A53704:765
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.
1. It is known unto all, that from the first Beginning of the Reformation, there were Differences among the Churches, which departed from the Communion of ⟨p. 299⟩the Church of Rome. And as this was looked on as the greatest Impediment unto the Progress of the Reformation, so it was not morally possible that in a work of that Nature, begun and carried on by Persons of all for us, in many Nations, of divers Tongues and Languages, none of them being divinely inspired, that it should otherwise fall out. God also in his Holy Wise Providence suffered it so to be, for Causes known then to himself, but since sundry of them have been made manifest in the Event. For whereas there was an Agreement in all fundamental Articles of Faith among them, and all necessary means of Salvation, a farther Agreement considering our Sloth, Negligence, and proneness of men to abuse security and Power, might have produced as evil effects, as the Differences have done; For those which have been on the one hand, and those which have been on the other, have been and would have been from the corrupt Affections of the Minds of men, and their secular Interests.
1. It is known unto all, that from the first Beginning of the Reformation, there were Differences among the Churches, which departed from the Communion of ⟨p. 299⟩the Church of Rome. And as this was looked on as the greatest Impediment unto the Progress of the Reformation, so it was not morally possible that in a work of that Nature, begun and carried on by Persons of all for us, in many Nations, of divers Tongues and Languages, none of them being divinely inspired, that it should otherwise fall out. God also in his Holy Wise Providence suffered it so to be, for Causes known then to himself, but since sundry of them have been made manifest in the Event. For whereas there was an Agreement in all fundamental Articles of Faith among them, and all necessary meanes of Salvation, a farther Agreement considering our Sloth, Negligence, and proness of men to abuse security and Power, might have produced as evil effects, as the Differences have done; For those which have been on the one hand, and those which have been on the other, have been and would have been from the corrupt Affections of the Minds of men, and their secular Interests.