A53704:323
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. There is nothing in it that gives the least intimation of any other Church-State, but that which was Congregational, although there were the highest causes and Reasons for him so to do, had there been any such Churches then in being. The case he had in hand was that of Ecclesiastical Sedition or Schism in the Church of Corinth; the Church or Body of the Brethren having unjustly deposed their Elders, as it should seem, all of them. Giving advice herein unto the whole Church, using all sorts of Arguments ⟨p. 90⟩to convince them of their sin, directing all probable means for their Cure, he never once sends them to the Bishop or Church of Rome, as the Head of Unity unto all Churches; makes no mention of any Metropolitical or Diocesan Church and its Rule, or of any single Bishop and his Authority. No one of any such Order doth he either commend, or condemn, or once address himself unto, with either Admonitions, Exhortations, Encouragements, or Directions. He only handles the cause by the Rule of the Scripture, as it was stated between the Church itself and its Elders. I take it for granted, that if there were any Church at Corinth consisting of many Congregations in the City and about it, or comprehensive as some say of the whole Region of Achaia, that there was a single Officer or Bishop over that whole Church. But none such is here mentioned. If there were any such, he was either Deposed by the people, or he was not. If he were Deposed, he was only one of the Presbyters; for they were only Presbyters that were Deposed. If he were not, why is he not once called on to discharge his duty in curing of that Schism, or blamed for his neglect? Certainly there was never greater Prevarication used by any man, in any cause, than is by Clemens in this, if the state of the Church, its Rule and Order were such as some now pretend. For he neither lets the people know wherein their sin and Schism did lye, namely in a Separation from their Bishop, nor doth once mention the only proper cure and remedy of all their Evils. But he knew their state and order too well, to insist on things that were not then in rerum natura, and wherein they were not concerned.
1. There is nothing in it that gives the least intimation of any other Church-State, but that which was Congregational, although there were the highest causes and Reasons for him so to do, had there been any such Churches then in being. The case he had in hand was that of Ecclesiastical Sedition or Schism in the Church of Corinth; the Church or Body of the Brethren having unjustly deposed their Elders, as it should seem, all of them. Giving advice herein unto the whole Church, using all sorts of Arguments