A53701:28
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.
1. No Church, of what denomination soever, can lay a claim unto this Privilege▪ as belonging unto it self alone. This wa• the ancient Donatism; They confined Salvation unto the Churches of their way alone. And after many false charges of it on others, it begins really to be renewed in our d•ys. For some dispute, that Salvation is confined unto that Church alone, wherein there is a Succession of Diocesan Bishops; which is the height of Donatism. The Judgments and Determinations made concerning the ⟨p. 14⟩Eternal Salvation or Damnation of Men, by the measures of some differences among Christians about Churches, their State and Order, are absurd, foolish, and impious, and for the most part used by them, who sufficiently proclaim, that they know neither what it is to be saved, nor do use any diligence about the necessary means of it. Salvation depends absolutely on no particular Church-state in the world; he knows not the Gospel, who can really think it doth. Persons of Believers are not for the Church, but the Church is for them: if the Ministry of Angels be for them who are Heirs of Salvation, much more is the Ministry of the Church so. If a man be an Adulterer, an Idolater, a Railer, a hater and scoffer of Godliness; if he choose •o live in any known sin, without Repentance, or in the neglect of any known duty; if he be ignorant and profane; in a word, if he be not bo•n again from above, be he of what Church he will, and whatsoever place he possess therein, he cannot be saved. And on the other side, if a man believe in Christ Jesus, that is, know him in his Person, Offices, Doctrine and Grace, trust unto him for all the ends of the wisdom and love of God towards Mankind in him; if he endeavour to yield sincere ⟨p. 15⟩and universal obedience unto all his co• mands, and to be confirmed unto him, in all things following his example, having for these ends received of his Spirit, though all the Churches in the world should reject him, yet he shall undoubtedly be saved. If any shall hence infer, that then it is all one of what Church any one is: I answer, (1.) That although the being of this or that or any particular Church in the world, will not secure the Salvation of any men; yet the adherence unto some Churches, or such as are so called, in their constitution and worship, may prejudice, yea, ruin the Salvation of any that shall so do. (2.)