A53704:918
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.
But saith he. p. 236. I cannot but wonder what Dr. O. means, when after he hath produced the Evidence of distinct Churches in the same Province, he calls this plain Scripture Evidence and practise for the erecting particular distinct Congregations; who denies that? (I say then, it is incumbent on him to prove, if he do any thing in this cause, that they erected Churches of another sort, kind and order also.) But saith he, I see nothing like a proof, of distinct Churches in the same City, which was the thing to be proved, but because it could not be proved, was prudently let alone.
But this was not the thing to be proved, nor did I propose it to confirmation, nor assert it, but have proved the contrary unto the end of the second Century. This only I assert that every Church in one City, was only one Church; and nothing is offered by the Doctor to the contrary, yea he affirms the same.
But saith he, sect. 6. p. 237. Dr. O. saith, That the Christians of one City might not exceed the bounds of a particular Church or Congregation, no although they had a multiplication of Bishops or Elders in them, and occasional distinct Assemblies for some Acts of Divine Worship. But then, saith he, The notion of a Church is not limited in the Scripture to a single Congregation. Why so; for saith he, if occasional Assemblies be allowed for some Acts of Worship, why not for others; I say because they belong unto the whole Church, or are Acts of Communion in the whole Church Assembled, and so cannot be observed in occasional meetings, do this saith the Apostle, when you come together in one place. And if saith he, the number of Elders be unlimited, then every of those may attend the occasional ⟨p. 358⟩distinct Assemblies for Worship, and yet altogether make up the Body of one Church, and so say I, they may, and yet be one Church still joining together in all Acts of Communion, that are proper and peculiar unto the Church. For as the meetings intended were occasional so also was the attendance of the Elders unto them, as they found occasion, for the Edification of the whole Church.