A53704:907
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. That the Church of Carthage was at that time a particular Church; There was no more Church but one in that City. Many occasional Meetings and Assemblies in several places for Divine Exercises, and Worship there were. But stated Churches with Officers of their own, Members peculiarly belonging unto them, Discipline among them, such as our Reverend Author doth afterwards affirm and describe our Parochial Churches to be, there were none, nor is it pretended that there were.
1. That the Church of Carthage was at that time a particular Church; There was no more Church but one in that City. Many occasional Meetings and Assemblies in several places for Divine Exercises, and Worship there were. But stated Churches with Officers of their own, Members peculiarly belonging unto them, Discipline among them, such as our Reverend Author doth afterwards affirme and describe our Parochial Churches to be, there were none, nor is it pretended that there were.
2. That in this one Church, there were Many Presbyters or Elders, who ruled the whole Body or Community of it, by common Advice and Counsel, whether they were all of them, such as laboured in the Word and Doctrine, with the Administration of the Sacraments, or ⟨p. 353⟩attended unto Rule only, it doth not appear. But that they were many, and such as did not stand in any peculiar Relation unto any part of the people, but concurred in common, to promote the Edification of the whole Body, as Occasion and Opportunity did require; is evident in the account given of them by Cyprian himself.
2. That in this one Church, there were Many Presbyters or Elders, who ruled the whole Body or Community of it, by common Advice and Counsel, whether they were all of them, such as laboured in the Word and Doctrine, with the Administration of the Sacraments, or ⟨p. 353⟩