A53704:750
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.
Whereas therefore the Cause of Reformation is not in any thing weakened by our Principles, No Argument, no Reason solidly pleaded to justify the Separation from the Church of Rome being deserted by us, neither Testimony, Proof, nor Evidence being produced to evince that it is weakened by us, I shall in the Second place, as was before proposed, prove that the whole Cause of the Protestants Separation from the Church of Rome, is strengthened and confirmed by us.
Whereas therefore the Cause of Reformation is not in any thing weakened by our Principles, No Argument, no Reason solidly pleaded to justifie the Separation from the Church of Rome being deserted by us, neither Testimony, Proof, nor Evidence being produced to evince that it is weakned by us, I shall in the Second place, as was before proposed, prove that the whole Cause of the Protestants Separation from the Church of Rome, is strengthened and confirmed by us.
There were some general Principles on which the Protestants proceeded in their Separation from the Church of Rome, and which they constantly pleaded in Justification thereof.
The first was, that the Scripture, the Word of God is a perfect Rule of Faith and Religious Worship; so as that nothing ought to be admitted which is repugnant unto it in its general Rule or especial Prohibitions, nothing imposed that is not prescribed therein, but that every one is at liberty to refuse and reject any thing of that kind. This they all contended for, and confirmed their Assertion by the express Testimonies of the Writers of the Primitive Churches. To prove this to have been their Principle in their Separation from the Church of Rome were to light, as they say, a Candle in the Sun. It were easy to fill up a Volume with Testimonies of it. After a while this Principle began to be weakened, when the Interest of men made them except from this Rule, things of outward Order, with some Rites and Ceremonies, the ordaining whereof, they pleaded to be left unto Churches as they saw Good. Hereby this Principle, I say, was greatly