Synod both by themselves and by chusing such as may further promote the same in a National Council c. V. The Time of this Election is to be in that Session of the first Councils which doth immediately precede the stated Quarterly time of the Provincial Councils Meeting VI. The Order and Manner of this Election may be this The Moderator of that Session may first put this to vote whether they will send buâ—… one or more then one Teaching Elders for by the good Providence and rich Grace of Christ there may be sâ—…ndry able and eminent Lights in one first Council and such as that it were a publick injury and detriment to the Cause of Christ if they be not sent This provided That according to the Number of Teaching Elders a like Number of Ruling Elders be also sent with them The Manner of Election may be by Papers if they see meet which the Moderator and Notary are to take and number and manifest who are chosen and such as are chosen are by the Notary to be recorded VII The National Council doth consist of the most choice â—…oly able and eminent Lights in all the Provincial Councils by whom they are chosen and sent forth with their prayers and blessing Every Provincial Council chusing the most holy and able Elders both Teaching and Ruling that they have among them to constitute a National Council and to carry on the Ordinance of Counsel in that high and holy service of Christ and of all the Churches in the Nation yeâ—… and among other Nations if need be and when there is a calling thereunto VIII The Time of this Election is to be in that Session of the Provincial Councils which doth immediately precede the stated time of the Annual Session of the National Council The Order and Manner of their Election may be in all respects according to the forementioned Election in the Provincial Synod IX An Oecumenical Council is to consist of the most holy and eminent Lights in all the National Councils combined in this holy Ordinance of Mutual Counsel and may readily be ordered by this standard when the Lord shall in the riches of his grace give opportunity to exercise the same Touching the Duration of these Councils X. Every one of these Councils doth continue in being until according to Order a new Election be made the new Election doth antiquate the old Hence as the Primitive Church had Apostles alwayes in being for their help So there be at least three Orders of Ecclesiastical Councils ever in being in every populous Christian Nation who must at the stated Times and may at any â—…it time meet when the affairs of Christ and of any of the Churches do need and duely call for the same And when Christian Nations shall be thus combined there will be an Oecumenical Council ever in being yea and when all the World shall be combined there will be a great Oecumenical Council ever in being to order all ecclesiastical affaires in unity holiness and peace all the World over XI A principal objection ariseth against this fixing and stating of Councils viz. That although pro-renascent Councils are a divine remedy when troubles arise as it was at Antioch who also then finished the Council when the present work was finished but of fixed stated and permanent Councils we have no example nor doth there appear any ground iâ—… Scripture to bottom them upon Ans. The Primitive Churches had a stated and permâ—…nent way of counsel eminently and more then our stated and permanent Councils can be for they had the Apostles and Evangelists constantly among them And though they had fixed Elders in every Church yet they did need the visitations and frequently made use of the counsel of the Apostles and Evangelists who were the permanent Councils of the Primitive Churches And though it hath pleased the wisdome of our great Lawgiver to give us but one Example of an ordinary Council and that he hath done to be our perpetual guide in our ordinary way yet there be many examples of the Churches need of and frequent use of the Apostles and Evangelists counsel whom they had alwayes with them or knew when and where to repair unto them for their help And we finde by much and long experience that our Reforming Churches do stand in as much if not more need of constant and stated Councils as the primitive Churches did of the constant presence of the Apostles and Evangelists alwayes for their directive and often for their corrective â—…elp We finde by experience that our Churches do oftener need the directive help of Councils then the corrective and in both respects together we need them to be always in being Many good works for the promotion of the Gospel and Kingdom of Jesus Christ do stick long in the birth and languish yea oft miscarry and vanish for want of the help of Councils Sundry Churches also and remote places ly long in the dark without food and help for want of the orderly care of setled Councils Every bodies work is no-bodies But when all Churches are in order all know where their work lyeth Disorders likewise and insuperable distempers by long â—…retting and burning in the bosom of sundry Churches to the great dishonour of God and scandal to the