A53732:164
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.
BY these ways and means doth the Lord Christ communicate Office Power unto them that are called thereunto, whereon they become not the Officers or Ministers of Men, no, not of the Church, as unto the actings and exercise of their Authority, but only as the good and edification of the Church is the end of it; but the Officers and Ministers of Christ himself.
2. IT is hence evident, that in the communication of Church Power in Office unto any persons called thereunto, the work and duty of the Church consists formally in Acts of Obedience unto the Commands of Christ. Hence, it doth not give unto such Officers a Power or Authority that was formally and actually in the Body of the Community, by virtue of any Grant or Law of Christ, so as that they should receive and act the Power of the Church, by virtue of a Delegation from them; but only they design, choose, set apart the individual persons, who thereon are entrusted with Office-Power by Christ himself, according as was before declared. This is the Power and Right given unto the Church essentially considered with respect unto their Officers, namely to design, call, choose, and set apart the persons by the ways of Christs appointment unto those Offices, whereunto by his Laws he hath annexed Church Power and Authority.
2. IT is hence evident, that in the communication of Church Power in Office unto any persons called thereunto, the work and duty of the Church consists formally in Acts of Obedience unto the Commands of Christ. Hence, it doth not give unto such Officers a Power or Authority that was formally and actually in the Body of the Community, by virtue of any Grant or Law of Christ, so as that they should receive and act the Power of the Church, by virtue of a Delegation from them; but only they design, chuse, set apart the individual persons, who thereon are intrusted with Office-Power by Christ himself, according as was before declared. This is the Power and Right given unto the Church essentially considered with respect unto their Officers, namely to design, call, chuse, and set apart the persons by the ways of Christs appointment unto those Offices, whereunto by his Laws he hath annexed Church Power and Authority.