A53704:382
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 6: Congregational Churches alone suited unto the ends of Christ in the Institution of his…
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. Another end of the Institution of this state is, that the Church might be The Ground and Pillar of Truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. that is, that it might be the principal outward means to support, preserve, publish, declare and propagate the Doctrine or Truth of the Gospel, especially that concerning the Person and Offices of Christ, which the Apostle subjoins unto this Assertion in the next words. That Church state which doth not answer this End, is not of Divine Institution. But this the Ministry of these Churches is eminently suited unto. There are three things required in this Duty, or required unto this end, that the Church be the Ground and a Pillar of Truth. (1.) That it preserve the Truth in itself, and in the Profession of all its Members, against all Seducers, false Teachers, and Errors: This the Apostle gives in special charge unto the Elders of the Church of Ephesus, adding the Reasons of it, Act. 20.28, 29, 30, 31. This is in an especial manner committed unto the Officers of the Church, 1 Tim. 5.20. 2 Tim. 1.13, 14. This the Ministry of these Churches is meet and suited unto. The continual Inspection which they may and ought to have into all the Members of the Church, added unto that circumspection about, and trial of the Doctrines Preached by themselves, in the whole Body of the Church, fits them for this work. This is the Fundamental means (on the matter the only outward means) that the Lord Christ hath appointed for the preservation of the Truth of the Gospel in this world, ⟨p. 127⟩whereby the Church is the Ground and Pillar of Truth. How this can be done, where Churches are of that Make and Constitution, that the Officers of them can have no immediate Inspection into or cognizance of either the Knowledge, Opinions, and Practices of the Members of their Church, nor the Body of the Church know on any evident ground, what it is that their principal Officer believes and teaches, I know not. By this means was the Truth preserved in the Churches of the two first Centuries, wherein they had no Officers but what were placed in particular Churches, so as that no considerable Error made any entrance among them. (2.) That each Church take care that the same Truth be preserved entire, as unto the profession of it in all other Churches.