline / by Increase Mather, president of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston in New England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1700
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 When Saul desired to join to the Church at Jerusalem, he was not admitted until the Brethren were by the Testimony of Barnabas, together with his own Declaration, satisfied concerning the reality of his Faith and Repentance. Act 9 26, 27.
4 When Saul desired to joyn to the Church at Jerusalem, he was not admitted until the Brethren were by the Testimony of Barnabas, together with his own Declaration, satisfyed concerning the reality of his Faith and Repentance. Act 9 26, 27.
5. If only Elders have power to Judge who are fit to come to the Sacrament or to join to the Churches, then in case there is but one Elder in a Church (as there are very few Churches in New-England that have more Elders than one) the Sole power will reside in that one mans hands. Then by a parity of reason one alone would have power to suspend from Communion, which Judicious Presbyterians do not allow of. For the London Ministers in their Vindication of the Presbyterian Government, (p 70, 71.) have these words. It is (say they) as warrantable by the word of God, for one Minister to assume unto himself alone the power of Suspending from the Sacrament, as it is to assume the ⟨p. 26⟩whole power of admitting to the Sacrament▪ for contrariorum eadem est ratio: For one Minister alone to assume this power to him self, is to make himself a Congregational Pope. It is a bringing into the Church […] power that would have some resemblance to Auricular Confession. Thus said th• Presbyterians Fifty years ago.
5. If only Elders have power to Judge who are fit to come to the Sacrament or to joyn to the Churches, then in case there is but one Elder in a Church (as there are very few Churches in New-England that have more Elders than one) the Sole power will reside in that one mans hands. Then by a parity of reason one alone would have power to suspend from Communion, which Judicious Presbyterians do not allow of. For the London Ministers in their Vindication of the Presbyterian Government, (p 70, 71.) have these words. It is (say they) as warrantable by the word of God, for one Minister to assume unto himself alone the power of Suspending from the Sacrament, as it is to assume the