A53732:587
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.
THESE few instances have I given of the Work and Duty of Ruling Elders. They are all of them such as deserve a greater enlargement in their Declaration and Confirmation, ⟨p. 177⟩than I can here afford unto them. And sundry things of the like nature, especially with respect unto Communion with other Churches and Synods: But what hath been spoken is sufficient unto my present purpose. And to manifest that it is so, I shall add the ensuing Observations.
1. ALL the things insisted on, do undoubtedly and unquestionably belong unto the Rule and Order appointed by Christ in his Church. There is no one of them, that is liable unto any just Exception from them by whom all Church Order is not despised. Wherefore where there is a Defect in them or any of them, the Church it self is defective as unto its own Edification. And where this Defect is great, in many of them, there can be no Beauty, no Glory, no Order in any Church, but only an outward show and appearance of them. And that all these things do belong unto the Duty of these Elders, there needs no other Proof nor Confirmation, but that they all undoubtedly and unquestionably belong unto that Rule and Order, which the Lord Christ hath appointed in his Church, and which the Scripture testifieth unto, both in general and particular. For all the things which belong unto the Rule of the Church, are committed to the care of the Rulers of the Church.
1. ALL the things insisted on, do undoubtedly and unquestionably belong unto the Rule and Order appointed by Christ in his Church. There is no one of them, that is liable unto any just Exception from them by whom all Church Order is not dispised. Wherefore where there is a Defect in them or any of them, the Church it self is defective as unto its own Edification. And where this Defect is great, in many of them, there can be no Beauty, no Glory, no Order in any Church, but only an outward shew and appearance of them. And that all these things do belong unto the Duty of these Elders, there needs no other Proof nor Confirmation, but that they all undoubtedly and unquestionably belong unto that Rule and Order, which the Lord Christ hath appointed in his Church, and which the Scripture testifieth unto, both in general and particular. For all the things which belong unto the Rule of the Church, are committed to the care of the Rulers of the Church.