Saints for want of stated Councils some or other refusing in the time of their temptations to submit themselves unto the remedy especially having that advantage that without their consent a pro-renascent Council may not be called or if called by some onely they have the less opportunity of doing good and are in the more danger of doing hurt Nor can it be said that there is no example nor ground of stated and permanent Councils in the holy Scriptures seeing the Apostles and Evangelists were so and more unto the Primitive Churches Hence also it was enough to give us one pâ—…tern of an ordinary Council there was no need for the continuation thereof whilst the Apostles and Evangelists did survive Object But doth not this strengthen the Argument for Bishops and such like Superintendents over the Churches for so they a gue Ans. Were there a like example in an ordinary way set down in Scripture for this work to be done by any one Man not extraordinarily called as there is for a Council then their Argument would have force with it but such â—… pattern or precept for it is not to be found And the way of Councils which is clearly instituted is sufficient to attain the end as we have found by pracious and pienteous experience though we are still defective in that we have not our Councils stated and we do finde great inconvenience by reason of that defect XII These Councils in the time of their duration may multiply or cut short their Sessions as need may require according as the business of the Churches and affairs of Christ may be more or less pressing and urgent XIII There be two sorts of their Meetings Staâ—…ed Occasional The
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 Iohn Eliot Teacher of Roxbury in N. E. Psal. 1. â—…0 That ye may try the things that are excellent 1 John 4 1. Try the Spirits Cambridge Printed by Marmaduke Iohnson 1665. PREFACE ALthough a few Copies of this small Script are Printed yet it is not published onely committed privately to some Godly and Able hands to be Viewed Corrected Amended or Rejected as it shall be found to hold wright in the Sanctuary Ballance or not And it is the humble Request of the Author That whatever Objections Rectification or Emendatiâ—…ns may occurreâ—… they may be conveyed unto him who desireth nothing may be accepted in the Churches but what is according to the Will and Minde of God and tendeth to Holiness Peace and Promotion of the holy Kingdome of Iesus Christ. The procuring of half so many Copies Written and Corrected would be more difficult and chargeable then the Printing of these few I beg the Prayers as well as the Pains of the precioâ—…s Servants of the Lord that I may never have the least singer in doing any thing that may be derogatory to the Holiness and Honour of Iesus Christ and his Churches And to this I subscribe my self One of the least of the Labourers in our Lords Vineyard JOHN ELIOT Communion of Churches OR The divine Management of Gospel-Churches BY THE Ordinance of Councils CHAP. I. Prolegomena or Things premised I. THere be two holy Publick Societies famous in the Gospel 1. A Church of Believers 2. A Council of Churches A Church of Believers is a company of visible Sainte combined together with one heart to hold Communion in all the instituted Gospel-worship Ordinances and Discipline which Christ hath sitted for and given unto a particular Church Such a Company are frequently called A Church See a few places Acts 2. 47 11. 26. 14. 23 27. 1 Cor. 11. 18 20 22 c. A Council is a Society of particular Churches in Communion by their Representatives for their well-being and well-ordering all things among them by mutual Counsel in Truth Peace and Holiness Our Pattern is that Great Council Acts 15. which consisted of two Churches in an ordinary way expresly agreed to give and take counsel and it is leâ—… as a Standard and Pattern â—…ow the great Ordinance of Counsel is to be used and managed for the well-being of Churches to the worlds end II. The Constitution of both these Buildings or Societies are eminent and observable in the Gospel The first of these viz. A Church of Believers is first instituted by Christ himself and afterward put in practice by the Apostles Matth. 16. 18. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church The Rock confessed is CHRIST Christ Confessëd is the Foundation of the Visible Church Peter confessing is an hewn stone squared to the foundation a Believer made Ecclesiastically visible sitted for Church-building and fellowship A company of such Confessors or a company of these confessing Believers 1. Have power to joyn together into a Gospel Church-state as they did Acts 1. 13 14. Continued with one accord so Acts 2. 46. 2. They have power to call Officers by whom they become an Organick Body and sitted to administer and enjoy all instituted Worship Acts 1. 15 23. Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples And they appointed two Acts 6. 3. Brethren look you out men Acts 14. 