A53704:26
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.
1. Unto the first Churches after the Apostles, I ascribe nothing but such small Mistakes as did no way prejudice their Faith or Order. And that they did preserve the latter as well as the former, as unto all the substantial Parts of it, shall be afterwards declared. Nor do I reflect any more upon them, then did Hegesippus in Eusebius, who confines the Virgin Purity of the Church unto the days of the Apostles▪ lib. 3. cap. 29. The greater Deviations which I intend, began not until after the end of the second Century. But,
2. To Evince the improbability of any Alteration in ⟨p. 5⟩Church Rule and Order, upon my own Principles, he intimates both here and afterwards, that my Judgment is that the Government of the Church was Democratical, and the Power of it in the People in distinction from its Officers; which is a great Mistake; I never thought, I never wrote any such thing. I do believe that the Authoritative Rule, or Government of the Church, was, is, and ought to be in the Elders and Rulers of it, being an Act of the Office-Power committed unto them by Christ himself. Howbeit my Judgment is, that they ought not to Rule the Church, with Force, Tyranny, and Corporal Penalties, or without their own consent, whereof we shall treat afterwards. There are also other Mistakes in the same Discourse which I shall not insist upon.
3. This therefore is that which he opposeth, namely, that there was a Deviation in various degrees, and falling of from the Original Institution, Order, and Rule of the Church, until it issued in a fatal Apostasy. This is that which on the present Occasion must be further spoken unto; For if this be not true, I confess there is an end of this contest, and we must all acquiesce in the State, Rule, and Order, that was in the Church of Rome before the Reformation. But we may observe something yet farther in the Vindication and Confirmation of this Truth, which I acknowledge to be the Foundation of all that we plead for in point of Church Reformation. As