A53701:115
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.
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.
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 e•abled by Spiritual Gifts, and ingaged 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 joyn 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.
If it be said, that if all Men be thus allowed to judge of what is best for their own Edification, and to act according unto the Judgment which they make, they will be continually pa•ting from on Church unto another, until all things are filled with disturbance and Confusion; I say,
If it be said, that if all Men be thus allowed to judge of what is best for their own Edification, and to act according unto the Judgment which they make, they will be continually pa•ting from on Church unto another, untill all things are filled with disturbance and Confusion; I say,