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A53732 The true nature of a Gospel church and its government ... by the late pious and learned minister of the Gospel, John Owen ... Owen, John, 1616-1683. 1689 (1689) Wing O815; ESTC R13410 211,358 294

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the whole Church as unto Faith in general but only the Belief before described 2. THIS Communion in Faith respects the Church it self as its material Object For it is required hereunto that we believe that the Lord Christ hath had in all Ages and especially hath in that wherein we live a Church on the Earth confined unto no Places nor Parties of Men no Empires nor Dominions or capable of any confinement as also that this Church is Redeemed Called Sanctified by him that it is his Kingdom his Interest his concernment in the World that thereunto and all the Members of it all the Promises of God do belong and are confined that this Church he will save preserve and deliver from all oppositions so as that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and after Death will raise it up and glorify it at the last day This is the Faith of the Catholick Church concerning it self which is an Ancient fundamental Article of our Religion And if any one deny that there is such a Church called out of the World separated from it unto which alone and all the Members of it all the Promises of God do appertain in contradistinction unto all others or confines it unto a Party unto whom these things are not appropriate he cuts himself off from the Communion of the Church of Christ. IN the Faith hereof all the true Churches of Christ throughout the World have a comforting refreshing Communion which is the spring of many Duties in them continually 3. THIS Communion of Churches in Faith consists much in the principal Fruit of it namely Prayer So is it stated Ephes. 2.18 For through Christ we have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father And that therein the Communion of the Catholick Church doth consist the Apostle declares in the following Verses 19 20 21 22. Now therefore c. For Prayer in all Churches having one object which is God even the Father God as the Father proceeding in all from one and the same Spirit given unto them as a Spirit of Grace and Supplications to make Intercession for them and all of them continually offered unto God by the same High-Priest who adds unto it the Incense of his own Intercession and by whom they have all an access unto the same Throne of Grace they have all a blessed Communion herein continually And this Communion is the more express in that the Prayers of all are for all so as that there is no particular Church of Christ in the World not any one Member of any of them but they have the Prayers of all the Churches in the World and of all the Members of them every day And however this Communion be invisible unto the eyes of Flesh yet is it glorious and conspicuous unto the eye of Faith and is a part of the glory of Christ the Mediatour in Heaven This Prayer proceeding from or wrought by one and the same Spirit in them all equally bestowed on them all by virtue of the Promise of Christ having the same object even God as a Father and offered unto him by the same High-Priest together with his own Intercession gives unto all Churches a Communion far more glorious than what consists in some outward Rites and Orders of Mens devising BUT now if there be any other Persons or Churches who have any other Object of their Prayers but God even the Father and as our Father in Christ or have any other Mediators or Intercessors by whom to convey or present their Prayers unto God but Christ alone the only High-Priest of the Church or do renounce the Aid and Assistance of the Holy Spirit as a Spirit of Grace and Supplications they cut themselves off from all Communion with the Catholick Church herein 4. THE Vnity of Faith in all Churches affecteth Communion among them in the Administration of the same Sacraments of Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. These are the same in unto and amongst them all Neither do some variations in the outward manner of their Administration interrupt that Communion But where-ever the continuation of these Ordinances is denied or their nature or use is perverted or Idolatrous Worship is annexed unto their Administration there Communion with the Catholick Church is renounced 5. THEY have also by Faith Communion herein in that all Churches do profess a subjection unto the Authority of Christ in all things and an obligation upon them to do and observe all whatsoever he hath Commanded OTHER instances of the like nature might be given but these are sufficient to manifest how unscriptural the Notion is That there is no proper Communion with or among Churches but what consists in a compliance with certain Powers Orders and Rites the pressing whereof under the Name of Vniformity hath cast all thoughts of real Evangelical Church Communion into Oblivion SECONDLY Churches Ordained and Constituted in the way and manner and for the Ends declared in our former Discourse on this Subject and by virtue of their Union unto Christ and among themselves living constantly in all places of the World in the actual exercise of that Communion which consists in the performance of the same Church-Duties towards God in Christ unto their own Continuation Encrease and Edification have also an especial Vnion among themselves and a mutual Communion thence arising THE Bond of this Vnion is Love not the common regulated Affection of Humane nature so called not meerly that Power and Duty which is engraven on the Hearts of Men by the Law of Creation towards all of the same kind and blood with themselves but an especial Grace of the Holy Spirit acting in the Church as the Principle and Bond of its Union unto its self whence the command of it is called a New Commandment because in it self as unto the only Example of it in the Person of Christ the Causes and Motives unto it with its peculiar Ends and proper Exercise it was absolutely New and Evangelical An Explanation of the Nature of it belongs not unto this place although it be a Grace and a Duty of so much importance wherein so much of the Life Power and peculiar Glory of Christian Religion doth consist and is either so utterly lost or hath such vile Images of it set up in the World that it deserves a full Consideration which it may receive in another place I SAY the Holy Spirit of Grace and Love being given from Christ the Fountain and Center of all Church-Union to dwell in and abide with his Church thereby uniting it unto himself doth work in it and all the Members of it that mutual Love which may and doth animate them unto all those mutual Acts which are proper unto the Relation wherein they stand by virtue of their Union unto Christ their Head as Members of the same Body one with another HEREIN consists the Union of every Church in it self of all Churches among themselves and so of the whole Catholick Church their Communion consisting
