{"product_id":"ours-is-a-true-church-of-god-william-perkins-and-the-reformed-doctrine-of-the-church-paperback","title":"'Ours is a true church of God': William Perkins and the Reformed doctrine of the church - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDonald John MacLean\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow do we discern a \"true\" church? Given the current ecclesiastical climate this is an increasingly pressing question. This study looks at how William Perkins, a great seventeenth-century Church of England theologian, responded to this issue. Particular focus is given to his understanding of the distinctions between the visible and invisible church, and the marks of a \"true\" church, namely, word, sacraments and discipline. Judged against these marks, Perkins argued passionately that the Church of England was \"a true church of God\".\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe also, in line with traditional Reformed ecclesiology, allowed significant doctrinal and practical decline before a church ceased to be a \"true\" church. The criteria he outlined for leaving a church amounted to nothing less than the obstinate and persistent overthrow of cardinal Christian doctrine and worship.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerkins' careful teaching calls us to consider our response to declension in the church today. Ultimately his ecclesiology calls us to have a high view of the unity of the visible church, and in many causes to labour for recovery rather than to leave.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 48\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.12 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e March 22, 2019\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47645927964893,"sku":"9781906327552","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/9867\/8237\/files\/Rv4ms1bmuS9781906327552.webp?v=1773858397","url":"https:\/\/handfulofbooks.com\/products\/ours-is-a-true-church-of-god-william-perkins-and-the-reformed-doctrine-of-the-church-paperback","provider":"Handful of Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}