A53704:850
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.
(4.) That the People are deprived of their Right in the Choice of their Pastors.
The first of these, Namely that our Parochial Churches are not of Christs Institution, he begins withal, and therein I am alone called to an Account. I wonder the Dr. should thus state the Question between us. The meaning of this Assertion, that our Parochial Churches are not of Christs Institution, must be either, they are ⟨p. 336⟩not so because they are Parochial, or at least in that they are Parochial. But is this my judgement, have I said any thing to this purpose; yea he knows full well, that in my judgment there are no Churches directly of divine Institution, but those that are Parochial or particular Churches. We are not therefore to expect much in the ensuing disputation, when the state of the Question is so mistaken at the entrance.
If he say, or intend▪ that there are many things in their Parochial Churches, observed, practised and imposed on all their members, in and about the Worship of God, which are not of divine institution, we grant it to be our judgment, and part of our plea in this case. But this is not at all spoken unto.