A53704:444
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.
2. On this Supposition, that there be no insuperable difficulties lying in the way of the discharge of this duty, as that a person be cast by the providence of God into such a place or season, as wherein there is no Church that he can possibly join himself unto, or that he be unjustly refused Communion, by unwarrantable conditions of it, as it was with many during the prevalency of the Papacy in all the Western Empire; it is the indispensable duty of every Disciple of Christ, in order unto his edification and Salvation, voluntarily, and of his own choice, to join himself in and unto some particular Congregation, for the Celebration of Divine Worship, and the due observation of all the Institutions and commands of Christ; which we shall now farther confirm.
2. On this Supposition, that there be no insuperable difficulties lying in the way of the discharge of this duty, as that a person be cast by the providence of God into such a place or season, as wherein there is no Church that he can possibly joyn himself unto, or that he be unjustly refused Communion, by unwarrantable conditions of it, as it was with many during the prevalency of the Papacy in all the Western Empire; it is the indispensible duty of every Disciple of Christ, in order unto his edification and Salvation, voluntarily, and of his own choice, to joyn himself in and unto some particular Congregation, for the Celebration of Divine Worship, and the due observation of all the Institutions and commands of Christ; which we shall now farther confirm.
1. The foundation of this duty, as was before declared, doth lye in the law and light of Nature. Man cannot exercise the principal Powers and Faculties of his Soul, ⟨p. 156⟩with which he was created, and whereby he is enabled to glorify God, which is the end of him and them, without a consent and conjunction in the Worship of God in Communion and Society, as hath been proved before.
1. The foundation of this duty, as was before declared, doth lye in the law and light of Nature. Man cannot exercise the principal Powers and Faculties of his Soul,