Owen - BX5085 O84x 1681

(76 ). fending, and offended muff belong unto thefame rdiety unto whom the Addrefs is to be made; elfe the one party may juftfy decline the Judicatory applyed unto, and fo fruftrate the Procefs. And it muff be fuch a Church, as unto whom they are known in their Circumffances , without which it is impofiible, that a right judgment in fundry cafes, can be made in point of Offence. (4) It isa Churchofan eafie Addrefs ; Go tell the Church ; which fuppofeth that free and immediate as cefs, whichall the Members ofa Church have unto that whole Church whereof they are members. Wherefore (5) It is faid, é 'r 'Ex. nai;t.' tell the Church; not a Church, but theChurch ; namely, whereunto thou and thy Brother do belong. (6) One end of this Dire&ion is, that the offendingand the offendedpar- ties may continue together in the Communion of the fame Church, in Love without Diffitnulation; which thing belongs unto a particular Congregation. (7) The meaning is not tell the Diocefan Bijhop ; for whatever Church he may have under his Rule, yet is not he himfelf a Church. Nor is it (8) the Chancellours Court that our Saviour intended. Be it whatit will, it is a difparagement unto all Churches, to have that name ap- plied thereunto. Nor, Laffly, Is it a Presbytery or Affociation of the Elders of many particular Congregations , that is in- tended. For the Power claimed in fuch affociated `Presbyteries, is with refpecf unto what is already in ,. or before particular Congregations, which they have not either Wildom or Autho- rity, as is fuppofed, finally to order and determine. 13 u this fuppofeth, that the Addrefs in the firff place, be made unto a particular Congregation, which therefore is firftly and properly here intended. Allthings are plain,familiar,and'expofed to the common Un derftandings ofall Believers, whofe minds are any way exerci- fed about thefe things, as indeed are all things that belong unto the Difcipline of Chrift. Arguments pretendedlydeep and learn- ed, really obfcure and perplexed, with logical Notions and di- flinâions, applied unto things thus plain and evident in them (elves,

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