23. By bolding up bands made Elders 3. By the Ministry of these Officers the Church doth actually enjoy such Ordinances as are instituted by Christ for their Edisication Both Directive in Word Sacraments Prayer Singing of Psalms and Collections Acts 2. 42. They continuâ—…ct stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and sellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Col. 3. 16. Teaching one another in Psalms and Hymns c. â—…1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Every first day lay by it self c. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Neuter Gender as well as Masculine and is so to be read because they had two distinct Collections â—…t that time The Collection for Ierusalem was by it self a publick not a private Collection Corrective 1 Cor. â—…5 425. When gathered together deliver to Saâ—… III The administration of and participation in all these Ordiâ—…ances while we are in this flesh and state militant are in full of variety of difficulties and temptations especially where Churches are numerous that the work cannot long be carried on a while it sometimes may viz. while the Churches are under the eye of an adversary and when there be Elders eminent in Piety Humility and Ability without stated help The help which the Lord hath instituted is Counsel When Antiech had trouble in some points of Doctrine the Remedy which the holy Ghost applied was Counsel given them by a formall Council Acts 15. When Corinth wanted help in a point of Discipline the Apostle doth help by ministring Counsel unto them 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 5. and he counselleth the Church to Excommunicate the man the sinner Excommunication is a sharp Rod made up of seven most severe and terrible Twigs or a strong Purgation compounded of seven violent Ingredients viz. 1. He is cut off from visible Communion with Christ in the Church 2. He is cut off from familiar Communion with the Saints in Worship 3. He is cast out of the usual walk of the Spirit 4. He is cast out of the House of God as unsavoury Salt or a loathsome thing that doth offend 5. He is thrust out of the Paradise of God from eating the Tree of Life viz. Christ in the Sacrament of the Supper where the Spirit sitteth as in his Sealing-office 6. He is cut off from familiar Civil Communion with the Saints he may not be invited to eat with them 7. He is delivered to Satan and that by the Sentence of Christ through the hand of his Spouse the Church and all this to be inflicted upon a Brother Ah! who trembles not to minister such a Pill to lay on such a Rod And therefore it had need to be managed and administred with all care fear and clearness And all this sheweth and much more might be produced to shew what need there is of Counsel which after thirty or forty years experience in the way of Congregational Churches in fulness of
say not in any â—…â—…cal Power but in Order and Extent then it doth not yet appear that there is any way or expedient whereby there should be a General and Equal Communion of all the Churches in a Nation wherein every Church shall be by their own act and consent interessed and concerned Much less can there be aâ—… Equal Communion of Churches of several Nations For if several Nations should need and desire to hold Communion of Councils who shall chuse the Persons or Instruments by whom this Communion shall be held and acted If Princes chuse them it is not a regular Ecclesiastical Council If Churches chuse and send them shall some Churches onely chuse them or all the Churches â—…f some onely who and why they and not others and how can their act interest and oblige all If all the Churches must chuse then Immediately or â—… Delegates Immediately it is unfeizible especially to act in knowledge and prudence but mediately by their Confidents and Representatives they may The same may be said of the Communion of all the Churches in a Nation or Province where Elections must â—…e performed by Representatives In which way a General and Equal Election is attainable and without it it doth not yet appear that it is attainable Now that several Nations ought to hold Communion and also all the Churches in a Nation it doth appear in these Scriptures Isa. 19. 23 24 25. Zeph. 3. 9. 1 Cor. 11. 1â—… 14. 32 36. Of which see more in Synod at Boston This being commanded by God and as yet no Way or Expedient appearing whereby it may be duely acted we are at a great loss Therefore the Lord opening this way which is so attainable and not without Scripture Light What iâ—… the Churches should set upon the Tryall of it and see how the Lord may appear unto his Servants therein As for the Episcopal Way of Government Alas that is most remote from this Ordinance of Communion of Churches CHAP. III. Of the Constitution of Four Orders of Councils I. WHen Twelve Churches or any other Number under Twenty â—…our shall agree to hold Communion in a Council for Mutual Help and shall send forth Messengers at least two from every Church and they of both Orders of Elders or in defect of Ruling Elders Brethren eminent in Piety and Wisdome who are as Elders to manage the Ordinance of Counsel in the behalf and for the benefit of all the Churches herein