A53732:304
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.
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.
AND this we affirm to be agreeable unto natural Reason and Equity, to the nature of Churches in their institution and ends, to all Authority and Office-Power in the Church, necessary unto its Edification, with the security of the Consciences of the Officers themselves, the preservation of due respect and obedience unto them, constituted by the Institution of Christ himself in his Apostles, and the practice of the Primitive Church. Wherefore, the utter despoiling of the Church, of the Disciples, of those gathered in Church Societies by his Authority and Command, of this Right and Liberty, may be esteemed a Sacrilege of an higher nature, than sundry other things which are reproached as criminal under that Name.
AND if any shall yet farther appear to justify this deprivation of the Right laid claim unto, and the exclusion of the people from their Ancient Possession with sobriety of Argument and Reason, the whole cause may be yet farther debated from principles of natural Light and Equity, from maxims of Law and Polity, from the necessity of the Ends of Church-Order and Power, from the moral impossibility of any other way of the conveyance of Ecclesiastical Office-Power, as well as from Evangelical Institution and the practice of the first Churches.
AND if any shall yet farther appear to justifie this deprivation of the Right laid claim unto, and the exclusion of the people from their Ancient Possession with sobriety of Argument and Reason, the whole cause may be yet farther debated from principles of natural Light and Equity, from maxims of Law and Polity, from the necessity of the Ends of Church-Order and Power, from the moral impossibility of any other way of the conveyance of Ecclesiastical Office-Power, as well as from Evangelical Institution and the practice of the first Churches.
IT will be Objected, I know, that the Restoration of this Liberty unto the people, will overthrow that jus Patronatus, or Right of presenting unto Livings and Preferments, which is established by Law in this Nation, and so under a pretence of restoring unto the people their Right in common, destroy other Mens undoubted Rights in their own enclosures.