A53732:76
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.
Hence it appears, that there are none excluded from an Entrance into the Church State, but such as are either, (1.) grossly Ignorant, or, (2.) Persecutors, or reproachers of those that are Good, or of the ways of God wherein they walk; or, (3.) Idolaters; or, (4.) Men scandalous in their Lives in the Commission of Sins, or Omission of Duties, through vicious Habits or Inclinations; or, (5.) such as would partake of Gospel-Privileges and Ordinances, yet openly avow that they will not submit unto the Law and Commands of Christ in the Gospel, concerning whom, and the like, the Scripture Rule is peremptory; From such turn away.
Hence it appears, that there are none excluded from an Entrance into the Church State, but such as are either, (1.) grosly Ignorant, or, (2.) Persecutors, or reproachers of those that are Good, or of the ways of God wherein they walk; or, (3.) Idolaters; or, (4.) Men scandalous in their Lives in the Commission of Sins, or Omission of Duties, through vitious Habits or Inclinations; or, (5.) such as would partake of Gospel-Privileges and Ordinances, yet openly avow that they will not submit unto the Law and Commands of Christ in the Gospel, concerning whom, and the like, the Scripture Rule is peremptory; From such turn away.
And herein we are remote from exceeding the example and care of the Primitive Churches. Yea, there are but few, if any, that arrive unto it. Their endeavour was to Preach unto all they could, and rejoiced in the multitudes that came to hear the Word. But if any did essay to join themselves unto the Church, their diligence in their Examination and Instruction, their severe Enquiries into their Conversation, their disposing of them for a long time into a state of Expectation for their Trial, before their Admittance, were remarkable. And some of the Ancients complain, that their promiscuous Admittance of all sorts of persons that would profess the Christian Religion, into Church Membership, which took place afterwards, ruined all the Beauty, Order and Discipline of the Church.