combined These do constitute the first Order of a compleat Council the first Ascent of the glorious Temple the first Row in compacting the New Ierusalem These are the Twenty four Elders before the Lord representing all the Congregations which sent them It is both needful and attainable that these Councils should meet once every Moneth II. When Twelve of the first Order of Councils or any other Number under Twenty four shall with the express consent of all their particular Churches agree to hold Communion in a Council for Mutual Help and for the benefit of all the Churches combined and to that end shall send forth from among themselves at least one principal and eminent Teaching Elder and one Ruling Elder to manage the Ordinance of Counsel in a Provincial Synod in the behalf and for the benefit of all the Churches herein combined These do constitute the second Order of Councils These are a Provincial Council these do represent very many Churches and all the people in them with their express consent and yet they are but Twenty four Elders so denominated by their least and constituting Number though the Numbers represented be very great according to Rev. 5. 8 9 c. These all are Church-Messengers sent forth to manage the Ordinance of Counsel though immediately sent forth by the first Councils with the express consent of all the Churches combined These are the second Row of Churches compacted by the Number Twelve the second Row of 〈◊〉 in the Temple of equal dimensions to the first and built upon the first standing upon the same bottom and foundation the Twelve Apostles It is both needfull and attainable that these should meet quarterly III. When Twelve Provincial Councils or any other number under Twenty four shall with the explicite consent of the first Councils and with the explicite consent of the Churches who are in this Combination agree to hold Communion in a Council for Mutual Help and to that end shall send forth from among themselves at least one principal Teaching Elder and one Ruling Elder both eminent in holiness wisdome and all fitting abilities to manage the Ordinance of Counsel in a National Synod in the behalf and for the benefit of all the Provinces first Councils and particular Churches herein combined These do constitute a Third Order of Councils These are a National Council these do represent a whole Nation of Churches and all the people of the Land and yet they are but Twenty four Elders as Rev. 5 1â—… 13 14. though all Creatures concurre and are combined in the work all are represented before the Lord in Twenty four Elders These are all of them Church-Messengers sent forth to manage the Ordinance of Counsel but they are immediately sent forth by the Proviâ—…iall Councils IV. As the first Councils consist of the most choyce persons in all the Churches so the Provincial Councils do consist of the most choyce Instruments in the respective Provinces and the National Council doth consist of the most choyce persons in all the Nation who pass through so many Ecclesiastical Elections before they arrive unto this high and â—…oly Service They pass under an opportunity of being called out from among all the Choyce Iewels of the Nation who are in â—…n Ecclesiastical Order and Capacity It will be both needful and attainable that these should meet once in a Year V. When Twelve National Councils or any Number under Twenty four shall agree with the explicite consent of all the Churches passing and arising through all the Orders of Councils to hold Communion in Councils for Mutual Help and to that end shall send Forth at least one Teaching and one Ruling Elder men eminent in Holiness and Abilities for so high a service to constitute an Oecumenical Council and there to manage the Ordinance of Counsel in the behalf and for the benefit of all the Churches and Councils herein combined These do constitute a Fourth Order of Councils They are an Oecumenical Council and represent all the Churches in those Nations before the Lord VI. Twenty three Nations met in one Council will be a great glory to Christ and by what hath yet been in the world may be called Oecumenical Yet when the Kingdomes of this world shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ I know not but there will be Councils above this Nay why may there not be Twelve Ascents in combining all the World Rev. 21. 16 17. But I leave it to the Lord. At present this is the top and uppermost
