A53701:22
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.
5. THERE is a double joining unto the Church; (1.) That which is, as unto total Communion in all the duties and privileges of the Church, which is that whereof we treat. (2.) An adherence unto the Church, as unto the means of Instruction and Edification to be attained thereby. So persons may adhere unto any Church, who yet are not meet, or free on some present consideration, to confederate with it, as unto total Communion; see Act. 5.13, 14. And of this sort in a peculiar manner, are the baptized Children of the members of the Church. For although they are not capable of performing Church duties, or enjoying Church-privileges in their tender years; nor can have a right unto total Communion▪ before the testification of their own voluntary consent thereunto, and choice thereof; yet are they in a peculiar manner under the care and inspection of the Church, so far as the outward administration of the Covenant in all the means of it, is committed thereunto; and their duty it is, according to their capacity, to attend unto the Ministry of ⟨p. 12⟩that Church whereunto they do belong.
5. THERE is a double jo•ning unto the Church; (1.) That which is, as unto total Communion in all the duties and priviledges of the Church, which is that whereof we treat. (2.) An adherence unto the Church, as unto the means of Instruction and Edification to be attained thereby. So persons may adhere unto any Church, who yet are not meet, or free on some present consideration, to confederate with it, as unto total Communion; see Act. 5.13, 14. And of this sort in a peculiar manner, are the baptized Children of the members of the Church. For although they are not capable of performing Church duties, or enjoying Church-priviledges in their tender years; nor can have a right unto total Communion▪ before the testification of their own voluntary corsent thereunto, and choice thereof; yet are they in a peculiar manner under the care and inspection of the Church, so far as the outward administration of the Covenant in all the means of it, is committed thereunto; and their duty it is, according to their capacity, to attend unto the Ministry of