A53704:177
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.
Chapter 2: The Especial Original of the Evangelical Church-State.
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. But such is the especial Nature and condition of the Evangelical-Church-State, such the Relation of it unto the Person and Mediation of Jesus Christ, with all things thereon depending, such the Nature of that especial Honour and ⟨p. 16⟩Glory, which God designs unto himself therein, (things that the Light of Nature can give no Guidance unto, nor direction about;) And moreover so different and distant from all that was before ordained in any other Church-State, are the Ways, Means and Duties of Divine Worship prescribed in it, that it must have a peculiar, Divine Institution of its own, to evidence that it is from Heaven, and not from Men. The present State of the Church, under the New Testament, the Apostle calls [Greek or Hebrew], Heb. 7.11. Its Perfection, its Consummation, that perfect State which God designed unto it in this World. And he denies that it could be brought into that State by the Law, or any of the Divine Institutions that belonged thereunto. Heb. 7.19. chap. 9.9. chap. 10.1. And we need go no farther, we need no other Argument to prove, that the Gospel-Church-State, as unto its especial nature, is founded in a peculiar Divine Institution. For it hath a [Greek or Hebrew], a perfect consummate State which the Law could not bring it unto, though itself, its Ordinances of Worship, its Rule and Policy, were all of Divine Institution. And herein doth its Excellency and Preference above the legal Church-State consist, as the Apostle proves at large. To suppose that this should be given unto it, any other way but by Divine Authority in its Institution, is to advance the Wisdom and Authority of men above those of God, and to render the Gospel-Church-State a Machine to be moved up and down at pleasure, to be new moulded or shaped according unto Occasions, or to be turned unto any Interest like the Wings of a Mill unto the Wind.
2. But such is the especial Nature and condition of the Evangelical-Church-State, such the Relation of it unto the Person and Mediation of Jesus Christ, with all things thereon depending, such the Nature of that especial Honour and ⟨p. 16⟩Glory, which God designs unto himself therein, (things that the Light of Nature can give no Guidance unto, nor direction about;) And moreover so different and distant from all that was before ordained in any other Church-State, are the Ways, Means and Duties of Divine Worship prescribed in it, that it must have a peculiar, Divine Institution of its own, to evidence that it is from Heaven, and not from Men. The present State of the Church, under the New Testament, the Apostle calls ,