A53732:154
The true nature of a Gospel church and its government
The true nature of a Gospel church and its government ... by the late pious and learned minister of the Gospel, John Owen ...
London: printed for William Marshall, 1689
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Chapter 3: Of the Polity, Rule, or Discipline of the Church in General.
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. BUT yet this Church State is not complete; nor are the ends of its institution attainable in this State. For the Lord Christ hath appointed such things in and unto it, which in this State it cannot observe. For he hath given Authority unto his Church to be exercised both in its Rule and in the Administration of his solemn Ordinances of Worship. The things before mentioned, are all of them acts of Right and Power, but not of Authority.
4. BUT yet this Church State is not compleat; nor are the ends of its institution attainable in this State. For the Lord Christ hath appointed such things in and unto it, which in this State it cannot observe. For he hath given Authority unto his Church to be exercised both in its Rule and in the Administration of his solemn Ordinances of Worship. The things before mentioned, are all of them acts of Right and Power, but not of Authority.
5. WHEREFORE the Lord Christ hath ordained Offices, and appointed Officers to be established in the Church, Ephes. 4.13, 14. Unto these is all Church Authority granted. For all Authority is an act of Office-Power, which is that which gives unto what is performed by the Officers of the Church, the formal nature of Authority.
6. THEREFORE unto the Church, in the State before described, Right and Power is granted by Christ to call, choose, appoint and set apart persons made meet for the work of the Offices appointed by him, in the ways and by the means appointed by him. Nor is there any other way whereby ordinary Officers may be fixed in the Church, as we have proved before, and shall farther confirm afterwards.