A53701:77
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.
If all these, or any of them do fail, I acknowledge that all Ministerial Authority and Ability, for the dispensation of Gospel-Ordinances must fail also, and consequently the state of the Church. And those who plead for the continuation of a successive Ministry, without respect unto these things, without resolving both the Authority and Office of it unto them, do but erect a dead Image, or embrace a dead carcass, instead of the living and life giving Institutions of Christ. They take away the living Creature, and set up a skin stuffed with straw. But if these things do unalterably continue; if the Law of Christ can neither be changed, abrogated, or disannulled, if his dispensation of Spiritual gifts according unto his promise cannot be impeded; if Believers ⟨p. 49⟩through his grace will continue in ob• dience unto his commands, it is not possible there should be an utter failure in this Office, and Office-power of this Ministry. It may fail in this or that place, in this or that Church, when the Lord Christ will remove his Candlestick. But it hath a living root whence it will spring again in other places and Churches, whi•st this world doth endure. Neither
If all these, or any of them do fail, I acknowledge that all Ministerial Authority and Ability, for the dispensation of Gospel-Ordinances must fail also, and consequently the state of the Church. And those who plead for the continuation of a successive Ministry, without respect unto these things, without resolving both the Authority and Office of it unto them, do but erect a dead Image, or embrace a dead carcase, instead of the living and life giving Institutions of Christ. They take away the living Creature, and set up a skin stuffed with straw. But if these things do unalterably continue; if the Law of Christ can neither be changed, abrogated, or disannulled, if his dispensation of Spiritual gifts according unto his promise cannot be impeded; if Believers ⟨p. 49⟩through his grace will continue in ob• dience unto his commands, it is not possible there should be an utter failure in this Office, and Office-power of this Ministry. It may fail in this or that place, in this or that Church, when the Lord Christ will remove his Candl•stick. But it hath a living root whence it will spring again in other places and Churches, whist this world doth endure. Neither