according to this Type Rev. 7. 4. the whole Visible Church is ordered multiplied and â—…ealed in this Number And Rev. 21. 12 14. the Twelve Tribes are the Twelve Gates and the Twelve Apostles are the Twelve Foundations of the New Ierusalem â—…hat glorious visible Gospel-Church Ezekâ—…8 â—…8 which is called Iehovah-Shamniah is ordered by the Number Twelve according to the Twelve Tribes of Israel as the Typicall and of Canaan was IV. In the perfect Pattern fâ—…r the Word is a perfect Rule which the holy Ghost hath left us Acts 15. as there is a ground work for the least of Councils in the Two Churches so of compleat Councils in the Twelve Apostles For though Herod had killed Iames with the sword Actsâ—… â—… â—… his Martyrdome did not remove him out of the Foundation but rather six him in it And the Apostles were most of them killed for the Testimony of Iesus before Iohn had his Revelation and yet we finde them all written in the Foundation of the New Ierusalem And therefore what should hinder but that in the ordering of Compleat Councils we should lay our foundation in the Number Twelve and all the Orders of Councils should be raised and compacted by that Number even from the bottom to the top V. And unto this Order and Number we may the â—…ather be induced because here will be the Twenty four Elderâ—… who do wait upon and worship the holy Majesty of God in all the Churches upon earth as he hath pleased to reveal himself Rev. 4. where the presence of God among the Churches is reveâ—…led First with his glorious Angels next him represented by the four living Creatures according to Ezek. 1. 10. And secondly with the Communion of Churches about him represented by the Twenty four Elders who do represent all the Churches on earth in Communion as will anon appear VI. For when Twelve Churches are combined to hold Communion together the least Number that one Church must by Institution send forth to that first Council must be one Teaching Elder and one Ruling Elder and then this Society of Churches is represented by twenty four Elders strictly And when Twelve of these first Councils shall with consent of the particular Churches elect and send forth one Teaching and one Ruling Elder the ablest and fittest among them to constitute a Provincial Council that Council will be strictly the Twenty four Elders representing all the Churches in that Province concurring in the Election And when Twelve Provincial Councils shall with like consent send forth from each of them one Teaching and one Ruling Elder the most holy and able among them to constitute a National Council they will still be strictly the Twenty four Elders representing the whole Nation in their Ecclesiastical state before the Lord. 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 aâ—… Oecumenicâ—…l 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 â—…eeded 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 drose 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 Acts 15. Oh! how happy were it for any people to be in such visible instituted Order on earth as that they may be through Christ acceptably represented before the Lord For God is so well pleased to see his people in Order as that he will dwell in that place and call it by his own Name Iehovah-Shamniah especially when they are Civilly as well as Ecclesiastically in good order represented before Him VIII Furthermore this is to be considered that though the Twenty four Elders are so called by the least Number that they can be by this Constitution yet according as the riches of Gods grace is more abundantly poured out they may be more in Number though under this constituting denomination For one Church may send forth â—…ing Elders as Antioch sent forth Paul and Barnabas and Ruling Elders or Brethren proportionably So likewise upon the same ground when there be more Eminent Lights in any of the Councils as through grace it is like often to be they may send more then one to the Provincial or National or Oecumenical Councils but still they are the Twenty four Elders because that is the Foundation Number IX What if I should illustrate this Point by that of the Apostles who are often in Scripture called the Twelve Apostles and yet there were more Apostles then Twelve for who doubteth but that Paul who was none of the Twelve yet he was an Apostle and a chief Apostle a great Foundation and Barnabas was an Apostle also Acts 14 14. and 1 Cor. â—… 9. But Twelve is the Foundation Number and therefore they are so denominated X. Again though Twelve Churches be the lowest Number of the first Combination yet they may be more then Twelve when the pourings out of Gods grace shall be inlarged yea they may be any Number under Twenty four Churches If then Twenty three Churches should be in a Combination their Messengers sent to the first Council will be a great Number but still they are the Twenty four Elders before the Lord by their fundamental Constitution So a like Number of Provincial Councils and a like Number of National Councils though their Messengers are many yet they are still the Twenty four Elders growing up through grace and increasing unto more Orders of Councils for the greater glory of Christ. And when through grace there shall be Twenty four Churches or first Councils or Provincial or National Councils then they must be compacted into two Orders of those Councils because Twelve is the Foundation Number by which they are multiplied and compacted And when this is done they are reduced to be Twenty four Elders strictly the Foundation Number As in the Order of that Civill Government set up by Moses the Orders of Ten and of fifty c. are denominated bâ—… the least and constituting Number though those Orders may consist when they are full of people and