as the best Treasure to be preserved and ensured by all that would be Happy here and hereafter By Bartholomew Ashwood late Minister of the Gospel Price bound 2s 6d Another Book of the same Authors Entituled The heavenly Trade or the best Merchandize the only way to live well in impoverishing Times A Discourse occasioned from the decay of Earthly Trades and visible waste of practical Piety in the Day we live in Offering Arguments and Counsels to all towards a speedy revival of dying Godliness and timely prevention of the dangerous issues thereof hanging over us Very necessary for all Families Price 2 s. 6 d. Some other Books Printed for and Sold by William Marshal CAryl's Exposition on the whole Book of Job In Two Volumes in Folio Pool's Synopsis Criticorum In V. Volumes Latin. 's Synopsis on the New Testament In Two large Volumes in Latin with the Index are to be sold very cheap In Quires both Volumes for 20 s and both Vol. well bound for 30 s. Pool's Annotations in English. Two Volumes Index's to the Old and New Testament to be sold alone Price 5 s. Dr. Owen on the Hebrews In Four Volumes Owen on the Spirit Clark's Martyrology Mellificium Chirurgiae or the Marrow of Chirurgery An Anatomical Treatise Institutions of Physick with Hippocrates's Aphorisms largely Commented upon The Marrow of Physick shewing the Causes Signs and Cures of most Diseases incident to humane Bodies Choice experienced Receipts for the Cure of several Distempers The Fourth Edition enlarged withm any Additions and purged from many Faults that escaped in the former Impressions Illustrated with Twelve Copper Cuts By James Cooke of Warwick Practitioner in Physick and Chirurgery There is also a very useful Book of the same Authors for those That are desirous of being their own Physicians Entituled Select Observations of English Bodies of Eminent Persons in desperate Diseases To which is now added an Hundred rich Counsels and Advices for several honourable Persons With all the several Medicines and Methods by which the several Cures were effected With Directions about Drinking the Bath Water Price bound 2 s. 6 d. Clarkson's Primitive Episcopacy Octavo Price bound 1 s. 6 d. Owen of Justification 's Brief and Impartial Account of the Nature of the Protestant Religion THE TRUE NATURE OF A Gospel Church AND ITS GOVERNMENT CHAP. I. The Subject Matter of the Church THE Church may be considered either as unto its Essence Constitution and Being or as unto its Power and Order when it is Organized As unto its Essence and Being its constituent parts are its Matter and Form. These we must enquire into By the Matter of the Church we understand the persons whereof the Church doth consist with their Qualifications And by its Form the reason cause and way of that kind of Relation among them which gives them the Being of a Church and therewithal an Interest in all that belongs unto a Church either privilege or power as such Our first Enquiry being concerning what sort of Persons our Lord Jesus Christ requireth and admitteth to be the visible Subjects of his Kingdom we are to be regulated in our Determination by respect unto his Honour Glory and the Holiness of his Rule To reckon such persons to be Subjects of Christ Members of his Body such as he requires and owns for others are not so who would not be tolerated at least not approved in a well Governed Kingdom or Commonwealth of the World is highly dishonourable unto him But it is so come to pass that let Men be never so notoriously and flagitiously wicked until they become pests of the earth yet are they esteemed to belong to the Church of Christ. And not only so but it is thought little less than Schism to forbid them the Communion of the Church in all its sacred Privileges Howbeit the Scripture doth in general represent the Kingdom or Church of Christ to consist of persons called Saints separated from the World with many other things of an alike nature as we shall see immediately And if the Honour of Christ were of such weight with us as it ought to be if we understood aright the nature and ends of his Kingdom and that the peculiar Glory of it above all the Kingdoms in the World consists in the Holiness of its Subjects such an Holiness as the World in its wisdom knoweth not we would duly consider whom we avow to belong thereunto Those who know ought of these things will not profess that persons openly profane vicious sensual wicked and ignorant are approved and owned of Christ as the Subjects of his Kingdom or that it is his will that we should receive them into the Communion of the Church But an old opinion of the unlawfulness of separation from a Church on the account of the mixture of wicked men in it is made a scare-crow to frighten men from attempting the Reformation of the greatest Evils and a covert for the composing Churches of such Members only Some things therefore are to be premised unto what shall be offered unto the right stating of this Enquiry As 1. That if there be no more required of any as unto Personal Qualifications in a visible uncontroulable profession to constitute them Subjects of Christs Kingdom and Members of his Church but what is required by the most righteous and severe Laws of Men to constitute a good Subject or Citizen the distinction between his visible Kingdom and the Kingdoms of the World as unto the principal causes of it is utterly lost Now all negative Qualifications as that Men are not Oppressors Drunkards Revilers Swearers Adulterers c. are required hereunto But yet it is so fallen out that generally more is required to constitute such a Citizen as shall represent the righteous Laws he liveth under than to constitute a Member of the Church of Christ. 2. That whereas Regeneration is expresly required in the Gospel to give a Right and Privilege unto an entrance into the Church or Kingdom of Christ whereby that Kingdom of his is distinguished from all other Kingdoms in and of the World unto an Interest wherein never any such thing was required it must of necessity be something better more excellent and sublime than any thing the Laws and Polities of Men pretend unto or prescribe Wherefore it cannot consist in any outward Rites easie to be observed by the worst and vilest of Men besides the Scripture gives us a description of it in opposition unto its consisting in any such Rite 1 Pet. 3.21 And many things required unto good Citizens are far better than the meer observation of such a Rite Of this Regeneration Baptism is the Symbol the Sign Expression and Representation Wherefore unto those who are in a due manner partakers of it it giveth all the external Rights and Privileges which belong unto them that are Regenerate until they come unto such Seasons wherein the personal performance of those Duties whereon the continuation of