Owen - BX5085 O84x 1681

(ri ) i. Whereas the direaions given bythe light ofNature in and unto things concerningthe outward worfhip ofGod, are general only fo as that by them alone, it would be very difficult to ere& a Church-State in good and holy Order; God did always from the beginning, by efpecial Revelations and Irflitution, ordain fuch things as might perfedt the Con - duet -of that Light unto fuch a compleat Order, as was ac- cepted with"himfelf. So (i) He appointed a Church - State for man in Innocency, and compleated its Order by the Sa- cramental Addition of the two Trees, theone of Life, the other of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 2. That before the coming ofChrift, who was to per- fed andcompleat all DivineRevelations, and fl:ate all things belonging unto the Houle andWorlhip ofGod,fo as never to admit of.the leafl changeor alteration;ThisChurch- State,asunto outward Order, Rites of Worfliip, ways and manner of the Adrniniftration of things facred, with its bounds and limits, -Was ëhangeable, and varioufly changed. The moft eminent Change it received was in the giving of the 'Law , which fixed irs State unal: erably unto the Coming ofChrift. Mal. 4- 4, 5, 6. 3. That it was God hi,nfe f alone, who made all thefe Al- terations and Changes; nor would he, nor did he ever al- low, that the Wills, Wifdom, or Authority ofmen, thotild prefcribe Rules or Meafures untohis Worfhip in any thing. Heb.3. I, z, 3,4.5, 6. 4. That the Foundation ofevery Church-State, that is ac- cepted with God, is in an exprefs covenant with him , that they receive and enter into, who are to be admitted into. that State. A Church not founded in a Covenant with God , is not from Heaven, but ofMen. Hereof we fhall treat more at large, as Ifuppofe, afterwards; See it exemplified, Exod. 24. 5. There is no Good in, there is no Benefit to be -obtain- C z ed

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