A53704:160
An enquiry into the original, nature, institution, power, order and communion of evangelical churches.…
An enquiry into the original, nature, institution, power, order and communion of evangelical churches. The first part with an answer to the discourse of the unreasonableness of separation written by Dr. Edward Stillingfleet, Dean of Pauls, and in defence of the vindication of non-conformists from the guilt of schism / by John Owen.An enquiry into the original, nature, institution, power, order and communion of evangelical churches. The first part with an answer to the discourse of the unreasonableness of separation written by Dr. Edward Stillingfleet, Dean of Pauls, and in defence of the vindication of non-conformists from the guilt of schisme / by John Owen.
London: printed by J. Richardson for Nath. Ponder, 1681
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
But Churches, as was said, are of a Divine Original, and have the warrant of Divine Authority. The whole Scripture is an account of God's Institution of Churches, and of his dealing with them.
God laid the foundation of Church Societies and the necessity of them in the Law of Nature, by the creation and constitution of it. I speak of Churches in general, as they are Societies of Humane Race, one way or other joined and united together for the Worship of God. Now the sole End of the Creation of the Nature of man, was the Glory of God, in that Worship and Obedience which it was fitted and enabled to perform: For that end, and no other, was our nature created in all its Capacities, Abilities and Perfections: Neither was man so made merely that every individual should singly and by himself perform this Worship, though that also every individual person is obliged unto. Every man alone and by himself, will not only find himself indigent, and wanting supplies of sundry kinds; but also that he is utterly disabled to act sundry faculties and powers of his Soul, which by nature he is endued withal. Hence the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone, Gen. 2.18.
God laid the foundation of Church Societies and the necessity of them in the Law of Nature, by the creation and constitution of it. I speak of Churches in general, as they are Societies of Humane Race, one way or other joyned and united together for the Worship of God. Now the sole End of the Creation of the Nature of man, was the Glory of God, in that Worship and Obedience which it was fitted and enabled to perform: For that end, and no other, was our nature created in all its Capacities, Abilities and Perfections: Neither was man so made meerly that every individual should singly and by himself perform this Worship, though that also every individual person is obliged unto. Every man alone and by himself, will not only find himself indigent, and wanting supplies of sundry kinds; but also that he is utterly disabled to act sundry faculties and powers of his Soul, which by nature he is endued withal. Hence the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone,