A53704:311
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.
There is no sober History of the rise and growth by several Degrees of any City, Commonwealth or Empire, that is filled with so many Instances of ambitious seeking of Preeminence, as our Church stories are.
There is no sober History of the rise and growth by several Degrees of any City, Commonwealth or Empire, that is filled with so many Instances of ambitious seeking of Preheminence, as our Church stories are.
By this Imagination were the generality of the Prelates in those days, induced to introduce and settle a Government in, and among the Churches of Christ, answering unto the Civil Government of the Roman Empire. As the Civil Government was cast into National or Diocesan, or Provincial, in less or greater Divisions, each of which had its Capital City, the place of the Residence of the chief Civil Governor; so they designed to frame an Image of it in the Church, ascribing an alike Dignity and Power unto the Prelates of those Cities, and a Jurisdiction extending itself unto Nations, Dioceses, and Provinces. Hereby the lesser Congregations, or Parochial Churches, being weakened in process of time, in their Gifts, and Interest, were swallowed up in the Power of the others, and became only inconsiderable ⟨p. 86⟩Appendixes unto them, to be ruled at their Pleasure. But these things fell out long after the times which we enquire into; only their occasion began to present it self unto men of corrupt minds from the Beginning, but we have before at large discoursed of them.
By this Imagination were the generality of the Prelates in those dayes, induced to introduce and settle a Government in, and among the Churches of Christ, answering unto the Civil Government of the Roman Empire. As the Civil Government was cast into National or Diocesan, or Provincial, in less or greater Divisions, each of which had its Capital City, the place of the Residence of the chief Civil Governour; so they designed to frame an Image of it in the Church, ascribing an alike Dignity and Power unto the Prelates of those Cities, and a Jurisdiction extending itself unto Nations, Diocesses, and Provinces. Hereby the lesser Congregations, or Parochial Churches, being weakened in process of time, in their Gifts, and Interest, were swallowed up in the Power of the others, and became only inconsiderable