A53704:43
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.
On this Occasion, the ancient Primitive way of admitting Members into the Church being relinquished, the consideration of their Personal Qualifications, and real Conversion unto God, omitted, such Multitudes being received as could not partake in all Acts and Duties of Communion with those particular Churches, whereunto they were disposed, and being the most of them unfit to be ruled by the Power and Influence of the Commands of Christ on their Minds and Consciences, it was impossible but that a great Alteration must ensue in the State, Order, and Rule of the Churches, and a great Deviation from their original Institution. Men may say that this Alteration was necessary, that it was Good, and Useful, that it was but the Accommodation of general Rules unto especial Occasions and circumstances; but that there was an Alteration hereon in all these things, none can with Modesty deny. And this is enough unto my present Design, being only to prove, that such Alterations and Deviations did of old fall out. Neither ought we to cover the provoking Degeneracy of the Generality of Christians, in the 4th. and 5th. Centuries, with those that followed. The consideration of it, is necessary unto the Vindication of the Holy Providence of God, in the Government of the World, and of the faithfulness of Christ in his dealing ⟨p. 16⟩with his Church. For there hath been no Nation in the World which publicly received Christian Religion, but it hath been wasted and destroyed by the sword of Pagan Idolaters, or such as are no better then they. At first all the Provinces of the Western Empire, were one after another made desolate by the Pagan Nations of the Northern Countries; who themselves did afterwards so turn Christians, as to lay among them the Foundation of Anti-Christianism, Rev. 17.12, 13. The Eastern Empire comprehending the Residue of the Provinces that had embraced the Christian Religion, was first desolated in the chief Branches of it, by the Saracens, and at length utterly destroyed by the Turks. And I pray God that the like Fate doth not at this day hang over the Reformed Nations, as from their Profession they are called. Do we think that all this was without c•use? Did God give up his Inheritance to the spoil of Barbarous Infidels, without such provocations, as the passing by whereof, was inconsistent with the Holiness and Righteousness of his Rule?