A53704:305
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 5: The Sate of the First Churches after the Apostles to the end of the Second Century.
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. All the Churches at first planted by the Apostles, whether in the greatest Cities as Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, Rome, &c. or those in the meanest Villages of Judea, Galilee, or Samaria, were, as unto their Church-State, in Order, Power, Privilege, and Duty every way equal, not Superior or Inferior, not ruling over, or subject unto, one another. No Institution of any Inequality between them, no Instance of any Practice Supposing it, no Direction for any compliance with it, no one word of intimation of it, can be produced from the Scripture; nor is it consistent ⟨p. 83⟩with the nature of the Gospel▪ Church-State.
1. All the Churches at first planted by the Apostles, whether in the greatest Cities as Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, Rome, &c. or those in the meanest Villages of Judea, Galilee, or Samaria, were, as unto their Church-State, in Order, Power, Priviledge, and Duty every way equal, not Superior or Inferior, not ruling over, or subject unto, one another. No Institution of any Inequality between them, no Instance of any Practice Supposing it, no Direction for any compliance with it, no one word of intimation of it, can be produced from the Scripture; nor is it consistent ⟨p. 83⟩with the nature of the Gospel▪ Church-State.
2. In and among all these Churches▪ there was one and the same spirit one Hope of their Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, whence they were all, obliged mutually to seek and endeavour the Good and Edification of each other; To be helpful to one another in all things, according unto that which any of them had received in the Lord. This they did by Prayer, by Advice and Counsel, by Messengers sent with Salutations, Exhortations, Consolations, supplies for the Poor, and on all the like occasions. By these means, and by the exercise of that mutual Love and Care which they were obliged unto, they kept and preserved Unity and Communion among themselves, gave a common Testimony against any thing that in Doctrine or Practice deviated from the Rule and Discipline of Christ. This Order with Peace and Love thereon, continued among them, until Pride, Ambition, Desire of Rule and Preeminence, in Diotrephes, and a multitude of the same spirit with him, began to open a door unto the entrance of the Mystery of Iniquity, under pretence of a better Order, than this which was of the appointment of Christ.