A53704:187
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. Authority; As Right and Title respect the Persons of men to be reduced into a new form of Government, so Authority respects the Rules, •aws, Orders, and Statutes to be made, prescribed and established, whereby the Privileges of this new Society are conveyed, and the Duties of it enjoined unto all that are taken unto it. Earthly Potentates who will dispose of men into a State and Government ⟨p. 22⟩absolutely new unto them, as unto all their temporal Concernments of Life, Liberty, Inheritances, and Possessions, so as that they shall hold all of them in dependence on, and according unto the Rules and Laws of their New Government and Kingdom, must have these two things, namely, Right and Title unto the Persons of men, which they have by Conquest, or an absolute Resignation of all their Interests and Concerns into their disposal, and Authority, thereon to constitute what Order, what kind of State, Rule and Government they please; without these they will quickly find their Endeavours and Undertakings frustrate. The Gospel Church-State in the Nature of it, and in all the Laws and Constitution of it, is absolutely new, whereunto all the World are naturally Foreigners and Strangers. As they have no Right unto it, as it containeth Privileges, so they have no obligation unto it, as it prescribes Duties. Wherefore there is need of both those, Right, as unto the Persons of men; and Authority, as unto the Laws and Constitution of the Church, unto the framing of it. And until men can pretend unto these things both unto this Right and Authority with respect unto all the Spiritual and Eternal Concernments of the Souls of others, they may do well to consider how dangerous it is to invade the Right and Inheritance of Christ; and leave hunting after an Interest of Power in the the framing or forming Evangelical Churches, or making of Laws for their Rule and Government.
2. Authority; As Right and Title respect the Persons of men to be reduced into a new form of Government, so Authority respects the Rules, •aws, Orders, and Statutes to be made, prescribed and established, whereby the Priviledges of this new Society are conveyed, and the Duties of it enjoyned unto all that are taken unto it. Earthly Potentates who will dispose of men into a State and Government ⟨p. 22⟩