A53704:185
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.
The first of these is Right and Title. He who institutes this Church-State, must have Right and Title to dispose of all men, in all their Spiritual and Eternal Concernments, as seemeth Good unto him: For unto this Church-State, namely, as it is purely Evangelical, no man is obliged by the Law of Nature, nor hath any Creature power to dispose of him, into a condition whereon all his Concernments, Spiritual and Eternal, shall depend. This Right and Title to the Sovereign Disposal of Mankind, or of his Church▪ Christ hath alone; and that upon a treble account. (1) Of Donation from the Father. He appointed him the Heir of all things, Heb. 1.2, 3. He gave him Power over all Flesh. Joh. 17.2. Especially he hath given unto him, and put into his absolute disposal all those who are to be his Church; ver. 6. (2) By virtue of Purchase; he hath by the price of his most precious Blood, purchased them unto his own Power and Disposal. He purchased his Church with his own Blood; Act. 20.28, which the Apostle makes the Ground of that care which ought to be had of it. And this is pleaded as a sufficient Reason, why we should be wholly at his Disposal only, and be free from any Imposition of men in things Spiritual. 1 Cor. 7.23. Ye are bought with a Price, be ye not the Servants of men. The Purchase of this Right and Title was one great end of the principal Mediatory Acts of Christ. Rom. 14.9, 10. For to this end, &c. (3) Of Conquest: For all those who were thus to be disposed by him, were both under the Power of ⟨p. 21⟩his Enemies, and were themselves Enemies unto him in their Minds. He could not therefore have a Sovereign Right unto their Disposal, but by a double Conquest; namely, first of their Enemies, by his Power: and then of themselves by his Word, his Spirit and his Grace. And this twofold Conquest of his, is fully described in the Scripture.
The first of these is Right and Title. He who institutes this Church-State, must have Right and Title to dispose of all men, in all their Spiritual and Eternal Concernments, as seemeth Good unto him: For unto this Church-State, namely, as it is purely Evangelical, no man is obliged by the Law of Nature, nor hath any Creature power to dispose of him, into a condition whereon all his Concernments, Spiritual and Eternal, shall depend. This Right and Title to the Sovereign Disposal of Mankind, or of his Church Christ hath alone; and that upon a treble account. (1) Of Donation from the Father. He appointed him the Heir of all things,