A53701:114
A guide to church-fellowship and order according to the gospel-institution
A guide to church-fellowship and order according to the gospel-institution wherein these following particulars are distinctly handled, I. The necessity of believers to join themselves in church-order, II. The subject matter of the church, III. The continuation of a church-state, and of the administration of evangelical ordinances of worship, briefly vindicated, IV. What sort of churches the disciples of Christ may and ought to join themselves unto as unto entire communion / by ... John Owen ...A guide to church-fellowship and order according to the gospel-institution wherein these following particulars are distinctly handled, I. The necessity of believers to joyn themselves in church-order, II. The subject matter of the church, III. The continuation of a church-state, and of the administration of evangelical ordinances of worship, briefly vindicated, IV. What sort of churches the disciples of Christ may and ought to joyn themselves unto as unto entire communion / by ... John Owen ...
London: printed for William Marshall, 1692
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.
3. IT is required that the Ministry of a Church so to be joined with, is not defective in any of those things which according to the Rule of the Gospel are fundamental thereunto. What these are, hath been declared. And because Edification, which is the end of Church Communion, doth so eminently depend on the Ministry of the Church, there is not any thing which we ought to have a more diligent consideration of, in the joining of our selves unto any such Communion. And where the Ministry of any Church, be the Church of what sort or size it will, is incurably Ignorant or Negligent, or thro' a defect in Gifts, Grace, or conscientious attendance unto their Duty, is insufficient unto the due Edification of the Souls of them that believe, no man can account himself obliged unto the Communion of the Church, but he that can be satisfied with a Shadow and the Names of things, ⟨p. 73⟩for the Substance and Reality of them.
3. IT is required that the Ministry of a Church so to be joyned with, is not defective in any of those things which according to the Rule of the Gospel are fundamental thereunto. What these are, hath been declared. And because Edification, which is the end of Church Communion, doth so eminently depend on the Ministry of the Church, there is not any thing which we ought to have a more diligent consideration of, in the joyning of our selves unto any such Communion. And where the Ministry of any Church, be the Church of what sort or size it will, is incurably Ignorant or Negligent, or thro' a defect in Gifts, Grace, or conscientious attendance unto their Duty, is insufficient unto the due Edification of the Souls of them that believe, no man can account himself obliged unto the Communion of the Church, but he that can be satisfied with a Shadow and the Names of things, ⟨p. 73⟩for the Substance and Reality of them.
If therefore it be granted, as I think it is, that Edification is the principal End of all Church Communion, it is not intelligible how a Man should be obliged unto that Communion, and that alone, wherein due Edification cannot be obtained. Wherefore, a Ministry enabled by Spiritual Gifts, and engaged by sense of Duty to labour constantly in the use of all means appointed by Christ for the Edification of the Church, or increase of his Mystical Body, is required in such a Church, as a Believer may conscientiously join himself unto. And where it is otherwise, let Men cry out Schism and Faction whilst they please, Jesus Christ will acquit his Disciples, in the Exercise of their Liberty, and accept them in the Discharge of their Duty.