FROM THE WORKS OF DR. JOHN OWEN.[^11]
“And the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.”—JOHN x. 4.
THE second end of the dispensation of the Gospel, in the assemblies of the churches of Christ by the ministers of them, is the edification of them that are converted to God and do believe. Herein consists that feeding of His sheep and lambs that the Lord Christ hath committed unto them. And it is mentioned as the principal end for which the ministry was ordained, or for which pastors and teachers are granted unto the Church. (Eph. iv. 8-12.)
The Scripture abounds in the declaration of what skill and knowledge in the mystery of the Gospel—what attendance unto the Word and prayer—what care, watchfulness, and diligent labour in the Word and doctrine—are required unto a due discharge of the ministerial duty. Where it is omitted or neglected, where it is carelessly attended unto, where those on whom it is incumbent do act more like hirelings than true shepherds, where they want skill to divide the Word aright, or wisdom and knowledge to declare from it “the whole counsel of God,” or diligence to be urgent continually in the application of it, there the principal end of all Church communion is ruined and utterly lost.
And where it so falls out, let any man judge what thoughts they are likely to be exercised with who make conscience of the performance of their own duty, and understand the necessity of enjoying the means which Christ hath appointed for their edification. It is certain that such Churches will in vain, or at least unjustly, expect that professors of the Gospel should abide in their particular communion when they cannot, or do not, provide food for their souls, whereby they may live to God.
Unless all the members of such Churches are equally asleep in security, divisions among them will in this case ensue. Will any disciple of Christ esteem himself obliged to starve his own soul for the sake of communion with them who have sinfully destroyed the principal end of all Church communion? Is there any law of Christ, or any rule of the Gospel, or any duty of love, that requires them so to do?
The sole immediate end of men’s joining in Churches being their own edification and usefulness unto others, can they be bound in conscience always to abide in the communion of those Churches where it is not to be attained? This may become such as know not their duty, nor care to be instructed in it, and are willing to perish in and for the company of others. But for those who, in such cases, shall provide, according to the rules of the Gospel, for themselves and their own safety, they may be censured, judged, and severely treated by them whose interest and advantage it is so to do; they may be despised by riotous persons who sport themselves with their own deceivings; but with the Lord Christ, the Judge of all, they will be accepted.
And they do but increase the dreadfulness of their own account, who, under pretence of Church power and order, would forcibly shut up Christians in such a condition as wherein they are kept short of all the true ends of the institution of Churches. To suppose, therefore, that every voluntary departure from the constant communion of such Churches, made with a design of joining unto those where the Word is dispensed with more diligence and efficacy, is a schism from the Church of Christ, is to suppose that which neither the Scriptures nor reason will give the least countenance unto. And it would better become such Churches to return industriously unto a faithful discharge of their duty, whereby this occasion of divisions may be removed out of the way, than to attempt their own justification by the severe prosecution of such as depart from them.
If those who give the greatest evidence that they have received the powers of that religion which is taught and owned among them, who have apparently attained a growth in spiritual light and knowledge above others, so far from being peculiarly cherished and regarded, shall be marked, observed, reproached, and it may be, on very slight provocation, put even to outward trouble, whilst men of worldly and profane conversations, ignorant, perhaps vicious and debauched, shall be the delight and companions of Church guides and rulers—it cannot be that such Churches should long continue in peace; nor is that peace wherein they continue much to be valued. An agreement in such ways and practices is rather to be esteemed a conspiracy against Christ and holiness than Church order or concord.
And when men once find themselves hated, and it may be persecuted, for no other cause, as they believe, but because they labour, in their lives and professions, to express the power of that truth wherein they have been instructed, they can hardly avoid the entertainment of severe thoughts concerning them from whom they had just reason to expect other usage; and also to provide for their own peaceable encouragement and edification.
Suppose a man be no way able to preach the Word unto the edification of them that are pleaded to be his flock, or, having any ability, yet doth not—will not—give himself unto the Word and prayer, or not labour in the Word and doctrine; and suppose the same person openly defective as unto an exemplary conversation, and, on the contrary, layeth the stumbling-block of his own sins and follies before the eyes of others; what shall we judge of his ministry, and of the state of that church whereof he is a constituent part as its ruler? I answer—
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I do not believe it is in the power of any Church to confer the pastoral office, by virtue of any ordination whatsoever, unto any who are openly and evidently destitute of all those previous qualifications which the Scripture requireth in them who are to be called unto this office.
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If, on evidence hereof, the people will voluntarily adhere unto them, they are partakers of their sins, and do what in them lies to un-church themselves.
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Where such persons are, by any means, placed as pastors in or over any churches, and there is no way for the removal or reformation, it is the duty of every one who takes care of his own edification and salvation to withdraw from the communion of such churches, and to join with such as wherein edification is better provided for.
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Where the generality of churches in any kind of association are headed by parties defective in these things, then all public Church reformation is morally impossible; and it is the duty of private men to take care of their own souls, let Churches and churchmen say what they please.
To compose Churches of habitual sinners, and that either as unto sins of commission or sins of omission, is not to erect temples to Christ but chapels unto the devil. He that will not separate from the world and from false worship, is a separate from Christ.
The continuation of the Church, as unto the essence of it, depends on the communication of saving grace. If Christ should no more give of His grace and Spirit unto men, there would be no more Church in the world, as unto its internal form and essence. But the continuation of the Church, as it is organical, depends on the communication of spiritual gifts and abilities.
If the Lord Jesus Christ should withhold the communication of spiritual gifts, this Church state must cease. An image of it may be erected, but the true Church state will fail. Such dead, lifeless images are many Churches in the world.