A53704:902
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. Not to engage Justice Hobart or his honour, I do confess my self such a stranger unto Antiquity (if that may be esteemed the reason of it) as not to believe that the Christians in the Age after the Apostles amounted to any more than one Church or Congregation in a City; and shall acknowledge my self beholding to this Reverend Author, if he will give me one undoubted Instance where they so did▪ Only let the Reader observe, that I intend not Occasional meetings of any of the Church with ⟨p. 350⟩or without their Elders, which were frequent. They met in those days, in Fields, in Mountains, in Dens and Caves of the Earth, in burying places, in houses hired or borrowed, in upper Rooms, or Cellars, whereof a large story might easily be given, if it were to our present purpose. Dionysius of Alexandria sums them up briefly [Greek or Hebrew]; a Field, a Desert, a Ship, an Inn, a Prison, were places of our Meetings: Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 22. but I speak of stated Churches, with their Worship, Power, Order and Rule. But whether there were more such Churches in any one City; is a matter of Fact that shall be immediately enquired into. All that I here assert and confirm from the words of Justice Hobart, is that the Churches in the days of the Apostles were particular voluntary Congregations. And the Dr. will find it a Difficult Task to prove that this overthrows my Hypothesis.
2. Not to ingage Justice Hobart or his honour, I do confess my self such a stranger unto Antiquity (if that may be esteemed the reason of it) as not to believe that the Christians in the Age after the Apostles amounted to any more than one Church or Congregation in a City; and shall acknowledge my self beholding to this Reverend Author, if he will give me one undoubted Instance where they so did▪ Only let the Reader observe, that I intend not Occasional meetings of any of the Church with ⟨p. 350⟩or without their Elders, which were frequent. They met in those dayes, in Fields, in Mountains, in Dens and Caves of the Earth, in burying places, in houses hired or borrowed, in upper Rooms, or Cellars, whereof a large story might easily be given, if it were to our present purpose. Dionysius of Alexandria summs them up briefly 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; a Field, a Desert, a Ship, an Inn, a Prison, were places of our Meetings: Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 22. but I speak of stated Churches, with their Worship, Power, Order and Rule. But whether there were more such Churches in any one City; is a matter of Fact that shall be immediately enquired into. All that I here assert and confirm from the words of Justice Hobart, is that the Churches in the days of the Apostles were particular voluntary Congregations. And the Dr. will find it a Difficult Task to prove that this overthrows my Hypothesis.