A90287:117
A review of the true nature of schism, with a vindication of the Congregational…A review of the true nature of schisme, with a vindication of the Congregationall…
A review of the true nature of schism, with a vindication of the Congregational churches in England, from the imputation thereof unjustly charged on them by Mr D. Cawdrey, preacher of the Word at Billing in Northampton-shire. / By John Owen D.D.A review of the true nature of schisme, with a vindication of the Congregationall churches in England, from the imputation thereof unjustly charged on them by Mr D. Cawdrey, preacher of the Word at Billing in Northampton-shire. / By John Owen D.D.
Oxford: printed by Henry Hall printer to the University for Thomas Robinson, 1657
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.
CHAP. IX.
WE are now gathering towards what seems of most immediate concernment as to this Reverend Authors undertaking; namely to treat of the nature of a particular church, its union and the breach of that union; the description I give of such a church is this; It is a society of men called by the word to the obedience of the faith in Christ, and joint performance of the worship of God in the same individual ordinances according to the order by him prescribed. This I profess to be a general description of its nature, waving all contests about accurate definitions, which usually tend very little to the discovery or establishment of truth: after some canvassing of this description, our Author tells us that he grants it to be the definition of a particular church, which is more then I intended it for; only he adds that according to this description, their churches are as true as ours; which I presume by this time he knows was not the thing in Question. ⟨p. 132⟩His ensuing discourse of the will of Christ, that men should join not all in the same individual congregation, but in this or that, is by me wholly assented unto, and the matter of it contended for by me, as I am able; what he is pleased to add about explicit covenanting and the like, I am not at all for the present concerned in; I purposely waved all expressions concerning it, one way or other, that I might not involve the business in hand with any unnecessary contests; it is possible somewhat hereafter may be spoken to that subject, in a tendency unto the reconciliation of the parties at variance. His argument in the close of the Section for a Presbyterian church from Acts 20. 17. because there is mention of more elders then one in that Church, and therefore it was not one single congregation I do not understand; I think no one single congregation is wholly completed according to the mind of Christ, unless there be more elders then one it; there should be elders in every Church; and for my part, so we could once agree practically in the matter of our