A53701:89
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.
2. All Christians were Originally of one Mind in all things needful unto Joint-Communion, so as that there might be among them all, Love without Dissimulation. Howbeit, there was great Variety, not only in the Measure of their apprehensions of the Doctrines of Truth, but in some Doctrines themselves, as about the continuance of the observations of the Law, or at least of some of them; as also Oppositions from without unto the Truth, by Heretics and Apostates; neither of which hindered the Church Communion of true Believers. But the Diversity, Difference, and Divisions that are now among Churches in the World, is the effect of the great Apostasy which befell them all in the latter Ages, as unto the Spirit, Rule, and Practice of those which were planted by the Apostles, and will ⟨p. 58⟩not be healed, until that Apostasy be Abolished.
2. All Christians were Originally of one Mind in all things needful unto Joynt-Communion, so as that there might be among them all, Love without Dissimulation. Howbeit, there was great Variety, not only in the Measure of their apprehensions of the Doctrines of Truth, but in some Doctrines themselves, as about the continuance of the observations of the Law, or at least of some of them; as also Oppositions from without unto the Truth, by Hereticks and Apostates; neither of which hindred the Church Communion of true Believers. But the Diversity, Difference, and Divisions that are now among Churches in the World, is the effect of the great A•ostasie which befel them all in the latter Ages, as unto the Spirit, Rule, and Practice of those which were planted by the Apostles, and will ⟨p. 58⟩not be healed, until that Apostasie be Abolished.
3. Satan having possessed himself of the Advantage of these Divisions, whereof he was the Author, he makes use of them to act his Malice and R•ge in stirring up and instigating one Party to Persecute, Oppress and Devour another, until the Life, Power and Glory of Christian Religion is almost lost in the World. It require therefore great Wisdom to depart our selves aright among these Divisions, so as to contribute nothing unto the Ends of Malice designed by Satan i them.