A53704:180
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.
4. The Original of this Church-state, is directly, immediately and solely from Jesus Christ, He alone is the Author, Contriver and Institutor of it. When I say it is immediately and solely from him, I do not intend, that in, and by his ⟨p. 18⟩own Person, or in his Personal Ministry here in the Earth, he did absolutely and completely finish this State, exclusively unto the Ministry of any others, that he was pleased to make use of therein: For as he took it on himself as his own work to build his Church, and that upon himself, as its foundation; so he employed his Apostles to act under him and from him, in the carrying on that work unto perfection. But what was done by them, is esteemed to be done all by himself.
4. The Original of this Church-state, is directly, immediately and solely from Jesus Christ, He alone is the Author, Contriver and Institutor of it. When I say it is immediately and solely from him, I do not intend, that in, and by his ⟨p. 18⟩own Person, or in his Personal Ministry here in the Earth, he did absolutely and compleatly finish this State, exclusively unto the Ministry of any others, that he was pleased to make use of therein: For as he took it on himself as his own work to build his Church, and that upon himself, as its foundation; so he employed his Apostles to act under him and from him, in the carrying on that work unto perfection. But what was done by them, is esteemed to be done all by himself.
For (1) It was immediately from him, that they received Revelations, of what did belong unto this Church-State, and what was to be prescribed therein. They never did, neither jointly nor severally, once endeavour in their own Wisdom, or from their own Invention, or by their own Authority, to add or put into this Church-State, as of perpetual Use, and belonging unto it as such, either less or more, any one thing greater or less whatever. It is true, they gave their Advice in sundry cases of present Emergencies, in, and about Church Affairs; They gave direction for the due and orderly Practice of what was revealed unto them, and exercised Authority both as unto the Ordination of Officers, and the Rejection of obstinate sinners, from the Society of all the Churches; but to Invent, Contrive, Institute or Appoint any thing in the Church, and its State, which they had not by immediate Revelation from Christ, they never attempted it, nor went about it. And unto this Rule of proceeding, they were precisely obliged by the express words of their Commission. Mat, 28.19, 20. This I say is so plainly included in the Tenor of their Commission, and so evident from all that is divinely recorded of their Practice, that it will admit of no sober Contradiction. In what others think it meet to do in this kind, we are not concerned.