A53704:537
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 11: Of Conformity and Communion in Parochial Assemblies.
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.
(5.) Who live in a constant neglect of all more private holy Duties, whether in their Families, or in Personal Retirements.
(6.) Who are evidently under the Power of Pride, Vanity, Covetousness, Profaneness of Speech in cursed Oaths and Swearing.
(6.) Who are evidently under the Power of Pride, Vanity, Covetousness, Profaneness of Speech in cursed Oathes and Swearing.
(7.) Who instruct the worst of men unto an Approbation of themselves in such ways as these, by petulant Scoffing at the very name of the Spirit and Grace of Christ, at all Expectation of his Spiritual Aids and Assistances, at all fervency in religious Duties, or other Acts of an holy Converse. These and such like things as these do sufficiently Evidence the Necessity of Reformation. For where they are continued, the Use and End of Church Societies is impaired or lost. And it is in vain to pretend that this is the old Plea of them who •aused Schisms in the Church, namely, that bad men were mixed with the Good, for which cause they rejected those Churches wherein that was allowed, as no true Churches ⟨p. 208⟩of Christ. For no such thing is included in what we assert, nor doth follow thereon. We do own that wicked Hypocrites may be joined in true Churches, and be made Partakers of all the Privileges of them. Neither is this a Cause of withdrawing Communion from any Church, much less of condemning it as no true Church of Christ. But this we say, that if such Hypocrites discover themselves, in open scandalous sins, which upon Examination will prove to be of a larger extent then some suppose, with respect unto sins of Omission as well as of Commission; if they are not dealt withal according as the Discipline of Christ doth require in such cases, the Church wherein they are allowed, especially if the Number of such Persons be many, or the most, the Generality of the People, and their sins notorious, doth stand in need of Reformation; as the Church of England doth acknowledge in the Commination against Sinners.