A53701:72
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
Chapter 3: The Continuation of a Church-state▪ and of the Administration of Evangelical Ordinances…
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.
2. It is so, as unth their Decay, or the loss of their primitive Force and Efficacy. For ⟨p. 43⟩their Efficacy unto their proper Ends, depends on, (1.) The I•••i•ution of Christ: This is the Foundation of all Spiritual Efficacy unto Edification in the Church, or whatever belongs thereunto. And therefore whatever Church-state may be framed, or Duties, ways or means of Worship appointed by Men, that have not his Institution, how specious soever they may appear to be, have no Spiritual Force or Efficacy, as unto the Edification of the Church, But whilst this Institution of Christ continues irrevocable, and is not Abrogated by a greater Power than what it was enacted by, whatever defect there may be as unto Faith and Obedience in Men, rendering them useless and ineffectual unto themselves; however they may be corrupted by additions unto them, or detractions from them, changing their Nature and Use; in themselves they continue to be of the same Use and Efficacy as they were at the beginning. (3.) On the Promise of Christ, that he will be present with his Disciples in the Observation of his Commands unto the Consummation of all things, Matt. 28.20. To deny the continued accomplishment of this Promise, and that on any pretence whatever, is the Venom of Infidelity. If therefore they have an irrevocable Divine Institution; if Christ be ⟨p. 44⟩present in their Administrations, as he was of old, Revel. 2.1. there can be no abatement of their Efficacy unto their proper ends, in the Nature of Instrumental Causes. (3.) On the Covenant of God, which gives an infallible inseparable Conjunction between the Word, or the Church and its Institution by the Word, and the Spirit, Isa. 59.21. God's Covenant with his People is the Foundation of every Church-state, of all Offices, Powers, Privileges, and Duties there unto belonging. They have no other end, they are of no other use, but to Communicate, express, declare, and exemplify on the one hand, the Grace of God in his Covenant unto his People; and on the other, the Duties of his People according unto the Tenor of the same Covenant unto him. They are the Way, means, and Instruments appointed of God for this end, and other end they have none.