A53701:35
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. THE Lord Christ hath disposed all the ways and means of edification, unto these Churches; so that ordinarily, and under an expectation of his presence in them, and concurrence unto their efficacy, they are not otherwise to be enjoyed. Such are the ordinary dispensation of the Word, ⟨p. 19⟩and Administration of the Sacraments. For any Disciple of Christ to live in a neglect of these things, and the enjoyment of them according to his mind, is to despise his care and wisdom, in providing for his eternal welfare.
6. HE hath prescribed sundry duties unto us, both as necessary, and as evidences of our being his Disciples, such as cannot be orderly performed, but as we are members of some particular Congregation: this also hath been before declared▪
7. THE Institution of these Churches, is the way which Christ hath ordained to render his Kingdom visible or conspicuous, in distinction from, and opposition unto, the Kingdom of Satan and the world. And he doth not in a due manner, declare himself a subject in or unto the Kingdom of Christ, who doth not solemnly engage in this way. It is not enough to constitute a legal subject of the Kingdom of England, that he is born in the Nation, and lives in some outward observance of the Laws of it, if he refuse solemnly to express his Allegiance in the way appointed by the Law for that end. Nor will it constitute a regular subject of the Kingdom of Christ, that he is born in a place where the Gospel is professed, and so professeth a general compliance ⟨p. 20⟩therewith; if he refuse to testify his subjection, by the way that Christ hath appointed for that end. It is true, the whole Nation in their civil relation and subordination according to Law, is the Kingdom of England. But the representation of the Kingly power and rule in it, is in the Courts of all sorts, wherein the Kingly power is acted, openly and visibly. And he that lives in the Nation, yet denies his homage unto these Courts, is not to be esteemed a Subject. So doth the whole visible professing Church, in one or more Nations, or lesser precincts of people and places constitute the visible Kingdom of Christ; yet is no particular person to be esteemed a legal true Subject of Christ, that doth not appear in these his Courts with a Solemn expression of his Homage unto him.