A53732:787
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.
1. TO confine the Union and Communion of the Catholic Church hereunto, is at present absolutely destructive both of the Church and its Communion. For all particular Churches, when they are by a coalescency extended unto those, which are Provincial or National, have both Politically and Ecclesiastically such bounds fixed unto them, as they cannot pass to carry on Communion unto, and with the Church as Catholic, by any Acts and Duties belonging unto their Order: And hereby the Union and Communion of the Church is utterly lost. For the Union of the Catholic Church, as such, doth always equally exist, and the Communion of it is always equally in exercise, and can consist in nothing but what doth so exist and is so exercised. Where-ever is the Catholic Church, there is the Communion of Saints. But nothing of this can be obtained by virtue of this Order.
1. TO confine the Vnion and Communion of the Catholick Church hereunto, is at present absolutely destructive both of the Church and its Communion. For all particular Churches, when they are by a coalescency extended unto those, which are Provincial or National, have both Politically and Ecclesiastically such bounds fixed unto them, as they cannot pass to carry on Communion unto, and with the Church as Catholick, by any Acts and Duties belonging unto their Order: And hereby the Union and Communion of the Church is utterly lost. For the Union of the Catholick Church, as such, doth always equally exist, and the Communion of it is always equally in exercise, and can consist in nothing but what doth so exist and is so exercised. Where-ever is the Catholick Church, there is the Communion of Saints. But nothing of this can be obtained by virtue of this Order.
2. WE enquire at present after such an Union as gives particular Churches Communion among themselves; which this Order doth not, but absolutely overthrows it; leaving nothing unto them but subjection to Officers set over them, who are not of them, according to Rules and Laws of their appointment; which is foreign to the Scripture and Antiquity.
2. WE enquire at present after such an Vnion as gives particular Churches Communion among themselves; which this Order doth not, but absolutely overthrows it; leaving nothing unto them but subjection to Officers set over them, who are not of them, according to Rules and Laws of their appointment; which is foreign to the Scripture and Antiquity.