A53732:569
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 8: The Nature of Church-Polity or Rule; with the Duty of Elders.
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.
2dly. THE Direction of the Church in all the Members of it, unto the observance of the Rule and Law of Christ in all things, unto his Glory and their own Edification. And all these things may be reduced unto these Four Heads. (1.) Mutual, Intense, peculiar Love among themselves, to be exercised continually in all the Duties of it. (2.) Personal Holiness in Gracious Moral Obedience. (3.) Usefulness towards the Members of the same Church, towards other Churches, and all Men absolutely, as occasion and opportunity do require. (4.) The due performance of all those Duties, which all the Members of the Church owe mutually unto each other, by virtue of that Place and Order which they hold and possess in the Body. About ⟨p. 171⟩these things is Church-Rule to be exercised; for they all belong unto the preservation of its Being, and the attainment of its Ends.
2dly. THE Direction of the Church in all the Members of it, unto the observance of the Rule and Law of Christ in all things, unto his Glory and their own Edification. And all these things may be reduced unto these Four Heads. (1.) Mutual, Intense, peculiar Love among themselves, to be exercised continually in all the Duties of it. (2.) Personal Holiness in Gracious Moral Obedience. (3.) Vsefulness towards the Members of the same Church, towards other Churches, and all Men absolutely, as occasion and opportunity do require. (4.) The due performance of all those Duties, which all the Members of the Church owe mutually unto each other, by virtue of that Place and Order which they hold and possess in the Body. About ⟨p. 171⟩these things is Church-Rule to be exercised; for they all belong unto the preservation of its Being, and the attainment of its Ends.
3dly. HEREUNTO also belongs the disposal of the outward concernments of the Church in its Assemblies, and in the management of all that is performed in them, that all things may be done Decently and in Order. The disposal of Times, Seasons, Places, the way and manner of managing all things in Church-Assemblies, the Regulation of Speeches and Actions, the appointment of Seasons for extraordinary Duties, according unto the General Rules of the Word, and the Reason of things from present Circumstances, are Acts of Rule, whose Right resides in the Elders of the Church.